New Year's Resolutions

In just a couple of days many people will be making New Year's resolutions.  Usually the resolutions focus on making changes to improve one's life in some way.  By January 2 many people have already abandoned their resolutions and by the end of January most people have long forgotten what they "resolved to do" on January 1.  Why does this happen?  Is there a way to keep resolutions?  I'm interested in continually improving my life and helping others do the same.  That's why I so often talk about a healthy chiropractic lifestyle.

Too often resolutions are made because we think there are certain things we should do, like lose weight, exercise more, eat better, etc.  All these things may be good, but are they really something the person is ready to commit to?  Is it someone else's expectation?  Resolutions are a promise to ourselves and no one else.  They need to be something we can passionately commit to.  They should be something we are willing to do, whatever it takes to achieve.  Resolutions made casually are doomed to failure.

Resolutions should also be specific and limited.  If a person wants to eat better, they need to define some specific change they can make.  Perhaps it could be to eat no white foods on week days.  Maybe it will be to eat a low carbohydrate breakfast each day.  If the goal is to become physically fit the resolution could be to walk 30 minutes at lunch Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  A person will be more likely to succeed if they only make one resolution at a time and that the resolution is measurable.  In each of the examples I gave, the person will know whether they have kept their resolution or not.  The person should also set a date when they will re-evaluate their progress.  At the end of January did I succeed in avoiding white foods, or did I eat a good breakfast, or did I exercise during my lunch break.  If I did the one thing I set out to do, I have kept my resolution and will be better for it.

Making a resolution like "I want to loose 30 pounds" is usually not successful.  It is far better to make resolutions about the changes to be made, such as "I will eat only one helping at each meal".  Also make the resolution something you will do, not just something you want to do.  If your desire is to read better literature make your resolution that in January you will read a specific book or books.

Making resolutions should be an ongoing process, not just on New Year's Day.  Making improvements to our lives happens in small incremental steps.  Trying to make too many changes, or too great a change at once, dooms us to failure.  Make one small step at New Year's and another one a few weeks later and then another one.  By 2013 you will be a better person.

Something else to keep in mind is that resolutions are promises to yourself.  Do you trust yourself enough to make a commitment to make a small positive change in your life?

Milestones

Milestones have been placed along roads since Roman times to assure travelers that the proper path is being followed.  They indicate either how far the traveler has come or how far they have yet to travel.  I've recently had the privilege of passing a milestone in my life; a birthday that tells me how far I have come.  The birthday does not however tell me how far I have yet to travel on this earth.  Should I meet with a calamity, my life could be gone very soon.  By the grace of God I may live for many, many more years.  I believe I need to plan to be here for some time while still being prepared to exit soon.

Living well as we age requires planning.  I see too many people coming to my office who, as they age, regret not taking better care of themselves when they were younger.  What we do today can have a profound effect on how healthy we will be in the future.  Unfortunately there are no silver bullets to assure health as we get older.  There are many claims for anti-aging products and services.  Much has been written about things that will support physical, mental and spiritual well-being.  I strongly believe the correct answer to aging well is to adopt a lifestyle that promotes health.

Total health requires that a person's healthy physically, mentally, and spiritually.  If any one area is unhealthy, the person is unhealthy.  Neglect one area and the others will soon deteriorate as well.  On the physical level all parts of the body age at the same rate.  You can't have young skin while having an old liver.  Uncontrolled stress will affect the entire body and accelerate the aging process.  Being at peace with our Maker reduces stress for today and gives hope for tomorrow.

One of the great things about chiropractic is that it recognizes the interconnection between physical, mental and spiritual health.  Chiropractic focuses on the health of the nervous system which controls every function in the body.  The proper functioning of the nervous system assures communication between the brain and every part of the body.  Chiropractors are also proponents and coaches of healthy lifestyles.  Combining chiropractic care with a chiropractic lifestyle gives the body the best possible chance to age well.

I like to think of myself as a bottle of red wine.  If I look after myself my tannins will soften, my flavours will mellow and I will grow in complexity.  I will become a person to be savoured and enjoyed.  However, if like a bottle of red wine improperly cared for, I neglect myself I will become bitter and difficult to take.  My body will be lost.  Once the wine is deteriorated there is no bringing it back to its former glory.  Thank goodness human bodies, unlike wine, can recover from neglect! 

As I passed my recent milestone I looked at where I've been and where I'm going.  I think I'm aging well, but I can't take it for granted.  I need to look after this fine life I have been given.

Arthritis

"Oh, it's just my arthritis acting up."  Just my arthritis?  "My doctor told me that I have back pain because I have arthritis and I just need to live with it."  Live with the pain?  "It's nothing serious, just some arthritis."  Nothing serious?  "I was told I have arthritis in my muscles."  Now that's an impossibility!

I've heard each of these statements and similar ones many, many times.  They indicate a lack of understanding of what arthritis is.  By definition, arthritis is inflammation in a joint.  There are about 100 kinds of arthritis and each type has a different cause.  Different types of arthritis need to be treated differently and the long term effects are different.

The most common type of arthritis is degenerative arthritis also called osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease.  When people talk about arthritis, this is usually the type they are referring to.  Although degenerative arthritis is found more frequently as people age, it can be found in younger people as well.  It is not a direct consequence of age, because not everyone develops it.  It may be present in only one joint or in many joints.

I prefer the term degenerative arthritis because it is the most descriptive of what is happening.  At some point in time the joint was injured.  This may have been a single incident trauma, but more commonly it's due to small repetitive injuries.  These repetitive injures may have only caused minor discomfort at the time, but the cumulative effect is significant damage to the joint.  Injured joints become inflamed, hence the term arthritis.  If injuries are not properly rehabilitated degeneration will result.  The pain is usually worse with activity but the most common symptom is stiffness.

Although there is no cure for degenerative arthritis, symptoms can be controlled and further degeneration stopped.  Joints are meant to move, however degenerating joints move abnormally.  Restoring as much normal motion as possible significantly reduces symptoms of stiffness and pain while halting the progressive degeneration.  Chiropractic adjustments are very effective at normalizing joint mobility.  The Activator Methods adjustments use in our office are non-traumatic and gentle.  Exercise to tolerance enhances the effects of the adjustments.  Chiropractic adjustments also assure that there are no vertebral subluxations interfering with nerve supply to the affected joints.

Low level laser therapy is also a very effective tool for helping sufferers of degenerative arthritis.  Near infrared laser light stimulates cells to heal.  Inflammation is reduced, circulation improved, and nerve signals normalized by the painless laser therapy.

A number of nutritional supplement have also been shown to be helpful.  These include: glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, MSM, ASU, devils claw, boron, boswellia, bromelain, niacin, SAMe, tumeric, and willow bark,  NSAID drugs have been shown to only moderately improve the symptoms of degenerative arthritis and only when used for short periods of time.  There can be significant side effects from these drugs.

People with degeneration arthritis in weight bearing joints should try to be diligent in not carrying extra weight.  A sedentary lifestyle can also aggravate degenerative arthritis.  Blood sugar needs to be controlled to reduce inflammation and prevent further degeneration.

  

12 Ways of a Healthy Christmas

Black Friday is behind us, Movember is gone,  and Christmas is now less than a month away.  Even big kids like me are getting excited.  But we will only enjoy the Holidays if we are healthy.  Spending Christmas Day in bed is no fun for either the sickie or those who want to enjoy the sickie's company.  We should stay healthy for ourselves and those we love.

Here are my tips for staying healthy this Christmas season:

1. Plan ahead.  Planning allows you to prioritize activities.  Getting things done in advance reduces stress.
2. Be realistic about what you can do this Christmas season.  This means there are only so many activities you can participate in; prioritize them as I've already said.  There are only so many things you can bake or make.  There are only a finite number of things you can afford to buy.  Saying no can be a very healthy thing to do.
3. Make sure exercise remains part of your plan.  It doesn't mean fitting exercise into your busy schedule, rather that there are other things you cannot do because exercise is scheduled and needs to get done.  It may not be your regular exercise routine, but make sure you do some activity that keeps you moving.
4. Although the days are short, try to get out into the fresh air everyday.  If the sun is shining, enjoy it. 
5. Recognize things that are out of your control and let go of them.  Focus on what you can control.  You can't control people, you can only control your actions.
6. Germs love cooler temperatures and they love crowds.  Shaking all those hands is a fabulous way to spread the germs around.  Standing under the mistletoe can really spread some germs.  Wash your hands often with good old fashioned soap and water.
7. Rest is vital to stay healthy.  Make sure your schedule doesn't have several late nights in a row.  One thing that will depress your immune system real fast is sleep deprivation.  Lack of sleep will also make you more accident prone.
8. The holiday season is also a time when many accidents occur.  Try to avoid clutter.  Focus on the task at hand.
9. Eating well during the Christmas season can be a challenge with so many sugary, fatty treats calling your name.  Here's an area where planning can be really beneficial.  When you are not partying, be extra conscious of eating nutritious food.  Then plan to have a few treats when you are surrounded by them.  Don't go to the party hungery and you will be less tempted to over-consume the goodies.
10. Limit alcohol consumption.  Again planning ahead really helps.  Avoid activities that may encourage binging.  Make sure nutritious food is available.  How about pretending that you are the designated driver?
11. Get your spine adjusted.  That will assure that your your body is functioning at its best.  The immune system can work, you'll sleep better and your coordination will be better.
12. The thing that helps me most to plan my Christmas season and keep me doing focused on looking after myself is to remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Season.  It keeps everything in perspective and I find it much easier to do healthy things than harmful things.

I want to be healthy so I can enjoy Christmas this year.  How about you?  I'm prepared to do things to help me stay healthy.  Are you willing to do good things for your body this Christmas season?

Vomiting

Here's a question for you: If you throw up, does that mean your body is sick or healthy?  Think about it.

Let's look at this a little more closely.  Say you and your friends went out to a not so fabulous restaurant and ate some potato salad that wasn't properly stored.  Later that night all of you get stomach cramps.  What's the best thing for your body to do?  Throw the bad food back up; get rid of it, right?

What should your body do if the digestive tract is overrun by a pathogenic bacteria or virus?  How about if you lose track of how many beer you've consumed and the alcohol in your system is becoming toxic?  The best response for your body in both these scenarios is to vomit.  That's the healthiest reaction for the body.  A healthy body expels toxin substances from the upper digestive tract by vomiting.  Even though you may not feel perky, the body is not sick.  It is protecting you from becoming sick.

Too often we look at symptoms as being the problem rather than looking for the cause of the symptoms.  Just suppressing symptoms can be dangerous.  What if you stopped the vomiting in the situations mentioned and the toxins remained in the body?  Far more serious damage would occur. 

Back pain, neck pain, headaches, fatigue, sleeplessness, numbness, weakness; they are all just symptoms.  What is causing the symptoms?  That's what chiropractors try to find.   Our primary job is to find vertebral subluxations that are interfering with the proper functioning of the nervous system.  A variety of symptoms, not just pain, can occur when the nervous system is not working optimally.  The key is to look to the cause of the symptoms and not just mask the symptoms.  Just like inhibiting vomiting can be dangerous, covering up or numbing any symptom can also produce greater problems.


Symptoms, like vomiting, are a healthy body's signals to you that there is a problem.  You need to fix the cause rather than eliminate the symptoms.

No White Food Plan

Probably the simplest plan for weight loss and health improvement is: no white foods.  That's it!  If it's white don't eat it.  There are a few exceptions which I will point out at the end of this post.

No white foods means no white flour products including white bread and pasta, no white rice, no white sugar, no white (refined) salt, and no white potatoes.  Watch for these foods to be "hidden" in processed food products.  If it looks white, it's white and not on this dietary program. 

The problem with white foods is that they are very simple carbohydrates and are converted very quickly in the body to sugar.  As a result of the rapid rise of sugar in the blood, the body  produces insulin to try to balance the blood sugar levels.  The sugar control mechanisms become stressed over time.  In response there will be increased food cravings, fat deposition around the mid section, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, high blood triglycerides, and eventually type 2 diabetes can result.  White foods accelerate this sequence of events.

White foods are usually highly processed.  It can take many chemicals and procedures to remove so many of the components that give food colour.  It is often the coloured things that contain the nutrients that made the original food good for us. Not only are white foods quickly converted to sugar but they are devoid of most nutrients.  They have become empty calories.  Additionally, chemicals used in the processing often remain in the food.  So these white foods can also be toxic.


So, if a food is white just avoid it. The beauty of this approach is that it is so simple.  No calories to count, no portions to weigh, just look at the food and if it's white don't eat it.  Simple.  

Please note white foods that do not fall into this plan are white fish & chicken, egg whites, and cauliflower. These foods are nutritious and do not have the detrimental effects discussed above.

Drugs Kill More Than Auto Accidents

The following is from Dr. Gerry Clum, former president of my alma mater, Life Chiropractic College West.

"We are not talking about crack cocaine, meth and heroin here, we are talking about the stuff giant corporations hold the patents on. According to the LA Times quoting the Centers for Disease Control, in 2009, prescription drugs exceeded MVA as a cause of death killing at least 37,485 people. While almost all other areas of preventable death are declining, drug related deaths have increased to a rate of one every 14 minutes in the United States. That is double what it was a decade ago. The main culprit is thought to be prescription narcotic overdoses-Vicodin, Darvocet, Oxycontin and all their brothers and sisters. A new addition to the pain killer killing list is Fentanyl provided in patch of lollipop form and packing a power level 100 times greater than morphine. Linda Rosenstock of UCLA's School of Public Health was quoted as saying the liberalized prescription of pain drugs "may in fact be the cause of the epidemic we're now facing".

Drug deaths among teens and young adults doubled between 2000 and 2008. The rise is deaths parallels medical doctors prescribing more painkillers and anti-anxiety meds. Remember the old days when you thought about someone strung out on heroin willing to do anything for their next fix, well the cost of Oxys or Vikes on the street for a heavy user is about double that of a heroin addict. By the way, lest you think this is an LA thing hydrocodone is the most widely prescribed drug in America.

Some steps that have been proposed to deal with the problem will amaze you. How about a police coordinated drug buy-back program similar to the gun buy-back programs in many cities. Better yet, and this is a quote from the LA Times "Another initiative would develop voluntary courses to train physicians on how to safely prescribe pain drugs, a curriculum that is not widely taught in medical schools". Huh? I kinda thought that was a big part of their education and training, if not and medics have made hydrocodone the #1 prescribed drug here in America not knowing how to safely prescribe them it is no wonder things aren't way worse than they are.

After almost 40 years as a chiropractor I am thrilled to say we haven't contributed the first script to this problem. I hope and pray my son and daughter who are chiropractors will be able to say that is true when they hit the 40 year mark."

Thanks for your insights Dr. Clum.

My closing comment on this issue: And there are people in the medical profession who claim chiropractic adjustments should be banned because they are dangerous.

Expert Troubles

Dr. Ruzycki, one of my associates, sent me a link to the CBC's commentary on the documentary, "The Trouble with Experts"  This seemed like a good article for me to read considering we call ourselves "The Experts on Chiropractic Care".  We write an article each month in Medicine Hat's Ask the Experts publication.  So what do I think about experts?

Experts should generally be people who through a combination of training and experience have become masters in their field.  This background should provide them with knowledge that the average person simple does not possess.  As a result their insights and opinions can be very useful to help those with a more limited background.  So in theory seeking expert advice should be beneficial.

The are two problems with experts.  The first is when we rely on on expert advise without doing our own thinking.  Everyone seeking information still needs to evaluate the accuracy and value of that information.  And remember it is just information.  It needs to withstand scrutiny when compared to other reliable sources.  One expert's opinion should not be taken as the sole source of truth.  Over time some experts may become more valid than others, but they are still human and prone to errors in judgement.

The second issue is that in our information age, many people hold themselves up to be experts who really are not.  Just because someone calls themselves an expert, doesn't necessarily mean they have the combination of training and experience to have mastered their field.  How often have we seen those who have failed in their endeavours suddenly become commentators?  Kind of like the old adage, "Those who can't do, teach".

As we call ourselves "The Experts on Chiropractic Care" I truly hope we have the necessary background to provide valuable information on chiropractic and health.  But we also hope our readers will take what we say and use it to stimulate their own thought and investigative processes.

Now I'm wondering if Dr. Ruzycki had something deeper in mind when she set me that link.

Safety Pin Cycle

The simplest explanations are often the ones that really make an impact on people.  This was brought home to me at a recent seminar attended by our staff.  Although they work in a chiropractic office and understand what we do as chiropractors, how chiropractic works really clicked with them when one of the speakers discribed the "Safety Pin Cycle".  Perhaps this analogy will also help you understand chiropractic better.

When the body is functioning properly the brain is communicating with every cell, tissue and organ in the body.  Every cell, tissue and organ is also in direct communication with the brain.  Both paths are uninterupted; just like a closed safety pin.

Problems arise when there is a disruption of either of the paths of communication.  The safety pin is open.  The body enters a a state of dis-ease where it no longer functions optimally.  Over time dis-ease produces disease and ill health. 

The most common place for nerve interference to occur is where nerves exit the spine to go to all areas of the body.  This happens when the spinal bones lose their normal motion and position.  The term for this occurrence is a vertebral subluxation.  Correcting vertebral subluxations to restore normal nerve function is what chiropractors do.   We are closing the open safety pin.

It's Not About What the Scale Says

A top health news story back in August was from the University of Alberta which revealed that many obese people are actually healthier than a good portion of people who have normal weight.  This information was widely published, but if you missed it click here for a link to the Edmonton Journal's report.

For someone who has worked with patients of all body types and sizes for many years, these findings are not surprising.  I've had and continue to have many patients with high body mass indexes who are very healthy people.  They eat well, exercise, and have a good outlook on life.  They have good immune systems and are able to enjoy life as much as anyone else.

I also have patients with normal BMIs who do not enjoy such health.  In some cases their health problems can be directly attributed to the methods they use to keep their weight down.  Often they are victims of yo-yo diets or diets with pour nutritional content.  Some people smoke just to keep their weight in check.  Others punish their bodies with harmful levels of exercise.  The scale may indicate they are healthy, but they are not.

In a society where thin and uberthin are worshiped, carrying extra weight has a real stigma.  But from a health standpoint, it's not about what the scale says, it's about how well the body functions.  Healthy people are able to do the things in life they need and want to do.  Health is not the absence of symptoms or disease.  Lead a healthy lifestyle and let the scale take care of itself.

Quack, Quack

Growing up I remember my older brother referring to the local chiropractor as the "Town Quack".  The term quack can be defined as someone who fraudulently pretends to have a medical skill.  This has often been used to describe chiropractors.  Chiropractors did not pretend to be medical doctors or possess the same skills as a medical doctor, rather we have developed our own particular skill set.  Chiropractors were seen as being unscientific and the chiropractic approach was labelled unorthodox.  Even though countless people were helped with chiropractic care, chiropractic was ridiculed and chiropractors labelled as quacks.

There has been a significant shift in attitudes in the past two decades as science has caught up to what chiropractors have observed clinically for a long time.  Independent researchers and policy makers are acknowledging the benefits of the unique chiropractic approach.  For the great majority of patients with both acute and chronic low back pain, neck pain, and cervicogenic headaches spinal manipulation (chiropractic adjustments) is recommended by authoritative groups who establish treatment guidelines in both Europe and North America.  These include the UK Evidence Report (2010), Joint Clinical Practice Guidelines from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society (2007), European Back Pain Guidelines (2004), Bone and Joint Decade Neck Pain Task Force (2006), and Evidence-Based Practice Center at Duke University (2001).  As recently as May of this year the British Medical Journal was arguing that primary care for patients with back pain and musculoskeletal problems should be transferred from general practitioners to chiropractors, osteopaths, and physiotherapists.

The reason for the wide acceptance of the chiropractic approach is that there is now a great abundance of research showing that chiropractic adjustments are amongst the most effective treatments available for neck pain, back pain, cervicogenic headaches, and other musculoskeletal conditions.  More of what we do as chiropractors is validated every year.   More of what we do still needs to proven.  But just because something is not scientifically validated doesn't mean it should be discontinued.

Even as chiropractic struggles to prove itself, much of what we consider to be scientifically accepted medical procedures actually remain unproven.  The Office of Technology Assessment, a branch of the United States Congress, with the help of an advisory board of eminent university faculty, has published a report with the conclusion that, " . . . only 10 to 20 percent of all procedures currently used in medical practice have been shown to be efficacious by controlled trial."  The British Medical Journal puts give the figure 15%. Therefore, 80% to 90% of medical procedures routinely performed are unproven.  Should all these procedures be discontinued until they are scientifically validated?  Probably not and neither should chiropractic procedures.  The very nature of scientific analysis and the vagaries of the human body may mean some very effective procedures may never be scientifically validated.

Only rabid sensationalist continue to call chiropractors quacks.  The term still doesn't apply because we are not medical doctors and we don't pretend to do medical procedures.  We practice chiropractic; a scientifically validated branch of the healing arts.

Vitamin D

It is darker in the mornings when I go to work.  As a matter of fact I would say it is like nighttime.  The fall equinox has passed and the hours of sunshine we get in our northerly location are significantly diminished.  The shortened days combined with the low angle of the sun results in very little natural Vitamin D production.  As sunlight strikes the skin chemical reactions occur and the body produces Vitamin D.  Canadians are very prone to being Vitamin D deficient.

Vitamin D is stored in the body so getting out in the summer sun helps to build up levels.  However skin cancer fears are keeping many people from going into the sun and when they do they cover up as much skin as possible.  Lack of exposure to the sun has been compounded in recent years by extensive use of sunscreens as well.  The UV rays that are blocked by sunscreens are the very ones necessary to stimulate Vitamin D production in the skin.
 
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that is used in many body functions.  Deficiency is associated with bone diseases such as rickets, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis, as well as certain cancers, suppressed immune systems, tuberculosis, cardiovascular disease, juvenile diabetes, Alzheimer's, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, and premature aging.  That's a pretty significant list of problems in which Vitamin D deficiency can play a large roll even though it may not be the cause.

Vitamin D can be found in small amounts in fatty fish (catfish, mackerel, salmon, sardines, eel), beef liver, whole eggs, fish oils, and UV irradiated mushrooms (the only vegan source).  While most tanning beds produce only UVA rays, certain beds also produce the UVB rays which stimulate Vitamin D production.  For most Canadians the best option to get enough Vitamin D is to take supplements.  These are relatively inexpensive and widely available.  Supplements should be taken with fatty food or taken in a form where it is dissolved in fat.

The amount of recommended Vitamin D we should supplement with has changed significantly in the past few years as we've learned more about this nutrient.  Governments still recommend a minimum of 600 iu/day.  This may prevent overt deficiency, but for us Canadians it will be inadequate to keep us healthy.  The latest studies indicate that most of us should be taking approximately 4000 iu/day for adults and 2500 iu/day for those below age 8.  Many of us are so deficient that dosages in the 20,000 - 50,000 range may be needed to build our levels back up.  Your medical doctor can order a simple blood test that will give you your Vitamin D status and help you to monitor your supplementation.

Maybe we cannot get enough sunshine this time of year, but we can take Vitamin D supplements to help maintain our health.

Team Chiropractic

Just over a week ago the chiropractic assistants and doctors from our office attended Parker Seminars (affiliated with Parker University, Dallas, Texas) in Vancouver, B.C.  There were great continuing education classes with subjects including: pediatrics, heart rate variability, brain bits, posture and balance.  The sessions we found the most exciting however, were the ones that focused on team building and effectively communicating chiropractic.  As we met for meals and shared what we learned, our vision for helping the people of Medicine Hat and area intensified.  All the way from Vancouver to Medicine Hat we talked about how to improve our office and improve the benefits our patients receive from their visits to our office.

Our office is really a team effort.  Anyone who has been to our office and observed our chiropractic assistants at work, knows what a great team they are.  They are truly committed to seeing our patients get the best service possible.  From the very first phone call to routine office visits, they work dilligently to ensure that every patient is treated in a professional manner.  They understand the various needs patients have and work hard to see that those needs are met.

As chiropractors we work as a team also.  Patients can see any of the doctors they prefer.  If a particular chiropractor is unavailable at the time a patient wants, one of the other doctors will be pleased to help the patient.  During times when a doctor is on holidays, patient care can be uninterrupted as the remaining doctors eagerly step in to provide needed treatments.  Patient records are available so the patient receives the appropriate care.  As a team we also consult on difficult cases, so patients in our clinic can benefit from the combined wisdom of five doctors. 

Not only are the assistants a team and the doctors a team but together we form an even bigger team.  Our aim to provide the best possible chiropractic care to the people of our community and surrounding area.  Our patients deserve the best and our team endeavors to give them the best we have.  During our time away we learned some great things which will help us to help our patients better.

I count it a privilege to part of such a great team.

Government + Fad Diets

The Canadian government is proposing that all Canadians be legislated to go on a low salt diet.  A recent article in Macleans by Alexandra Shimo "A Pinch of Reality About Salt" argues that the science behind the the benefits of a low salt diet is far from conclusive.  As the article points out, salt is an absolute necessity of life and most people will not be healthier by consuming only a small amount of it on a daily basis.  Too often governments fall into the same traps as individuals do when it comes to health and other issues.  They go with what is popular not what is right. 

How often have we seen the perceived wisdom of one generation be looked upon as a total fallacy by the next generation?  How absurd to think that covering a person with leaches would cure their illnesses.  It was considered state of the art for a time.  What if the government had legislated that all sick people needed to undergo leach treatment?  Not too many years ago eggs were considered to be almost lethal because of their cholesterol content.  Today we know that eggs are fabulously nutritious.  What if they had been legislated out of the market? 

The problem with trying to put human nutrition into nice tidy boxes where everything is defined is that humans are simply too complex.  There are too many interactions between systems, chemical reactions, etc. to come up with absolutes.  "Normal" lab values are constantly changing as research discovers new "truths" about what is necessary for health.  For every suggested parameter there are many scientists who would suggest other figures as being normal.  For instance recommended vitamin C intake is 90 mg/day while a highly respected Noble scientist believed it should be 10,000 mg/day.  Which amount is correct?  With such great disparity by leading experts it certainly wouldn't be wise to legislate an amount.  The same holds true for salt.

The chiropractic approach to body function is that the body knows what is best for its own individual situation.  We need to supply the body abundant amounts of natural substances which are free of toxins while adopting a lifestyle which promotes health.  Rest, exercise, stress management and regular chiropractic care will help the body to function optimally.  Then listen to the body's subtle signals.  It will tell you when it has inadequate or adequate levels of salt.  It doesn't need the government to tell it what is right. 

Don't Take It Easy

This post is going to reveal just how ancient I am.  I remember when people who worked in offices were called secretaries.  These people did their work on typewriters.  People who worked on typewriters expended a great deal more energy during the course of a work day than people working at computers do today.  It took more effort to push the keys on a typewriter than it does to use a computer keyboard.  Secretaries weren't tied to their desk chairs the way office workers are today.  They had to get up frequently to get paper and resource material that now is right at the finger tips.  Over the course of the day a significantly greater amount of energy was expended by the typewriter user than the computer user.

At a time when our society is struggling with both an obesity crisis and an epidemic of health problems related to poor physical conditioning, I think we need to look at how we do everyday things in our lives.  For most of my lifetime the aim of products and services has been to make life easier.  Perhaps life has become too easy for our own good.  We have made it incredibly easy to avoid the expenditure of physical energy.  As a result our total caloric expenditure over the course of a day is significantly less than it was before we made life so easy for ourselves.

I propose that we can be healthier, thinner people if we find ways to expend more energy during the course of the day.  When doing any activity, see if you can think of a way to do it that will require you to move more or use more muscle.  We've long been encouraged to take the stairs instead of the elevator.  Maybe take that one step further and make more trips up and down the stairs rather than group tasks at either the top or bottom.  When going shopping, instead of taking the spot closest to the door, park further out in the lot.  Hand carry a basket rather than push a cart for a small number of items.  If you only have one or two cuts to make on a board, use a hand saw rather than a power saw.  Use a hand screwdriver instead of an electric one when there are only a few screws.  Move the computer printer away from the computer so you have to get up to retrieved your printed material.  Sit on a gym ball or even stand for some of the time when at the computer.  Even something as simple as toe tapping increases muscle and energy use.  There are endless possibilities do things in ways to expend more energy. 

A portion of a calorie burned here, a portion of a calorie burned there and over the course of the day it ads up.  Doing this day after day will result in not only an increase in energy used but an increase in muscle mass.  This muscle will itself increase calories burned.

I have no desire to go back to manual typewriters, but I see a great need to change my own lifestyle to move more.  Rather than do things the easiest way, I'm looking for ways to use my body.  Remember the old cliche: "Use it or lose it."   

Fighting Germs

There have been several news articles on the net recently about how many germs are lurking on common surfaces we contact on a daily basis.  Among those highlighted have been toothbrushes, the computer mouse and keyboard, cell phones, dishwashers, sponges, vacuums, door knobs, your office desk, handles on kitchen faucets, mats at the gym, the ATM, and of course the TV remote.  The solution given in every article is to to clean, clean, clean.  Disinfect every surface, every time.

The reality however is that we all touch countless surfaces every day that are brimming with pathogenic bacteria and viruses.  So why aren't we all sick all the time?  That's because the germs are only part of the equation.  The most significant factor is what is termed "host resistance".  This refers to the ability of the person coming in contact with the pathogen to be able to fight the pathogen's ability to cause the disease.  The stronger our immune system is the less likely we are to be affected by any particular germ.  I've observed over the years that some of the people with great immune systems are not particularly fastidious.  On the other hand, I've seen many people who are obsessed with cleaning things yet they have poor immune systems and are frequently sick.  One of the reasons for this is that contact with pathogenic organisms strengthens our immune systems.

The immune system is complex and contact with pathogens is only one factor in strengthening it.  Other things an individual can do is to get adequate sleep, manage stress levels, avoid toxins. exercise regularly, and eat a healthy diet particularly one that promotes alkalinity.  Nutritional supplements such as B complex, Vit. A, C, D & E, probiotics, zinc and others can be very helpful.  An often neglected factor in immune system health is the nervous system which controls all body functions.  Regular chiropractic care assures that the nervous system and consequently the immune system can work optimally.  I've worked hard to keep my immune system strong and chiropractic adjustments are a key factor for me.  Please do not take my next statement as bragging.  As a result of getting adjusted regularly plus consciously looking after my immune system, I have missed only 3 days of work in 26 years due to illness.  Keep in mind that I'm in contact with unhealthy people every day.

Despite what you might think from what I've written already, I truly believe hygiene is an essential factor in maintaining a healthy immune system.  But, we cannot rely on chemical cleansers to keep us healthy.  It's unrealistic to think we can simply clean every surface every time.  We cannot avoid all pathogens, but we can't be foolish and put ourselves in situations where our immune systems will be overwhelmed.  Cleaning hands and surfaces is wise but not to the point of being obsessed. Germs only beat us when we are weaker than the germs, so stay strong.

Dr. Yoon Han

Dr. Yoon Han has just joined our team of chiropractors.  We are excited to have him on board!  Although Dr. Han has just recently completed his license requirements for Canada, he has 10 years practice experience in Asia.  During that time he was able to develop the chiropractic skills he learned at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, IA.  This is the same school both Dr. Powers and Dr. Ruzycki attended.

Practicing in his home country of South Korea was certainly much more of a challenge than North American chiropractors face in the 21st century.  There is no licensing of chiropractors in that country, as a result many misconceptions of our profession persist.  This is not unlike what chiropractors in North America experienced 50 years and more ago.  Dynamic Chiropractic published an article recently on prosecutions of Korean chiropractors.  It is very difficult for Korean chiropractors to effectively help their patients.  They face so much opposition.  These circumstances forced Dr. Han to look beyond his homeland for practice opportunities.

Because of the persecution of chiropractors in Korea, Dr. Han and his family moved to Malaysia for four years where he practiced while waiting for Canadian Immigration to approve their move to Canada.  Canada is the country of their dreams!  We are happy they have chosen to make Medicine Hat their home.  As well as joining our office, Dr. Han and his wife own and operate the Esso convenience store and gas bar at the corner of 11th St. S.E. and Division Ave. 

Dr. Han is excited about helping people in Medicine Hat with their spinal health.  Although he is just learning the Activator Methods technique, he is already quite proficient with instrument adjusting.  He knows the body and the power of the chiropractic adjustment.  His experience helping patients is very transferable to his new technique.  You can schedule an appointment to see Dr. Han by calling our office at 403-529-9069.  

Welcome to Powers & Jans Centre Dr. Han!

"I Know I Should ....

Exercise more, eat less sugar, avoid deep fried foods, get more sleep, take more time to relax, stop smoking, get more massages, get adjusted more often, look after myself better."  I hear some version of these statements from my patients on a daily basis.  The conclusion I have to draw is that almost universally people know what they should be doing to be healthier.  But they seem unable to do it.

I was watching a health guru talking to a large group of people.  He was telling them that there were three things each and every person needed to do to be healthier.  As the camera panned across the audience I found myself saying, "He'll do it." "She won't do it."  They aren't going to take his advice."  "That person is right into it."  The people who were going to follow the expert's advise were probably already doing the right things to a very large extent.  The people who were not already on the road to looking after their own health may have been nodding approval but there is only a very slim chance they will actually follow the advice.

We are an educated society.  There are some well known health principals that virtually everyone knows, like getting regular exercise, eating fewer processed foods and more natural foods, getting adequate rest, and practicing good hygiene.  But just because we know these things intellectually doesn't mean we will do them.  There is a great scripture verse that spells out the struggle we face.  "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."  Mt 26:41  This applies to all aspects of our lives not just our spiritual lives.  Sadly most of us know what is right and yet we choose to do what is wrong.

I've observed that people make positive changes in their lives in one of two ways.  The first is to reach a point of crisis and the second is to make small incremental changes.

Alcoholics usually have to reach bottom before they will make the necessary changes.  Sugarholics usually have to have diabetic complications before making lifestyle changes.  The reality is that we all have unhealthy behaviours we are addicted to.  The sooner we acknowlege them, the sooner we can get on the road to becoming truly healthier.  That time of acknowledgement often comes at a time of crisis.  This is not the most pleasant way to be motivated to make changes for better health.

The second way to improve one's health is to make a small step forward today.  Take one thing and make it a part of your lifestyle.  Perhaps it will be to exercise 20 minutes everyday, or eat a more nutritious breakfast, or get more sleep, or see your chiropractor regularly.  When that one thing is a part of you, make another small change.  Over time you will become a healthier person.  Each positive result will help motivate you to make another change. The key to this approach is to make small achievable changes to avoid discouragement.  The changes are not dramatic like when we reach a crisis point, but they can be every bit as effective if we persist.  This is why I continue to pass on tidbits of information that you may find helpful.  Perhaps there will be something I say that will click with you and help you to change without having to reach a crisis point.

Financial Crisis

Every day lately, the news reminds us of the sad financial state many of the western world's countries are in.  Thankfully Canada's financial situation is still looking solid.  That's not something that's guaranteed to continue should our neighbours to the south and across the pond succumb to the weight of their debts.

As an individual looking at the massive amounts of money countries owe, including our own, I find the numbers incomprehensible.  I simply cannot even begin to visualize what those amounts of money really look like.  How big a stack of looney's is one hundred billion?  How many greenbacks in ten trillion?  And then I have to consider that these debts are debts of the people of the country.  The governments cannot be separated from the people.  The politicians may have done the spending, but they have been spending the money of the people.  So if it is our money as citizens we must assume some responsibility for this debt.  As I see  it we must do two things.  One is to hold governments responsible for how they spend OUR money and secondly is to be responsible ourselves in how we utilize government resources.  It's this second point on which I want to focus.  The sense of entitlement I see in news articles about the protesters to austerity programs in Europe saddens me.  The populous is bleeding the countries dry.  Governments cannot give support if they have nothing to give anymore that I as a individual can give support to others if I have nothing to give.

We are going to have to expect our governments to give us less if there is going to be financial stability.  The biggest single expenditure item in the budgets of Canadian governing bodies, and most western countries, is health care.  This is an area that we as individual citizens can have a significant impact.  How can you or I as individuals make a difference to the financial health of our country?

The first step is to take responsibility for our own health.  It's not up the the government or their paid helpers to keep us healthy.   The lifestyle choices we make should be ones that promote health not hinder it.  Do we choose nutritious food or junk food?  Do we choose to smoke or not?  Do we exercise or become couch potatoes?  The list of choices we face goes on.  Many of our lifestyle decisions will determine how big a burden we will be on the health care system.

The second thing is to choose cost effective health care options.  Nutritional supplements may look expensive as we pull out our wallets and pay for them.  Drugs are not cheap either.  The big cost savings with supplements is that they build the body up rather than tear it down.  Drugs on the other hand cause many side effects which often require the need for more drugs and more intervention which escalates the costs.  Whenever possible low tech, low cost diagnostics should be used.  Save the expensive procedures for serious, complicated situations.  Not every headache requires an MRI scan.  Chiropractic care is extremely low cost compared to medical care.  A patient can receive many years of chiropractic care for the cost of a low back surgery.  Every prevented surgery saves the health care system and the economy tens of thousands of dollars.

Certainly there may be times when we will need to have expensive interventions for the sake of our health.  But if we have made wise choices those occasions will be minimized.  If used judiciously by everyone the health care system will be healthy enough to meet our needs in times of crisis.  It is like we have put money into savings over time and can withdraw it in our time of need.  As individuals we can help our country's finances and improve the health care system by taking responsibility for our own health.  This is the kind of financial situation I can wrap my head around.  

Rakowski's Magnificent 7

While going through some notes of a lecture I attended by Houston, TX chiropractor Dr. Bob Rakowski, I was reminded of his Magnificent 7.  This is a list of things that if attended to will result in a healthier life.

1. EAT RIGHT - Consuming foods that build our bodies up and avoiding those that tear our bodies down.  Take supplements that supply nutrients that may be in short supply in a person's diet. 
2. DRINK RIGHT - Drinking water is the only way to keep properly hydrated.  This water needs to be uncontaminated.  Virtually all body functions require the body to have enough water.
3. THINK RIGHT - Without sufficient stimulation the neurons of the brain die.  The more the nerves fire, the more interconnected they become.  This means we must keep learning.
4. MOVE RIGHT - Exercise is necessary for both brain and body health.  People who exercise regularly are biologically younger than those who don't.
5. SLEEP RIGHT- Sleeping less than 6 hrs/night results in a 70% increase in dying!  Sleep restores the brain and the body.  A person should wake refresh if they sleep right.
6. POOP RIGHT - A daily, easy bowel movement is a sign of a well functioning digestive system.  Constipation on the other hand can be a sign of numerous health problem and may itself cause many health conditions, including mental health issues.
7. TALK RIGHT - Optimists have a 42% less risk of death than pessimists. 

Dr. Bob calls these magnificent because life is more magnificent if we get them right.  These are things to strive to get right everyday.  Begin today.  And then do them again tomorrow.  And the next day.  One day at a time; for the rest of your life.  May it be long and healthy.

Pain in the Neck

Do you suffer from a pain in the neck?  I'm not referring to your neighbour, child, spouse or parent (bad joke, forgive me), but to a physical pain in the upper part of your spine.  The pain may be an ache, a stab, a burn, a throb or a shock.  It can be an annoyance or debilitating.  Regardless of the nature of the symptoms you are experiencing, neck pain shouldn't be ignored.  Pain is your body's signal that something is wrong.  Ignoring the pain is like ignoring a warning light on the dash of your car.  Ignore either your body's signals or your car's signals and there can be long term consequences.  (It's okay to ignore other people who are being a pain in the neck).

There can be many causes of neck pain, some quite serious.  The most common cause is a vertebral subluxation.  This is a condition where the joints of the spine lose their proper motion and the nerves next to joints become irritated.  There is associated damage to the surrounding muscles and ligaments along with swelling.  The pain can be localized in the neck or can travel into the arms, upper back and chest.  Subluxations in the neck are a frequent cause of headaches.

Chiropractors are specifically trained to find vertebral subluxations and correct them with spinal adjustments.  We are the only profession with this specific training.  Should the neck pain be caused by something other that a subluxation, we are also trained to determine other problems.  If there is a more serious condition, that is beyond our expertise, we will refer you for appropriate care.

If vertebral subluxations are not corrected, they can lead to accelerated joint degeneration, muscle atrophy, chronic pain, loss of mobility, and nerve degeneration.  These are not things any of us want to experience.  At our office we use Activator Methods to correct subluxations.  This is a very specific and comfortable procedure which restores normal joint function allowing healing of all the associated tissues.  During correction pain is usually the first thing to disappear.  Getting rid of the pain in the neck is the starting point.  Rehabilitating the muscles, ligaments and nerves can take much longer.  We will assist you through the entire process if you desire.  At our office it is always the patient's choice on how they proceed with their chiropractic care.

Don't ignore neck pain, or any other pain.  Pain is your body's way of telling you to do something.

Auto Accidents

Summer, winter, spring, fall - there are auto accidents in every season.  The amount of damage done to occupants can be great even when little damage is done to the vehicle.  The human neck is particularly vulnerable in a motor vehicle accident but the low back, shoulders, jaw and knees are also commonly hurt.  When symptoms occur immediately, it can be a sign of significant injury, but often it can be several days before symptoms appear.  Even with a large amount of soft tissue damage, symptoms may not be severe initially.

To understand how damage occurs in an accident, basic physics needs to be considered.  The force from the mass of the impacting vehicles is transferred to the occupants who are of considerably less mass.  The result is a tremendous amount of stress on the soft tissues, particularly in the spine.  The head which weighs about the same as a 10 pin bowling ball is whipped backward, forward, or sideways depending on the location of the impact.  The term whiplash is used to describe these forceful, sudden motions.  The tissues of the neck are not nearly strong enough to withstand the forces from even a minor accident.  Damage is usually not limited to the neck.  The entire spine is usually affected and the extremities may be as well.

Because of the extensive damage, correcting the injuries can take a considerable length of time.  Chiropractic adjustments, low level laser therapy, therapeutic massage, nutritional supplementation, and exercise programs may all need to be employed to get proper healing of the injured tissues.  The sooner treatment can be started after the injuries occur, the better the results usually are.  Delayed or untreated injuries will heal with scar tissue which is less elastic and less functional than the original tissue.  This can result in accelerated degeneration and increased susceptibility to future injury.  Many chronic conditions can result from improperly treated whiplash injuries.  I can't tell you how many times patients have told me they wished they had looked after their injuries better following auto accidents that had occurred years earlier.  These people have come to realize too late that not properly rehabilitating the accident related spinal injuries has resulted in ongoing health issues.

In Alberta, only chiropractors and physiotherapists are authorized to establish treatment plans for injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents.  This is because insurance companies recognize that physical treatment is far more effective than drug therapy or rest for the type of soft tissue injury incurred in auto accidents.  The insurance industry in conjunction with the government and health care providers has established a very streamlined system to assure accident victims received proper care.  All persons involved in an accident, regardless of who is at fault, are pre-approved to receive 10 or 21 treatments from recognized practitioners after assessment and recommendation by a chiropractor or physiotherapist.  Obviously I'm biased, but I think you should consult a chiropractor first.  I say this because we are the only profession specifically trained to find and adjust subtle spinal joint injuries called vertebral subluxations.  Unless the subluxations are corrected the spine cannot function properly.  Without a well functioning spine, a person cannot be healthy.

If you, or someone you know has been in a motor vehicle accident,  get your spine checked by a chiropractor as soon as possible.  The sooner treatment can begin the better the prognosis.

The First Tomato

Living next to the "Greenhouse Capital of Canada" means that those living in Medicine Hat have fresh local produce almost all year round.  It tastes great and is far better than the vegetables that are shipped from the other site of the planet.  

Yesterday my wife and I made a Greek salad with local cucumbers and peppers.  For the tomato we used the first vine ripened tomato from our backyard garden.  Oh, my!  The flavour of that tomato burst into our mouths, out shining everything else in the salad.  At the first taste there was no doubt this fresh, red orb was just brimming with nutrition that the tomatoes we buy just don't have.   This is the reason we have a garden.  This is what we wait anxiously months for.  The taste and nutrition of a home grown, organic tomato is beyond compare.

It's a privilege that our society and technology have advanced to where we can have fresh produce year round.  We are healthier for it.  But the taste and nutritional value of homegrown, in season produce just cannot be matched.  That's why we have a garden.  If you don't have a garden you are missing something very special and when I eat my tomato I feel sorry for you.

Stampede Time

The annual Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede is now going on.  It's the time of year when all things western are celebrated.  Living in Medicine Hat, it's hard not to be involved at least to some extent because ranching has historically and remains a big part of the economy of the area.  We have a large number of ranchers as patients in the office.  Although it's dangerous to generalize, but I'm going to state with confidence that as a group ranchers are wonderful people.  Their connection to the land, to their community, and to their roots helps them to develop great character traits.  

Work on the ranch can be physically demanding, involving heavy lifting as well as riding and wrangling.  I'd like to share a case of a rancher patient.  Todd (not his real name) came to our office with a complaint of low back and pain in both hips that had been persistent for the previous year.  The pain was constant and interfered with his sleep as well as making his work nearly impossible to do.  Riding his horse had become shear agony.  This was a serious situation for this 32 year old man!  No work, no pay when you are a self employed rancher.  Todd also had been experiencing headaches daily for the previous 5 years.  He discounted the severity of the headaches, but his wife insisted they were also interfering significantly with his life.

The exam we performed  showed several vertebral subluxations in Todd's spine.  We adjusted him using Activator Methods protocols.  After his first adjustment he experienced significant relief and was able to ride again. Even though he lives 2 1/2 hours from our office, he was desperate to get better and took the time necessary to come for treatment.   After the second adjustment he was able to lift light weight again and the headaches were very intermittent and mild.  After the fourth visit to our office Todd was pain free; no headaches, no back or hip pain.  He was pleased with the way his back now felt, but was ecstatic about how great it was to have no headaches.  Once the headaches had gone he realized how much they had been affecting him.


I don't necessarily like to relate cases where the results are nearly miraculous, but there is something very significant about Todd's case that can be a lesson for all of us.

One of the advantages of working on someone who rides horses regularly is that they usually have great core strength.  This is a real asset when rehabilitating the spine.  Strong core muscles are essential to support the spine.  Ranchers tend to respond very well to chiropractic care for this reason.  Many of the work activities, not to mention rodeoing,  can be hard on their backs, their strong core muscles help them recover quickly when they do injure themselves.
 
From my observations working with ranchers for many years now, their strong core muscles really protect their spines.  For those of us who do not have the opportunity to ride horses regularly, we have to find other forms of exercise to help us.  Our office can certainly provide you with some good core exercises.  Sorry, they won't be as much fun as riding a horse.

Keep Trim, Strong, Agile and Fast

There was an ad last year for a fitness club in Britain that was pulled because it wasn't politically correct.  I thought it was quite humourous.  Maybe I found it amusing because of the red neck in me.  The ad said, "ADVANCED HEALTH WARNING!  WHEN THE ALIENS COME, THEY WILL EAT THE FATTIES FIRST!

I certainly don't want to belittle those with weight issues.  I carry a few pounds more than I should.  I also have family members who struggle with being over weight.  Fighting to keep pounds off is no laughing matter, but the health club ad still put a smile on my face.  It should get us all thinking about our weight.


The reality is that those who are trim can run faster and fight better.  It is unlikely that we will have to run from or fight aliens.  But, we do need to run from and fight invaders that are forever attacking our bodies.  Viruses, bacteria, toxins, and stresses are all out to destroy our bodies.  Those who are fittest survive; those that aren't get sick and die first.

Sometimes we need a little jolt to get us to take action to make the changes that will help us to be healthier.  We may need to exercise more, eat healthier, take more supplements, reduce stress, sleep more, and get more chiropractic adjustments.  It's not just about losing weight or being physically fit.  It's about adopting a lifestyle that promotes your health.  Being the right weight is just one component of health.

For some people joining a health club can be a step in the right direction.  Even if the club runs an ad that is a little offensive.  If it motivates you to action, it's done a good thing.  Stay trim, keep strong, run fast, and remain agile.  You'll be one of the last to succumb to the aliens.

A Great Office

From my perspective, I'm privileged to work at a great office.  I hope the patients who come to our office agree with me.  We have a wonderful facility.  It was purposfully designed not to look or feel like an office building.  We wanted it to feel more like a home.  But as Dionne Warwick sang, "A house is not a home."  It takes more than a building to make a place homey.  It takes people.  The same applies to an office.

It's the efforts of our outstanding staff that makes our office what it is.  Yes we doctors have a part to play in helping patients, but our staff allow us to do what we do best.  They look after the details and make sure the place runs in a manner that will give our patients the best experience.  Our combined goal is to make the chiropractic office visit a pleasant event that people want to keep participating in.  The dedicated chiropractic assistants we have work diligently day in and day out toward this goal.

It's during times of crisis I really take note of how tremendous our staff is.  This past Friday afternoon our computer server crashed.  (It was a full 25 hours old at the time.)  Needless to say that without appointment books and the ability to bill, things became a little chaotic.  It turned out all the data we had entered since our last backup 3 hours earlier was lost.  Terri, Myra, and Morganne stepped into high gear.  They looked after the patients coming into the office, assisted Dr. Ruzycki and myself, and had the afternoon's data rebuilt within a couple of hours.  There were no complaints, just a committed get things done attitude. What could have been a disaster was quickly put to order.  I know full well that if Pam and Fran had been working Friday they would have done the same. 

Thank you ladies!  You make our office great!

You Can't Just Squeeze a Fish

You've heard the advertising: omega 3 added, good source of omega 3 oils, or fortified with omega 3's.  So why in the last couple of years are food processors adding omega 3 oils to so many products?  The answer quite simply is that omega 3 oils are essential to being healthy and most people consume hardly any in their standard diet.  

The term "essential" is often associated with omega 3 oils (more correctly called fatty acids).  From a technical standpoint, it means that the body cannot manufacture it's own omega 3 fatty acids but they must be consumed from an outside food source.  There are several fatty acids in the omega 3 category with the most significant being ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).  ALA is generally found in seeds such as flax.  EPA and DHA are found in significant amounts in fish.  Our bodies use primarily EPA and DHA but can convert some of the ALA to these compounds at a rate of about 15%.  Consequently our best source of omega 3 oils is fatty, deep sea, cold water fish.   

Omega 3 fatty acids are necessary for both mental and physical health.  They are a component of nerve membranes and are essential for brain, nerve and eye development.  Deficiency has been associated with depression, bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Alzheimer's, and other nervous system disorders.  Their effects are not limited to the nervous system.  The health of the cardiovascular system also depends on omega 3 fatty acids.  Heart arrythmias, blood clots, strokes and heart attacks are reduced when a person has adequate EPA and DHA in their systems.  Fetal development, joint health, immune system health, kidney health, and lung health all require omega 3 fatty acids. There really aren't too many functions in the body that don't require DHA and EPA.

Certainly having omega 3's added to food products is a step in the right direction for a society that is generally very deficient.  But it is just a very small step.  Most of the added oils are ALA which must be converted to EPA and DHA.   A better solution should be to consume more fatty fish.  That however is not advisable because these fish usually have high levels of toxins.   The toxins are found in the same oils we want to consume for health benefits.  As omega 3 expert Dr. Dan Murphy says, "You can't just go squeeze a fish and get good oils."  The safest way to get the omega 3 fatty acids you need is to get an oil supplement that is made from clean fish stock and is certified pharmaceutical grade with no toxins.  You cannot be healthy without omega 3 oils so please supplement and be sure to supplement with a high quality oil.    

Don't Believe Everything You Read on the Internet

The other day one of our front desk staff was looking at the weather forecast on the internet and excitedly announced that thunder showers were no longer in the forecast.  Low and behold a few hours later we had showers and thunder.  Although the meteorologists tried their best, the information they gave out was not accurate.  We know that Environment Canada is a reputable organization. I think we've all come to realize that when we look at the weather forecast, we need to always take the information with a grain of salt.  Granted they are trying to predict the future which is dicey at any time, but the point is that even information from a trusted source like Environment Canada is not always reliable.

Often information we get on the internet is from sources much less reliable than Environment Canada.  Yet the information obtained is considered to be valuable.  And it may be, but it may not be.  Opinion is often mistaken as fact.  Data may be taken out of context or may be false.  Like most of you, I use the internet to obtain information.  I also know that I need to confirm the validity of the site I get the information from and I need to confirm the information on other sites that are not directly connected to the first site.

I write this because so many of us go to the net to get information on health and health related issues.  There is an unfathomable amount of great information available that is accurate, but there is also a large amount of it that is not.  We need to be able to weed out the bad so we can feed on the good. 

This blog contains a great amount of opinion, which I've developed over the last 26 years as a chiropractor.  My hope is that it will stimulate you to think about chiropractic and natural health in some ways that you maybe wouldn't have otherwise.  I also try to present accurate data.  You don't have to believe everything I write, after all this is on the internet.  Evaluate my posts against other reputable sites and check my data.  Let me know how I'm doing.  Click the "Reactions" at the bottom of each post.  That's totally anonymous and easy to do.  Better yet post a comment; join the conversation.  Your opinion counts on the web.