WEEKLY HEALTH UPDATE

John H. Keefe III, D.C.

(918) 663-1111

DIET: What Is Chaga Tea? Are you tired of drinking the same old tea over and over? Chaga mushroom tea may be a good option for you. Chaga tea has been used in the East for hundreds  of years to boost immunity and improve overall health. It is now gaining popularity in Western countries, as numerous studies are touting the nutritional components chaga mushrooms are filled with. Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is a parasitic fungus commonly found in cold climates, typically in Siberia, Alaska and Northern Canada. While chaga may look like something you wouldn’t want anywhere near you it is actually popular for its wide array of health benefits. The high concentration of vitamins, minerals and nutrients it contains paved the way for chaga to be lauded as a superfood. Due to its unique appearance, experts are not quite sure whether chaga is a mushroom or another type of fungus. After numerous studies showed the benefits of chaga consumption, chaga product availability in the market has increased. These products range from raw chaga mushroom chunks, chaga tea, skin cream, lip balm and joint rubs. However, brewing chaga tea may be the easiest way for you to benefit from this mushroom. Chaga tea contains a plethora of vitamins and minerals that are essential to keeping the body at peak condition. It is rich in vitamin B2, vitamin D, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, cesium, silicon and a lot more. It has been used to help reduce the risk of tumor growth, aid in tuberculosis treatment and improve stomach problems, boost immune function, helps keep information at bay, helps in detoxification and blood pressure control.

IN THE NEWS: Are There Risks From Secondhand Marijuana Smoke? Early Science Says Yes Springer was already researching the health effects of secondhand tobacco smoke on rats at his lab at UCSF. He decided to run the same tests using joints. He knew it would be difficult. Marijuana is still an illegal drug under federal law, and Springer's research uses federal funds; so he has to purchase specially approved government cannabis for study. He also can't test it on humans; hence, the rats. In the lab, Springer puts a cigarette or a joint in a plexiglass box. Then he lights it, and lets the chamber fill with smoke, where an anesthetized rat is exposed to the smoke. So far, Springer and his colleagues have published research demonstrating that secondhand smoke makes it harder for the rats' arteries to expand and allow a healthy flow of blood. With tobacco products, this effect lasts about 30 minutes, and then the arteries recover their normal function. But if it happens over and over — as when a person is smoking cigarette after cigarette, for example — the arterial walls can become permanently damaged, and that damage can cause blood clots, heart attack or stroke. Springer demonstrated that, at least in rats, the same physiological effect occurs after inhaling secondhand smoke from marijuana. And, the arteries take 90 minutes to recover compared to the 30 minutes with cigarette smoke. Springer's discovery about the effect on blood vessels describes just one harmful impact for nonsmokers who are exposed to marijuana. Statewide sampling surveys of cannabis products sold in marijuana dispensaries have shown that cannabis products may contain dangerous bacteria or mold, or residues from pesticides and solvents. Cynthia Hallett is the president of Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, based in Berkeley, Calif. Hallett says some of the arguments being made in support of cannabis remind her of the arguments made on behalf of tobacco decades ago.

CHIROPRACTIC: Why Chiropractic Is Your Best Option for Pain Pain is a major problem, but so is medication use to help relieve the pain. If you haven't realized by now that chiropractic care, not drugs, is your best option for pain, perhaps you'll be swayed by some recent research. Let's take a quick look at two studies in particular. Follow along and see how the latest research supports our conclusion. It's not too late to avoid the pain-reliever epidemic. It's never too late to choose chiropractic. First, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Aleve) and other commonly administered pain relievers are more effective than opioids (64,000 opioids overdose deaths estimated in 2016) for relieving chronic back, knee and hip pain. NSAIDs also win out over opioids in terms of reducing limitations in the ability to perform activities of daily living (walking, working, sleeping, etc.). So, point #1: Opioids aren't your best option for pain. But neither are NSAIDs, at least when compared to chiropractic, according to a study that also appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Chiropractic spinal manipulation reduced pain and improved function in back pain patients after six weeks of treatment, and results were similar to that achieved with NSAID use – but without the side effects and other risks associated with medication use (particularly use for more than 10 days at a time). So, point #2: NSAIDs aren't your best option, either. Point #3 should be clear by now: When it comes to pain relief, chiropractic care is the effective, safe option to turn to first – a point emphasized by an increasing number of major health care organizations these days. Talk to your doctor about the risks associated with opioids and other pain relievers, and why chiropractic care is the natural, drug-free first choice. Make the right choice ... choose chiropractic today.

FUNNY BONE: A ham sandwich walks into a bar and orders a beer, bartender says "sorry, we don't serve food here."@@ If athletes get athlete's foot, what do elves get? Mistle-toes.@@ If you had to decide between a diet and a piece of chocolate, would you prefer dark, white or milk chocolate?          

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