Health is a choice

Working with patients for over 42 years I’ve learned the importance of proper lifestyle choices. It’s been said there are no incurable diseases just some incurable patients. Outside of rare genetic disorders most people have the inborn ability to live a healthy, pain-free life. But that ability requires making quality life choices. I’m pretty sure most people realize what shape your house would be in you never cleaned it in 20 years. A similar thing is true about your body; if you’re not proactive in taking care of your health then complicated health issues can develop that take time to repair. Unfortunately, in most cases, we are unaware that our bodies are breaking down because we have no obvious symptoms. It’s similar to drinking water, as we age our sense of thirst diminishes and we can be significantly dehydrated and not even know it.

A lot of times it is just simple things that need to be addressed in order to maintain excellent health. Movement is important, you don’t have to be conditioning for the Olympics to stay in good health even three days a week of walking or other exercise can have a significant benefit. Rest and relaxation including refreshing sleep are crucial on regulating stress hormones that can have a profound effect on your health over time. Positive mental and spiritual attitude have a healing effect on the mind as well as the body, practicing an act of kindness not only helps others in our society but floods your body with important hormones and chemicals that not only give you a sense of well-being but have health promoting benefits. Since the nervous system controls and coordinates everything in the body maintaining a stress free nervous system through regular chiropractic adjustments are crucial. Chiropractic keeps the communication channels open and allows the body to self-regulate and heal. And what you put in your mouth is crucial, it has been said that, “We dig our own graves with a fork.”

At Keefe clinic we try to engage each of these five laws of health to help you attain and maintain good health. No matter what pharmaceutical companies tell you drugs can’t heal you they can only manipulate your perception of symptoms. We not only want to encourage you to make healthy choices but also to provide tools to help you maintain the best health possible. With Vega testing we not only pick up problems that are developing but zero in on the best product or formula to restore normal function.

Since inflammation is a major destroyer of health in our society eating anti-inflammatory foods are essential, fish oils are probably the most important way to control inflammation.

EPA DHA 300 is an excellent mercury free fish oil to help you maintain better health, 2 to 3 capsules a day will not only keep your heart healthy but help reduce inflammation in your body that can lead to arthritis and other health issues.

Antioxidants are another important addition to controlling chronic disease.

Pomegranate plus is a blend of the most potent antioxidant foods and taking one or two a day is an excellent way to support your health. Remember with testing we can be more specific with what your body needs.

To your better health,

Dr. Keefe

If you have not set up your account at natural partners then go to npscript.com/Keefeclinic and set up an account (if a code is asked for use 6631111). There is no charge to set up this account and they do not sell email addresses. Once the account is set up you can order any of their over 9000 products in the comfort of your own home and have them shipped to your door. Note: for period of time you can get free shipping, order today! For help ordering call 888-950-2767

Diet sodas may be tied to stroke, dementia risk

 

 

(CNN)Gulping down an artificially sweetened beverage not only may be associated with health risks for your body, but also possibly your brain, a new study suggests.

Artificially sweetened drinks, such as diet sodas, were tied to a higher risk of stroke and dementia in the study, which published in the American Heart Association's journal Stroke on Thursday.

The study sheds light only on an association, as the researchers were unable to determine an actual cause-and-effect relationship between sipping artificially sweetened drinks and an increased risk for stroke and dementia. Therefore, some experts caution that the findings should be interpreted carefully.

No connection was found between those health risks and other sugary beverages, such as sugar-sweetened sodas, fruit juice and fruit drinks.

Are diet sodas dangerous to your health?

"We have little data on the health effects of diet drinks and this is problematic because diet drinks are popular amongst the general population," said Matthew Pase, a senior research fellow in the department of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine and lead author of the new study.

"More research is needed to study the health effects of diet drinks so that consumers can make informed choices concerning their health," he said.

The new study involved data on 2,888 adults older than 45 and 1,484 adults older than 60 from the town of Framingham, Massachusetts. The data came from the Framingham Heart Study, a project of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and Boston University.

In the older-than-45 group, the researchers measured for stroke and in the older-than-60 group, they measured for dementia.

"The sample sizes are different because we studied people of different ages," Pase said. "Dementia is rare in people under the age of 60 and so we focused only on those aged over 60 years for dementia. Similarly, stroke is rare in people aged under 45 and so we focused on people older than age 45 for stroke."

The researchers analyzed how many sugary beverages and artificially sweetened soft drinks each person in the two different age groups drank, at different time points, between 1991 and 2001. Then, they compared that with how many people suffered stroke or dementia over the next 10 years.

Compared to never drinking artificially sweetened soft drinks, those who drank one a day were almost three times as likely to have an ischemic stroke, caused by blocked blood vessels, the researchers found.

They also found that those who drank one a day were nearly three times as likely to be diagnosed with dementia.

Those who drank one to six artificially sweetened beverages a week were 2.6 times as likely to experience an ischemic stroke but were no more likely to develop dementia, Pase said.

"So, it was not surprising to see that diet soda intake was associated with stroke and dementia. I was surprised that sugary beverage intake was not associated with either the risks of stroke or dementia because sugary beverages are known to be unhealthy," Pase said.

In response, Lauren Kane, a spokeswoman for the American Beverage Association, issued a statement from the group that said low-calorie sweeteners found in beverages have been proven safe by worldwide government safety authorities.

"The FDA, World Health Organization, European Food Safety Authority and others have extensively reviewed low-calorie sweeteners and have all reached the same conclusion -- they are safe for consumption," the statement said.

"While we respect the mission of these organizations to help prevent conditions like stroke and dementia, the authors of this study acknowledge that their conclusions do not -- and cannot -- prove cause and effect. And according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), many risk factors can increase an individual's likelihood of developing stroke and dementia including age, hypertension, diabetes and genetics. NIH does not mention zero calorie sweeteners as a risk factor," the statement said. "America's beverage companies support and encourage balanced lifestyles by providing people with a range of beverage choices — with and without calories and sugar — so they can choose the beverage that is right for them."

That sweet drink may age you

Separate previous studies have shown an association between the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and adverse health effects, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, stroke, and possibly even heart failure.

"This article provides further evidence though on artificially sweetened beverages and their possible effects on vascular health, including stroke and dementia," said Dr. Ralph Sacco, professor and chair of neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, about the new study.

Sacco was a co-author of an editorial published alongside the study in the journal Stroke on Thursday.

"We believe the pathways of which artificially sweetened beverages would affect the brain are probably through vascular mechanisms," Sacco said.

"When the authors controlled for hypertension and diabetes and obesity the effects diminish, which implies that some of the effects of artificially sweetened beverages could still be going through a vascular pathway," he said about the new study. "Many strokes are caused by hardening of arteries; and the risk of dementia is also increased by the hardening of arteries in large and small vessels. So, I believe the mechanisms may be through vascular disease, though we can't prove it."

Heather Snyder, senior director of medical and scientific operations at the Alzheimer's Association, called the new study "a piece of a larger puzzle" when it comes to better understanding how your diet and behaviors impact your brain.

"It's actually really more of your overall diet and overall lifestyle that is linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk, and we do know that heart disease and diabetes are linked to an increased risk of dementia," said Snyder, who was not involved in the new study.

 

"We know that sugary and artificially sweetened beverages are not great for us. This study adds strength to that, and also says they may not be great for your brain, specifically," she said. "There are alternatives -- things we can all do everyday to keep our brains and our bodies as healthy as we can as we age." Alternatives such as regular cardiovascular exercise that elevates heart rate and increases blood flow and doing puzzles and games to activate and challenge the mind. These are recommendations from the Alzheimer's Associations list of 10 lifestyle habits to reduce risk of cognitive decline.

 

 

Courtesy of:

John H. Keefe III, D.C.

(918) 663-1111

IN THE NEWS: FDA revisits safety of health care antiseptics such as Purell After roughly 40 years, U.S. health regulators are seeking data to see if the cocktail of ingredients in antiseptics used in hospitals, clinics and nursing homes are as safe and effective as they were once considered. The Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday it is asking manufacturers for more data, including on absorption, potential hormonal effects and bacterial resistance of these 'active' ingredients in antiseptics, to see if they are still appropriate for use in a health care setting. NOTE: antiseptic products have been associated with antibiotic resistant organisms AND thus the use of these could contribute to hospital infections that could be deadly. Hydrogen peroxide and nixall are safe antiseptics and are used by your own white blood cells to kill bacteria.

WELLNESS: Boost Your Brain Health by Developing a Higher Purpose in Life prevents stroke and promotes longer life One of the five laws of health that we promote is a positive mental and spiritual attitude. Personality traits like optimism and having a sense of purpose can benefit your health in a number of different ways, and ultimately help you live longer. One recent study found that having a sense of purpose reduced odds of suffering a stroke by 44 percent. Happiness, optimism, life satisfaction, and other positive psychological attributes are also associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Find your purpose, live your purpose.

CONDITION OF THE WEEK: Degenerative joint disease There are different reasons that people develop degenerative changes in their spine and other joints of their body but misalignments can be a big factor. When in joint is out of alignment and you use it repetitively that produces abnormal stresses on the structures of the joint causing a breakdown. Inflammatory chemistry will amplify these misalignments and accelerate the destructive forces leading to forms of arthritis. Chiropractic care along with good diet and exercise can help prevent degenerative joint disease. Patients who maintain some type of ongoing chiropractic care enjoy a lot better health than those who don’t. Stay regular with your care, eat right, increase the anti-inflammatory foods in your diet, exercise (movement equals life) and maintain a positive mental and spiritual attitude. Live long and prosper.

 FUNNY BONES:  Churchill Downs, which hosts the Kentucky Derby, has banned the use of selfie sticks this year. Officials say that if you want to block someone’s view of the race, just do what everyone else does and wear an insanely giant hat. Jimmy Fallon  "In a recent poll, one in four people said they'd donate a kidney to a complete stranger. Yeah, sure... 90 percent of people won't even let a stranger merge in traffic!" --Jay Leno My friend Tom said he stopped watching golf on TV. His doctor recommended that he get more exercise. So now he watches tennis.

LINK: BREAST CANCER

LINK:benign-essential-tremor/

LINK:MY STORY by Dr KEEFE

 

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Courtesy of:

John H. Keefe III, D.C.

(918) 663-1111

WELLNESS/PREVENTION: 5 Foods for Healthy Eyes LEAFY Greens They're packed with lutein and zeaxanthin—antioxidants that, studies, lower the risk of developing macular degeneration and cataracts CARROTS and other orange-colored fruits and vegetables promote eye health and protect vision, and it's true: Beta-carotene, a type of vitamin A that gives these foods their orange hue, helps the retina and other parts of the eye to function smoothly.EGGS The yolk is a prime source of lutein and zeaxanthin—plus zinc, which also helps reduce your macular degeneration risk, according to Paul Dougherty, MD, medical director of Dougherty Laser Vision in Los Angeles. CITRUS AND BERRIES These fruits are powerhouses of vitamin, which has been shown to reduce the risk of developing macular and cataracts. ALMONDS They're filled with vitamin E, which slows macular degeneration, research. One handful (an ounce) provides about half of your daily dose of E. Fatty fish Tuna, salmon, mackerel, anchovies and trout are rich in DHA, a fatty acid found in your retina—low levels of which have been linked to dry eye syndrome, says Jimmy Lee, MD, director of refractive surgery at Montefiore Medical Center, in New York City.

click pic   IN THE NEWS:FDA issues new warning about testosterone drugs The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning men about testosterone replacement products increasing their risk for heart attacks and strokes. The agency is urging doctors and the makers of these products to properly inform patients about the possibility of developing these life-threatening conditions. ASK ABOUT A SAFE NATURAL APPROACH. click pic CONDITION OF THE WEEK:Sense of well-being one of the unique effects of chiropractic adjustments is a cascade of chemical reactions that take place deep within the brain and spinal cord. These chemicals are important in our sense of well-being. Besides noticing better energy and better sleep a common response to chiropractic adjustments is patients have an increased sense of well-being. This is part of the benefits of chiropractic in the treatment of patients with addictions. click pic FUNNY BONE:An anchor for Russia's state-owned news channel quit on live TV yesterday, saying that she doesn’t agree with the network's support of Vladimir Putin. In response, Putin sent her somewhere no one will ever see her again — CNN.@@@ A child psychologist had twin boys—one was an optimist; the other, a pessimist. Just to see what would happen, on Christmas Day he loaded the pessimist’s room with toys and games. In the optimist’s room, he dumped a pile of horse droppings. That night, the father found the pessimist surrounded by his gifts, crying. “What’s wrong?” the father asked. “I have a ton of game manuals to read … I need batteries … and my toys will all eventually get broken!” sobbed the pessimist. Passing the optimist’s room, the father found him dancing for joy around the pile of manure. “Why are you so happy?” he asked. The optimist shouted, “There’s got to be a pony in here somewhere!”
	LINK:BREAST CANCER LINK2:ALLERGIES – COVER-UP OR CURE?

 

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Courtesy of:

John H. Keefe III, D.C.

(918) 663-1111

DIET:New Report Will Reveal Which Yogurts Are Healthy, and Which Are Best Avoided Most commercial yogurts are chockfull of sugar, processed fructose (high fructose corn syrup), and/or artificial sweeteners and flavors, which nourishes disease-causing microbes in your gut. A healthy microbiome is not only important for optimal digestion of food and absorption of nutrients, these bacteria also help your body produce vitamins, absorb minerals, and even aid in the elimination of toxins. Recent research suggests yogurt containing Lactobacillus rhamnosus can help protect children and pregnant women against heavy metal poisoning. Your absolute best bet, when it comes to yogurt, is to make your own using a starter culture and raw, organic grass-fed milk. However, there are high-quality USDA 100% organic yogurts on the market.

IN THE NEWS: Answering Emails After Work Is Bad for Your HealthPeople who respond to e-mails during non-work hours report worse sleep, higher levels of burnout, and increased health-related absences from work. Responding immediately to workplace demands, even during off hours interferes with needed recovery time and increases stress-related outcomes. Use your non-work hours to truly unwind and engage in stress-relieving behaviors, like exercise, meditation, and pleasurable hobbies

CONDITION OF THE WEEK: Kidney Stones May Be as Simple as Changing Your Diet Two important factors that I have found with kidney stones are pH and magnesium. So try to maintain a 6.4 pH for saliva and urine. Watch out for too much calcium and not enough magnesium. Magnesium is the key. Magnesium citrate would be very helpful. Dehydration through reduced fluid intake or strenuous exercise without adequate fluid replacement increases the risk of kidney stones. Obstruction to the flow of urine can also lead to stone formation. Divide your body weight in half and consider that ounces. For instance 100 pound person should drink 50 ounces a day of fluids if they have kidney stones. Again if your urine is acid make that lemon water you drink at half your body weight.For acid urine (the most common) two lemons or three limes in a quart of water is your drink of choice, or a gold label Alka-Seltzer which is just a bicarbonate will change your pH quickly. For alkaline urine cranberry juice and high doses of vitamin C as well as eating acid producing foods will be helpful. I recommend taking your pH to the opposite extreme for 24 hours. In most cases as soon as your pH is shifted the stone will dissolve enough to pass without much pain.

FUNNY BONE: Two guys, one old, one young, are pushing their carts around the grocery store when they collide. The old guy says to the young guy, "Sorry about that. I'm looking for my wife, and I guess I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." The young guy says, "That's okay, it's a coincidence. I'm looking for my wife, too. I can't find her and I'm getting a little desperate." The old guy says, "Well, maybe I can help you find her. What does she look like?" "Well, she is 27 years old, tall, with red hair, blue eyes, long legs, and is wearing a tank top with short white shorts. What does your wife look like?" The old guy replies, "It doesn't matter, let's look for yours."

LINK: MY STORY   http://www.keefeclinic.com/wp/my-story-by-dr-john-keefe/         

Courtesy of:

John H. Keefe III, D.C.

(918) 663-1111

 IN THE NEWS: CHILDREN THAT DRINK RAW MILK HAVE 41% LESS ASTHMA the JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY reported on August 29, 2011 that children who drank raw milk had a 41% reduced chance of developing asthma. The same children had a nearly 50% reduction in hayfever as well even when other relevant factors were considered. The large European study reported by REUTERS HEALTH earlier this month included survey results were parents answered detailed questions about their children’s milk consumption. 800 milk samples were collected from the households of those participating in the study. Researchers linked the protective effect of raw milk to the fragile whey protein BSA and alpha-lacto albumin which are destroyed by pasteurization.

 

WELLNESS: CHOLESTROL FRIEND OR FOE? The advice to avoid cholesterol-rich foods and foods high in saturated fat has likely increased heart disease rates, as these nutrients are important for heart health. Cholesterol is one of the most important molecules in your body; indispensable for the building of cells and for producing stress and sex hormones, as well as vitamin D. Total cholesterol tells you virtually nothing about your heart disease risk. Only small dense LDL particles can potentially be a problem, as they can squeeze through the lining of your arteries. If they oxidize, they can cause damage and inflammation. An inflammatory chemistry is the cause of oxidation, eat anti-inflammatory foods.

 

CONDITION OF THE WEEK:COLON PROBLEMS due to the nature of our food supply, with highly processed foods loaded with chemicals, it's no wonder we have so many colon problems in our society. What you might not realize is when the lining of the colon gets damaged things get absorbed into the bloodstream that should normally be eliminated. This can cause allergies, skin problems, toxicity issues, immune disorders, sleep problems and fatigue. Restoring nerve control with chiropractic adjustments and establishing a healthier diet with targeted nutrients to help prepare the lining of the colon can eliminate most colon problems.

FUNNY BONE: Old Lawyer Friend A doctor vacationing on the Riviera met an old lawyer friend and asked him what he was doing there. The lawyer replied, “Remember that lousy real estate I bought? Well, it caught fire, so here I am with the fire insurance proceeds. What are you doing here?” The doctor replied, “Remember that lousy real estate I had in Mississippi? Well, the river overflowed, and here I am with the flood insurance proceeds.” The lawyer looked puzzled. “Gee,” he asked, how did you start the flood?”

LINK: ALLERGIES  http://www.keefeclinic.com/wp/allergies-cover-up-or-cure/

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Okay so most headaches will NOT kill you but if you look to pain killers as a cover up then that’s another story. The unprecedented rise in overdose deaths in the US parallels a 300% increase since 1999 in the sale of these strong painkillers. These drugs were involved in 14,800 overdose deaths in 2008, more than cocaine and heroin combined.The misuse and abuse of prescription painkillers was responsible for more than 475,000 emergency department visits in 2009, a number that nearly doubled in just five years.

But if the pain pills don’t kill you then there is a growing problem with addiction. It is estimated today that there are more than 4.7 million Americans dependent on prescription painkillers, which represents up to 2% of the US adult population overall, and this number continues to grow every year.

Studies show that chiropractic care is the most effective treatment on the planet for headaches. This is an important point: when your headache feels better with drugs you have not fixed anything, you’ve just covered up the problem. When your headaches get better under chiropractic care it’s because you’re correcting the underlining condition that’s causing the headache. Even when you think it’s just tension, tension just causes the muscles in your neck to tighten bringing out the misalignment in your neck that’s the root cause of your headache. If the misalignment wasn’t there the tension would not cause the headache.

 

Adjustments help with most headache sufferers. When we add nutritional support and detoxification this helps correct more complicated headache conditions like migraines, hormonal causes or digestive causes to headaches. Not all headaches are the same.

 

The nice thing about chiropractic care is that at first it’s natural, then safe and effective at finding the source of the problem and correcting the source of the problem. Tell someone you care about.

Click here to read more about headaches

 

Alzheimer's disease was officially recognized a hundred years ago, but there's still no effective treatment for it. Now researchers at UCLA say they've developed a program that shows for the first time memory loss being reversed.

It's not a drug; it's not a procedure; it is a novel, comprehensive and personal approach to treating memory loss associated with Alzheimer's. UCLA researchers spell out exactly what can be done to reverse what the disease does to the brain.

In the report provided by UCLA, Dr. Dale E. Bredesen explains how Alzheimer's is a complex disease affected by sleep, diet, even exercise.

Ten memory-loss patients, some with brain-scan-confirmed patterns of Alzheimer's, participated in a small UCLA trial called MEND (Metabolic Enhancement for NeuroDegeneration).

In the UCLA protocol, patients made dramatic lifestyle changes. They avoided simple carbs, gluten and processed foods. They increased their fish intake, took yoga and meditated. They were instructed to take melatonin, get adequate sleep, incorporate vitamin B-12, vitamin D-3 and fish oil.

Within six months, nine patients saw a noticeable improvement in memory. One patient, who was in the late stages of Alzheimer's, did not show improvement.

UCLA researchers say the findings suggest at least early on, changing a person's metabolic processes can bring back memory and cognitive function.

Six of the patients of the patients in the study who had to discontinue working were all able to return to their jobs. Study authors say some patients were followed up to two and a half years and the memory improvements remained.

No single drug has been found to stop or even slow the progression of Alzheimer’s, and drugs have only had modest effects on symptoms. “In the past decade alone, hundreds of clinical trials have been conducted for Alzheimer’s, without success, at an aggregate cost of over $1 billion,” said Bredesen, who also is a professor at the Buck Institute.

 

Bredesen’s program, including:

• eliminating all simple carbohydrates, gluten and processed food from her diet, and eating more vegetables, fruits and non-farmed fish
• meditating twice a day and beginning yoga to reduce stress
• sleeping seven to eight hours per night, up from four to five
• taking melatonin, methylcobalamin, vitamin D3, fish oil and coenzyme Q10 each day
• optimizing oral hygiene using an electric flosser and electric toothbrush
• reinstating hormone replacement therapy, which had previously been discontinued
• fasting for a minimum of 12 hours between dinner and breakfast, and for a minimum of three hours between dinner and bedtime exercising for a minimum of 30 minutes, four to six days per week

 

Inflammation and tissue toxins are obvious contributors to Alzheimer's. The dietary recommendations and the nutritional support recommended tend to be directed towards reducing inflammation.

Following your body type diet is crucial in controlling inflammation. Also the latest research on sleep indicates this is how your brain detoxifies itself.

Spending time in meditation or prayer can have a calming affect on your nervous system. Chiropractic adjustments are a very effective way to reduce stress to the nervous system and maintain proper nerve function as well as organ and glandular function. Also regular chiropractic adjustments enhance immune function which can be important with Alzheimer's. Exercise is a way of controlling cortisol which is a stress and inflammation producing hormone from the adrenal glands.

 

Courtesy of:

John H. Keefe III, D.C.

(918) 663-1111

CONDITION OF THE WEEK: ALLERGIES can be annoying this time of year but how you treat them can make a big difference. Antihistamines might mask the symptoms of allergies but they don’t correct allergies. Side effects like clumsiness, convulsions, drowsiness, fast heartbeat, hallucinations, nausea and problems sleeping are just a few of the negative effects from antihistamines. The side effects from our allergy mix is less problems with allergies. By introducing dilute pollens that you’re allergic to the body reprograms the immune system not to react. Building the body’s immune system up and desensitizing your body to the pollens are the most effective way of addressing allergies long-term. It’s important that you continue on your allergy mix even after allergy season to develop a permanent immunity. It’s possible at one point you’ll not need to take the mix again because you will be permanently healed from your allergies.

 

DIET: LOSS 1-2 LBS. PER DAY NuMedica's hc3 Lifestyle Program is a comprehensive 30 day supply designed to help the body burn stored fat as its primary energy source without decreasing muscle mass. This program is centered around a triple approach to healthy body composition which incorporates diet, exercise and nutrition. It contains essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants as well as detoxification support and medium chain triglycerides to support optimal metabolic management. Included in the kit is a comprehensive program guide featuring sample menus and a progress chart. Feel great as you lose.

IN THE NEWS: STUDY AFTER STUDY SHOWS THE FLU SHOT IS A SCAM A study published in the October 2008 issue of the Archives of Pediatric; Adolescent Medicine found that vaccinating young children against the flu had no impact on flu-related hospitalizations or doctor visits during two recent flu seasons. The researchers concluded that “significant influenza vaccine effectiveness could not be demonstrated for any season, age, or setting” examined. A 2008 study published in the Lancet found that influenza vaccination was NOT associated with a reduced risk of pneumonia in older people. This also supports an earlier study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Research published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine also confirms that there has been no decrease in deaths from influenza and pneumonia in the elderly, despite the fact that vaccination coverage among the elderly has increased from 15 percent in 1980 to 65 percent now. In 2007, researchers with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the National Institutes of Health published this conclusion in the Lancet Infectious Diseases: A large-scale, systematic review of 51 studies, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in 2006, found no evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo in children under 2. The studies involved 260,000 children, age 6 to 23 months.

FUNNY BONE: My grandad has the heart of a lion and a life time ban from the San Diego Zoo. Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was called witchcraft. Today, it's called golf.

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Courtesy of:

John H. Keefe III, D.C.

(918) 663-1111

IN THE NEWS: Many commonly prescribed drugs taken by older adults can raise risk of falls After adjusting for the number of medications a person was taking, the researchers found men and women taking opioid painkillers as well as men taking antidepressants were more than twice as likely to have a fall injury as seniors who were not taking those drugs. Women taking antidepressants were 75 percent more likely to have a fall injury. SEEK A NATURAL APPROACH

WELLNESS: Essential Oils Support Physical and Emotional Well-Being STRESS Lavender, lemon, bergamot, peppermint, vetiver, pine, and ylang ylang INSOMNIA Lavender, chamomile, jasmine, benzoin, neroli, rose, sandalwood, sweet marjoram, and ylang ylang; lemon can wake you upANXIETY Lavender, bergamot, rose, clary sage, lemon, Roman chamomile, orange, sandalwood, rose-scented geranium, and pine DEPRESSED MOOD Peppermint, chamomile, lavender, and jasminePAIN Lavender, chamomile, clary sage, juniper, eucalyptus, rosemary, peppermint, lavender, and green apple (especially for migraines) NAUSEA AND VOMITING Mint, ginger, lemon, orange, ginger, dill, fennel, chamomile, clary sage, and lavender MEMORY and attention Sage, peppermint, and cinnamon ASK ABOUT ESSENTIAL OILS

CONDITION OF THE WEEK: Carpal tunnel syndrome (pain, numbness and tingling in the wrist and hand) many patients are recommended surgeries with the possibility of complications and repetitive surgeries as well as powerful drugs like steroids, anti-inflammatories and painkillers (number one killer in the US). Chiropractic and natural healthcare offers powerful treatments to resolve carpal tunnel syndrome at its root cause. A high percentage times subluxations with the lower neck affecting the brachial plexus is the roots of most carpal tunnel syndrome. There are also deficiencies in key B vitamins that can lead to inflammation of the nerves at the wrist. Sometimes misalignment at the elbow, wrist or hand can also be a source of inflammation. If you or someone you know suffer from this condition they should call our office for an appointment. Surgery should always be the last approach in any condition. Chiropractic has been extremely effective track record in correcting this problem.

FUNNY BONE:   The poorly paid local pastor grew watermelons to supplement his meager income. He was doing pretty well, but he was disturbed by some local kids who would sneak into his watermelon patch at night and eat his watermelons. After some careful thought, he came up with a clever idea that he thought would scare the kids away for sure. He made up a sign and posted it in the field. The next day, the kids show up and they saw the sign which read, "Warning! One of the watermelons in this field has been injected with cyanide." The kids ran off, made up their own sign and posted it next to the pastor's sign. When the pastor returned, he surveyed the field. He noticed that no watermelons are missing, but the sign next to his read, "Now there are two!"

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Casual marijuana use linked with brain abnormalities, study finds

Courtesy of:

John H. Keefe III, D.C.

(918) 663-1111

DIET: EXCESSIVE SUGAR AND LACK OF PREVENTIVE MEASURES THREATEN WORLD WITH DISASTROUS LEVELS OF HEART DISEASE AND CANCER  A recent study published in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Internal Medicine⁴ examined the associations between added sugar consumption and cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths. The study did not include naturally occurring sugars in the diet, focusing only on added sugars. The study, which thankfully has met with robust media coverage, found that: Among American adults, mean percentage of daily calories from added sugar increased from 15.7 percent in 1988-1994 to 16.8 percent in 1999-2004 Mean percentage of daily calories from added sugar decreased to 14.9 percent in 2005-2010 Most adults (just over 71 percent) get 10 percent or more of their daily calories from added sugar Approximately 10 percent of American adults got 25 percent or more of their daily calories from added sugar in 2005-2010 The most common sources of added sugar are sugar-sweetened beverages, grain-based desserts, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, and candy.

SUGER=INSULIN= INFLAMMATION=CANCER

IN THE NEWS: LOW-LEVEL PESTICIDE EXPOSURE LINKED TO PARKINSON'S DISEASE The risk of Parkinson’s disease clearly increases with exposure to certain environmental toxins, such as pesticides. Pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides are potent toxicants that may cause disruptions or damage to the neurological system, including your brain. What is perhaps most concerning is that even ambient exposure to pesticides has been found to increase the risk of Parkinson’s disease considerably,and this was further confirmed by new research linking the disease to extremely low-level pesticide exposure.

CHIROPRACTIC: THE CHIROPRACTIC APPROACH TO PAIN. As Americans we have grown up in a drug culture. Some people don't think twice about putting artificial pharmaceuticals in their mouth because they have this assumption that it must be safe. But when it comes to pain medication this is a dangerous assumption to make. There are certain pain situations that medication might be necessary, temporarily. But the chiropractic/natural healthcare approach to pain is to understand its root cause. Pain can be your friend. It might be the only way you know something is wrong in your body so turning pain off with some dangerous medication makes as much sense as clip in the wire to the oil light when it comes in your car. The oil light is not your enemy; the condition that caused the oil light to come on is what needs to be fixed. When it comes to pain there can be structural causes (subluxation), internal organ or visceral causes, chemical or toxicity causes or emotional/neurotransmitter (brain chemistry) causes. As a chiropractic physician we will search for the root cause and through chiropractic realignment, diet and detoxification, acupuncture and physical therapy, we will correct the cause and the pain will take care of itself. If you or a family member suffers from some pain disorder seek a solution and not a cover-up. More than 2000 people a week die from medications and a high percent of those are from pain medication. Visit our web sites:  keefeclinic.com & facebook.com/keefeclinic

Navigating through lies, politics and profit in an attempt to find better health.

 Big food and big Pharma have lied to you to increase their bottom line. In the attempt to understand health and the principles that lead to better health you have to navigate through conflicting messages that attempt to brainwash you into lining the pockets of big food and big Pharma to the deficit of you and your family's health.

 To give an example of this we will talk about heart disease and osteoporosis.

If I ask most people on the street what was the main contributor to heart disease then cholesterol would be the first thing out of most people's mouth. If I ask you the number one way of maintaining healthy bones most people would say consuming more calcium. My question to you is: did you arrive at these conclusions by your own in-depth study of the research and science or have you opened up a medical textbook to determine how these conditions develop and exactly what these conditions are? Was it by extensive research that you come to these conclusions? Of course not you have been taught by television, radio and newsprint and even doctors.

 Let me give you some facts: one of the largest studies, I'm talking real-life studies not theoretical studies, was a Harvard study of 78,000 nurses. The facts are the nurses that consume the most calcium had the most bone fractures. Asian women living in their own culture eating their own cultural diet get one third the calcium that American women get and osteoporosis is extremely rare in their society. When they move to the US and incorporate the US diet they become the top risk group for osteoporosis.

 

The next fact is the cholesterol theory of heart disease first gained its acceptance in the 1950s. Medical nutritionist Dr. Keyes supposedly correlated the level of fat intake with heart disease in six countries and even though his theory was rejected at the time he used political maneuvering by becoming part of the Heart Association and finally got his theory accepted. When you look at his original research you will  see a study of 23 countries trying to make this correlation and he had to eliminate 16 of these countries in order to make his theory look correct statistically. When you add back the 16 countries he conveniently eliminated the correlation just doesn't stand up. And between the 1950s and about 1976 there are six different major studies trying to correlate fat in the diet with heart disease and they have all failed. In fact every major study from 1969 through the present has failed to support the cholesterol theory.

One of the longest continual studies is ongoing today started in 1948 in Framingham Massachusetts. This study involves 5000 residents and has shown some amazing contradictions to the cholesterol theory of heart disease. In fact this study has shown after the age 47 the patients with the highest cholesterol outlive the patients with lower cholesterol levels. This study also shows those who ate more saturated fat weighed less and had more energy than those on the low-fat diet.

In April 1996 the second International symposium on dietary fats and oils consumption in health and disease was hosted by the Southwest University medical school in Dallas Texas. Researchers from around the world presented their findings on the effects of fat in the human diet. After the presentations showing the subjects following the low-fat diet hadn't got rid of their obesity, and not lowered their cholesterol levels, had lowered their HDL levels (the good cholesterol), and had increase their blood levels of triglycerides (a major risk factor for heart disease), the moderators of the symposium pronounce the low-fat diet a failure.

 The strongest evidence points to inflammation as the soil in which obesity, diabetes, and heart disease develop from. So strategies to reduce inflammation will lead to the best chance of better health. This is where diet and lifestyle are very important. There are several factors that lead to inflammation in the body which include: junk food (highly refined carbohydrates), hydrogenated oils that include trans fats, elevation in bad prostaglandins and hormones like insulin which are produced by the overabundance of refined vegetable oils and refined carbohydrates and sugar, and the reduced amount of helpful antioxidants and pH balancing foods and beverages that reduce the excess acidity of the body.

So as we look to diet and lifestyle (because even too much aerobic exercise without appropriate amounts of antioxidants in the diet can also lead to inflammation) then selecting the proper diet is crucial. Unfortunately there is no one diet that fits everybody and so you need to match the right ratio of fats, carbohydrates and proteins that fit your genetic makeup.

The body typing system that I use consists of four different body types: thyroid, gonadal, adrenal and pituitary. These four types tend to correspond the four personality types: Sanguine (This type is characterized by spontaneity, optimism, enthusiasm, high energy, mental flexibility, novelty seeking, impulsiveness and curiosity)., Phlegmatic (These people are mainly defined by their social skills, such as their ability to express themselves and read other people face expressions and body language. They do well at connecting facts and seeing “the big picture”. They are nurturing, sympathetic, agreeable and emotionally expressive). Choleric (This type is associated with testosterone, which is also present in men and women, but more so in men. These people are direct, focused, tough, analytical, logical and strategic. They have a great deal of courage and like to compete, often against each other. They often have square jaws, high cheekbones and high foreheads and love to use words like “intellect”, “ambition” and “challenge”) and Melancholic (tend to be calm, loyal and orderly, just as their personality name sounds. They are cautious and conventional. These men and women inherited genes in the serotonin system and their favorite words are “family”, “loyal”, “respect”, “caring”, “values” and “moral”). Most people are unique blend of four different types of personality, where all of the traits are present to some extent.

These four body types can be divided into two groups. We can call one group the protein group (about 70% of US) and the other the complex carbohydrate group (30%) the protein group tends to be sensitive to carbohydrates particularly refined sugars and grains. The carbohydrate group tends to be sensitive to fats (eggs, butter and red meat), salt and spices.  So a diet too high in sugars and grain can lead to inflammation in the protein type. A diet high in fats and oils can lead to inflammation in the carbohydrate type.

So simply learning which body type you are and focusing on the correct ratio of fats, carbohydrates and proteins you can make a significant difference in your health.

There are five laws of health that we encourage our patients to follow to regain and maintain good health over a lifetime. These laws are diet, exercise, rest and relaxation, positive spiritual and mental attitude and a healthy balanced nervous system.

In the area diet this includes eating your body type diet but also consuming enough water for your body weight. In order to determine how much water you need to drink you divide your weight in half and consider that answer in ounces. For instance a hundred pound person their cleansing dose of fluids would be 50 ounces 80% of that would give you the minimum fluids they should drink which is 40 ounces. Dehydration can cause a whole host of conditions and cause any condition your suffering with to be a little worse. Since the EPA recommends boiling city water before drinking we encourage our patients to drink filtered water. Also when it comes to water you can get water in different pH ranges. If you're dealing with an inflammatory chemistry your body is going to be acidic. And so alkaline water can be very effective in the overall management of your body chemistry.

As we consider water we also consider detoxification because we live in a toxic environment. And so most patients need to undergo some level of detoxification in order to remove important stressors in their ability to maintain normal function and better health. So drinking your cleansing dose of fluids can be helpful in detoxification. And when it comes to how much alkaline water we recommend you should drink about a liter a day. Too much alkaline water can produce negative effects for some people.

When it comes to exercise there are exercises that work best with different body types.

Rest and relaxation would also include quality sleep. New research indicates that sleep is one way that our brains are able to detoxify. But there's a growing list of health problems that are associated with the lack of proper sleep. The average adults should get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night.

When it comes to positive mental and spiritual attitude than spiritual disciplines like meditation, prayer and helping others can be very important. When it comes to moods neurotransmitters can be important. Serotonin is considered an important neurotransmitter when it comes to depression or anxiety. What most people don't realize is your gut is your second brain and 80 percentage of serotonin is produced in your gut. Now the serotonin in your brain and the serotonin in your gut don't appear to intermingle. But when the level is out of balance in one area it will affect the other. Probiotics are extremely important in maintaining good gut health; your gut also is your second immune system.

Healthy nervous system is an obvious necessity based on scientific understanding that the nervous system controls and coordinates everything in your body. It's just outside of chiropractic or osteopathic research most doctors don't know how to improve nervous system function. It is been my experience over the past 38 years in practice that through chiropractic adjustments we can enhance the body's function significantly. In fact the average chiropractic patient undergoing regular care has an immune system anywhere from 200% more effective than the average person on the street. Also recent research has shown chiropractic treatments are one of the few interventions that can raise the level of DNA repair chemistry in your body to help prevent disease and extend lifespan.

Courtesy of:

John H. Keefe III, D.C.

(918) 663-1111

DIET: VITAMIN E MAY OFFER BENEFITS FOR PATIENTS WITH ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE   The study compared the effects of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) and the Alzheimer's drug memantine, to assess which one might be more effective for slowing progression of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease in patients taking an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.  Follow up was just over two years. Results showed that clinical progression of Alzheimer's slowed by 19 percent per year in the group receiving vitamin E, compared with placebo. (This delay translated into just over six months of delayed progression over the two-year follow-up period.) It's worth noting that this isn't the first time memantine, sold under the brand name Namenda, has been found to be more or less useless for mild to moderate Alzheimer's. The drug is approved for moderate to severe cases, but doctors often prescribe it off-label for mild Alzheimer's cases. It's even prescribed off-label for mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which is frequently the prelude to Alzheimer's.

IN THE NEWS: POOR SLEEP LINKED TO TEEN MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS Getting too little sleep might be a sign of - or even a contributor to - emotional problems, anxiety and suicidal thoughts among teens, according to a large study from Europe. Based on data about the sleep habits of nearly 12,000 teens across 11 European countries, researchers found that a student with suicidal thoughts could be predicted to sleep about 36 minutes less each night compared to counterparts with no suicidal thoughts. For teens with severe emotional problems, the amount of sleep lost would be about 30 minutes, on average, each night. Lack of sleep among teens has been linked in other research to many negative health effects, including high blood pressure. And researchers have found that teens are generally going to bed later. Past research has also shown that teens need between eight and a half and nine hours of sleep each night. Teens in the current study averaged about eight hours of sleep.

CHIROPRACTIC: NEW OREGON LBP GUIDELINES:   TRY CHIROPRACTIC FIRST  This new State of Oregon Evidence-Based Clinical Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Low Back Pain recommends spinal adjustments as the only nonpharmacological treatment for acute lower back pain. The guidelines, which have been adopted by the Oregon Health Authority, are a collaborative effort between the Center for Evidence-Based Practice, Oregon Corporation for Health Care Quality, Oregon Health and Sciences University's Center for Evidence-based Policy, and the new Oregon Health Evidence Review Commission.

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

Most people understand that preventing disease makes a lot more sense than trying to recover from a chronic disease process.  We hear a lot about prevention but most of us feel overwhelmed and are doing very little to protect our health.  It's true there are a lot of voices sometimes telling as contradictory things to do to maintain our health.

Which one do you follow? Unfortunately a large percentage of the population feels frustrated and end up doing very little to nothing.  At Keefe Clinic we attempt to stay balanced and offer direction that is attainable.  Eating properly, most people realize that's important yet are unsure what that fully means.  We all know exercise is important but sometimes finding the time can be difficult.  Rest and relaxation or stress management is something we all understand is important to reduce the potential of health problems.  Positive mental and spiritual attitudes we've heard is important.  A healthy nervous system is one most of us are totally in the dark about.  These five components are what we call the five laws of health.  We have a pamphlet on each one of these components if you're interested in further study.

A Healthy Nervous System

What does it mean to have a healthy nervous system?  Did you know your nervous system controls and coordinates everything in your body?  Did you know your stomach could not digest food properly if the nervous system was not regulating and controlling it?  Did you know that your heart would beat erratically  if the nervous system was not controlling and coordinates it.  Did you know without your nervous system's proper function you couldn't even sleep, breathe, move are have a normal existence?

We don't hear much about the importance of the nervous system, frankly because there's no pharmaceutical drug to make the nervous system function properly in each of these areas.

 Your ability to be aware of yourself and your environment, to be able to think or reason is dependent on a properly functioning nervous system.  Even to have a healthy sense of well-being depends on a cascade of chemical reactions that take place within a healthy nervous system.  In a sense, physically, you are your nervous system.  I don't mean that you're just physical; I mean that your ability to be self-aware is a function of your central nervous system.  So doesn’t it make sense that if you take care of your nervous system, then you take care of your health?  And did you know that the most common stress to your nervous system is misalignments of your neck and back?

 

Initial care for these misalignments is an intensive program of adjustments to obtain maximum balance to the spine.  But due to the limitations of matter and malformations due to genetic weaknesses, a perfect spine is not possible.  So after a corrective program we recommend some type of ongoing care.  Though each patient is responsible for determining how they're going to take care of their health we have recommendations that we encourage patients to consider.  One of those is our once a week wellness program.

Why once a week? 

After a corrective program the problems that are corrected tend to stay corrected unless you hurt that section again. The problems that are left in the spine are usually related to subtle malformations that don't allow certain joints to completely lock in place.   These joints are particularly sensitive to the normal stresses and strains that we put our bodies through on a 24-hour basis.  Coughing, sneezing, sitting postures or poor sleeping postures are just a few of the stresses that our bodies deal with everyday.  Add to that a lack of regular exercise, faulty diets and the effects on nerves and muscles of stress.  These factors can cause the loss of alignment and a buildup of stress (without pain)  on the nerves that are responsible for controlling our bodies.  The more often that you line up your spine the less stress that will be on your nervous system.  The more that your nervous system is free of stress the higher energy level that you'll experience.  Your resistance will be higher, in fact it has been shown that chiropractic patients who get regular chiropractic care have an immune system that functions 200% more effectively than the average person’s on the street.

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

A recent study indicated patients who receive regular chiropractic care have a higher sense of well-being and a greater ability to cope with stress.  Your body will be more relaxed and thus sleep better.  Better sleep will lead to a sharper mind and higher energy levels.  Pretty soon you have an increasing domino effect toward better and better health.

CHIROPRACTIC CARE AND DNA REPAIR.  Patient satisfaction has always driven chiropractic acceptance. Several surveys covering thousands of chiropractic participants have shown quantitative benefits to periodic long term care. They include reduced use of health care services (including hospitalizations and prescription drugs) and better sense of well-being even for seniors over 75 years of age. Geneticists in the area of ecogenetics have periodically looked at chiropractic since the late 1970s as a potential source of reducing what was called mutagen sensitivity back then. Thiol is one of the chemicals your body makes to repair damage to your DNA. A study of regular chiropractic patients in 2005 showed an increase in this DNA repair chemical compared to the general public. DNA damage leads to disease even cancer and early death.  This is one of the reasons we recommend wellness care. Chiropractic helps keep your DNA healthy. But hang on: in the long-term chiropractic treatment group, the average level was 146. It was significantly higher than the control group’s average of 124.  And the ill group of 90. DRUGS CAN'T DO THAT.

I believe in wellness care and have followed once a week adjustments for over 40 years.  I can tell you from personal experience it makes a huge difference.  That's why we offer a 50% discount to encourage patients to choose the highest level of health.  You can decide to come in less often.  Or you can decide to wait until your body hurts or have some other symptom before you seek care.  The choice is yours.  We hope you pick wellness.  And quite frankly so does your body.

The choice is yours. 

Your health is your responsibility.  Good choices or bad choices, you have to pay the Piper.

As we get older we can start noticing our bodies more than when we were younger. A lot of times these symptoms are completely reversible. The reason people have more health challenges as they get older is simply due to the fact that time is the friend of disease. Let me explain, if you have a nutritional deficiency or a misaligned vertebrae in your back those are the seeds of disease. Just like in a garden seeds take time to grow. Disease takes time to grow some times 10,15, 20 years etc.

Disease does not have to be a normal part of aging. Yes we might slow down a little bit, maybe we can't run as fast as we used to and maybe your reflexes aren't as fast because we all age. But that doesn't mean that we have to develop diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer etc. chiropractic offers a proactive approach to staying well. When you maintain a better spinal alignment you have less stress on your nervous system. Your nervous system controls and coordinates every other organ in your body. If your body can regulate your digestive system better or your hormonal system better then you will stay in better health. If your diet is supplying you with the building blocks that your body needs to maintain proper chemistry and healthy tissue cells then you're going to stay in a higher level of health.

 

The facts are these simple principles can have a profound effect on your level of health, your attitude toward life and your ability to stay active and healthy into old age. Most health approaches are designed to wait until you get sick and then focus on suppressing the symptoms of the illness i.e. high blood pressure pills for hypertension etc. I think most of us realize that drugs don't heal in most cases they just manage the disease as we get sicker. Natural health care works with the very foundation of health.

 If you want to stay healthy and active then you must take care of your body. Eating right for your genetic makeup, making sure you're taking extra supplements that match your nutritional needs, and keeping your nervous system free of pressure are the most dynamic thing you can do for your health. It beats any annual exam, MRI, blood work or any other test to find disease. I'm not saying testing is not important I'm saying being proactive is the most important. You don't have to spend the last 5, 10+ years in a rest home hooked up to machines and taking 20+ drugs. You can stay active and vital up to the end. Call today for an evaluation. Get and stay on the road to better health. Health is the best health insurance on the market.

                It's a basic necessity of life, as important to our health and well-being as air, food and water. When we sleep well, we wake up feeling refreshed, alert and ready to face daily challenges. When we don't, every part of our lives can suffer. Our jobs, relationships, productivity, health and safety (and that of those around us) are all put at risk. And lack of sleep due to sleep loss or sleep disorders is taking a serious toll.

  The 2002 National Sleep Foundation (NSF) Sleep in America poll found that 74 percent of American adults are experiencing a sleeping problem a few nights a week or more, 39% get less than seven hours of sleep each weeknight, and more than one in three (37%) are so sleepy during the day that it interferes with daily activities. In the past century, we have reduced our average time in sleep. Though our society has changed, our brains and bodies have not. Sleep deprivation is affecting us all and we are paying the price.

Getting enough sleep refers to the amount of sleep you need to not feel sleepy    the next day. If sleepiness interferes with or makes it difficult to do your daily activities, you probably need more sleep. Although sleep experts generally recommend an average of 7-9 hours per night, some people can get along with less while others need as much as ten hours to feel alert the next day. Sleep requirements vary over the life cycle. Newborns and infants need a lot of sleep and have several periods of sleep throughout a 24-hour time period. Naps are important to them as well as to toddlers who may nap up to the age of 5. As children enter adolescence, their sleep patterns shift to a later sleep-wake cycle, but they still need around 9 hours of sleep. Throughout adulthood, even as we get older, we need 7-9 hours of sleep. Sleep patterns may change, but the need for sleep remains the same.

 THE FIVE LEVELS OF SLEEP

As we begin to fall asleep, we enter REM, which is composed of Stages 1-4.

Stage 1 Light sleep; between being awake and entering sleep

Stage 2 Onset of sleep; becoming disengaged with the environment; breathing and heart rate are regular and body temperature goes down

Stage 3 & 4 Deepest and most restorative sleep; blood pressure drops; breathing slower; energy regained; and hormones are released for growth and development

REM: 25% of night

TIPS FOR GOOD SLEEP

"              Avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) and nicotine (cigarettes, tobacco products) close to bedtime.

"              Avoid alcohol as it can lead to disrupted sleep.

"              Exercise regularly, but complete your workout at least 3 hours before bedtime.

"              Establish a regular relaxing, not alerting, bedtime routine (e.g. taking a bath or relaxing in a hot tub).

"              Create a sleep-conducive environment that is dark, quiet and preferably cool and comfortable.

How's Your Sleep?

CHECK IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING APPLY TO YOU:

"              Snore loudly

"              You or others have observed that you stop breathing or gasp for breath during sleep

"              Feel sleepy or doze off while watching TV, reading, driving or engaged in daily activities

"              Have difficulty sleeping 3 nights a week or more (e.g., trouble falling asleep, wake frequently during the night, wake too early and cannot get back to sleep or wake unrefreshed)

"              Feel unpleasant, tingling, creeping feelings or nervousness in your legs when trying to sleep

"              Interruptions to your sleep (e.g., nighttime heartburn, bad dreams, pain, discomfort, noise, sleep difficulties of family members, light or temperature)

"              If this is you talk to Dr. Keefe

You can get a full 8 hours of sleep but if you went to bed at 2am and woke up at 10am, you will not be in tip top shape. Definitely not compared to if you slept at 10pm and woke up at 6am. It's crucial to have not only the right amount of sleep, but to also sleep at the right time. The best time range to go to bed to help you wake up in great shape is between 9pm and midnight.

   From 11pm to 3am, most of your blood circulation concentrates in your liver. Your liver gets larger when filled with more blood. This is an important time when your body undergoes detoxification process. Your liver neutralizes and breaks down body toxins accumulated throughout the day.   However if you don't sleep at this time, your liver cannot carry out this detoxification process smoothly.

                When your brain is sleep deprived it's very hard to maintain focus and so conversations are a big challenge. It's only normal to want to completely control the mechanism of conversations when you feel out of control in maintaining your thought process. Anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks of proper sleep will make conversations 1000 times easier. Your ability to construct thoughts and ideas and put those thoughts and ideas into productive words and phrases will just flow from a healthy brain that's had enough sleep. The amount of stress in your personal life your family live your social life will just start to melt away.

Exercise is a word that might conjure up images of sweating, groaning and hard work. Exercise also brings to mind fitness, endurance and a well shaped body. The type of exercise that a person needs depends on the person's goals. If you want to sculpture your body, then weight lifting might be your fastest form. If you want to keep in shape, then toning and stretching might be the best. When it comes to your health, then the type of exercise needed should relate to your metabolism. For instance, if you're a thyroid type endurance is important, so maybe jogging, aerobic dancing or swimming would serve you best.

If you're a G- type then mind/body exercises that concentrate on upper body coordination are best, like kung fu or karate, ballet or jazz dancing. If you're a P- type you need mind/body exercises that are not highly repetitive. P-types need complicated aerobic exercise: Tai chi or karate with a balanced nautilus program once a week. T-Types need endurance, or aerobic, activities increase your breathing and heart rate. Brisk walking or jogging, Dancing, Swimming, Biking. And A- types need to develop hand/eye coordination like tennis, ballet, racquetball and need to avoid rowing and weight lifting as they overstimulate their systems.

 

There is no one exercise that fits everybody so finding one you enjoy is the key. Also finding ways to keep motivated are crucial, like having a friend that you exercise with. When it comes to exercise moderation is important. Some people become obsessed and downright addicted to over-exercise. Exercise can cause the release of some chemicals that can give a person a natural high. If you're having chemical problems you can become addicted to exercise because of the way it makes you feel. If you find yourself exercising to the point of injury or you have multiple injuries in your history of exercise it could mean that you're addicted.

 

Exercise should not be an excuse for not correcting metabolic problems that you have. It is true exercise can help your metabolism but it won't correct imbalances that are nutritionally related. If you find you are using exercise in that manner you need to go through a nutritional program to balance your metabolism. Also to use exercise to control neck or back pain could be a misuse of exercise. If you find that you have spinal pain if you don't exercise than you have an unresolved structural problem that you're only covering up by exercise. Even though the pain is gone the degenerative processes is still going forward. Over time you'll develop a problem that exercise will no longer help. At that point you might have a problem that will be very difficult to correct. Proper Chiropractic care along with exercise can help you resolve the problem.

 

Exercise needs to become part of your lifestyle or else you will not be able to stay with it. You need to find a way to integrate exercise within your schedule. The rewards of proper exercise will far outweigh the cost.

When you stand on the vibration platform you will notice the following benifits: Burns Fat and tones and tightens Skin - Increased fat burning because the metabolism increases by training. The vibrations reshape the body in the hip, waist and abdomen.

 

Increases Human Growth Hormone output by up to 361%. Decreases cellulite and boosts your body's natural collagen production: The massage exercises loosen the agglutinations and results in better mobility of the tissue layers. The image of the skin will also improve, because cellulite is broken down and the connective tissue is enhanced therefore it would boost your body's natural collagen production for improved skin texture.

Increase your muscle strength up to 50% in as little as three weeks: During the training almost 100% of the muscle fibers are utilized.

Improves blood circulation and lymphatic drainage and metabolism: During training, the muslces pump blood into the smallest capillaries up to 50 times per second. This allows the cells to receive fuel more rapidly and causes waste products to be disposed of much faster. Also by enhancing your local circulation it builds a stronger immunity system. Fights  Against Numbness.

Builds Bone Density and fights osteoporosis and reduces your back and joint pains. Decreases blood Pressure, Decrease your recovery time after workouts. Dramatically increase your flexibility: Due to better blood flow, heating of the muscles and the tendon stretching reflex, the body becomes much more supple and relaxed.

Improved sense of balance and coordination: The receptors in the entire body are stimulated at the same time, which leads to improved coordination of the relating muscles at the same time the sense of balance are trained.

Reduces stress: Decreases level of Cortisol (hormone released when under stress) Causing better mood and sense of well being. It helps your relax with its vibration and it also can help you fight insomnia.

 

Using the remote, the power button is the red upper left button the start button is the upper right button. If the unit is on and you push the start button you will stare at level one of the 20 possible levels. If you push the program button "P" lower right then the start button you will start the first programed session of 3. These are 10 min. sessions with 3 different levels at about every 3 mins. I recommend starting at the first program. Each push of "P" will bring you to the next program, then you push the start button.

If you are going to sit or lay on the platform use the lower levels {NOT THE  Programs} you need to get accustom to it first then you can use higher settings.

 

Dr. Roger J. Callahan, a dedicated psychologist with over 40 years experience, has brought some stunning discoveries to the public that are changing the face of psychology.

The body's energy system

Our bodies have a profound electrical nature. Any beginning course in anatomy covers this. Shuffle your feet across a carpet and then touch an item made of metal. Sometimes you can see the static electricity that is discharged from your fingertip. This wouldn't be possible unless your body had an electrical nature to it.

 

Electricochemical messages are constantly sent throughout your body to keep it informed of what is going on. Without this energy flow you would not be able to see, hear, feel, taste or smell.

Our electrical systems are vital to our physical health. What could be more obvious? When the energy stops flowing....we die.  No one disputes it. In fact, civilization has known about this for milleniums. About 5,000 years ago, the Chinese discovered a complex system of energy circuits that run throughout the body. These energy circuits...or meridians as they are called...are the basis for modern day acupuncture, acupressure and a wide variety of other healing techniques.

This energy courses through the body and is invisible to the eye. It cannot be seen without high tech equipment. By analogy, you do not see the energy flowing through a TV set either. You know it is there, however, by its effects.

In the same way, EFT gives you striking evidence that energy flows within your body because it provides the effects that let you know it is there. By simply tapping near the end points of your energy meridians you can experience some profound changes in your emotional and physical health. These changes would not occur if there was no energy system. Western medical science tends to focus on the chemical nature of the body and has not paid much attention to these subtle, but powerful, energy flows until recent years. No one denies their existence, however, even though they have been given very little weight in medicine and no weight whatsoever in psychology. But they do exist and are attracting an expanding group of researchers.

Dr. Callahan's first experience

Here's the story.

In 1980 Dr. Callahan was working with a patient, Mary, for an intense water phobia. She suffered from frequent headaches and terrifying nightmares, both of which were related to her fear of water. To seek help, she had been going from therapist to therapist for years....with no material improvement. Dr. Callahan tried to help her by conventional means for a year and a half. He didn't make much headway either. Then one day he stepped outside the normal "boundaries" of psychotherapy. Out of curiosity, he had been studying the body's energy system and decided to tap with his fingertips under her eyes (an end point of the stomach meridian). This was prompted by her complaint of some stomach discomfort.

To his astonishment, she announced immediately that her phobia was gone and she raced down to a nearby swimming pool and began throwing water in her face. No fear. No headaches. It all went away....including the nightmares. And it has never returned. She is totally free of her water phobia. Results like that are rare in the field of psychotherapy...but commonplace with EFT.

A first hand description.

Here's how Dr. Callahan describes it in his 1990 book, "The Rapid Treatment of Panic, Agoraphobia and Anxiety." "....I was totally unprepared for what happened. As I tapped under her eyes, Mary said, "It's gone!." "What's gone?", I asked. "My fear of water, it's gone, I don't have those awful feelings in my stomach any more!"

We were working in my home office and I said, with a somewhat challenging and skeptical tone, "Let's go down to the pool and see." I fully expected her to resist as usual, but, to my surprise, I had to hurry to keep up with her on the way to the pool. For the first time, she looked at the water, put her head near it and splashed water in her face, from the shallow end. I watched in amazement, as she joyfully shouted, "It's gone, it's gone!" Mary's next move frightened me. She suddenly ran toward the deep end of the pool, and this sudden total absence of fear around the pool was so unusual for her that I shouted, "Mary, be careful!" I was afraid that she might jump into the pool and drown. She laughed when she saw my alarm and reassured me; "Don't worry Doctor Callahan, I know I can't swim." Ten years experience with the treatment has since taught me that the treatment does not cause sudden stupidity. Respect for reality, I have learned, is not diminished by successful treatment. All Mary needed was that tap under the eyes. Later, I learned that most people need more. In any case, I started trying the treatments on some of my other phobic clients, and found that I got similar results in about one of five. The discovery of psychological reversal and other refinements in the treatments have now boosted our success rate to about 98%.

This, of course, got Dr. Callahan's attention. He has since refined and expanded his findings to a series of related routines. They encompass nearly every area of emotional improvement imaginable....from phobias to panic disorders to sports performance. And, along the way, he has also applied these techniques to physical problems and addictive cravings with notable success.

The source of EFT

Dr. Callahan first learned this technique in a "" course.  Dr. George Goodheart, D.C.,  discovered in the 1950’s a diagnostic system called "Applied Kinesiology". This system first uncovered how these points could be used in correcting dysfunction within the body. Chiropractic physicians have been using this information for several years and helping the body return itself to normal health.

Case history  - Alcoholism

Aaron got completely over his addiction to alcohol. This, of course, is a much more serious addiction than coffee, soft drinks or chocolate. He went to bed drunk every night and spent his days with a hangover. In hiswords, "Alcohol was my God." He needed several sessions with EFT and he performed the routines several times per day. As a result, withdrawal was easy. In the early stages, he walked by his favorite beer at the supermarket with a sense of pride. And now, one year later, he finds it repulsive. He has no cravings for alcohol whatsoever. He has his life back. He even passed up a New Year's Eve party because he "didn't want to be around a bunch of drunks." Here's a note of common sense. Once an addiction is broken, that doesn't mean you can't become re-addicted.

Once you get by your addiction to alcohol, or anything else, stay away from it or you will need to break the addiction again. EFT does not allow you to "have a little now and then" of your addictive substance.

Case history  - Fear of needles

Connie was very anxious around needles. She would become nauseous and often faint when it was necessary to have her blood taken. This was limiting, indeed, if she was to have regular physical examinations and maintain good health. EFT was applied to her for just a few minutes. The fear went away and her next exposure to needles was without any fear whatsoever. This is typical....especially with phobic responses like this. Usually just a few minutes with the techniques creates a lasting result. This is true even if the object of the phobia (needles in this case) is not present at the time. In those few times where the actual situation still brings on some of the fear it usually only takes another round of EFT to eliminate it permanently.

If you or someone you love is having a problem with anxiety, depression, a phobia or some other issue you think EFT could help please discuss it with Dr. Keefe.