Neck Pain, Low Back Pain and The Brain Neck Pain, Low Back Pain and The Brain by: Dr. Cornelius Stephens
Have you ever wondered—“Why my back and/or my neck hurt and I haven’t done anything to cause the pain?” The answer to that question lies in the brain. Neck and back pain that is not the result of an accident or lifting something, is due to a dysfunction that causes a disconnect between the brain and the muscles of the neck and low back. Involved in this dysfunction is the lack of information passing from the neck and back muscles to the brain and from the brain to the neck and back muscles.
This lack of communication causes the brain to lose site of the neck and back muscles making it difficult to monitor and regulate those muscles. Without proper monitoring and regulation, the neck and low back muscles are predisposed to weakness and injury. Using functional neurological therapies, chiropractic adjustments and dietary and life style changes, we are able to re-establish the communication between the brain and the low back muscles.
SCOLIOSIS AND THE BRAIN
Scoliosis is a condition that causes an abnormal curvature of the spine. This abnormal curvature will cause the spine to bend more to the left or right resulting in a distortion of the posture. Occasionally one shoulder or pelvic bone can be higher than the other, or one scapula (shoulder blade) may protrude more outwards from the upper back than the other. These are visible signs of scoliosis. Sometimes these signs are not always apparent, but pain in the upper or lower back is always present with scoliosis.
If scoliosis is detected and treated before the person enters puberty, there is a very good possibility of halted and/or reverse scoliosis using conservative chiropractic treatments and physical therapy. Surgery to the spine is a more dramatic way of treating scoliosis. If it is not corrected before puberty, then the abnormal curvature is there for life. At this point, the use of conservative chiropractic treatments and physical therapy can, at best, prevent the abnormal curvature from getting worse.
When there is a dysfunction in the communication between the brain and the muscles of the back, the brain can’t regulate the back muscles well. The muscles on one side of the spine will pull harder than the ones on the other side of the spine. | Exercise and Breast Cancer Exercise and Breast Cancer
EXERCISE — REDUCE YOUR RISK OF BREAST CANCER BY NEARLY 40%
Women who exercise three to four hours a week may reduce their risk of getting breast cancer by as much as 30-40%.
Nearly 30 studies have shown that moderate to vigorous exercise reduces the risks as much as provided by the drug Tamoxifen — but without all of the adverse side effects.
Guidelines for cancer prevention, which were recently developed by the American Cancer Society and the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, focus on physical activity, weight control and nutrition — rather than drug therapy.
According to both groups, the evidence linking exercise to reducing the risk of breast cancer is convincing; therefore, they recommend women engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per day.
According to scientists, this link is attributed to hormones. Exercise reduces the levels of estrogen, testosterone, insulin and growth factors — which could either cause breast cancer or prompt it to grow faster and larger. Those at risk for breast cancer are women with high levels of these hormones in their blood.
The relationship between C-peptide, a marker of insulin production, and the risk of breast cancer was examined by a team of researchers from Harvard University. 32,000 women participated in the study.
C-peptide was measured form 463 women who developed breast cancer and then compared with C-peptide level blood samples in women who did not have breast cancer.
Results showed women with the highest C-peptide levels had a 70% greater chance of developing cancer than women with the lowest levels. High C-peptide levels are typically found in overweight, obese and inactive women. Other studies show insulin levels drop after exercise sessions, thus resulting in immediate benefits
SOURCE: “Preventing Breast Cancer,” ABC news, www.abcnews.com, April 15, 2002. |
Pain in the Back? Pain in the Back?
ADJUSTMENT IMPROVES STOMACH MUSCLE FUNCTION
Inactive stomach muscles may be more of a “pain in the back” than people realize. It’s recently been shown that people with Low Back Pain conditions, as well as those who may develop this problem in the future, can trace the cause to the abdominal area.
The areas of the body that are often overlooked in exercising are the deepest muscles of the abdomen. They are a tough band of muscles located along each side of the torso. Correct activation of these muscles has been associated with stabilizing the spine in the lower back where the spinal column and the hip bones meet.
A recent study was conducted on 17 young men to determine if this muscle group was functioning properly. By asking each of the subjects to flex and extend their shoulders, researchers were able to measure the proper muscle response.
Following the test, each person received a Chiropractic adjustment to the lower back area on the side of the body that showed decreased joint movement. The test was then repeated and resulted in a 34.8% improvement in proper muscle function.
According to the researchers, the study suggests that using such a series of tests can detect impaired abdominal muscle response. They also said this testing could find a potential for lower back problems even if a person has no current symptoms.
Chiropractors are trained in the proper structure of the skeletal system as well as correct muscle function. Exercises to strengthen the abdominal area and provide a person with a total plan for improved physical conditioning can be provided by a Chiropractor.
SOURCE: Chiropractic Research Review: http://www.chiropracticresearchreview.com/crr/sub_topic.php?id=56 | The Lack of Exercise The Lack of Exercise INACTIVITY RESULTS IN MUSCLE AND LIGAMENT DAMAGE
Muscles and ligaments are stressed throughout life; constructed to adjust to varying levels of activity. But, when they are exposed to higher-than-usual levels of stress, they are prone to short-term injury or long-term damage.
However, what many people fail to realize is, problems also develop when these tissues aren’t exposed to the sufficient levels of stress, needed to maintain functional health. The levels are placed on the following scale:
• Paralysis: where muscles and ligaments are not used at all and their ability to function has diminished.
• Immobilization: where use is temporarily put on hold and muscle strength and size diminishes over time.
• Sedentarism: This is when muscles and ligaments are only minimally used, which leads to obesity, deconditioning, hypertension, and poor fitness, common in all age groups.
• Normal use: which varies widely. In this level, all of the muscles and ligaments are used for daily activities.
• Strenuous use: which includes regular exercise, participation in recreational sports and leading an active lifestyle.
• Progressive overload: which consists of people, such as athletes, who continuously push their bodies to the limit to improve performance and build strength.
Overuse and damage can occur in any of the above groups, at varying degrees. When muscles and ligaments are stressed, they respond by repairing and strengthening; but if the overload is frequent, damage may result. Trauma, or sudden stress, to a ligament begins with pain, swelling and results in a degree of lost function.
Injuries and damage need proper treatment in order to heal rapidly.
Rest is important; which includes days of immobilization of the damaged area, followed by reintroduction of movement and activity. Reactivation is also necessary — which consists of exercise and guidance, which your Chiropractor can provide.
SOURCE: “Adjunctive Therapies to the Adjustment: Ligament and Muscle Stress,” Dynamic Chiropractic, March 26, 2001, Vol. 19, No. 7, pp. 16-17.
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Whiplash Whiplash
Recent studies have shown that a whiplash injury can be sustained as a result of a collision between two vehicles going no more than 5 miles per hour. That is the equivalent of a vehicle backing out of a parking lot and colliding into another vehicle.
The impact between these two vehicles can result in misaligned bones in the neck, mid-back, low-back and rib area. In addition, there could be injuries to the muscles, ligaments and tendons in those areas.
These symptoms may not be felt initially, and it could take as long as two weeks after the impact before the symptoms are felt. The misaligned bones, muscles, ligaments and tendon injuries could produce numbness, tingling and weakness in the arms, hands, legs and feet. If these issues are not addressed, more serious problems could result.
If you or someone you know has been involved in a vehicular collision, let us help you, please call (770) 922-7282 and set up an appointment for evaluation and treatment. | The Benefits of Walking The Benefits of Walking
WALKING HELPS MAINTAIN NORMAL BRAIN FUNCTION AND ENCOURAGES NEW BRAIN CELL DEVELOPMENT
New research conducted at the University of Illinois determined that simply walking every two to three days can make dramatic differences in helping to maintain normal brain function and the development of new brain cells.
Researchers utilized MRI scans to measure changes in brain activity in adults between the ages of 58 to 78, before and after a six-month program of aerobic exercise.
Participants gradually built up to walking at a moderate pace, three times per week for 45 minute sessions.
At the end of the six-month period, researchers discovered that the brain activity of the walking participants was similar to that of healthy, fit seniors, whereas, little, if any improvements in brain activity were noted among members of the comparison group, whose activities were limited to stretching and toning exercises.
Researchers determined that after several months of regular walking, older adults showed an increase in blood flow to the brain — which resulted in improved learning, memory and attention ability.
Results of this study show that aging adults who give up their sedentary lifestyle and replace it with a simple fitness regimen that consists of brisk walking, will have improved focus and better decision-making capabilities.
SOURCE: Alternative Medicine, August 2004, p. 11; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign News Bureau, February 16, 2004; www.news.uiuc.edu/news. |
Purchasing Nutritional Supplements Purchasing Nutritional Supplements by: Dr. Cornelius Stephens
The internet has opened a broad spectrum of opportunities for us. Unlimited access to information, increased ability to communicate with anyone in any part of the world and the ability to purchase virtually any item, including nutritional supplements, at a reduced cost are a few examples. Purchasing nutritional supplements via the internet could be a risky venture.
As a result of out-sourcing, many nutritional supplements are made in other countries like China and India. A number of these countries have no regulations concerning the way these supplements are produced. There are no regulations in place on the use of toxic substances like mercury and lead that may be used in the production of these supplements outside of this country. There are no regulations in place regarding the sanitary conditions of the places where these supplements are produced. There is no assurance of quality and/or quantity of the ingredients in each pill or capsule. Without regulations in place and enforced, many things can go wrong in the production of these nutritional supplements. In essence, you don’t know what you are getting when you purchase nutritional supplements over the internet from an unknown company or person.
I am not advocating against purchasing nutritional supplements over the internet. There are many companies with well established reputations for producing high quality nutritional supplements. Their products are produced entirely in this country under strict and enforced regulations. Exercise caution, good judgment and don’t let price be the determining factor when purchasing nutritional supplements over the internet. | Weight Gain and Blood Pressure Weight Gain and Blood Pressure
EVEN SMALL GAINS IN WEIGHT MAY BOOST BLOOD PRESSURE
Data from the Nurses’ Health Study of 80,000 women showed that those who had gained even 5 to 10 pounds since age 18 were about one-third more likely to develop high blood pressure versus women who had gained less weight.
This is according to findings in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It was found the greater the weight gain, the greater the hypertension risk. Conversely, for those who gained less weight, or none at all, there was less risk of hypertension.
SOURCE: As reported in Consumer Reports on Health, June 1998 |
Health Drinks Health Drinks
by: Dr. Cornelius Stephens
The market is currently being flooded with a wave of health drinks containing “super fruits”; Acai, Jujube, Mangosteen, Noni, Goji and Ningxia are a few examples of the “super fruits”showing up in a number of health drinks. These fruits are called “super fruits” because of the reported high content of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, good fats, protein and the antioxidants polyphenols and anthocyanins they contain. This high concentration of nutrients is reported to be the reason these super fruits have such a powerful impact on a number our health complaints including Gout and Diabetes.
These "super fruits" are being imported from all parts of the world including South America and China. There are questions that concern me about the countries these fruits are imported from. Are there any regulations in place or enforced to prevent the use of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and polluted water? Are there any human rights regulations in place that will protect the workers who harvest these fruits? Is child labor being used to harvest these fruits? These regulations must be put in place and enforced by the countries that send these fruits to this country. The importers of these fruits into this country must insist upon these regulations. The FDA must demand the institution of these regulations from the countries of origin. It must do a better job of inspecting these imported food products before they are released for consumption. The FDA must put a halt to all imported fruits, vegetables, seafood and all animal products imported from countries without any of the above-mentioned regulations in place and enforced.
These “super fruits” certainly appear to have the potential to improve the health of many people in this country. Along with that, they also have the potential to contaminate the health of many people in this country. We as consumers are not powerless. All we have to do is to refuse to buy any of these imported food products that do not meet our standards regardless of all of the miraculous claims made about them.
| Children and Obesity Children and Obesity
FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA RECOGNIZES WIDESPREAD CHILDREN’S OBESITY AS A HEALTHCARE EMERGENCY
First Lady Michelle Obama is bringing some groundbreaking activity to the wellness movement – literally. It was almost a year ago that Mrs. Obama broke ground on a kitchen garden on the White House grounds, using local school children as helpers. She began to use the garden to illustrate concepts in proper nutrition and the role that healthy food plays in a healthy life.
Now, Mrs. Obama is promoting a nationwide program to reduce childhood obesity and thus reduce health problems. In the last thirty years, rates of obesity among American children have tripled. Almost 30 percent of children are currently either overweight or obese. One third of the children born in this decade will suffer from diabetes and many others will experience health problems that are often related to obesity such as heart disease, asthma, high blood pressure and cancer.
Nationally, the estimated annual price of obesity-related health problems is nearly $150 billion. Obesity among young people even threatens national security, as obesity is now a common disqualifier for military service and would impede a young person’s ability to enter many public service jobs such as firefighting or law enforcement.
For the first time in this nation’s history, children may average shorter lifespans than their parents. But it doesn’t take a lot of exercise to keep a child healthy. They only need about one hour of active and vigorous play every day. Where to find the time? Well, studies show that kids ages 8 to 18 devote an average of seven and a half hours to entertainment media, including video games, cell phones, televisions and computers. A long romp in the back yard with dogs, a bicycle ride, enrolling in soccer, swimming, track or other sports activities, even family outings like going canoeing or hiking would help accumulate the hour of daily exercise.
With Mrs. Obama’s help, community programs and clubs will be promoting the Let’s Move program to get local children engaged in more vigorous activity every day. The First Lady invites both children and adults to commit to regular physical activity at least five days a week. Celebrities in both men’s and women’s professional sports are joining the program through sports clinics and public information campaigns.
Parents and kids can find resources and discover ways they can contribute to this solution on the website www.letsmove.gov.
Source: White House website, First Lady Michelle Obama Launches Let's Move: America's Move to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids, February 9, 2010, http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/first-lady-michelle-obama-launches-lets-move-americas-move-raise-a-healthier-genera
Source: Seeking Game-Changing Solutions to Childhood Obesity, February 4, 2010, http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/02/04/seeking-game-changing-solutions-childhood-obesity
Source: Let’s Move, Physical Activity, February 22, 2010, http://www.letsmove.gov/activity/index.html
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Healthy Drinking Water Healthy Drinking Water
DRUGS IN YOUR DRINKING WATER?
More than 100 published reports on drinking water in cities all over the world have confirmed that the public is unknowingly receiving pharmaceutical drugs in their ordinary tap water.
It is estimated that approximately 90% of the prescribed drugs that are taken orally are passed through the body and excreted in the urine or feces. These drugs then travel to waste treatment plants which are reasonably equipped to remove bacteria, viruses and toxic chemicals, but apparently not drugs.
One research team found fat-lowering drugs, analgesics (pain killers), chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics and hormones in tap water. Another researcher, Thomas Ternes, found all of the above mentioned drugs, plus thirty more antibiotics, beta-blockers, anti-seizure medication, among others. Stuart Levy, Director of the Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance at Tufts University in Boston says, “Our concentration [the U.S.] of antibiotics in the drinking water is 1,000 times higher than in German water...This may be causing the bacteria to become antibiotic-resistant.”
Two things are clear from this information: First, we must actively start to find ways of removing these drugs from our water supply. Second, it is vital to find ways to make our immune systems strong enough to resist even medication-resistant bacteria. In the meantime, reverse-osmosis or distilled water are both safe ways to ensure that you are not taking someone else’s medication.
SOURCE: The Nugent Report, online at www.nugentreport.com
| Four Components of Health Issues Four Components of Health Issues by: Dr. Cornelius Stephens
INTRODUCTION:
Working as a Chiropractor and Applied Kinesiologist for the past twenty years, I have seen numerous patients with a variety of health care complaints ranging from
traumatic complaints (injuries), non-traumatic complaints (chronic aches and pains), to various organ and gland dysfunctions. Applied Kinesiology is a specialized branch of Chiropractic that uses muscle test in addition to other standard test to find the cause of a patient’s health complaints.
Using a comprehensive and wholistic approach involving Chiropractic and Applied Kinesiology evaluations in addition to standard evaluations, I have been able to help a number of patients with their health care issues. Finding the cause of the patient’s health complaints has always been our goal. In the constant search to find the cause of health complaints, I have found four components that are consistent in a majority of health complaints: 1) Neurological; 2) Chemical; 3) Emotional and 4) Environmental. These are the four components most often connected to the cause of a patient’s health complaints. The automobile accident, slip & fall accident, sports related injury, work related injury, chronic illnesses, aches & pains, organ & gland dysfunctions, infections, allergies and destructive conditions all have a cause that is connected to these four components.
These four components are most often present at different levels of the health complaints ranging from the superficial to the cellular level. Treating health complaints involves treating all of the components and all of the levels of involvement. It is much like “peeling an onion” one layer at a time. Most often the patients feel better after the first layer is treated successfully. They often stop their treatments and do not return to complete the treatment protocol. This leaves other layers and other components untreated. These remaining untreated layers and components will often show up as new symptoms in the same area of the body or as additional symptoms in other areas of the body because the cause of the complaint has not been completely and successfully treated. The successful treatment of a health complaint involves treating the total cause of that complaint. All layers of involvement and all components of a health complaint must be treated in order for the cause to be completely and successfully treated leading to the final resolution of a health complaint. |
Chiropractic Care Preferred Chiropractic Care Preferred
CHIROPRACTIC IS THE MOST POPULAR FORM OF ALTERNATIVE CARE
A recent survey completed by the Centers for Disease Control showed that America has more people using Chiropractic to attain and maintain good health than any other form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).
The purpose of the survey that contacted 75,764 people was to determine how many people were using Chiropractic, Acupuncture, homeopathy, naturopathy, hypnosis, massage, biofeedback and other forms of treatment. The survey then went on to assess the relative costs of these different forms of treatment.
Out of the 38,146 people who visited a CAM practitioner in the year before the survey, the largest group had visited a chiropractor, with 18,740 people making this their choice.
Not only that, the study stated that, “One of the lowest per-person, out-of-pocket costs is associated with visits to practitioners of chiropractic…” While some people visiting CAM practitioners paid as much as $75 out-of-pocket for their visit, those utilizing Chiropractic paid $24 or less about half the time.
This analysis agrees with a review of Workers’ Compensation claims in North Carolina during 2004,which found that almost $2,900 was saved every time an injured worker was cared for by a doctor of Chiropractic rather than a medical doctor. Not only that, injured workers treated by chiropractors were able to return to work almost six times as fast as injured workers who chose a medical doctor for their care. This was no limited study, either. The review included 43,000 claims over a nineteen-year period of time.
More studies can and will surely be done, but the results are certain to be the same: Chiropractic improves health and saves money – and more and more Americans know it.
Source: National Institutes of Health, National Health Statistics Report, Costs of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and Frequency of Visits to CAM Practitioners, July 30, 2009, http://nccam.nih.gov/news/camstats/costs/nhsrn18.pdf
Source: Dynamic Chiropractic, Work Comp Study, Chiropractic Less Expensive, More Effective Than Medical Care, November 18, 2004, http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?t=9&id=46515
| Neurological Component of Health Issues Neurological Component of Health Issues by: Dr. Cornelius Stephens
The neurology component involves the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. The brain sits inside of the skull, a.k.a. “head bones,” where it is protected from damage.
The spinal cord is located inside of the spine, a.k.a. “back bones”, where it is protected from damage. The brain connects to the spinal cord where the neck meets the back of the head. The peripheral nerves exits from the spinal cord, between the back bones and the disc, at various levels from the neck to the low back. These nerves carry information to and from all parts of the body including organs, glands, skin, muscles, ligaments, tendons and joints. The brain sends messages down the spinal cord, out through the peripheral nerves, to the entire body. The reverse is true for the body to send information back to the brain. Information from all parts of the body travels through the peripheral nerves to the spinal cord and up to the brain where the information is analyzed.
The brain is in constant communication with all parts of the body, and it is through this constant communication that the brain is able to regulate and control the entire body. The brain is either sending information to all parts of the body or it is receiving information from all parts of the body. A disruption of the communication between the brain and the body can lead to the inability of the brain’s ability to regulate and control the body. That loss of regulation and control can contribute to or cause health issues. Any disruption in the regulation and control of any of the organs of digestion can lead to digestive problems. If the brain loses contact with the muscles that make the right or left foot work, the person could trip and fall resulting in an injury.
Stimulation, oxygen and food drive the brain to proper functioning. Without these things the brain would dysfunction much like any complicated piece of equipment would if it did not get the things it needed. If the internal environment is highly acidic, and that acid settles in the brain, the brain could dysfunction even though it is getting the things it needs to function properly. It is the over acidification that will cause the brain to dysfunction, leading to the inability of the brain to regulate and control parts of the body.
To be continued. . .
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Increasing Opposition to Genetically Engineered Foods Increasing Opposition to Genetically Engineered Foods
OPPOSITION TO GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOODS IS INCREASING
Global opposition of Genetically Engineered (GE) foods and crops is mounting — as is the evidence that the “Frankenfood” industry is in serious trouble. North America, where 90% of the GE foods are produced, is now in opposition to the industry and major foreign export markets for GE tainted food and seeds, are closing down.
Opposition ignited with concerns over the lack of safety testing and labeling — with strong opposition from 59% of Canadians, 51% of Americans, 70% of Europeans and 82% of Japanese. Farmers in North America have already cut back on GE crops, including a 20% drop in acreage for corn, 6% for soybeans and 10% for canola. And, because leading food companies and supermarkets fear consumer backlash, many are in the midst of removing GE ingredients from their name brand products.
Consumers should be aware of adverse field and lab report findings, which include damage to beneficial insects and soil microorganisms, pest resistance, disrupting ecological balances, proliferates pests in crops, increases cancer risks, amongst others. Agbiotech companies, while trying to present the second generation of GE foods to the market, try to distract consumers from worrying about the hazards associated with these products.
Such tactics include trying to sell consumers that GE foods and crops will “feed the masses”, nourish and vaccinate the poor, increase the nutritional value of foods and will solve the problems that are created by the unsustainable practices of the timber, paper and fishing industries.
Consumer opposition needs to increase to complete driving GE products off the market, educate consumers and work to keep the second generation from being introduced to the market.
SOURCE: “Son of Frankenfoods…Get Ready for the Next Generation of GE Foods and Crops,” SunCoast ECO Report, August/September 2000, Vol. 10, No. 8-9, pp. 1,3. Call 941-925-1946 for more information. | The Chemical Component of Health Issue The Chemical Component of Health Issue by: Dr. Cornelius Stephens
The chemical component is composed of aspects that have chemical reactions inside of the body. bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungus, mold, heavy metals, Candida,
toxins, parasites, inflammation, de-toxification, hyper-sensitivity to foods, vitamins, minerals, herbs, carbohydrates, fats and proteins are a few examples of the aspects that compose the chemical component.All of these examples impact the acid/alkaline balance of the body.
The acid/alkaline balance influences the presence or the absence of symptoms. Decreased internal acid leads to the absence of symptoms and balanced health. Increased internal acid will lead to the presence of symptoms and ill health. These symptoms will be subsequently diagnosed as diseases including constipation, skin problems, increased pain, inflammation, hormonal imbalances, diabetes, hypertension, digestive problems, weight gain, lung issues and etc.
Dysfunctions in muscles are also caused by increased acidity in the body. These dysfunctions will lead to imbalances in the muscles causing weakness in the muscles on one side of the body and strength in the muscles on the other side of the body. This imbalance of the muscles results in one side of the body being injured more often than the other side.
The increased acid comes from what we eat, what we think and what we feel. Acid producing foods, counter productive thoughts about ourselves and others and the counter productive emotions that overwhelm us are potent internal acid producers which lead to poor health.
To be continued. . .
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Audio: Dr. Stephens' Protocol For Balanced Health Audio: Dr. Stephens' Protocol For Balanced Health | |