Dr Beecher’s July 2014 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter

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“Most of the change we think we see in life is due to truths being in and out of favor.” ~ Robert Frost

 Important Message for Arthritis Pain Sufferers:

Study Finds Natural Spice Might Relieve Pain

as Well as Ibuprofen!

Also this month:

• How the “Black Death” Helped the Human Race: Many are surprised at the results of a new study. Here’s why you shouldn’t be and how this little know fact about the “Black Death” can make you healthier… NOW.
• Nagging Kills? New study finds nagging by a spouse can shorten their partner’s lifespan!
• Man With Only $1 In His Pocket Does The UNTHINKABLE! What this person did and his incredible story can change your life!

Houston – Do you suffer from arthritis in one or both knees?  If you do and would like to know how to get some relief, then this information will be very important to you.

Here is Why…

Researchers have found curcumin, a component of the spice tumeric, may work as well as or better than anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

Tumeric comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant and is best know as one of the ingredients used to make curry and also as the ingredient that gives store-bought mustard its bright yellow color.

For centuries, tumeric has been used by both Chinese and Indian medicine as an anti-inflammatory treatment, and lately it’s been hailed as a “super food” with many possible health benefits.  Some people even claim tumeric can be used to treat medical conditions like Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, and even several types of cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society’s website, “Turmeric is a common food flavoring and coloring in Asian cooking. Animal and laboratory studies have found that curcumin, an antioxidant that is an active ingredient in turmeric, demonstrated some anti-cancer effects in the lab. But human research is needed to determine curcumin’s role in cancer prevention and treatment in people. Several types of cancer cells are inhibited by curcumin in the laboratory, and curcumin slows the growth and spread of some cancers in some animal studies. Clinical trials are underway to find out if it can help humans as well.

            “Curcumin is being studied to find out whether it helps other diseases such as arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and stomach ulcers. It is also being studied to see whether it can help lower “bad cholesterol” and improve outcome in kidney transplants. A few early studies have been done in humans, but much more human research is still needed to find out if curcumin can be effective in these uses.”

Good News for

Knee Arthritis Sufferers!

A study published in the March 2014 edition of Clinical Interventions in Aging compared Curcuma domestica (C. domestica) extracts to ibuprofen to treat knee osteoarthritis.  Over 350 knee osteoarthritis patients with high pain scores were given either 1,200 mg/day of ibuprofen or 1,500 mg/day of C. domestica extract.

The study concluded: “C. domestica extracts are as effective as ibuprofen for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.  The side effect profile was similar but with fewer gastrointestinal AE reports in the C. domestica extracts group.”

Two things are very important here…

First, according to this study, C. domestica extract relieves knee osteoarthritis pain.  Even more importantly, the study concluded that the adverse effects were similar to ibuprofen except for fewer gastrointestinal problems.

But, adverse events were only noted if they occurred during the study and drugs like ibuprofen can have even worse side effects. In fact, ABC News reported the results of a large Danish study that found, “People taking ibuprofen — sold under the brand names Advil, Motrin, Nuprin — had [a] 29 percent increased risk of stroke.”

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen is in this group) have carried a warning for increased risk of cardiovascular problems since 2005. C. domestica extract use has not been found to increase an individual’s risk for heart attack or stroke.  Some researchers and doctors speculate that freshly juiced tumeric may outperform tumeric extract but of course, more research needs to be done.

New Study Finds Nagging by a Spouse

Can Shorten Their Partner’s Lifespan!

Sometimes reality sounds more unbelievable than fiction, and this is one of those times.   According to a new study, nagging by a spouse can actually kill you.  That’s right, researchers have finally given anti-naggers some good amunnition to end the badgering.  According to CBS News, “Danish researchers from the University of Copenhagen said having a nagging partner can significantly shorten one’s life, and could result in three extra deaths per 100 people per year.”        The study also said people nagged by their spouses are more likely to develop heart disease and cancer and men are at greater risk than women, if only slightly. Researchers always like to say, “more research needs to be done” but it appears that nagging someone, even if your intentions are good, may be doing more harm than good.

How the “Black Death” Can

Make You Healthier

It might seem strange to think that something like the “Black Death” (also called bubonic plague) can make you healthier, especially since it was one of the most devastating epidemics in human history.

In fact, the bubonic plague is estimated to have killed nearly one hundred million people between 1347 and 1351.  For a better understanding of the devastation, the plague wiped out approximately 30% of all Europeans and almost 50% of Londoners in just four years.

But, a new study sheds a different light on the Black Death, and it is not all bad.

The study published in the journal PLOS ONE suggests that, “people who survived the medieval mass killing plague known as the Black Death lived significantly longer and were healthier than people who lived before the epidemic struck in 1347.”

The article indicates that, “the disease targeted elderly adults and individuals who had been previously exposed to physiological stressors.”

A key point here is that the disease did not just target “older” people.  In fact…

• The 14th-century Black Death was not an indiscriminate killer, but instead targeted frail people of all ages.
• Survivors of the plague experienced improvements in health and longevity with many people living to ages of 70 or 80 years, as compared with pre-Black Death populations.
• Improvements in survival post-Black Death didn’t necessarily equate to good health over a lifespan, but revealed a hardiness to endure disease, including repeated bouts of plague.
• The Black Death, either directly or indirectly, shaped mortality patterns for generations after the epidemic ended.

This is All Very Interesting Information… but…

Why is Any of This Important to YOU Now?

Good question. This study, like just about all studies, is not “the answer.”  It shows interesting correlations and raises even more interesting questions.

One such question is, since the Black Death only seemed to kill people with weakened immune systems (the frail), wouldn’t it be wise to do everything possible to strengthen your immune system to its full genetic potential by eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep, managing stress, and keeping your nervous system functioning optimally as possible?

            Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.

Inspirational Story Of The Month

(Names And Details May Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)

Man With Only $1 In His Pocket

Does The UNTHINKABLE!

What this person did and his incredible story can change your life!

Do you watch the news?  If you do, it’s very easy have a pretty bleak picture of society because most of the stories you see and hear focus on the negative side of humanity.

Why?  Well, one explanation is that news shows are only interested in one thing: ratings.  Evidently, reporting about the ugly side of life in a tabloid-ish, sensationalized way gets a lot more ratings than stories about good people doing good things.

But, what if people are not as bad as is reported on the majority of the new programs?  What if most people live peacefully together and actually go out of their way to help on another?  What if most people are actually trustworthy and if given the opportunity, would do the right thing?

Here is a perfect example that you may not have heard about on the news…

Joe Cornell is 52 years old and in rehabilitation for drug addiction.  One day at work, while watering trees across the street from the rehabilitation center, Joe heard a car honk.  He looked up and saw that a car had pulled up next to an armored truck and was honking to get the truck driver’s attention.

Joe thought the driver of the car was trying to tell the driver of the truck that he had dropped something.  So after they both pulled away, Joe walked down the street to see what was going in.

Joe immediately saw a large orange bag that he said was similar to the type Santa Claus would carry if it were red.  That orange bag was filled with money.  A lot of money.  $125,000 to be exact!

$125,000 is a lot of money to just about anyone but it was probably even more to Joe who only had $1 in his pocket for lunch that day.  This discovery could have gone a long way to helping Joe recover all the things addiction had taken from him.

While some people would have fantasized about how they were going to spend the money, Joe focused on doing the right thing. He said there was a brief moment when the devil was on his shoulder telling him to keep it  but there was also an angel on his other shoulder asking him what his grandchildren would think decades later and what a poor example he would be if he kept money that was not his.  Joe said no matter how he tried to rationalize it, keeping that money would be stealing.

So, Joe decided to turn the money in.  All of it.  It was not an easy decision for a man with only $1 in his pocket.  But the real question is: WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE?

Seriously, if you found $125,000 and no one knew, would you turn it in like Joe did or would you keep it?

Before you answer, Joe is not alone.  Not too long ago three college kids bought a couch at a thrift store for $20.  When they got home, they found a plastic bag with $40,000 in it.  They also found a deposit slip with the name of the 91-year-old woman who had previously owned the couch.  The college kids found the elderly woman and returned the money.

You see, maybe there are a lot of good people out there doing wonderful things EVERY DAY you just don’t here about on the news.  J

We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and

getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger!

Don’t be a stranger. You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!

Did You Know?…

An Apple a Day…

Studies are constantly proving that food can be a powerful medicine. Such is definitely the case where apples are concerned. Recently, research has shown that the presence of fresh apples in your diet can improve your memory. Apples are becoming increasingly associated with brain health, as studies have proven that the antioxidants and flavonoids present in apples can reduce the brain-cell inflammation and oxidation that occurs naturally due to the presence of free radicals.

Scientists have also observed that levels of acetylcholine – a specific neurotransmitter that greatly influences brain signals responsible for movement and sensory perception – increase with the regular consumption of as few as two apples a day. Not only that, but regular apple consumption appears to hinder the accumulations of toxins in the brain, particularly one type of toxin called beta-amyloid, which is thought to be one of the main culprits that cause Alzheimer’s disease.

It is no surprise that the popular saying goes, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” This saying is actually an adaptation to an older proverb – “to eat an apple before bed will make the doctor beg for his bread.”

While apples are now being shown to potentially halt and reverse Alzheimer’s disease, enhance cognitive functions, prevent memory loss, and help in other brain-related matters, there are still a multitude of studies being conducted to prove that apples are the perfect food for diabetics, patients with heart disease, cholesterol, obesity, and even constipation.  While the old proverb says one apple a day is enough, studies suggest increasing that dosage to two apples is a good idea for optimal health benefits.

Tip Of The Month

Want to be More Creative? Do This…

A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition claims to have made a remarkable discovery.  As reported by Business Insider,  “Participants who went for a walk saw an 81% increase in tests measuring divergent thinking, a thought process associated with creativity in which you generate a lot of ideas.” 

Walking has been practiced by top thinkers to generate ideas and solve problems for centuries, perhaps even millennia.  The list of “walkers” is like a who’s who in the intellectual and business world.  Aristotle, Friedrich Nietzsche, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg were/are all walkers, and there are plenty more.  Walking tends to stimulate your creative senses in many ways.   One way is that walking simply “activates” or “awakens” your body and brain.  Sitting around tends to deaden your senses. In other words, sitting slows you down and almost makes you numb to new thoughts and ideas.  Walking (even if it’s just around a little room) gets the blood flowing and gets both your body and brain in thinking-mode, ready to produce and/or receive fantastic new ideas.  The walk also gives you a new perspective.  Perspective is extremely important to creative thinking and problem solving.

Walks do one more very important thing:  They keep your spine moving and help reduce back pain.  Sitting for long periods of time not only kills creativity, it slowly destroys your back.  Bad posture and the forces of gravity cause joint “creep” that can cause serious problems over time.  If you want to be even less creative, try thinking while you suffer from chronic back pain.  Staying physically active is one of the best things you can do for both your mental and physical health.

And it’s not good enough to simply exercise at night after you sit all day at a desk.  It is best to take frequent breaks and go for a walk, even if it is just in a little circle next to a tiny cubicle.  Doing this little activity several times a day can pay huge dividends and help you avoid many health problems over the next 10, 20, or 30 years.

Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal

and maintain the pain free body you deserve.

This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.