Plan For A Healthy Tomorrow

Tomorrow is constantly coming but it never quite gets here. What can be done about it? Is there anything you can do? Are you sometimes dismayed by the prospects but nevertheless keep planning for tomorrow? Attempt to welcome its coming. Be very prepared for the changes that are constantly coming. Look forward with a feeling of delight as those changes come, and plan to do your very best as all things are altered. Use today as a steppingstone to hopefully better things ahead in the game of life. And win or lose, you will have the joy of keeping on keeping on as you play the game.

Have you ever said that your today is hampered by ill health? Witness that often your plans for tomorrow are marred by headaches, indigestion, or some other hurdle involved in the game as it is played?

This may be true; but what are you doing to welcome change? Are you forming a drug habit? Are you leaning overmuch on tranquilizers and/or pain killers? What assurance do you have that tomorrow will be better or worse than today when you fill your stomach with drugs that may produce side effects worse than the original complaint? Would you consider this an encouraging outlook?

What is health? It is largely the normal expression of life through the medium of the glands, organs, and other structures of the body? What is it that keeps these structures normal, functioning as they were intended to do?

Your body is formed of bones and muscles, glands and organs, blood vessels and nerves. These are all arranged in systems directed and controlled through the nervous system that stems from the brain and spinal cord through its communicating fibers.

The spinal column is the strength and support of the body. All the larger bones articulate with the vertebrae that form the spinal column.The major muscles and ligaments have their attachment tot he irregular surfaces of the vertebrae which are separated by a cushioning of cartilage that provide flexibility to the spine as well as a shock absorber for the body. Another feature mother nature has provided are openings between the vertebrae through which bundles of nerves emit from the spinal cord encased within the spinal column.

The nervous system is as vital to the activity and function of the body as technology is to the modern home. Ground an electric wire and service is impaired. Pinch spinal nerve bundles and symptoms of dis-ease (want of ease) are present in the form of pain, headaches, indigestion, and other disorders. Is it logical that in today's contemporary model, medication or pain killers are the remedy? In all too many cases the answer is an overwhelmingly, "YES!"  Why?  Because we what a "quick fix", or a "make the pain go away" syndrome.

Chiropractors have a different approach. We point out that falls, accidents, and mishaps incidental to life frequently produce shocks and strains on the spine that displace one or more vertebrae to a degree thus resulting in nerve interference and subsequently dis-ease with its various symptoms.

Should you plan for a better tomorrow, then give attention to your spine. Clear the nervous system for a better communications. Nature has provided that your health comes from within and outward.

Dememtia vs Normal Aging

During the aging process, we and others begin to challenge whether we are honest with our lives or magically remembering events that never occurred.

The Alzheimer's Association lists the following warning signs for the disease, including advice on how to tell them from normal age-related changes:

• Memory changes that disrupt a persons daily life. Forgetting important dates or events, asking for the same information over and over, and relying more on reminder notes and other memory aids.  WITH NORMAL AGING: most people sometimes forget names or appointments but generally remember them later.
• Challenges in planning or solving simple problems. Changes in the ability to work with numbers, follow a recipe or track bills. WITH NORMAL AGING: occasional mistakes when balancing a checkbook.
• Difficulty completing familiar tasks. Trouble driving somewhere familiar, managing a budget at work or home, remembering rules of a game.  WITH NORMAL AGING: occasionally needing help with settings on a microwave or using a "clicker" or even recording a TV show. 
• Confusion with time or places. Losing track of dates or seasons, forgetting where they are or how they and certain information got there. WITH NORMAL AGING: getting confused about the day of the week or an anniversary date, but figuring it our later.
• Trouble understanding visual images and special relationships. Difficulty reading, judging distance and perhaps determining color. WITH NORMAL AGING: vision changes could be from needing glasses or from having cataracts.
• New problems with words in speaking or writing. Trouble following or joining a conversation with others or repeating themselves. WITH NORMAL AGING: sometimes having trouble finding the right word.
• Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps. Putting things in unusual places, losing things, accusing others of stealing. WITH NORMAL AGING: occasionally misplacing things and retracing steps to find them.
• Decreased or poor judgement. Irresponsible moves with money, less attention to grooming.  WITH NORMAL AGING: making a bad decision once in a while.
• Withdrawal from work or social activities. WITH NORMAL AGING: sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations.
• Changes in mood and personality. Becoming confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. WITH NORMAL AGEING: developing specific ways to doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted.

Gov Jimmy Carter's Iowa Campaign 1974

As a professional photography for most of my life, I've been blessed with an abundance of shoots that I've considered historic.

I was completing my junior year at Palmer College, when I was asked to shoot Gov. Jimmy Carter at a presidential campaign stop in Mt. Joy, Iowa. I proudly accepted.  Interestingly, few people ever heard of this man at that time. I took 3 rolls of film and was subsequently asked to send the photos to Gov Carter.

I found Gov. Carter a gentle spoken, likable and a respectful man. He made it a point (perhaps politically motivated) to individually introduce himself to all that were present at the small airport. I found that impressive. Also noted, as seen within this photograph, Gov Carter brought with him dozens of peanut butter sandwiches in brown paper bags; a classy touch.

As a side note; I sent the photos of that day to Gov. Carter, along with a bill for $38.50. In a letter sent by his manager was a "Thank you" - stating that the Federal Government would match my contribution. Shot a letter back stating I was a college student and the bill represented the exact cost of processing and postage. Never did hear back ..... but I got to photograph the future President of the United States. Not bad, not bad at all.

11 Reasons Why Flu Shots Are More Dangerous Than A Flu

Each year I witness people and patients getting flu shots and almost without exception, all become ill. I tend to wonder why few investigate exactly what is in the vaccine. I'ts time we utilize the technology at hand to make decisions in our lives. This post is simple to get your attention and to perhaps learn.

The verdict is out on flu shots. Many medical experts now agree it is more important to protect yourself and your family from the flu vaccine than the flu itself.

Every year the pharmaceutical industry, medical experts and the mainstream media work hard to convince us to get vaccinated against the flu.

But we're not being told the whole story.

What we don't hear, are cases about the adverse reactions or about the toxic chemicals being injected into us.

Read below 11 reasons why flu shots are more dangerous than the flu itself.

Sources for this article include:
- H1N1 Vaccine Ingredients and Warnings
- H1N1 Expert Says Scientists Are Clueless About Immune Reactions to Vaccinations
- Study Again Finds Narcolepsy Risk With H1N1 Flu Vaccine
- Inflammatory Response After Influenza Vaccination in Men With and Without Carotid Artery Disease
- Conflicts of Interest in Vaccine Policy Making
- VRM: 5 Reasons Not To Get The Flu Shot
- Is Your Child High-Risk for an Adverse Vaccine Reaction?
- Natural Alternatives to the Flu Shot Prove Just as Effective

1. Lack of real evidence that young children even benefit from flu shots
51 studies involving 260,000 children age 6 to 23 months established no evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo. Additionally, flu shots only protect against certain strains of the virus meaning that you can still easily get the flu if you come into contact with a different strain of virus.

2. Flu vaccines contain other dangerous ingredients such as mercury
The pharmaceutical industry, medical experts and the mainstream media are candid in telling us that flu vaccines contain strains of the flu virus. What they are less likely to reveal though is the long list of other ingredients that come with the vaccine. It is now a known fact that flu vaccines contain mercury, a heavy metal known to be hazardous for human health. Mercury toxicity can cause depression, memory loss, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory problems, ADD, oral health problems, digestive imbalances and other serious health issues.

3. The flu shot can cause Alzheimer's disease
Evidence now suggests that flu vaccines can cause Alzheimer's disease. Research conducted by Dr. Hugh Fudenberg, a leading immunogeneticist, shows that those who consistently get the flu vaccine increase their risk of Alzheimer's disease by 10 fold. He believes this is due to the toxic combination of aluminum and mercury in the vaccine. Additionally, introducing the flu virus to an elderly person (who with age will naturally have a weaker immune system) will only increase the chances of that individual becoming susceptible to more serious illness.

4. The very people pushing flu vaccinations are making billions of dollars each year
In August 1999, the Committee on Government Reform initiated an investigation into Federal vaccine policy. This investigation focused on possible conflicts of interest on the part of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The investigation concluded that many individuals serving on two key advisory committees had financial ties to the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture vaccines. Often, these individuals were granted waivers to fully participate in the discussions that led to recommendations on vaccine licensing and adding vaccines to the Childhood Immunization Schedule. This in itself creates serious doubt as to how effective flu vaccines really are.

5. The flu vaccines actually do not immunize but sensitize the body against the virus
Have you ever noticed how vaccinated children get sick almost immediately following a vaccination? This is because the flu virus is introduced into their bodies. So rather than immunize, the flu shot actually only sensitizes the body against the virus. And the fact that it causes individuals to get ill following a shot indicates immuno-suppression (i.e. lowering of the immunity).

6. Makes you more susceptible to pneumonia and other contagious diseases
For someone with an already suppressed immune system, injecting strains of the flu virus can have devastating consequences. If your body is already working to fight off a virus or simply operating with low immunity, a vaccine injection could put your body in serious danger of contracting influenza with stronger symptoms, or even worse pneumonia and other contagious diseases.

7. Vascular disorders
Medical research shows flu shots are associated with an increased risk of vascular inflammation. Symptoms include fever, jaw pain, muscle aches, pain and stiffness in the neck, upper arms, shoulder and hips and headache.

8. Children under the age of 1 are at risk
Children under 1 years of age are highly vulnerable to a neurotoxic breach of the delicate nerve center surrounding the brain and central nervous system. The first round of the flu vaccine is administered at age 6 months. A child under the age of 1 lacks sufficient protection to guard against premature damage to the blood barrier in the brain.

9. Increased risk of narcolepsy
There have been dozens of reported cases of children in 12 different countries who have developed narcolepsy (a chronic sleep disorder) after receiving the flu vaccine. The study, which took place between October 2009 and the December 2011, compared 3.3 million vaccinated Swedes with 2.5 million who were not vaccinated. The risk was found to be highest among the youngest people who took the vaccines. For those under the age of 21, the risk of contracting narcolepsy was three times higher.

10. Weakens immunological responses
There have been literally thousands of medical journal articles published that show injecting vaccines can lead to harmful immunological responses and a host of other infections. Moreover, weak immunological responses only decrease a person's ability to fight the diseases that the vaccine was supposed to protect against in the first place.

11. Serious neurological disorders
Evidence now suggests that ingredients in flu vaccinations can actually cause serious neurological disorders. In 1976 a significant number of those who received the flu vaccine acquired Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), a disorder characterized by permanent nerve damage and even paralysis. Flu vaccines can contain many harmful materials including detergent, mercury, formaldehyde, and strains of live flu virus.

Golf - 10 Minutes A Day To a Firm Foundation

You can't swing by the seat of your pants ‑‑ unless you do a few exercises to make it stronger

We are all looking for new sources of power. Whether you know it or not, you're sitting on your best source. That's right, your gluteus maximus, the buttocks, could be the most important muscle group in the golf swing.

These muscles are responsible for the majority of torque and rotation in the swing, as well as good balance and timing. They also build a solid setup, the foundation of any swing motion.

You must have a consistent base from which to start. The physical conditioning of your buttocks is responsible for locking you into the same stance every time.

If your gluteus maximus muscles are weak, you'll find yourself either sliding horizontally or pumping laterally out of your rotation in an effort to generate power. Your body will automatically try to generate power from other body parts and cause you to come out of a firm, fast rotation.

You can quickly determine if you're a "pumper" by looking at your divots. Are they inconsistent, some deep and others shallow? "Pumpers" usually try to generate power from either their thighs or back, both of which cause them to stand up or dip down out of the swing rotation.

A "slider" can be detected by inconsistent hooks and slices. Unbalanced upper and lower body leads to one of two mistakes: 1)Your upper body starts the downswing ahead of the lower body, causing a hook; or 2) the lower body fires first and the upper body can't get through the ball, causing a slice.

"Pumpers" and "sliders" have too much wasted motion in the swing. For them to hit the ball consistently, they need an inordinate amount of timing ‑‑ and a lot of luck.

However, if your buttocks are strong, you have a solid base from which to start and a firm center that keeps your swing rotation in the same place every time. You are much less reliant on timing and can make your natural motion on a more consistent basis.

By performing the following drills for only 10 minutes a day, four times a week, you will strengthen your gluteus maximus muscles to a point where they will build a power source in your body that will keep you in a consistent rotation.  

Warm‑up:

Before you start this exercise, you need to have been moving around on your feet for about 10 minutes. If you haven't been, go for a quick walk through the house, up the stairs, or out to get the paper. This gets the juices flowing, lubricating the legs, joints, and gluteus maximus muscles to protect them from injury.

Breathing and Relaxation:

Proper breathing: Inhale deeply through your nose before you begin the stretch and exhale out your mouth as you stretch the muscle. Inhale once again while easing up on the stretch and exhale while stretching a little further than the first.

Proper relaxation: Relax your entire body during the stretch and try to locate by feel the exact points for which the stretch is meant; the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and lower back. Don't fight the stretches. Make them as relaxed as possible.

Stretch No. 1:

Lie on the floor (on a mat is preferred) flat on your back. Raise one leg up to your chest. Place your hands behind your knee and gently draw the leg closer to your chest, exhaling as you draw the leg inward. Continue breathing deeply and hold the stretch for 15 seconds. Repeat with other leg.

Stretch No. 2:

While on your back, raise both knees to your chest. Place your hands behind your knees, exhaling as you draw them in toward your chest. Inhale deeply through your nose. As you exhale through your mouth, raise your head toward your knees. Repeat five times.

The Squat:

1. Take your exact golf stance close to a solid object‑‑a door knob, the back of a bench, a chair (with someone sitting in it), or the side of a golf cart, as shown here. When I say exact stance, I mean exact! The stance you create here with his exercise will be programmed into your muscle memory. You'll own it and know by feel how to locate it every time.

2. With your hands holding onto the object and your feet tight against it, sit  back away from your knees into a sitting position. While you are in this position, try to locate the muscles of your buttocks and squeeze them. If you having trouble locating these muscles, you can be assured they are weak. Most people who do this exercise for the first time will feel it in their upper thighs, back, or arms.

3. Return to the upright position and try to lock yourself into your stance. Find a reference point and line up your pocket with it every time. In an effort to find your stance, you will bounce a little as you try to feel where it is. Try to keep the buttocks muscles tight throughout the entire 15 repetitions.

TIP

Don't try to swing with your gluteus maximus muscles tight. Strong muscles create good swings. Tight muscles cause misfires.

Unpleasant Surroundings Linked to Increased Obesity Risk

The principal cause of obesity is an imbalance between a person's daily caloric intake and that person's expenditure of energy; increased caloric intake combined with reduced energy output will lead to direct and significant effects on a person's weight. It has been speculated that environment also may be a factor in the incidence of obesity, as areas that are perceived to be clean, safe and visually pleasing are thought to encourage people to exercise more frequently, thus helping to reduce obesity levels. However, few studies have measured the direct effect a pleasing environment may have on physical activity.

In this cross-sectional survey, researchers analyzed housing and health status data collected on 6,919 adults living in eight European cities. In addition to self-reported data on height, weight, and physical activity levels, trained surveyors assessed the residents' environment, documenting amounts of graffiti and litter, and levels of greenery and vegetation in the immediate area.

Analysis showed that among respondents whose residential environment contained the highest levels of greenery, the likelihood of being overweight or obese was 37 percent less than respondents with the lowest levels of greenery; residents in areas of high greenery also were 3.32 times more likely to be physically active than residents in low-greenery areas. In environments with the highest levels of litter and graffiti, the likelihood of being overweight of obese was 42 percent higher, and residents were 47 percent less likely to be physically active, compared with people who lived in areas with the lowest graffiti and litter levels.

Conclusion: "In this study of a range of European cities, we find that objectively assessed features of the residential environment are associated with the likelihood of being physically active and not being overweight or obese. Our analysis is limited because it is cross-sectional and may be subject to differences in interpretation and reporting between countries ... In efforts to promote physical activity and reduce weight, however, attention should be paid to environmental facilitators and barriers as well as individual factors."

Ellaway A, Macintyre S, Bonnefoy X. Graffiti, greenery, and obesity in adults: secondary analysis of European cross-sectional survey. British Medical Journal Sept. 17, 2005;331:611-612

The Stress of Life

"The Stress of Life" is a perennial bestseller by Hans Selye, written in 1956. Selye almost single-handedly introduced the notion of stress into the worldwide consciousness. By doing so, Selye changed the way we think about ourselves, our values, and how we conduct our lives.

As Selye observed, stress is a double-edged sword. Many types of stress are good for people, both physiologically and personally. For example, Wolff's law states that bone will remodel (build more bone) along lines of mechanical stress. In other words, bone becomes stronger when it is subjected to physical loads. The physiological stress of weight-bearing exercise such as walking, running, and strength training helps prevent osteoporosis by making bone denser and more resilient. From a psychological perspective, the great German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, famously stated in "Twilight of the Idols" (1888), "What does not destroy me, makes me stronger." Apparently, Nietzsche (writing in the 19th century) was far ahead of Selye in pointing to the benefits (and dangers) of stress.

Life is filled with "good" stresses. A new love relationship, a new job, or a new baby may all provide great personal happiness and the experience of fulfillment and satisfaction. But each circumstance may also place new demands on us, calling on us to be and do much more than that of which we had previously thought ourselves capable. A person may develop all sorts of adaptive responses in attempts to cope with life's new requirements, but most of these adaptations are themselves stress-producing. Over time the adaptations become habits, stress becomes a day-by-day experience, and a host of physiological and psychological disorders and syndromes may appear.1,2 High blood pressure, diabetes, overweight/obesity, arthritis, insomnia, and depression may all be considered as long-term maladaptive responses to stress.3

Muscular aches and pains, muscle spasms, and headaches are common physiological responses to ongoing stress. A vicious circle develops in which stress leads to muscle tightness, which constricts blood vessels, which leads to headaches, which leads to more muscle tightness, more pain, and even more stress. One's day seems to become filled with stress and stress reactions. The good news is that means of ending these vicious circles of stress are available. Present time consciousness, regular exercise and a healthy diet, sufficient rest, and regular chiropractic care comprise a powerful tool kit for restoring balance in one's life.

1Wu EL, et al: Increased risk of hypertension in patients with major depressive disorder: a population-based study. J Psychosom Res 73(3):169-174, 2012

2Hristova MG: Metabolic syndrome - From the neurotrophic hypothesis to a theory. Med Hypotheses 2013 July 27 [Epub ahead of print]

3Martocchia A, et al: Targets of anti-glucocorticoid therapy for stress-related diseases. Recent Pat CNS Drug Discov 8(1):79-87, 2013