Month: November 2013

Dr Beecher’s November 2013 Monthly Chiropractic Newletter

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“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism

or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”  ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Can Eating This Stop Arthritis

and Cancer?

 

Also this month:

• Smoke Yourself Stupid? Marijuana Use Starting in Youth Linked Lower IQ in Adulthood – Research reveals smoking pot is not as harmless as many believe.
• Does Coconut Oil Help Fight Tooth Decay? Results of a new study find it could help prevent cavities.
• One Simple Thing You Can Do that Will Save You Money and Make You Eat Healthier. –Hint… It has to do with something you keep in your wallet.
• The Goal that Changed a 7-Year-Old Child’s Life. The Miraculous Story of the Captain of the United States Men’s National Soccer Team… a Little Boy with Leukemia… and a Day He’ll Never Forget.

Houston – Would you eat something that is all-natural, has no side-effects, stops painful osteoarthritis, and could even help fight cancer?  Of course you would.

In just a moment you will learn all about new research that will probably have you eating this inexpensive and abundant food every day of the week.

But first, let’s do the opposite.  Would you stop doing something if you knew it lowered your IQ?

Well, that’s what research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) says smoking marijuana does when the habit is started during adolescence.

According to the study, “Heavy use of marijuana has been previously linked to neuropsychological impairment, particularly when use begins early in life.”  The researchers found that “those individuals who use cannabis regularly, particularly those who began use in adolescence, experienced declines in everyday cognitive function that were noticeable to close contacts, who were surveyed by the researchers.  Persistent marijuana users also lost several IQ points on average between age 13 years and age 38 years.”

The study’s lead author, Madeline Meier, Ph.D., a Postdoctoral associate at Duke University, warns, “Marijuana is not harmless, particularly for adolescents.”

A study on mice, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals that smoking marijuana may even increase your risk of developing serious psychiatric disorders (such as schizophrenia).

According to the study’s senior author, Asaf Keller, Ph.D., Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, “Over the past 20 years, there has been a major controversy about the long-term effects of marijuana, with some evidence that use in adolescence could be damaging… Previous research has shown that children who started using marijuana before the age of 16 are at greater risk of permanent cognitive deficits, and have a significantly higher incidence of psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.  There likely is a genetic susceptibility, and then you add marijuana during adolescence and it becomes the trigger.”

Another scientist involved with the study, Sylvina Mullins Raver, a Ph.D. candidate in the Program in Neuroscience in the Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, adds, “Adolescence is the critical period during which marijuana use can be damaging… We wanted to identify the biological underpinnings and determine whether there is a real, permanent health risk to marijuana use.

            “In the adult mice exposed to marijuana ingredients in adolescence, we found that cortical oscillations were grossly altered, and they exhibited impaired cognitive abilities… We also found impaired cognitive behavioral performance in those mice.  The striking finding is that, even though the mice were exposed to very low drug doses and only for a brief period during adolescence, their brain abnormalities persisted into adulthood.”

The study was repeated on adult mice and the results were normal, leading researchers to believe marijuana exposure only had a detrimental impact on cognition in the adolescent brain.

One fault of this particular study is that it was done on mice, not humans.  But, the research team believes the results have implications for adolescent humans as well.

One last thing on this topic…  Research presented on May 5, 2013 at the Pediatric Academy Societies annual meeting in Washington, D.C. strongly suggests that cigarette smoking is a gateway to marijuana use.

The study showed that tobacco users were more likely to have used marijuana than those who did not use tobacco.

Not only that, Megan Moreno, MD, MSEd, MPH, FAAP, an investigator at Seattle Children’s Research Institute and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington, adds, “Contrary to what we would expect, we also found that students who smoked both tobacco and marijuana were more likely to smoke more tobacco than those who smoked only tobacco.”

Can Eating This Stop

Arthritis and Cancer?

First, let’s be clear.  There are no wonder cures for either arthritis or cancer, at least not in the world of medicine and science. But, sometimes, new research comes to light that certainly makes it look like we’re getting there…

For example, recent research published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism found that sulforaphane, a compound found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables (such as cabbage and brussel sprouts), could help fight osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. Kale, cauliflower, and Bok Choy are also sources of sulforaphane. The compound is released when the vegetables are chewed.

What’s more, the study showed that sulforaphane blocks cartilage destroying enzymes by stopping a molecule that causes inflammation before it can act.

Sulforaphane appears to help more than just arthritis.            In another study, scientists at Oregon State University discovered “yet another reason why the sulforaphane compound in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables is so good for you – it provides not just one, but two ways to prevent cancer through the complex mechanism of epigenetics.”

Epigenetics refers to our genetic code and how diet, toxins, and other environmental factors change the way our genes are activated or expressed.  In other words, you may have a genetic predisposition for cancer, but the cancer will activate or remain dormant depending on what you eat or are exposed to.

Of course, further research is needed on sulforaphane but it probably isn’t a bad idea to add more broccoli to your diet. J

 

            Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.

Inspirational Story Of The Month

(Names And Details May Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)

 

 

The Goal that Changed

a 7-Year-Old Child’s Life!

The Miraculous Story of the Captain of the United States Men’s National

Soccer Team… a Little Boy with Leukemia… and a Day He’ll Never Forget.

 

Some people are born with special gifts.  These gifts force other people to pay attention to them, to watch them, and even idolize them.  Many of the people born with these gifts only use their talents to make their own lives better.  They make themselves rich and famous without regard for what they can do for others.  In other words, they are selfish.

Then, there are the select few who realize that the greatness they were lucky enough to be born with can do a whole heck of a lot more than make one person (them) happy.  It can change the lives of countless others.  It can even relieve suffering, if only for just a short time.  These select few spend a good part of their lives making a huge difference in the world.

Landon Donovan is one of these people.  Landon was born March 4, 1982 in Ontario, California.  He joined his first competitive soccer league at age five, and even though he was playing against older players, he scored seven goals in his first game! Within 10 years, Landon was playing at the National level on the Under-17 USA Team.  Soon after that, he became the youngest player on the Under-23 USA National Team.  Since then, Landon has represented the USA in the Olympics and World Cup and is currently Captain of the National Team.  Yes, he has the “soccer gift.”

But Landon is much more than one of the best American soccer players ever.  He is a true role model who spends a lot of his time helping others.

Recently, Landon appeared on ESPN’s “My Wish” series.  The star of that episode was a 7-year-old soccer fan from Colorado named Brendan Galanaugh.

Brendan suffers from leukemia.  When he is not going through difficult medical treatments like chemotherapy, he plays soccer with his father or cheers for his idol, Landon Donovan.  Through it all, Brendan has been remarkable.  When another child said he felt sorry for him because he was sick, Brendan replied that he was not sick, he just had cancer.

One of the things that kept Brendan going was the World Cup soccer tournament.  His father said they did not miss a single game, and Brendan would even wake up at 5:00 a.m. to watch his hero play.

Not too long after the World Cup, Brendan’s parents brought him to the sports store to get a new pair of soccer shoes.  When he opened the box, he found a DVD of Landon Donovan inviting him to come meet him and spend the day with him.

Brendan and his family were taken (by limousine) to the headquarters of the LA Galaxy, the professional team Donovan plays for.  In the locker room, Brendan received a personalized team jersey and got to meet his idol.

Brendan attended practice and actually played one-on-one with Landon.  Then, he got an all-access pass to the Galaxy’s upcoming game.  In that game, Landon scored twice and gave his game jersey to Brendan who was cheering for him on the sidelines.

At the time of this writing, Brendan is now in remission and continues to cheer for Landon every time he plays.  Imagine how wonderful the world would be if more people were like these two.

 

We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and

getting them feeling better!  We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger!

Don’t be a stranger.  You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!

Did You Know?…

14 Things You May Not Know About Yourself…

1. Unless food is mixed with saliva, you can’t taste it.
2. The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.
3. Eight percent of people have an extra rib.
4. The smallest bones in the human body are found in your ear.
5. One day of blinking equates to having your eyes closed for 30 minutes.
6. The average human brain contains around 78% water.
7. Your brain uses between 20 – 25% of the oxygen you breathe.
8. A quarter of your bones are in your feet.
9. Your tongue is the fastest healing part of your body.
10. A one-minute kiss burns 26 calories.
11. You burn more calories sleeping than watching TV.
12. Skin is the human body’s largest organ.
13. Enamel is the hardest substance in your body.
14. The hyoid bone in your throat is the only bone in your body not attached to any other.

 

Tip Of The Month

Want Fewer Cavities?  Try Coconut Oil.

Do you want fewer cavities?  If you do, you are not alone.  In industrialized countries, 60% – 90% of children battle tooth decay.  New research has shown that coconut oil, at relatively low concentrations, attacks the bacteria that causes tooth decay and can be used to help fight cavities.

According to BBC NEWS Health, “[The] research team from the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland tested the impact of coconut oil, vegetable oil, and olive oil in their natural states, and when treated with enzymes in a process similar to digestion.  The oils were then tested against Streptococcus bacteria, which are common inhabitants of the mouth.  Only the enzyme-modified coconut oil showed an ability to inhibit the growth of most strains of the bacteria.  It also attacked Streptococcus mutans, an acid-producing bacterium which is a major cause of tooth decay.” 

Coconut oil can also help fight off yeast, fungus, and candida.  It can also positively affect hormones for thyroid and blood sugar control.  Not only that, it can reduce cholesterol and boost thyroid function, helping increase metabolism, energy, and endurance.  One study has shown that consuming about 2 tablespoons of coconut oil a day for 12 weeks resulted in women having less abdominal fat.

One Simple Thing You Can Do That Will Save You Money and Make You Eat Healthier.

Want to eat healthier and possibly lose weight?  Want to save money in the process?  The Journal of Consumer Research might have the answer you are looking for.  According to their research, “Some food items that are commonly considered unhealthy also tend to elicit impulsive responses.  The pain of paying in cash can curb impulsive urges to purchase such unhealthy food products.  Credit card payments, in contrast, are relatively painless and weaken impulse control.  Consequently, consumers are more likely to buy unhealthy food products when they pay by credit card than when they pay in cash.” 

The research went on to report that there are many factors that cause the consumption of unhealthy food, including faulty beliefs and lack of knowledge.  But impulsivity seems to be one of the most, if not the most, influential factor.  Having a credit card present and making it a habit to pay with a credit card can seriously add to the impulse to purchase “bad” food.  Simply making a shopping list and figuring out the amount of cash you will need and bringing that amount in cash will not only save you money but it will stop most of the impulse buying that contributes to poor overall health.

 

Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal

and maintain the pain free body you deserve.

 

This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice.  Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a healthcare professional who is familiar with your updated medical history. We cannot be held responsible for actions you may take without a thorough exam or appropriate referral. If you have any further concerns or questions, please let us know at 281-286-1300.