December 1, 2015

Short and Sweet

Is It The Gluten Or Is It The Glyphosate? New evidence points to glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, as the culprit in the rise of gluten intolerance, celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome. A study just published in the Journal of Interdisciplinary Toxicology (Vol. 6(4): 159–184 ) by Anthony Samsel and Stephanie Seneff explains how the nearly ubiquitous use of glyphosate as a crop desiccant is entering our food chain and making us ill. http://www.examiner.com/article/is-it-the-gluten-or-is-it-the-glyphosate

Higher Vitamin D Levels In Patients With Advanced Colon Cancer Appear To Improve Response To Chemotherapy And Targeted Anti-Cancer Drugs, Researchers Say.  "We found that patients who had vitamin D levels at the highest category had improved survival and improved progression-free survival, compared with patients in the lowest category," said lead author Dr. Kimmie Ng, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. Those patients survived one-third longer than patients with low levels of vitamin D -- an average 32.6 months, compared with 24.5 months, the researchers found. http://nws.mx/1EQgyye 

Poor Sleep Quality May Accelerate Cancer Growth, Study Finds: Failing to get a good night’s rest may actually have some serious health consequences.
Poor quality of sleep marked by frequent waking can speed cancer growth and increase the disease’s aggressiveness, according to new research. http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/01/28/poor-sleep-quality-may-accelerate-cancer-growth-study-finds.html

The American Academy Of Pediatrics Says Children Under Two Should Avoid Using Tablets:
Parents think they’re educating and stimulating their kids, but doctors and therapists are raising a red flag — too much screen time can hurt their developing bodies. “If they are always on the iPad and not actually doing those paper pencil activities that they should still be doing, those muscles are going to remain weaker,” said occupational therapist Lindsay Marzoli, Learning and Therapy Corner. http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/11/14/red-flag-doctors-warn-tablets-can-actually-hurt-a-toddlers-developing-body/

Steroid Shots Do Little Good for Back Pain: Study
Lower back pain related to herniated disk (when intervertebral disks become compressed and bulge) and, to a lesser degree, spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal), is often treated with epidural steroid injections, the researchers said. But after reviewing 38 previously published studies, the researchers found no strong evidence to support their use for these conditions.
Lead researcher Dr. Roger Chou, a professor of medicine at the Oregon Health & Science University, said, "Patients may have a perception that these injections reduce the need for surgery or result in long-term benefits," Chou said. "It's important for them to understand that benefits appear to be short-lived and to weigh these short-term benefits against potential complications of the injections, such as infection and nerve injury."
Dr. Nick Shamie, professor and chief of orthopedic spine surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, agreed with the findings.
"We have known that steroid injections don't have a lasting benefit," said Shamie, who was not involved in the study. "For spinal stenosis, giving an injection is not going to open up the compression of the nerves and is not going to have a lasting effect." http://www.newsmax.com/Health/Health-News/steroid-shots-back-pain/2015/08/24/id/671661/

Dr. Olson’s note:
Chiropractic and acupuncture are excellent as the first line of defense in seeking healing from back pain. Rather than seeking merely to relieve the pain, these modalities effectively treat the cause of the pain. This approach to healing is more time- and cost-effective, as well as having encouraging results in your physical outcome. Give yourself the gift of preventative and maintenance care on a regular basis, as well as when you are in pain. 

November 18, 2015

Thanksgiving schedule:

The office will be closed on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Be sure to schedule your appointments for before and after the holiday break!

Have a very happy Thanksgiving holiday!

October 10, 2015

Chinese Herbs: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times

In today's world of too-much-hurry and too-much-worry, peace and enduring happiness can be hard to find. In today's high tech environment, the pathway to health remains constant. One sure approach is to look to times past to seek the wisdom of the ancients. Timeless answers apply to today's modern problems. Ancient traditions applied in modern times can restore harmony to a life out of balance—and balance in life is synonymous with good health.

For thousands of years, the Chinese carefully observed and charted the interaction of herbs in the human condition. The Chinese developed a strategy and system of herb use that remains unsurpassed in the world today. Critical in understanding the basics of this complex system is the foundation upon which it rests: Chinese herbal medicine works by restoring natural balance in the body. Everyone has an innate ability to heal. The proper herbs release this divinely-appointed power to heal from within.


The Law of Yin and Yang describes balance. According to this theory, all things can be categorized in this system. Yin and Yang are opposites and yet complimentary traits. For example, view the following chart:

By analyzing the patient's life and health, the corrective treatment can be prescribed. And by careful examination of the patient, a pattern emerges. This pattern is descriptive of the patient's health status. Treatment by herbs or acupuncture is applied to that pattern.
     
As the pattern of health improves, so does the patient's health and well-being. 

It is paramount that the patient understand the focus of the treatment. In Chinese and Chiropractic medicine the focus is on health, not the offending disease. Here is a helpful analogy: Darkness, by definition, is the absence of light. Darkness is actually nothing; just the lack of something. 

Disease, like darkness, is a simple lack of something—specifically a lack of health. In and of itself, disease is really nothing. As a result, the treatment of health is very different from the treatment for disease. The herbs are designed to restore healthy balance. 


This perspective of health and disease is further demonstrated in the following chart:

Chinese herbs are used to restore maximum health. This process can be quick or it may take a long time. The duration, severity and seriousness of the condition, as well as the patient's ability to heal, are all critical factors in determining the outcome and length of care. Old habits often must be changed. Emotions must be harmonious, and lifestyle needs to be consistent with a healthy body, mind, and spirit.

Dr. Olson has been using Chinese herbs in his practice for over 20 years. He studied for twelve years with Master Guo, a sixth-generation Traditional Chinese Herbal practitioner. The use of Traditional Chinese Herbs is the greatest, most intricate system of natural medicines in the world. Many conditions are best remedied through a personalized herbal approach. The power in Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine is that it changes the condition from a diseased state to one of health. Once the condition is changed, you will no longer need to take the herbs.


Guidelines: 
Normal doses for the herb is 3 pills/capsules, 3 times per day (a total of 9 pills of each type recommended). The herbs may be taken with meals. Plan to continue the recommended herbs until you are instructed to stop them. Discuss them at each visit. Normally herbs will show a positive effect within two weeks. 

There should be no side effects: If you experience side effects, stop taking the herbs and contact the Doctor. It doesn't mean the herbs are bad for you, they are just not right for your particular situation. Herbs, when properly applied, are safe. Many news stories have surfaced about dangers with herbs. The fact remains that herbs, properly acquired and utilized, are safe and very beneficial. 

For a wellness program to be complete, herbs should be considered. When harmony is reestablished in the body, harmony in life becomes attainable.

August 8, 2015

Frequently Asked Questions about Acupuncture:

Q: What is acupuncture?
A: In this treatment, Dr. Olson strategically places extremely thin needles into specific points of your body. The stimulation of these miraculous pressure points will help your body to balance its vital life energy. After the needles are placed, you will comfortably relax in one of our soothing treatment rooms for 15 minutes of energetic rejuvenation.
     Acupuncture is an ancient form of healing originating in China. Its beginnings date back nearly 4,000 years. It began as a philosophy and expanded to become a healing art. The premise is based on the belief that there is a substance that causes all movement and stimulates all life in the universe. This substance they call ‘Qi.’ The best label in our language for this substance in non-religious terms would be ‘life force’ or ‘energy.’ Each and every living being on our planet has this energy in their body. It is channeled in pathways or meridians that run throughout the body. Each meridian connects to a different organ or controls a function in the body.
     If the Qi in the body is of proper quantity and moves freely in its designed pathways, health reigns supreme. When the Qi is out of balance or flows improperly we enter the phase where disease occurs. Disease is when we are not at ease with our environment, and our ability to adapt and react properly is limited. This is when we eventually get ill. Acupuncture is designed to correct imbalance in these meridians to prevent the development of disease as well as to treat problems that may occur in our life.

Q: How does acupuncture work?
A: Acupuncture works by manipulating the energy channels via points along these channels called ‘acupuncture points’ or ‘pressure points.’ Each point has a different effect on the energy in the body. Point selection and the method of working the point is determined. Properly applied needles, lasers, massage, or other forms of mechanical stimulation will ensure correction in the energetic imbalance. When the imbalance is corrected, health returns.

Q: What can acupuncture help?
A: Acupuncture has been used historically for a wide variety of conditions. In our practice, patients who suffered from the following conditions have been helped: multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, headaches of various origins, menstrual problems, infertility, digestive disorders, learning disabilities, joint injuries, arthritic conditions, sinus problems, allergies, frequent colds and flus, depression and many, many more. What acupuncture really treats is health. As your health fully returns, the body fulfills it's innate self-healing work, and symptoms will leave.

July 22, 2015

Short and Sweet


Mayo Clinic Researchers Say They’ve Cracked The Code To Being Happy: Dr. Amit Sood led the research and says the first and foremost way to be happy is to focus our attention. “You can choose to live focusing on what is not right in your life,” Dr. Sood said. But if we learn to command our thoughts, shifting perspective away from the negative, and embrace the positive, we will be happier, experts say. “Resiliency has everything to do with happiness,” Dr. Sood said. The Mayo Clinic’s research also shows the degree of happiness people enjoy has to do with how resilient they are to life’s many curve balls. Happy people are very good at compartmentalizing and creating boundaries. “So for example, if you’ve had a difficult day, when you get back home, for the first three minutes, forget about it, park it, and meet your family as if they’re long lost friends,” Dr. Sood added. And perhaps one of the biggest hindrances to being happy is too much thinking about one’s self, research shows. “Complainers are never going to be happy,” Ketchian said. “Happiness is a decision.” So why did the Mayo Clinic decide to study happiness? Studies show happier people are healthier people. http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/06/05/researchers-cracked-code-happiness/

Centenarians’ Positive Attitude Linked to Long Life: A recent study published in the journal Aging suggests that having a positive attitude and a sense of humor could play a role in living a longer, healthier life. "The results indicated they had two things -- a positive attitude for life, meaning they are optimistic, easygoing, extraverted, laughed more and expressed emotions rather than bottling them up," said Dr. Nil Barzilai, a study co-author and director of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine's Institute for Aging Research. The study participants also were less neurotic and more conscientious than a representative sample of other Americans. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/centenarians-positive-attitude-linked-long-healthy-life/story?id=16494151

For Headaches, A Lifestyle Change May Be The Best Remedy:
At the Comprehensive Headache Center of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, patients receive a thorough medical history that includes headache patterns, disability and mood assessments. Then the center works with patients to try to identify what triggers their headaches and how they can avoid those triggers in the future.
Some people find relief through exercise. "I write an exercise prescription probably as often as I write a prescription for medication," the headache center’s director, neurologist Carolyn Bernstein, says. She acknowledges it's sometimes difficult to encourage a patient with cracking head pain to get up and exercise. But even a little can help, and according to Bernstein it doesn't have to be jogging for miles and miles. It can be yoga, tai chi or even just a little stretching. http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2015/05/11/404693609/for-headache-pain-a-lifestyle-change-may-be-better-than-a-doctor-visit
Chiropractic and Acupuncture are natural therapies for those who have headaches.  Because we deal with cause, and not the symptoms, headaches are a natural fit in our practice.  If you or someone you know has headaches, please give us a call, and make the world a healthier place today. 
-Dr. Olson

Getting a tattoo may be a rash decision: Folks in New York who’ve gotten tattooed sometimes receive a little something extra—a “rash, severe itching or swelling that lasted longer than four months and, in some cases, for many years,” according to researchers. "The skin is a highly immune-sensitive organ, and the long-term consequences of repeatedly testing the body's immune system with injected dyes and colored inks are poorly understood," says Leger. "Some of the reactions appear to be an immune response, yet we do not know who is most likely to have an immune reaction to a tattoo." http://www.citylab.com/work/2015/05/tattooed-new-yorkers-report-all-kinds-of-nasty-skin-conditions/394304/

Unhealthy lifestyle can knock 23 years off lifespan: Suffering from heart disease, stroke and type two diabetes could knock 23 years off life and yet they are preventable for eight out of 10 people. "Our results highlight the importance of preventing heart disease and stroke amongst patients with diabetes, and likewise averting diabetes amongst heart disease patients," said Professor John Danesh, Head of the Department of Public Health and Primary Care University of Cambridge and British Heart Foundation Professor. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/11723443/Unhealthy-lifestyle-can-knock-23-years-off-lifespan.html

5 Ways Vinegar Keeps You Healthy: Vinegar has been used for healing since Hippocrates used it to treat wounds. Recently, vinegar has been touted as a cure for everything from an upset stomach to dandruff. Can vinegar really be such a "cure-all?" Modern scientific studies are giving the old folk remedies new life by showing that they can indeed be used to treat modern medical scourges. Read the full article to check out the following ways vinegar can help keep you healthy: Diabetes, Weight loss, Heart disease, Cancer, Stomach ailments. http://www.newsmax.com/Health/Headline/vinegar-healing-healthy-cure/2015/06/02/id/648310/#ixzz3c1pycmau 


Diet soda may do more harm than good: Purdue University researchers reviewed a dozen studies published in past five years that examined the relationship between consuming diet soda and health outcomes. http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/10/diet-soda-may-do-more-harm-than-good/

June 13, 2015

Short and Sweet


Children who watch three hours of TV a day could be left 'educationally stunted and prone to bullying': Researchers have found that after two hours of viewing, every extra hour of TV has the potential to harm a child's development, both physically and socially.  This includes poorer vocabulary, math skills and attention in class, victimization by classmates and poor physical prowess at nursery. Read more at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2559336/Children-watch-three-hours-TV-day-left-educationally-stunted-prone-bullying.html#ixzz2tOgrett1 

Antibiotic-Resistant Diseases Described As 'Apocalyptic' Threat: Britain's most senior medical adviser, Dame Sally Davies, said the threat from infections that are resistant to frontline antibiotics was so serious that the issue should be added to the government's national risk register of civil emergencies. She described what she called an "apocalyptic scenario" where people going for simple operations in 20 years' time die of routine infections "because we have run out of antibiotics". Read more at http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jan/23/antibiotic-resistant-diseases-apocalyptic-threat?intcmp=239

Children Exposed to More Brain-Harming Chemicals Than Ever Before: In 2006, scientists identified five industrial chemicals responsible for causing harm to the brain – lead, methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (found in electric transformers, motors and capacitors), arsenic (found in soil and water as well as in wood preservatives and pesticides), and toluene (used in processing gasoline as well as in paint thinner, fingernail polish, and leather tanning). Exposure to these neurotoxins was associated with changes in neuron development in the fetus as well as among infants, and with lower school performance, delinquent behavior, neurological abnormalities, and reduced IQ in school-aged children. “The consequence of such brain damage is impaired [central nervous system] function that lasts a lifetime and might result in reduced intelligence, as expressed in terms of lost IQ points, or disruption in behavior.” Read more at http://healthland.time.com/2014/02/14/children-exposed-to-more-brain-harming-chemicals-than-ever-before/#ixzz2tM20Qn26

Heartburn Drugs Linked to Kidney Failure: Older patients taking drugs known as proton pump inhibitors, a common remedy for heartburn and acid reflux, are two times more likely to be hospitalized with kidney failure than peers who don't take the pills, a study finds. While the side effect is extremely rare, and the study doesn't prove the drugs cause kidney failure, the association is worrisome because tens of millions of people a year take these pills, sold by prescription and over-the-counter in some countries, with brand names including Prilosec, Prevacid and Zegerid. Read more at http://www.newsmax.com/Health/Health-News/heartburn-kidney-drugs-proton/2015/04/16/id/639044/#ixzz3XX9zDIyS 

Surprising Ways the Moon Affects Your Health: A study of British physicians found that visits and emergency calls increased during a full moon and decreased during a new moon. And numerous studies have also confirmed that the moon has a definite effect on sleep, menstrual cycles, heart health, kidney stone pain, mental and emotional health, and even animal behaviors. Read more at http://www.newsmax.com/Health/Headline/moon-affects-health-tales/2015/04/15/id/638770/#ixzz3XX9SeXM1 

“Antioxidant supplements should not be used to replace a nutritionally adequate diet”: Antioxidants, including vitamins A, C and E, are plentiful in vegetables and fruits and may help protect against cell or DNA damage – as a result, they’ve been touted for cancer prevention, heart disease prevention and warding off dementia. “There is good scientific evidence that eating a diet with lots of vegetables and fruits is healthful and lowers risks of certain diseases,” said lead author Annlia Paganini-Hill of the Clinic for Aging Research and Education at the University of California, Irvine. “However, it is unclear whether this is because of the antioxidants, something else in these foods, other foods in people's diet, or other lifestyle choices,” she stated. Read more at http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/07/us-health-antioxidants-mortality-idUSKBN0KG1TN20150107

A hormone used to raise beef cattle may be staying in the environment longer than previously believed and changing the sex of fish, among other effects: These hormones are so effective at causing the sex changes in fish that some fish farms in both the U.S. and abroad intentionally feed similar compounds, such as 17-alpha methyltestosterone, to their fish—usually tilapia—to prevent breeding by turning all of their fish into males. This helps farmers control populations, and divert the energy the fish would use for breeding to growing more tissue, producing a larger animal. http://www.cnbc.com/id/102667398

Whole Grains Help You Live Longer: That’s the upshot of a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health that indicates each average daily serving of whole grains lowers a person's risk of dying from heart disease by 9 percent and lowers the overall risk of dying from anything by 5 percent over a quarter-century. "Eating whole grains as a regular part of a healthy diet for many years is associated with a lower risk of death from cardiovascular-related diseases," the researchers said. "These findings further support current dietary guidelines that recommend increasing whole grain consumption to facilitate primary and secondary prevention of chronic disease and also provide promising evidence that suggests a diet enriched with whole grains may confer benefits toward extended life expectancy." Whole grains include whole wheat, brown rice, and whole oats. Read more at http://www.NewsmaxHealth.com/Health-News/whole-grain-health-longevity/2015/01/05/id/616525/#ixzz3NzxKJfcw 

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June 1, 2015

"O" Zone - Guest Writer

The following article, by Donald M. Petersen Jr. and published in Dynamic Chiropractic, contains important information about breast cancer screenings and the dangerous overdiagnosis of breast cancer due to false-positive test results. Please take this information into consideration as you make your personal decision concerning future mammographies.


First Do No Harm?
By Donald M. Petersen Jr., BS, HCD(hc), FICC(h), Publisher

There's no questioning the frightening nature of breast cancer, which strikes one in eight women in the U.S. – eclipsed only by skin cancer in terms of prevalence. Some women with a genetic risk have even elected to have preventive double mastectomies (removal of both breasts) in an effort to eliminate the possibility of developing breast cancer.
While I certainly respect their deeply personal decisions and appreciate the potential danger / risk breast cancer poses, particularly if a high-risk situation exists, it's also important to note that a mounting number of studies suggest there is a considerable amount of overdiagnosis when it comes to the disease. These studies bring to light high "false-positive" rates and suggest women not at high risk may want to reconsider whether to have routine mammograms in the absence of additional indications.
For example, a 2012 study in The New England Journal of Medicine1 found breast cancer has been overdiagnosed with the advent of mammograms. Researchers note, "Our estimate of overdiagnosed cancers attributable to mammography over the past 30 years involved more than 1 million women." In the study, the authors question the current value of mammograms:
"Our study raises serious questions about the value of screening mammography. It clarifies that the benefit of mortality reduction is probably smaller, and the harm of overdiagnosis probably larger, than has been previously recognized. And although no one can say with certainty which women have cancers that are overdiagnosed, there is certainty about what happens to them: they undergo surgery, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy for 5 years or more, chemotherapy, or (usually) a combination of these treatments for abnormalities that otherwise would not have caused illness."
A new study published in Health Affairs2 presents even more information on the issue of unnecessary and harmful care provided to women who are victims of "false-positives" within a given year:
  • "The cumulative probability of a false-positive recall after ten years of screening mammography for an individual woman has been estimated to be 61 percent."3
  • "Breast cancer overdiagnosis, defined as the diagnosis of lesions that are unlikely to become clinically evident during the lifetime of a patient, exposes patients to the harm of overtreatment. A recent randomized controlled trial of screening mammography in Canada reported an overdiagnosis rate of 22 percent for all screen detected invasive breast cancer."4
  • "The US rate of overdiagnosis has been estimated to be 22-31 percent of all breast cancers diagnosed.1
  • "False-positive mammography results are more common among women ages 40-49 than among older women."
  • "A total of 77,729 women (11.1 percent) received a false-positive mammogram that led to further diagnostic workup and breast-related procedures."
  • "When we used the estimated false-positive rate of 11 percent shown in our data, we found that 3.2 million women would receive a false-positive mammogram. This translates to a national cost of $2.8 billion per year."
  • "If we assume a false-positive rate of 11 percent and overdiagnosis rates of 22 percent and 86 percent for invasive breast cancer and DCIS (the most common form of non-invasive breast cancer), respectively, the national cost of false-positive mammography results and breast cancer overdiagnoses among women ages 40–59 is about $4 billion each year."
  • "Ultimately, the decision to undergo breast cancer screening must be based on a careful consideration of the trade-off between the benefits and harms of screening."
In short, we have a medical system that is raking in $4 billion per year solely from false-positives and overdiagnosis. As a result, every year millions of women unwittingly become physically and emotionally scarred by their unnecessary actions. The two take-home messages here are simple:
Arm Your Patients – Provide this information to your patients so they can make better-informed choices about when to have a mammogram and how to react to positive results. It doesn't mean they should skip the procedure; it means they should talk to their doctor about its annual necessity as part of a larger discussion about risk factors.
Honor the Oath – The Hippocratic Oath maintains the fundamental principle that it may be better to do nothing than to do something more harmful than the illness itself (or lack thereof). The medical profession has apparently forgotten this; chiropractic must not. By putting our patients' health first, doctors of chiropractic will continue to be the providers people trust.

References
  1. 1 Bleyer A, Welch HG. Effect of three decades of screening mammography on breast-cancer incidence. N Engl J Med, 2012;367:1998-2005.
  2. 2 National expenditure for false-positive mammograms and breast cancer overdiagnoses estimated at $4 billion a year. Health Affairs, April 201534:4576-583.
  3. 3 Hubbard RA, Kerlikowske K, Flowers CL, et al. Cumulative probability of false-positive recall or biopsy recommendation after 10 years of screening mammography: a cohort study. Ann Intern Med, 2011;155(8):481-92.
  4. 4 Miller AB, Wall C, Baines CJ, et al. Twenty five year follow-up for breast cancer incidence and mortality of the Canadian National Breast Screening Study: randomised screening trial. Brit Med J, 2014;348:g366.

Read more findings on the author's blog: http://blog.toyourhealth.com/wrblog/. You can also visit him on Facebook.

Click here for more information about Donald M. Petersen Jr., BS, HCD(hc), FICC(h), Publisher.

Article shared from: http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=57387&no_paginate=true&p_friendly=true&no_b=true

May 13, 2015

Short and Sweet



Americans who frequently use drugs to relax have lower well-being, according to interviews with at least 450 residents of each state from January to December 2014: While the interview question specifically refers to drugs that "affect your mood or help you relax," the interpretation of that description is left up to respondents and could include prescription drugs, recreational drugs, alcohol or nicotine. http://www.gallup.com/poll/182192/mood-altering-drug-highest-west-virginia-lowest-alaska.aspx?utm_source=STATE_OF_THE_STATES&utm_medium=topic&utm_campaign=tiles

Ambien is becoming better known for triggering bizarre behavior than it is for treating insomnia: It was designed for short term use to combat insomnia. Ambien users sued the manufacturer because of bizarre sleep-eating behaviors while on the drugs. According to Chana Lask, attorney for the class action suit, people were eating things like buttered cigarettes and eggs, complete with the shells, while under the influence of Ambien. Lask called people in this state “Ambien zombies.” As a result of the lawsuit, and of increasing reports coming in about “sleep driving,” the FDA ordered all hypnotics to issue stronger warnings on their labels. The drug has also caused cases of murder, “sleep driving,” “sleep eating,” “sleep shopping,” and amnesia. http://www.alternet.org/drugs/americas-number-one-prescription-sleep-aid-could-trigger-zombies-murder-and-other-disturbing?ak_proof=1&akid=.1121926.wDJK8-&rd=1&src=newsletter948677&t=11

Massachusetts nurses sue over flu shot mandate: The Massachusetts Nurses Association, the union representing 3,200 nurses at the Brigham, said in its lawsuit that the hospital’s mandate, which could lead to the firing of employees who refuse vaccination, violates a state regulation that explicitly bars hospitals from requiring employees to the receive vaccine if they don’t want it, regardless of the reason. David Schildmeier, the spokesman for the nurses’ union, said that while nurses accept requirements to be vaccinated against polio, measles, and other infectious diseases, some regard the flu vaccine differently. Shots must be taken every year, reformulated each time to protect against the flu strains expected to circulate. Schildmeier asserted that the shot is ineffective 50 to 60 percent of the time and that nurses can protect patients through infection control measures. http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/09/24/nurses-union-sues-block-proposed-flu-shot-mandate-brigham-and-women-hospital/SQBXdxd1OQwTie5Fyg1d1J/story.html

Certain birth control may pose risk of Type 2 diabetes for obese women: A first-of-its-kind study by researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) indicates that healthy, obese, reproductive-age women who use long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) containing the hormone progestin have a slightly increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes when compared to those who use non-hormonal contraception. http://www.biospace.com/News/certain-hormonal-contraceptive-may-pose-risk-of/287140

Gardasil is in the news again: A mystery illness is plaguing girls in El Carmen de Bolivar, Colombia. First their hands and feet feel cold. Then they go pale and cannot move. Some convulse and fall to the floor. "This is not collective hysteria or manipulation. If you see your daughter have these symptoms after a vaccination, what else would you blame?" asked Maria Veronica Romera, the mother of a weakened 13-year-old. Dozens of teenagers have experienced similar symptoms. Some have even lost consciousness. The city's modest hospital has been overwhelmed by a surge of unconscious teenage girls being wheeled through its doors. Doctors search, in vain, for possible cases of hypoglycemia or drug abuse. According to hospital official Augusto Agamez, about 370 minors have checked into the facility. http://news.yahoo.com/mystery-illness-plagues-girls-colombia-052825963.html

Is sugar making you sick? The common belief until now was that sugar just makes us fat, but it's become clear through research that it's making us sick. For example, there's the rise in fatty-liver disease, the emergence of Type 2 diabetes as an epidemic in children and the dramatic increase in metabolic disorders. http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/sc-health-1210-sugar-metabolic-syndrome-20141205-story.html#page=1

Most people associate liver disease and cirrhosis with alcoholism. However, the vast majority of people with NASH are not heavy drinkers: The chief cause is obesity, says Dr. Maheshwari. Particularly suspect is the overconsumption of sugar, particularly in the form of high fructose corn syrup, a common ingredient in processed food. “If you think about an apple and banana, they have sugar, but the body has to do a lot of work to break down that sugar and metabolize it,” said Bipan Chand, M.D., director of the Loyola Center for Metabolic Surgery & Bariatric Care at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in Chicago. “High fructose corn syrup is very dense and easy for the body to convert into fat.” http://www.NewsmaxHealth.com/Headline/fatty-liver-disease-nonalcoholic-steatohepatitis-epidemic/2015/01/04/id/616329/#ixzz3NzwbIyZm 


These articles pile up every month.  The BEST course is a healthy lifestyle.  Keep taking care of yourself and investing in your health and well being.  You are worth it!

April 13, 2015

Short and Sweet

Photo by amenic181 | freedigitalphotos.net

As spring launches into full bloom, be aware of a couple of health hints:

1.  Engage in yard work with a little restraint. I am already seeing injuries from overdoing the initial phase of working in the yard.  
       
2.  Allergies are already rearing their unpleasant mug. Remember, Antronex, Allerplex or CB and HB are excellent natural alternatives to treating the effects of hayfever, without the side effects of prescription and OTC meds, and you can get rid of your allergies in many cases. Let us know if we can help you use healthier habits as you embark on a new summer of activities. 
—Dr. O.

Women exposed to pesticide chemicals show an increased risk of autism in their unborn children: This new study strengthens the existing evidence linking neurodevelopmental disorders with gestational pesticide exposures, particularly organophosphates. These chemicals work by paralyzing muscles in insects, and they can harm humans in multiple ways as well. http://www.healthfreedoms.org/new-study-links-pesticide-exposure-in-pregnant-women-to-autism-us-naturalsociety-on-twitter-facebook-naturalsociety-on/

Men who eat more fruits and vegetables with pesticide residue have lower sperm counts and a lower percentage of normal sperm, according to a new study: “This does not necessarily imply reduced fertility,” said senior author Jorge Chavarro of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He and his team are actively investigating whether women’s markers of fertility may also be linked to pesticides in the diet, he said.
Some pesticides remain on the surface of produce and may come off when washed, but many others are absorbed into fruit and washing will do nothing in those cases, Chavarro said. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/03/30/us-sperm-quality-pesticides-idUKKBN0MQ2CS20150330

New concern about testosterone and heart risks: A large new study found that prescription testosterone raised the risk of heart attacks in older men and in middle-aged men with a history of heart disease, prompting some experts on Wednesday to call for more extensive warning labels on the drugs. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/study-adds-to-concern-about-cardiac-risks-for-older-men-taking-testosterone/

Medications are the biggest cause of sudden deaths related to allergy: And yet there is no national registry [in the United States] for anaphylaxis deaths. When the responsible drug was identified, it was an antibiotic in 40 percent of the cases, researcher says. The next most common allergy-inducing drugs were radiocontrast agents, which are used during diagnostic imaging tests, followed by chemotherapy medications to treat cancer, the study reported. 
       When the cure becomes more deadly than the cause, we must rethink our approach. Many of our patients have found NAET a safe and effective way to eliminate allergic symptoms—for good. And unlike drugs, it does it by making you healthier.  —Dr. O.

Supplements effective as prescription drug for arthritis pain: Three daily doses of glucosamine and chondroitin may provide the same relief as a smaller dose of prescription celecoxib for people with severe pain from osteoarthritis, according to a randomized trial in four European countries, in which half of the study participants took a daily combination of 400 milligrams chondroitin sulfate and 500 mg glucosamine hydrochloride. The new study suggests that in combination they can be effective for osteoarthritis patients, especially for people with heart or gastrointestinal problems who may not be able to take an NSAID. http://www.NewsmaxHealth.com/Health-News/glucosamine-chondroitin-arthritis-pain/2015/02/14/id/624828/#ixzz3RqUUJrHI 

Facebook reportedly working on healthcare features and apps: Facebook Inc. is exploring creating online "support communities" that would connect Facebook users suffering from various ailments. A small team is also considering new "preventative care" applications that would help people improve their lifestyles. Privacy, an area where the company has faced considerable criticism over the years, will likely prove a challenge. Frank Williams, chief executive of Evolent Health, a company that provides software and services to doctors and health systems, said that people would need anonymity and an assurance that their data and comments wouldn't be shared with their online contacts, advertisers, or pharmaceutical companies. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/03/facebook-healthcare_n_5926140.html

Dieters more likely to have gallstones, study says: People who go on an extremely low calorie diet are more likely to develop gallstones than people on a moderately low calorie diet. Dr. Michael Jensen, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, said dieters typically end up with similar weight loss in the long run whether they use extreme calorie restriction or more moderately restricted diets. "You're going to end up in the same place (weight-wise), so why take the risk of ending up in the hospital with a gall bladder problem just to lose weight faster?" said Jensen, who was not part of the study. http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/Health-News/diet-crash-gallstones-weight/2013/06/07/id/508746#ixzz2VixIA8mY 

Dental decay in athletes may be due to changes in saliva: Vigorous exercise is good for almost all of the body — except perhaps the teeth, according to a surprising new study of athletes. The study found that heavy training may contribute to dental problems in unexpected ways. “We had thought sports drinks and nutrition might have the most detrimental influence on dental decay,” said Dr. Cornelia Frese, “but we saw no direct link” between them. Instead, it was the changes in saliva during exercise that differentiated the athletes’ mouths from those of the control group. Since saliva “has a very protective function” for teeth, Dr. Frese said, having less of it or a chemically different version during exercise could be problematic. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/is-exercise-bad-for-your-teeth/?_r=0

March 25, 2015

Short and Sweet News


Combining benzodiazepines with other substances raises risks: Benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam, diazepam, clonazepam and lorazepam, are a class of drugs used to relieve symptoms of anxiety, panic attacks and seizures.  They are usually safe when taken as prescribed and directed under a health professional’s supervision.   However, benzodiazepines can sometimes cause adverse effects – especially if used improperly or in combination with substances like opioid pain relievers or alcohol. http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/DAWN-SR192-BenzoCombos-2014/DAWN-SR192-BenzoCombos-2014.pdf.

Thicker brain sections tied to spirituality: For people at high risk of depression, a new study hints that spirituality may offer some protection for the brain. Parts of the brain's outer layer, the cortex, were thicker in high-risk study participants who said religion or spirituality was "important" to them versus those who cared less about religion. http://bit.ly/1jYo6ro

Drinking soda may speed up how your body’s cells age: Dr. Elissa Epel worked on the study for 5 years. “We think we can get away with drinking lots of soda as long as we are not gaining weight, but this suggests that there is an invisible pathway that leads to accelerated aging, regardless of weight,” said Dr. Epel. http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2014/10/18/ucsf-study-links-soda-to-premature-aging-disease-early-death/

The obesity epidemic in the western world could be caused in part by exposure to hormones in plastic and soy: Scientists believe that men are slowly becoming 'feminised' by contact with estrogen, found for example in the PVC used to make water pipes. Exposure to extra estrogen inhibits the thyroid and affects areas of the brain, leading to more weight gain. And this could even explain the drop in sperm counts amongst Western men. http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/521126/Men-obese-hormones-plastic-soy-oestrogen

Long-term study found that slow joggers had the lowest rates of death: Strenuous joggers were as likely to die as sedentary non-joggers. Going jogging three times a week for no more than 2.4 hours is optimal. The pace of the slow joggers corresponds to vigorous exercise and strenuous jogging corresponds to very vigorous exercise, researchers qualified. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2936615/Too-jogging-just-bad-doing-none-short-run-three-time-week-key-longer-life.html#ixzz3QgacuLVz 

Organic or not organic, that is the question: Researchers reported that people who ate organic fruits and vegetables had significantly lower amounts of organophosphates (OPs) in their bodies than those who ate conventionally grown produce. OPs are components of many insecticides and herbicides, and they have been linked to numerous health problems, such as increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and risk of ADHD in children. The EWG estimates that people can lower their pesticide exposure 90 percent by avoiding the most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating the least contaminated instead.
       Almost two-thirds of the produce samples tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture contained pesticide residues, and the Environmental Working Group (EWG)'s "Dirty Dozen" list contains the most. With apples as the "dirtiest," the rest of the list is as follows: peaches, nectarines, strawberries, grapes, celery, spinach, sweet bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, imported snap peas and potatoes. The EWG considers the "Dirty Dozen Plus" — leafy greens and hot peppers — particularly toxic to human health.
       The "Clean Fifteen" list, on the other hand, includes fruits and vegetables found to have the least amount of pesticides. Avocados topped the list, with only 1 percent showing pesticide residue. Other items on the clean list include sweet corn, pineapples, cabbage, sweet peas (frozen), onions, asparagus, mangoes, papayas, kiwi, eggplant, grapefruit, cantaloupe, and cauliflower. http://www.newsmax.com/Health/Headline/produce-foods-organic-pesticides/2015/03/17/id/630725/#ixzz3UnJR1FyU 

February 14, 2015

Short and Sweet

Photo by winnond | freedigitalphotos.net

Optimistic people have healthier hearts: “Individuals with the highest levels of optimism have twice the odds of being in ideal cardiovascular health compared to their more pessimistic counterparts,” said the lead author of this new study. http://scienceblog.com/76313/optimistic-people-healthier-hearts-study-finds/#kYwBr2k6X1vfzJoB.99

"Do-it-yourself" blood pressure measurements and medicine changes work better than usual doctor-office care in some patients: A study of older adults in England found that those who did their own readings at home and adjusted their medicine as needed had healthier blood pressure levels after a year than those who got standard doctors' care. http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/blood-pressure-self-medication-better-than-doctors-in-study-1.2747569

Staying mentally sharp into your 90s is easier than you think: A new study challenges the long-held belief that cognitive decline is an inevitable part of aging. Danish researchers found that people in their 90s today are much more likely to stay mentally sharp than the elderly of a decade earlier. Dr. Small said that focusing on certain lifestyle behaviors leads to better brain health: mental exercise and stimulation, physical conditioning, diet, stress management. http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/Headline/cognitive-decline-aging-The-Mind-Health-Report-healthy-lifestyle/2013/07/16/id/515390#ixzz2ZKJ1CiE1 

A few healthy habits could reduce risk of colon cancer: This study examined how five lifestyle factors affected colon cancer risk: healthy weight; low amounts of belly fat; regular physical activity; not smoking and limiting alcohol consumption; and a well-balanced diet. This diet was high in fruits, vegetables, fish, yogurt, nuts and seeds, and foods rich in fiber, and low in red and processed meat. http://consumer.healthday.com/cancer-information-5/colon-cancer-news-96/healthy-habits-might-reduce-your-colon-cancer-riskcer-risk-bmc-med-release-batch-1419-692541.html

Obesity in adolescence linked to colon cancer later: Obesity and inflammation in late adolescence are associated with increased risk for colon and rectal cancer in adulthood, a new study of Swedish males suggests.
The 35-year study found that 16- to 20-year-olds who were obese had more than twice the risk of developing colon or rectal cancer compared to normal-weight teens.
And teens with high levels of inflammation had a 63 percent increased risk of developing colorectal cancer, compared with those with low levels of inflammation, researchers found. http://consumer.healthday.com/cancer-information-5/colon-cancer-news-96/obese-in-adolescence-colon-cancer-in-later-life-692157.html

Antibiotics linked to child obesity: Children who receive a lot of antibiotics before age 2 are slightly more likely than others to become obese, a new study shows.
Research suggests that bacteria in the gut affect how people absorb calories, says pediatrician Stephen Cook, an associate professor at the University of Rochester Medical Center. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/29/antibiotics-child-obesity/16275489/

Is your deodorant or antiperspirant poisoning you with neurotoxins?: Deodorants work by killing the bacteria that live on the skin. Commercial deodorants also often contain hormone-disrupting chemical fragrances that absorb into the skin and disrupt the endocrine system. 
Most antiperspirants work by blocking the sweat glands’ secretion of proteins and fatty acids with aluminum salts. Antiperspirants change the physiology of the body.
Natural deodorants use plant-based essential oils as an alternative to the chemicals. Many of these essentials oils give the natural deodorant more power, because they possess antibacterial properties that help drive away the bacteria that cause the stink. http://www.naturalnews.com/046654_deodorant_aluminum_neurotoxins.html

Duke study says many lung tumors are harmless: Harmless lung cancer? A provocative study found that nearly 1 in 5 lung tumors detected on CT scans are probably so slow-growing that they would never cause problems. The analysis suggests the world's No. 1 cause of cancer deaths isn't as lethal as doctors once thought. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/09/lung-cancer/3927909/

January 26, 2015

Megan's Fabulous Foods

It seems obvious to indulge in plump, juicy berries and crisp, fresh vegetables when the warm sun of summer is producing mounds of fresh produce. But does this ever leave you wondering what are you supposed to eat in the long cold winter months? 

I found this answer most fascinating: “The ingestion of protein into our body causes the greatest increase in heat production. The metabolism—or chemical burning—is termed "specific dynamic action," SDA. Thus, biochemists of today state that the ingestion of 100 calories of protein leads to 30 calories of extra heat over and above the basal level, or the needs of the body, which is 70. This is wasted heat, which the body tries to get rid of by doing such things as sweating, etc. Our conclusion is: The so-called 'wasted heat' would keep a human body warmer in times of cold or winter; therefore, increased consumption of protein (meat) would be desirable and useful, in cold weather.” 1

MEAT is the answer! That is great for me, because I love meat, as I think most American’s would agree. Here is my major (and this is major) stipulation when it comes to being a meat eater. EAT GRASS-FED, HUMANLY TREATED, and HORMONE AND ANTIBIOTIC-FREE MEAT! Not all meat is created equally. The difference between your typical store-bought meat and my requirements (above) are most assuredly the difference between stunting your wellness potential and thriving toward your wellness potential. 

There are a few obvious benefits to following these guidelines. First is simple: when you buy from them, you’re supporting farmers who treat animals humanly. Obviously, buying hormone- and antibiotic-free meat means those added chemicals aren’t increasing the toxicity in your body. The best thing, though, about eating grass-fed meat is that is contains significantly more antioxidants, vitamin E, beta-carotene, B-vitamins, minerals, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, and is higher in total omega 3s. 2

Some of you may be familiar with the increased cost of eating clean grass-fed meat vs. grain-fed meat, but that grass-fed meat is more nutrient-dense than the grain-fed meat, so the reality is that you are getting more bang for your buck. “When we switch from grain-fed to grass-fed meat, then, we are simply returning to the diet of our long-ago ancestors, the diet that is most in harmony with our physiology. Every cell and every system of our bodies will function better when we eat products from animals raised on grass.” 3

1. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705385018/Science-behind-eating-meat-primarily-in-winter-cold.html?pg=all
2. http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm

3. http://www.mercola.com/beef/health_benefits.htm

January 5, 2015

The Power of Choice

We always carry this power with us.  We can always choose.  No one can take that power away from us.  We can give it away, but it cannot be taken away.  Viktor Frankl shared this in a powerful way in his book, Man’s Search for Meaning: “The last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”
No matter what our circumstance, we choose how we perceive it. 
One of my mentors used to say that “nothing has any meaning but the meaning you give it.” 
Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ said it this way: “For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content,” (Philippians 4:11).
In other words, no matter what your circumstance, you can choose to be
happy, content, humble, in love, in faith, patient, and peaceful.  It is always a choice.  Always.  It is not always an easy choice, but it is always an available choice.  It doesn’t matter what the other person does or does not do.  It doesn’t matter what the other person did or might do.  You have power to choose.  This power will release you from any and all negative consequences of any interaction. 
I once heard a presentation by a lady who had been kidnapped, raped repeatedly, and then survived her captor’s two attempts to kill her.  She escaped, but with permanent facial disfigurements.  A person in the audience asked her, “How does this event effect your daily life?”  She said (according to my memory), “I am not going to give another moment of my life to that man.  He had as much of my life as I am willing to give.  I have let him go and it go.  I am grateful for my life as it is.”
Jesus Christ, in the midst of his crucifixion, the most painful way to die ever devised by man, had the capacity to say, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” 
With the idea of choice firmly planted, the opposite of being willing to choose a grateful mindset is the choice to be “a victim.”  This choice, to be a victim, is a very common mindset, and in some parts of society, it is considered a treasured and celebrated “right.”  But as soon as we decide to take on the role of “victim,” we accept a limited field of options in our lives. If we believe ourselves to be victims, we also believe that the only way to escape our negative circumstances is to get others to behave in the way we think they should, to fix the way we feel.  Anytime we give others the power to determine how we feel about something, we surrender to voluntary slavery.  I know that ‘slavery’ is a charged word, but it accurately describes the choice to be a victim: the pain that comes from voluntary slavery is just as real as that which came from the type of slavery that used to exist in our society and still exists in some. 
The problem is that voluntary slavery, or victimhood, is a self-imposed trap resulting from the way we view our circumstances, and we can only be released from that bondage by our own permission.  We have to recognize again our immense power to choose, and the influence that that power has in our life experience, one way or the other—for freedom or for victimhood.
The Bible teaches that “All things work together for good….”  If we believe that, then there is never a cause for letting ourselves be a victim.  

Have a blessed month, and a happy new year!
-Dr. Olson