Want to make 2010 your year?

If you are a Chiropractor, and are looking for a course to help you improve your practice, then you should look into taking my seminar in January.

As a chiropractic business consultant, I'll help you discover a 100% Guaranteed Method of building the Profitable Chiropractic Practice or Anti-aging Business you've always dreamed about... No Matter How Much Experience You Have!

In addition to helping you improve your current practice with Social Media Video Marketing & Cutting edge techniques, we will also be going over 2010 Texas Laws Update, Integrated Clinics, and FTC Updates, as well as 2010 Insurance Updates.

If you don't love this seminar then we offer a money back guarantee, if by Sat evening. If you don't think you have gotten your moneys worth we will give your money back for seminar. No questions asked. WE are from Texas so we understand what works in Texas, not some other far flung state. Come find out for yourself.

TUITION: $325
DATE: January 30/31
TIME: 8 am to 5pm
LOCATION: Houston, Woodlands


For more information, and to register, please visit us here:
CATCHFIRE COACHING

Herbal mint 'tea' could be effective pain reliever

By Jane Byrne

An herbal mint tea is as effective at relieving pain as an aspirin-style drug, claims new research.

Scientists based at Newcastle University said that, based on research carried out using mice, their study scientifically proves the pain relieving properties for the first time of the plant Hyptis crenata, otherwise known as Brazilian Mint.

The scientists maintain that the plant Hyptis crenata has been used as a traditional remedy in Brazil to treat a range of ailments from headaches and stomach pain to fever and flu and when prepared as a ‘tea’ – the traditional way to administer the medicine – the mint was as effective as a synthetic aspirin-style drug Indometacin in relieving pain.

Their research is being presented today at the 2nd International Symposium on Medicinal and Nutraceutical Plants in New Delhi, India, and will appear in the society’s journal Acta Horticulturae.

Method

In order to mimic as closely as possible the traditional treatment, the Newcastle University team said that they first carried out a survey in Brazil to find out how the medicine is typically prepared and how much should be consumed.

The most common method was to produce a decoction, a process whereby the dried leaves are boiled in water for 30 minutes and allowed to cool before being drunk as a ‘tea’.

The scientists explained how they used the acetic acid writhing test to measure the response to tonic pain in mice given 15mg/kg hyptis crenata extract orally, a dose similar to that prescribed by traditional healers.

They said that an injection of acetic acid irritates the abdomen and causes the mouse to contort and the numbers of contortions are counted.

Results

According to the team, the outcome of the tonic pain test demonstrated that the extract reduced the contortions in the mice to the same extent as Indometacin.

Lead researcher Gabriela Rocha said more work needs to be done to identify the molecule and understand the antinociceptive involved:

"Besides traditional use, more than half of all prescription drugs are based on a molecule that occurs naturally in a plant. What we have done is to take a plant that is widely used to safely treat pain and scientifically proven that it works as well as some synthetic drugs.

"Now the next step is to find out how and why the plant works."

The research team said it intends to launch clinical trials to find out how effective the mint is as a pain reliever humans.

Biblical herb may lower high cholesterol

The Middle Eastern tree resin, myrrh, a plant forever linked to the New Testament, may lower cholesterol according to a rat study.

The study, published in a recent issue of the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health, said in conjunction with other plants, myrrh could boost heart health.

But the researcher, Nadia Saleh Al-Amoudi from King Abd Al-Aziz University in Saudi Arabia noted more research was needed into the nutrient traditionally used as a medicinal treatment for sore throats, congestion, and cuts and burns.

The researcher fed myrrh resin and other plant materials to albino rats and found that levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol fell and levels of ‘good’ cholesterol went up while the rodents were on the diet.

With gold and frankincense, myrrh was one of the gifts of the Magi as described in the New Testament.

source: nutraingredients.com

Science: Backing the claims of brain foods

By Stephen Daniells

Omega-3s, green tea, phosphatidylserine (PS), St John’s wort, soy, ginseng, B vitamins, and superfruits such as pomegranate are just some examples of ingredients out there claiming to assist the brain’s optimal function.

Here we review some of the most recent science making the headlines in the area of brain health.

Development in the early stages of life

Giving children the best possible start in life has seen a lot of attention diverted to their diet in their formative years. A recent study with DHA-enriched infant formula found an enhancement of cognitive skills, compared to babies fed non-enriched formula.

A dose of 0.36 per cent DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and 0.72 per cent ARA (arachidonic acid) was necessary to produce superior problem solving performance, according to findings published in Child Development.

Intriguing results from Denmark published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that vitamin C may play a more important role in brain development than previously thought. A study with guinea pigs found that vitamin C deficiency in the first weeks and months of life may impair the development of neurones in the brain, and decrease spatial memory

"We may thus be witnessing that children get learning disabilities because they have not gotten enough vitamin C in their early life. This is unbearable when it would be so easy to prevent this deficiency by giving a vitamin supplement to high-risk pregnant women and new mothers" says Jens Lykkesfeldt, professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Copenhagen

A joint British and Australian study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found 12 weeks of supplementation with vitamins and minerals was found to boost the attention scores of children.

The authors claimed it to be the “first observation of acute behavioral effects of vitamins/minerals in human subjects”.

Age-related decline and dementia

Cognitive decline occurs naturally as we age, and precedes diseases such as Alzheimer's. However, cognitive function may decline with the build-up of plaque from beta-amyloid deposits and this increases the risk of Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia.

Great hope has centered on omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA. The most recent data on this subject, presented recently at the Alzheimer's Association 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD 2009) in Vienna found that daily DHA supplements could improve both memory function and heart health in healthy older adults, but only in people with a decline in cognitive function that occurs naturally with age.

However, DHA had no general impact on the cognitive health of people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's.

On the topic of phosphatidylserine, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows a ‘qualified health claim’ status, stating that “Consumption of phosphatidylserine may reduce the risk of cognitive dysfunction in the elderly” and “Consumption of phosphatidylserine may reduce the risk of dementia in the elderly”.

Size does matter

B vitamins, most notably folate and B12, have long been linked to dementia, based on their ability to lower levels of the amino acid homocysteine. Epidemiological studies have reported that high levels of homocysteine are associated with suspected or confirmed dementia. Indeed, the Framingham study reported that people with homocysteine levels above 14 micromoles per liter of serum had twice the risk of dementia.

Higher blood levels of B12 have also been linked to brain size. University of Oxford scientists reported in 2008 that B12 may protect against brain volume loss in older people, and ultimately reduce the risk of developing dementia (Neurology, Vol. 71, pp. 826-832).

B6, B12, and folic acid were also said to help against migraines (Pharmacogenetics and Genomics).

Vitamin D is gaining increasing attention for a wide range of health conditions, including cognitive function.

Boston-based researchers reported in mid-2008 that flavanol-rich chocolate may boost blood flow in the brain and reduce the risk of dementia and stroke. The research was supported by confectionary giant Mars and said to be the first study to directly investigate the effect of flavanol-rich cocoa consumption on blood flow in the brain (Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, Vol. 4, pp. 433-440).

The jury is still out on some of the better known herbals, however. A study in with 3,000 elderly people published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found no differences in the rate of total dementia and the rate of Alzheimer’s disease were observed between groups receiving ginkgo biloba or placebo for 6.1 years.

The study was dismissed as “irrelevant”, however, by Daniel Fabricant, PhD, acting CEO of the Natural Products Association (NPA).

“This study is also in direct contrast to other research,” said Fabricant. “Unfortunately, there is still no proven treatment to prevent Alzheimer’s, but reputable research has shown that Ginkgo biloba can play a constructive role in improving the symptoms related to this debilitating disease and possibly delaying its onset.”

Looking to the future, eyes turned recently to stevia, already making waves in a sea of sweeteners. DSM recently applied for a patent for as a natural ingredient for cognitive health.

Want to know the secret to long life?

What You Can Learn from Those Who’ve Lived the Longest

Dan Buettner’s book, The Blue Zone – Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest, looks at the lifestyles of centenarians across the world. Common denominators among the people who’ve lived the longest include:

• Eating a plant-based diet
• Drinking diuretic-type teas on a regular basis
• Living in areas that promote regular physical activity, such as daily walking as the main means of getting around
• Living in societies where friends and family encourage a healthy, natural, active lifestyle
• Having effective strategies for coping with stress, such as prayer, meditation, strong social networks, and napping daily

In fact, being able to effectively cope with stress, it turns out, is one of the MAJOR common denominators for those who live long, healthy lives.

One of the proposed reasons for this strong link is that stress promotes inflammation, so being able to reduce the inflammatory response in your body can have a significant impact on your overall health. This is also believed to be one of the major reasons why so many centenarians appear to be more or less immune to brain degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

Now, Buettner does mention a few things I personally do not agree with, such as including tofu in the healthy food category, but aside from that, both authors offer plenty of interesting information worthy of attention.

De Grey, of course, approaches the topic from a slightly different angle. De Grey is a Cambridge researcher and chairman and chief science officer of the Methuselah Foundation, and I previously had the pleasure of interviewing de Grey about his fascinating ideas for “engineering immortality.” If you missed that remarkable interview, I highly recommend you listen to it now.

He is more concerned with what he refers to as rejuvenation- or regenerative medicine, which includes such scientific strides as
stem cell therapy and tissue engineering. He believes that by following this line of research we will eventually be able to actually reverse aging.

Personally, I’m not one to want to veer too far from the natural order of things -- I don’t even want to eat a piece of genetically modified corn. But the technology and science enthusiast in me can’t help but be intrigued by the ideas and radical advances in the field of extreme life extension.

The Free-Radical Theory

The most widely accepted idea for life extension is the free-radical theory, which is part of what de Grey promotes. According to this theory, you begin to self destruct” as you age. Your DNA becomes damaged beyond your body’s ability to repair and you eventually accumulate enough damage that can’t support life, and consequently you die.

The main agents of this destruction are oxygen free radicals; aggressive chemical compounds created as a byproduct of your natural metabolism. Over a lifetime, this progressive damage accumulates to the point where your body’s basic biochemical processes fail.

This is one of the primary reasons that Coenzyme Q-10 works and why I take the reduced form, ubiquinol, every day.

One of the most destructive processes is protein carbonylation, in which oxygen radicals attacks the carbon-hydrogen bonds in proteins. This process has been implicated as a cause for many age-related diseases, such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, chronic renal failure and adult-onset diabetes.

Antioxidants continually combat these free radicals – which is why a diet high in natural antioxidants is so important for your health – but over the years, your biological defense systems eventually begin to suffer from oxidative damage as well and can’t function as effectively. Your state of health suffers as a result, and “age-related ailments” set in.

Seven Major Cause of Aging According to de Grey

De Grey’s work focuses on finding the main causes of age-related damage that inevitably leads to death, and uses scientific methods to prevent or reverse them.

According to de Grey, nature has not specifically pre-programmed you to die, as there is no “death gene”. You don’t perish because of some internal clock counting down to death, but because nature doesn’t bother to promote self-healing past a certain point. He claims there are seven major known causes of aging:

1. cell loss
2. death resistant cells (that overstay their welcome)
3. nuclear DNA mutations
4. mitochondrial DNA mutations
5. intracellular junk
6. extracellular junk
7. extracellular crosslinks (which link together molecules that should be kept separated)

From a strictly biological standpoint, the maximum lifespan of human beings seems to be set at around 120 years. However, I do believe it’s possible to extend your lifespan well beyond this with the regenerative technologies that de Grey is working on.

However, as he states, longevity scientists still have a long way to go, which is why focusing on your current lifestyle choices is so important.

How to Live Longer, Starting Today

Regulating your insulin pathways, and all the other important lifestyle changes I advocate, would clearly increase not only the quantity of your years but the quality of them as well.

Proper nutrition; feeding your body the fuel it needs based on your individual biochemistry rather than a one-size-fits-all regimen, exercise, and maintaining emotional well-being should never be underestimated in the anti-aging quest.

Rather than sitting idly by, waiting for some “magic pill” that will stop or even reverse the aging process, you can take control of your health, and hence increase your lifespan, right NOW.

What Can You do NOW to Maximize Your Lifespan?

Of all the healthy lifestyle strategies I know of that can have a significant impact on your longevity, normalizing your insulin and leptin levels is probably the most important. Elevated insulin levels are one of your key physical influences that contribute to rapid aging, and there is no question that optimizing your insulin levels is an absolute necessity if you want to slow down your aging process.

Consuming sugar and grains will increase your insulin level, which is the equivalent of slamming your foot on your aging accelerator. There’s simply no more potent way to accelerate aging than sticking to a diet full of sugar and grains.

Here are the rest of my top “anti-aging” recommendations:

• Learn how to effectively cope with stress – As discussed at the beginning of this article, effective coping mechanisms is a major longevity-promoting factor as stress has a direct impact on inflammation, which in turn underlies many of the chronic diseases that kill people prematurely every day.
  
  Meditation, prayer, physical activity and exercise are all viable options that can help you maintain emotional and mental equilibrium. I also strongly believe in using energy psychology tools such as the Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT) to address deeper, oftentimes hidden emotional problems.

• Eat a healthy diet based on your nutritional type – My nutrition plan, based on natural whole foods, is your first step toward increasing your chances of living a longer, healthier life. The heart of my program is the elimination, or at the very least, drastic reduction of grains and sugar in your diet, which is a far simpler way of restricting your calorie intake naturally, without suffering.

• Take your omega-3 fats – Krill or fish oil is a strong factor in helping people live longer, and many experts believe that it is likely the predominant reason why the Japanese are the longest lived race on the planet.

• Get your antioxidants from foods – Antioxidants have been shown to have anti-aging effects. Good sources include blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, beans, and artichokes.

• Switch to coconut oil – Another excellent anti-aging food is coconut oil. In fact, it’s doubly beneficial because it can be both eaten and applied directly to your skin. Coconut oil can be used in place of other oils, margarine, butter, or shortening, and can be used for all your cooking needs. It can help you lose weight, or maintain your already good weight, reduce your risk of heart disease, and lower your cholesterol, among other things.

• Get your resveratrol naturally – Resveratrol is one of the forerunners in the anti-aging pill race, but more than likely, by the time they’ve manipulated it into a synthetic pill, it won’t be healthy for you. Although resveratrol is the antioxidant found in red wine, I can’t recommend drinking wine in the hopes of extending your life because alcohol is a neurotoxin that can poison your brain and harm your body’s delicate hormonal balance. Instead, get your resveratrol from natural sources, such as whole grape skins and seeds, raspberries, mulberries, and peanuts.

• Get plenty of exercise -- Studies repeatedly show that regular, moderate-to-vigorous exercise can help prevent or delay your onset of hypertension, obesity, heart disease, osteoporosis, and the falls that lead to hip fracture. Although a lifetime of regular exercise is ideal, it’s never too late to start. It’s been shown that even individuals in their 70’s can substantially increase both strength and endurance with exercise.

• Avoid as many chemicals, toxins, and pollutants as possible – This includes tossing out your toxic household cleaners, soaps, personal hygiene products, air fresheners, bug sprays, lawn pesticides, and insecticides, just to name a few, and replacing them with non-toxic alternatives.

• Avoid pharmaceutical drugs – Pharmaceutical drugs kill thousands of people prematurely every year – as an expected side effect of the action of the drug. And, if you adhere to a healthy lifestyle, you most likely will never need any of them in the first place.

There is no quick fix when it comes to life extension – no pill and no magic fountain. While there are certainly some exceptions -- some centenarians do little in the way of healthy eating or getting exercise -- for most of us, living a healthy life well into our 100’s will take some dedication to making healthy lifestyle changes, and it's up to you to decide if it’s worth it.

(for more information, please visit DR. MERCOLA: GREAT TIPS TO ADD YEARS TO YOUR LIFE)

Do you know what sugar is really doing to you?

The Links Between Sugar and Mental Health

by: Dr. Mercola

Noted British psychiatric researcher Malcolm Peet conducted a provocative cross-cultural analysis of the relationship between diet and mental illness. His primary finding was a strong link between high sugar consumption and the risk of both depression and schizophrenia.

There are at least two potential mechanisms through which refined sugar intake could exert a toxic effect on mental health. First, sugar actually suppresses activity of a key growth hormone in the brain called BDNF. BDNF levels are critically low in both depression and schizophrenia.

Second, sugar consumption triggers a cascade of chemical reactions in your body that promote chronic inflammation. In the long term, inflammation disrupts the normal functioning of your immune system, and wreaks havoc on your brain. Once again, it’s linked to a greater risk of depression and schizophrenia.

This article goes much more in depth, for more information please visit:

Dr. Mercola

Are you a Chiropractor looking for a Seminar on Video Marketing?

If you are a Chiropractor who has been looking for a seminar on Video Social Media Marketing that will enable you to make your practice explode, then you are in luck!

Chiropractic Coaching Services
My chiropractic coaching services will help you uncover the insider secrets to igniting your chiropractic OR Anti-aging business...literally overnight!

TUITION: $325
DATE: January 30-31
TIME: 8am - 5pm
LOCATIONS: Houston, Woodlands

*Additional Information:

We will also have drawings for Social Media CD's, Internet Marketing Programs and more. Also sign up 2 weeks or more before the seminar and receive a free 60 minute webinar on internet marketing! Save $25 if 2 weeks early as well.

Link to Hotel for seminar.

*Guarantee:

If you don't love this seminar then we offer a money back guarantee, if by Sat evening. If you don't think you have gotten your moneys worth we will give your money back for seminar. No questions asked. WE are from Texas so we understand what works in Texas, not some other far flung state. Come find out for yourself.


Chiropractors looking for seminar on Video Social Media marketing to explode your practice go to www.catchfireseminar.com

Having trouble falling asleep naturally?

The following tips from Dr. Joseph Mercola will have you sleeping blissfully in no time!


Considering human beings spend about one-third of their lives asleep, you’d think we’d all be pros at it! In reality, insomnia is the most common sleep complaint in the United States and about 30-40 percent of adults have insomnia symptoms in any given year!

Why Temperature is So Important to Sleep

Thermoregulation -- your body's heat distribution system -- is strongly linked to sleep cycles. Even lying down increases sleepiness by redistributing heat in your body from the core to the periphery.

When you sleep, your body’s internal temperature actually drops to its lowest level, generally about four hours after you fall asleep. Scientists believe a cooler bedroom may therefore be most conducive to sleep, since it mimics your body’s natural temperature drop.

This is also why taking a warm bath 90 to 120 minutes before bedtime may also help you sleep; it increases your core body temperature, and when it abruptly drops when you get out of the bath, it signals your body that you are ready for sleep.

While there’s no set consensus as to what temperature will help you sleep the best, in most cases any temperature above 75 degrees Fahrenheit and below 54 degrees will interfere with your sleep.

Once you’re within that range, many factors can influence which temperature is best for you including, of course, your choice of pajamas and bedding. Most people, however, will find they sleep best by keeping the temperature in their bedroom no higher than 70 degrees F and perhaps even a bit lower than that.

Interestingly, while a cool room and a lower core temperature may help you sleep better, cold hands and feet will not. Because blood flow is a prime method of distributing heat evenly throughout your body, if your extremities are cold it could be a sign of poor blood flow, which results in sleeplessness.

The solution for this is simple: put on a pair of warm socks or place a hot water bottle near your feet.

Get this Wrong and You Will INCREASE Your Risk of Cancer

Light. Or more specifically, making sure there’s none of it in your bedroom.

Your sleeping patterns are actually governed by light, and any source of light -- even one as tiny as the green glow from your clock radio -- could be interfering with your ability to sleep, and more importantly, your long term health and risk of developing cancer.

While it’s typically thought that your biological clock is what tells you when it’s time to wake up or go to sleep, light and dark signals actually control your biological clock. To get more specific, a part of your brain called the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) -- a group of cells in your hypothalamus -- controls your biological clock. And the cells that make up your SCN respond to light and dark signals.

Light actually travels through your eye’s optic nerve to your SCN, where it signals your body’s clock that it’s time to wake up. Light also signals your SCN to initiate other processes associated with being awake, such as raising your body temperature and producing hormones like cortisol.

Meanwhile, when your eyes signal to your SCN that it’s dark outside, your body will begin to produce melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep and radically decreases your risk of cancer. There are many studies on this powerful association. The more your sleep is disrupted by light pollution, the lower your melatonin levels and the greater your risk of developing cancer becomes.

Melatonin is secreted primarily in your brain and at night it triggers a host of biochemical activities, including a nocturnal reduction in your body's estrogen levels. It’s thought that chronically decreasing your melatonin production at night -- as occurs when you’re exposed to nighttime light -- increases your risk of developing cancer.

So PLEASE make sure you sleep in a pitch dark room. If you need a light to go to the bathroom at night then use a red flashlight as that is a wavelength that will allow you to see but will not interfere with melatonin production.

The moment your body sees the smallest bit of non red light at night, it will virtually shut off the production of melatonin, and don’t think that popping a pill will counteract this. Remember it is FAR better to let your body produce the perfect amount of melatonin rather than you second guess it and swallow a pill.

Personally, I sleep in a room that is so dark it’s even pitch black at noon. You can achieve this in your own bedroom by:

• Installing blackout drapes
• Closing your bedroom door if light comes through it, and even putting a towel along the base to prevent light from seeping in
• Getting rid of your electric clock radio (or at least covering it up at night)
• Avoiding night lights of any kind
• Keeping all light off at night (even if you get up to go to the bathroom) -- this includes the TV!
  

What Else Can You do to Improve Your Sleep?

Americans get about 25 percent less sleep than they did a century ago -- and this isn’t just a matter of having less energy.

Too little sleep impacts your levels of thyroid and stress hormones, which in turn can affect your memory and immune system, your heart and metabolism, and much more. Over time, lack of sleep can lead to:

• Weight gain
• Depression
• High blood sugar levels and an increased risk of diabetes
• Brain damage

So how much sleep do you need to be getting? Generally speaking, adults need to get between six and nine hours of sleep a night. But there are definitely exceptions. Some people can, in fact, function well on as few as five hours a night, while others need up to 10.

You may also need more sleep during times of illness or emotional stress, or during the winter months. And pregnant women often need several hours more sleep than usual during their first three months of pregnancy.

A good rule of thumb to follow is that if you feel tired when you wake up, you probably aren’t getting enough sleep. Most of us have set times that we need to wake up in the morning, so getting more sleep, for most of us, means going to bed earlier.

If you find that you’re not waking up feeling refreshed, it’s a good idea to devote some attention to revamping your sleeping habits. I’ve put together a list of practical solutions to help you do this in my 33 Secrets to a Good Night's Sleep, which include:

• Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars. This will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.
• Sleep in complete darkness or as close as possible. If there is even the tiniest bit of light in your room it can disrupt your circadian rhythm and your pineal gland's production of melatonin and serotonin.
• No TV right before bed. Even better, get the TV out of the bedroom or even out of the house, completely. It is too stimulating to your brain and it will take longer to fall asleep.
• Check your bedroom for electro-magnetic fields (EMFs). These can disrupt the pineal gland and the production of melatonin and seratonin, and may have other negative effects as well.
• Get to bed as early as possible. Our systems, particularly our adrenals, do a majority of their recharging or recovering during the hours of 11 p.m. and 1a.m.
• Avoid alcohol. Although alcohol will make people drowsy, the effect is short lived and people will often wake up several hours later, unable to fall back asleep. Alcohol will also keep you from falling into the deeper stages of sleep, where the body does most of its healing.
• Eat a high-protein snack several hours before bed. This can provide the L-tryptophan need to produce melatonin and serotonin.
• Address emotional hurdles to sleep using the Meridian Tapping Technique (MTT). MTT can help balance your body's bioenergy system and resolve some of the emotional stresses that are contributing to the insomnia at a very deep level. The results are typically long lasting and the improvement is remarkably rapid.

Thinking of introducing Acupuncture into your practice?

You first need to know exactly what acupuncture is, and it's origins.

Far too often in the medical professions, a patient is told after extensive examination, "There is nothing wrong," "It is all in your head," or "Sorry, you'll have to learn to live with it." The examining doctor unable to find the cause of the problem has little else to tell the patient. Fortunately, many physicians are now referring their patients for Acupuncture.

The human body's energy flow courses over 12 meridians or channels that are normally well balanced. If a disruption of energy flow exists, it can alter the entire system, producing pain or symptoms in the body.

If we were to compare a 175 pound man on one end of a seesaw and a 47 pound child on the other end, it becomes obvious the seesaw would be "broken" due to the fact the heavier person would be sitting on the ground and lighter would be dangling in the air. Even though the seesaw is producing a symptom of being broken-extensive examination would not reveal anything wrong with the seesaw. The obvious answer is in the balance. Correction of the balance corrects the problem.

This is Acupuncture's goal-to restore normalcy to the body's energy balance by utilizing a combination of Acupoints located on the 12 meridians. This is accomplished by a variety of means, the needle is just one.

Medical research continues in this country and others to attempt to explain in western scientific terms what the ancient Chinese 70 centuries earlier described. Today, many theories have been postulated as to why Acupuncture is so effective in pain control. However, as more discoveries are made, more research is indicated.

(as found at What is Acupuncture?)

An excerpt from the book KNOCKOUT

The following is an excerpt from the book "KNOCKOUT" by Suzanne Somers. The book illustrates the possibilities that are available when using alternative methods, and medicines, for fighting cancer.

SS- Suzanne Somers
SH- Dr. Steve Haltiwanger

SS: Let’s talk about DNA damage and its connection to cancer from an electronic
point of view. What does a cell do?

SH: A cell is not some static thing that sits there like a bag of chemicals. It’s an
information processing unit. Each cell literally contains all the features of
transmitters, like in electronic communication devices. All cells process
information from other cells in order to coordinate their functions. A signal is
received, say from interaction of a chemical with a cell receptor site (and there
are thousands of these receptors on the surface of every cell), and as a result of
that receptor activation a chemical is allowed to enter the cell, and it’s a normal
chemical; it’s supposed to be there. Our cells are designed to receive that
chemical and then initiate a series of steps, starting with the amplification of the
signal. So there’s a communication system with the receiver and an amplifying
unit and now there’s a signal sent through. Every time there is a chemical
reaction, a movement of electrical charges occurs, which creates an
electromagnetic field change and a specific signal. The end result is many of
these signals get processed down to the cell nucleus which responds by decoding information from our DNA. Perhaps it’s a message to repair our DNA
or facilitate the production of an enzyme that needs to be replaced.
Cells are constantly talking to each other through electrochemical communication
systems creating local and systemic feedback loops. Each cell continuously
takes in information from other cells, processes this information and then
responds accordingly. Everything that occurs within each cell is either controlled
or influenced by the genetic machinery. Cells are designed to continually
manufacture certain proteins and enzymes, but a mature adult cell just doesn’t
make all proteins; its functions are specialized. If the cell signaling abilities are
compromised, then you’re set up to have a problem with cell malfunction.

What do you want from your practice?

When you decided you wanted to become a Chiropractor, what were you envisioning to be your future? Were you looking in to your future with hopes of having a dead practice, that only sees a few patients every week, or did you envision a hopping practice, with barely enough time to breath? What if you had a combination of the two? A practice that is very busy, and lucrative, but so that you still have time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labors? I can help you achieve such a practice. See for yourself what I have to offer you. I have been where you are now, and I know what needs to be done to create a successful practice. Let's make this work together. YOUR CHIROPRACTIC FUTURE

What are your patients looking for in a Chiropractic clinic?

The following article by Kelley Andrews, DC., will help illustrate some of the things that your patients/clients should be looking for in a Chiropractic clinic, which will also illustrate just what you should be providing with your Chiropractic clinic experience.


HOW TO CHOOSE A CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC

In addition to the chiropractor’s technique, education and case management approach, it is a good idea to consider the setup of the chiropractic clinic and several other factors before selecting a doctor of chiropractic.


CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC COSTS

Questions to ask about the fees at the chiropractic clinic may include the following:

• Is the chiropractor covered under the patient’s insurance plan? What is the policy at the chiropractic clinic for payment of services that are denied by the insurer (some chiropractic clinics offer cash discounts for insurance-denied services)?
• What are the chiropractor’s fees for the initial examination? For the chiropractic adjustment? Fees should be competitive with typical chiropractor fees in the local area.
• What kind of discounts does the chiropractor offer? Most chiropractic clinics offer a reduced fee for cash payments at the time of service or family/volume discounts.

CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC CONSIDERATIONS

It is prudent to be alert to chiropractic clinics that rely on certain types of marketing approaches to procure new patients or to encourage them to sign up for long term treatment.

• Health fairs in shopping malls can be a common place where chiropractors offer free spinal exams. This is fine, unless the patient is encouraged to sign up for a long term treatment plan before being properly evaluated.
• Another common approach is a spinal exam that includes a postural analysis by a chiropractor. If a patient has poor posture but no complaints, a competent chiropractor would discuss ergonomic modifications and/or an exercise and stretching program, possibly with periodic evaluations to determine compliance and exercise benefits (chiropractic manipulation is not automatically warranted).

The bottom line is that each chiropractic clinic must be individually evaluated, and no “promises” should be made without a proper examination first being conducted. Finally, patients should beware of any practitioner who asks for a lump sum payment up front for “extended” or “lifetime” chiropractic care, as this is not in the patient’s best interest.

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Thinking of becoming a Chiropractor?

Maybe you are simply wondering exactly what the qualifications are to become a Chiropractor. This article by Kelley Andrews, DC, will help explain everything you need to know. Whether you are thinking of going into the field, or just wondering if your Chiropractor has all the qualifications he/she is supposed to have.

Chiropractic Education and Qualifications

Doctors of chiropractic undergo a four-year degree program, and most states now require an undergraduate bachelor’s degree in science prior to admission to a chiropractic university.

At a chiropractic university, the first two years of chiropractic education are focused on coursework in the basic sciences, after which training focuses on diagnosis-related courses (such as pathology and pathophysiology) and manual medicine or chiropractic manipulation (use of hands) as an alternative to drugs or surgery.

In addition to this chiropractic education, some chiropractors also pursue post-graduate diplomat programs in various specialties, such as orthopedics, sports medicine, rehabilitation, neurology, nutrition and other disciplines.

Chiropractic Education Requirements

Chiropractors need to be licensed to practice in their state, and need to have completed the National Board examinations following their chiropractic education. In addition to Part 1 and Part 2, Part 3 of the National Boards is necessary if the chiropractor plans to use physiological therapeutics in practice.


Part 4 of the National Boards tests three practical skill areas, including diagnostic imaging, chiropractic technique and case management. In some states, Part 4 may be used in place of a state-specific practical examination.

Patients may also want to check to see if there have been any disciplinary actions against the chiropractor. This information is available from each state’s Chiropractic Board of Examiners, which can usually be found on the state’s website. Patients should also check that their chiropractor is accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education.

Chiropractic Education Questions

Questions to ask about chiropractic education and training:

* From which chiropractic school did the chiropractor graduate?
* Does he or she have a bachelor’s degree?
* Where did he or she complete undergraduate/prerequisite schooling?
* How many years has the chiropractor been in practice?
* Does the chiropractor have a post-graduate specialty?

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Have a patient who needs x-rays?

There will come a time when you will need a patient to have some x-rays taken. This patient may be apprehensive about having, what he or she may think are unnecessary x-rays. This article by Kelley Andrews, DC will help to explain to your patients the importance of these procedures.


There are arguments both for and against the use of x-rays as a part of chiropractic health care. Some patients who see doctors of chiropractic do not require x-rays; however, many chiropractors take them as a standard procedure, either as a defensive practice to rule out pathology and/or to aid in determining where to adjust the spine.

Indications of X-Rays in Chiropractic Health Care

As a general guideline, X-rays are necessary in the following cases:

• If the patient has sustained a significant traumatic injury at any age
• If the patient has experienced any type of trauma (even a minor one) if over age 50
• For most patients over 70 years of age, especially if the patient’s history and examination suggests a possible bone disease (such as arthritis)
• If the patient has had long-standing pain that has not responded or resolved with previous chiropractic health care.

Questions to Ask about Chiropractic Health Care Tests

Some questions that may be asked of the chiropractor include:

• Does the chiropractor recommend an x-ray? If so, why? Avoid chiropractors who insist on taking x-rays of every patient, regardless of what is wrong.
• If an x-ray is taken by the chiropractor, how do the x-ray findings correlate to the patient’s pain and symptoms? It is not uncommon for an x-ray to show problems with the spine but the patient has no symptoms. If the patient does not have pain and the practitioner recommends continued chiropractic treatment because of what an x-ray shows, it is advisable to get a second opinion from another chiropractor or medical professional before continuing the chiropractic health care.
• What other tests may be taken by the chiropractor? If a practitioner is offering a high tech test, patients may be well served to research the validity of the test before agreeing to it. Certain types of tests may look impressive but in fact have little or no scientific data supporting their use and do not really help in making chiropractic treatment decisions. They also usually come with a high price tag that may not be covered under insurance.

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What are your patients looking for?

When a new patient comes in, they are going to be looking to get started on a program, in order to get their spine back into proper alignment, and will need your help to make the guidelines clear. This article by Kelly Andrews, will make a lot of the information easier for them to digest:

Chiropractic Treatment Program Guidelines

By: Kelly Andrews, DC

Depending on the nature and extent of the specific back problem, a few visits to the chiropractor should help the patient feel noticeably better. Within one to four weeks of a chiropractic program of treatment, the pain for non-complex musculoskeletal conditions should typically be reduced by 40 to 80%, and the frequency of visits to the doctor of chiropractic should decrease as the patient’s pain and function improve.

Considerations beyond a Chiropractic Treatment Program

If the patient’s symptoms are not improving within one to four weeks, then other treatment possibilities beyond a chiropractic program should be explored, such as:
There may be another mechanical problem that is being overlooked
There may be repeated ergonomic stress that reproduces the back pain and/or neck pain
There may be a complicating condition that may need further diagnostic evaluation or may benefit from some other form of treatment besides the current chiropractic program.

Common Chiropractic Program Plans

Good chiropractors do everything in their power to help their patients feel better as fast as possible with as few chiropractic treatments as necessary, and also give advice on how to avoid future problems by evaluating lifestyle ergonomics, implementing an exercise approach and reducing care to an as-needed chiropractic plan.
In general, in the absence of progressive worsening of a condition in spite of chiropractic care, a common chiropractic program is 3 times per week for 2 to 4 weeks, followed by a re-evaluation. If improvement is noted, a tapering of treatment frequency is appropriate while introducing a self-help, home-based exercise program and/or ergonomic modifications to activities of daily living.
If the patient is not getting relief after the first 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the specific case, the chiropractor should consider one of the following:
Change the therapeutic/treatment approach for an additional 2 to 4 week trial period
Co-manage the patient with other allied healthcare providers (such as a medical doctor, osteopath, and/or physical therapist)
Refer to another practitioner – either another chiropractor or another type of spine specialist, such as a physiatrist, physical therapist, pain medicine specialist or spine surgeon for further evaluation and treatment.

Chiropractic Treatment Program Questions

Questions to ask about the specific chiropractic treatment for back pain, neck pain or other symptoms may include the following:
What is the chiropractor’s typical practice pattern or treatment program?
What chiropractic services does the chiropractor offer? Some chiropractors offer additional services such as massage, exercise instruction, rehabilitation and strength training, and nutritional counseling.
What is the chiropractor’s recommendation if the chiropractic program doesn’t seem to help? A good chiropractor will recommend that the patient consult another practitioner if these or other methods of treatment (such as medications or surgery) are indicated.
In terms of treatment plans, it is advisable for patients to avoid practitioners who tend to find the same thing wrong with every patient and treat every patient identically. Also, be cautious if a chiropractor recommends a lengthy (e.g. a 3, 6, or 12-month) chiropractic program after just one or two consultation.