A Dad’s Point Of View

By Bruce Sallan

We just went through the swine flu with our older son, Will. We didn’t panic or allow the hysteria of the msm (mainstream media) to scare us. His first reaction was simply, “Darn, I’m going to miss Halloween.” I believe our media have become hysteria mongers, as well as all too often focusing on their agenda vs. objective reporting. They devote way too much time to subjects unworthy of so much coverage, such as the balloon boy or the tragic deaths of celebrities.

With the swine flu, we’ve been deluged with scare reports from the media, ignoring the fact that each year tens of thousands of Americans die of the regular flu. As with AIDS, the panic is over-wrought and generalized to scare everyone when the reality is there are more at-risk groups for just about every such illness.

Day One -Will is sent home from school as the nurse called to say he had a mild fever. We put him to bed, took his temp, and called our pediatrician. He had a 101 fever, a slight cough, but otherwise seemed fine. The pediatrician’s office said to give him Motrin, fluids, and see if he still had a temperature tomorrow and, if so, to bring him in. Later that evening, his temp was just 100 and he was feeling pretty good.

Day Two - Will woke up feeling fine and actually wanted to go to school. We thought better and kept him home and in bed. Later, when his temp was still over 100, we took him to the doctor. 20 minutes after they took a swab, we got the diagnosis – he had the swine flu. They prescribed a Z-pac (5-day dose of antibiotics) and TamiFlu. By now, he was complaining of some aches and pains and a general soreness throughout his body. He also was complaining about missing Halloween. My wife told him that we were going to have to cancel the party she’d been planning for weeks because of his infection and he actually quieted down and realized he wasn’t the only one affected. A pretty amazing realization for a teenager!

Day Three – He’s sleeping in late, so we haven’t taken his temp yet. Was playing his guitar when I went in to check and it was normal. When I asked him how he was feeling, he replied with total teen contempt, “I feel fine,” which really meant, “I’m fine, why do I have to stay in my room, why can’t I go out and enjoy Halloween.”

Day Four – This morning Will apologized for being moody and grumpy. He doesn’t understand why he has to still stay home when he’s now feeling fine, just four days after getting sick and three days into his 5-day course of meds. I told him, per his doctor, that after the five days of meds, if he goes another 24 hours with a normal temp, then he can return to school. The funny part is he’s so bored; he actually wants to go to school. His temp is still normal.

Resignation has set in. He knows he’s not going to talk his way out of his room and back to school. It’s sort of like the stages of grieving, according to Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. My son was in denial, then anger, and now is in “acceptance.”

Day Five – Last night, Will got a surprise visit from his girlfriend, her step-dad, and another friend. They talked to him from outside his room, through the window, for a few minutes. It was both a boost and a reminder of his “in prison” status.

One amazing thing has happened with his forced lock-down time. He’s actually reflected on plans for the future. A teenager reflecting on anything? As he’s always loved music, demonstrated real talent, as well as developing a lot of knowledge, he’s decided he wants to go to a music school and learn production. While he still wants to be a “rock star,” this sort of mature alternative planning is quite the anomaly for him.

Today, his temperature is still normal. His energy is high. If this is the worse the swine flu throws us, I’ll consider this family extremely lucky. This afternoon, he even went out to the garage and played drums for a while.

Tomorrow is his last day of meds. If he’s got a normal temp for another 24 hours, it’s back to school for him and this episode will have been easier than a lingering cough or cold. Amazing. And, as yet, no one else in the house has got it, though one of our dogs came up lame for a while (she’s veeerrrrryyyyy old).

A friend of his just got diagnosed with swine flu and they thought they could hang out together as they’re both already infected. Are they nuts? Nope, just teenagers.

Day Six - The drama awaits us of whether or not he’ll have a temp today. He finished his course of meds and today will determine if he can finally leave his confinement. He was all ready for school when I came in to take his temperature. I sat with him, patiently waiting for the results. Normal. Off to school.

So, what did we learn from our bout with the swine flu? Simply, don’t listen to our Vice President, don’t listen to our media, and DON’T worry about it if you’re the average person. Yes, if you’re in one of the risk categories, be extra careful. Also (and we did this constantly and no one else has so far contracted it) have hand sanitizer everywhere in the house. You can’t overdo it.

Finally, and I’m dead serious, if you have a child that is stuck home with the swine flu and ends up like my son, with negligible symptoms, your biggest problem will be boredom. Help him or her out with books, CDs, DVDs, etc. If they don’t have a computer or TV in their room, move one in just for the duration.

And, most of all, don’t panic. the end

Editor’s note: Bruce Sallan is not a doctor and this column is not intended to be giving medical advice. It is about his experience with his son and the swine flu, and his belief that the media may have exaggerated and scared the public about its risks. Regardless, you should take every precaution, consult your doctor if there are any symptoms, and to secure proper information, go to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) web-sites – http://cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm.

Please visit www.brucesallan.com to contact Bruce and to enjoy the various features his new Web site offers, including an archive of his columns, contact info, links to his published work, photo galleries, and reader comments, plus much more. Bruce Sallan gave up his showbiz career a decade ago to raise his two boys, full-time, now 13 and 16. His internationally syndicated column, A Dad’s Point-of-View, is his take on the challenges of parenthood and male/female issues, both as a single dad and now, newly remarried, in a blended family. Presently, his column is available in over 75 newspapers and Web sites in the U.S. and internationally. Find Bruce on Facebook and add him as your friend and join his “A Dad’s Point-of-View” group. Just be sure to tell him you saw him here.

Related posts:

1. Let’s Relax a Bit on the Swine Flu
2. A Dad, His Son, and D’s and F’s
3. It’s the Economy Stupid, I Mean, Son

By Deborah Moskovitch

The Jewish High Holidays are just days away, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I’m sure many are counting down the shopping days until Christmas. Celebrating holidays can be a stressful time when you’re divorced – but it doesn’t need to be.

I’ve written about this before, but I know it is top of mind for many, so I felt I should blog about it again. If you find yourself without your children or extended family at a time when you traditionally celebrated with them in the past, it can be a sad and lonely experience without them now.

Here’s a little reminder of what I have previously posted and tips to get you though.

Who says you have to celebrate those days the traditional route or the way you celebrated when you were married? If you find yourself alone, create new meaning for these celebrations and enjoy them on your own terms. Here are some tips to get you through these celebrations.

• Create new traditions. If the old traditions are too painful to follow, let them go. Instead of trying to re-create the past, create your own positive future.

• Throw your own party and invite friends or family who have nowhere to go during this time• Make a special effort to take care of yourself physically and emotionally. Don’t try drowning your sorrows with alcohol or food. Doing anything to excess when you are sad or worried is rarely a smart move.

• Be good to yourself. Go for a manicure or massage, buy a great CD, catch up on your favorite hobby. Treat yourself the way you would treat a good friend or family member.

• If you are feeling overwhelmed and vulnerable, speak with a trusted friend, therapist or someone in your support group.

• Plan ahead. If it looks like you’re going to be spending the time on your own, find an interesting activity or a place to travel so you can be with other people.

• Surround yourself with people, whether from your support network, your family, your church or synagogue. You may even be able to attend a special support group holiday function.

• Contemplate how you would like your life to look like post-divorce and write down what you need to do to get there. Start doing one of those things now.

• Stay in control by making lists of what you need to do and checking each item off as you accomplish it.

• Use any time alone to do the things you’ve been putting off — catching up on paperwork; catching up on sleep; reading the great book that’s been sitting unopened for weeks or months; calling the friend you’ve been meaning to reconnect with.

• If putting on a dinner or party in the family home doesn’t feel right, try doing something for others off site. For example, you could visit a retirement home and read to those whose families can’t be with them during the holidays.

• Continue to make the holidays special for your children. Include them in developing new traditions. Ask them how they would like to celebrate.

• Plan ahead how your children are going to spend the holidays. Avoid the stress of figuring things out last minute. This will give you a sense of comfort, relief and control.

• Be creative and flexible. If your children are not celebrating the holidays with you, think about making another day during holiday time a special day together.

• If your children are going to be with their other parent, phone them and wish them a happy holiday. Let them know that you are thinking about them.

• Don’t make your children feel that they have to take care of you during this special time. Send them the message that the holidays are a special time and you want them to enjoy themselves.

• Spare the occasional good thought for your ex. Your marriage likely had some good moments. Remembering those times occasionally will help you lift yourself out of your bitterness about your current situation.

Wishing everyone good health, happiness and peace for the holidays.

Photo courtesy of Mark Marcotte


Deborah Moskovitch is a divorce consultant and educator, and author of The Smart Divorce: Proven Strategies and Valuable Advice from 100 Top Divorce Lawyers, Financial Advisers, Counselors and Other Experts. Deborah has become an opinion leader in the media and has shared her insights and research on television and radio to explain that divorce can be managed in smarter ways. To learn more visit TheSmartDivorce.com

Copyright ©2009 The Smart Divorce® and Deborah Moskovitch
All rights reserved. No portion of this material may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of Deborah Moskovitch and The Smart Divorce.

Related posts:

1. It’s Back To School: Developing Routine And Structure For Parents
2. Holidays a time to take high road
3. Putting Your Children’s Best Interests First

By Deborah Moskovitch

As I prepare my children to transition from the spontaneity of life in the summer to the structure of school it occurred to me how they need to get back into routine. Not only is it important for our children to be in the habit of schedules, but the aspect of shared parenting needs to be formalized once again; especially if life has been a bit off kilter as our children are at camp, have their own activities without parents or in holiday mode.

If you are the resident parent where the children live most of the time, then not much will change. However, if your children don’t live with you most of the time, here are some ideas to consider to maintaining involvement in your children’s lives:

Parenting Tips for Transforming Your Family

Make A Family Calendar

Hang it wherever the children will see it, to show that you care. Make your children see that their lives are important to you and that they are your priority.

On the family calendar, list:

• birthdates

• school schedules

• other dates, such as dental appointments, dance recitals, sports games, and so on.

Establish Rules Such As The Following:

• Each parent must order his or her own tickets for children’s events.

• Each parent must make his or her own arrangements at school to get information.

• It is not up to your former spouse to do those things or provide information for you.

• It’s up to you to take the initiative.

• Don’t make your son or daughter into the man or woman of the house.

• Don’t turn your son or daughter into your best friend and confidant.

• Don’t fill the void in your bed by allowing your child to sleep there. If you eventually start a relationship and no longer allow your child into your bed because you are sharing it with someone else, the child could feel displaced.

If You Are The Noncustodial Parent, Here Are Some Ideas To Help You Maintain A Positive Relationship
With Your Children:

• Some schools allow children to leave the grounds for lunch; you may be able to take them out to lunch without affecting the custodial parent’s time.

• As much as you can, duplicate at your home the little things that your kids love at the custodial parent’s home–things like special Barbie dolls, books, and so on. Send out the message that you care. Duplicating items will remove the stress children may feel about taking their favorite things to the other parent’s home or about forgetting to bring them (but keep in mind that some items, like the favorite blanket or stuffed animal, can’t be duplicated).

Remember, your children still have two parents. They still have a family, it’s the dynamics which have changed and up to parents to minimize the conflict and make transition as easy as possible.

Deborah Moskovitch is a divorce consultant and educator, and author of The Smart Divorce: Proven Strategies and Valuable Advice from 100 Top Divorce Lawyers, Financial Advisers, Counselors and Other Experts. Deborah has become an opinion leader in the media and has shared her insights and research on television and radio to explain that divorce can be managed in smarter ways. To learn more visit TheSmartDivorce.com

Copyright ©2009 The Smart Divorce® and Deborah Moskovitch
All rights reserved. No portion of this material may be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of Deborah Moskovitch and The Smart Divorce.

Related posts:

1. Putting Your Children’s Best Interests First
2. Home Alone For The Holidays?
3. Back to School

by: Dr. Mark Walter

Low back pain is a common health care and social problem associated with disability and absence from work. One 2005 medical study of chronic spinal pain stated that the “lifetime prevalence of spinal pain has been reported as 54 to 80 percent, with as many as 60 percent of patients continuing to have chronic pain five years or longer after the initial episode.” The long-term and disabling conditions of chronic and recurrent low back problems are of major concern, both from a cost perspective and in terms of morbidity.

Chiropractic care has been shown to compare favorably in many cases to medical care with respect to long-term pain and disability outcomes. However, any chiropractor should carefully consider the optimum treatment plan for each patient on an individual basis. For most cases of chronic low back pain, I recommend a three-step program of spinal adjustments, postural stabilization and rehabilitative exercise. Combining these three elements can make the difference between a successful care program and a lingering, recurring low back condition.

Spinal Adjustments

As far back as 1985, medical research was reporting that “a two- to three-week regimen of daily spinal manipulations by an experienced chiropractor” brought significant improvement in 81 percent of completely disabled patients with chronic low back and referred leg pain.³ The subjects in the study were from a university back pain clinic for patients who had failed to respond to previous conservative or surgical treatment. The researchers stated, “In our experience, anything less than two weeks of daily manipulation is inadequate for chronic back pain patients.” In addition, several chiropractic research studies published between 1979 and 1993 described various procedures that assisted patients in regaining lumbopelvic structural function and alignment.^4-6

Postural Stabilization

A significant factor in reducing excessive biomechanical forces on the lumbar spine is frequently overlooked- the use of external supports to decrease external forces. Positioning aids such as sitting postural supports (e.g., postural back rests or ischial lifts for chairs and car seats), standing postural supports (e.g., foot orthotics and heel lifts) and sleeping postural supports (e.g., mattresses and pillows) can all greatly assist in the long-term management of painful lumbar spine conditions.

Rehabilitative Exercises

Home corrective exercises to strengthen supporting muscles are recommended as an adjunct to chiropractic adjustments and postural stabilization. Active involvement of the chronic low back pain patient in an appropriate exercise program has been found to be very beneficial, even for patients with herniated discs. Flexibility and strength exercises can bring about rapid improvements in lumbar spinal function, as well as decreases in pain levels. Activity should focus on developing strength in the abdominals and supporting pelvic and low back muscles. This also can enhance the shock-absorbing properties of the tissues.

Specific exercises must develop “dynamic control of lumbar spine forces in order to eliminate repetitive injury to the intervertebral discs, facet joints, and related structures.” Recommending specific exercise(s) is not easy, as some research supports the need for abdominal strengthening, others advise pelvic tilts, and other reports focus on the importance of strengthening the lumbar extensor muscles. The bottom line is that patients’ needs vary, and exercises that work for one patient will not necessarily work for the next.  It is essential to make sure your provider has performed a complete structural and functional assessment before recommending any exercise program.

Related posts:

1. Demystifying Chiropractic Care
2. Osteoporosis – Not Just A Woman’s Problem
3. Benefits of L-Glutamine Supplimentation

By Dr. Mark Walter

It is estimated that between 5%-7% of men age 40 and 15%-25% of men aged 65y experience erectile dysfunction.  Healthy blood flow is the key to a strong erection, so it is natural that what prevents diabetes and stroke will also help to prevent erectile dysfunction.  Fill up on fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains… and lay off stuff that clogs your arteries.  Beyond the basics, the foods below will help to keep you strong.

Pomegrante Juice

A study in the Journal of urology found that promegrante juice slashed the risk of ED in rabbits.

Shrimp Salad

Shrimp is full of zinc, and leafy green vegetables are full of folate.  Together, they can boost sperm levels.

Oatmeal

Oats produce a chemical that releases testosterone into the blood supply, increasing sex drive and orgasm strength.  Mix in honey for an added boost.

Spinach

Spinach is a potent source of magnesium, which helps dilate blood vessels, according to Japanese researchers.

Citrus Fruits

Men who consume at least 2,000 milligrams of vitamin C a day improve their sperm counts and motility.  Vitamin C also keeps sperm from clumping, so they have a better chance of reaching their destination.

Honey

Honey’s b vitamins aid the production of testosterone, and its boron content helps the body use estrogen, which is a key factor in proper blood flow and arousal.

Blueberries

The soluble fiber in blueberries ushers cholesterol through your digestive tract before it chokes your arteries.  The berries also contain compounds that improve circulation for a natural Viagra-like effect.

Related posts:

1. The Power of Personal Authenticity
2. Valentine’s Day Dinner, Romantic Coconut Shrimp

By: Dr. Walter

When we consider osteoporosis, we almost always think of women. However, men also are at risk for osteoporosis. Common risk factors include age-associated hormone changes, alcoholism, smoking and some medications, including those used in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Few men are tested for osteoporosis during treatment for prostate cancer.

Men with other risk factors for osteoporosis are even less likely to receive an evaluation or treatment. Recent studies have shown prostate cancer patients who received androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) in general do not receive any osteoporosis prevention or treatment. This is very disturbing because men undergoing hormone therapy lose 4 percent to 13 percent of their bone density on an annual basis. This is compared to healthy men who lose 0.1 percent to 0.5 percent per year, beginning in middle age. Patients receiving ADT have a bone loss significantly higher than postmenopausal women. Unfortunately, this fact seems to be ignored all too often by clinicians managing male cancer patients.

Another interesting statistic is that 30 percent of hip fractures are in men. Because men have a greater peak bone mass than women, fractures generally occur 10 years later than in women. Possibly because of this, a greater percentage of men die of hip fractures than women. Morbidity for men is 31 percent, as opposed to 17 percent for women.

It’s interesting to note no professional organization has published a consensus guideline for osteoporosis screening in men. Experts in the field of osteoporosis have made recommendations, however:

• Men with any of the major risk factors (see table below) should be considered for formal osteoporosis testing.
• Clinicians should consider routinely screening men age 70 or older, because this is the age when fracture rates increase most rapidly.
• Initial screening should include: CBC, calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, kidney and liver function tests, vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D), TSH levels and total testosterone.

A dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) of the hip and spine generally is the diagnostic modality of choice for determining loss in bone density. The World Health Organization’s criterion for the densitometric diagnosis of osteoporosis strictly applies only to Caucasian postmenopausal women, but can be extrapolated for men. There is no uniformly agreed-on established T score to define the densitometric diagnosis of osteoporosis in men. Men with T scores that are 2 to 2.5 standard deviations below the reference mean are at substantial risk of fractures and should be treated.

Recent guidelines published in the Annals of Internal Medicine recommend the following:

• Clinicians should periodically assess older men for risk factors of osteoporosis.
• Clinicians should obtain DEXA tests for men at increased risk for osteoporosis and candidates for medication treatment.
• More research is recommended to assess screening tests for osteoporosis in men.²

Calcium intake should be 1,000 to 1,500 mg per day, and vitamin D intake should be 400 to 800 IU per day.¹ Calcium supplementation is important because a significant percentage of older adults do not have sufficient calcium intake, mainly due to poor diets. In general, vitamin D deficiency is a major problem in adults due to decreased skin synthesis, oral intake and gastrointestinal absorption. Many older adults have very little exposure to sunlight, so supplementation is necessary.

Another treatment not emphasized is regular weight-bearing exercise. In fact, many cancer patients are not encouraged to exercise. However, studies suggest that prostate cancer patients (undergoing hormone therapy) who walked about five times a week for 30 minutes at a moderate pace maintained or gained bone density. Those who didn’t exercise lost more than 2 percent of their bone density in eight to nine weeks. Regular exercise also has been shown to decrease the risk of falls by 25 percent.³

Avoiding tobacco and excess alcohol also are important in preventing osteoporosis. When conservative treatment does not result in the reduction of bone loss, more aggressive treatment is recommended, such as bisphosphonates.

Osteoporosis can be avoided if diagnosed and managed appropriately. Most women are at least evaluated for osteoporosis, especially if they are menopausal or cancer patients. Men generally are not evaluated even when undergoing cancer treatment. With early treatment, most men can avoid osteoporosis and fractures. Be sure to discuss this with your physician if you have one of the above mentioned risk factors.

Related posts:

1. Benefits of L-Glutamine Supplimentation
2. Health Risks for Children
3. Relief For Lower Back Pain

By: Dr. Mark Walter

www.vsas.com

Introduction of the Trampoline

Trampolines first became popular in the early 1960s when people were stretching fabric over large holes in the ground. Next, the fabric was put on legs or poles, but these left dangerously large gaps around the edges, and there was nothing to stop a jumper from falling off. Modern designs are supposed to be safer by ringing the trampoline with netting, but this hasn’t done much to decrease the number of injuries.

History of Injuries

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued warnings in 1977, 1981 and 1999 emphasizing the dangers of trampolines and recommending they not be used in the home or as part of PE courses at schools. Despite these warnings, visits to emergency rooms skyrocketed between 1990 and 2005.

A 1998 article in Science Daily reported that 250,000 trampoline-related injuries were treated in hospital ERs between 1990 and 1995. The annual number of injuries had grown from 29,600 to 58,400 per year. A 1998 report in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery revealed 43 percent of all injuries were sustained by children between the ages of 5 and 9, while 28 percent were sustained by children between the ages of 10 and 14. Even more distressing is that more than 15 percent of injuries were suffered by children under the age of 4. Clearly, children under the age of 14 are sustaining the majority of the injuries.

Pediatric Neurosurgery reported in 2000 that trampolines were responsible for more than 6,500 pediatric cervical spine injuries in 1998. In 2001, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimated there were 91,870 ER visits due to trampoline-related injuries. Of those injured, 93 percent of the victims were under the age of 15 and 11 percent were under the age of 5. The CPSC has further reported that since 1990, there have been 11 deaths, six of which involved children under the age of 15.

Recent Statistics

Consumer Reports released a study in 2004 stating that 98,000 people were treated in ERs because of trampoline use in 2003. More than 50,000 of these cases were children. The AAP released the latest numbers from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) in 2007. The study relied on data from 2000-2005 to estimate the number of ER visits for trampoline-related injuries by children under the age of 18. It then compared that with the data obtained from 1990 to 1995. Results showed there were an estimated 41,600 ER visits per year from 1990 to 1995, compared with an estimated 88,563 visits per year from 2000 to 2005 – an increase of 133 percent. The authors of the study believe more needs to be done to educate the public about the dangers of home trampoline use. They further state that more extreme measures need to be taken to stop parents from purchasing this apparatus that has proven to be so dangerous.

Ban Trampolines?

Studies have proven that education about trampoline risks has not helped to reduce the number of injuries. In fact, the number of injuries has increased exponentially each year, leading the AAP to characterize trampoline injuries among children as an “epidemic” and to recommend banning them from home use entirely.

Gary Smith, chairman of the AAP Committee on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention and former director of emergency medicine at Children’s Hospital of Columbus, has been a longtime supporter of a complete ban on home trampolines. In 1998, he stated, “We’ve seen the number of trampoline-related injuries skyrocket in just six years, and the trend doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Instead, it’s continuing to increase.” His research showed the injuries sustained during trampoline use were enough to support a ban:

• The number of injuries increased by 98 percent during a six-year study.
• Younger children tended to have injuries to their arms, the majority of which were fractures or dislocations.
• Younger children also had a higher rate of facial injuries – most often lacerations.
• Older children most often sustained injuries to their legs – bruises, sprains, strains and contusions.
• Approximately 3 percent of all injuries required hospitalization.
• Twelve percent of the injuries to young children and 7 percent of injuries to older children were to the head and neck.

Smith also stated that while most of the injuries sustained were to the children’s extremities, there have been reports of death and severe injuries to the spinal cord “which usually lead to paralysis and quadriplegia.”

“It’s alarming that these injuries are increasing at a rate that is rare to see for any other product out on the market,” Smith said. “This is a public-health problem that needs to be addressed with stronger strategies than those currently in place.”

Surprisingly enough, more than twice as many trampoline-related injuries are treated in hospital ERs annually compared to baby-walker injuries. There is a virtual consensus on the need to ban baby walkers, while trampolines, clearly the more dangerous item, are still being sold for home use.

In a 2005 article in USA Today, Smith’s message remained the same: “Where we have gone wrong is that [trampolines] have popped up in many backyards, and parents don’t realize the danger involved. They’re using them as toys without recognizing the hazards.”

Safety Nets Don’t Make Them Safe

Many parents have taken the warnings to heart and have purchased safety nets to place around the trampoline. However, these safety measures do not correct the problem of the dangerously large gaps between the springs or stop more than one child from being on the trampoline at a time. History proves the only way to truly keep children safe from a trampoline is to not let them on one.

Related posts:

1. Relief For Lower Back Pain

By: Dr. Mark Walter

There are many misconceptions in the public’s view as to what chiropractic care is and what it treats.  Here is a brief and limited introduction to chiropractic.

Chiropractic is a health profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health.  Chiropractic care is used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints and arms or legs and headaches.  A growing view is expanding the focus from pain and injury management to a more progressive approach of injury prevention, structural management and health/wellness promotion.

Doctors of chiropractic- often referred to as chiropractors or chiropractic physicians- practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to health care that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment.  Chiropractors have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling.

The most common therapeutic procedure performed by doctors of chiropractic is known as “spinal manipulation,” also called “chiropractic adjustment.”  The purpose of the manipulation is to restore joint mobility by manually applying controlled force into joints that have become hypomobile- or restricted in their movement- as a result of a tissue injury.  Tissue injury can be caused by a single traumatic event, such as improper lifting of a heavy object, or through repetitive stresses, such as sitting in an awkward position with poor spinal posture for extended period of time.  In either case, injured tissues undergo physical and chemical changes that can cause inflammation, pain, and diminished function for the sufferer.  Manipulation, or adjustment of the affected joint and tissues, restores mobility, thereby alleviating pain and muscle tightness, and allowing tissues to heal.

Chiropractic adjustment rarely causes discomfort.  However, patients may sometimes experience mild soreness or aching following treatment (as with some forms of exercise) that usually resolves within 12 to 48 hours.

In many cases, such as lower back pain, chiropractic care may be the primary method of treatment.  When other medical conditions exist, chiropractic care may complement or support medical treatment by relieving the musculoskeletal aspects associated with the condition.

Doctors of chiropractic may assess patients through clinical examination, laboratory testing, diagnostic imaging and other diagnostic interventions to determine when chiropractic treatment is appropriate or when it is not appropriate.  Chiropractors will readily refer patients to the appropriate health care provider when chiropractic care is not suitable for the patient’s condition, or the condition warrant co-management in conjunction with other members of the health care team.

Related posts:

1. Relief For Lower Back Pain
2. Benefits of L-Glutamine Supplimentation
3. Osteoporosis – Not Just A Woman’s Problem

By: Dr. Mark Walter

www.vsas.com

According to a report in Reuters in 1999, the death rate from complications from diabetes, already the third-most common cause of death in the U.S., has risen 30% since 1980.

More than 200,000 Americans die from diabetes each year and many times more world-wide. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, amputation and dialysis. We will also see how a pre-diabetic condition called “syndrome X” is a major cause of cardiovascular disease, the number one killer in all of the industrialized nations.

There are many theories of aging…(including) oxidation reactions and suboptimal hormone levels.

As we age, some hormones begin a precipitous decline that strongly parallels the onset of aging signs and symptoms. These include human growth hormone (HGH), melatonin, DHEA, pregnenolone, androstenedione (made famous by Mark McGwire), testosterone, estrogen and progesterone.

“Conversely, insulin levels tend to rise, culminating in adult-onset diabetes. Also, a relative rise in cortisol, the stress hormone, is all too common.” (In men, estrogen levels tend to also rise.)

To understand the rationale of the anti-aging protocols I will present, we need to understand a little bit about how the brain (neuro) controls the hormones (endocrine) and how they relate to aging.

The modern neuroendocrine theory of aging was first conceived by Russian gerontologist Vladamir Dilman in 1954. His precocious theories were not appreciated here in the West until his works were translated in 1992! His theory is that aging is caused by a progressive loss of sensitivity by the hypothalamus and related structures in the brain to negative feedback inhibition.

The hypothalamus is part of the brain from which the “master hormone gland” (the pituitary) hangs, as it were, by a stalk in the middle of our craniums. Its function is much like that of a thermostat. Among the many and complex functions, known and unknown, of the hypothalamus is that it senses the levels of circulating hormones and tells the other glands, via the pituitary, to release certain hormones and stop releasing others. This is a major part of homeostasis, which physiologically speaking, is akin to holding the status quo.

Homeostasis and Aging

Fortunately, true hormonal homeostasis is never attained. If it were, growth and development (as best typified by the hormonal changes at puberty) would never happen. Maturation seems to occur in part via a progressive loss of hypothalmic sensitivity from infancy. Thus, the progressive loss of hypothalmic sensitivity may be the basis of all hormone-related maturation and aging processes.

The problem occurs when puberty ends in complete maturation at about 20 to 25, as there is no mechanism to shut off or reverse this progressive loss of sensitivity and resultant “aging” of the hypothalamus. To revisit our thermostat analogy: as the thermostat “ages,” the room has to get hotter and hotter before the thermostat turns on the air conditioner, and colder and colder before it turns on the heat. This could be called “thermostat insensitivity.”Dilman theorized that the hypothalamus “ages” because of:

1. reduced levels of brain messenger proteins
2. death of hypothalmic cells, which as nerve cells do not replicate or regenerate;
3. pineal secretion declines; (The hypothalamus’ regulatory functions are strongly allied with the pineal gland, which secretes melatonin and other pineal peptides and regulates 24-hour circadian “sleep-wake” cycle.)
4. fat accumulation;
5. reduced glucose getting inside the nerve cells (hyperglycemia);
6. prolonged stress with high cortisol levels;
7. cholesterol accumulation in nerve cell membranes.

The Disease of Aging

Dilman intuited that all of the diseases of aging are characterized by three similar metabolic changes. The most prevalent of these changes are:

1. reduction in glucose tolerance and the ability of muscle tissue to utilize glucose;
2. hyperinsulinemia or high blood insulin, in response to #1;
3. hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol and triglycerides, related to atherosclerosis and hardening of the arteries) resulting from #1 and 2.

All three of these metabolic changes, along with high blood pressure, increased abdominal fat, and elevated uric acid, are characteristic of the ominous-sounding “syndrome X.”

Syndrome X

1. The high blood insulin levels seen in syndrome X are the result of insulin resistance.
2. Insulin resistance is related to the age-related loss of sensitivity of cell membranes to insulin.
3. Insulin is needed to transport glucose to the inside of cells. In special organellecalled mitochondria, insulin is utilized along with oxygen to make energy.
4. As the cells desperately need energy, they signal for more glucose. The body responds with more insulin, resulting in hyperinsulinemia.
5. Among insulin’s many functions is to signal liver enzymes to make cholesterol, leading to hypercholesterolemia.
6. Insulin also tells the body to burn sugar, not fats. Therefore, fatty acids known as triglycerides rise in the blood.
7. Insulin tells the body to store fat, not burn it, promoting obesity, particularly as “central” or abdominal fat.
8. The above cluster of signs leads to greatly increased incidence of heart disease and stroke, leading some authorities to call syndrome X “the silent killer.”

Eventually, even the super-high levels of insulin are not enough to overcome the insulin resistance and the blood sugar begins to rise. We call this condition diabetes!

Jeffrey Bland,PhD, suggests we no longer call type-2 diabetes “maturity onset.” He suggests this based on the fact that the greatest increase in type-2 diabetes is in children and adolescents! Dr. Bland presents what he describes as “a more appropriate description for the disease …hyperinsulinemia/insulin resistance.”³

I will try to present the new model of diabetes not so much as a separate disease someone “gets,” but as the end stage of a cluster of related aging processes. We can call these processes neuropause (brain aging with loss of hypothalmic sensitivity), somatopause (pituitary aging with HGH decline) and/or pancreopause (hyperinsulinemia/insulin resistance/ diabetes). These three organs, the hypothalamus, the pituitary and the pancreas, make up part of what Dr. Ward Dean calls the “energy homeostat.”⁴

We will focus on the part of the energy homeostat that concerns the interrelationship between: (1)growth hormone (HGH); (2) insulin; (3) glucose; and (4) fatty acids, generally in the form of triglycerides.

This four-component system regulates the interrelationship of the body’s two main energy-producing substances (glucose and fatty acids), and the two main hormones that control sugar and fatty acids: human growth hormone (HGH) and insulin.

The workings of this four-component system are as follows: When the stomach is empty and blood sugar levels are low, as at night, HGH stimulates fat burning. However, after eating, as is normal during the day, blood sugar rises, which inhibits growth hormone secretion and stimulates insulin release.(This is why it is best to take HGH enhancers at night just before bed on an empty stomach.)

Age-Related Changes in the Four-Component Energy Homeostat

From age 10 to 35, our HGH levels decline dramatically. (This may in turn be caused by hypothalmic aging as hypothesized above.) This results in a dysfunctional post-maturational “three-component” energy homeostat as lowered HGH levels cease to exert as strong an influence, resulting in chronically elevated levels of insulin, triglycerides, and glucose.

These three conditions culminate in syndrome X, obesity (generally central or around the waist) and diabetes, respectively. Indeed, insulin levels are a major bio-marker of aging.

Insulin Level Two Hours after Eating⁵

This can be interpreted to mean that nearly everyone over the age of 20 is a “pre-diabetic.” It also explains why adult-onset diabetes is likely postponable, but nonetheless inevitable.
Such understanding of the physiology of aging leads to the above model of “neuropause.” In this case, the age-related loss of sensitivity of the hypothalamus leads to “somatopause.” The age-related dropping of HGH levels triggers “pancreopause” and the age-related hyperinsulinemia, hyperlipidemia, and maturation-onset diabetes.

In the new therapeutic model, the 21st-century doctor does not wait for the 60-year-old patient to develop diabetes. The doctor understands the “disease” called aging and provides interventions to slow this admittedly ultimately irresistible process by supporting a more youthful physiology. The doctor does not merely prevent disease but significantly expands the “youth-span.”

Approaches to Improve Age-Related Alterations in the Energy Homeostat

1. Exercise is “the ultimate anti-aging pill.” It restores hypothalmic activity, increases insulin sensitivity, and increases HGH secretion.
2. Proper diet, especially low glycemic and low carbohydrate eating strategies, along with certain salutary foods like cold-water fish, cruciferous vegetables and legumes (especially soy), helps hold down the age-related rise in insulin and blood sugar levels. This ever-earlier rise with each generation is strongly associated with our high-sugar, high-(poor quality) fat, nutrient-poor, low-fiber standard American diet (SAD), which, through massive advertising, the world rushes to emulate.
3. Restore insulin sensitivity by taking chromium; niacin; vanadyl sulfate; zinc, magnesium; alpha-ketoglutarate; omega-3 fats; EPA/DHA; alpha lipoic acid; bitter melon; fenugreek; gymnera sylvestre; Metaformin (or its OTC herbal counterpart, goat’s rue); either substance works best with L-carnitine tartrate.
4. Restore nighttime growth hormone to optimum levels.
5. Stress management/adrenal support. Prolonged periods of stress results in chronically elevated stress hormones (cortisol) which leads to hypertension, insulin insensitivity and increased hypothalmic cell death.
6. Restore testosterone levels to optimum. Raising testosterone in middle-aged men does not lower HDL-cholesterol and may reduce visceral adiposity (“the spare tire”), hyperglycemia and insulin resistance.⁶
7. Balance the neurotransmitters (brain messengers) dopamine and norepinephrine by utilizing their amino acid precursors, tyrosine, phenlyalanine and L-pyroglutamate.
8. Utilize EDTA chelation to reverse mitochondrial membrane dysfunction secondary to cholesterol infiltration and reverse/inhibit arteriosclerosis.
9. DHEA enhancement, as DHEA release is inhibited by insulin. (Indeed, DHEA-S levels have been proposed as a biomarker of insulin sensitivity. However, hyperinsulinemia stimulates the shunting of estrogen to testosterone in females, associated with polycystic ovary syndrome, with outward signs of acne, facial hair and deepening voice. DHEA is the promotional choice in such cases.)
10. Maximize brain antioxidants to delay irreplaceable hypothalmic cell death, i.e.; vitamin C, glutathione (whey), N-acetyl cystiene, green tea, OPCs, alpha lipoic acid, NADH, acetyl-carnitine, etc.

Summation

As we age, the hypothalamus becomes less sensitive to feedback, and growth hormone levels dramatically decline. This results in:

1) elevated levels of blood insulin (hyperinsulinemia) and blood fats (hyperlipidemia);2) less-efficient utilization of glucose for energy, thus fatigue;3) an increase in conversion and storage of glucose as fat, thus obesity;4) hypertension, atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease, a.k.a. syndrome X;5) ultimately, diabetes and depression (the brain is starved for glucose).

By creating a properly timed nutritional, supplemental, lifestyle and hormone enhancement program based on the above 10 factors decades before the onset of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and depression, this admittedly inevitable process can be delayed dramatically with great potential for extending both the life-span and the youth-span.

Related posts:

1. Health Risks for Children
2. Osteoporosis – Not Just A Woman’s Problem
3. Seven Foods to Power Your Libido

By: Dr. Mark Walter

www.vsas.com

L-glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the bloodstream and in the body. It’s involved in more metabolic processes than any other amino acid, fulfilling a number of biochemical needs.

L-glutamine can contribute to the production of other amino acids, glucose, nucleotides, protein and glutathione. It’s the principal metabolic fuel for the epithelial cells that line the small intestine (enterocytes) and for certain immune cells, namely lymphocytes, macrophages and fibroblasts. Glutamine is a non-essential amino acid, in that the body can synthesize it from the amino acid glutamic via the glutamine synthase enzyme.

Glutamine supplementation has been shown to enhance immune system function and result in a lower level of infection and a shorter hospital stay following surgery, radiation treatment, bone marrow transplantation and injury, compared with patients receiving glutamine-free parenteral nutrition. However, during periods of fasting, starvation, critical illness, cancer or AIDS; following trauma, radiation treatment, surgery or bone marrow transplantation; or in patients with a weakened immune system or catabolic stress, extra glutamine replenishment has been shown to be beneficial to re-establish homeostatis.

Glutamine also is a main anti-catabolic agent in muscle, which might help preserve muscle tissue (preventing its breakdown) during and after exercise. The heavier one trains, the greater the stress on the muscle and therefore the greater the use of glutamine.

Supplementation Studies

HIV infection: Glutamine supplementation plus N-acetylcysteine supplementation enhances glutathione levels in HIV patients. Higher glutathione status correlates with a slowing of the progression of HIV to AIDS. Glutathione depletion is common in these patients. Glutathione is a first-line antioxidant in the quenching of free radicals and participates in phase I and phase II liver detoxification functions.

Anti-catabolic effect with exercise: Oral glutamine has been shown to maintain muscle mass in catabolic patients. However, glutamine supplementation might increase ammonia levels and add to the ammonia burden of certain patients and athletes, jeopardizing recovery or performance, respectively. To overcome this burden, the use of alpha-ketogluturate has been shown to act as a glutamine precursor, without contributing to ammonia buildup. However, L-glutamine at doses of up to 2,000 mg to 5,000 mg per day appears to be safe.

Prevention of infections in athletes: Glutamine supplementation in endurance athletes has been shown to reduce the incidence of infections in this population, who are known to have their immune systems suppressed by excess training. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study showed that 5 gm glutamine supplementation, taken after the end of exercise in 151 endurance athletes, resulted in a significantly lower incidence of infections (19 percent) compared to the placebo group (51 percent) during the study period.

Dosage Ranges

As oral glutamine supplementation can potentially produce undesirable levels of ammonia in the body, it is unclear as to what levels of intake are safe (as a supplement). As an alternative, oral ornithine alpha-ketogluturate has been used to elevate glutamine status without ammonia buildup when taken orally.

Related posts:

1. Osteoporosis – Not Just A Woman’s Problem
2. Relief For Lower Back Pain
3. Demystifying Chiropractic Care