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"Wellness" Is a Deep Subject

Dr. Yong Kim — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 18:46:26 +0000

I just read an excellent article that I want to pass along to you:

A life of wellness… or not?

By Gilles Lamarche, DC

The term wellness has been utilized within the chiropractic profession for decades.

Now, when you look around, you will notice it being utilized in so many other industries, as well.

What is the definition of wellness? You hear it in the news, you read it on billboards, you see it on commercial signs, people talk about it in social settings and at work, but interestingly enough, there is no universally accepted definition.

You would think that the definition would certainly relate to health. The definition of health as described by The World Health Organization (WHO) is as follows:

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”1 This definition has not been amended since 1948.

If this is the case, then why are we such a sick society? Why have most healthcare practitioners not embraced the definition and what can you as a chiropractor do to help humanity discover improved health and well-being?

The goal is to get you to embrace this concept and serve your patients so they will get the “big idea.”

The WHO definition embraces total health, which can also be referred to as wellness — which in most circles is a tough word to define.

Charles B. Corbin of Arizona State University gives this definition: “Wellness is a multidimensional state of being describing the existence of positive health in an individual as exemplified by quality-of-life and a sense of well-being.”

This is not much different than the definition written by WHO 60 years ago. Even though the words may be different, the concept is not. Wellness is an ongoing and active process of becoming aware and making consistent wise choices toward a more successful and fulfilling life.

If you break that down it means:

• Process shows that improvement is possible;.

• Awareness means we are seeking information on how to improve;

• Choice refers to having options, and our capacity to select options in our best interest; and

• Success is determined by each person. In the context of health, most would consider success to be related to the capacity of living a fulfilled life based on each individual’s expectations — living a life filled with joy, vitality, energy, and an overall sense of accomplishment.

The most commonly described subdimensions of wellness include: physical, mental, spiritual, social, occupational, financial, emotional, and family well-being.

Physical, mental, and spiritual well-being relate directly to the art, science, and philosophy of chiropractic. Since subluxations can be caused by physical, chemical, or emotional stresses, it makes sense to communicate a clear and consistent message relating to the appropriateness and effectiveness of chiropractic care in order to improve the health of the nation.(Read more at: chiroeco.com)

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No Evidence that Chiropractic Causes Stroke According to Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation

Dr. Yong Kim — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 21:26:04 +0000

Amidst a great deal of emotion and rhetoric coming out of Connecticut this week regarding the stroke issue The Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation has just released a very clear position statement on the issue of chiropractic and strokes.

Atlanta, GA, January 07, 2010 –(PR.com)– According to the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation there is no human experimental evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations are causally related to strokes.

“While plaintiff’s attorneys and expert witness make claims and statements contending that such a causative link exists, the fact remains that these are based largely on anecdotes, case reports, and case controlled studies and cannot be used to prove causation” stated Foundation President Christopher Kent DC, JD a chiropractic researcher and attorney.

According to researchers and the scientific method itself there are all sorts of biases and distortions that effect conclusions drawn from such studies and other criteria must be used to determine whether such a link exists.

“What this boils down to is a simple lack of understanding of biostatistics and epidemiology” stated Foundation Vice President Matthew McCoy DC, MPH, a chiropractic researcher and public health expert. “Words like ‘association’ and ‘causation’ and ‘risk’ have very specific meanings when it comes to their use in epidemiology and it’s clear that laypersons involved in this debate are using these terms inappropriately.”

While the experience of a stroke can be devastating and no one would suggest ignoring the concerns of those who have suffered one, the reality is that when it comes to the contention that chiropractic causes strokes – the evidence just isn’t there. And while the strokes these people have experienced are indeed real, McCoy suggests there are often other issues involved and offered an example. “Millions of people visit a dentist every year and a certain number of those same people get into car accidents on their way home. If we were to run the stats on it we might find that there is a statistical association between visiting a dentist and getting into a car accident on the way home. But no one would even consider suggesting that the dentists are causing the car accidents.”

Self described chiropractic stroke victims say there is a risk and that people should be advised about it prior to undergoing chiropractic care. The majority of chiropractors would agree that patients should be informed of the risks, benefits and alternatives of any health care intervention, but according to Dr. Kent “Such informed consent must be based on appropriate information and since there is no scientific evidence that chiropractic adjustments or neck manipulations actually cause strokes, it is inappropriate to require a doctor to suggest that such a risk exists.”

Dr. McCoy added another often overlooked issue “Chiropractors utilize a number of techniques to address joint dysfunction and vertebral subluxation and in fact there are over 300 named chiropractic techniques and many do not employ the type of manipulation that has been alleged to be a factor in vertebrobasilar accidents. This adds to the inappropriate nature of such a disclosure.”

In the end, chiropractic has an impressive safety record compared to traditional medical care with estimates are that anywhere from 100,000 (Institute of medicine) to 750,000 (Null et al) people die every year from medical care. In comparison, other than some minor soreness following chiropractic treatment, research has shown chiropractic to be very safe

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Selling Food to Kids

Dr. Yong Kim — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:42:17 +0000

(by Integrative Nutrition) Have you watched Saturday morning cartoons with your kids recently? Do you notice how many advertisements are directed towards children? A July 2008 report by the Federal Trade Commission stated that the food industry spent over $1.6 billion dollars on marketing to kids. According to Marion Nestle, author of Food Politics, this number is probably underestimated. Last week the Federal Trade Commission held a public forum on marketing to children. The Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Foods Marketed to Children, brings together the FTC, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, the Centers for Disease Control and the Federal Drug Administration. It has has been charged with developing recommended nutritional standards for consumers under the age of 17 by July, 2010. While this may sound like a step in right direction, according to Nestle, these standards are voluntary, and it’s quite unlikely the industry will do what it promises.

Years of the industry’s “self-regulation” has not worked. We have seen an increase in childhood obesity and the rates of diabetes among young people are rising as well. The food industry can use front of package marketing suggesting that foods are a great source of fiber, calcium, folic acid, vitamins and minerals, etc. without mandatory regulation. As long as cartoon characters and prizes are included in the marketing of foods kids will continue to ask parents for them.

What do you think about the governments attempts to regulate the food industry?

For more information visit Marion Nestle’s website about Food Politics.

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How to Avoid Winter Snow-Shoveling Injuries

Dr. Yong Kim — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:12:00 +0000

If you live where it snows or if you’re planning to following the “chill” until you find a snowy scene for the holidays, here’s a little advice from the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress.

Every winter, millions of Americans grab their shovels and start digging their way out of the snow and into pain. Shoveling snow improperly can lead to potential spasms, strains, and aches. When shoveling snow, the Foundation for chiropractic Progress suggests the following tips to maintain overall health:

- Always stretch and warm-up before shoveling
- Wear extra layers to maintain muscle warmth and flexibility
- Avoid sudden twisting and turning motions
- Limit the amount of weight lifted per load
- Bend your knees, not your back
– Take frequent breaks to avoid body fatigue

If you happen to experience discomfort or pain as a result of shoveling snow, please contact your local chiropractor.

To find out more information please visit the Foundation at www.yes2chiropractic.org or call 866-901-3427

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Chiropractic Medicine for Neck Pain

Dr. Yong Kim — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:53:21 +0000

Americans suffer from chronic neck pain at alarming rates. Many suffer through this with no hopes of ever getting better. They grit their teeth and suffer through thinking there is no hope and no one can help. However, you can do something about chronic neck pain.

Primary Causes of Chronic neck pain-

Sudden trauma – whiplash
When the head is suddenly thrust forward and stopped, the resulting injury is known as whiplash. Generally, a person knows when this type of injury occurs. However, you may not always recognize the accident. It does not have to occur in a car as any sudden jerking motion can cause whiplash.

Bad posture
Hunching over a steering wheel or computer can cause the head to lean forward and the muscles in the neck to strain. Since the average human head weighs between eight and ten pounds, this strain can add up and cause quite a bit of pain.

Slipped Disc/ Herniated Disc/ Disc out of Alignment
Sometimes a disc in the spine moves slightly out of place and causes pain in the neck. When this happens, the pressure is put on the nerves resulting in pain on the nerves.

What to Expect from a Chiropractor On Your First Visit-

On your first visit, the chiropractor will ask you for a complete medical history. He or she will want to know when the pain started and what makes it better or worse. X-rays may be taken to better examine the cause of the pain. The more information you provide the chiropractor, the better results you can expect from the visit.

Many times, the chiropractor will ask you to rank the pain on a scale from one to ten with ten being the worst pain in your life. This s not a competition but a way to rank how well the treatment works. Therefore, think carefully and be honest. It is important if the treatment is to be effective.

Treatment Options Provided by a Chiropractor-

It is a myth that chiropractors only “pop” your back. Nothing could be further from the truth. A chiropractor is more of a holistic healer. They offer a wide range of healing options to help you understand why your neck is hurting and to get to the root of your neck injury.

Treatment options may include:
” Progressive Rehab – a combination of chiropractic adjustments and pain relieving techniques
” nutrition Counseling – A nutritionist can help you understand any deficiencies in your diet.
” Massage Therapy – Sometimes neck pain is caused by muscle strain and tension and massage therapy helps.
” Physical Therapy – Strength training is always available when you need it even for your neck.
” Chiropractic adjustment – This is what most people think of when they think of the chiropractor. The “pop” is actually gases escaping when the joints are moved back into place.

The most important part of being treated is choosing a chiropractor you trust. A chiropractor should be able to see you the same day. You are already hurting. You should not have to wait several days or even weeks to get an appointment. You should be greeted in a friendly manner and be treated well. Go with your instincts and you will be fine.

Source: HealthSourceChiro

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Study Explains How Exercise Helps Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease

Dr. Yong Kim — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:02:37 +0000

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects 5 million individuals in the U.S. and is the leading cause of limb amputations. Doctors have long considered exercise to be the single best therapy for PAD, and now a new study helps explain why. Led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and published in this week’s Online Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the findings demonstrate that a protein called PGC-1alpha plays a key role in the process.

“Exercise is a staple of healthy living,” notes senior author Zoltan Arany, MD, PhD, an investigator in BIDMC’s Cardiovascular Institute and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. “One of the many benefits of exercise, endurance exercise in particular, is the generation of new blood vessels in leg muscles.” Known as angiogenesis, this naturally occurring process comes to the rescue when an injury or artery blockage leaves normal tissue starved for blood.

PAD is a common circulatory problem in which narrowed arteries reduce blood flow to the limbs. The end result is leg pain primarily encountered while walking. More seriously, PAD is also likely to be a sign of widespread accumulation of fatty deposits in the arteries, which may be reducing blood flow to the heart and brain as well as to the legs. Read more…

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Fit Teenage Boys Are Smarter?

Dr. Yong Kim — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:12:14 +0000

In the first study to demonstrate a clear positive association between adolescent fitness and adult cognitive performance, Nancy Pedersen of the University of Southern California and colleagues in Sweden find that better cardiovascular health among teenage boys correlates to higher scores on a range of intelligence tests – and more education and income later in life.

“During early adolescence and adulthood, the central nervous system displays considerable plasticity,” said Pedersen, research professor of psychology at the USC College of Letters, Arts & Sciences. “Yet, the effect of exercise on cognition remains poorly understood.”

Pedersen, lead author Maria Åberg of the University of Gothenburg and the research team looked at data for all 1.2 million Swedish men born between 1950 and 1976 who enlisted for mandatory military service at the age of 18.

In every measure of cognitive functioning they analyzed – from verbal ability to logical performance to geometric perception to mechanical skills – average test scores increased according to aerobic fitness.

However, scores on intelligence tests did not increase along with muscle strength, the researchers found. Read more…

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Can Exercise Reduce the Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease?

Dr. Yong Kim — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:10:52 +0000

Officials at the new Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center at Barrow Neurological Institute announced today the center's participation in a novel Parkinson's study aimed at determining the physical and neurological impact of simple exercise on Parkinson's patients. Participants' brains will be monitored to determine if increased physical activity actually helps protect the neurons in the brain from the disease.

The study, "Exercise training in Parkinson's disease: Neural and functional benefits", in partnership with Arizona State University is funded by the National Institutes of health and begins as Ali, who has suffered from Parkinson's disease for more than 20 years, helped unveil the new Parkinson's center at the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. The 10,000 square-foot center is the most comprehensive of its kind in the nation and double the size of the original center that first opened in 1997.

From its beginning, Ali and his wife, Lonnie, have wanted the focus of the center to be helping Parkinson's patients stay active and involved. This research study underscores that focus and passion. In conjunction with Arizona State University, researchers will test the participants who are aged 50-70. During the trial participants will follow a structured exercise program called "pole-striding", which is walking with ski-like poles.

"Until now we have had only anecdotal evidence that regular physical activity is disease modifying," says Darolyn O'Donnell, who will help lead the study at the center. O'Donnell explained that participants will undergo 12-weeks of pole-striding for three days a week as they walk for about 45 minutes during each training session. "One of the key elements of this study is that we are using a simple exercise that can be duplicated by anyone." Read more…

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Studies: Fighting global warming reduces diseases

Dr. Yong Kim — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:34:01 +0000

Cutting global warming pollution would not only make the planet healthier, it would make people healthier too, says officials, as they releases studies calculating the health benefits of a less sickly climate.

Slashing carbon dioxide emissions could save millions of lives, mostly by reducing preventable deaths from heart and lung diseases, the studies show. They are published in a special issue of The Lancet British medical journal, released Wednesday.

The calculations of lives saved are based on computer models that looks at pollution-caused illnesses in certain cities. The figures are also based on the world making dramatic changes in daily life that may at first seem too hard and costly to do, researchers concedes.

Cutting carbon dioxide emissions will also reduce other types of air pollution, especially tiny particles that lodge in the lungs and cause direct health damage, doctors says. Other benefits can come from encouraging more exercise and less meat consumption, to improve heart health, researchers says. Read more…

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Moderate Drinking Guards the Heart

Dr. Yong Kim — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:41:43 +0000

But protective effect can wear off at higher levels in men, study finds

By Ed Edelson
HealthDay Reporter

(healthDay News) — A Spanish study has found that long-term moderate drinking decreased the risk of heart disease by up to one-third in men and to a lesser degree in women.

The type of alcohol — beer, wine or spirits — made no difference, the researchers reported in the Nov. 19 online issue of Heart. The Spanish analysis used 10-year data on 15,500 men and nearly 26,000 women who were participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer study.

But for men, there was a point at which the coronary benefits of alcohol declined, and risk began to rise again.

The rate of coronary heart disease for non-drinking women in the study was 56 per 100,000. For women listed as low drinkers, averaging less than 5 grams a day, it was 42. For women who were moderate drinkers (5 to 30 grams a day), it was 36; for high drinkers (30 to 90 grams a day) it was 12; and for heavy drinkers (more than 90 grams a day) it was 12.

The rates for men were 398 per 100,000 for those who never drank, 318 for low drinkers, 255 for moderate drinkers, 278 for high drinkers and 334 for heavy drinkers, the researchers reported. Read more…

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