
Courtesy of:
John H. Keefe III, D.C.
(918) 663-1111
IN THE NEWS: Chronic fatigue: Overactive immune system 'may trigger ME-like symptoms' overactive immune system may help explain the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, scientists from King's College London have suggested. Many sufferers of CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome), or ME (Myalgic Encephalopathy), say their condition began with a challenge to their immune system like an infection. The scientists studied 55 patients with Hepatitis C who were given a drug that causes a similar response to a virus. Eighteen of those patients had an overactive immune system and went on to develop CFS-like symptoms. Chronic fatigue syndrome is a long-term illness characterized by extreme tiredness. Lead researcher Dr Alice Russell from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) said: "For the first time, we have shown that people who are prone to develop a CFS-like illness have an overactive immune system, both before and during a challenge to the immune system. "Our findings suggest that people who have an exaggerated immune response to a trigger may be more at risk of developing CFS." Senior researcher, Prof Carmine Pariante, added: "This is a light in the fog, a direction of travel. Although screening is a long way off, our results are the first step in identifying those at risk and catching the illness in its crucial early stages." Note: besides the nervous system two organs within the immune system that regulated are the spleen and thymus. In conditions like mentioned above the thymus gland tends to be the organ that’s malfunctioning leading to inappropriate immune responses. Nutritional therapy along with chiropractic care is extremely effective in addressing these in system disorder. Chiropractic first, drug 2nd and surgery last.
WELLNESS: HOW DOES CHIROPRACTIC PROMOTE OVERALL WELLNESS? Chiropractors know that adjustments are good for your general health. Millions of satisfied patients cannot be wrong. But what do chiropractors know that the rest of us do not? They know the nervous system is the one system in the body that directly affects every other system. This is because nerves conduct sensory information from every part of the body and then delivers this information to the brain. Once there, the brain analyzes the information to determine what the body needs to maintain a healthy state. So the health of this system is paramount to the good health of the rest of the body. Chiropractors recognize that misalignment in the spine can interfere with proper nervous system function. More specifically, chiropractors study the effects of vertebral subluxations – conditions of the spine where alignment and/or movement patterns of the vertebrae are abnormal. When this occurs, imbalances cause irritation and inflammation. In turn, this can cause interference with information that is transmitted along nerves and spinal cord. Chiropractors are the only health care professionals specifically trained to locate and correct spinal subluxations. For decades, scientific research has focused on the use of chiropractic adjustments for low back pain, neck pain, and headaches. In fact, there is now clear evidence to recommend chiropractors as the go-to professionals for spinal pain syndromes. However, with the rising popularity of wellness- based philosophies focused on non-traditional approaches to health, chiropractors are being asked to justify their role. In a recent report from the Center for Disease Control, the four most popular forms of alternative and complementary medicine were listed as natural products, deep breathing, meditation, and chiropractic! In a multi-nation study involving hundreds of chiropractors and thousands of chiropractic patients, researchers sought to measure the incidence of non-musculoskeletal responses to chiropractic therapy. What they found was that a number of patients experienced systemic benefits from their chiropractic treatments whether or not they mentioned any symptoms in these areas at the onset of care. The most common benefits reported in this study were breathing (27%), digestion (26%) and circulation (21%). NOTE: When you add nutrition, detoxification, exercise, and a proper diet you have an approach that will help most healthcare challenges.
CHIROPRACTIC: What Are Cervicogenic Headaches? Headaches are a very common problem that can have multiple causes ranging from stress to trauma. To make matters worse, there are MANY different types of headaches. One such type is the “cervicogenic headache” (others include migraines, cluster headaches, etc.). The main distinction between the symptoms associated with cervicogenic headaches and those associated with migraine headaches are a lack of nausea, vomiting, aura (a pre-headache warning that a headache is about to strike), light and noise sensitivity, increased tearing with red eyes, one-sided head, neck, shoulder, and/or arm pain, and dizziness. The items listed above are primarily found in migraine headache sufferers. Infrequently, the cervicogenic headache sufferer can present with migraines at the same time and have both presentations making it more challenging to diagnose. The cause of cervicogenic headaches can be obvious such as trauma (sports injury, whiplash, slip and fall), or not so obvious, like poor posture. A forward head posture can increase the relative weight applied to the back of the neck and upper back as much as 2x-4x normal. Last month, we discussed the intimate relationship between the upper two cervical vertebra (C1 & C2) and an anatomical connection to the covering of the spinal cord (the dura) as giving rise to cervicogenic headaches. In summary, the upper three nerves innervate the head and any pressure on those upper nerves can result in a cervicogenic headache. Doctors of chiropractic are trained to examine, identify, and treat these types of potentially debilitating headaches.
FUNNY BONE: Knock Knock! Who's There? Snow! Snow who? Snow laughing matter.@@ Q: What is a mountain's favorite type of candy? A: Snow caps@@I know a lot of jokes about unemployed people but none of them work.@@A bank is a place that will lend you money, if you can prove that you don’t need it.@@f you’re not supposed to eat at night, why is there a light bulb in the refrigerator?@@My wallet is like an onion. When I open it, it makes me cry...@@You're born free, then you're taxed to death.@@I get enough exercise pushing my luck.@@You never truly understand something until you can explain it to your grandmother.@@If your parents never had children, chances are you won't either.
Winter time humidity is a big issue. As the weather turns colder and the heaters start working 24/7 then the indoor air will start drying out.
Studies have shown that dry air has four main effects on the human body:
As your body fights the dry air you start to use up your vitamin A stores. This enhances the dry skin and sinus problems as well as weakens your immune system. It is important that you have a humidity gauge in each bedroom and a cool mist humidifier to combat the dry air. I recommend the ultrasonic humidifiers as they put the most water in the air.
Dry skin, Chapped lips, Clogged sinuses, Itchy skin, Dry throat coughs, Cracked nasal membranes, Increased risk of bacteria infection, Aggravated asthma & allergy symptoms
You may also notice these changes around your home:
Drier air causes sinuses to dry and crack, making people more susceptible to winter colds and flu viruses. In fact, this change from higher outside relative humidity to lower indoor relative humidity in the winter is a significant contributing factor in the spread of colds and flus. By maintaining the proper level of humidity indoors, you reduce illness in the winter. Studies have shown that the body's immune system will function better when the relative humidity in a home is between 45%-65%.
Pneumococcus, staphylococcus, and streptococcus bacteria die up to 20 times faster at a relative humidity between 45% and 55%, than above 70% or below 20%. Dehydration can also cause negative health effects. Symptoms of dehydration include dry skin, chronic joint and muscle pain, raspy throat, sinus and nasal pain, sore eyes, a lack of mental concentration, and a decrease in the body's immune system.
The most comfortable relative humidity for the human body | 45-65%RH |
Ideal relative humidity for prophylactic and curative purposes | 40-50%RH |
Computer and telecom apparatuses | 45-65%RH |
Furniture and musical instruments | 40-60%RH |
Libraries (books), art galleries and museums | 40-60%RH |
Dry air can cause or irritate sinus problems, but inhaling moisture can help. Simply breathing the steam from a hot shower will ease congestion.
You can also enhance the steam you breathe with sinus-clearing essential oils. Once or twice a day, add five drops of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus), lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), or sandalwood (Santalum album) essential oils (or a combination) to a large bowl of steaming-hot water, suggests Sylvia Goldfarb, Ph.D., of Wyncote, Pa., author of Allergy Relief (Avery Penguin Putnam, 2000). Drape a towel over your head and the bowl, and breathe deeply for 10 minutes. You'll feel relief within that time.
To treat acute sinusitis, substitute tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) and repeat the sinus steam three to four times daily. Tea tree oil's powerful antibacterial properties fight the bacteria that cause many infections," says Karen Barnes, N.D., a naturopath in Burlington, Ontario, and author of Naturopathic First Aid (Quarry Press, 2001). Your symptoms should clear up within a few days.
Rinsing your sinuses with saltwater helps them drain mucus. Studies show that this significantly reduced symptoms like pain and inflammation in more than 2/3 of sinusitis sufferers. Heatley says recommending nasal irrigation to her patients cut the number of sinus surgeries she performed in half.
To rinse your sinuses, use a neti pot, a small teapot-like device sold at most natural food stores. Combine three parts non-iodized salt and one part baking soda, and add 1/2 teaspoon of this mixture to 1/2 cup of warm water in the pot. This solution matches your body's salinity, and baking soda makes it less irritating to your sinuses.
Lean over a sink and insert the spout of the pot into your left nostril. Tilt your head and the pot to the right and let the solution flow out your right nostril. Exhale forcefully through both nostrils and repeat on the other side. Repeat as needed.
The zing of certain spices opens clogged sinuses and promotes drainage. As condiments, use hot salsas or chutneys that contain chiles, or sprinkle cayenne pepper on your food, recommends Goldfarb or use wasabi.
Courtesy of:
John H. Keefe III, D.C.
(918) 663-1111
DIET: This Is Why Marathon Runners Get Sick Days After a Race it is commonly believed that some forms of exercise, such as endurance events, suppress your immune system and leave you at risk of infections, like the common cold. However, our latest review of the evidence suggests that this is probably not true. In fact, exercise seems to boost the immune system. The idea that endurance exercise suppresses the immune system stems from research in the 1980s and 1990s. In these studies, competitors of endurance running events, such as the Los Angeles Marathon, were asked if they had symptoms of infections in the days and weeks after the race. Many did, leading to the idea that endurance exercise increases infection risk. An overlooked problem in many of these studies was that symptoms of “infections” were not confirmed in a lab, so it wasn’t known if they were genuine illness symptoms. More recent studies have shown that most symptoms reported after marathons are not real infections. Instead, the symptoms are caused by other factors, such as allergy. Although a strenuous exercise bout itself will not increase the likelihood of catching an infection, other factors might. First, attending any event where there is a large gathering of people increases your chance of infection. Second, public transport, particularly airline travel over long distances, where sleep is disrupted, may also increase your infection risk. Other factors, like eating an inadequate diet, getting cold and wet, and psychological stress, have all been linked to a greater chance of developing infections.
IN THE NEWS: Fire Up Your Performance With Organic Red Beets If you’ve visited a gym in the past year, chances are you’ve heard someone mention beet juice, or you’ve even witnessed first hand a trim, muscular athlete down a bottle of the crimson-colored juice before pounding the weights. Red beet root juice has become synonymous with performance, stamina and endurance. But beet juice is not the ideal way to get the benefits of beets as it is loaded with sugar and is mostly from GMO beets. While the potential advantages of drinking beet juice include workout benefits, this ancient, prehistoric food offers much more. Beets contain a variety of unique health-boosting nutrients not found in or in good supply in other foods. They can boost your athletic performance, stamina, and endurance--They help promote a healthy normal inflammatory response--They help promote healthy blood flow throughout your body and brain--They support your body’s natural detoxification processes--They support immune and cellular health--They promote brain neuroplasticity, or the ability to form new neural pathways, especially when consumed before exercise--They’re high in valuable nutrients: vitamin C, folate, potassium and manganese.
CHIROPRACTIC: How Does a Chiropractor Manage Chronic Pain? Before you go to a chiropractor to address your pain, it's important to know what exactly is causing your pain. Your chiropractor will do a physical exam as well as some tests to help him or her diagnose your pain. Once you're diagnosed with a pain condition, your chiropractor will develop a treatment plan. Your treatment plan may include spinal manipulation, manual therapies, and therapeutic exercises. American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has announced a national health care observance October is National Chiropractic Month DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WITH A HEALTH PROBLEM OR IN PAIN? INVITE YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS TO THE PARTY Who do you know who is hurting? Who do you know that you have been trying to get started at Keefe Clinic? Now is the time to get your spouse or child started on the road to good health. Complimentary DIAGNOSTIC WORK UP DURING OCTOBER Complimentary initial exam and one X-ray. Tell someone today!
FUNNY BONE: “When I was a boy, I laid in my twin sized bed and wondered where my brother was.”@@ “The worst time to have a heart attack is during a game of charades.”@@ “I have a friend. He keeps trying to convince me he’s a compulsive liar, but I don’t believe him.”@@ “My father is schizophrenia, but he’s good people.”@@ “I have a lot of growing up to do. I realized that the other day inside my fort.”@@ “It’s not that I’m afraid to die, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”@@ “The New England Journal of Medicine reports that 9 out of 10 doctors agree that 1 out of 10 doctors is an idiot.”@@ “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”
Visit our web sites: keefeclinic.com & Facebook.com/keefeclinic
CHIROPRACTIC MONTH
American Chiropractic Association-- Arlington, Va. -- The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has announced a new national health care observance – National Chiropractic Month – to be held annually each October. People don't know that several studies have shown that Chiropractic care is twice as effective at half the cost. Chiropractic restores health after other approaches fail. CALL 663-1111
CALL KEEFE CLINIC
You can make a difference
Who do you know who is hurting? Who do you know that you have been trying to get started at Keefe Clinic? Now is the time to get your spouse, or child started on the road to good health.
If you refer in October
We will give your family member or friend, a Complimentary exam and one X-Ray, but they have to say you referred them and ask for the October special
Complimentary
DIAGNOSTIC WORK UP
DURING OCTOBER
Complimentary initial exam and one X-ray.
Must be a new patient. This offer is not good for other services, re-exams or follow up X-rays and is not retroactive.
Car accidents are most likely the number one cause for chronic disability and/or pain. The August 1999 issue of American Family Physicians, the article notes that 3.5 million people are injured in motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. each year. Even minor car accidents can cause changes in the spine that can lead to degenerating joint disease and future pain. Studies indicate that chiropractic care is the best treatment for the vast majority of injuries from a car accident. The main reason that chiropractic patients have less problems in the future and recover better from their present complaints is because of the focus in chiropractic care.
The injuries to the spine will cause slight misalignments in the joints of the neck and back. It's these misalignments that produce the majority of symptoms, not pulled muscles. Chiropractic care and analysis focuses on the detection and correction of spinal subluxations. Subluxation is the term for misalignments that develop in the spine. These misalignments can stay there for years unless they are corrected by chiropractic adjustments. The average patient after a car accident that visit an emergency room usually are only given pain pills and muscle relaxers. This of course allows the misalignments to remain. It's this focus on just the symptoms of the injury that leave a high percent of car accident victims with ongoing disability, pain and degenerating joint disease.
One study showed problems five or more years after the accident. Symptomatic recovery occurred in 57 per cent of the 146 patients, while degenerative changes developed after the injury in 39 per cent. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 1974;56:1675-1682.
......several studies have investigated and linked the relationship of altered cervical curve configuration to the presence of chronic headache pain. CBP Structural Rehabilitaion of the Cervical Spine, Deed E. Harrision, DC, Donald D. Harrison, PhD, DC, MSE, Jason W. Haas, DC, 2002 Harrison CBP Seminars, Inc. pg. 56, "Cervical Lordosis and Headaches"
Cerebral symptoms after whiplash injury of the neck: a prospective clinical and neuropsychological study of whiplash injury. Ettlin TM, Kischka U, Reichmann S, Radii EW, Heim S, Wengen D, Benson DF. University Clinics, Basel, Switzerland.
Twenty one unselected patients with an acute whiplash injury of the neck had neurological and neuropsychological assessment, cervical x rays, EEG, BAEP, MRI, and an otoneurological examination within two weeks of the injury. Subjectively, 13 patients reported concentration deficits, 18 reported sleep disturbances, 9 had symptoms of depression, and 7 female patients told of menstrual irregularities. Scientific Automobile Accident Reconstruction treatise by Barzeley; Published by Mathew Bender 1984; Chapter 46:
" The simple fact remains: neck injuries do occur as a result of rear-end automobile accidents. 46-2
" Whiplash injuries may be present as a result of automobile accidents, even though no physical, radiological or other objective evidence of injury can be found. 46-3
" Usually the onset of symptoms occurs from 12 to 24 hours afterward. Sometimes there may be as much as weeks or even months delay between the automobile accident and the experience of symptoms. 46-5
" Most people just don't expect injuries to occur when the impact velocity has been low and damage to the vehicles has not been great. It is common sense to expect that the severity of the injuries should be in proportion to the severity of the collision. However, whiplash injuries most frequently result from relatively minor automobile accidents without major damage done to the vehicles. 46-6
" Rear-end collisions produce a sudden forceful hyperextension of the neck which is immediately followed by recoil into neck flexion. 46-8
" Probably most of the injuries result from the sudden traumatic snapping of the neck when the acceleration of the head suddenly shifts directions. 46-10
In most cases you're better off in the long-term to break a bone than to damage a joint. When you damage a joint, you primarily damage the connective tissue in the joint which can leave that joint unstable for the rest of your life. When you break a bone, the bone heals stronger than it was before. Connective tissue has a history of poor healing. By bringing that joint back to its proper alignment, you allow the maximum healing to the soft tissue or connective tissue in that joint. And by maintaining that alignment over the long-term, you assure maximum results. Out of 50 or so outcome studies which have been published in the past 40 years. They nearly unanimously presented 30 to 50 percent of whiplash victims are left with some form of residual pain or dysfunction.
Our treatment goals are not only to make you feel better now, but to try to assure that 10 years from now your injuries will not be bothering you.
Courtesy of:
John H. Keefe III, D.C.
(918) 663-1111
IN THE NEWS: Lutein — An Important Nutrient for Eye and Brain Health Lutein is well-known for its vision-enhancing properties. It helps stave off age-related eye diseases such as cataracts and macular degeneration, which is the No. 1 cause of blindness among the elderly. Lutein may also play an important role in brain health and may help prevent cognitive decline. Those with higher levels of lutein in middle-age had more youthful neural responses than those with lower levels. Eating plenty of dark leafy greens, rich in carotenoids like lutein, can go a long way toward maintaining healthy vision and keeping cognitively fit into old age. Lutein, which you have to get from your diet as your body cannot manufacture it, is well-known for its vision-enhancing properties. Along with zeaxanthin, it's found in high concentrations in your macular pigment and macula lutea,1the small central part of your retina responsible for detailed central vision. Other nutrients that are important for brain health and cognition include animal-based omega-3 fats, vitamin D, and B vitamins. Good food sources for these, and lutein are included.
WELLNESS: What Are the Health Benefits of (Chokeberries)? Native to North America, Aronia berries had a long history of helping to keep Native American tribes alive for centuries due to the berries’ abundance and powerful nutritional properties. "(The) fruits (have) relatively thick, pigmented skin in pendulous clusters. Red berries are sweeter than black varieties, while the latter is slightly bitter in taste. However, black and blue color berries are rather rich sources [of the] anthocyanin class of pigment antioxidants." Fiber is one of their greatest contributions to health because it helps slough old food particles from your colon as they move through, effectively serving as a cancer-protective agent. Aronia berries are rich in antioxidant polyphenols, part of the significance of antioxidants is their ability to protect your body's cells from the damaging effects of oxidation. Clinical studies indicate that eating berries, including Aronia berries, on a regular basis helps fight neurological diseases, cancer, aging, inflammation, diabetes and bacterial infections.
CHIROPRACTIC: Chiropractic and Leg Length Because the spinal cord is housed by the spine and the exiting nerve roots communicate with the autonomic nerves that basically run our organ function, maintaining alignment of the spine and pelvis is very important to minimize nerve irritation and subsequent health-related problems. The focus of this article is on leg length, its effect on our posture, methods of assessment, and treatment. Leg length plays an important role in posture. When there is a difference in leg length, the pelvis cannot maintain a level position, and because the spine’s base is the pelvis, it cannot stay straight if there is a leg length discrepancy. Doctors of all disciplines realize the importance of leg length, especially orthopedic surgeons as they consider a hip or knee replacement! There are many causes of leg length issues, and some include a genetic predisposition (inherited) or trauma during bone growth years. From a treatment standpoint, a heel lift (with or without arch supports) can be placed into the shoe on the short leg side. At 12mm (0.5”), problems with the heel lift being pushed out of the shoe and/or sliding forwards in the shoe may prohibit the use of these thicker lifts after which point the bottom of the shoe can be built up by a shoe cobbler (some services can be found online as well).
FUNNY BONES: "I gave up jogging for health reasons. My thighs kept rubbing together and setting my pantyhose on fire."—Judy Franconi@@A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment. Suddenly the man realizes that the next day he would need his wife to wake him up at 5 AM for an early morning business flight. Not wanting to be the 1st to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, "Please wake me at 5 AM. "He left it where he knew she would find it. The next morning the men woke up, only to discover it was 9 AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go to see why his wife hadn't wakened him when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper said, "It's 5 AM. WAKE UP." Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.@@ After 3 years, a wife starts to think that their child looks different, so she decides to do a DNA test. She finds out that the child is actually from completely different parents. Wife: "Honey, I have something very serious to tell you." Husband: "What's wrong?" Wife: "According to DNA test results, this is not our child." Husband: "Well don't you remember? When we were leaving the hospital, we noticed that our baby had a wet diaper and you said, 'Honey, go change the baby, I'll wait for you here'." @@A Russian scientist and a Czech scientist had spent their lives studying the grizzly bear. Each year they petitioned their respective governments to allow them to go to Yellowstone to study the bears. Finally, their request was granted and they immediately flew to New York and on west to Yellowstone Park. They reported to the ranger station and were told that it was the grizzly mating season and it was too dangerous to go out and study the animals. They pleaded that this was their only chance and finally the ranger relented. The Russian and the Czech were given portable phones and told to report in every day. For several days they called in, and then nothing was heard from the two scientists. The rangers mounted a search party and found the camp completely ravaged, with no sign of the missing men. They took followed the trail of a male and a female bear. They found the female and decided they must kill the animal to find out if she had eaten the scientists because they feared an international incident. They killed the female animal and opened the stomach to find the remains of the Russian. One ranger turned to the other and said: “You know what this means, don’t you? “The other ranger responded: “Of course...The Czech is in the male.”
Courtesy of:
John H. Keefe III, D.C.
(918) 663-1111
IN THE NEWS: ‘Wi-Fried’ — Is Wireless Technology Dooming a Generation to Ill Health? According to many experts, chronic, heavy exposure to wireless radiation is likely having severe repercussions for our health, especially that of children, who are now being exposed even before birth. While a number of different devices contribute to the overall radiation burden, those kept closest to your body on a regular basis, such as your cellphone, are of greatest concern. Your body has natural electromagnetic fields (EMFs), as many of your bodily processes involve the transmission of electric signals, and external interference can disrupt those signals. Inside every cell in your body are mitochondria, the power plants of your cell, and they are adversely impacted by EMFs, resulting in mitochondrial and cellular dysfunction. Two organs most vulnerable to outside RF interference are your heart and brain. Both also have the highest density of voltage gated calcium channels, which are inappropriately activated by EMFs, thereby causing most of the damage associated with EMF exposure. NOTE: Certain cell phone covers can help block some of this radiation.
WELLNESS: Increasing negative ions in the air through crystal salt lamps. Since the beginning of recorded history, the beneficial properties of salt have been well known and documented. Early civilizations greatly valued salt, and used it as a trading currency as well as a preservative for food. For years, many European countries have used salt mines and hot salt springs to promote a sense of rejuvenation. People rest and rejuvenate in salt mines and caves (in spa-like ambiance in many cases), for periods of time to help aid their mood and overall sense of calm. Why are the salt mines so beneficial? Quite simply... the very dry, fresh environment of a salt mine is key. The solution involves pure Himalayan crystal salt... the same type of salt I offer in my office... the same type of salt Himalayan miners go deep into the earth to uncover. Ever breathe and experience the air around a thunderous waterfall... on a serene mountain top... at a pulsating seashore... or after a wild thunderstorm? I'm sure you have. Remember how fresh the air felt and how easy it was for you to breathe? Well, what you experienced was likely the result of negative ions. The rush of negative ions helps neutralize and balance the positive ions. Many published articles and scientific studies report how negative ions in the air can have positive effects. One demonstration of that is how they potentially increase the growth rate of certain plants. In most of these studies, sophisticated negative ion generators were used in controlled group environments – not something you can readily recreate in your own home. Something else you can do to help offset excessive frequency vibrations while you're actually using an electronic device is to use beautiful decorative lamps, called crystal salt lamps.
CONDITION OF THE WEEK: ALLERGIES AND CHIROPRACTIC- We are entering allergy season and for those of you who have allergies this can be a tough time of the year. Though just remember some people suffer from allergies year round. Allergies really are not caused by pollens they are caused by an inappropriate response to pollens by your immune system. Sometimes adjustments alone can reestablish normal immune function and eliminate allergies. For others we need to work at desensitizing the person from the pollens. Air filtration systems along with negative ion generation can give you a safe place in your house. We offer a filter to put in your return air vent that takes out 97% of what’s floating in the air including pollens. So this allergy filter along with an air purification system with negative ions can greatly reduce your exposure to pollens in your house. Most people understand the concept of allergy shots where you introduce a diluted form of the pollen over time to develop immunity. We have used oral drops over the past 30+ years and found them superior to allergy shots. Recently American allergists have started moving to the oral drops as well. With the regular use of these drops you desensitize your body’s response to the pollen and in time you can be allergy free. There is also electronic device called the Elmag that can electronically balance your immune system while you’re wearing it and many people become symptom-free. Lately it’s been difficult to access the elmag but it can be ordered through the Internet from a European country. The allergy drops that we offer are safe for all ages and the dosage is 10 drops under the tongue three times a day, for a stronger effect five drops six times a day can be more effective. Sometimes adrenal support, vitamin C or other nutrients are important for the immune system to respond. If you suffer from allergies don’t suppress your immune system with antihistamines seek a natural approach that’s both safe and effective.
FUNNY BONE: Here are some Stephen Wright quotes: Someone sent me a postcard picture of the earth. On the back it said, "Wish you were here.@" Last night I played a blank tape at full blast. The mime next door went nuts. @If a person with multiple personalities threatens suicide, is that considered a hostage situation?@ Just think how much deeper the ocean would be if sponges didn't live there. @If a cow laughed, would milk come out her nose? @Whatever happened to preparations A through G? @Why do they sterilize needles for lethal injections? @Why don't they just make mouse-flavored cat food?@ If it's tourist season, why can't we shoot them? @So, what's the speed of dark?@ Isn't Disney World a people trap operated by a mouse? @How come abbreviated is such a long word? @If olive oil comes from olives, where does baby oil come from? @I went for a walk last night and my kids asked me how long I'd be gone. I said, "The whole time." @How come you don't ever hear about gruntled employees? And who has been dis-ing them anyhow? @After eating, do amphibians need to wait an hour before getting OUT of the water? @If you're sending someone some Styrofoam, what do you pack it in? @I just got skylights put in my place. The people who live above me are furious.
Visit our web sites: keefeclinic.com & facebook.com/keefeclinic
Courtesy of:
John H. Keefe III, D.C.
(918) 663-1111
IN THE NEWS: What are the best foods to fight aging? EDAMAME, or fresh soybeans, have been a staple of Asian cuisine for generations, the beans are rich in isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogen – that is. plant-derived, estrogen-like substances. Isoflavones are known to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and antimicrobial properties. CARROTS This common culinary ingredient, best known in its orange variety, is famously recommended for its high content of beta-carotene, a pigment — and carotenoid — that gives the widespread version of this root vegetable its color.Beta-carotene can be converted by our bodies into vitamin A, which, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), "is involved in immune function, vision, reproduction, and cellular communication." Our bodies cannot produce vitamin A on their own, so it must be derived from our diet. moreover, research has shown that foods rich in carotenoids — and, of course, carrots are a prime example here — can protect against age-related macular degeneration, the vision damage caused by old age. CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES Another important type of food on our list are cruciferous vegetables — also known as "Brassica vegetables" — which include a wide array of green foods, such as cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, bok choy, radish, and kale. These vegetables boast an especially rich nutrient content, including many vitamins (C, E, K, and folate), minerals (potassium, calcium, and selenium), and carotenoids (lutein, beta-carotene, and zeaxanthin). Cruciferous vegetables also contain glucosinolates, some glucosinolates seem to regulate the body's stress and inflammation response; they have antimicrobial properties, and some of them are being investigated for their anti-cancer potential.
WELLNESS: Reducing stress naturally Stress can be a factor in the breakdown of the body and the development of certain disease processes. Stress has different factors emotional, chemical, structural/neurological and physical. One of the benefits of chiropractic adjustments is that patients report caring less stress in their body. This can have a ramification on the quality of sleep and how well a person handles other life stresses. One type of emotional stress is replaying certain traumas in a subconscious way. This can show up as avoiding certain activities like driving, meeting new people or new experiences. The Emotional Freedom Technique is a tool we use to help eliminate the subconscious stressors. It allows the body to release these programs that are being replayed at the subconscious level thus allowing people to overcome phobias and other things that produce stress. Just improving diet and detoxing the body can improve stress handling considerably. If you feel like stress is taking over we can help. Talk to us today about any issues you feel are affecting your health.
CONDITION OF THE WEEK: Why Americans Love Chiropractic Findings from the most recent National Health Interview Survey providing data on the use of chiropractic and other complementary health care approaches by U.S. adults reveals why Americans utilize chiropractic and what they value most. The survey provides data on lifetime (54.6 million; 24%) and 12-month (19.1 million; 8.4%) use of chiropractic services and various sociodemographic characteristics. But the most intriguing data illuminates the primary reasons for visiting a doctor of chiropractic and the perceived health and wellness benefits received by chiropractic users. Why visit a chiropractor? Here's why: Reasons for Visiting a Chiropractor For general wellness / disease prevention: 43.6%-To improve energy: 16.3% -To improve athletic or sports performance: 15.4%-To improve immune function: 11.4%-To improve memory or concentration: 5.3% Benefits of Chiropractic Improves overall health or makes feel better: 66.9%-Helps to sleep better: 41.9%-Helps to reduce stress level or to relax: 40.2%-Makes it easier to cope with health problems: 38.5%-Gives a sense of control over own health: 32.5%-Helps to feel better emotionally: 27.4% Why Not Just See an Medical Doctor? Chiropractic treats the cause and not just the symptoms: 61.9%-Chiropractic is natural: 37.5%-Medical treatments do not work for specific health problem: 33.8%-Chiropractic focuses on the whole person: 24.9%-Medications cause side effects: 18.1% So, let's recap: U.S. adults visit doctors of chiropractic for a variety of health and wellness reasons (not just when they have back pain); the majority find it "very important" or "somewhat important" in maintaining their overall health and well-being, yet most all believe it is effective in helping their specific health problems; and chiropractic presents an all-natural, drug-free alternative to traditional medical care. Someone you know needs chiropractic!
FUNNY BONE: An Uber passenger tapped the driver on the shoulder to ask him a question. The driver screamed, lost control of the car, nearly hit a bus, went up on the footpath, and stopped inches from a shop window. For a second everything went quiet in the cab, then the driver said, "Look man, don't ever do that again. You scared the daylights out of me!" The passenger apologized and said, "I didn't realize that a little tap would scare you so much." The driver replied, "Sorry, it’s not really your fault. Today is my first day as an Uber driver – I've been driving a hearse for the last 25 years."@@ Walking up to a department store's fabric counter, the pretty girl said, "I would like to buy this material for my new dress. How much does it cost?" "Only one kiss per yard," replied the male clerk with a smirk on his face. "That's fine," said the girl. "I'll take ten yards." With expectation and anticipation written all over his face, the clerk quickly measured out the cloth, wrapped it up, then teasingly held it out. The girl snapped up the package, pointed to the old man behind her, and smiled, "Grandpa's gonna pay the bill."
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Courtesy of:
John H. Keefe III, D.C.
(918) 663-1111
IN THE NEWS: Study finds overweight teenage girls and young women have a high risk of heart disease An alarming 30 per cent of surveyed women were found to have high blood pressure - with the same percentage of participants also overweight or obese - according to research undertaken by the Royal Women's Hospital and University of Melbourne. Females as young as 16 recorded high blood pressure, greatly increasing their risk of heart disease or stroke in the future. Dr Subasinghe also said the choices women make in their teens and early 20s are crucial to future health. 'We know obesity has a detrimental impact on the health of our nation but it was quite shocking to see such high levels of blood pressure in this young age group of otherwise healthy women,' she said. 'We also found that high physical activity was strongly associated with a reduced risk of elevated blood pressure, so I would encourage all young women to consider their own lifestyle behaviours and habits today and what changes they could make to improve their heart health for the future.' Heart disease kills four times more Australian women than breast cancer, according to figures from Heart Research Australia - making it the second biggest killer in the country after dementia. NOTE: Inflammation is the key to heart disease ask the front desk for an anti-inflammatory foods list.
WELLNESS: COLLARD GREENS are a close relative of kale and packed with many of the same nutrients found in all dark leafy greens: vitamins K, A and C, as well as calcium. Collard greens (Brassica oleracea acephala) are considered to be a descendent of loose-leafed wild cabbage found in in many parts of Europe more than 2,000 years ago. Nicknamed collards, these dark leafy greens are part of the cruciferous vegetable family. Some of the close relatives of collards are: Bok choy, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Kale. Because conventional collard crops may be treated with pesticides, you should always buy organic or, better yet, grow your own. Collards are easy to grow and can be harvested twice a year due to their high frost tolerance; some suggest a touch of frost lends collards a sweeter taste. Collard greens possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cancer-fighting and cholesterol-reducing properties, making it a healthy addition to most diets. In general, regularly consuming large amounts of collard greens may not be advisable if you: Have a thyroid problem: Collards contain goitrogens, which have been shown to interfere with iodine absorption when consumed in large amounts. Suffer from oxalate kidney stones: Intake of high-oxalate foods, particularly beet greens, spinach and Swiss chard, and collards to a lesser degree, is thought to be a causative factor in the development of kidney stones. Take anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin: The high amount of vitamin K found in collards may be concerning because vitamin K plays a major role in blood clotting. "In a recent study, steamed collard greens outshined steamed kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage in terms of its ability to bind bile acids in the digestive tract. When this bile-acid binding takes place, it is easier for the bile acids to be excreted from the body. Since bile acids are made from cholesterol, the net impact of this bile-acid binding is a lowering of the body's cholesterol level. It's worth noting that steamed collards show much greater bile-acid binding ability than raw collards." Collards also pack a wealth of cancer-fighting glucosinolates that support healthy detoxification and fight inflammation. Notably, collards are rich in phytonutrients such as di-indolyl-methane and sulforaphane, which have been shown to both inhibit cancer cell growth and kill cancer cells, especially with respect to breast, cervical, colon, prostate and ovarian cancer.
CHIROPRACTIC: IN SEARCH OF NATURAL HEALTH Health is a natural expression of a normally functioning body. In order for an illness to get a foothold the normal function of the body has to be compromised. Chiropractic has discovered factors that can compromise body health which include: altered communication within the body due to misalignments, toxins from the environment and accumulating toxins due to poor body housekeeping, hormone imbalances related to dysfunctions within the body and disruptors from our foods and environment, faulty regulation of stress hormones due to a lack of exercise, rest and relaxation and the lack of proper building blocks due to faulty diet. When we see a patient who suffers from a specific health concern one of our jobs is determined which of the previous issues are in effect. You will notice none of the issues presented included the deficiency of pharmaceutical drugs. There are rare cases where genetics, permanent damage from injuries and other factors would require drugs and surgery as a first approach. In the vast majority of cases the first approach should be the Five Laws of Health: diet, exercise, positive mental and spiritual attitude, rest and relaxation and the removal of communication interference through spinal adjusting. If your nervous system can’t control and coordinate properly then you will never be in good health. But if you’re nervous system doesn’t have the building blocks i.e. nutrients in order to control and coordinate good health and that will be a limiting factor. At Keefe Clinic we try to utilize a holistic approach in order to address the different factors limiting the expression of vibrant health and thus restoring health naturally.
FUNNY BONE: A guy is sitting at home when he hears a knock at the door. He opens the door and sees a snail on the porch. He picks up the snail and throws it as far as he can. Three years later there’s a knock on the door. He opens it and sees the same snail. The snail says: ‘What the heck was that all about?’@@ It’s the World Cup Final, and a man makes his way to his seat right next to the pitch. He sits down, noticing that the seat next to him is empty. He leans over and asks his neighbour if someone will be sitting there. ‘No,’ says the neighbour. ‘The seat is empty.’ ‘This is incredible,’ said the man. ‘Who in their right mind would have a seat like this for the Final and not use it?’ The neighbour says, ‘Well actually the seat belongs to me. I was supposed to come with my wife, but she passed away. This is the first World Cup Final we haven’t been to together since we got married.’ ‘Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that. That’s terrible….But couldn’t you find someone else, a friend, relative or even a neighbour to take her seat?’ The man shakes his head. ‘No,’ he says. ‘They’re all at the funeral.’
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Proper Health starts with the correct acid-alkaline balance in your body. The pH level (acid - alkaline measurement) of our internal fluids affects every cell in our bodies. Extended acid imbalances of any kind can overwhelm your body, and lead to health complications.
Just as the body regulates its temperature in a rigid manner, so will it manage to preserve a very narrow pH range - especially in the blood. As a matter of fact, the body will go to such great lengths to maintain a blood pH of 7.365 that it will even create stress on other tissues, body systems, and organs to do so. Chronic acidity will interrupt all cellular activities and functions - it interferes with life itself.
When the pH of the body gets out of balance (too acidic), we may experience low energy, fatigue, excess weight, poor digestion, aches and pains, and even more serious disorders.
The cycle of acidity begins primarily as a result of three things:
1. Ingesting acids. Eating too many acidifying foods like processed sugar, meats, dairy, coffee, alcohol, etc. Create an acid ash in the body. These acids can overload the body's ability to neutralize them.
2. Creation of acids. Pathogens and microforms create acidifying toxins in the body. As the body becomes more and more acidic, bad bacteria, yeasts and other microforms proliferate in the body. Since these organisms are living, they eat as well as create resulting toxins. These toxins are often very acidifying.
3. Improper elimination of acids. Not all acids are the same; some are weak and some are strong. Weak acids like citric acid are much easier to neutralize than strong acids like uric acid. The body uses many systems in order to buffer acids including breath, mineral reserves, and fat. When the body's buffering systems become compromised, excess acids build up.
The process of reestablishing acid-alkaline balance begins with proper diet and nutrition. This includes eating alkalizing foods (vegetables, low sugar fruits, etc.), super hydration (drinking plenty of alkaline water), and proper supplementation.
Keeping yourself BALANCED is your first line of defense in fighting any disease and alkaline water creates a major impact in balancing the body's pH.
A body that is too acidic provides the ideal environment for diseases to manifest and thrive in. For example, accumulated acid waste in the joints encourages inflammation and arthritis. It turns acidic wastes into solids and stores them in fatty tissues resulting in hardening of the arteries and excess weight. Our body also tries to buffer the effect of this excess acid by taking calcium from the bones, and magnesium needed for heart health.
Therefore, one of the keys to great health is keeping the body pH properly balanced. Because of the predominance of hydroxyl ions produced, making the water highly alkaline, drinking plenty of alkaline water will help dissolves accumulated acid waste and will balance your body pH.
Restoring the pH balance in the body.
Alkaline water can neutralize the acidity of the body caused by stress, modern diet, air pollution, and many bottled waters.
- A higher pH in the body reduces the need for fat and cholesterol to protect the body from damaging acids.
- Alkaline water is negatively charged and an "antioxidant." Antioxidants reduce cellular and DNA damage caused by free radicals. Negatively charged alkaline water creates energy by giving up ions to positive ions.
- Alkaline water tastes lighter with a pleasantly sweet flavor.
- Improves the body's absorption of essential nutrients
- Improves body function by cleaning your cells from the inside out.
- Using water with a higher pH level improves the taste of beverages and food.
- Improves your immune system function to help you fight diseases.
- Cooking with alkaline water improves the taste and quality of foods and using acidic water when boiling eggs improves their quality
Understanding pH Values
For those not familiar with pH scales:
Pure acid is pH 0
Pure alkaline is pH 14
Neutral (neither acid nor alkaline) is pH 7
pH 7 is ten times more alkaline than pH 6
pH 8 is 100 times more alkaline than pH 6
pH 9 is 1,000 times ore alkaline than pH 6
How much do I drink?
Your water needs are based on your body weight. Half your body weight is your cleansing dose and 80% of that is your minimum because otherwise you're dehydrated.
100 pound person, 50 ounces is their cleansing dose and 40 ounces is a minimum of fluids they should drink every day.
How much alkaline water should I drink? That depends on your pH. We carry very sensitive pH paper for determining your urine pH which is the pH we base your need for alkaline water on. If you're a vegetarian and your pH is already alkaline then you can just drink regular filtered water. But if your pH is lower than 6.4 then you need to drink alkaline water. I would recommend 1 L a day minimum. Depending on your weight more might be indicated.
How alkaline of water should I drink? Water can come from about 7.8 to 10. You can drink water that is to alkaline for you and it is best to be tested at our office to determine the best pH. Waters with a pH of 9 to 9.5 tend to test the best, but your situation might be different.
Both saliva and urine pH should be 6.4. When you maintain that then your blood and cells will be able to maintain the pH that is right for them. Saliva pH indicate your digestive pH whereas urine pH indicates your body pH. So for determining your need for alkaline water urine pH is the one to watch. Also it is recommended not to drink alkaline water with meals. If you're going to drink water with a meal I recommend squeezing several lemon or lime slices in the water to make it acidic. Lemon and lime will be alkaline on your body yet acid in your stomach.
I don't keep up with drug sales let alone the actions and side effects of all the latest drugs. But I would think antacids must be making pharmaceutical companies literally billions of dollars each year. (The January 8, 2001 issue of Business Week mentions that Priolsec is the top selling prescription drug in the world. It earns Astra Zeneca (the drug’s maker) 6 billion dollars per year.)
One of the reasons that antacids sell so well is that they stop the pain in 60-70% of the cases. (A recent online survey of over 4200 patients taking Priolosec.) If you're troubled with chronic acid reflux and you can take a pill and all the pain just disappears, it seems like you're doing the right thing, doesn't it? Before you answer that let me explain the digestive process and then ask you that question again.
Digestion is literally a miracle. All the different types of foods and yet your body knows the exact enzymes and the correct amount to properly breakdown each food to its simplest component. Complex carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars, proteins are broken down into their individual amino acids and fats and oils are reduced to their individual fatty acids. And then the process of properly absorbing these nutrients along with the vitamins, minerals and enzymes plus other things that were still learning about. If you eat different foods you get different kinds and amounts of enzymes to digest them.
As you chew your food you help break it down for your stomach as well as blend it with saliva which helps start the whole process. As the food enters the stomach it starts to churn and release digestive enzymes. Hydrocloric acid (HCl) is one of the most important enzymes that the stomach releases. The amount of HCl that leaves the stomach with the food entering the small intestines stimulate fluids from the liver and gallbladder as well as enzymes from the pancreas to complete the digestive process. It is essential that the right amount of HCl enters the small intestines to begin a wavelike motion called peristalsis that help move the food throughout the intestines. If the level of HCl is less than ideal then every other step in the digestive process is compromised.
It's like when you have a row of dominos stacked together and push the first one over a chain reaction happens. Without HCl the rest of the digestive process is severely compromised. If you don't produce the right amount of enzymes then you cannot breakdown your foods properly. If you don’t break your foods down properly you can not absorbe nutrients that your body requires. Studies of individuals who have used antacids over a long peiord of time find evidence of malnutrition. Doesn't that make sense? What do antacids do? They severely reduced if not completely block the release of HCl. Remember the chain of dominos.
When you consistently reduced the amount of HCl that is released from your stomach that causes a series of changes in the lining of your stomach. A healthy stomach has a mucous lining that protects the stomach from its own acids. When the body senses that this coating has been reduced it automatically reduces the amount of HCl it secretes. As this happens the stomach will churn more to help break down the foods. After a series of processes, this increase of abnormal stomach contractions can force what little bit of HCl you produce up into the esophagus.
This can cause a burning or painful sensation from your stomach up into the back of your throat. This is called acid reflux. This condition is rarely due to the overproduction of HCl. If this problem is not corrected over a lifetime the chronic inflammation to the cells can lead to cancer. But be forewarned, the chronic suppression of HCl with antacids will lead to incompletely digested food irritating your intestines and increasing your chance for colon cancer. Usually the mechanism I described above is leading to the inappropriate release of HCl into the esophagus. It is true eliminating the amount of HCl you produce will relieve symptoms. It's also true that these drugs will relieve you of the normal digestive process.
Now the main question is this- is the choice between symptom relieve with drugs or suffering pain with each meal? No! By properly correcting the dysfunction within the digestive system you can, not only restore proper function without drugs, you can also overcome your acid reflux.
There are several principles to good digestion. Completely chewing your food, not combining proteins with sweet fruits, don't eat too quickly, eat foods that are consistent with your body and blood type, too much dairy with a meal could interfere with the digestive process and watch the junk food. Fiber helps move the food through your digestive system.
A lot of time patients with digestive problems also notice that they have discomfort between the shoulder blades. Neurologically this is very significant. The nerves between the fourth thoracic and eight thoracic are some of the most important controlling nerves to your digestive system. If you carry nerve pressure in your upper back then your digestive system is most likely compromised. Now remember, you can have nerve pressure without back symptoms, though alot of patients with acid reflux know what I'm talking about when I talk about discomfort between their shoulder blades.
B-vitamins are very important when it comes to digestion and because you can't store B-vitamins. A good percentage of patients with digestive problems also have deficiencies in some of their B-vitamins. We also use targeted nutritional formulas to help restore the normal lining of the stomach along with diet and Chiropractic adjustments.
The care I just outlined for acid reflux is also extremely beneficial from most other digestive problems. Chiropractic care is the most effective treatment on the planet for digestive disorders. Most other approaches, even with gastroenterologists, focus primarily on symptom relieve and not correction.
Now let me ask you that question again and tell me if you might have a different answer. If you're troubled with chronic acid reflux and you can take a pill and all the pain just disappears, it seems like you're doing the right thing, doesn't it? Are you?
Many people have problems swallowing pills. When it comes to nutritional therapy your ability and consistency in taking your supplements determine your rate of recovery. One issue that I have discovered that affects a person’s ability to comfortably swallow pills is a flap of tissue called the epiglottis. If this doesn’t work correctly pills that you swallow can try to go down the windpipe. This can set up anxiety when it comes to pill taking which can escalate to a real phobia about swallowing pills.
Before I discuss the technique you want to remember never to take capsules and tablets together. These both have different dynamics in fluid. The rule of thumb is when you take a tablet you lean your head back and then swallow; when you take a capsule you lean your head forward and then swallow.
Now to the issue of the epiglottis, most people will put capsules or tablets in their mouth and then add the water to swallow. It’s important when you’re adding the water that you’re constantly breathing in through your nose. At the end of respiration when you go to swallow it’s just natural for the epiglottis to close so there is no confusion between which pipe the pills are supposed to go. If you breathe in properly the chances of a pill trying to go down the wrong pipe is very slim.
Below are additional tricks to proper swallowing:
Fill a plastic water or soda bottle with water. Put the tablet on your tongue and close your lips tightly around the bottle opening. Take a drink, keeping contact between the bottle and your lips and using a sucking motion to swallow the water and pill.
Until you know what’s behind your swallowing issues, here are a few things you can do to make swallowing medicine a little easier:
Cut a gummy bear. To help you swallow a pill, you can stick it inside a gummy bear. Take the gummy bear and cut a small pocket in the stomach of the bear. Slip the pill inside. Eat the gummy bear, but don't chew it; chewing some medication will change the duration and timing onset of the medication. Just try to swallow it, then once it's in your throat quickly drink your water.[2]
Put the pill inside honey or peanut butter. Pills can be taken with honey or peanut butter because they ease the passage of the pill down your throat. Get a spoon full of either food. Place the pill in the middle of dollop of food you have on the spoon. Make sure to push it into the food. Next, swallow the spoonful of honey or peanut butter with the pill inside. Wash down with water.[3]
Try soft food. If you can't take your pill with bread, try taking it in a soft food such as applesauce, yogurt, ice cream, pudding, or gelatin. This is a common method used in hospitals for patients who have difficulty in swallowing. Make a small dish of the food. Drop the pill into the dish. Eat a little bit of the food before you take the bite with the pill in it. Then take the bite with the pill in it. It should go down easily with the food when you swallow.[4]
Use a straw. For some people, using a straw to drink water or a beverage helps the pill to go down better. Place the pill on the back of your tongue. Drink something through a straw and swallow the liquid and the pill. Keep drinking for a few sips after you swallow it to help the pill go down.
Courtesy of:
John H. Keefe III, D.C.
(918) 663-1111
IN THE NEWS: Fails Up to 90 Percent of the Time, yet Nearly Every Doctor Urges You to Get It Mounting research suggests getting an annual flu shot may be ill advised for long-term health, and doesn’t actually work in the first place. An analysis of influenza vaccine effectiveness reveals that, between 2005 and 2015, the flu vaccine was less than 50 percent effective more than half of the time. Recent studies show that, with each successive annual flu vaccination, the protection afforded by the vaccine appears to diminish. It may also increase your risk of contracting more serious influenza infections.
WELLNESS: New Safety Regulations for Cosmetics - Better Regulated by States Congress has proposed a law, the Personal Care Products Safety Act, that would give the FDA authority to test whether chemicals added to personal care products are being used at safe levels. The new regulations would require companies to report adverse reactions to their products to the FDA, but those adverse reactions won’t be made publicly available. The other glaring issue is that The Personal Care Products Safety Act would preempt state regulations. Note: maybe you should go by the rule if you would not eat it don't put it on your skin. Have you heard of transdermal patches? What you put on your skin will be in your bloodstream.
CONDITION OF THE WEEK: October is: National Chiropractic Month
DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WITH A HEALTH PROBLEM OR IN PAIN? INVITE YOUR FAMILY OR FRIENDS TO THE PARTY
Who do you know who is hurting? Who do you know that you have been trying to get started at Keefe Clinic?
Now is the time to get your spouse, or child started on the road to good health. Complimentary DIAGNOSTIC WORK UP DURING OCTOBER
Complimentary initial exam and one X-ray.
Tell someone today
FUNNY BONE: My goal this weekend is to move... just enough so people don't think I'm dead.@@ When you fall, I will be there to catch you - With love, the floor@@ Most of the time... when you're crying, nobody notices your tears. Most of the time... when you're worried, nobody feels your pain. Most of the time... when you're happy, nobody sees your smile. But when you fart just one time...@@ My friend, remember that without stupidity there wouldn't be intelligence, and without ugliness there wouldn't be beauty, so the world needs you after all.@@ To the guy who created imaginary numbers in Math: I hate you.@@
Visit our web site: keefeclinic.com&facebook.com/keefeclinic
Courtesy of:
John H. Keefe III, D.C.
(918) 663-1111
IN THE NEWS: Antibiotics, childbirth, and maternal and infant mortality Maternal and infant mortality is not confined to the past, much less to fiction. More than 30,000 women and 400,000 newborns die each year from infections around the time of birth. Most of these deaths occur in low-income countries, and the situation will only worsen as the antibiotics available for treating infections become less effective, owing to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. According to current estimates, more than 200,000 newborns die each year from infections that do not respond to available drugs. And studies using data from larger hospitals – where microbes are more likely to develop antibiotic resistance – estimate that about 40% of infections in newborns resist standard treatments.
WELLNESS: Foods That Promote Muscle Growth and Definition A number of foods can be helpful when trying to improve muscle growth and definition. Incorporating these foods into your meals on a regular basis may help you get lean and toned. Helpful foods are ones high in healthy fats and high quality protein, such as wild salmon, raw nuts, grass-fed beef, whey protein, coconut oil, olive oil, MCT oil and avocados. Beneficial fruits and vegetables include spinach, kale, broccoli, sprouts, berries, bananas, watermelon, grapefruit, papaya and mushrooms.
CHIROPRACTIC: INCREASING COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE BODY Health is when your cells and organs are functioning properly in relationship with the rest of the body. How does the liver know what the stomach needs? It doesn’t, it’s the nervous system that not only initiates function but coordinates function throughout the body. If your nervous system is under too much stress organs and glands start to malfunction. Chiropractic adjustments reestablish and tune the proper communication and thus coordination to body function. Chiropractic patients have an immune system that functions substantially more efficient than the average person on the street. Studies show that regular chiropractic care improves the repair of DNA. Tell a friend about chiropractic they will be glad you did.
FUNNY BONE: A deacon is in the hospital and his good friend, a preacher, goes to visit him. The preacher notices all the medical equipment attached to the deacon. He kneels by the bed. The deacon motions to a pad and pen on the nightstand. The preacher hands his friend the pad and pen, and the deacon begins to write. Suddenly, the deacon dies. At his funeral, the preacher delivers the service. He says, "I was with him when he died, and as a matter of fact, I have his last thought in my coat pocket here." The preacher pulls out the paper and reads, "Please, get up. You're kneeling on my oxygen hose."
Visit our web site: keefeclinic.com-ebook/keefeclinic.com
Courtesy of:
John H. Keefe III, D.C.
(918) 663-1111
DIET: The perfect breakfast for people with depression Exercise has been described as a “wonder drug” for reducing symptoms, walking in nature reduces negative thoughts, and meditation can have a powerful positive effect. Our brain relies on nutrients to work effectively and studies have found that Omega-3, amino acids, B vitamins, Vitamin D, and minerals like zinc, magnesium and iron help create strong mental health. The Mediterranean diet, with its abundance of olive oil and leafy vegetables, contains many of these nutrients. Nutritionist Melissa Brunetti, who focuses on the connection between diet and mental health, says that an ideal breakfast for people struggling with depression would be eggs (which include amino acids, Omega-3, Vitamin D, and fatty acids), with sprouted-grain toast and smashed avocado. The fatty acids in eggs are key, she says. Those who crave chocolate can also act on that instinct: Chocolate, like avocado, contains tryptophan.
IN THE NEWS: Environmental Exposures, Autism and Developmental Delays — An Approach From an Integrative Psychiatrist estimated 1 in 50 American children. The number of children with autism has increased by an alarming rate over the last 20 years and will likely continue. A growing number of children also struggle with developmental and speech delays, as well as motor disorders. According to the latest statistics, developmental delays affect 1 out of 6 or 7 children. Environmental exposure are a significant factor that can contribute to the development of ASD and other developmental delays. There are many safe, gentle treatment options, including dietary changes and eliminating toxic exposures. ASK ABOUT A DETOX!
CONDITION OF THE WEEK: DETOX More than 80,000 chemicals are put into American household products, food, and food packaging each year, a majority of which are not tested for safety beforehand. Common domestic sources of chemical exposure include food, personal care and feminine hygiene products, household cleaning agents, and items treated with flame retardants. Healthier alternatives are suggested. Factors such as light, temperature, and EMF emissions can also hamper your healthy lifestyle efforts by affecting your circadian rhythm, hampering sleep, and/or disrupting your biological functioning. Just another good reason to detoxify on a regular basis.
FUNNY BONE: It is so cold outside I saw a politician with his hands in his own pockets.@@ You know you’re getting old when you stop to tie your shoelaces and wonder what else you could do while you’re down there. -George Burns@@ “Wouldn’t exercise be more fun if calories screamed while you burned them?“@@ First the doctor told me the good news: I was going to have a disease named after me.@@ Politics: “Poli” a Latin word meaning “many”; and "tics" meaning “bloodsucking creatures”.@@ “My legs are so sore from the gym that I almost couldn’t walk to the donut shop.”
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Most people today realize the importance of natural laws like proper diet and nutrition when it comes to good health. It was only about 45 to 50 years ago that even medical doctors weren’t so sure about that. I remember watching a debate between a cardiologist and a lay nutritional expert arguing about the importance of nutrition for healthy hearts. The cardiologist actually stated that foods are only needed for energy and there was no other nutritional benefit from eating foods. He totally dismissed the importance of vitamins and minerals and he was a doctor. So the fact that laypeople might have confusion about diet is understandable. There are 2 components about nutrition that I would like to speak to. One of those is diet and matching the proper ratio of fats,carbs and proteins to particular genetic makeup.
In some ways we’re all the same but in other ways we are different. Our genetic code determines how we utilize certain nutrients. Our body shapes will require different ratios of fats carbohydrates and proteins. So the foundation of proper nutrition is eating the right diet for your particular body type.
Nutritional therapy, using supplements to balance body chemistry, is the focus of this discussion. Just like each different body type requires a different ratio of fats carbs and proteins each individual has slightly different demands for certain nutrition. That’s one reason why a multivitamin is completely unable to supply what a given person needs. There are even some studies that show negative effects from taking multivitamins. We only give multivitamins in very specific cases. Our main goal is determining what nutrients are needed in reestablishing a better chemical balance as well as health status.
Different things can impact on your demand for nutrients, stress, exercise or the lack of exercise, disease, toxicity and many other factors. As these factors change your nutritional needs will change and so nutritional therapy is a dynamic and ever-changing approach towards health. The idea that you can take 4 or 5 nutrients that are most commonly talked about in the news is not the way to maintain good health.
Working with nutritional needs since 1976 I have found that nutritional therapy is quite a dynamic endeavor and one might need to change their program on a regular basis as her body reaches higher levels of function and health. We might pick up a nutrient that you need that you might only take for a week or a month or maybe over a year. Our testing procedures allows us to not only determine what nutrients or nutritional formula that you need but we can also determine how long you need to take that.
Many people don’t realize the advancements in nutritional therapy over the past 40 some years. The fact is with today’s knowledge there are very few health issues that can’t be effectively addressed. Acid reflux, cardiovascular disease, different hormonal imbalances, reoccurring infections, allergies and blood sugar disorders are just a few of the conditions that can respond. But the process isn’t as simple as we find a few nutritional formulas and you take those and everything clears up. It’s more complicated than that, because there can be several layers of dysfunction with any given problem. For instance you might have a blood sugar problem that could be related to the liver issue and adrenal gland dysfunction and an immune system disorder. Each of those will need to be addressed and sometimes in a specific order to resolve the original blood sugar problem. So during the process of treating the presenting blood sugar problem is going to be a time when we need to focus on the liver, and then the adrenals and lastly the immune system. Each of those could require separate nutritional approaches at separate times. Sometimes the body can’t address everything at once. So through periodic testing and re-addressing the nutritional program that you’re on full healing can take place over time.
When we go about developing an overall strategy to help someone recover their health certain testing might be indicated. A complete physical exam, blood work and other laboratory testing as well as Vega testing. Vega testing is a biofeedback form of testing that allows us to plug into your computer, so to speak, and pick up important information concerning your nutritional needs. Individualizing nutritional programs produce the best results in the long run. Vega testing allows us to individualize an approach and also minimize the number of nutrients needed in an effective program.
The most important part of the supplemental program is taking the supplements on a regular enough basis to get well. Some people have expressed difficulty in swallowing pills. There are a few secrets in making this process easier. One of them is taking your supplements with food, if were talking about tablets putting a little bit of butter on the tablet allows it to go down easier. Capsules are the easiest to swallow if you have the right head position. Capsules will float on water where tablets tend to sink. So when you’re swallowing a capsule lean your head forward and if you’re swallowing a tablet lean your head back. It’s best not to combine capsules and tablets if you have any problems swallowing pills. I have found when you’re taking in water right before you swallow the pill breathe in through your nose. This will help close off the windpipe so supplements don’t try to go down the wrong way and will make swallowing pills much easier.
Courtesy of:
John H. Keefe III, D.C.
(918) 663-1111
DIET: Popcorn: Good or Not so Good? Anthropologists have found evidence that popcorn was part of indigenous diets in Mexico and Peru around 5,000 years ago and the Southwest around 2,500 years ago. Manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, vitamins B3 and B6 and potassium in popcorn help reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke and atherosclerosis. Fiber and polyphenols are two popcorn ingredients that help make it relatively healthy, as they help fight cancer, type 2 diabetes and many other diseases. While 90 percent of the corn grown in the U.S. is genetically engineered (GE), popcorn is not (yet). Air-popped and with only coconut oil and a little salt, it’s a nourishing snack. It’s the additives that make popcorn potentially toxic.
IN THE NEWS: A POTENTIAL LINK BETWEEN CELL PHONE USE AND CANCER – JUNE 5, 2016 Use of cell phones is so deeply associated with our lifestyle that we often forget that these devices were almost nonexistent a decade ago. Therefore, we don’t have much feedback on their potentially harmful effects on health. Cell phones emit radio frequency radiation in very close proximity with our heads and it is still not clear if that radiation may present health issues. Researchers from the National Toxicology Program (NTP) were asked by the US government to investigate this question. They published a preliminary report on their findings on the association between radio frequency exposure through cell phone use and cancer. They exposed groups of 90 rats, separated by gender, to 3 different doses of radio frequency radiations (1.5, 3 and 6 W/Kg) for 9 hours per day, for 2 years. They found a higher incidence of brain (glioblastoma) and heart (Schwannoma) tumours in male rodents exposed to the radiation. Note: Not all people have the same susceptibility, we can test you on your cell phone plus there are phone covers that protect from this type of radiation.
CONDITION OF THE WEEK: Great Britain’s Most Outspoken Cardiologist Sets the Record Straight on Saturated Fats Saturated fat and cholesterol have little to do with the development of heart disease. Data shows two-thirds of people admitted to hospitals with acute myocardial infarction have completely normal cholesterol levels. Fats can be harmful, but it’s important to be specific. Fats that contribute to heart disease are primarily trans fats and highly refined and/or heated polyunsaturated vegetable oils (PUFAs), which are high in damaged omega-6. For optimal health, seek to get 75 to 85 percent of your total calories as healthy fat, primarily monosaturated and saturated. Limit PUFAs to 10 percent and omega-6 fats to 5 percent. Note: Chiropractic care and nutritional therapy are the best approaches to prevent heart problems.
FUNNY BONE: People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do. @@ I want my children to have all the things I couldn't afford. Then I want to move in with them. @@ The closest a person ever comes to perfection is when he fills out a job application form.@@ I’m writing my book in fifth person, so every sentence starts out with: “I heard from this guy who told somebody …”
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Pain is the number 1 reason that people visit doctors of any type. Addressing the pain properly will have an impact on your level of wellness. Most people want to feel good, have plenty of energy, sleep like a baby and maintain good focus and mental function. Depending on how you deal with your pain will have an impact on all of these. Drugs will interfere with every one of these wellness goals. If you have pain then fix the reason for the pain. Suppressing PAIN with drugs leads to the overall toxic burden on the body and allows you to use a part that the body is trying to rest and protect. Correcting the cause of pain will allow full function to return to that part of the body without further damage.
When it comes to joint pain alignment is one of the key components of restoring normal function. Chiropractic physicians work on virtually every joint in the body restoring mobility and flexibility. Blood and nerve flow travels through joints in the body and thus can be interfered with due to misalignments. Inflammation is a result of chronic joint misalignmentsand can contribute to slow repair time.
EPA and DHA have two protective roles: First they lessen the synthesis and enhance clearance of cholesterol and triglycerides as well as inhibiting the uptake of another essential fatty acid which is substrate for the pro-aggregatory, pro-inflammatory and vasoconstrictive prostaglandin-2 series.
INFLAMASE The single most potent anti-inflammatory substance is A-Chymotrypsin. Although many supplements have Chymotrypsin-Trypsin combinations, only Inflamase contains pure A-Chymotrypsin. The addition of Bromelain, SOD, Catalase, and the enzymes listed above, make Inflamase the most complete broad spectrum anti-inflammatory currently available. During the inflammatory process, fibrinogen becomes polymerized into fibrin and impairs circulation within the affected tissue. The enzymes in Inflamase will circulate freely until they are impaired by this fibrin blockage. At this point theyadhere to fibrin, depolymerize the occlusion and restore drainage to the inflamed tissue.
Along with chiropractic treatments these 2 nutritional products can help get to the source of the pain and promote the healing of the tissues. Seek solutions for your health problems don’t just cover up the symptoms.
To your better health,
Dr. Keefe
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Courtesy of:
John H. Keefe III, D.C.
(918) 663-1111
IN THE NEWS: Healthy living could prevent half of deaths from cancer Following a healthy lifestyle — which includes maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly and refraining from smoking — may prevent cancer, a new study finds. Healthy lifestyle choices could potentially prevent 20 to 40 percent of cancer cases and about half of cancer deaths, the study found. The new findings, however, "provide strong support for the argument that a large proportion of cancers are to due environmental factors and can be prevented by lifestyle modification," the authors of the new study, Dr. Mingyang Song, a research fellow in epidemiology at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Dr. Edward Giovannucci, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, wrote in their paper. The researchers found that women in the high-risk group were 25 percent more likely to get cancer and 48 percent more likely to die from cancer during the study period than the women in the low-risk group. Men in the high-risk group were 33 percent more likely to get cancer and 44 percent more likely to die of cancer than the men in the low-risk group, according to the study.
WELLNESS: Shirataki Noodles — An Incredibly Healthy High-Fiber, No-Carb Food Vegetables aren't the only high-fiber food; shirataki noodles may be the epitome of a high-fiber, low-net carb food, containing about 97 percent water and 3 percent fiber, zero calories, and no digestible carbs. Shirataki noodles are made from glucomannan fiber, which can aid with weight loss, reduce blood sugar and insulin levels, lower cholesterol, and help relieve constipation. This viscous fiber is fermented by gut microbes. Byproducts include short-chain fatty acids that calibrate your immune system and serve as substrate to produce ketones that efficiently fuel your mitochondria.
CONDITION OF THE WEEK: Hidden fears and brain function Sometimes brain function is inhibited by hidden fears. You might just sense that as stress when you try to balance your checkbook, remember things, or going places. Our brains can have misfiring circuits that cause issues under certain circumstances. For instance you might have a problem reading in front of people or remembering someone's name. Yet when you're alone those issues don't appear to be present or under some other type of circumstance they might not be an issue. That's because our brains can shut down when we fire up a faulty circuit due to past forgotten traumas. Emotional freedom technique can help eliminate these faulty circuits and allow for better brain function. Emotional freedom technique can also help eliminate certain fears or phobias that you are aware that you have. If you are dealing with any issue where you don't believe that your brain is functioning at peak performance then discuss that on your next visit and we can determine if emotional freedom technique might benefit you.
FUNNY BONE: Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.@@ After hearing a sermon on Psalm 52:3-4 (lies and deceit), a man wrote the IRS, “I can’t sleep knowing that I have cheated on my income tax. Enclosed is a check for $150. If I still can’t sleep, I’ll send the rest.”@@ While I was out to lunch, my coworker answered my phone and told the caller that I would be back in 20 minutes. The woman asked, “Is that 20 minutes Central Standard Time?”
LINK:allergies/
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Courtesy of:
John H. Keefe III, D.C.
(918) 663-1111
IN THE NEWS: Scientists witness 'flash of light' during conception, say discovery could aid IVF For the first time, researchers have witnessed the exact moment conception occurs— and have recorded the ensuing explosion of sparks that form when sperm meets an egg. The Telegraph reported that scientists had previously captured the moment in animals, but this is the first time it’s been recorded in humans. “It was remarkable,” senior co-author Teresa Woodruff, director of the Women’s Health Research Institute and chief of the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology-Fertility Preservation at Northwestern University, told the Telegraph. “We discovered the zinc spark just five years ago in the mouse, and to see the zinc radiate out in a burst from each human egg was breathtaking.” “This is an important discovery because it may give us a non-invasive and easily visible way to assess the health of an egg and eventually an embryo before implantation,” study co-author Dr. Eve Feinberg told the Telegraph.
WELLNESS: Harvard students isolated amid mumps outbreak The public health department in Cambridge, Mass., where Harvard is located, determined a month ago that all infected students to that point had received a mumps vaccine prior to contracting the infection. A department spokeswoman says she hasn't heard of any confirmed cases in the city unrelated to the Harvard community. Mumps is a viral infection that causes swelling in the salivary glands and cheeks. This outbreak as well hundreds of others in the past have brought into question the effectiveness of vaccines. When you get a “childhood disease” naturally then you tend to establish a lifetime immunity. Outbreaks like this pose serious questions of vaccines effectiveness. These types of diseases appear to have normal lifecycles that come and go within a population on its own schedule. The most effective interventions that have severely limited these types of infections like measles and mumps have been due to the increase in sanitation, cleaner water and air and a much more diverse food supply.
CHIROPRACTIC: Concussions and traumatic brain injuries have been in the news recently due to a combination of factors: returning veterans, sports and car accidents. Signs and symptoms of a concussion may include: Headache or a feeling of pressure in the head, Temporary loss of consciousness, Confusion or feeling as if in a fog, Amnesia surrounding the traumatic event, Dizziness or "seeing stars", Ringing in the ears, Nausea, Vomiting, Slurred speech, Delayed response to questions, Appearing dazed, Fatigue, Some symptoms of concussions may be immediate or delayed in onset by hours or days after injury, such as: Concentration and memory complaints, Irritability and other personality changes, Sensitivity to light and noise, Sleep disturbances, Psychological adjustment problems and depression, Disorders of taste and smell. There are no well-established diagnostic tests for concussions like MRI. There is hope in the near future through enhancing MRIs and CAT scans we can better diagnose concussions. Even though there is no medical treatment for concussions using chiropractic care and nutrition associated with inflammation has been found very effective.
FUNNY BONE: “There is a special species of bird that is really good at holding stuff together, they are called velcrows.”@@ I don't run from my problems. I sit on my couch, play on my phone and ignore them like all the other adults.@@ “If a book about failures doesn't sell, is it a success?”
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