How do we define it? It is hard to measure because what could be for one person a very stressful situation, for another the same situation could be a fun experience. It depends on the person and each of us need to gauge what we can handle. The same could be true for physical activity or the foods we consume. Some people can't handle as much physical stress than others or need a diet that is more restrictive than others.
The first researcher of stress
In 1936 Hans Selye, a Hungarian endocrinologist while working in Canada made a ground breaking discovery that earned him recognition with his work on stress and its affect on health. His experiments, led him to the idea that in some cases, disease was not caused by a microbe. Instead his experiments showed that various noxious stimuli either of emotional, physical or chemical origin could disrupt homeostasis and create conditions of disease in the body. This began when he saw the same reactions taking place in mice no matter what noxious substance were injected into their bodies. The common result to this stress, was adrenal hypertrophy, thymus gland atrophy, along with gastric and duodenal ulcers. Keep Reading
Epigenetics
The root word Epi means above, so epigenetics means above genetics. Alternative medicine as adopted this word to describe living above our genetically predetermined DNA profile. Some people have stronger genetic profiles than others and if you are not blessed with a strong constitution you might wonder “what can I do to improve my genetics?”
Methylation
This is one of several pathways of detoxification that occurs a billion times per second in our bodies. It occurs in every cell and in every organ. keep reading
The Original Research was Flawed
For decades fat has been blamed for many of our health woes. This thinking was the result of Dr. Ancel Keys and his study of seven countries diets finding "that those with lower saturated fat intake, had lower levels of heart disease". The American Heart Association embraced his recommendations and the consequence was a wave of low fat messages and products like skim milk, margarine, and the condemnation of the egg.
It has taken researchers decades to show that Keys' research was flawed. For instance he left out countries such as West Germany, and France that had high fat diets but low rates of heart disease. Additionally, Keys' study began after WW II, when the island of Crete which he highlighted, was working hard to rebuild from German occupation. Another Greek Island, Corfu ate far less saturated fat than Crete but had much higher rates of heart disease. Keep Reading
We all know of someone who had difficulties and injuries as they aged. Many of these could have been prevented.
Osteoporosis is not a normal consequence of aging. It is the end result of a chronic imbalance of nutrients, lack of physical activity, and disruption of hormones and neurotransmitters from the chronic overexposure of chemicals in our food, water, air, and modern way of life. It is estimated that there are 10 million Americans diagnosed with osteoporosis and an estimated 30-50% of women and 15-30% of men will sustain an osteoporosis related fracture in their lifetime. The Pharmaceutical industry does offer drugs for this problem, but they do have serious side effects and in my opinion a more comprehensive and holistic approach should be given greater consideration. Keep Reading
Recently, a patient was talking to me about jello. I asked her if she knew that jello (gelatin) was a collagen product made from the skin, connective tissue and bones of animals. When I mentioned that some of the animals might not be the healthiest, she responded with disgust and surprise, "I didn't know that!" She then told me that she would no longer eat jello.
There are many statistics and facts that do not make the prime time news shows or, if they do, do not get the attention they should. When I learn this information it strikes me the same way as it does my patients: "I didn't know that!" This is why I started this blog... Keep Reading ....
The use of antibiotics in livestock is only one small part of how we are affected by this industry. According to a paper published in 1996, there are approximately 1.3 billion cattle on earth at any one time. They exist "artificially" in these vast numbers to satisfy the excessive human demand for their meat and byproducts. It takes an average of 2,500 gallons of water to produce a single pound of meat. According to Newsweek magazine, "the water that goes into a 1,000 pound steer could float a destroyer." In contrast, it takes only 25 gallons of water to produce one pound of wheat. Keep Reading...
In 2000, the National Academy of Sciences reported that 98,000 Americans are killed every year by medical errors. In 2004, a report by HealthGrades in an article by Medical News Today, estimates that it is closer to 195,000 deaths per year attributed to medical errors. This article can be viewed here. The vast majority were killed from mistakes in prescribing or administering drugs. The report put the cost of these errors at nine billion dollars! keep reading... Keep Reading...
The increased consumption of sugar in the US parallels the overall decline in the health of its citizens. In 1900, the average person consumed approximately 15 lbs. of sugar per year. Today, it is estimated that the average person consumes 150 lbs. of sugar per year. It is also estimated that 20% of all adult calories are derived from sugar. Sugar consumption has been linked to a variety of health problems such as colitis, mood swings, heart disease, hyperactivity, obesity and dental cavities. The manufacturing or refining process of sugar is believed to contribute to the negative effects of sugar on our bodies. Because natural sugar cane contains materials that can spoil, sugar cane juice is purified, filtered, concentrated and boiled down until the sugar crystallizes out of the syrup. Brown sugar is as devoid of nutrients as white sugar: It simply has a little molasses added back in for color. As a purified sugar, the refined white sugar becomes a "naked carbohydrate" because it has been separated from all its natural co-factors such as water, minerals, proteins, vitamins and fiber.... Click the title at the top to read the rest
The overuse of antibiotics during the past 50 years has caused bacteria to evolve that are antibiotic resistant. Resistance has occurred because 30-40 million pounds of these potent drugs are used every year just in the United States. Over 90 percent of this total is given to livestock to make them grow faster without the chance of dying from infection. Keep reading...
Frequently our best interests are secondary to profits. The worst offenders are industries that made lots of money and use it to lobby support in the government. Many organizations that fight for the social good are trying to get their message out, but with limited funds the task is difficult. The chiropractic profession has a long history of fighting the powers that be. In 1992, after a 16 year legal battle, five chiropractors finally settled a federal antitrust suit against the American Medical Association (AMA). This original suit filed in 1976 accused the AMA of willfully trying to undermine the credibility of Chiropractic and eliminate it as a profession. The AMA was found guilty in the US Court of Appeals in 1987. The verdict was upheld by the United States Supreme Court in 1992. What does this mean? The American Medical Association has been found to be a criminal organization. As part of the settlement some penalties were not revealed publicly, but the AMA had to cease from its public policy of undermining the chiropractic profession. keep reading...
