Courtesy of:

John H. Keefe III, D.C.

(918) 663-1111

IN THE NEWS: Even More Evidence for the Link Between Alzheimer’s and Herpes In 1907, the German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer published a description of a 50-year-old woman who suffered from memory problems, hallucinations, and delusions. In the woman’s brain, Alzheimer noticed unusual lumps, or “plaques,” which “were caused by the deposition of an unusual substance.” Eight decades later, the mystery substance was finally identified as a protein called amyloid beta. Though small, it can accumulate in large clusters that are somehow toxic to neurons. Those harmful plaques are one of the hallmarks of the disease that bears Alzheimer’s name. What amyloid beta normally does in the brain isn’t clear. Robert Moir, a neurologist at the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, says that many researchers have cast it as a villainous molecule with no beneficial function.  “It’s just bad, bad, bad,” he says. “But it has become increasingly obvious that this isn’t true.” Moir thinks that amyloid beta has a more heroic role, as a foot soldier of our immune system. It protects neurons from infectious microbes—and from herpes viruses, in particular. William Eimer, a member of Moir’s team, demonstrated this protection by injecting the common herpes virus HSV–1 into the brains of two kinds of mice: normal rodents and ones that were genetically engineered to produce high levels of amyloid beta in their brains. The latter were better at resisting the viruses. Eimer then got similar results when he injected a different herpes virus, HHV–6, into human cells growing in a dish. Amyloid beta protects against these viruses by latching onto them in large numbers, imprisoning them in self-assembling cages. That’s typically a good thing, but Moir argues that if the process goes on for too long, it builds up to the problematic plaques of Alzheimer’s. According to him, amyloid beta is still at the heart of the Alzheimer’s story, but it isn’t the villain. “In our model, Alzheimer’s is caused by amyloid beta’s reaction to something else, and most likely some kind of infection” like herpes, he says. NOTE: Ask about nutrition for the immune system.

WELLNESS: Why Macadamias, Pecans and Walnuts Should Be on Your Shopping List Because macadamia nuts and pecans have high fat and low protein and carb levels, they are superior choices, particularly if you eat a ketogenic diet. Walnuts, despite having a slightly higher protein and carb content, are also an excellent choice mainly because new research suggests eating them may reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes. You may not realize most nuts labeled as roasted have actually been fried in vegetable oil, often at high temperatures, putting you at risk of exposure to acrylamide, a possible carcinogen. When choosing nuts, look for high-quality nuts that are certified organic and presented in raw form. Avoid roasted or pasteurized nuts, as well as nuts coated in sugar or covered in milk chocolate. Contrary to what you may think, only dry-roasted nuts are truly roasted. Most nuts labeled and sold as roasted are actually fried in vegetable oil. You can tell this because the ingredient label will identify the type of oil used for frying. This practice is ill-advised for a few reasons:Most vegetable oils are unhealthy and contain an overabundance of omega-6 fats. In addition, some vegetable oils used to fry nuts, such as canola oil, are genetically engineered (GE). Roasting raises the potential for the formation of a possible carcinogen called acrylamide, which results from a chemical reaction between sugars in certain foods and an amino acid called asparagine. Acrylamide, which is best known as the “browning” on chips and french fries, has the potential to form on certain nuts when they are fried or roasted at temperatures above 250 degrees F (121 degrees C) for long cooking times. Vegetable oils heated to high temperatures can easily oxidize, promoting the formation of disease-causing free radicals. Nuts that oxidize can also become rancid and attract fungal mycotoxins. You can identify rancid nuts by a musty, stale or spoiled smell. Nuts roasted at high temperatures may contain lower amounts of antioxidants, vitamins and other nutrients.

CHIROPRACTIC:  HELPING TMJ TMJ is the shortened name for temporomandibular joint disorders. It describes a group of disorders in which the connecting point between the jaw and the skull becomes painful and swollen. The cause of the disorder can vary widely, and in some instances, no known cause is ever discovered. What are the Symptoms? Symptoms of TMJ can vary widely from person to person, but some of the more typical problems are fairly common among most sufferers. These symptoms might include pain in the jaw, trouble chewing or talking, headaches, and neck pain. In some cases, the patient may also experience a bit of dizziness. Since other ailments can cause similar problems, it’s important to be seen by a professional. How Can a Chiropractor Help? Chiropractors may help with TMJ by alleviating tension and dysfunction in the spine. As chiropractors alleviate this dysfunction, it reduces the pressure on various nerves, which then alleviates pain associated with TMJ.

FUNNY BONE:  Round like a shot... Going to bed the other night, I noticed people in my shed stealing things. I phoned the police but was told there was no one in the area to help. The Policeman said they would send someone over as soon as possible. I hung up. A minute later I rang again. 'Hello', I said, 'I called you a minute ago because there were people in my shed.  You don't have to hurry now, because I've shot them.' Within five minutes there were half a dozen police cars in the area, plus helicopters and an armed response unit. They caught the burglars red-handed. One of the officers said: 'I thought you said you'd shot them.' To which I replied: 'I thought you said there was no one available.'@@ Why are iPhone chargers not called Apple Juice?!