Aspirin

by: Gordon Josephs, MD

Letter to the Editor:

Every patient with cardiovascular problems comes to my office taking aspirin. You hear it everywhere, especially from your doctor, "An aspirin a day will reduce heart attacks and strokes by 50%." However, it's just not so. These claims are massive exaggerations at best and shamefully skewed science at worst. Whatever the reason, too many people are taking aspirin. How did all this aspirin use get started? Let's look at the history of aspirin studies.

Doctors and others noticed that when a person on aspirin cut themselves, they seemed to bleed longer. So in 1968, Dr. J.R. O'Brian of Portsmouth, England suggested that aspirin could reduce the stickiness of platelets, and that this might reduce clot formation. He also suggested that taking an aspirin a day might prevent heart attacks, strokes from clots, and pulmonary embolisms (a clot striking the lungs). He designed a study to see if there would be less blood clots after surgical procedures if aspirin was taken. The results were published in The Lancet, the British medical journal, in 1971. Aspirin was found to be of no benefit. Regardless, the fascination with aspirin for prevention continued. In 1974 two more tests were completed in England and reported in medical journals. The tests were designed to determine if aspirin could prevent or reduce the number of second heart attacks in those who already had a previous heart attack. The British Medical Journal followed 1,233 coronary patients and The Lancet reported on 1,682 patients which were followed. Both tests suggested such a small benefit in aspirin that it was considered of no statistical significance. The matter was closed in England.

In a 1979 trial at the University of Oregon, aspirin was used to try to keep vein grafts open after coronary artery bypass surgery. Dr. George Partely reported the findings in the New England Journal of Medicine. Aspirin was of no benefit in keeping vein grafts open.

In 1980 in the USA, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (now the National Institutes of Health) did a similar study to see if second heart attacks could be avoided with aspirin. They used only people who already had a past heart attack. They spent 16 million dollars and did a much larger study than the ones done in England. Their conclusion, reported by Dr. R.L. Levy, director of National Heart, Lung, and Blood was particularly clear. Aspirin did no good in preventing a second heart attack. Aspirin did cause ulcer-like abdominal pain, stomach inflammation, and bleeding from the stomach and the intestines; 15% of the study participants had to quit due to these adverse symptoms. They advised that heart attack patients not be given aspirin on a sustained basis.

In 1980 and 1987, aspirin was combined with another drug called dipyridamole, in a multi-national European study. Studies showed stroke deaths from clots reduced 50% and heart attack deaths decreased 35%. Remember this was from aspirin plus another drug, not aspirin alone.

So up to 1987 there's still no scientific reason to take aspirin for your heart. But here's where it gets interesting. In 1988 and 1989 a big group of doctors themselves begin to take aspirin along with a matched group of doctors who did not (The Physician's Study). One group was in England, the other in the USA. The English group reported no reduction in heart attacks, hut the USA group reported "44% less non-fatal heart attacks." The 44% got stretched through popular use to 50%. Now the question is, were there just as many fatal heart attacks in the USA study? The answer: yes, there were just as many fatal heart attacks! There was no reduction in deaths.

So what is a nonfatal heart attack? A milder one. One that doesn't kill you! Well if aspirin causes 44% less of these milder heart attacks, wouldn't that be a good thing? But wait a minute! Why didn't the English study report 44% less heart attacks?

The answer is simple. The English study used pure aspirin. But in the USA, the Bufferin Company provided the aspirin and they provided Bufferin which is aspirin plus a pinch of magnesium (to soothe the stomach). As far as I'm concerned, these well-run studies proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that a pinch of magnesium reduces nonfatal heart attacks by 44%.

Can you imagine what happens when a full dose of magnesium is taken? In fact a study was done where emergency room patients with chest pain were given, or not given, a single injection of magnesium before being admitted to the hospital. There was about a 50% reduction in cardiovascular mortality (from that one shot alone) during the subsequent hospitalization!

How about stroke prevention and aspirin? There are two kinds of strokes: strokes from clots and strokes from hemorrhages. Aspirin was found to reduce strokes from clots by the same percentage that it increased strokes from hemorrhages. Any benefit is canceled out. Aspirin is said to work by reducing platelet aggregation and thus reducing clots. But there's no proof that it is clinically effective, as I have shown. In fact there are three ways to reduce platelet aggregation and aspirin works in one of those ways. Drug companies are currently looking for substances, which would work in more than one way. Such a substance might be a welcome improvement over aspirin. Most orthodox physicians, sadly, have been brainwashed via the pharmaceutical industry into believing that aspirin is effective. Most orthodox physicians do not know of any alternatives to aspirin. Yet I found it interesting that a recent poll revealed that 73% of cardiologists who prescribed aspirin for their patients, themselves take vitamin E! I suggest they have seen the studies regarding antioxidants in cardiovascular disease.

In my opinion; it would be wiser and safer to use natural substances which are known to reduce platelet aggregation. These include: magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin E, fish oils, flaxseed oil, garlic and onion oils, ginger, feverfew, ginkgo biloba, mucopolysaccharides. bromelain, and more. Get started on these items and discontinue your aspirin now.
Gordon Josephs, MD
Managing Director
ChelationCare Centers USA

Dr. Josephs is a Diplomat, American Board of Chelation Therapy; Int. Diplomate, American Board of Oxidati'e Medicine; Diplomate in Acupuncture, SriLanka Medicina Alternativa; American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine; President, Arizona Homeopathic and Integrative Medical Association.

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE

Week of: Monday SEPT. 16, 2013

Courtesy of:

John H. Keefe III, D.C.

(918) 663-1111

IN THE NEWS: GENERAL ANESTHESIA: two recent journal articles in the Br J Psychiatry and from INSERM and U. of Bordeaux, France; in vivo studies have shown that “inhaled anesthetic agents can promote amyloid B peptide (AB) peptide oligomerisation and enhance AB-induced neurotoxicity in the Br J Psychiatry. They found that patients older than 50 years who underwent surgery for the first time had nearly a double risk for a dementia, primarily Alzheimer’s, compared to nonanesthesized patients. Medical News Today reported on the U of Bordeaus article summarized their findings that elderly patients exposed to general anesthesia had a 35% higher risk. I found that to be exactly what happened to a close family member after having ‘successful bypass surgery’, within a few years developed severe dementia. Here’s a side-note in the same article that the Mayo clinic reported that children exposed to anesthesia on multiple occasions also had a higher risk of ADHD.

 

DRUGS: CANNABIS USE IN TEENS LINKED TO IRREPARABLE DROP IN IQ ORLANDO, Florida — Cannabis users who start smoking the drug as adolescents show an irreparable decline in IQ, with more persistent use linked to a greater decline, new research shows. On the other hand, adult-onset cannabis use is not linked to a decline in IQ. "Our results suggest that adolescents are particularly vulnerable to develop cognitive impairment from cannabis and that the drug, far from being harmless, as many teens and even adults are coming to believe, can have severe neurotoxic effects on the adolescent brain," lead investigator Madeline H. Meier, PhD, from Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, told Medscape Medical News

CHIROPRACTIC: CHIROPRACTIC BEST OPTION FOR SACROILIAC JOINT PAIN AND SCIATICA Dysfunction in the sacroiliac joint (SIJ), located in the pelvis, is one of the most common causes of sciatica, resulting in back pain that radiates down the leg and below the knee. Scientists have long questioned what the best treatment option is for patients with SIJ-related leg pain. In a recent study from a European medical journal, researchers compared three treatment options: physical therapy, chiropractic care and cortisone injections. Patients included 51 adults with leg pain associated with the sacroiliac joint. Researchers analyzed the effectiveness of each method after six weeks of selected treatments, and again after 12 weeks. The results for each patient were categorized as either a success or failure, based on relief or worsening of symptoms and average pain scores.  The study’s findings revealed that chiropractic care is the superior choice for treating leg pain associated with the SIJ. The success rate for chiropractic adjustments was 72 percent, compared to just 20 percent for physiotherapy and 50 percent for the cortisone injections. Researchers also found that neither physical therapy nor injections resulted in significant pain relief, whereas chiropractic therapy resulted in a significant improvement on pain scores. Due to the success rate and pain reduction of chiropractic therapy, the study authors concluded that chiropractic should be the first treatment of choice in patients with SIJ-related leg pain.

Visit our web site: keefeclinic.com or facebook/keefeclinic

September 18, 1895

 

DEAF 17 YEARS
I was deaf 17 years and I expected to always remain so, for I had doctored a great deal without any benefit. I had long ago made up my mind not to take any more ear treatments, for it did me no good. Last January, Dr. Palmer told me that my deafness came from an injury in my spine. This was new to me; but it is a fact that my back was injured at the time I went deaf. Dr. Palmer treated me on the spine; in two treatments I could hear quite well. That was eight months ago. My hearing remains good.

Harvey Lillard
320 W. Eleventh St.
Davenport, Iowa

TODAY

Hi, my husband and I have been trying to start a family for seven years. After trying the doctors my medical doctor sent us to without success, we were told about chiropractic. Well, two months later I was pregnant.
- Linda

My name is Jim. I lifted something wrong at work and heard something pop and went to my knees in pain. I was told surgery was the only option I had, and I would be off work several months. Then the bad news......I might not ever return to my same job. Someone told me to try chiropractic, best suggestion I ever got. I was back to work in three weeks and am doing great...
- Jim

It was a year ago that I had the car accident, and just a few weeks after that, the first seizure hit. For the next several months I was terrified when the next one would come. Every few weeks the doctor would increase my medication until he said any higher could be fatal. I was looking at a life of drugs that left me a zombie and I was still having seizures. When a friend told me about chiropractic, I didn't think it could help. What a mistake I almost made! Today I am free of seizures and feel fantastic, even my daily headaches are gone.
- Jill

I used to have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome before I tried Chiropractic
- Beth

My child was hyperactive and doing poorly in school...not any more! For the first time she is making A's!....
- Karen

I couldn't believe after twenty years my allergies were gone.....
- Larry

In 1895 Dr. D.D. Palmer gave the adjustment that was heard around the world. Today Chiropractic is the worlds largest natural health care system.

Though started in the U.S. in the late 1800's, Chiropractic is now found around the world.

Chiropractic is a science, philosophy and art making up the second largest healing art in the U.S.

PHILOSOPHY

The power that made the body can heal the body. There is an inborn intelligence (innate) that controls all function within the body. As innate is expressed to each tissue at 100%, then there will be 100% function or health. The body does not need outside help to do its job-- it just needs no interference. When the spine is subluxated (misaligned) INNATE can't control and coordinate the body, thus ill health happens.

SCIENCE

Health is when each organ is functioning properly, and is functioning in relation to the needs and wants of the rest of the body. (Dorland's Medical Dictionary) The nervous system controls and coordinates every organ, part and system of the body and relates the individual to his or her environment. (Grays Anatomy) Nerves from the spinal cord (Pre-ganglionic fibers) communicate (synapse) with the nerves controlling organs (up to 20 post-ganglionic fibers - autonomic chain). Vertebra become subluxated (misaligned) and compress the nerves (pinched nerves). 10 millimeters of pressure decrease the nerve function 40%. 20 millimeters of pressure decrease function by 60%. (Spinal Research University Colorado) This nerve pressure causes the underlying weakness that allows disease to develop. Healthy bodies don't get sick. Studies show chiropractic is twice as effective as medical care, at half the cost. (Trial records Wilks vs. AMA)

ART

The highly skilled, specialized art of finding and adjusting misaligned joints of the body (mainly the spine). Helping restore proper function by restoring normal nerve and blood supply to the body. Taking the knowledge of chemistry, physiology and diet to restore proper blood chemistry balance and organ function.

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patient in the care of the human frame, diet , and in the cause and prevention of disease."
- Thomas Edison

The Chiropractic Physician looks to correct the cause-not just to cover the symptoms.

Symptom relief is the approach most medical physicians use in treating their patients, leaving the underlying condition time to get worse. This approach is widely used, although drugs can't replace sick cells with healthy ones. And physicians who were only taught drug therapy in school don't have the tools to do anything else.

Chiropractic training takes a totally different approach. Lifestyle components like diet (vitamin therapy, herbs etc.), exercise, stress, body ecology and nervous system health are taught in place of drug therapy.

Because of the difference in philosophy of health care, tension has built up between the two approaches in patient care. This tension has produced a lot of negative propaganda from the AMA (the union of most drug therapists). It has gotten so nasty that the federal court has demanded the AMA stop its attempt to block the growth of chiropractic. Despite the scare tactics the AMA has used over the years to keep patients from seeing other types of doctors like Chiropractors, Chiropractic has grown into the second largest health care system in the US and the world's largest natural healing art. The federal judge found the AMA's main objection to chiropractic was an economic one. Chiropractic patients were getting well after medicine failed to help them and they were telling others. Not only that, they were asking their drug therapists why they did not do for them what their chiropractic physician did....ouch!

LAWS OF HEALTH

Chiropractic Physicians don't claim to cure every disease, and they refer patients to other specialists at a far greater rate than the reverse, even when the MD knows we could help his patient.

However, most chiropractic patients report receiving what they came for. In fact, Chiropractic doctors have the highest approval rate over MDs in patient opinion polls.

There are no magic potions or pills to produce good health, but there are five laws:

• Diet
• Rest
• Attitude
• Exercise
• Healthy Nervous System

Some have said that there are no incurable diseases, just incurable patients. If you don't work the laws, don't expect to receive the benefits.

A SPECIAL CLASS

In studies of those who visit Chiropractic Physicians as compared with those seeing drug therapists, the following profile was discovered.
On the average Chiropractic patients:

• Had more higher education.
• Were more concerned about their health, and took more responsibility in their life styles.
• Asked more questions and expected to get answers.
• Thought for themselves and refused taking information from their physician without question.

COULD I BENEFIT FROM MODERN CHIROPRACTIC?

Only a Chiropractor can tell for sure. Some people don't know most health problems respond to the tools that modern Chiropractic has to work with. Call today and find out what you are missing! 663-1111

FMS (fibromyalgia syndrome) is a widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder for which the cause is still unknown. Fibromyalgia means pain in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons - the soft fibrous tissues in the body.

Most patients with FMS say that they ache all over. Their muscles may feel like they have been pulled or overworked. Sometimes the muscles twitch and at other times they burn. More women than men are afflicted with FMS, and it shows up in people of all ages.

To help your family and friends relate to your condition, have them think back to the last time they had a bad flu. Every muscle in their body shouted out in pain. In addition, they felt devoid of energy as though someone had unplugged their power supply. While the severity of symptoms fluctuate from person to person, FMS may resemble a post-viral state. This similarity is the reason experts in the field of FMS and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) believe that these two syndromes may be one and the same. Gulf War syndrome also overlaps with FMS/CFS.

Symptoms And Associated Syndromes

Pain - The pain of FMS has no boundaries. People describe the pain as deep muscular aching, throbbing, shooting, and stabbing. Quite often, the pain and stiffness are worse in the morning and you may hurt more in muscle groups that are used repetitively.

Fatigue - This symptom can be mild in some patients and yet incapacitating in others. The fatigue has been described as "brain fatigue" in which patients feel totally drained of energy.

Sleep disorder - Most FMS patients have an associated sleep disorder called the alpha-EEG anomaly. Patients appeared to spend the night with one foot in sleep and the other one out of it.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Constipation, diarrhea, frequent abdominal pain, abdominal gas, and nausea represent symptoms frequently found in roughly 40 to 70% of FMS patients.

Chronic headaches - Recurrent migraine or tension-type headaches are seen in about 50% of FMS patients and can pose a major problem in coping for this patient group.

Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome - This syndrome, sometimes referred to as TMJ or TMD, causes tremendous jaw-related face and head pain in one quarter of FMS patients. Typically, the problems are related to the muscles and ligaments surrounding the jaw joint and not necessarily the joint itself.

Other common symptoms - Premenstrual syndrome and painful periods, chest pain, morning stiffness, cognitive or memory impairment, numbness and tingling sensations, muscle twitching, irritable bladder, the feeling of swollen extremities, skin sensitivities, dry eyes and mouth, dizziness, and impaired coordination can occur. Patients are often sensitive to odors, loud noises, bright lights, and sometimes even the medications that they are prescribed.

Aggravating factors - Changes in weather, cold or drafty environments, infections, allergies, hormonal fluctuations (premenstrual and menopausal states), stress, depression, anxiety and over-exertion may all contribute to symptom flare-ups.

Possible Causes

The cause of FMS remains elusive, but there are many triggering events thought to precipitate its onset. A few examples would be an infection (viral or bacterial), an automobile accident or the development of another disorder, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or hypothyroidism. These triggering events probably don't cause FMS, but rather, they may awaken an underlying physiological abnormality that is already present.

What Is The Prognosis?

Long term follow-up studies on FMS have shown that it is chronic, but the symptoms may wax and wane. The impact that FMS has on daily living activities, including the ability to work a full-time job, differs among patients. Overall, studies show that FMS may be equally as disabling as rheumatoid arthritis.

How Is It Diagnosed?

Currently there are no laboratory tests available for diagnosing Fibromyalgia. Doctors must rely on patient histories, self-reported symptoms, a physical examination and an accurate manual tender point examination. Proper implementation of the exam determines the presence of multiple tender points at characteristic locations.

Hope for fibromyalgia.

Over the past several years I have had the opportunity to help several patients with fibromyalgia. It has been my experience that there is not one cause for this condition so individualizing a patient's treatment program is essential. The immune system appears to be the most common weakness with the patients that I have worked with. Through the use of diagnostic testing like Vega testing we have been able to unravel the underlying cause and develop a treatment program on an individual basis. Not all patients respond as quickly to therapy because not all patients have the same underlying cause. From detoxification to specialized nutrients to rebalance the immune system as well as treating individual nutritional deficiencies, patients have responded extremely well to care. Though not all patients show a complete recovery, many do. Our program consists of developing an individual diet that matches a patients genetic makeup, targeting therapy to balance the immune system through chiropractic adjustments and specialized nutritional formulas. Enhancing a patients neurotransmitters with nutritional products that help enhance sleep and educating patients on the importance of following the five laws of natural health (see our pamphlets on the natural laws of health).

In April 1996 the Second International Symposium on Dietary Fats and Oil Consumption in health and disease was hosted by the Southwestern University Medical School in Dallas, Texas. Nutritional researchers from around the world presented their findings on the effects of fat in the human diet. After the presentations showing the subjects following the low-fat diet hadn't got rid of their obesity, had not lowered their cholesterol levels, had lowered their HDL levels (the good cholesterol), and had increased their blood levels of triglycerides (a major risk factor for heart disease), the moderators of the symposium pronounced the low-fat diet a failure.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a supplement to their March 1998 issue, all the papers presented at this symposium along with some of the formal discussions that took place. The following quote from the supplement would give you an idea of the thinking of the symposium participants: "at this stage there is no conclusive evidence from studies that dietary fat intake promotes the development of Obesity more so than any macro-nutrients".

It is important to note then even though these statements are true concerning the population in general, they are not true concerning certain sub-groups. The problem with studies like these are that they generalize the findings. There are sub-groups of the population that appear to respond well to low fat, high complex carbohydrate diets. But alot of people DON'T.

In 1910 we consumed 83% of our fat as animal fat and only 17% as vegetable fat, and practically all of that came from eating the actual vegetables. Now, we get three times the amount of vegetable fat we did then, and a little more than half the animal fat. And we have added a new kind of fat, an unnatural, processed fat called Trans fat, to the mix. Trans fat, widely used for baking, turned up in all kinds of processed foods; unfortunately, according to the Second National Health in Nutrition Examination Survey done nearly 20 years ago, the largest contributions of calories in the U.S. diet are white bread, rolls, crackers, doughnuts, cookies, and cakes, so we consume-at least those of us who follow the typical American diet-a hefty dose of these unnatural fats. In order to avoid Trans fats, it's important to look for the words partially hydrogenated and avoid any products that contain them.

Cholesterol is a alcohol. As such, it can't travel independently in the the blood. It is basically not a fat but a waxy substance, because the blood is a water-based liquid, quite simply, oil and water don't mix. To keep the waxy cholesterol suspended in the watery blood, the body developed water soluble carrier proteins on which the cholesterol molecules (and for that matter the actual fats in the blood, the triglycerides) can safely ride from place to place. Your most likely already familiar with these carrier proteins, called lipoproteins, by their names: high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), and the newer and less famous one, intermediate-density lipo-proteins (IDL).

Now the big question- Does cholesterol itself cause heart disease? You might be surprised to learn that this issue is far from settled. But if you were to ask 100 people at random on the street whether reducing cholesterol to the lowest level as possible is healthy, the overwhelming majority would answer yes, and they would answer incorrectly. Research suggests that the mortality risk increased when you pushed your cholesterol to low levels using an ultra low-fat diet or drugs.

Let's look at the studies. In 1969 we have the Veterans Administration Trial. In 1989 we have the Minnesota Coronary Study. The MRFIT study was performed in 1982. The WHO multifactor study was performed in 1983. The Gotltenberg study was performed in 1986. There is the Helsinki Heart Trial, the Finnish Multifactor Trial, and each and every one of these studies failed. There have been no successful cholesterol intervention trials. The members of one of the trials who took drugs achieved 10 percent reduction in cholesterol, and the pro-ponents equated that with a 34 percent reduction in their risk of heart attack. Notably, during the five-year period of the study, 79 people in the control group (this group did nothing for their cholesterol) suffered non- fatal heart attacks, whereas only 51 of those receiving the drug did.

Twenty-eight fewer heart attacks sounds great, right? But let's look a little deeper. How many people died in each group? You would think that far more of the control group (who did nothing) would have, since 28 more of them had heart attacks, in which case you'd be wrong. Only 42 of those not on the study drug died during the five years, while 45 in the group that took the drug died. It makes no sense to take a drug to reduce your risk of having a non- fatal heart attack if by doing so you increased your odds of dying of something else Dead's dead, what-ever the cause. Furthermore, look at some of the other side effects these drugs have: severe liver damage, skeletal muscle destruction, acute renal failure.

Let's look at the bright side. You can safely balance your cholesterol while you improve your overall health. The first key is determining which is the correct diet for you. There are four different body types with two basic patterns of eating with some variations. Two body types require a high complex carbohydrate with a low-fat diet. Two body types require high protein and a low carbohydrate diet. It is very important to determine which diet is correct for you. Don't follow the fads. Just because someone has a best-selling book out and all your friends are following it doesn't mean you should, Remember your mothers words "If everybody was jumping off the cliff, would you?".

Along with diet, targeted nutrition is very important. You must understand that 80% of your cholesterol level is manufactured by your liver. Balancing liver function through nutritional supplementation is extremely important in balancing cholesterol. Controlling your insulin level by watching your sweets can be just as important. Also it's important to remember cholesterol rises in response to stress. Exercise can help regulate stress. B-complex, magnesium, antioxidants, good quality fats as well as the correct ratio of carbohydrates, proteins and fats are natures' way of balancing your cholesterol.

Diet, Exercise, Attitude, Rest And A Pressure Free Nervous System

Have you ever thought much about your nervous system? Millions and millions of tiny electrical fibers sending chemical and electrical information throughout your body. Making muscles move, causing glands to secrete, creating the miracle of sight and sound. Most people don't think much about how the body works but if we were going to decide upon the most important system it would have to be the nervous system. Not that you can do without your cardiovascular system or your digestive system but these systems and all the rest are controlled and coordinated by the nervous system.

Gray's anatomy, one of the most widely used anatomy books, indicates that the nervous system controls and coordinates every organ, part and system of the body and relate the individual to his or her environment. To put that in plain english your stomach won't digest, your lungs won't take in air, your joints won't lubricate themselves and your brain won't interpret what your eyes see without the function of the nervous system.

Who Are You?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the physical sense you are your nervous system. You're not your liver, though your liver is a part of what makes up your body. If you get a liver transplant you're still you. If you get a heart transplant you're still you but if science could transplant your nervous system then you would not be there anymore. Not only are you expressed through the nervous system so is your health.

Your nervous system was the first recognizable organ, a little gray streak, within a mass of identical looking cells. It was your nervous system's job to take those cells and make a complete human being. And now it's your nervous systems job to maintain the normal function of your body. It controls the growth of cells, the function of organs as well as coordinates the massive job of navigating your body's movements. The miracle of balance and movement of our human bodies is pulled off masterful by the control of the nervous system.

How Do You Work?

How fast should your heart beat right now? How much insulin should your pancreas produce right now? What is your cholesterol level right now? The answer to these questions are programmed within your nervous system. The ability to regulate these functions and thousands upon thousands of others is the ability your nervous system has to maintain you health. When your nervous system is in full control it can express your genetic potentials as far as health is concerned. It keeps your cholesterol level normal, your blood sugar normal, your hormone levels normal, your blood pressure normal etc.

If you have a digestive problem what's wrong with your nervous system? Your nervous system controls and coordinates the growth, repair and function of your digestive system. Why is your digestive system acting up? Has your nervous system forgot want to do? Of course not, but you can be assured something is interfering with its function. Your nervous system knows how to keep your digestive system functioning normally. Then why do you have digestive problems. Is it due to some lack of a drug? Some antacids? What is the daily recommended requirement for Alka-Seltzer?

No, your nervous system has not forgot want to do. But the information can get blocked and never reach your digestive system. When the information that tells your stomach how much acid to secrete becomes garbled what is your stomach to do? The organs need direction in order to function properly. It's your nervous systems job to give it that direction. When you get sick this direction is lost, chiropractic can restore it.

How Do You Get Sick?

There are different causes for nerve interference but the number one causes is subluxation. The subluxation is a slight misalignment of a vertebra which causes distortion within the spine. This misalignment with the accompanying changes in the spine can cause a considerable amount of stress on the nervous system. Unfortunately this stress is not always felt as pain. In fact a considerable amount of stress can develop along key nerves without any back pain whatsoever. As this stress is maintained, organs, parts and systems start to malfunction. Again this malfunction can take place slowly over time without a lot of warning. Our body slowly loses the vitality and energy that is part of normal function. Slowly over months and years disease develops.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POSTURE AND HEALTH Roger Sperry,Ph.D. (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1981) discovered that 90% of the brain’s activity is used to balance your body within the gravitational field of earth. If your body is mechanically distorted, it will affect the other 10% of the brain's activity, which controls all the other body functions such as breathing, digestion and cognition. If the body framework (bone structure and spine) is misaligned it can impede or block the electrical and chemical transmissions of the nervous system, which controls all of your body's functions. This interference to the nervous system can cause or contribute to all kinds of symptoms and illnesses (in other words, the feeling that "I am hurting or I am sick"). Published research studies indicate that when body balance is restored, the body enters a healing cycle that alleviates pain and symptoms, elevates the immune system, increases blood and oxygen circulation, normalizes nervous system communication and creates more optimum body performance ("I feel good again").

Science

Nerves from the spinal cord (Pre-ganglionic fibers) communicate (synapse) with the nerves controlling organs (up to 20 post-ganglionic fibers - autonomic chain).

Vertebra become subluxated (misaligned) and compress the nerves (pinched nerves).

• 10 millimeters of pressure decrease the nerve function 40%
• 20 millimeters of pressure decrease function by 60%.
• (Spinal Research University Colorado)

This nerve pressure causes the underlying weakness that allows disease to develop. Healthy bodies don't get sick.

Studies show chiropractic is twice as effective as medical care, at half the cost. (Trial records WlIks vs. AMA)

How Do You Get Well?

A Chiropractic physician is trained in detection and correction of spinal subluxation complex. A Chiropractic physician is trained in diagnosis as other physicians are but when it comes to treatment we specialize in a natural approach. The Chiropractic adjustment to reposition the spinal bones also rebalances the spinal distortion that results from the subluxation. This releases the spark of life that allows the body the miracle of healing.

How Do You Stay Well?

The Chiropractic physician includes diet, exercise and other lifestyle techniques to restore the body to good health. Because the Chiropractic physician works with the spine many people mistakenly believe that chiropractors just work with spinal problems. A Chiropractic physician works with most health problems with treatments that are designed to fix and not cover up. The Chiropractic approach is a natural health care approach. We offer health care for the whole family.

Long Term Chiropractic Patients Have Higher Blood Levels of DNA Repair Chemicals  Published by drkita on November 16, 2012

The February 18, 2005 issue of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research finds that patients under long-term chiropractic care have higher levels of the blood chemicals associated with effective DNA repair and overall wellness.

The test was a retrospective analysis of 46 patients, all over the age of 40 who had been under short- term chiropractic care for 8-52 weeks or long term wellness care for 52-312 weeks. Researchers assessed the levels of serum thiols, blood factors that have been found to help the body repair the damaging effects stress has on the structure of DNA. Serum thiols are measured in terms of nM cysteine.

The authors found that non-chiropractic treated patients in the control group had serum thiol levels of 124 nM cysteine. Patients with active disease processes going on generally had levels below 90 compared to patients under long-term chiropractic care who had values of 146.

If you know someone with a chronic health problem please pass along this post. Please see our other posts in the natural law series.

Each health-care system around the world has an underlying philosophy that it is based on. Medicine is based on an evolutionary/materialistic philosophy whereas Chiropractic is based on a vitalistic philosophy. Philosophies do have an effect on the theory and practice of the health-care system. For instance medicine has looked at the appendix as a residual organ leftover in our evolutionary development. And for years the appendix was routinely removed when surgeons were in the abdomen doing other surgeries. Today we realize that was a mistake because those patients without an appendix have more colon disease and cancer.

Chiropractic philosophy has always respected the body even before we understood how each organ worked, realizing those organs were there for a purpose. The vitalistic philosophy recognizes that if there is a design or intelligence then there is a designer or universal intelligence. Where as materialistic philosophy would look at design as a curious accident. In a vitalistic framework if one was walking in a forest and found a watch there wouldn't be any questioning about this watch being formed by some marvel of random action. In a vitalistic philosophy man is understood as more than just material or a bag of chemicals. Man has a spiritual component. As we study the effect of attitude upon health we will explore both mental and spiritual attitude.

First it is important to note that scientific studies have proven the effect of spiritual/religious activities on the health of man. People that exercise regular spiritual disciplines such as prayer or even church attendance have been shown to be healthier than the general population. Since our goal with each of our patients is to help you achieve the highest level of health let's for a minute explore how spiritual and mental attitudes affect our health.

Let's first look at a positive mental attitude.

If you are a patient reading this pamphlet you have been explained how the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord and the billions of nerve fibers) controls and coordinates your body. By definition health is when every organ, part and system of the body is functioning normally and its function is coordinated with the needs, wants, stresses and demands of the body. The basic principle of Chiropractic understands health as the normal expression of the nervous system to each cell in the body and the corresponding feedback from the cells or body to the central nervous system.

 

The brain and spinal cord are the key components of the central nervous system and the mind is expressed through these structures. Fortunately for us the unconscious mind or subconscious mind primarily is responsible for keeping track of the hundreds of millions of impulses traveling to and from the central nervous system. Our conscious mind would be overwhelmed since some of us have problems chewing gum and walking at the same time. Fortunately our subconscious mind can effortlessly keeping track of all the incoming information and perfectly devise a plan to maintain normal function. Even so our conscious mind does have an effect on our subconscious mind. Study after study shows the connection between the stress that we deal with on a conscious level and a corresponding affect on our subconscious mind and thus our bodies. So when our mind is at peace that has a positive effect on our bodies.

 

How does this spiritual part of man affect the mental part of man and is there a connection between spirit and body?

 

There are different disciplines that are considered spiritual in nature. Prayer, meditation, fasting, service to mankind could be considered a short list. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness temperance are considered some of the spiritual attributes. We hear a lot about happiness in our society. Happiness depends on happenings and with a lot of people if good things are happening then they are happy and if bad things are happening then they are sad.

Joy is more of an inward attitude and does not necessarily depend on what's happening. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones from the writings of Solomon. Many people who have obtained this spiritual attribute can maintain joy even when circumstances would appear adverse. I think if one understands the importance of attitude upon the function of the body one could quickly see how Joy would be better than sadness.

If one could call upon the resources of their spirit to maintain a constant positive attitude then there would be a corresponding benefit to that person's health. Many scientific studies show this connection. There is a difference between just trying to maintain a positive mental attitude and being able to draw on the resources of one's own spirit. It's much like looking at the conscious mind and subconscious mind. If a person's conscious mind had to maintain all of the bodies' functions than you can see how overwhelmed and impossible that responsibility would be. Our subconscious mind has more than enough resources to accomplish this task. In the same way as we learn to tap into the resources that are available on a spiritual level we can draw upon positive energies to help maintain a healthy attitude even in a world that is not always positive.

It's interesting to study the effects on individual lifestyles of people who routinely focus on their spiritual side as opposed to individuals who primarily focus on the physical/mental. Individuals focusing on developing a spiritual nature routinely discard many negative lifestyle habits. It seems that those individuals that ignore this component of their lives become involved in lifestyle practices that over stimulate their systems. " Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags" from the writings of Solomon. The spiritual component of man is more at a deeper level, more inward and individuals who ignore this part of their person tend to over stimulate themselves in the mental and physical areas as if in an effort to distract them from their deeper selves. "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings" from the writings of Solomon.

If you're reading this and are dealing with chronic health problems, issues with stress such as sleep disorders, depression or anxiety consider exploring the possibility of improving your mental and spiritual attitude through spiritual disciplines. Studies have shown simply doing something for someone else and becoming less focused on oneself can have a dramatic positive effect on one's health. The effects that prayer and/or meditation have on improving body function and reducing stress with the corresponding depression and anxiety, are well documented. To ignore this area is very short sighted. Just as it is important to feed your physical body good food you need to properly feed your mental and spiritual bodies. "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding" from the writings of Solomon.

Kidney stones, one of the most painful of the urologic disorders, are not a product of modern life. Scientists have found evidence of kidney stones in a 7,000-year-old Egyptian mummy. Unfortunately, kidney stones are one of the most common disorders of the urinary tract. In 2000, patients made 2.7 million visits to health care providers and more than 600,000 patients went to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems. Men tend to be affected more frequently than women.

Bryan N. Becker, MD, head of nephrology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says the "profound degree of pain" can radiate down the side and belly and can be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. "It cycles," he tells WebMD. "It lets up, starts again."

What Is A Kidney Stone?

A kidney stone is a hard mass developed from crystals that separate from the urine and build up on the inner surfaces of the kidney. Normally, urine contains chemicals that prevent or inhibit the crystals from forming, such as citrate and magnesium. Crystals also may form if your urine becomes too concentrated or is too acidic or too alkaline.. These inhibitors do not seem to work for everyone, however, so some people form stones. If the crystals remain tiny enough, they will travel through the urinary tract and pass out of the body in the urine without being noticed.

Kidney stones may contain various combinations of chemicals. The most common type of stone contains calcium in combination with either oxalate or phosphate. These chemicals are part of a person's normal diet and make up important parts of the body, such as bones and muscles.

A less common type of stone is caused by infection in the urinary tract. This type of stone is called a struvite or infection stone. A bit less common is the uric acid stone. Cystine stones are rare.

Dehydration through reduced fluid intake or strenuous exercise without adequate fluid replacement increases the risk of kidney stones. Obstruction to the flow of urine can also lead to stone formation.

Medical Treatment Of Kidney Stones

Often the pain of a kidney stone will land a person in the nearest ER, where narcotic painkillers may be required, Becker says.

The key is fluids. The patient will get IV fluids in an effort to flush the stone out. Small ones will pass on their own, although it is not comfortable.

If the stone is retrieved, Brown says, the lab can tell what it's made of and some dietary instructions for preventing a second episode can be issued.

If the stone is too big to pass and is blocking urine (a situation which can cause damage to the kidney), it may be broken up by sound waves. Or the doctor can insert a device into the urinary tract and grab the stone in a little unfolding basket and remove it. Surgery may also be necessary for some stones.

Natural Home Remedies For Kidney Stones

Bran flakes. Fiber helps get rid of calcium and oxalate in your urine, which cuts the risk of kidney stones. A bowl of bran flakes can give you 8 mg of fiber. Nettle leaf. Drinking plenty of water is the undisputed champion of kidney stone prevention. Some herbal teas, such as those made from the leaves of stinging nettles, may enhance the benefits of water by acting as natural diuretics. Vitamin A is an essential ingredient for healthy kidneys. One carrot can give you twice your daily requirements for this kidney-friendly nutrient. Foods rich in vitamin A include sweet potatoes, pumpkin, winter squash, broccoli, and carrots. The B vitamins, specifically vitamin B6, are well-known stone fighters. Vitamin B6 keeps the body from building up excess oxalate. Too much oxalate is a major factor in kidney stone formation. Three ounces of chicken provide more than one-third of your daily needs of B-6. Magnesium, too, seems to be helpful in preventing stones. Your doctor may suggest a daily supplement of B6 and/or magnesium.

Dr. Keefe's Approach

As someone who has experienced a kidney stone years ago, I know how painful it can be. Luckily, I was aware of the mechanism of their development and was able to resolve mine in short order. The two most important factors that I have found with kidney stones is pH and magnesium.

We carry sensitive pH paper that will quickly let you know if your urine is too acidic or too alkaline. We carry acid-alkaline food lists for your convenience.

For acid urine (the most common) two lemons or three limes in a quart of water is your drink of choice, or a gold label Alka-Seltzer which is just a bicarbonate will change your pH quickly. For alkaline urine cranberry juice and high doses of vitamin C as well as eating acid producing foods will be helpful. I recommend taking your pH to the opposite extreme for 24 hours. In most cases as soon as your pH is shifted the stone will dissolve enough to pass without much pain. Then try to maintain a 6.4 pH for saliva and urine. Watch out for too much calcium and not enough magnesium. Magnesium is the key. Magnesium citrate would be very helpful. Divide your body weight in half and consider that ounces. For instance 100 pound person should drink 50 ounces a day of fluids if they have kidney stones. Again if your urine is acid make that lemon water you drink at half your body weight.

High Oxalate Foods

Avoid the following high oxalate foods. Or, limit the amount you eat or drink to a total of 1/2 cup or less per day from this list. This can increase your risk of getting kidney stones

BEVERAGES: Beer, Chocolate milk and drink mixes,Hot cocoa, Tea.
FATS: Nuts,Peanuts and peanut butter,Pecans, Sesame and sesame butter or tahini, Soy nut butter.
FRUITS: Berries of all kinds, including strawberries, Fruit cocktail,Lemon, lime, and orange peels,Purple or Concord grapes, Red currants, Rhubarb, Tangerines.
MEATS & MEAT SUBSTITUTES: Baked beans in tomato sauce, Soy products like tofu and tempeh.
STARCHES: Amaranth, Corn grits, Fruit cake, Sweet potatoes, Wheat germ and bran.
VEGETABLES: Beans: green, wax, dried, Beets and beet greens, Celery, Chives, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Green peppers.
GREENS: collards , dandelion, escarole, kale, parsley, pokeweed, Swiss chard, watercress, or spinach, Leeks, Okra, Rutabagas, Summer squash.
OTHER: Carob powder, Chocolate in any form, Cocoa powder.

These words were immortalized from a movie on an Apollo disaster. In this disaster fortunately all onboard survived. But there is a real-life disaster happening where those involved are not as lucky. I'm always amazed and mystified by human behavior. As Americans we sometimes are very gullible. Madison Avenue spends hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising because advertising gets people to do things they normally wouldn't do. Giant drug companies seem to have convinced the public that safe pharmaceutical answers exist for practically every possible health complaint or concern.

Unfortunately, the truth is that most drugs and hormones fail to live up to this image of "safe efficacy" on both accounts-they are not without dangerous side effects and they are not always the most efficient method of dealing with a problem over the long-term. For some reason the advertisements sometimes leave out the small matter of side effects. You hear a lot about the benefits of calcium blockers you don't hear that magnesium is nature's natural calcium blocker. You don't hear that calcium blockers can also block fertility, increase rates of cancer, gastrointestinal bleeding, memory loss, and heart attacks (one of the things it was supposed to prevent).

That tranquilizers can lead to Parkinson's symptoms months or years after you have stopped taking the drugs. Drugs for high cholesterol increase your risk for heart failure by 60 percent. The patients who have bypass surgery have increased heart attack risk by 214%. Did you know that the common medical treatment for enlarged prostate is clinically proven to leave more than one in three men impotent. Women taking synthetic estrogen increase their cancer risk 13 times, yet natural estrogens have no risk at all. The most common drugs recommended to arthritic patients kill 16,500 arthritic patients a year and on top of that destroys cartilage.

Chronic pain sufferers die from pain killing drugs at a rate of 20,000 a year. "JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAIN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, NOV. 20, 1996. In 1994 there were well over two million adverse drug reactions recorded. How many were not recorded? There are around 2000 deaths per week due to drug reactions. Even some medical authors indicate that well over 80 percent of these patients could have been treated through natural methods. 44,000 to 98,000 people in the U.S. die from "medical errors" each year."JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAIN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, NOV. 20, 1996 Even using the lowest estimate, this places "medical errors" as the eighth leading cause of death, ahead of AIDS, breast cancer, motor vehicle accidents.

Those of you who are news junkies  have been hearing some of these statistics. But unfortunately as quick as these reports come they disappear and are soon forgotten. To recap this information, reports state that the fourth leading cause of death and the eighth leading cause of death are due to the effects of drugs and surgery.

The good news is this. Americans have slowly but surely been turning from drug therapy to natural health care. Long before these news reports and studies were released, Americans innately have been determining these truths on their own. But unfortunately not enough people have been made aware of the problem. What is interesting is that over the last few years chiropractic and natural health care has been having glowing reports from research.

Just a few years ago the government released a report to every doctor, every hospital, and every library in the United States about the No. 1 health problem in the United States. What is that problem? Low back pain. What was the best treatment on the planet? Chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractic care from recent research has been shown not only very effective but also the most effective care for arthritis, headaches, infantile colic and we should soon hear on a study on ear infections. It was just three years ago that a massive study indicated antibiotics were not the right choice for most ear infections. In fact the study indicated antibiotics increase the length of most ear infections and caused an increase in recurrence, by weakening the immune system. Mothers have long known chiropractic has a good track record here.

Jan 1, 2000 - A new study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine not only points out ... which chronic whiplash patients respond best to chiropractic care. ... "Conventional treatment of patients with whiplash symptoms is disappointing. ... with restricted range of neck movement but with no neurological deficit";.

Just recently chiropractic was shown the best treatment on the planet for whiplash type injuries. Over the past 15 years the research being done on vitamins, herbs and diet have proven their connection with most diseases. In fact those who study research tell us that chiropractic and diet have more research behind what they purport to do then drugs and surgery.You don't get sick because you're deficient in some pharmaceutical drug.

You primarily get sick due to violation of one of the five natural laws of health. Law 1, diet. Law 2, exercise. Law 3, rest and relaxation. Law 4, positive mental and spiritual attitude. Law 5, pressure free nervous system (free of Spinal misalignment). Natural health care and chiropractic offers health care for the whole family. Most health care issues have a safe natural solution. At Keefe Clinic we offer the diagnostic and treatment choices you want. If you have heard of a particular natural treatment we most likely offer it. Call 663-1111. Chiropractic and natural health care is the treatment of choice for the next millennium.

Diarrhea and Constipation Explained

When waste material travels through your digestive tract too quickly for sufficient water absorption to occur, your stools will be runny and more frequent than normal.

Three main causes of diarrhea are:

• Undesirable microorganisms
• Food intolerances (like lactose intolerance)
• Stress

In the first two cases listed above, it makes sense that your body would want things to move quickly through your system; your body doesn't want to spend time digesting foods that it can't properly extract nutrients from or that are laced with disease-causing microbes.

Stress can cause transit time to shorten by messing with your enteric nervous system; please recall that your enteric nervous system controls the reflex contractions that mark "haustral churning." Your enteric nervous system is a part of your autonomic nervous system, and your autonomic nervous system regulates your physiological responses to emotional and physical stress.

When waste material travels through your colon more slowly than it should, enough water is extracted from your waste material to cause your stools to become uncomfortably hard.

Five main causes of constipation are:

• Eating sporadically, or eating meals that are too small to elicit mass peristalsis.
• Not going when you feel an urge to go.
• Lack of a healthy intestinal lining that is capable of producing enough mucous to properly lubricate your stools (vitamin A deficiency is a potential cause of this situation).
• Insufficient intake of water, water-rich foods, and/or fiber-rich foods.
• Stress.

Steps You Can Take To Have Healthy Bowel Movements

Eat substantial meals; don't nibble on small amounts throughout the day.

Each time you eat a substantial meal, you stimulate stretch receptors in your stomach that are responsible for triggering normal and mass peristaltic waves throughout your small and large intestines. These natural contractile waves promote regular movement of waste material through your colon and rectum.

Also, eating substantial meals allows significant boluses (roundish masses) of waste materials to travel together through your colon, turn into well formed stools, and get eliminated from your body in an efficient manner.

Don't suppress the desire to go.

If you regularly suppress the urge to have a bowel movement, waste materials spend more time than is optimal in your colon, causing excessive dehydration of these materials and formation of hard stools.

Ensure adequate intake of water and/or water-rich foods.

Water helps to move waste materials along, and is absorbed throughout the entire length of your colon. Insufficient water intake can cause stools to form far before waste materials reach your rectal pouch, which can cause constipation.

This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to drink several glasses of water per day. If you eat plenty of water-rich plant foods, then you can rely on your sense of thirst to dictate how much water to drink.

Eat fiber-rich foods regularly.

Fiber adds bulk to the boluses of waste material that travel through your large intestine, and this bulk is essential to your colon's ability to turn waste materials into well formed stools.

A diet that is rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains ensures high fiber intake.

Ensure optimal vitamin D status.

Optimal vitamin D status significantly lowers your risk of developing all types of cancer, including colorectal cancer.

To learn more about how to make sure your body is getting enough vitamin D, have a look at the following:

How to Make Sure that You Are Getting Enough Vitamin D for Your Best Health

Ensure adequate vitamin A status.

As mentioned earlier, glands that line the mucosal lining of your colon are responsible for releasing mucous that is needed to lubricate your feces; vitamin A is needed to maintain the health of these specialized cells that release mucous.

It's best to ensure adequate vitamin A status by eating healthy foods that contain vitamin A.

Ensure adequate intake of healthy fats.

All of your cells, including those of your large intestine and nervous system, require a constant influx of undamaged fatty acids and cholesterol to remain fully functional. If you don't ensure adequate intake of healthy fats, your nervous system and the smooth muscles that surround your digestive passageway - both of which are responsible for creating peristaltic waves throughout your digestive tract - may deteriorate in function.

Also, intake of healthy fats is necessary for optimal absorption of fat-soluble vitamin A, which, as mentioned above, is critical to building and maintaining the mucosal lining of your colon.

Healthy foods that are rich in healthy fats include: avocados, organic eggs, olives, extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, coconuts, raw nuts, raw seeds, and cold-water fish.

Build and maintain a population of friendly bacteria in your digestive tract.

Large populations of friendly bacteria (kefir, yogurt) can keep your digestive tract clean and healthy by:

• Promoting optimal digestion, thereby preventing build-up of toxic waste materials.
• Taking up space and resources, thereby helping to prevent infection by harmful bacteria, fungi, and parasites.

Work at feeling emotionally balanced.

Stress can interfere with your ability to clean your colon through its effect on your enteric nervous system (your gut is your second brain). I can state with certainty that the majority of people who have come to me over the years with a chronic colon-related health issue have had significant anxiety in their lives.

 

If you have a challenge with colon and rectal health, I encourage you to take a careful look at ways that you can minimize the amount of stress and anxiety you experience.

 

Healing comes from within. The wisdom that made your body can heal your body. Chiropractic science teaches that the body has an inborn ability to heal itself. In chiropractic we call this innate intelligence.

When you cut your finger in most cases all you need to do is clean the cut and the body will do the rest. When you break a bone if it is not severely dislocated the body can pull the bone back together and make it stronger than it was before the break.

As a chiropractic physician I rely on your bodies inborn intelligence to produce the results from care. My job is to remove the interference and let innate intelligence do the rest. Yes we have to give innate the proper building blocks through proper diet and nutrition plus we need to stop overloading the body with toxic chemicals and depleted nutrients like refined carbohydrates or junk food.

Exercise, oxygen, clean water, stress reduction and proper rest are all components necessary for good health. Drugs can not give you healthy tissue cells, vitamins can not give you healthy tissue cells without innate intelligence doing its job. That's why the adjustment is so important. The doctor inside needs to have full access to every part of your body in order to maintain good health. Nerve pressure interferes with the innate intelligence's ability to restore health. Who do you know who would benefit from chiropractic care?

Chiropractic releases health from within, not from a pill.

Let us define what is meant by proper rest. Ideally it means freedom from work or physical activity; freedom from disturbance of mind or spirit, peace of mind. The purpose of proper rest is to restore, to bring back to a former or original condition.

 

There are presently many theories as to why we require rest or sleep, what happens mentally and physiologically while we sleep and even how much each individual really needs. Based on the information that we have, a rational approach serves to unravel some of the mystery surrounding sleep and the essentials of proper or adequate rest.

When individuals are sleep-deprived their most common complaints are mental fatigue or confusion and musculoskeletal discomfort. These conditions are relieved by subsequent rest. We therefore may extrapolate that sleep is essential to maintain mental clarity and to neutralize structural stress. The physiology behind the restoration of mental capacity is not yet well understood, however, it would appear to be associated with renewing neurotransmitting chemicals and cell membrane potentials throughout our bodies.

These processes in turn are dependent, at least in part, upon the length of rest, the quality of one's nutrition, and the state of one's mind. Rest also provides time for your logical, analytical 'left' brain to relax its dominance and thus allow the emotional and imaginative 'right' brain valuable time for 'creative' expression. Thus, one of the keys to effective rest is learning how to turn down the volume of your 'left', brain while you tune into your 'right'! This is where regular use of an exceptional guided imagery tape can be so useful.

The physiology behind the other major function of rest and sleep, structural recuperation, is more important. There is a relentless force acting upon our physical structure, day by day, week after week: The constant force of gravity. The more effectively one learns to be aware of this force and to deal with it intelligently, the less destructive its influence. Failure to pay heed and to effectively reduce the effect of this downward pull on our bodies, often results in chronic and recurrent musculoskeletal discomfort (stiff, sore shoulders, neck, and back: hip, knee and ankle distress). Degenerative disc and joint disease, myofascial problems and even headaches are the result.

How then may we better cope with these stresses, especially with those related to the earth's gravity? While most of us are aware of the need for a good night's sleep, too few recognize the need for proper rest and relaxation. Both those who are engaged in heavy physical labor and business executives or white collar workers alike are subjected to a variety of physical stressors throughout their 'working hours'. There is mounting evidence that those who manage to obtain some rest and more resourceful postures during the day, not only live more comfortably and work more effectively, they also live longer! Once convinced of the benefits, how does one go about obtaining proper rest during business hours? Proper rest refers to "those inactivities which serve to aid restoration of optimal mental and physical function" (i.e. good health).

Our goals here include assisting the nervous system in its ability to cope with the stresses upon it, and assisting the physical body in compensating for the wear and tear of manual activities and the effects of gravity. All that is normally required is 15 to 20 minutes, twice daily, (in addition to your usual night sleep) to counteract the onslaught of stress-related fatigue and wear and tear.)

One of the most effective practices involves getting off your feet, and/or derriere, and laying supine on your back on a firm surface. Any carpeted floor will do nicely. The knees should be bent up toward your chest until your thighs are at right angles to your trunk, perpendicular to the floor, with your lower legs resting on a chair seat, couch, or even a box with padding on top.

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE

Week of: Monday Sept. 9, 2013

Courtesy of:

John H. Keefe III, D.C.

(918) 663-1111

DIET: PUMPKIN SEED OIL CAN REDUCE YOUR RISK OF STROKE as well as decrease inflammation, a precursor for more serious diseases.  Another potent anti-inflammatory is coriander oil, made from the seeds of an herb native to Asia and parts of Europe.  The tart flavor of the seeds makes them a popular addition to curries and pickles, however it is their antioxidant... anti-bacterial... and anti-fungal properties that help boost the function of your liver, spleen, pancreas, and digestive system. Sesame seeds also protect and support your internal organs, namely the liver and the kidneys.  Testing reveals the seeds contain sesamin and sesamolin, two unique varieties of lignans, substances known to reduce cholesterol and prevent high blood pressure

WELLNESS:  SPECIALLY TINTED GLASSES HELP DYSLEXIA PATIENTS READ As millions of American children return to the classroom, only time will tell who will make the grade this school year. However, the reality is one in five students may be struggling with a language-based learning disability like dyslexia, which may only become evident with failing grades and missed homework assignments. Adam Banks, 38, suffered from dyslexia for as long as he can remember. “The letters would sort of dance, and I would sort of see the patterns of the space between the letters and the paragraphs,” said Banks.  “The speed of transmission of the image between the two eyes is slightly different,” said Dr. Morris Shamah, an ophthalmologist at Eye Care & Surgery Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. ChromaGen lenses help dyslexic patients see words and texts more clearly and read faster. Originally developed to treat color blindness, ChromaGen lenses reduce the visual distortions seen by dyslexic patients by altering the wavelength of light that reaches their eyes. (918) 333-9292

 

CHIROPRACTIC: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POSTURE AND HEALTH Roger Sperry,Ph.D. (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1981) discovered that 90% of the brain’s activity is used to balance your body within the gravitational field of earth. If your body is mechanically distorted, it will affect the other 10% of the brain's activity, which controls all the other body functions such as breathing, digestion and cognition. If the body framework (bone structure and spine) is misaligned it can impede or block the electrical and chemical transmissions of the nervous system, which controls all of your body's functions. This interference to the nervous system can cause or contribute to all kinds of symptoms and illnesses (in other words, the feeling that "I am hurting or I am sick"). Published research studies indicate that when body balance is restored, the body enters a healing cycle that alleviates pain and symptoms, elevates the immune system, increases blood and oxygen circulation, normalizes nervous system communication and creates more optimum body performance ("I feel good again").

 

Visit our web site: keefeclinic.com

Many books have been written concerning diet. What is a good diet? Is there a perfect diet? Is there a diet everyone should follow?

When I was in school an instructor challenged us; "You can make any statement about diet, even an outrageous one, and I will find an authority who agrees with you and one who disagrees." He defined an authority as anyone who has written a book. Believe me, after over 25 years in practice I know, for the layperson, diet can be very confusing. It can be confusing for a lot of doctors as well. The one law concerning diet that few will disagree with is "all things in moderation."

WE ARE DIFFERENT

Over the years, as the effects that food has on individuals has been studied, we have noticed that certain foods will have a unique effect on a persons moods and physiology. Mothers have seen that sweets might make one of their children hyperactive and another child moody or depressed. Foods do not have a universal affect on individuals, the facts are different foods affect people in different ways. So if individuals have different metabolisms than they have different dietary needs. If we were all exactly the same then one perfect diet might be the answer.

The fact is we are individuals, different types of music affect different people in a unique way. For some people like one type of music, some another. To think one diet will fit all makes as much sense as thinking one type of music will be enjoyed by all. At Keefe Clinic we attempt to understand how each patient is unique. There is absolutely no way one diet can be right for all people. Yet for the last several years a low-fat, high complex carbohydrate diet has been pushed on the general public.

The Low-Fat Diet Can Kill

In April 1996 the Second International Symposium on Dietary Fats and Oil Consumption in health and disease was hosted by the Southwestern University Medical School in Dallas, Texas. Nutritional researchers from around the world presented their findings on the effects of fat in the human diet. After the presentations showing the subjects following the low-fat, high complex carbohydrate diet hadn't got rid of their obesity, had not lowered their cholesterol levels, had lowered their HDL levels (the good cholesterol), and had increased their blood levels of triglycerides (a major risk factor for heart disease), the moderators of the symposium pronounced the low-fat diet a failure.

Now some people who have followed the low-fat diet have benefited. Those individuals have lost weight, lowered their cholesterol and blood sugar, and have extended their lifespan. But when you get a massive study of the population as a whole, the good is far outweigh by the number of individuals that have been hurt. Some metabolisms need a low-fat diet; some metabolisms need a high protein diet. Some metabolisms need to stay away from red meat. Some metabolisms should have red meat on a regular basis. Some people like classical music, some people like rock-and-roll. Just as our auditory needs are different our chemical needs are different.

Before Heart Disease Was So Common

In 1910 we consumed 83% of our fat as animal fat and only 17% as vegetable fat, and practically all of that came from eating the actual vegetables. Now, we get three times the amount of vegetable fat we did then, and a little more than half the animal fat. And we have added a new kind of fat; unnatural, processed fat called Trans fat, to the mix. Trans fat, widely used for baking, turned up in all kinds of processed foods; unfortunately, according to the Second National Health in Nutrition Examination Survey done nearly 20 years ago, the largest contributions of calories in the U.S. diet are white bread, rolls, crackers, doughnuts, cookies, and cakes, so we consume-at least those of us who follow the typical American diet-a hefty dose of these unnatural fats. In order to avoid Trans fats, it's important to look for the words partially hydrogenated and avoid any products that contain them.

There are some universal truths: eat real foods. It's possible today to have a meal that consists of very little real foods. Try to eat something fresh and raw everyday, fiber is an essential element to good health and raw foods are full fiber, as well as, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Junk food got its name because it's primarily junk. Garbage in-garbage out, a computer law that's true for our bodies as well.

The Water Cure

New research links dehydration with a number of common diseases. Are you dying of thirst? Forty percent of your body weight in ozs. is the minimum of water you should drink everyday, 50 percent is your cleansing dose. If your weight is 100lbs. you need to drink 40-50ozs. of water every day. Your body is 75 percent water; your brain is 85 percent water, you need to replace this with clean water everyday. As we get older our sense of thirst gradually decreases which can lead to our bodies becoming chronically and increasingly dehydrated.

The Nature Cure

How about fresh air and sunlight. Our bodies need these elements as well. Indoor air has concentrated pollutants that can effect our health. Get outside and enjoy God's creation. Today we hear a lot about the dangers of sunlight. We are told that the ozone layer is opening and we are being exposed to more harmful rays of the sun. To that I say, "junk science". The sun has not changed, we have. We do not eat enough foods that have the antioxidants that protect us from the sun. We are exposed to more toxins that deplete us of antioxidants and so we have more skin cancer. Eat your vegetables and enjoy the sunlight, remember all things in moderation.

Knowing Your Body

There are four distinct body types with many subgroups. The different body types have differing chemistry related to which organ is the most dominant. The types include Thyroid, Adrenal, Gonadal (sex glands), and Pituitary. In men the Adrenal and Gonadal are combined in the Adrenal type.

The ratio of proteins, carbohydrates and fats differ for each type. The Thyroid type and Pituitary type require a lot of proteins whereas the Adrenal type and Gonadal type require a lot of complex carbohydrates. Too much fat can cause problems for Adrenal type and Gonadal type. The Thyroid type and Pituitary type can handle fats pretty well but carbohydrates would put their metabolisms under a lot of stress.

Learning what ratio of proteins, carbohydrates and fats that work best in your system will go a long way in balancing your body's chemistry. Each body type has certain foods that pose particular health risks for them. Understanding this information and realizing how your body type is genetically wired can give you a handle on your health for the rest of your life.

Filling out a simple form will help us determine which body type you are. Knowledge is power.

VISIT: www.facebook.com/KeefeClinic

Trump on Obamacare:
        2700 pages of Health Care explained in 1 page

Trump Explains Dumbo health care:

"Let me get this straight.... We're going to be "gifted" with a health care plan we are forced to purchase and fined if we don't, which purportedly covers at least ten million more people, without adding a single new doctor, but provides for 16,000 new IRS agents, who have recently demonstrated their objective and professional integrity; written by a committee whose chairman says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that didn't read it but exempted themselves from it, and signed by a Dumbo President who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, for which we'll be taxed for four years before any benefits take effect, by a government which has already bankrupted Social Security and Medicare, Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac, and the Post Office all to be overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's broke!!!!!

What the hell could possibly go wrong?"

WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE

Week of: Monday Sept. 2, 2013

Courtesy of:

John H. Keefe III, D.C.

(918) 663-1111

IN THE NEWS:   Did You Know …that one of history's most ancient medicinal mushrooms is such a potent virus-fighter that it's even being used in the U.S. bioterrorism defense program? Researchers have identified more than 400 active enzymes in the lingzhi mushroom.  In a Huffington Post article, renowned mycologist Paul Stamets wrote that the variety of enzymes indicates that lingzhi are "miniature pharmaceutical factories that can produce hundreds of medicinally-interactive compounds." In her book New Whole Foods Encyclopedia, Rebecca Wood wrote that the lingzhi mushroom could be used to treat a number of conditions, such as... Leaky-gut syndrome  Chronic bronchitis  Epstein-Barr  Some digestive conditions  High cholesterol  Insomnia  AIDS  Japanese researchers found linzhi contains a compound called lanostan that act as an antihistamine.  It's also proven effective in treating muscle aches and arthritis.  Dr. William B. Stavinhoa of the University of Texas Health Science Center showed that lingzhi relieves pain as effectively as hydrocortisone, and with essentially no side effects.

HEALTH ALERT: Five Drinks to Avoid With Acid Reflux You may love your cup of Joe each morning, but your COFFEE may be doing you more harm than good if you suffer from acid reflux or even occasional heartburn.  The high acid content in coffee along with the caffeine will cause the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) muscles to relax allowing stomach acid to enter the esophagus, which is what causes reflux.  Just like coffee, both caffeinated and decaffeinated TEA aggravates heartburn symptoms.  The drink relaxes the LES muscles allowing stomach acid to enter the esophagus resulting in painful reflux symptoms. Juices, especially CITRUS JUICES, will likely aggravate reflux symptoms in most people.  Citrus fruits in general have a high acid content and will relax the LES muscles and allow stomach acid into the esophagus. Most MILKSHAKES have a very high fat and calorie content.  Foods and drinks that are high in fat will often cause painful reflux symptoms in people who suffer from persistent or even painful acid reflux symptoms. Almost all ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES will cause some reflux symptoms in people who suffer from acid reflux or occasional heartburn.  They are best avoided all together or consumed in very moderate portions.

 

CHIROPRACTIC:  Stroke Rehabilitation and The Positive Effects of Chiropractic on the Response to the Central Nervous System and Motor Training Tasks Taylor and Murphy reported in 2010 that when motor activity is followed by a chiropractic spinal adjustment, it altered the way in which the central nervous system responded to motor training tasks. This finding was similar to what has been previously observed after spinal adjustment alone and indicates that spinal adjustment improves gating or filtering of sensory information, an ability the CNS retains even after the motor training intervention" (Taylor & Murphy, 2010, p. 269). While no one suggests that adjusting should replace motor training or skill acquisition, the results indicate that manipulation should significantly improve the outcomes of rehabilitation with stroke victims.

Visit our web site: keefeclinic.com