Staying Healthy - According to Mark Twain

"The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not."  Mark Twain from "Following the Equator" (1897)

Mark Twain is recognized as having been a very insightful individual.  Even in his humour he was a remarkably astute observer of human nature.  This quote was likely very truthful back in 1897 when he wrote it and is relevant today as well. The implication is that what we like the most to eat, drink and do may not be the best for us.

Mr. Twain is reminding us that good health is the result of the choices we make.  Having a healthy lifestyle often means making choices which we would prefer not to make but need to make for the sake of our well-being.   There are three areas in which he says we need to make the right decisions and not necessarily the easy decisions.

The sad fact is that so many foods that we like and that taste good are really detrimental to our health.  They taste good because of added sugars, unhealthy fats and chemical flavour enhancers.  Yummy tasting food is often devoid of essential nutrients as well.  So these foods are not only harmful, but empty as well. These are the foods we want to eat.  To be healthy we need to make food choices based not only on taste, but on nutritional content.  Pick the vegetables instead of the ice cream.

The same is true for what we drink.  Drinking water or tea is a healthier choice than pop or beer.

Then Mr. Twain says we need to do what we'd rather not do. The list of lifestyle choices which lead either to poor health or better health are long.  Choose to get adequate rest and exercise.  Develop stress control methods. Establish supportive relationships. Enjoy the sunshine. Get regular chiropractic adjustments and adopt a healthy chiropractic lifestyle. 

Good health comes from deciding to do what is best rather than what is easy or what we want.  The results are worth the effort.

Does Everyone Need to See a Chiropractor?

When people first find out I'm a chiropractor, there are two common responses.  First, is that they have been to a chiropractor and want me to "crack" their back or neck for them, often implying I should do it right there in the restaurant or wherever we may be.  Second are people who say, "I don't need to see a chiropractor.  I don't have back pain."  Should people who don't have pain go see a chiropractor?

It wasn't all that long ago that people only saw medical doctors when they were sick.  They only consulted a dentist when they had a tooth ache.  I'm old enough to remember those days.  The idea of consulting a health professional for prevention of problems is a fairly recent phenomenon.  Most of our society now sees the logic in seeing an MD, dentist, or optometrist before problems arise for either prevention or early treatment.  Using the same logic, it also makes sense to see a chiropractor before back pain, neck pain or headaches become problems.

Since every person has a spine, everyone has the potential to develop spinal problems.  Statistically, 80% of Canadians will experience back pain over the course of their lifetime.  For many of those people it will be debilitating; interfering with their ability to work or perform activities of daily living.  But the effects of spinal problems are not limited to pain.  Abnormal function of spinal joints results in irritation to adjacent spinal nerves.  This produces alteration of nerve function through the entire path of that particular spinal nerve.  The result can be health problems distant from the spine itself.  A person can suffer detrimental effects of spinal problems without actually having pain in their spine.

Chiropractors use the term, Vertebral Subluxation, to describe abnormally functioning spinal joints with associated nerve irritation.  It may or may not be accompanied by pain.  Chiropractors are uniquely trained to detect and correct Vertebral Subluxations.  Like most conditions, Vertebral Subluxations can be most effectively treated when they are detected early.  Once abnormal spinal joint function becomes chronic, associated muscles adapt patterns where they are either too tight or too lax.  The ligaments of the joints are weakened.  Blood supply to the joints is altered as well.  It's also significant that chronically irritated spinal nerves heal very slowly.  Consequently detecting and correcting Vertebral Subluxations early, even before there is associated pain, makes a lot of sense.  Seeing a chiropractor when you don't have back pain, neck pain or headaches is as logical as seeing a medical doctor when you aren't sick or a dentist when you don't have a toothache or an optometrist when you can see well.  

If you are the type of person that only consults a health professional when they have an obvious problem, you likely won't grasp the logic of seeing a chiropractor when you don't have pain in your back, neck or head.  But that doesn't mean that you don't have spinal problems.  Waiting until you have pain can result in much more damage to the tissues and prolonged treatment.  As well when treatment is delayed the outcomes are often much less desirable.

As always whether you choose to see a chiropractor when you don't have pain is up to you.  But the logical approach is to get checked and assure your spine is working as well as it can so you don't end up with debilitating or chronic spinal problems.  Regular chiropractic adjustments should be part of your healthy lifestyle.

Buyer Beware

This past weekend news outlets around the world reported on research out of the University of Guelph that found a significant portion of herbal supplements tested either contained or didn't contain the products listed on the label.  A typical sample of these reports was published in the Vancouver Sun, "'CSI'-like DNA study finds herbal products don't always list all contents on the label."  The findings are not a surprise to me.

Patients in our office have often asked us why they can by a certain supplement at a big box store so much cheaper than for what we sell products at our office.  My answer has typically been that I know what is in the products I carry.  I do not know what is or isn't in the supplements carried at the big stores and likely no one at the big store does either.  These companies, and many smaller natural product companies, buy their ingredients from wherever they get the best price and simply put their label on it.  They do not maintain the laboratory facilities to assure quality control.  They accept the assurance of the supplier for the quality of the ingredients.  Sadly many of these suppliers lack quality control facilities as well.  It is thus common for supplements to contain toxins, contaminants, and ingredients that do not have the potency they should have.

On the other hand, I do know that by carrying the professional grade supplements we have in our office I am assured that what is on the label is in the product.  Both Metagenics and Douglas Labs maintain their own research, quality control, and manufacturing facilities.  Their products are produced to pharmacutical standards to assure there are no toxins or contaminents.  They produce many of the raw materials themselves and all ingredients are analyzed for potency.  This assures that the products consistently produce the desired biological effects in the body.

There are significant costs to establishing, staffing and maintaining the facilities necessary to assure high quality products.  Although the products sold in our office are often higher priced, patients usually get better results than when they use discount brands.  Many, many times patients will tell me they have tried a specific supplement with no positive results and then they have gotten great results when using our high quality supplements.  The end result was that the quality product was actually more cost effective because the desired results were obtained.

With supplements, as with anything else we buy, we get what we pay for.  No where is quality more important that dealing with our health.  Beware when buying supplements.  Buy quality if you want consistent results.  

5 EASY STEPS TO BECOME UNHEALTHY IN 2013

If your New Year's Resolution is to become less healthy this year, I have 5 easy steps for you to take to reach your goal.

1. Inactivity – Lack of physical activity will result in increased risks of circulation problems, heart disease, diabetes, digestive problems, sleep disturbances, muscle wasting, joint problems and mental health issues. It's not just physical activity you want to avoid but mental stimulation as well. Being a couch potato in front of the TV might be a great place to start.  This will minimize both your physical and mental activity levels.
2. Poor Nutrition – Eat as much as you can of whatever looks good and tastes good. Go for high sugar, deep fried, highly salted, high calorie, processed and genetically modified foods.  Avoid natural foods, especially fresh vegetables (green = bad) and fruit.  Consuming large quantities of alcohol will also deplete your nutritional reserves.  Without essential building blocks the body is unable to repair itself and all its systems gradually breakdown.
3. Poor Supplementation – Don't take any supplements.  Rely on the nutrient deficient foods you choose (see #2) to supply what your body needs, even though these foods don't have what the body needs.  Even more detrimental to your health is to take supplements that your body can't absorb or that are in forms that the body can't utilize. Choose low quality supplements that contain toxins and fillers. This is sure to stress the body chemically.
4. Stress Response – Prolonged stress has been shown to be a causative factor in 8 of the 10 most costly illnesses. This includes cardiovascular disease, some cancers, gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory problems, spinal conditions, as well as mental health conditions.  So don't develop mechanisms to reduce your stress levels. Let your stresses eat away at you both mentally and physically.
5. Nerve Interference – Don't worry about using proper body mechanics. Ignore aches, pains and stiffness in your spine.  A poorly working spine affects the nervous system, which is the master control of the entire body.   It only takes as much pressure on a spinal nerve as the weight of a dime to reduce the function of that nerve by 60%. Then every tissue that nerve goes to will be compromised. Be sure not have any chiropractic adjustments to correct vertebral subluxations and reduce nerve irritation in the spine.

I don't know which of these steps will cause the greatest deterioration in your health, but be assured that if you do all 5 of them you will definitely go downhill this year. It doesn't get any easier than that!  Going downhill is always the easy path.

But perhaps becoming unhealthy isn't really your resolution for 2013.  Do you instead want to get healthier? Then you will want to do the opposite of the things I've listed. Increase your physical and mental activity, improve your nutrition, take high quality supplements, control your stress levels, and reduce nerve interference with chiropractic care.  As chiropractors we can help you become healthier this year.

Staying Off the Treadmill

No, this is not an anti-exercise post.  The treadmill I'm referring to today is about running to get ahead but ending up going nowhere.  Specifically it's the medical treadmill I'm going to talk about.  It's the treadmill people find themselves on when they run from doctor to doctor, take test after test, are subjected to procedure after procedure, and take drugs followed by more drugs looking while looking for help with their health problems.  It's a treadmill that wears people down.  I see young people stressed into anxiety and depression, middle aged people worried to the point of developing new illnesses, and seniors totally exhausted physically and emotionally from being on this treadmill.  I also see people of all ages who have made a conscious effort to either stay off the treadmill or get off it once they recognize they are on it.  These people are both happier and healthier than those who are continuing to run.

I must let you know that I am not against tests, procedures and medications.  I am against tests just for the sake of running tests.  I'm against invasive procedures conducted before conservative methods are exhausted. While prescription medications can be absolutely essential for treating many conditions, they invariably have side effects.  These side effects usually necessitate additional testing and in very many cases more medication to treat the side effects.  The cycle of testing and medicating can become relentless; like running on a treadmill that can't be stopped.  This is especially true for chronic conditions for which medicine has a poor track record of treating.

Staying off the medical treadmill can be a daunting task.  The first step is to acknowledge that you are the person responsible for your health.  You can seek the advice of others and partner with other people, including doctors, but you must make the decisions regarding your health.  This is a crucial step.  It means you must become informed about your health situation.  You need to explore your options and  weigh the risks and benefits of any tests or treatments.  There are times you will need to say, "No".  No one but you can decide what is best for you.

The second step is to adopt a lifestyle that promotes health.  The best way to stay off the medical treadmill is to not get sick in the first place.  I've talked about lifestyle in several previous posts, but let me quickly list a few of the basics.  You need to eat nutritious food, drink plenty of water, avoid toxins, get adequate rest, manage stress, maintain good relationships, attend to spiritual matters, exercise, and look after your nervous system.

Now maybe you've had the misfortune of already having your health compromised through injury or illness.  You can get off the treadmill.  You must first go back to step one and take responsibility for your own health.  You need to become the decision maker.  Do your homework and find out as much as you can about what is afflicting you.  Research the treatment options.  Look for treatment methods that work with your body and aren't going to cause side effects.  Look for professionals you can partner with to help you reach your health goals.  Make lifestyle changes that will strengthen your body so it can heal itself.  The body is marvelously self healing when it's given the proper environment to do so.

In more than a quarter century of practicing chiropractic, I've observed many, many people enjoying wonderful health in their advanced years.  Invariably they are the ones who have made an effort to stay off or get off the medical treadmill.  They have decided to take responsibility for their own health.  As a chiropractor I count it a privilege to be able to partner with these people.  I advise them on lifestyle changes that will promote their health.  I also assure that there is no interference to the proper functioning of their nervous systems by adjusting their spines to correct vertebral subluxations.  Chiropractic allows the body to heal itself.

Dangerous Thoughts

Probably all professions have a mental stumbling block that keeps many in the profession from truly excelling.  In chiropractic we see so many nearly miraculous changes in our patients' health on such a frequent basis, that we fall into the trap of thinking we are healers. This is dangerous because in fact we heal nothing.  The body does the healing and the chiropractor is just a facilitator.  

Thinking I'm the healer is a trap I've fallen into many times and something I must be vigilant to guard against.  It's not good for either me or my patients.  Patient's are too often eager to give me credit for results.  "You are a miracle worker, Doc."  It really appeals to the ego to think I have healed someone.  What a sense of power!  Maybe I have some special power!  Nothing can stop me!  I begin to think I'm god-like.

This is a dangerous place for me, or any other chiropractor, to be for a number of reasons.  First, the emphasis is misplaced.  Instead of the chiropractic encounter being about the patient it becomes about me, the doctor.  The focus is about what I'm doing instead of what the patient needs.  It becomes my success not the success of the patient.  

When patients fail to get fabulous results the wrong thinking chiropractor faces a dilemma.   I feel compelled to do more procedures in an attempt to get results.  Because I feel I am the one producing the healing, when the patient doesn't respond it suddenly becomes my own personal failure.  In an attempt to still be the healer additional procedures are added or another technique is tried. Results are usually marginal, because the innate healing power of the body is ignored.   The body often responds better to less rather than more because its healing energies can be focused.  The healer in me wants to do more so I can get the credit.

When I hold myself up as the healer I also deny the patient's right to participate in the healing process.  If patients have no involvement in the healing, then they have no responsibility.  In reality each individual must accept responsibility for the actions they have taken that have affected their health to this point.  They must also accept responsibility for any present and future actions for improving their health.  Becoming healthy is not an event, but a lifestyle.  A chiropractor can partner with a patient, but the patient must take the steps to move forward.


It is not my responsibility to heal the patient's body.  It simply isn't possible for me to heal anyone.  Only the body can heal itself.  A chiropractor's responsibility is simply to remove interference to the healing process.  Anytime I (or any other chiropractor) think I am the healer, I am in dangerous territory.   It's bad for me and for my patients.

Chiropractic & Neck Pain

About three quarters of our population will be plagued with neck pain at some point in their lives.  At any point in time approximately 10% of the population is experiencing some type of neck pain.  It certainly is no small problem for our society and it is a big problem for sufferers.  As with any condition, finding the best treatment is crucial.

The January 2012 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine published a study by Bronford et. al. entitled Spinal Manipulation, Medication, and Home Exercise with Advice for Acute and Subacute Neck Pain. (You can read the complete study at: http://www.annals.org/content/156/1_Part_1/1.full.pdf+html )  This randomized study looked at people who had neck pain for 2 to 12 weeks.  Having pain for that time period is what is considered to be acute or subacute pain. The people in the study were given either spinal manipulation (chiropractic adjustments), medication or home exercises with advice for a period of twelve weeks.  Their pain levels were evaluated at 2, 4, 8, 12, 26, and 52 weeks.  

The findings showed clearly superior results for the manipulation group over the medication group at each evaluation after week 4.  Even though initially the people taking medication showed improvement, at 8, 12, 26, and 52 weeks their results were far inferior to the manipulation group. The results for the home exercises combined with advice was similar to the manipulation group.  Although it was not part of this study, it would be interesting to see what the results would be when chiropractic adjustments and home exercises are combined.  That's what I generally recommend.


Chiropractic care is effective because instead of just numbing the symptoms, it addresses the cause of the pain.  A large portion of neck pain cases are caused by vertebral subluxations.  A vertebral subluxation is when the joints of the spine have lost their proper motion and position resulting in irritation of the surrounding nerves.  Chiropractors specialize in the detection and correction of vertebral subluxations.


The Bronford study adds to the long list of research papers which show chiropractic care is superior to medications for both neck and low back pain.  We have a number of other studies summarized on our website at http://www.powers-jans.com/index.php?p=228152 .  It's important however to keep in mind that chiropractic is about more than just pain relief.  It's about allowing the body to function normally.  It's about health.

Purchasing Exercise Equipment

After making New Year's resolutions to improve their physical fitness, many people are on the hunt for exercise equipment.  Retailers are keenly aware of this and are offering great deals on a wide variety of equipment.  Consequently, one of the most common questions patients ask at this time of year is, "What kind of exercise equipment should I buy?"

The answer usually on the tip of my tongue is, "Only buy equipment that you will actually use."  And it needs to be used to exercise with - not to hang your laundry on, not to provide entertainment for the kids and their friends.  Although intentions may be great the reality is that most exercise equipment purchased gets used regularly for only a short time after it is bought and then it becomes a pain to keep dusted.  At least covering it with laundry keeps the dust off.  One reason for this is that using only a single piece of equipment becomes boring very quickly. One of the advantages of going to the gym is that the variety of equipment and exercise options helps keep exercising interesting.


To answer the original question about purchasing equipment in a different manner, a person needs to first determine how to make exercising engaging.  Then the type of equipment to be used can be more easily determined.  Bikes, treadmills, ellipticals, weight machines, etc, - each have their own advantages and disadvantages.  The important thing is to determine what will best suit your individual needs and goals.

Start by realistically assessing your current level of health and fitness.  If you have advanced joint problems even walking on a treadmill may be too harsh to begin with.  Whole body vibration combined with stretching and posture exercises may be a good starting point.  If you are capable of walking without injuring yourself, a graduated walking routine with stretching and light weights may be appropriate.  The key is to start slowly and build up while keeping things interesting enough so that you will continue to exercise.  Error on the side of caution.  Even a minor injury can derail the exercise program for a long time if you are in poor physical condition. 

Excercise equipment doesn't need to be elaborate.  Sure weight machines and treadmills are nice to use, but you can start out with just a good pair of shoes or some open floor space.  Floor exercise routines can be very effective while walking outdoors can be done in most conditions and it is preferable to a treadmill.  Hand weights and gym balls are very reasonably priced and effective exercise aids.  No special equipment is needed to start an yoga program.


Any given piece of exercise equipment is limited in the exercises you can do with it.  To work the entire body effectively it is best to do a variety of different forms of exercise. Personally I do floor, weight, walking/running, posture, balance, vibration, and stretching exercises.  I use a whole body vibration machine, a treadmill, a weight machine, and a gym ball.  The exercises and equipment I use varies with each exercise session.  This assures that my whole body is worked in a variety of ways and it helps keep exercising interesting.


Buying exercise equipment can be a very good thing.  Just make sure that whatever you buy will be a effective part of an overall fitness program.
 

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.

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?

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."   

"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.  

Health Care Fads

A medical doctor was being interviewed on Canada AM recently.  One of the points she was making was that people wanting something "natural" for their conditions was a fad.  The hair stood up on the back of my neck for moment.  From my perspective people wanting to look after their health in the least toxic, least invasive way is not any more a fad than people who want a medical approach.  After all natural approaches have been around a lot longer than than the modern approach to medicine has been.

Her comments got me to think about fads in health care.  Indeed, there are many fads in both medicine and natural health care.  Drug commercials a few years ago were all about arthritis medications.  Turn on the TV today and there seems to be non-stop advertising for erectile dysfunction drugs.  When the new wonder drug hits the market, the "performance enhancing" drugs will take a back seat.  Surgeries also go through fads.  When I started practice chymopapain injections where the big thing for spinal disc problems.  I never hear of them anymore.  Arthroscopic knee surgeries are loosing their luster.  Yes we may soon look on them as just another medical fad.

Natural health care has plenty of fads as well.  I can't even begin to enumerate all the products and procedures that I've seen since beginning practice that were the greatest thing and now are virtually unheard of.  There was the berry from South America, the root from South Asia, the extract from the liver of a marine mammal - all promising to cure most of man kind's ills.  Then there were the therapies that promised to reverse degenerative arthritis, alleviate pains instantly, and of course the machines where people would loose weight without doing anything.

I don't have a methodology for evaluating whether something in medicine is a fad, but I have developed a procedure I use to try to spy fads in natural health care.  I think adopting cutting edge procedures is valuable, but I want to keep my eyes open widely when things have only been around for a short period of time.  Fads don't stand the test of time.  I'm  also very cautious of products that are proprietary.   That is to say only one company has the technology to produce a given product.  Having a patent can be a good thing, but creating a monopoly probably isn't, especially when the focus of the company seems to be on putting down similar products rather than the benefits of their product.  The term "secret formula"  can be a red flag (although you can't call KFC a fad with their secret formula).  I also look at who is promoting the product or procedure.  Are there independent people or is everyone closely tied to the company?  What do experts I trust say about the product or procedure?  I really shy away when promotional material consists almost entirely of miracle stories.  Too good to be true is usually too good to be true.  I want to know how thing product or procedure actually produces the claimed results.  Does the process follow logically to the claimed results?

There will always be fads in health care.  Fads in natural health care are seldom dangerous and generally do provide significant benefits to at least a portion of the people who try the product or procedure.  The greatest draw back is that they can be costly if you don't get results.  On the other hand medical fads can be very dangerous.  Think of the deadly side effects from some of the arthritis medications or the chymopapain injections.  I'll opt for natural health fads over medical fads any day.

Chiropractic vs Medicine for Low Back Pain

Many people consult chiropractors for their back pain only after they have tried everything else.  Researchers are now telling us this is the backwards approach to looking after acute low back pain.  A December 2010 research paper published in The Spine Journal compared medical care and chiropractic care for acute low back pain.  


You can read the abstract of the research paper by clicking the link above, but I will summarize the findings for you.  Acute low back patients where divided into two groups.  The first received "usual" medical care which consisted of a variety of treatments including medications, massage therapy, and physiotherapy.  The second group received chiropractic care for a period of 4 weeks.  The participants were evaluated for both pain and function in their lower backs at 8, 16, and 24 weeks after starting care.  Significantly, after 16 weeks 78% of the people in the medical care group were still taking narcotic analgesic medications.  They also had much poorer scores on the function of the low back.  That is the ability to perform normal daily activities.  At the 24 week mark, both groups had improved pain scores but the medical group showed no improvement whatsoever in back function.  The chiropractic group had significant function improvement.  Please note that chiropractic care was discontinued after 4 weeks while medical care was carried on throughout the study.


The authors of this study also specifically noted that "spinal manipulative therapy" (I prefer the term adjustment; see my 23/04/2011 post) is only effective when performed by chiropractors.  It is not effective when given by osteopaths, physicians, physiotherapists or other practitioners.


The data in this study shows that chiropractic care is astoundingly superior to medical care in improving the ability of people with acute low back pain to return to normal activities.  Although not specifically mentioned in the study, we can extrapolate that by delaying chiropractic care people under medical care will have a much more difficult time to returning to normal function.  They will suffer unnecessarily and the direct and indirect costs will be much higher.  The wise thing for people with low back pain is to consult a chiropractor first not last.

Second Law of Thermodynamics

Before you roll your eyes and exit from this post, be assured I'm not going to be doing an in depth review of high school physics.  My goal is to point out how understanding this very basic law of how the universe functions can help you have better health and a better life.  That's a pretty bold statement!

There are various ways to express the 2nd law of thermodynamics, but in simple terms it states that without the application of external energy systems will become less energetic.  So unless we apply energy, deterioration will occur.  There is a tendency over time for things to become more chaotic.  Although the law was specifically applied to heat systems, over the years it's been observed to be applicable in virtually every system imaginable. Physicists even apply it to the universe itself.  I certainly see applications in health and life.

From a health standpoint, it indicates that without the application of energy our health is going to deteriorate.  If we just leave our health to chance, we will become less healthy.  Muscles must be exercised for them to remain strong,  Proper motion must be maintained in joints or they will degenerate.  Challenging our brains keeps our mental functions sharp.  Even all our internal organs need to be used in order to be healthy.  Heart and lung function decreases rapidly when they are not used vigorously.  Energy needs to be applied to all these body systems for them to remain healthy.  There is an even broader application.  Unless we put energy into our overall health, it will deteriorate.  Eating properly requires energy.  Handling stress requires the application of energy.  When we fail to apply energy to our overall health it deteriorates.  Just leaving health happen on its own results in poor health.  Sickness just happens.  Health requires energy.

The 2nd law of thermodynamics also explains why marriages and all relationships fail without the application of energy.  Businesses don't succeed unless the owners are constantly putting energy into improving products and services.   Without the energy of maintenance our homes and autos deteriorate.  Everything moves toward chaos unless energy is applied.

In my mind this is also the greatest stumbling block to the theory of evolution.  Without the application of outside energy how can life move from less complex to more complex?  We see no examples of this happening in science and the 2nd law of thermodynamics states that things become less efficient, less complex over time.

Want to be healthier?  Want to have a better life? Apply energy!  It's a law of physics.

TV vs Computer

We got our first TV when I was a child.  It was a black and white behemoth.  We got one channel with sporadic reception.  But it took a commanding place in our household.  It was front and center in the living room.  It was also front and center in our minds.  It was television!  It demanded our attention.  We had to do things on it's terms.  If we wanted to see a particular show, we arranged our schedule around it.  Skipping commercials was not an option.  (They were often part of the show itself.)  TV hasn't changed much.  It still demands that the viewer do things on it's terms and it's schedule; even as hard as VCRs, DVRs & PVRs have tried to change that.

Computers, as an entertainment source, on the other hand allow the user to come and go as they please.   We decide what we want to view, when we want to view it.  The advertising is there, but again we choose whether to view it.  The user is in control.  (As I say this I also realize that while I technically control my computer, sometimes it seems the computer is doing it's own thing ;) 

There is an important analogy here for health care.  In the past the doctor told the patient what to do and when to do it.  Today the patient has the opportunity to take charge of their own health.  With adequate information patients can effectively evaluate available options and make the best decision for themselves and their families.  For who can make a better decision than the individual themselves.  The doctor becomes an adviser; part of their team, rather than someone who dictates what must be done. 

For many years now, I have tried to educate patients and give them the option to chose the care they feel is best and respect the choice they make.  All I can do is make recommendations.  I know that in my own health decisions I want to be in control, not controlled.  I want to be on the computer, not in front of the TV.  How about you?

Potholes

As I was driving to the office the other day, I realized that pothole season has begun in Medicine Hat.  Given the large crop that has sprung up already, it looks like we will have a bumper crop of potholes this year.  Driving my wife's Smart is like trying to navigate a battlefield.  During the warmer parts of the day, the city is attempting to patch some of the bigger craters.  I fear they are fighting a loosing battle until spring arrives.  A few freeze/thaw cycles and the holes will be back; only bigger than before.  The only way to really fix the road is to resurface it completely.

This reminds me very much of what I see happening in the lives of many of my patients.  They have a health issue and work very hard initially to get rid of the symptoms.  They have their spines adjusted, they exercise, they take nutritional supplements, they get massages and laser therapy.  Behold they feel better!  Just like the patched road, life seams to be smooth.  But like the patched road, their body's are not strong.  A few stresses and their symptoms are back again.  Like the pothole, it's often worse when it returns.

Just like resurfacing the road is a better long term solution, continuing doing things that will heal and strengthen the body is the best thing for us humans.  It means changing one's focus from symptoms to health.  It means taking a long term view.  Although the cost may be higher initially, the long term benefits of an improved life actually reduces future expenditures.  It means focusing on the body, even when it isn't screaming with symptoms.  Everything we do every day affects us positively or negatively.  Become aware of how the body is affected and make choices for long term benefit.  

May your roads be smooth.