VEGA testing is a simple biofeedback procedure.  Your nervous system is a highly sophisticated information retrieval and intelligent response output organ.  Your nervous system is a bio computer more sophisticated any computer made by man.  Part of the nervous system retrieves and analyzes information the other part responds to that information.

During the VEGA test your nervous system is exposed to several different substances that it either responds to or doesn't.  Probably the easiest way to explain this is if someone has an allergy to ragweed.  In an allergy test with VEGA testing we would expose the body to the vibratory rates of ragweed.  Because the body recognizes this as an allergen we would monitor a response.

This is an objective response that is repeatable.  We observe this response in the apparent change in arm or leg lengths.  The response of tapping the knee and observing the reflex extension of the lower leg is the exact same reflex we observe.  If you elicited the reflex at the knee with the leg straight you would observe a temporary shortening of that leg as the muscles contracted.  This biofeedback reflex mechanism is the basis we use for monitoring in VEGA testing.

HISTORY

VEGA Testing is based on the phenomenon of “medicine testing” found by  Dr. Reinhardt Voll, M.D., a German  medical doctor, in his work with electrical acupuncture.  Dr. Helmut Schimmel, M.D., also of Germany, later  developed Dr. Voll’s work into a system of substance testing now known as VEGA  testing.

VEGA testing is based on the effect  of electrical resistance changes of the  skin on certain acupuncture points (low electrical resistance areas)  in  response to differing substances that are either beneficial or detrimental  to the body.

Dr. George Goodheart, D.C., U.S.A.,  discovered in the 1950’s that the muscles of the body, in the presence of certain substances, would either  become weaker or stronger.  This finding is part of a diagnostic system called "Applied Kinesiology". Based  on this phenomena, a simple arm or  leg check can monitor the body’s  response to any given substance.

Because this particular procedure is  more objective and can be performed  repetitively without fatiguing the body,  this is the system that we use.

VEGA TESTING’S SCOPE

VEGA testing is a multi-faceted diagnostic procedure.  It can be used to determine if a patient has an allergic tendency, and, if they do have allergies, what particular antigens they are allergic to. VEGA testing allows us to find the major organs that are under the most stress. It also helps to determine the level of stress of each organ or part of the body.  It can monitor the progress that a patient is making, without having to re-run expensive laboratory tests.

The VEGA test method allows for nutritional evaluation to determine if there are serious mineral or vitamin deficiencies, as well as food overloads, e.g., over-consumption of salts or sugars, proteins, etc.  VEGA testing also gives some information about the emotional status of a patient.  We can determine if the nervous system is being stressed by some strong deep emotions, and what possible remedies might be effective in helping the emotional processing.

The VEGA test method allows for determining what nutritional products or remedies might be effective in the treatment of certain conditions.  VEGA test method also allows for the determination of what is called, “Causal Chain”, or the domino effect that is taking place in the body. Most of the time when one organ malfunctions, it affects another organ, which affects another, etc.  To find the original, or most stressed organ, can be very important in understanding a patient’s particular health problems.

VEGA test method is a quick, easy method of developing an acupuncture diagnosis as to which meridians or electrical circuits within the body are malfunctioning.

When a patient is showing signs of an infection, VEGA testing allows for a quick evaluation to determine what is behind these acute symptoms - whether the source is a virus, bacteria, yeast overgrowth, food sensitivity, or an allergy response.

This method allows evaluation of the immune system, showing which organs in the immune system are under the most stress and need the most support.

We can determine also if a patient is suffering from geopathic stress.  This condition is due to radiations that might be influencing our health because of underground streams or mineral deposits or gases from underground; these can affect our bodies in subtle ways.

Through VEGA testing we can also tell if dental fillings are having an adverse effect on the body due to mercury leaching into the system.  It will indicate the presence of a toxic overload, and tell if that overload might be due simply to metabolic toxins, or if it is from heavy metals or insecticides that have entered through the environment’s food or water supply.

VEGA testing also can give us an idea of which areas of the body (which arteries, etc.) may be being affected by excessive cholesterol levels.

BIOLOGICAL SCORE (AGE)

 In the Vega test system the concept of bio-score, based on evaluating the body’s response to 21 ampules for  toxic load of the body,  relates to the level of over-all stress or disease within the body.  If we gave each organ that was malfunctioning a numerical value, then added them all up, that is the idea behind the bio-score.

By having a score like this when starting therapy we can evaluate our treatment program any time we would like.  As the body heals itself the score will reflect this by going down.  If the score becomes fixed then a change in the treatment program becomes necessary.  The bio-score is based on the body's reaction to one or more diagnostic ampoules in a set of 21.  The more ampoules that the body reacts to, the more problems that  represents.    If you react to two ampoules, say number 10 and 21, then your score would be 21x2. If you reacted to 3, 10, 16, 21 then your score would be 21x4.  Knowing each number within your score is not important, just your top number and how  many, tell the story.  In those two examples, 21x2 would be better than 21x4.  The following tells what to expect with different readings:

TWO  SCORES: PROGNOSIS EXCELLENT MILD IMMUNE STRESS,2-6 MONTHS OF CARE.

THREE SCORES: CHRONIC IMMUNE STRESS,6-9 MONTHS OF CARE.

FOUR SCORES: IMMUNE  SYSTEM NOT COPING, ADRENAL STRESS, ALLERGIES, INFLAMMATIONS, CANDIDIASIS, FATIGUE, 9-18 MONTHS CARE..

FIVE SCORES:  IMMUNE AND ADRENAL STRESS VERY SEVERE, AUTO-IMMUNE LIKELY,1 1/2-2 1/2 yrs. 0F CARE.

SIX SCORES: PROGNOSIS POOR, SERIOUS DISEASE LIKELY, SLOW RECOVERY, 2 1/2 +yrs. OF CARE.

THE ABOVE WAS BASED ON A LARGE SAMPLE OF PATIENTS AROUND THE WORLD . YOUR RECOVERY MAY BE FASTER.

We invite you to contact our office to schedule VEGA testing 918-663-1111.

From time to time I have patients relate to me that their medical doctor is trying to scare them away from taking their vitamins. One tactic is just to ask the patient why are you taking those, and since most patients can't explain the biochemistry they can feel a little flustered and thus a little insecure about taking them. The complexities of changing your biochemistry and thus improving your health are an area we would not expect you to fully understand but I hope you feel comfortable asking questions so you can understand why you're taking what you take. The facts are this: there is more research behind diet and nutritional therapy in promoting health and longevity then there is behind the use of drugs. The vast amount of research primarily funded by the federal government over the past 60 years have proven what we see every day in our practice, diet and nutrition is one of the most powerful tools in restoring health and maintaining it over the long run. Drugs suppress symptoms, Vitamins heal. Drugs have become increasingly dangerous over the years and kill over 3000 people a week. I believe if most people read the side effects from the drugs they're taking many would stop taking drugs. But in the doctor-patient setting if your doctor is making you feel stupid about taking supplements that can be a lot of pressure.

Why do medical doctors do that? First of all not all medical doctors practice that way. In fact the younger medical doctors are starting to investigate nutrition on their own. The training they got in school is absurd. Your local car mechanic might know more about diet and nutrition than the average medical doctor. The following article helps explain why: Medical Doctors Have Little or No Knowledge of Nutrition Because Medical Schools Offer Little or No Education on Nutrition, Vitamins or Minerals Posted on June 9, 2011  by Mannie Barling and Ashley F. Brooks The fundamental reason why doctors do not know much about nutrition is because very few of them study much, if not anything, about nutrition in medical school. This is largely because the curriculum is heavily influenced by the food and drug industries. Ray D. Strand, MD, the author of Death By Prescription, punctuates the lack of education about nutrition by saying:

"In medical school I had not received any significant instruction on the subject. I was not alone. Only approximately 6 percent of the graduating physicians in the United States have any training in nutrition. Medical students may take elective courses on the topic, but few actually do… the education of most physicians is disease-oriented with a heavy emphasis on pharmaceuticals - we learn about drugs and why and when to use them."

Dr. Strand, also, observed that doctors usually make good teachers, but not good students. Most doctors fear not knowing the answers to medically-related issues and will try to present themselves with as much authority as possible.

 

Dietary supplements are a very foreign subject for most doctors, and most doctors show no interest in learning more about them. He opines that doctors are not taught much in medical school about the power of nutrition in medicine - only about the power of prescription drugs and surgery as treatment for diseases.

Why do we use supplements?

My postgraduate training was in family practice and internal disorders. And if we were talking about cardiovascular disease or immune system disorders or arthritis we covered the overwhelming research that showed nutritional therapy as one of the top approaches to effectively deal with these issues. Just talking about cardiovascular disease I can still remember the news reports in the 80s when the convention of “heart specialists” were having their annual meeting in Florida and how they were chided by research lecturers about the importance of vitamin E in stopping heart attacks. In fact research shows that nutritional therapy is far more effective in preventing and managing heart disease than any drug on the market. I'm not saying that there aren't times that drug therapy is not life-saving but when it comes to healing and repair, nutritional therapy is essential. You don't make healthy tissue cells from drugs you make them from vitamins, minerals and enzymes. You make hormones from the foods that you put in your mouth. You make white blood cells from the foods that you put in your mouth. And that's why I feel any physician who doesn't have the knowledge to help their patients with diet and supplementation should not be in the office of a primary care physician. Drugs and surgeries are best left to the emergency rooms. Repairing organs by rebalancing biochemistry comes from diet and nutrition. Every Surgeon General in the past 20 years has admitted that diet and lifestyle are the number one cause for our most common health problems. So does it seem odd that chiropractic physicians would focus on diet and lifestyle? What's odd is the medical profession doesn't. Yes they give lip service to eating right but what does that mean? Putting everybody on the Heart Association diet has been proven to be detrimental to the population as a whole. As individuals we require that our diets be customized to our  own genetic makeup. And nutritional therapy or supplements  also needs to be customized.

What should I do if my medical doctor says supplements are dangerous and they should stop taking them? If you want to give them a hard time you can ask him which of the drugs that you are recommending to me are free of side effects?

Which of the drugs that you recommending to me is my body using to make healthy tissue cells? Okay, I'm joking. What I would recommend you do is just smile and say thank you. You need to remember he has no training in nutrition and feels somewhat threatened. We all have a certain amount of fear about something were not familiar with. He's in a position where he should know and he doesn't, so instead of admitting his ignorance to you he comes across like he knows better.

  It’s sad as a patient you have to work through these political differences in healthcare. And believe me these are political differences not scientific ones. The science is on the side of diet and nutrition. And you can believe me that most of the studies that you hear that are negative about nutrition are what we call "junk science". Let me explain, one year after the Heart Association convention, we discussed earlier, in the recommendation given to the heart surgeons to recommend vitamin E there was another vitamin E research report a year later. I can remember the CNN report as if it was yesterday. Two or three doctors in white coats were standing at a podium explaining how their research showed that vitamin E does not help with heart attacks, that's amazing since the last 15 to 20 years of research said the opposite. So then on one side you have 15 to 20 years of research supporting the use of vitamin E with heart disease and the other side you have this research that shows it doesn't help. Remember the devil is in the details. The research over the past 15 to 20 years supported the use of 400 units of vitamin E as a way of preventing a second heart attack. When you look at the research that seemed  to contradict this you find a very interesting fact. They didn't use 400 units of vitamin E in their research. How much did they use? Around 30 units. Now you have to ask a question: Why they would use such a low dose of vitamin E when all the other research indicated the use of over 10 times that amount. And why didn’t they release on CNN that 30 units of vitamin E doesn't seem to help prevent a second heart attack instead of saying  just vitamin E in our study didn't prevent a second heart attack. Some might conclude that they were being deceptive. And the question is which pharmaceutical company paid for this research? Research that was doomed to fail from the start. Research that would just be used to muddy the water on the use of supplements. And the sad fact is you can buy any research results that you want in our politically charged environment today.

A little common sense and logic can help you work through this maze of contradictory information. The supplements that we recommend are based on our evaluation of you and we have individualized the supplements that we recommend through testing. Our approaches are driven by science and over 30 years of working with patients and helping them recover their health. When you start improving under natural healthcare is because your body is healing. If your headache goes away because you took and aspirin you just covered up the problem, no healing has taken place. The choice is yours we hope you choose health.

Osteoarthritis is rarely appreciated as one of the greatest problems affecting man. This form of arthritis is so universal that it is often regarded as a normal part of aging. Osteoarthritis is usually progressive and often de-forming and disabling. The prevalence in the U.S. for all aged 25-74 is 32.5 percent for the hands (42.4 million persons), 22.2 percent for the feet (29 million), 3.8 percent for the knees (5 million) and 1.3 percent for the hips (men only, 765,000).

There are many names for Osteoarthritis. The name most used is degenerated joint disease (D.J.D). The classification of Osteoarthritis as a disease has even been questioned by some authorities, who prefer to redefine it as "a mechanism of repair of dense tissue". Osteoarthritis means inflammation of a bony joint, the term is usually applied to the process involved in D.J.D even though it is understood as a noninflammatory process that primarily involves breakdown of joint cartilage. This extremely common arthritis can even cause severe pain and disability, leading to loss of work and independents in the aged population.

More than 50 different terms have been applied to osteoarthritis. The most common terms including osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis, degenerated arthrosis and degenerative joint disease (D.J.D). The difference between the terms arthrosis and arthritis has come from the fact that the disease process is not always inflammatory. For this reason, D.J.D has gained the most universal acceptance in the literature.

Articular cartilage provides the joint with a self lubricating surface and works well under normal joint loading conditions. However, cartilage has a limited capacity for repair and re-generation, so damage to cartilage disrupts the normal function of this tissue, thus interfering with a normal lubricating process within the joint. Insufficient lubrication may be a primary factor in the cause of osteoarthritis. The tissues of the synovial joint are inherently susceptible to the development of osteoarthritis if range of motion or the amount of stress on the articular cartilage is excessive. Joints are threatened during normal day-to-day activities, and much of the joint protection is from the dynamic system of coordinated muscle activity. O'Connor et al. defines a protective muscular reflex as a somatic muscular activity that prevents injury to a normal joint, or further damage to the injured joint, by preventing the joint from exceeding its normal range of motion.

NSAIDs In The Treatment Of Arthritis And Side Effects

NSAIDs are broad class of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, Voltaren and other similar drugs. NSAIDs continue to be the mainstay of drug therapy for patients with osteoarthritis. Unfortunately, these drugs are over prescribed, readily available and not used judiciously. These drugs are not without side effects; the American College of Rheumatology guidelines suggest that patients receiving long-term NSAID therapy obtained a blood count, urinalysis and chemistry panel every three months. Monitoring cannot wait until the side effects of NSAIDs cause symptoms. Renal failure does not produce symptoms until it becomes severe.

NSAIDs are the most prescribed drug in the U.S.. Even though this class of drug is widely used and perceived safe, there are serious risks of complications. Among these are gastrointestinal ulcers and hemorrhages that can lead to perforation and death. More than one percent of the population uses these drugs on a daily basis. Adverse effects from these medications as a group, are reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more frequently than any other medication class. In a study of economic effects of gastric ulcers in NSAID users, the per patient cost of hospitalization was $3,450; those in need of hospitalization and surgery cost of 15,700. The incidents in severity of acute mucosal injury are does depend but virtually 100% of subjects developed lesions after a single 650-1300 mg dose of aspirin. NSAID- associated GI problems were estimated to cause 32,000 hospitalizations and 3200 deaths per year in the U.S.. There is little evidence to suggest that NSAIDs have any advantage over sample analgesic's and sample analgesic's are also unsatisfactory. In a study of patience with chronic knee pain and osteoarthritis, treatment with either an anti-inflammatory, and analgesic dose of ibuprofen and/or acetaminophen showed no evidence of superiority of either the anti-inflammatory dose or the lower dose of ibuprofen compared to acetaminophen.

 

Rapid deterioration of joints from long-term NSAID treatment has been called analgesic arthropathy and is thought to be caused by loss of protective pain sensation, but it seems more likely that it is a direct effect of the drug on cartilage. In addition, oral administration of aspirin markedly accelerates development of osteoarthritis in C57 black mice, a strain genetically predisposed to the disease. If along with the external evidence that NSAIDs interfere with metabolism of articular cartilage and a repair of bone, clinical experience has shown use of these drugs cause acetabular bone destruction, joint disease and avascular necrosis of the hip. Even though NSAID induced arthritis has been a well-known since the 1960s, in a recent survey, 94 percent of primary care physicians indicated they would prescribed NSAIDs as an initial treatment for elderly patients with uncomplicated hip osteoarthritis.

There Is A Better Way

• Joint health depends on the following factors:
• Proper nutrition
• Movement
• Balance

Chiropractic adjustments are well-known for establishing proper joint balance and function. By improving the alignment of the body each joint is allowed to move in a more natural and balanced manner. Also chiropractic adjustments are beneficial in establishing normal range of motion and normal muscle reflex function as well as release of beta-endorphins (a natural pain killer).

Exercise is the next most important factor when it comes to joint health. Research study after research study has shown the beneficial effects in preventing or reversing arthritis with regular exercise. Diet: a number of studies have shown a large number of patients with osteoarthritis are ingesting less than the U.S. recommended daily allowance of vitamin A, C., D., E. ., B6, folic acid, pantothenic acid in the minerals zinc, magnesium, iron and calcium.

Most of these vitamins are associated with the chronic degenerated disease rampant in our society. Glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, fish oils, magnesium, B-3, collagen, curcumin and other specialty nutrients have shown great promise in the controlled and even reversal of this disease. Through proper evaluation Dr. Keefe can establish a treatment program to help you regain your health.

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