PROBLEMS

Problems - what are they? Where do they come from, what causes them? How are you best able to cope with problems and why do they seem to pick on you?

The world is full of problems, however, all do not victimize you. Everyone has his or her problems. Some are imaginary, some are real. It's how you live with them that counts. As you think, so you are. As you continue to think, so you will become. So you doubt this? Well, think it over, and cautiously watch your step.

Some people make mountains out of minor issues,. Some laugh at the things that assail them. It is all in the state of mind. Do you believe this? Well, let us see. Are you becoming deeper and deeper in debt? Do yo spend less? Do you set a goal and not go beyond it? You can do anything you make up you mind to do.

Is your task difficult or hard to accomplish? Take the first step and keep on keeping on. As you sow, you reap. As you do unto others, they will tend to do unto you. That is human nature, and it often creates problems hard to overcome.

You may say your problem is ill health. You are sick of being sick, and whatever you do seems to react adversely for you. You take medicines to gain relief, but the side effects take over that are often worse than the original complaint. What can you do about that?

Change your approach. Medicines only add to the fire of insecurity. Try Chiropractic and give it a fair trial.

We doctors of Chiropractic have a different approach. No medicine, no pain killers, no surgery except in emergencies which do create adverse problems. Thus, use judgment. With Chiropractic, spinal adjustments are made by the skillful hands of the chiropractor. With this done normal nerve energy is released, function is restored, and the symptoms disappear, thus adding life to years and years to life with ability to meet its problems, fears, and worries.

"He who fears he will suffer, already suffers because he fears."

-Michel De Montaigne

Low Testosterone

A Subtle Drop in Energy
Fatigue is a common effect of low testosterone. You might feel like you just don't have the energy that you're used to. Or you might be incredibly tired. But many other things can sap your energy, too, including normal aging and depression. Getting enough sleep may help raise your energy levels. Try to get at least 7 to 8 hours each night. See your doctor for more help with unusual fatigue.

Changes in Sex Life
A drop in your sex drive can be due to low Testosterone. So can erectile dysfunction. However, low testosterone alone is rarely the only reason for weaker and fewer erections. Other medical problems can be to blame, such as heart disease or diabetes. Check with your doctor. If you have low testosterone levels, your sex drive may get better with treatment.

Fuzzy Thinking
Low testosterone can hurt your mental focus and memory. You may forget what you planned to do and have trouble concentrating. This happens more often when testosterone levels are extremely low. To help, take steps to ease stress. Try meditation, yoga, exercise, or massage. The more stress hormones your body makes, the less testosterone it can make.

Changes in Mood
Low testosterone can get you down a little or to the point of depression. Some men really see a change in personality. Nothing seems to make them happy anymore and they don't want to do things they used to enjoy. When testosterone levels are back to normal, men often say they feel like themselves again.

Muscle Changes
Because testosterone helps build muscle, when it gets low, so does your muscle mass and strength. When you work out you don't see the results that you would normally expect from exercise. Regular exercise can help boost your testosterone levels. Be sure to work large groups of muscles when you exercise and do some weight lifting, too.

More Body Fat
Not only can you lose muscles with low testosterone, you can also gain fat. If you're not building muscle with the calories you take in and the physical activity you do, then your body turns the calories into fat. Eat a healthy diet. When you start to lose weight and extra body fat from dieting, you may lose some muscle. If you are overweight or obese, your body may make more testosterone as you lose weight. This will help you gain lost muscle mass.

Thinning Body Hair
Low testosterone can cause you to lose some facial hair, pubic hair, and hair on your arms and lower legs. But it doesn't usually affect the hair on your head. Yet, there's a link between testosterone therapy and male-pattern balding. Your doctor can talk to you about any side effects of testosterone treatment.

Loss of Bone Mass
Low testosterone has been linked to osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bones. But there are other causes of osteoporosis too, so check with your doctor. To keep your bones healthy, don't smoke, and cut back on alcohol. Also get regular exercise, including weight-bearing exercise.

Trouble Sleeping
When your testosterone levels are low, you might have trouble with insomnia and restlessness at night. To help get a good night's sleep, have a relaxing bedtime routine. Go to bed and wake up at the same time, even on weekends. Make your bedroom dark, quiet, and comfortable, and only use it for sleep and sex. Eliminate all light, especially BLUE.

Problems on the Job
Many of the effects of low testosterone are focus problems, mood issues, and low energy. All there can make it hard to stay on top of your game at work. If your work or home life has changed dramatically for the worse, a full medical checkup and blood test may find the cause. A blood test can show whether you have low testosterone levels. Caution regarding the numbers vs your age.

If you have low Testosterone, a healthy lifestyle change is important, along with any testosterone therapy your doctor might suggest.

Sinus & Allergy Problems

Throughout Southern California people are suffering from sinus trouble (sinusitis). The majority believe the symptoms to be nothing more than a slight cold in the head that periodically worsens. They do not realize they are suffering from chronic SINUSITIS, nor do they realize how rapidly a chronic sinus condition can flare up and become serious.

Sinusitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane lining one or more of the nasal sinuses. There are 8 sinuses; cavities in the cheekbones, forehead, and on either side of and behind the nose. The function of the sinuses is to aid in the all important pollution control of air entering the lungs. Even the sweetest country air contains dust particles, pollen and other impurities. City air is often filthy with soot and smog. During the few seconds it takes for air to be sucked into the lungs, the air must pass through an intricate maze of snares and traps. The body's system of "air conditioning" begins with the hair just inside the nostrils. These hairs strain out and move obvious particles of dust, flying insects, and other large particles of filth riding the air stream as it is sucked into the lungs. Heat from the rich blood supply in the nose warms the air on its journey to the lungs, but both the warming affect and the cleansing effect of the nasal passages are lost in breathing through the mouth. Since it is highly desirable to keep impurities out of the lungs, the importance of catching such impurities in the nose is apparent. It is essential to good health that the sinuses function properly. Usually the pain is dull and aching. It may become excruciating with excessive activity.

Sinusitis can be either chronic or acute. A tendency to head colds that hang on and on is a major symptom of chronic sinusitis. Pain is often less than in acute conditions and may be merely annoying, but unless corrected completely, chronic sinusitis may stay with the victim through the major symptoms come and go.

Patients with chronic sinus trouble are often astounded at how quickly relief comes with Chiropractic care without the use of drugs and/or operations. Give it a try .... it works!

Lack of Sleep Can Make You Fatter

From the American College of Physicians issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine comes a study that suggests that there is a correlation between lack of sleep and weight gain. Chief author, Dr. Eve Van Cauter, Professor of Medicine, University of Chicago, states, "If you do not run a sleep debt, you will be able to curb your appetite more easily and maintain or lose weight."

A full article on the original research on the FitCommerce.com website notes that sleep deprivation increases levels of a hunger hormone and decreases levels of a hormone that can make you feel full. These 2 factors lead to cravings for sweets, chips, and starchy fare like bread and pasta thus setting up the scenario for weight gain.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, An estimated 63% of American adults do not get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. They report that the average adult gets 6.9 hours of sleep on weeknights and 7.5 hours on weekends, for a daily average of 7 hours. The researchers point out that the decline in time spent sleeping correlates to the rise in obesity in the U.S. Statistics show that less than one-quarter of young American adults sleep eight to nine hours per night -- down from about 41 % in 1960.

The article notes that this scenario sets up a downward cycle. Not having enough sleep leads to weight gain, then weight gain and obesity leads to sleep difficulties that can affect the quality of sleep and therefore cause even more sleep loss and therefore more weight gain.

"You're not healthy, unless your sleep is healthy."

Pain In The Forecast

Obviously, the most accurate method of predicting storms is to see how full the waiting room is. But why do some people seem to be able to predict coming rains based on their aches and pains?

It's true that many people with back pain, neck pain or other joint complaints are often surprisingly accurate in predicting when storms are approaching, and believe it or not, there is some validity to their weather forecasting abilities.

The phenomenon is nothing new. As early as the 5th century B.C., Hippocrates suggested many illnesses were related to changes in the weather. Since then, a number of musculoskeletal disorders have been identified as being especially sensitive to changing weather conditions, including osteoarthritis, tension headaches, back pain and fibromyalgia.

A variety of meteorologic factors have been suggested as the culprit, including temperature, precipitation, humidity, thunderstorms and increased ionization of the air. But while reliable conclusions about the link between weather and musculoskeletal pain have yet to be established due to the lack of controlled studies, most research points to the lowered atmospheric barometric pressure that often precedes storms and other weather changes.

In one of the first empirical studies on the effect of weather on joint pain, published in 2010 by the International Journal of Biometeorology, researchers established a direct connection between low barometric pressure, inflammation and joint pain in rats. For the study, scientists artificially produced a state of chronic inflammation in the feet of lab rats, mimicking the clinical features of neuropathic pain in humans. When the rats were placed in a low-pressure environment, they exhibited signs of exacerbated foot joint pain not seen in their control counterparts.

Additional research has demonstrated the same phenomenon occurs in humans. For instance, a 2002 study from the Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques concluded that "back pain may be aggravated by atmosphere depression in patients with lumbar disc disease." And a 2007 study from the American Journal of Medicine determined that "changes in barometric pressure are independently associated with osteoarthritis knee pain severity."

Various mechanisms have been proposed to account for this relationship, but the most likely explanation involves the expansion of fluid in swollen joints following fluctuations in barometric pressure. Inflammation due to dysfunction, disease or injury will lead to swelling in and surrounding a joint. Because materials of varying densities are affected differently by pressure changes, drops in barometric pressure expand this extra fluid more than the muscle, ligaments and connective tissue that make up the joint capsule, stretching sensitized tissues and activating a nociceptive (pain) response.

A good illustration for the layperson is a balloon in a barometric chamber. If the pressure outside the balloon drops, the air on the inside expands and stretches the walls of the balloon. When the same happens to a swollen joint, the expansion stretches soft tissue, irritates nerve endings and causes pain.

It's important to note that this contraction and expansion of excess fluid in joints is happening on such a small scale that it cannot be quantified by any scientific means and the process is therefore entirely theoretical. But whatever the mechanism, the takeaway is that some degree of inflammation must already exist, whether we are aware of it or not, for barometric pressure changes to lead to joint pain. Weather changes can't cause pain by themselves; they can only exacerbate inflammation that's already there. After all, not everyone experiences pain when a storm is brewing, and those who do don't experience pain in every joint.

It really drives home what chiropractors have been saying for decades: The absence of pain isn't the same as good health! So while there's validity to the idea of "aches and pains mean coming rains," anticipation of weather changes shouldn't interfere with patients' motivation to decrease underlying inflammation with the things they actually can control. Sunny days ahead are no substitution for proper exercise, good diet and supplementation, and regular chiropractic care.

Laugh And Cut Stress

 Take a deep breath. Now put your hand on your belly. Imagine your stomach jiggling, as if you are starting to laugh. You may have just taken a step toward reducing stress hormone levels.

Researchers say merely anticipating a laugh can jump‑start healthy changes in the body.

The findings come from a small study, made up of 16 healthy men. The men were divided into two groups. The experimental group was told to anticipate something funny. The other group was used as a comparison.

Researchers then tested the levels of three stress hormones participants had in their blood and compared that to the control group, which did not expect a laugh was on the way.

Researchers found that the group anticipating the laughs had reduced levels of three stress hormones compared to the other group.

Here's the breakdown from the experimental group.

  $        Cortisol levels dipped 39%. Cortisol is known as a major stress hormone.

  $        Adrenaline levels dropped 70%. Adrenaline is also known as epinephrine.

  $        Dopac levels dropped 38%. Dopac is a chemical related to the "feel‑good" chemical known as dopamine.

Persistently elevated stress hormone levels in the blood, as happens under chronic stressful situations, has been linked to a weakened immune system.

"Our findings lead us to believe that by seeking out positive experiences that make us laugh we can do a lot with our physiology to stay well," says researcher Lee Berk in a news release.

The researchers were following up on a similar study they did two years ago in which they found that anticipating laughter led to an increase in healthful chemicals such as beta‑endorphins.

"Laugh and whole world laughs with you."

Live Life Healthy

One would think that living in agreement with nature would be common sense. However, in this day in age, common sense is not so common. So before personal responsibility goes the way of the human extinction, here are a few suggestions on how the gain and maintain health.

1.  Eat Whole Foods. Focus on diet of inclusion.

 

2.  Eat a balanced diet with optimal protein, unrefined carbohydrates and the right fats. There are health promoting and health destroying foods within each macro nutrient category; Fats, Carbohydrates and Proteins. Our body is a chemistry lab, not a bank account and the types of foods you eat cause specific hormonal responses that can harm or heal you.

 

3.  Stay hydrated. Water is a by-product of beta oxidation and you need it to burn fat!  If you are even slightly dehydrated you will lower your metabolism and you won't be able to perform at your peak.

 

4.  Make an oil change. The types of fats and oils you eat can dramatically impact your health.  Emphasize monounsaturated fats and omega 3 fats found in cold water fish, avocados, raw nuts and seeds (not peanuts) and olive oil.

 

5.  Eat foods rich in phyto-nutrients and antioxidants. Some of our favorites include red grapes, turmeric, sesame, tomatoes in olive oil, ginger, celery, rosemary, saffron, garlic, cherries, berries, cabbage, umbelliferous vegetables, green tea, freshly ground flax seed meal (not oil) and licorice. Live food is best. 

 

6.  Avoid health destructive foods and toxic chemicals -

  - pro-inflammatory and rancid fats including - corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed oils, all margarine, trans fats and fried foods.

  - hormones and additives in meats, chicken and eggs

  - farm raised fish treated with additives, hormones and unhealthy feed ( buy wild caught fish )

  - alcohol and caffeine

  - Processed foods

  - refined and simple sugars, high glycemic load foods including fruit juice, white flour, etc.

  - Iron fortified cereals (and vitamins)

  - Soda

  - Drugs - OTC or prescribed (sulfur, mercury, thermisol etc)

  

7.  You cannot supplement a poor diet to make it healthy. It is virtually impossible to get all of the nutrients you need even in the most healthy and balanced diet. Use supplements to enhance a healthy diet to make it optimal.

 

Supplements nearly everyone needs include a pharmaceutical grade multiple (make sure it includes 800 mcg of folic acid) taken 2 x's per day, omega 3 essential fatty acids and minerals, especially magnesium.

 

8.  Balance your hormone responses. Think of your body like as chemistry lab; eat, work, exercise, rest and play to support appropriate hormone responses of growth hormone, cortisol, adrenaline and insulin.

 

9.  Avoid toxic exposure - eat organic, use environmentally friendly household products, filter your air and water.  It is estimated that 80% of all cancers are from tobacco, nutrition and environmental carcinogens.  Add houseplants to reduce the chemicals in the air.  Some of the best are Areca Palms, Lady Palms, English Ivy, Boston Ferns, Rubber Plants.  2-3 per 100 feet.

 

10.  Exercise, like nutrition and supplementation, is dose dependent. You must make sure you are doing the right amount of each to ensure optimal results. Too much can have a negative effect as too little. There are 3 types of exercise; adaptive (resistance training), calming (flexibility/core exercises) and stimulating (cardio). Which type, how much of it and at what intensity depends on your  metabolism type.

 

11.  Maintain your ideal body fat percentage and remember you must be healthy to lose body fat and increase lean muscle mass. Test your body fat percentage vs. testing your weight regularly.

 

12.  Take time out for fun and get adequate rest. Laughing and smiling changes your brain chemistry for the better. Mindful exercise like yoga and aerobics have been shown to enhance the immune system. Do not eat 3 hours before bedtime so the body can put its efforts into repair vs. digestion.

 

13.  Regular Chiropractic Care: Research demonstrates your nervous system controls all body function - your immune system, glandular system, circulatory system, digestive system, elimination system, and musculoskeletal system. Regular chiropractic care is the foundation for optimizing health and assisting the body in restoring health, maintaining and maximizing function.

Follow these simple steps to  maintain your own health and those of your loved ones.

Things That Bring Happiness

Happiness is a great blessing. It takes many things and many people to make a happy life. Most importantly, happiness inspires others as nothing else will.

Life is real, life is earnest. Draper once stated, "WE do not know what the future may bring, but we do know what we can bring with us to the future.

Blessings that bring us greatest happiness are those that are shared with others. For example, wishing you happiness and a day without tears can bring you a plus in store for the coming years with the best of everything. The personal birthday cards I do personally do as much good for me as it does the recipient. As I do my cards, I tend to visualize the smile it may bring when opened.

Be a friend to your mate, yet be even more than a friend. No one can calculate the infinite debt of joy two married people owe to each other. It hurts if the spark dims, and worse if it cannot be illuminated once again.

There's a lot more joy in living then you find along the way a very special person whom you love more each and every day. That's why it's such a pleasure to greet and to express kind wishes for continued joy and endless happiness.

James Whitcomb Riley beautifully stated; "it's the songs you sing and the smiles you wear that's making the sunshine everywhere."

Life is not a selfish or private existence. It is meant to be cooperative, based upon sharing joys and sorrows and making the best of everything. Edwin Markham wrote;

There is a destiny that makes us brothers;

None go this life alone.

All we send into the life of others

Comes back into our own.

The question is, what are you sending into the lives of others. Is it peace, joy, and love, or is it resentment, trouble, and hate? Remember ... as you sow you also reap.

Persons often excuse their shortcomings saying they are ill, that pain and misery keep crowding into your life against their will, and pushing aside their genuine wishes for good. Not a good excuse at all, but rather whining instead of getting into action and committing to good health. Changing a woeful diet is a great start. And, joining a yoga class or fitness program can change a life forever. Plus you meet some incredible people along the way. Nice perk! And remember chiropractic, as it addresses your nervous and hormonal systems - a good thing to keep in check should you wish to remain healthy and active.

"Believe that you can do anything!"

Watching The Clock

There is virtue in watching the clock to see when to start work, but not much in watching it to see when to quit.

Time is the most important thing you possess because it is life itself. Time well used is a life well spent. Merely wasting time is living to no avail.

Should you be one who says, "I always allow myself plenty of time and even then I am often late?" Watch the clock and start on time. When you allow yourself added time, you waste it loitering, or by doing useless things until time slips away from you . As a result you find yourself rushing in the end, and sometimes you don't make it because of the habits of being slow. In the business world, being on time means arriving 15 minutes early.

Watch the clock. Time yourself. Know how long it takes to do a given task, a routine thing. Then make time count, be on schedule, or rearrange the schedule to fit you requirements but be ready on the hour or on the minute as the case may be. When you learn to do this, you remain relaxed because you are sure of yourself, thus you always seem to have plenty of time.

Relaxation is important for accomplishment and also for health. No one can do good work when they are tense and hurried, nor can the organs of your body function properly when you are all tied up inside with stress and anxiety. Learn to relax. Take it easy. Watch the clock and keep things moving in quiet routine, properly coordinated within and without. You will feel better if you do.

Have you even noticed how quietly your heart beats, some 72 times a minute? Also, the rhythm of breathing at about 16 times a minute, and how constant the temperature of you body remains at 98.6 degrees. Of course, each of these functions changes tempo as emergencies arise, but the rhythm and coordination remain steadfast because of an Innate Intelligence directs and controls function in unison through the medium of the nervous system.

Watch the clock, and when you find your pace is slowing down, see your chiropractor and enjoy a better life.

"Yesterday is but today's memory, and tomorrow is today's dream."

Combatting Cold Sores

Cold sores…those red, painful lesions that perpetually encroach upon the area surrounding the mouth. They spoil date night, ruin the complexion, and are a source of embarrassment and frustration. Also known as fever blisters, these persistent sores are simply an external representation of an internal viral infection. Cold sores are the most common manifestation of a herpes simplex labialis infection – the most prevalent type of herpes simplex virus.

Once infected with any form of the herpes simplex virus, a lifelong infection is established and symptoms occur according to the reproductive cycle of the virus. After the initial infection, the herpes virus migrates to sensory nerve ganglia, where it resides indefinitely. The infected individual remains asymptomatic during this quiet, remission period. However, it is during this time that asymptomatic shedding of the virus occurs and transmission upon contact is possible. Localized lesions that identify the specific type of herpes infection – cold sores, for example – flare up when the latent virus begins to reproduce and create red, swollen vesicles that leak a highly contagious fluid possessing active viral particles. The lesions eventually form scabs and enter the remission period once again. Current treatment protocols for the herpes virus utilize anti-inflammatories to reduce lesion size and antiviral monotherapy to inhibit viral replication, but they have yet to be successful at significantly reducing the duration or severity of recurrence. Currently, it is well known that the herpes simplex virus is more likely to reactivate when the immune system is depressed. Deficiencies in innate immunity lead to uncontrolled relapses in humans already infected with herpes simplex virus. Considering the influential role of immunity in relapses, perhaps a better treatment approach should focus on supporting the immune system and its potential ability to let this sleeping virus lie.

Herbal Support
Scientific research and numerous clinical studies provide a substantial amount of evidence supporting the usage of various botanicals for improving immunity, especially during a viral assault. Echinacea is particularly adept at enhancing the antiviral activities of the immune system. It can upregulate gene expression of various immune cells, stimulate phagocytosis, and suppress the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. In addition to its immune-modulating abilities, standardized preparations of the aerial parts and roots of echinacea show potent virucidal activity against the herpes simplex virus when in contact with the direct virus, either prior to cell entry or during asymptomatic shedding.

Astragalus, a close companion to echinacea, shares the ability to modulate and support the immune system, especially when a viral attack is at hand. A recent study discovered that this amazing botanical was able to protect astrocytes from herpes simplex virus through a multitude of mechanisms involving increased expression of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and interleukin-6, and activation of nuclear factor-?B (NF-?B). In this way, astrocytes were able to grow and proliferate in a normal manner. Infection with herpes simplex virus attenuates the growth and proliferation of cells, but in the presence of astragalus polysaccharide, normal growth and proliferation was promoted.

Mushroom extract provides another source of immune support and virucidal activity. An isolated proteoglycan of Reishi mushrooms was found to inhibit viral replication and hence, the death of cells infected with herpes simplex virus. Similarly, a protein from Maitake mushrooms was shown to inactivate and inhibit replication of herpes simplex virus in a dose-dependent manner. Other mushrooms, including the Chaga medicinal mushroom and the almond mushroom, have been studied for their antiherpetic and antiviral properties.

Relapse and remission may be the targeted outcome for individuals already infected with herpes simplex virus, but prevention in non-infected individuals should be an equally sought after goal. Botanicals have not only been shown to aid remission, but they also help provide assistance with prevention. Monocaprin and lauric acid, two superior fatty acids found in coconut oil, were tested for their ability to reduce large numbers of herpes simplex virus in a short amount of time. Results showed a greater than 100,000-fold reduction in virus titer within 1 minute, at a concentration of 20mM. This significant outcome provides valuable insight into the usage of these two compounds as preventative agents.

While Western medicine continues its search for effective antiviral medications, nature appears to provide us with an array of synergistic botanicals that not only support and assist the immune system in its fight against persistent viral attacks, but also shows promise for prevention against infection.

Be On Time

One of the most important things in life is that of being on time. Time is life, thus use it well. Start at the beginning and be on time when the appointment or work schedule begins. In my day, 15 minutes early, was considered being on time. Bear in mind that the best in every achievement will be yours for the asking because you were there when you should be, a responsible act.

Be on time on every occasion because that is when the outline is presented and you in turn grasp the basic principle that determines the success or failure of the program in hand. But, there is another reason for the promptness. It is a good habit to form. By doing so, you will be pleased with yourself and others will be pleased with you also.

You may protest that circumstances alter occasions. Your transportation was late, the weather was bad, or other excuses came up at the last moment. Perhaps you ad a headache or others were off schedule and that upset everything.

There may have been various extenuating circumstances involved that weren't your fault. That may be true on occasion, but do not let this become a habit. Learn to be on time and time will by yours to command.

Ill health is one of the hardest problems to overcome, but it is a problem you need to watch and curb on most occasions. Beware of the drug habit. By that I mean the casual acceptance of the doctors prescription, or even Nsaids. Avoid learning to rely on pain killers, tranquilizers, and sleeping aids. By doing so you will eventually pay a sad price for so-called relief from disease.

Perceive this; disease is want of ease. When you try to obtain ease by some form of pain killer, it gets you upset and off schedule, and that can be hurtful.

Health is something more or less under your control. It may be a situation wherein you seek to create ease by taking something to numb the nerves at the expense of normal relief. Remember, health come from within outward when the nervous system is under control and free from the drug habit that you may have acquired in an unsuspected way.

Be on time on all occasions, whether in activities of daily living, or your health needs. Have your problems corrected naturally without drugs or surgery, thus making possible a more plentiful life.

 "Diplomacy is the art of letting someone else have your own way."

Double Vision

Do you sometimes have double vision? For example, do you sometimes see two bridges to cross, and should you have had a drink or two, thus, do you attempt to cross the wrong bridge? That may become disastrous.

Here is sage advice. Never try to drive a car when you have been to a party that serves alcohol. Never use your cell phone, by hand, while driving. Even better advice; restrain yourself from the use of strong drink and/or cell phone tasks, regardless of the occasion, or the bridge you may have to cross might prove fatal.

Double vision technically is a physical condition that may require skilled attention. Your eyes, normally, are focused to give you single vision to avoid confusion. Your eyes are designed so that you have a pair of ligaments that are focused together serving as a team. They pull together on the same load, or as two electric units serving as a separate unit. This is not double vision, but serves a single purpose.

In your physical body, many functions are arranged in pairs for better functional purposes. For instance, you have two eyes, tow ears, two hands, two feet. In contrast, you have only one nose and one tongue so that they can function better and not get into other people's business.

How wise was the Creator for all concerned! Have you ever given thought to what has been called God's masterpiece? Have you considered your own body and how it works for a single purpose?

There are two decidedly separate, yet important, elements that work together for the common good of all. These are the spinal column, formed of many separate elements. The spinal column has 24 movable vertebrae to which all major muscles and ligaments are attached. These vertebrae are separated by padding of cartilage called discs that act as shock absorbers besides giving flexibility to the spine.

The other separate element, yet vital structure, is the nervous system that stems from the brain and spinal cord. Through this medium sensation is flashed to the brain and responds with mental impulses directing all functions and activities of the body in what is termed a state of health.

Is this not a wonderful design? The spinal column is the key to the spinal nervous system which conveys an intelligent force that directs and controls all bodily functions and activities of this creation - God's masterpiece.

"Do not try to stand higher than other people; only try to stand higher than your past self."

 

Bad Breath - Perhaps an Ileocecal Valve Syndrome

The ileocecal valve (ICV) is an extremely important valve which is located between the small intestine and the large intestine. It is supposed to work as a shunt valve opening and closing as designed. However, in many individuals, much to their detriment, it operates improperly by opening and closing without purpose.

The primary concern of the ileocecal valve us to disallow waste products that have been stored in the large intestine (better known as the garbage area), to regurgitate back into the small intestine, or "kitchen" area. The valve therefore acts like a garbage can cover. When the valve operates normally, food that has been utilized in the "kitchen area" of the bowel (small intestine) is then shunted into the "garbage" area of the bowel for eventual removal. But when the valve does not function properly, or loses the tonicity required to remain tightly closed, waste products from the large intestine are allowed to re-enter the small intestine. As these products of waste are now toxic to the body, and as the small intestine is an area of rich blood supply, these toxic wastes are absorbed into the blood stream very readily, thus creating a condition of the blood known as toxemia.

These toxins then circulate through the body, and very often will present themselves at areas of muscle stress, such as sudden pain in the lower back region when the patient is bending or lifting. Or, the patient who has worked the upper extremities and suddenly is subjected with intense shoulder pain. Some of the other symptoms displayed can be halitosis (bad breath), heart fluttering, and even chest pain. When examined by their doctor, the symptoms do not prove to be at all related to their heart. Morning headaches, which are evident upon arising, seem to go away. But there is another, even more disastrous effect of this syndrome. the insidious destruction of the organs of the body that filter the toxins out of the bloodstream. In other words, the liver, spleen, and kidneys are always working to filter these poisons out of our bloodstream, and the intermittent accumulation of these toxins in these organs eventually damages them severely.

Therefore, it can now be more easily seen why the ileocecal valve must work properly. I review with my patients a simple procedure that should, after my initial treatment, allow the valve to work properly - a bit of at home therapy if you will.

"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."
-Marcus Aurelius

Time Marches On

Yes, it is true, time is not with us long. Some say that time marches on, others that it flies by. Regardless of the term employed, time is not here long, it is fleeting. No one can deny this absolute truth. So, if you have things to do, do them now. Put your hand upon the plow and don't look back, to quote the Bible. The time embracing yesterday is gone forever. the time ascribed for tomorrow is not yet here. Do things now. You have nothing to fear unless you procrastinate regarding time which is life, but soon is no more. Whatever you have to do, do it now. Keep on keeping on is a wise thing to do.

Be on your guard. Time is a priceless gift; yours to sow and to reap; yours to use but not to keep.

Do things well, do your best work better. Be certain of yourself, be proud of your chance to win, and time will help you on the way with faith increasing once you begin.

Never give up! There may be hills and mountains to climb. There may be detours to slow you down, but time is yours to use. Use it with a smile, and it will help you mile after mile.

Perhaps you will say that time gave you little chance to win. Ill health has been constantly a hurdle all along the way. What can you do under such circumstances? What are the doing?

Please consider this. Disease is only the absence of ease. Health, like other virtues, comes from within outward when the way is clear for the normal expression of life through the nervous system.

The spinal column is the strength and support of the body. The nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord plus spinal nerve fibers. This makes the spinal column the distributing center of the entire nervous system. Through this medium is served every function of the body; heart, lungs, stomach, muscles, and the relationships vital in every way.

Time marches on, time becomes life, and time is life in every respect. Be healthy, both in mind and body.

Sowing Seeds of Happiness

When you want to grow something in your garden you prepare the soil and sow the sees of what you desire.

Life is like that. You get back what you give. The yield is measured by the care, the nourishment, and the cultivation you employ.

Cultivation is important. You must nurture friendship and love. You must cultivate honesty, trust and good will. You must likewise cultivate happiness.

It is said that joy is not in things, it is in us. Happiness is the product of right thinking and right action. There is no human being in the world who cannot be happy by complying with the laws that produce happiness. Happiness is a product that comes back to us from what we send out; no one ever found happiness who did not manufacture it for themselves. It is a product of and/or mental attitude toward others.

This applies to civil rights, equal justice, square dealing and all public relations. Sometimes issues have to be forced. Those in control must sometimes be dethroned and made to concede the right of others. Even so, good will and happiness can come only when love, kindness, and the Golden Rule are practiced.

Happiness is sometimes measured by the state of your health. But here again, health is not a thing apart that can be bought and sold. You can't buy health in a bottle at the drug store. You can't have health injected with a needle or grafted on by surgery. Health, like happiness, comes from within. You have to be in tune with its laws emotionally and physically. There is no other way.

Of course, you can employ drugs to numb the nerves and ease pain or to even make you sleep. However, that cannot be defined as health. Such methods set a false standard because they correct no cause of dis-ease. Such a course is like building a house on sand; it is not stable and likewise nerves until the proper foundation is laid.

To have complete health, emotions must be under control. You cannot expect true health or happiness when you are filled with hate, resentment, and jealousy. Nor will health abide in a worried, fearful mind. Be the captain of your soul and keep emotions under control.

The other most important factor is to keep your spine in adjustment so the nervous system will be unimpaired. Every function of the body depends upon its nerve supple for which the spine is the distributing center of the entire nervous system.

"I am old, I am bent, I am cheated,

      Of all that youth urged me to win;

But name me not with the defeated,

      Tomorrow again I begin."

Bed-Wetting aka Enuresis

Many times parents actually blame their child for urinating in bed. They believe this is a behavior intended to get back at them for something. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Children do not willfully wet their beds. The anguish of the young child who wets the bed at night is a personal nightmare! He cannot go to camp, stay over night at his friend's house, or go on trips without the constant fear of the wet bed in the morning. Psychologically the bed wetting child bears a burden, but so does the mother. The constant changing of bed linens is certainly a chore she would like to put behind her.

Is there anything that can be done for bed-wetting? This is a question parents sometimes ask of the chiropractor. Usually, this question is asked when other methods of treatment have been tried and found ineffective.

Bed-wetting (enuresis) is another of the many reasons why parents bring their children to see the chiropractor. What can the doctor of chiropractic do for this problem? The phrenic nerve and the sacral nerves must be addressed.

The phrenic nerves come out from between the 3rd, 4th and 5th cervical (neck) vertebra. Subluxation of these vertebrae can cause nerve interference, which can disturb the proper function of the phrenic reflex and cause bed wetting. Chiropractors correct vertebral subluxations, and thus influence the return of proper nerve function.

Most children wet the bed for the first few years of life, but by the age of 4 to 5 years old, most children should be able to establish proper bladder control. Enuresis refers to the inability of a child to establish this proper bladder control resulting in either daytime or nocturnal involuntary urination.

Just what causes Nocturnal Enuresis (bed wetting) and is there any help for this problem? Yes, there is and to explain why children wet the bed we must understand a spinal reflex called the phrenic reflex. You see, when a baby sleeps, its respiration (breathing) gets slower and slower until a mother might bend over the crib and be concerned, Eventually the breathing normalizes.

This pattern of breathing goes on throughout the night. As the infant sleeps respiration continues to slow down until the carbon dioxide in the body gets high enough to trigger a breathing mechanism called the phrenic reflex. This mechanism stimulates the large muscle of breathing, the diaphragm, to increased activity and the normal rhythm of breathing returns. If this mechanism is not working correctly, the carbon dioxide continues to increase and when it gets too high, “smooth” muscles begin to relax. Smooth muscles are the involuntary muscles of the body, those that function without our conscious control. The valve at the bottom of the urinary bladder is a smooth muscle, and when it relaxes the bladder simply does not retain its fluid, you might say it leaks throughout the night.

This is normal for infants, as the phrenic reflex is not fully developed at birth, but as the child grows, the reflex matures and soon most children can sleep all night and retain their urine. This reflex develops more slowly in boys, in the same way that boys mature sexually later than girls, and thus boys are more frequent bed wetters.

Primary enuresis occurs in a child over five years of age, who has never been able to establish proper bladder control. Secondary enuresis is the diagnosis for the child who has been able to establish proper bladder control, but who has since lapsed back to wetting the bed. Occasionally a pathological mechanism such as neurogenic bladder may be responsible, but usually no such cause can be identified.

In most cases, bed-wetting is considered as just an unfortunate childhood problem, and no outside treatment is sought. The parents are frequently prepared to simply wait until the child grows out of it, and in most cases these problems go untreated. A bed wetting child is typically a very active child, often playing to exhaustion and when at sleep, sleeping in a very deep slumber with slow respiration. The child's sluggish, or immature phrenic reflex allows too much carbon dioxide to build up in the system. The bladder valve (sphincter)relaxes, and the bladder leaks throughout the night. No, the child does not voluntarily urinate in bed. The urine simply runs out involuntarily while he sleeps.

The traditional chiropractic approach to treating the child who is a bed-wetter is to adjust the spine, usually in the area of the lumbar spine or sacrum. A review of the anatomy and physiology of the bladder may help us understand why these areas are chosen as the prime target.

Bladder Anatomy and Physiology
Emptying of the urinary bladder is controlled by the detrusor and trigone muscles. The nerve supply to these muscles is via the sacral parasympathetic nerves from S2 to S4.

Appropriate bladder function is also controlled by the urogenital diaphragm which derives its nerve supply from the L2 spinal nerve.

Development of the Sacrum
The sacrum (or tailbone) develops as five separate segments. These segments remain separated until a child reaches puberty, at which time fusion of one sacral segment to another commences. Eventually, the sacrum will be one single bone with all five segments fused together, but this does not occur until the mid-20s.

Because the sacrum consists of separate segments during the early years of life, it is possible that misalignment of these segments can cause nerve irritation or facilitation. This nerve facilitation, especially to the area of the bladder, may be the cause of the inappropriate bladder function associated with bed-wetting.

As we have seen, the developing sacrum in the early childhood years remains highly mobile, existing as separate spinal segments. During this period, the sacrum can be subjected to repeated trauma from childhood falls and the early attempts at walking. This early trauma to the sacrum may be the major reason why bed-wetting in some patients ceases after the spine is adjusted.

Is the Spine the Cause of all Enuresis?
Adjustment of the sacral segments in the bed-wetter has an anecdotal history of effectiveness throughout the years. Bed-wetting is due to several causes, one of which is spine related. Children with a spinal cause respond while those with other causes of bed-wetting do not.

The conclusion would therefore appear to be to have all children who are bed-wetters evaluated for the possibility of spinal problems as the underlying cause.

Try A Little Kindness

Did you ever arise one morning when everything started off wrong? You simply felt like blowing your top. What's the use? Will one more uttered growl help? Why not try a little kindness? Smile, say a pleasant word as a starter, and keep it up all day. Spread a little sunshine along the way and the first thing you know your day will be brighter and your heart will be lighter. Laugh whenever you can and all will be well. Kindness and happiness start with you, so keep the idea clear and true.

Perhaps you will say you don't feel well. You have a headache or indigestion or you had a miserable night. Drinking and walking can create a bruised ego, should you not take proper care.  Is that not a legitimate excuse for being grumpy? It is an excuse all right, but why depend upon excuses? Why not find and correct the cause of the headache, or indigestion, or ill feeling and provide a better excuse for living? A much better course of action.

Bear in mind that a headache is a symptom of something being wrong with the body. So are indigestion, aches and pains, all produce a miserable feeling. What is health? It is basically a state of normal bodily function and activity, and an expression of life and well-being. Thus enabling your outlook on life being one of sunshine instead of rain?

What about indigestion? Digestion is a process of chemistry within your body that transforms the food you consume into usable form so that it actually becomes a part of the living body. "In" is a prefix meaning "not." Therefore, when digestion is not complete or not normal, so you have "indigestion."

And what about a headache? That, as stated above, is a symptom wherein you feel pain within the head and neck, indication that all is not well somewhere in your body. That report is then manifested by pain of one kind or another. It may be a throbbing headache, a sick or a tension headache. It may accompany indigestion, constipation, menstruation, or other health problems.

What can be done about the ache? Medically, there are many forms of treatment to numb or ease the pain, none of which heals or cures the disease that accompanies the headache. What then, is best to do? The ache is a warning that something is wrong, a warning that the problem should be corrected by finding and removing the cause instead of merely numbing the effect. The cause sends a communication to the brain and the responding mental impulses of life energy and stirs glands and organs to constructive action and function, that constitute a state of health.

Try the kindness of chiropractic health care. Then perhaps your improved health and emotions will help you to express kindness in all your human relationships.

"Some people are so busy learning the tricks of the trade, they don't learn the trade."

Tillers Of The Soil

Early in the history of our race, men became tillers of the soil. They had to in order to sustain life.

Perhaps in the beginning men were hunters and gatherers, while women were the first gardeners. Domestication of cattle and other animals, plus tilling the soil made possible all future advancement. It forced men to invent tools for working the land as well as harvesting the crops. This also created other industries.

The possession of land was the beginning of wealth, and perhaps slavery (both black and white), for land without labor was useless. Title deeds to land made the owners master of all they could possess. Possession and conquest lead to wars and trained soldiers or guardsmen to maintain control. The history of the race has many scars and many aggressive deeds that mar the higher ideals of man.

Ownership of a home with a little land to till makes every family feel fulfilled and is a step toward happiness.  An ironic quote: "Only he knows perfect joy, whose little bit of soil is richer ground than what it was when he began to toil."

Growing things that are good to eat gives to life its greatest reward and makes one proud of what he has done to make this axiom true.

When this great nation was young, 80% of its people lived on farms and tilled the soil. As time has gone on, the percentage has reversed and now the majority of the newer generations live in cities. Often, in congested areas, crime and moral decline are making inroads in our nation and world that is very disturbing.

Another thing is also true. The health of the nation has suffered in various ways. Hypertension, nervous breakdowns, gastric ulcers, headaches, and other symptoms are marring life and leading to dangerous drug habits, encouraged by doctors with liberal prescription pads. Thus, pain killers, pep pills and other "prescription" drugs are too frequently used resulting in dangerous side effects. This being true, what is the way out?

Try living your life naturally. Do a better way of regaining health without the use of drugs. The body is God's masterpiece because of the uniqueness of its design and its ability to sustain and heal itself from within outward, when the way is clear for its normal expression.

To simplify this idea, the nervous system is to the body what the ignition system is to your car. It adds life or service as the case may be. The nervous system conveys sensation to the brain and responding mental impulses to all parts of the body which direct activity and function. Should nerve changes become blocked to a degree, life and function are also impaired resulting in dis-ease, want of ease, and need to be corrected.

"A proverb is a short sentence based on long experience."

Mandating Vaccines Not The Answer

The following professional editorial states the obvious common sense perspective from highly respected and informed Dr. Bob Sears, M.D. FAAP, based in Dana Point, CA.

Measles. It used to be just a disease. Now it's become a banner under which politicians gather to threaten our most sacred right to give informed consent for medical treatment.

Whether you are for vaccines, against them or neutral, ponder this question: Is vaccination a medical treatment which should fall under the protection informed consent or does the government have the right to force them on every American?

When I give patients the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine in my office, I follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which mandate that I provide informed consent. The American Medical Association describes it as a patient's right of self-decision and a basic policy in both ethic and law that physicians must honor.

If vaccines were harmless to every single person who received them, then I could understand putting this decision in the hands of our elected officials. But consider this:

• Roughly 2,000 severe reactions are reported to the CDC each year, which result in prolonged hospitalization, permanent disability or death. Yet, because most can't be proven, the medical community denies that they can happen.
• Over $3 billion has been paid out to victims of vaccine reactions. Are we paying that much money to victims of pretend reactions? I think not.

Your might think it's the actual measles outbreak that is responsible for the current political hysteria, But it is not.

Instead, it is an opportunistic attempt to overstate the dangers of what measles could potentially do to our nation. Let's look at the facts of the current outbreak:

• As of Feb. 17, there are 141 cases nationwide. Not thousands. According to the Orange County Public Health Department, no new cases have been reported in O.C. since Feb. 4th.
• After the initial surge, it is now moving slowly. It is not spreading like wildfire in an exponential explosion of unprecedented proportion.
• Last year's 640 cases were an anomaly, because over 400 occurred in one Amish community in New York and over 100 cases hit an unvaccinated church community in Texas. But for the rest of highly vaccinated America, last year's measles was business as usual. This year we are off to a tough start, but it's slowing down.
• It (measles) has killed no one. It can kill about one person in every 1,000 cases. Will someone die of measles in the United States someday? Maybe. But it hasn't killed anyone in the past 15 years or more.
• It's measles. It's not the plague. It's not polio. It's not Ebola. We need something a lot more dangerous than that if we are going to rob each and every patient of the sacred right of informed consent.

Let's stop panicking over what measles might do and calmly examine what it is doing.

It has a small and intermittent presence in our country. It makes people sick, then they get over it. It has complications, but rarely so. Vaccination is important and protective. But it cannot be forced, a parent must give consent.

If you would rather make your own medical decisions within the sacred confines of the doctor-patient relationship, then let Sacramento know now.

Written by Dr. Bob Sears, M.D. FAAP, Pediatrician

6 Minute Workout

For those of you using excused that effective exercise takes too much time, try these eight exercises and decide for yourself. You may be pleased with the results and no longer complain.

Perform the following exercises consecutively for 30 seconds apiece, resting only to transition from one exercise to the next (15 seconds max). The only equipment you need: your body; a chair, box or other elevated surface; and a wall or flat vertical surface. The goal is to complete as many repetitions of each exercise within 30 seconds, but without sacrificing form or function. So do each exercise the right way as fast as you can. That means you avoid putting your neck, shoulders and back at risk; and make sure you're engaging the body parts that are supposed to be engaged (e.g., if you're doing bicycles – see exercise #6 below – and your neck hurts, you're doing something wrong).

1. Push-ups: Start with a basic move: the push-up. Do as many as you can with good form within 30 seconds. Good form means your elbows are approximately shoulder-width and your head / buttocks / feet are essentially aligned (no dipping, slumping or twisting). As you descend into each repetition, your elbows should bend back toward your feet, rather than out perpendicular to your body (which will engage your shoulders and risk injury). Keep your core (abs) tight throughout.

2. Plank: Speaking of your core, once 30 seconds has expired, transition from push-up position to plank position, which really means changing your point of contact with the floor from hands (push-ups) to forearms (plank). Bend your elbows to a 90 degree angle at approximately shoulder height and rest on your forearms for 30 seconds, holding your core tight. Again, avoid flexing your lower back, which could risk injury.

3. Wall squats: Transition from plank position to a wall squat, which is as simple as standing with your back against a wall and lowering yourself down until your knees are bent to a 70-degree angle or so with your body. Hold for 30 seconds. Avoid slumping your shoulders. Tighten your abs.

4. Triceps dips: Grab a chair (or use a similar firm surface that won't give way) and perform triceps dips for 30 seconds. Position yourself so you're facing away from the chair, etc., and support yourself with your hands (fingers facing forward). With arms extended completely, lower yourself by bending your elbows to a 90 degree angle and then raise yourself back up so your arms are extended again. The key here is to keep your elbows in a fixed position (except for their bending motion) so you work the triceps (the back of your upper arm).

5. Step-ups: Take that same chair / stable surface and transition into step-ups / step-downs. It's as easy as it sounds. Stand in front of the chair and step one foot up, then the second foot up, then the first foot down, then the second foot down; repeat for 30 seconds as quickly as you can. Keep your back straight and concentrate on the movement to avoid falling. Balance is more important than speed here.

6. Bicycles: Time to ride a bicycle for 30 seconds – without a bike! Lie on the floor, knees bent toward your chest, hands behind your neck for support (and to help engage the abdominals). Elevate your shoulders slightly off the floor and move your legs through a pedaling motion for 30 seconds and feel the burn in both the upper and lower abdominals. Avoid pulling on your neck with your hands; just keep them there for support.

7. Side planks – right side: Finish your 6-minute workout by assuming the plank position again, but instead of facing the floor, your starting position is one your side, supported by one elbow, with your elbow-side leg / foot supporting the other leg / foot. Rather than hold the position for 30 seconds, as in the original plank, lower your body slowly and deliberately (bending your side toward the floor and raising back up again). This not only works your core as you hold the pose, but specifically engages the obliques (what many refer to as love handles).

8. Side planks – left side: After you've done as many reps as you can in 30 seconds on the right side, switch sides (opposite elbow supporting your body) and repeat the process. Keep it up for 30 seconds, rest for another 15 seconds.

Eight exercises of 30 seconds each (4 minutes), with 15-second transitions / rests after each (2 minutes) Humor yourself and give it a try .... it works!

"Form the habit of singing; it soothes a tired mind and relaxes a tired body."