When Your Health Matters

It Starts in 2 Weeks

2012-03-07T03:01:00.001-05:00

Doc Rick says, "If you've ever thought about cleaning out your toxins from your body in an effort to restore your health, IT BEGINS IN 2 WEEKS! Call Dr. Huntoon and sign up for your Doctor Supervised Detoxification Program. Once you are through this, you will be so happy you did it, like nothing you've ever done for yourself. Call the office today at (845)561-BACK or 561-2225." Click on the link

It's Coming.....

You've Heard About It....

You've Heard The Great Results....

You've Thought About Doing It....

You Are Thinking To Yourself "This Is The Year...."

If This Is The Year For You,

Don't Wait!

It's Only 2 Weeks Away!

It Only Takes 2 Weeks To Do It!

Create a New Beginning for Your Health

Call The Office Today....

Tell Me You Want To Do The

"Doctor Supervised

Detoxification Program!"

The Ideal Time Begins After The Spring Equinox....March 21st!

The Ideal Starting Time Runs Through The Month Of May!

Call The Office And Reserve Your Program Spot NOW!

We Need To Order You The Products That You'll Need!

The National Inventory for the products is Quite Low!

Call The Office So WE WILL HAVE YOUR PRODUCT!

Don't Wait! If You Do, You WILL Miss Out. Call The Office Today....

If you wait to decide, you'll probably not do it. And If you decide too late, We may not be able to get you the necessary products. Appreciate that this is the ONE and only BEST Time of Year to do this. Any other time of year is not ideal and can create other health concerns. Don't pass this opportunity up! Give Yourself The Opportunity To Get Healthy!Call our office today at (845)561-2225 and tell Dr. Huntoon to sign you up for the "Doctor Supervised Detoxification Program!" Take Advantage of the body's Natural Energy that promotes Spring Cleaning. If You Don't Do It Now, You'll Have To Wait Until Next Year. That's A Whole Year! Don't Wait...DO IT NOW, Call The Office at (845)561-2225! DON'T WAIT! You'll Be Happy You Did!

Do You Have Arthritis Of The Eyes?

2012-03-07T03:00:00.001-05:00

How many of you reading this e-newsletter do it wearing glasses? And how many of you who wear glasses, have developed the need for them as you have gotten older? I ask those 3 questions to get your attention, because if you did say YES to any of them, there is a great opportunity for you to improve your eye-sight without the need for glasses, contact lenses or laser eye surgery. It's totally natural and certainly more cost effective then laser surgery, or the long-term cost of glasses or contacts.

Consider that the eyes are the windows to the Soul, and the consciousness of the Soul is represented in the Wood Element in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This element consists of the Liver and the Gallbladder which becomes most active in the Spring. This will be important to appreciate later in this article. An example of the relationship that you might already understand is when a person suffers with the condition of jaundice, where there is a backing up of bile from the Liver into the blood stream, it causes the whites of the eyes to turn yellow.

In my previous newsletter on the Liver, I wrote about the relationship that exists between the Liver and the muscles, joints and tendons of the body, and how the liver regulates these areas. Any inflammation of the joints is an indication that the Liver is overstressed with toxins, and that the body is storing the excess toxins in the areas of the muscles, joints and tendons. Inflammation and irritation of the joints over time, whether it is from auto-immune sources, metabolic sources or simply excess wear and tear from the aging process, Rheumatoid type, Gout type or Degenerative type respectively, are all different classifications of Arthritis. And all of it has to do with how the Liver, your chief planner, is dealing with how life is showing up to you, and how you react to it.

How Does This Effect The Eyes?

If one has difficulty seeing the things in their life that are particularly hard to look at, the Liver will store the effects of that stress in the eyes. Over time, assuming the stress in your life and the way you "deal" with it stays the same, the lens of the eye will become inflexible and rigid, and will have difficulty accommodating to all the different things one sees. This rigidity of the lens leads to one needing glasses. For those who don't want to see the things that are closest to them, because they don't want to deal with them will develop a need to wear glasses for near vision. And for those who have trouble seeing the big picture, or things far away, will develop a need for glasses for far vision.

So What Can Be Done?

There are a few ways to help someone who is suffering from "Arthritis" of the Eyes. Most importantly is to make sure the Liver is free of stress and toxins. We do this at the office by evaluating the Liver and its function from an Emotional, Toxic, Nutritional, Allergic, Physiological, or Structural point of view. If your Liver has any of these imbalances, we will then cross-reference to the eyes specifically to see if the imbalance is effecting the eyes. If it is, we will recommend the appropriate solution and start you on the road to better vision. It's that simple.

What's The Benefit To You?

Being able to see clearly and not having to depend on searching for two different pairs of glasses all the time would be an obvious benefit anyone could "see." Being able to go to your eye doctor and having them decrease your glasses prescription is also an empowering feeling and one I enjoy hearing about form practice members who have called to tell me their eye glass prescription was made less. Imagine if you could have that experience. I say why imagine it, why not truly experience it.

What To Consider

If you suffer from eye weakness, need glasses, contacts or are considering allowing someone to point a laser at your eyes, you may want to come see me for the Liver-Eye Connection Evaluation. This painless evaluation takes about 5 minutes and allows you to see if something you are doing is contributing to eye weakness, or if something you are having difficulty dealing with is contributing to eye weakness. Since it is a painless evaluation, why not stop in and have it done. And to make it less painful, I will offer this to you for the Month of March as a FREE service. That's right; this $75.00 value is yours for FREE. During your next regularly scheduled appointment, tell Dr. Huntoon you want the Liver-Eye Connection Evaluation and we'll do it. But don't wait, because as time is flying by, the end of March will be here soon. So Call the Office Today at (845) 561-2225 and take advantage of this special offer.

It Starts in 3 Weeks

2012-03-07T02:58:00.002-05:00

Doc Rick says, "If you've ever thought about cleaning out your toxins from your body in an effort to restore your health, IT BEGINS IN 3 WEEKS! Call Dr. Huntoon and sign up for your Doctor Supervised Detoxification Program. Once you are through this, you will be so happy you did it, like nothing you've ever done for yourself. Call the Office today at (845)561-BACK or 561-2225."

It's Coming.....

You've Heard About It....

You've Heard The Great Results...

You've Thought About Doing It....

You Are Thinking To Yourself "This Is The Year...."

If This Is The Year For You,

Don't Wait!

It's Only 3 Weeks Away!

It Only Takes 3 Weeks To Do It!

Create a New Beginning for Your Health

Call The Office Today....

Tell Me You Want To Do The

"Doctor Supervised

Detoxification Program!"

The Ideal Time Begins After The Spring Equinox....March 21st!

The Ideal Starting Time Runs Through The Month Of May!

Call The Office And Reserve Your Program Spot NOW!

We Need To Order You The Products That You'll Need!

The National Inventory for the products is Quite Low!

Call The Office So WE WILL HAVE YOUR PRODUCT!

Don't Wait! If You Do, You WILL Miss Out. Call The Office Today....

If you wait to decide, you'll probably not do it. And If you decide too late, We may not be able to get you the necessary products. Appreciate that this is the ONE and only BEST Time of Year to do this. Any other time of year is not ideal and can create other health concerns. Don't pass this opportunity up! Give Yourself The Opportunity To Get Healthy!Call our office today at (845)561-2225 and tell Dr. Huntoon to sign you up for the "Doctor Supervised Detoxification Program!"Take Advantage of the body's Natural Energy that promotes Spring Cleaning. If You Don't Do It Now, You'll Have To Wait Until Next Year. That's A Whole Year! Don't Wait...DO IT NOW, Call The Office at (845)561-2225! DON'T WAIT! You'll Be Happy You Did!

A Trifecta You Don't Want To Cash In

2012-02-23T10:40:00.000-05:00

The implication is that if a person has one or more of these abnormal findings, he is at risk for the others.

What's Right For You?

You might be thinking, "What's right for me? I want to have a healthy diet. I want to do regular exercise. I want to get enough sleep. How do I know what's right?"
First, what works for someone else may not necessarily achieve the same results for you.

One person may love the elliptical machine for aerobics. Another may say that running is the only way to go. Biking, fast walking, swimming timed laps - they all work. The exercise you want to do - the one you like and makes you feel good - that's the one for you.

Likewise with rest. You may read that everyone needs 8 hours of sleep every night. Next month you may read about some hot-shot that thrives on 6 hours per night. What's right? The amount that helps you feel active, alert, and well-rested. Some nights you need a little more. Sometimes you can get by on 5 or 6 hours.
Bottom line - what works for you works for you. The key is to be consistent and intend to want to be healthy and well.

High serum glucose. High cholesterol. High blood pressure. This is a trifecta you definitely don't want to have. This combination of laboratory findings is known as metabolic syndrome, a new medical term that has been in existence for less than ten years. It's well-known that there is an epidemic of obesity in America. Two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. Thirty percent of American children are overweight or obese. The numbers continue to increase. The United States is also in the midst of an epidemic in diabetes. Eight percent of Americans over age 20 have diabetes - one in twelve people. Again, the numbers are increasing.

Recently, public health researchers discovered that people who were overweight and had diabetes also had high blood pressure - the combination of findings was termed metabolic syndrome. The implication is that if a person has one or more of these abnormal findings, he is at risk for the others.^1,2,3 If a person has high blood glucose she is at risk for high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. Being overweight increases the risk of developing diabetes and developing cardiovascular disease - heart attack and stroke.

The statistics and medical conclusions are sobering, and yet there is good news. Each of these serious disorders - diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure - is a lifestyle disease. Lifestyle contributes significantly to developing any and all of these conditions. Making long-lasting changes in the way we live has long-lasting effects on our health and well-being. Lifestyle recommendations are not breaking news. Everyone knows about the benefits of healthy nutrition and regular vigorous exercise. Research has consistently shown that diet, exercise, and proper rest significantly improve one's health. The great challenge is to cause people to engage in these activities which are in their own interest.

An additional important lifestyle change is to engage in regular chiropractic care. Chiropractic care ensures optimal functioning of the nerve system which ensures optimal functioning of all other body systems. If the nerve system is over- or understimulated, physiology will break down in various ways and disease will result. Chiropractic care balances nerve system activity via gentle manipulation of spinal joints. Proper function of the spine results, with normalization of nerve activity. Chiropractic care enhances all other lifestyle activities. Healthy nutrition and regular exercise can have maximum benefit when your spine and nerve system are functioning properly.

¹McNaughton SA, et al: Dietary patterns, insulin resistance, and incidence of type 2 diabetes in the Whitehall II Study. Diabetes Care 31(7):1343-1348, 2008
²Brunner EJ, et al: Dietary patterns and 15-y risks of major coronary events, diabetes, and mortality. Am J Clin Nutr 87(5):1414-1421, 2008
³Roman B, et al: Effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet in the elderly. Clin Interv Aging 3(1):97-109, 2008

Making Sense of Blood Sugar Handling

2012-02-23T10:37:00.002-05:00

If you need a little extra help with blood sugar handling, there are steps you can take to naturally manage it.

What Part Do Stress and Cortisol Play?

When exposed to stress, the body initiates a chain of events (releasing stimulatory hormones) that prepare the body for either a “fight” or “flight” response. These events, which alter metabolism, require significant energy or fuel—the body needs glucose.

Anything that causes us to feel stress raises Cortisol (referred to as the “stress hormone”) levels. If we feel stressed on a regular basis, Cortisol levels remain elevated. This affects metabolic processes that serve to increase blood glucose levels. Hormones affected by elevated Cortisol levels include:

· Thyroid

· Progesterone

· Estrogen

· Testosterone

Because one of the primary roles of Cortisol is to encourage the body to refuel itself after responding to a stressor, an elevated Cortisol level keeps the appetite ramped up—so a stressed person will feel hungry ALL the time.

Emphasize a Healthy, Holistic Lifestyle

When it is evident a person needs help with blood glucose handling, it is important to address all facets of your lifestyle, including:

Stress Management

There are factors that contribute to how the body responds to a stressor:

1. Whether there is an outlet for the stress. Go for a run. Talk to a friend.

2. Whether the stress is predictable. The more accustomed a person is to the stressor, the less pronounced the response to the stress will be.

3. Whether there is control over the stressor. Learn to accept those things that cannot be changed

Stress: The Thief of Sleep

Many studies have shown that getting less than eight hours of sleep per night causes metabolic changes. Less sleep means insufficient time for Cortisol levels to drop. An increase in Cortisol decreases the ability to fall asleep as well as the amount of time the mind spends in the most restful stages of deep sleep.

To foster a good night’s sleep, a person should exercise early in the day, be consistent with lights-out and waking times, and avoid caffeine late in the evening. A person may want to add deep-breathing techniques, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation to their sleep regime.

Exercise

Regular participation in “moderate” exercise can reduce body fat, reduce appetite, build muscle and bone, improve mental and emotional function, and stimulate the immune system. Aerobic exercise is recommended because it makes the patient breathe more deeply and makes the heart work harder. Intense exercise can be detrimental by elevating Cortisol levels.

Nutrition

Learning what affects blood sugar handling in your body can make you feel more in control. You probably already know to avoid carbohydrate-laden snacks and sweets, but sometimes product labeling can be deceptive. A person may not know what ingredients to watch for, like high fructose corn syrup in sports and energy drinks. Other things to look for are excitotoxins—substances that are believed to kill or damage nerve cells through excessive stimulation. The biggest offenders are monosodium glutamate (MSG) and aspartame, which can both interfere with the normal functioning of the endocrine system.

To level out blood sugar levels, a person should eat more whole-grain foods containing fiber Whole grain bread and fresh fruits and vegetables) and avoid refined carbohydrates like white flour, white rice, white pasta, and white sugar. Whole grains take longer to digest due to their denseness and fiber content and won’t cause blood sugar to spike.

Supplements

In addition to relieving stress, eating right, and exercising, whole food supplements and herbal products can encourage healthy blood sugar levels when combined with a healthy diet.

Cataplex GTF from Standard Process

· Supports healthy carbohydrate digestion

· Supports healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels when already within normal ranges

· Encourages healthy blood sugar utilization at the cellular level

Diaplex from Standard Process

· Supports healthy sugar handling

· Supports healthy pancreas function

· Supports healthy bowel and gall bladder function

Gymnema 4g from Mediherb

· Maintains healthy blood sugar levels when combined with a balanced diet

· Maintains cholesterol levels in a normal range

Evaluation

After a person has embraced these lifestyle changes, it is important to re-evaluate a person’s blood sugar levels. Encourage yourself to continue following these tips/techniques so you maintain your health and wellness.

Blood Sugar Handling Workshop

For more information on Standard Process Whole Food Supplements and MediHerb herbal products that support healthy blood sugar handling, attend our upcoming blood sugar workshop being held in March. Please call the office for registration details at (845)561-2225.

What's In Your Water

2012-02-23T10:35:00.002-05:00

I originally asked that question after I observed what was being made available at a cycling event I participated in. The water that was being offered was purified water, which made me a little leery, as I knew what my body needs when it is going to compete, and purified water doesn't have what my body needs to maintain a high level of efficiency when exercising continuously for the better part of 3 hours straight. Being that it was the only water being offered, I had no choice, but was then inspired to write this newsletter for you, the reader. My intention is to help you appreciate the difference between all the different types of water that are out there, and then help you to make better choices for your health.

Having seen the various types of water that are available on the market, we have the following 14: Artesian, Mineral, Purified, Spring, Well, Alkaline, Filtered, Distilled, Reverse Osmosis, Ozonation, and UV Light treated or irradiated water. And let us not forget the flavored and vitamin waters either. So which one(s) are helpful, and which are not in your best interest to drink? I'll just go right in the order they are written.

Artesian water: comes from an artesian well, which draws water from a confined aquifer (an underground, porous rock or sand formation that bears water and is under pressure from a layer of rock or clay above it). The pressure from the confining layer forces the water from the aquifer upward. The level of the water supply the artesian well is drawing from must sit above the uppermost layer of the aquifer.

Mineral water: is spring water that has at least 250 parts per million (ppm) of total dissolved solids (TDS) in it. These "dissolved solids" are minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium, and they must be present in the water at the source, not added later. By contrast, regular spring water typically has about 50 ppm of TDS.

Naturally sparkling water: comes from a spring or artesian well and has natural carbonation in it. The carbonation may be removed during processing and then replaced, but the carbonation levels after the replacement must be the same as the level of carbonation at the source.

Purified water: comes from either a protected underground source or from a municipal drinking-water supply (public tap water). It has been "demineralized" -- treated by one or more of several processes to remove dissolved solids. If the water comes from a municipal water source that uses chlorine as a disinfectant, the manufacturer may further treat the water to remove the chlorine, or they may not want to incur the expense and leave it in.

Spring water: comes from a protected, underground water source from which the water flows to the surface on its own. It may be collected either at the source of the spring or through a sanitary, protected hole drilled directly into the source feeding the spring. If the water is collected through the hole drilled at the source, it has to have exactly the same composition as the water in the surface spring.

Well water: is drawn from a protected well that taps directly into an unconfined aquifer. Ideally, this is a great source to drink. Unfortunately, many of the local waters can become contaminated due to building on property that has been a land fill area at some point in the last 100 years prior to building a housing community. The residues from the land fill may make the water unsafe.

Of the basic types of bottled water, the only one required by definition to undergo further treatment once it's drawn from the source (or purchased from a municipal water supply) is purified water. The most common treatment processes for purified water include:

Alkaline water: There is a theory that when we eat too many refined and processed foods high in sugar, we alter the pH of our body. Your tap water is run through a machine that allows the water to be split into Alkaline water for drinking and Acid water for cleaning. The machine will pass the water through a series of titanium plates designed to split the water into those two types. Sometimes drinking this water will cause the person to lose their minerals and can lead to health imbalances.

Filtration: the water is sent through filters or membranes whose holes will only let through extremely small particles, typically those smaller than 1 micron. Contaminants larger than 1 micron, including many germs and inorganic solids, can't make it through the filter and the water that results is free of those larger contaminants. This will usually filter out the necessary minerals needed by the body.

Distillation: The water is vaporized. Since minerals don't vaporize, all that is left after the vapor recondenses is demineralized water. This water is really only oxygen and hydrogen, as all the minerals necessary for the body have been removed.

Reverse Osmosis: the water is forced through semipermeable membranes not porous enough to let minerals or other molecules through. Therefore, the water, like distilled water is mineral deficient.

Ozonation: ozone gas typically created by subjecting oxygen to electrical current, is an antimicrobial agent -- it kills microorganisms. The water is infused with ozone (O3) molecules as a disinfecting process, and the molecules naturally break down and leave the water fairly quickly. As an additional benefit, when the ozone molecules degrade to O2 and molecules, this leaves free oxygen ions to bond with the other contaminants like iron and sulfur. When the oxygen bonds to these molecules, it turns them into oxides, which are insoluble. These now-insoluble contaminants are now filtered out.

UV-light treatment: Ultraviolet light is a disinfecting agent -- it kills microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses, although some microorganisms are less affected by it than others. The process uses no chemicals. Instead, the water is subjected to intense UV light inside a chamber. The UV light damages microorganisms at the cellular level, either killing them or causing them to lose their ability to replicate. A virus that can't replicate is harmless. So what is left in the water are organisms that can't harm you.

Vitamin water: synthetic vitamins (non-natural) are added to filtered water in an attempt to create a nutrient based water. Unfortunately, the synthetic vitamins are incomplete and will not be absorbed. Essentially, they have no benefit to the consumer, but can lead to deficiencies as your body will need to give up any of the missing ingredients in a vitamin complex in an effort to process the less than whole, synthetic ones being offered within the water.

Flavored water: artificial flavors are added to the filtered water in an effort to give it some taste. This is simply adding some synthetic flavoring which will respond the same way as the vitamin water. Since you are starting with filtered water to begin with, you'll be missing the necessary minerals required by the body to be healthy. The added flavoring, especially if it is a sugar based flavoring, will inhibit you from absorbing any of the "vitamins" they put in the water. Don't be fooled by the advertisements, or the flavoring and drink this type of water.

So Which Water Is Best?

The best water you could drink will always be local bottled spring water. You can enhance this by also drinking local bottled mineral water about 1 liter a week (perhaps more if you really exercise a lot and sweat a lot). And if you have access, Artesian water is good, if you can find a local source. Again, about 1 liter a week. The reason why these are best is because, believe it or not, you help build strong immunity by drinking local spring water. This occurs because within the local spring water will naturally be all the microbes (viruses and bacteria) that help to stimulate immune cell growth within the body. And you want to be able to develop these immune cells to fight off any viruses or bacteria local to your area. This was what the researchers found when they traveled around the world examining the water of local communities. The Asians never developed any polio, for instance, because the local spring water contained the polio virus within it. By drinking the hard water out of the ground, the people were able to develop a natural immunity to any of these viruses, without ever needing to be vaccinated.

Another important component to enhance strong immunity within a person is the calcium content of the water. Calcium necessary for building strong immunity comes naturally in mineral and spring water in the form of calcium bi-carbonate. This form of calcium is what creates the hard water that causes the pipes in your house to deteriorate, or the white residue within your tea-kettle, when the calcium precipitates out. This is why a water softener was created. Unfortunately, the water softener removes the calcium bi-carbonate and this interferes with building strong immunity and healthy bones. Appreciate that the higher the calcium bi-carbonate levels within the water, the better it is for being healthy. Of course you want all the other naturally occurring minerals to be there as well. Since the body needs all of them to naturally maintain normal function, this is why it is important to have all of them, and to consume them regularly.

How Do I Know What Is In My Water?

By calling the spring water bottler and getting a breakdown of the mineral content within the water would be a good exercise for anyone to do. Using the 800 number on the bottle will allow for you to do this, as the bottler has to keep this information on hand. But this will only be true for Artesian, Mineral and Spring waters. All others have been treated and purified and have had those trace mineral components removed. So then it becomes pointless to drink any of the other waters available on the market. Something to consider for your health and the health of your family.

I hope you have found this information helpful, and will consider it strongly when deciding which water is best for you to drink. And remember, it is best to drink one quart for every 50 lbs. you weigh, every day. This is the quantity a person will need to keep their metabolism functioning at a balanced rate.

My Offer To You

If you would like me to evaluate the water you currently drink to see how your body feels about it, please bring some of it with you and let's see what your body says. Simply call The Office and ask me to schedule you in for the What's In My Water Check. It only takes a couple of seconds, and by allowing us to do this, you can know for sure if your water is best for you, and more importantly, how much your body is asking for. Since this is the one thing you can do to improve or destroy your health, why not take the time and have me do this evaluation with you. Please call The Office at (845)561-BACK or 561-2225. It would be my pleasure to help you.

Aspartame has been Renamed as a Natural Sweetener

2012-02-16T16:14:00.000-05:00

Artificial sweeteners especially aspartame has gotten a bad rap over the years, most likely due to studies showing they cause cancer. But not to worry. About a year ago, Ajinomoto, the company that makes Aspartme, has changed the name to AminoSweet. It has the same toxic ingredients but a nice new sounding name.

And if you or your child happens to be allergic to Aspartame, well don’t take it personally, it’s just business.

Despite the evidence gained over the years showing that aspartame is a dangerous toxin, it has remained on the global market. In continues to gain approval for use in new types of food despite evidence showing that it causes neurological brain damage, cancerous tumors, and endocrine disruption, among other things.

Most consumers are oblivious to the fact that Aspartame was invented as a drug but upon discovery of its’ sweet taste was magically transformed from a drug to a food additive. HFA (Health Freedom Alliance) wants to warn our readers to beware of a wolf dressed up in sheep’s clothing or in this case Aspartame dressed up as Aminosweet.

Over 25 years ago, aspartame was first introduced into the European food supply. Today, it is an everyday component of most diet beverages, sugar-free desserts, and chewing gums in countries worldwide. But the tides have been turning as the general public is waking up to the truth about artificial sweeteners like aspartame and the harm they cause to health. The latest aspartame marketing scheme is a desperate effort to indoctrinate the public into accepting the chemical sweetener as natural and safe, despite evidence to the contrary.

Aspartame was an accidental discovery by James Schlatter, a chemist who had been trying to produce an anti-ulcer pharmaceutical drug for G.D. Searle & Company back in 1965. Upon mixing aspartic acid and phenylalanine, two naturally-occurring amino acids, he discovered that the new compound had a sweet taste. The company merely changed its FDA approval application from drug to food additive and, voila, aspartame was born.

G.D. Searle & Company first patented aspartame in 1970. An internal memo released in the same year urged company executives to work on getting the FDA into the “habit of saying yes” and of encouraging a “subconscious spirit of participation” in getting the chemical approved.

G.D. Searle & Company submitted its first petition to the FDA in 1973 and fought for years to gain FDA approval, submitting its own safety studies that many believed were inadequate and deceptive. Despite numerous objections, including one from its own scientists, the company was able to convince the FDA to approve aspartame for commercial use in a few products in 1974, igniting a blaze of controversy.

In 1976, then FDA Commissioner Alexander Schmidt wrote a letter to Sen. Ted Kennedy expressing concern over the “questionable integrity of the basic safety data submitted for aspartame safety”. FDA Chief Counsel Richard Merrill believed that a grand jury should investigate G.D. Searle & Company for lying about the safety of aspartame in its reports and for concealing evidence proving the chemical is unsafe for consumption.

The details of aspartame’s history are lengthy, but the point remains that the carcinogen was illegitimately approved as a food additive through heavy-handed prodding by a powerful corporation with its own interests in mind. Practically all drugs and food additives are approved by the FDA not because science shows they are safe but because companies essentially lobby the FDA with monetary payoffs and complete the agency’s multi-million dollar approval process.

Changing aspartame’s name to something that is “appealing and memorable”, in Ajinomoto’s own words, may hoodwink some but hopefully most will reject this clever marketing tactic as nothing more than a desperate attempt to preserve the company’s multi-billion dollar cash cow. Do not be deceived.

Sources:
Ajinomoto brands aspartame ‘AminoSweet’
Aspartame History Highlights
FDA’s approval of aspartame under scrutiny
An Overdue Ban On A Dangerous Sweetener
http://www.naturalnews.com/028151_aspartame_sweeteners.html

I encourage you to begin doing some label reading and some investigation of your own into what you put into your body and the potential for health concerns. It will certainly benefit your health as well as the health of your children.

Thank you for your consideration.

Doc Rick

The Natural World

2012-02-14T05:47:00.001-05:00

Chiropractic care may be a common part of your health care practices, but the tens of millions of species on our planet thrive and prosper without relying on outside agencies. Isn't it interesting that modern humanity is the only species for which the abundance provided by the global ecosystem is insufficient?

Getting Healthy and Staying Healthy with Chiropractic Care

Nutritious food and regular exercise will only go so far if your nervous system is not working properly. Spinal nerve irritation can block the free flow of information between your brain and the rest of your body, interfering with healthy functioning and leading to a wide range of diseases.

Irritated nerves cause too many nerve signals or too few nerve signals to flow between the brain and the body. Information transfer is either speeded up or slowed down - either situation leads to a breakdown in communication and results in various disorders and diseases.

Your chiropractor is a specialist in detecting and correcting spinal nerve irritation or nerve interference. Chiropractic adjustments help restore normal nerve transmission, helping restore optimal health and well-being.

The natural world functions very well on its own. Left to their own devices, members of the tens of millions of species on our planet thrive and prosper without relying on outside agencies.

In order to grow abundantly, plants consume carbon dioxide, water, and nutrients from the soil. Likewise, herbivorous animals consume plants whereas carnivorous animals consume other animals. Insects eat a wide variety of foods, including plants, fruit, other insects, detritus (dead leaves, stems, and twigs), and even blood. Many types of bacteria and fungi recycle decomposing matter. Whales, the top predator in the oceans, may consume more than a ton of plankton per day in addition to fish, squid, and other crustaceans.

Every member of every species excepting humans (Homo sapiens sapiens) obtains everything it needs from the environment. Modern humanity is the only species for which the abundance provided by the global ecosystem is insufficient.

For instance, mountain lions, raccoons, and coyotes don't need sleeping pills. But humans spend more than $1.5 billion per year on the sleep aid Ambien. Dolphins, antelope, and bluebirds don't have problems with blood glucose levels. In stark contrast, the annual cost of diabetes medications in the United States was $12.5 billion in 2007. In the wild, oak trees, tuna, and elephants don't need nutritional supplementation. Humans, however, spend more than $23 billion annually in the United States alone. What is wrong with this picture?

As a species, humans have the unprecedented ability to manipulate and drastically alter the world in which we live. Also aside from epidemic infectious disease, there exists no natural check on human population growth. As populations expand, resources become scarce. Populations flocking to urban enclaves not only leave behind the countryside but also local sources of fresh fruits, vegetables, meat and poultry. Canning, packaging, and transportation of food over long distances become necessary to supply the energy needs of cities. But only calories and not much else are obtained by these methods. Energy is provided but food quality is substantially reduced.

Chronic disease becomes widespread. Diabetes, cardiovascular disorders including high blood pressure, heart attacks, and stroke, and obesity are all the direct result of a severely compromised food supply.^1,2,3

Our disconnect from the natural world poses many additional challenges. Our bodies were designed to meet the demanding physical requirements of a hostile environment. But for the most part we don't do physical work anymore. If we don't find satisfactory substitutes for strenuous physical activity our musculoskeletal, metabolic, and endocrine systems easily deteriorate. The consequences include osteoporosis, chronic aches and pains, gastrointestinal problems, and anxiety and depression.

It takes a lot of effort to maintain good health when we're so far removed from the natural world. We need to make sure our diets are healthy and we need to get sufficient and regular strenuous exercise. The short- and long-term benefits include happiness, self-esteem, and ongoing well-being.

¹Kesse-Guyot E, et al: Adherence to nutritional recommendations and subsequent cognitive performance: findings from the prospective Supplementation with Antioxidant Vitamins and Minerals 2. Am J Clin Nutr Nov 24 2010 (Epub ahead of print)

²Wolfe AR, et al: Dietary protein and protein-rich food in relation to severely depressed mood: A 10 year follow-up of a national cohort. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry Nov 22 2010 (Epub ahead of print)

³Pekmezi DW, Demark-Wahnefried W: Updated evidence in support of diet and exercise interventions in cancer survivors. Acta Oncol Nov 24 2010 (Epub ahead of print)

Weight Loss Secrets - Drink Plenty of Water

2012-02-14T05:45:00.004-05:00

Overweight and obesity are common health problems worldwide. Food plans that work – those that help people lose weight and help them keep the weight off – embody only a few simple principles. Drinking plenty of water is a critical part of any healthy food plan. Actually, drinking enough water is the most important nutritional advice anyone can give to anybody

Chiropractic Care and Healthy Nutrition

Now that you're drinking enough water, what's your body going to do with it? If all your body's systems are communicating communicating properly with each other, water will be used where it's required. You'll use the water to help build new cells and tissues and break down those that are no longer needed. But if the nerve signals from your brain and spinal cord are not getting through at the right place and/or the right time, drinking sufficient water won't be of much use in helping you to get healthy.

Regular chiropractic care helps you get the most of all the positive nutritional steps you're taking, including drinking enough water. Regular chiropractic care corrects spinal misalignments and helps make sure your nerve system is working at peak efficiency. By doing these things, chiropractic care helps the rest of your body work better by enabling nerve signals to flow freely. The result is ongoing improvement in overall health and well-being.

Overweight and obesity are common health problems worldwide. Food plans that work – those that help people lose weight and help them keep the weight off – embody only a few simple principles. These weight loss secrets include eating five or six small meals each day, combining protein and carbohydrates at each small meal (food combining), eating at least five portions of fresh fruits and vegetables every day, and drinking plenty of water.^1,2

Water is essential to human life. In fact, our bodies are composed of about 70% water. All our biochemical reactions take place in a watery environment. Therefore, drinking plenty of water is a critical part of any healthy food plan. Actually, drinking enough water is the most important nutritional advice anyone can give to anybody.

So drinking enough water every day would seem to be a no-brainer. But hardly anyone does it. And the simple fact is that if you’re not drinking enough water your internal environment is toxic. That’s right – toxic.

Water helps flush away waste products of metabolic activities. Not enough water means that waste products accumulate, irritating nerve endings and interfering with normal physiology. Bottom line – your skin breaks out, people start to offer you Tic-Tacs, you become irregular, you develop allergies and asthma, you don’t sleep well or need extra sleep to feel rested, you are irritable and nervous, and you start having headaches. Any or all of these.

These are real problems, and the list could go on.3 The common solution – drink sufficient water. Once people begin drinking enough, they report that lots of physical problems automatically improve. They sleep better, headaches go away or are less troublesome, their skin clears up, allergies improve, and their digestive systems function more normally. All this from just taking the time to drink more water. Pretty amazing.

In terms of weight loss, drinking enough water helps support your exercise program and helps support healthy nutrition. If you don't drink enough water, you won't be able to build the new fat-burning muscle cells you're hoping to build with exercise. If you don't drink enough water, you won't be able to properly metabolize carbohydrates. Instead of being used for energy, these carbs will be stored as fat. Drinking enough water helps ensure you get the weight-loss results you want to get.

How much water is enough? Recommendations range from six to eight to ten glasses per day. However, there is such a thing as water toxicity. You don’t want to overload an unprepared system. If you’re used to drinking no water, which is true for many people, start by drinking two or three glasses in a day. Get used to that for a week, and then drink four glasses a day for a week, and build up to six or so glasses a day.

A very good rule of thumb is this – if you’re thirsty, it’s already too late. Hikers know this. If you’re hiking and you become thirsty, you’re on your way to feeling light-headed and getting a headache. All of a sudden you lose your footing or take a wrong turn and get lost.

Hikers know they need to drink water throughout the hike to stay alert and keep their mind sharp. So hikers continually take small sips of water, all along the way.

We want to do the same – drink water throughout the day.

¹Daniels MC, Popkin BM: Impact of water intake on energy intake and weight status: a systematic review. Nutr Rev 68(9):505-521, 2010

²Dennis EA, et al: Water consumption increases weight loss during a hypocaloric diet intervention in middle-aged and older adults. Obesity (Silver Spring) 18(2):300-307, 2010

³Roussel R, et al: Low water intake and risk for new-onset hyperglycemia. Diabetes Care 34(12):2551-2554, 2011

Strike a Chord

2012-02-10T05:53:00.002-05:00

Tuning Your Instrument

When your piano is out of tune you call in the piano tuner. Likewise with your violin, cello, or bass fiddle. If you want to do more than just sing in the shower, you start taking singing lessons to learn how to sing on key.

Using your body is exactly the same. You're a fan of "Dancing with the Stars" and think "hey, I want to do that!" So you begin ballroom dance lessons and study the mambo, tango, swing, and fox trot. Your body gains sophisticated knowledge. It learns how to create musical movement.

Your body itself needs to be functioning harmoniously for you to be able to create graceful, harmonious movement, whether in ballet, salsa, football, or basketball. Chiropractic care helps ensure harmonious functioning by balancing the interactions of nerves, bones, muscles, and joints. The access to this physiologic balance is the spinal column, the primary focus of chiropractic care.

Physicians and scientists have often called the human body a beautiful instrument. The sense in which this metaphor is applied is primarily mechanistic. The human body is a beautiful instrument in that its parts mesh properly and each component performs its function superbly.

The metaphor "beautiful instrument" can be also be interpreted from the perspective of music. Just as playing the piano, the cello, or the saxophone can create wonderful tones, harmonies, and melodies, the workings of the human body may also create beautiful music.

The movements of the planets, stars, and constellations have been termed the "music of the spheres". Patterns of motion of the celestial bodies are precise, regular, and harmonious. These reliable patterns allow sailors to navigate safely and confidently on the open ocean, and allow farmers to determine their planting seasons with high levels of accuracy.

The human body, as awe-inspiring and as beautiful as the Eagle Nebula, the Andromeda Galaxy, or the rings of Saturn, possesses internal mechanisms as precise and complex as those astronomers are able to observe in the deepest regions of space. The music the body creates is similarly as beautiful.

In music, a major chord is a simultaneous combination of three notes - the root, a major third, and a perfect fifth. If you want to play a C major chord you strike (or hold) a C, an E, and a G. If you're playing an F major chord, you play an F, an A, and a C. In a sense, this system describes a musical code. Your body has many such codes.

The genetic code is one example. Every protein in your body is composed of a precise sequence of amino acids. Substitute glycine for valine or glutamine for serine and you've got a completely different protein. Precision in manufacture means your body works the way it is supposed to work, with no errors or failures.

Proteins such as hemoglobin or insulin are built exactly the same way every time. This level of 100% accuracy is made possible by the genetic code. Each amino acid that makes up hemoglobin or insulin has its own corresponding genetic sequence which is composed of three pieces of information - just like a major chord.

1 We can say that wellness is a state of physiologic harmony. 2,3 We become unwell when we're "out of tune". At such a time our internal chords aren't being played properly - "notes" aren't being put together properly or are being played out of sequence.
Chiropractic care can help restore musical balance.

By making sure the spine is in alignment, chiropractic care helps restore precision and harmony to all the functions of the body. Proteins are built properly, enzymes function at the right time and in the right proportion, biochemical reactions take place efficiently, and health and wellness is the result.

1Martinez-Mekler G, et al: Universality of rank-ordering distributions in the arts and sciences. Public Library of Science (PLOS) Mar 19, 2009 (http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0004791)
2Heber D: An integrative view of obesity. Am J Clin Nutr Nov 18, 2009 (abstract online - http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/ajcn.2009.28473Bv1)
3Endler PC, et al: Sense of coherence and physical health. A "Copenhagen interpretation" of Antonovsky's SOC concept. Sci World J 20(8):451-453, 2008

Your Baby's Health

2012-02-09T08:46:00.002-05:00

A while back when I took the train into my New York City Office, I was noticing an article in the Daily News that caught my attention. The article entitled "Nursing a Cultural Gap" appeared in the Body & Soul Section. Although it was angled toward the differences in health between educated and non-educated minorities, I felt the information was equally applicable to all women, not just minorities. That being said, I was inspired to write this article. I still feel the information is applicable to today's New Mom or Mom-to-be.

Most women don't seem to want to breast-feed. They feel it is embarrassing, and if a new mom has formula available, she is not going to breast-feed. She may know the benefits of breast-feeding, but because she has other "options," she doesn't.

"If they do breast-feed they usually stop after a month either because they have to go back to work or are going to school. And many employers won't accomodate pumping on the job."

Drink For Their Health

Breast milk is widely regarded as the most complete form of nutrition for infants. In addition to providing the best nourishment, breast milk protects infants from many childhood illnesses, such as ear infections, diarrhea, allergies, respiratory and viral infections and obesity.

More importantly, researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences found that breast-fed American children are 20 % less likely to die during the first year of life than those who are not nursed. Also, the longer babies are breast-fed, the lower the risk of an early death.

The American Pediatrics Association recommends that babies be breast-fed exclusively through at least the first six months, continuing with the appropriate solids for a full year, and as long thereafter as mutually desired.

"A lot of women plan to return to work rather quickly, and they are concerned that the baby will not take the bottle when they return to work, so they don't breast-feed at all or ween them too soon." Simple ignorance is a factor too. "Many women express concerns that their bodies won't produce enough milk-- they don't trust their bodies. Then there is the belief that breast-feeding hurts. People also really don't know how to do it properly."

The medical establishment must take responsibility. "Doctors and the medical staff don't encourage breast-feeding enough because there is so much formula around. One must also be aware of the infant formula companies and their campaigns that make formula seem equal to breast milk." This couldn't be further from the truth. Natural Breast-milk contains a specific ingrediant known as Colostrum which could never be accurately duplicated by the formula companies. It is a by-product of natural cellular metabolism within the breast tissue. This vital ingredient, made only within the breasts, is necessary for the normal development of the child's Immune System. If a baby is bottle fed, they will be lacking this and end up being over-weight with a deficient Immune System. Other misconceptions that abound are that breast-feeding will make breasts sag and that it is simply not the normal thing to do. If you value your childs health, both short-term and long-term, you will absolutely breast-feed.

What To Consider

If you are a mother to be, or are interested in becoming pregnant, you'll want to consider the following. If you have sugar cravings, or have been on antibiotics at any time in your life, you'll want to get checked for a Systemic Digestive Yeast/Candidia Imbalance. To learn more about this condition and how common it is, go to www.spineboy.com and read the back issue on Sugar and Your Immune System. It will explain what happens to the body after antibiotics and if you eat too much sugar. Unfortunately, this condition is all too common today. Equally unfortunate is that if you have this imbalance and you become pregnant, you will pass on the imbalance to your unborn baby. This will result in a child who craves sugar, produces large amounts of mucous in the respiratory system leading to ear infections, respiratory infections, asthma, colic, allergies and other repeated infections. This of course will result in giving your child antibiotics, possibly having ear-tubes put in, and then graduating to allergy shots, inhalers and obesity.

My Offer To You

If you are a mother-to-be or wanna-be, I will be happy to evaluate your current level of health to determine if you presently have a Systemic Yeast/Candidia Imbalance. If you do, I will help you to understand what is involved with returning your body to proper digestive balance, and how to make sure your child avoids all the "typical" childhood illnesses.

For ALL Current Practice Members, I will do this on your next scheduled visit as part of your normal office visit. This is a $75.00 value and will save you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in healthcare costs for your child. This offer is good through the 2nd week of March. After this date, the offer will be gone. So call The Office at 561-2225 and let me know you are interested in Getting Ready For Having My Baby. I'll schedule you for the appropriate amount of time during your next visit. And if you know of someone who would benefit from this information, please forward them this newsletter.

For ALL Potential New Practice Members, if you want to start your family off the right way, I will extend to you the same offer. Call The Office for our FREE Health Care Class which is held at 6:30 pm on Tuesday at the Newburgh Office and I will be happy to include that evaluation as part of the FREE Class. Simply call The Office at 561-2225 and tell me you want to come to our next class and I will put you on the list. As class size is limited, reservations are required.

Locally Grown, Organically Grown - You Are What You Eat

2012-02-06T10:10:00.000-05:00

There is much wisdom in the saying "you are what you eat", but food today is not the food of yesterday. We need to actually work at getting the amount of nutrients that's going to help keep us healthy and well.

Our genetic heritage was not designed for an urban environment. Our digestive systems, for example, were not optimized for high-starch diets, fast food, and canned fruits and vegetables. The energy requirements of our cells were designed to be based on glucose metabolism. But glucose was originally obtained from readily available fresh produce and whole grains, in the form of complex carbohydrates. When our tissues were originally designed there were no such things as processed flour or sweeteners.

At the dawn of man, protein sources were derived from the local fauna - the local birds and beasts. These animals were not fed antibiotics and were not raised on pesticide-treated grasses. They were not caged and forced to grow up in close proximity to dozens and hundreds of fellow creatures. They roamed freely and randomly, ranging over wide stretches of open territory. As a result, their value as food sources was very high.

Today, unless we make a special effort, our food sources are significantly compromised. Until recently, those living in cities were only able to purchase produce that had traveled long distances over many days to reach their stores. The nutritional value of these fruits and vegetables was necessarily substantially degraded. The nutritional content of protein sources - meat, fowl, fish, dairy, and eggs - were likewise degraded by chemical additives, antibiotics, and draconian living conditions.

New food-producing methods, available for the last 30 years but much more so recently, have enabled consumers to put high-quality food on their tables.1,2,3 The slogan "eat locally" has become a possibility for even the most entrenched urban areas such as New York City. Farmers markets spring up weekly and monthly in most cities, suburbs, and the surrounding countryside. Organically grown food - produce, fish, meat, fowl, and dairy - is widely available, even in supermarket chains.

We now have more healthy food options than were available at any time within the last 50 years. It is possible to reverse the diabetes and obesity epidemics that have spread across countries like the United States. It is possible to restore health and well-being to millions people across the globe. Chiropractic care can be of great assistance in this process. Your chiropractor is a nutritional expert and will be able to help you design food plans that will work for you and your family.

1Wang SY: Fruit quality, antioxidant capacity, and flavonoid content of organically and conventionally grown blueberries. J Agric Food Chem 56(14):5788-5794, 2008
2Nitika S, et al: Physico-chemical characteristics, nutrient composition and consumer acceptability of wheat varieties grown under organic and inorganic farming conditions. Int J Food Sci Nutr 59(3:):224-245, 2008
3Dani C, et al: Phenolic content and antioxidant activities of white and purple juices manufactured with organically- or conventionally-produced grapes. Food Chem Toxicol 45(12):2574-2580, 2007

Why Eat Organically Grown Food?

Just as we are what we eat, fruits and vegetables are what they eat, too. Food labeled "organic" is grown without artificial pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizer. Organic farmers use compost (which is "all natural") and "green" fertilizer to provide nourishment to their crops. Cattle and other livestock raised organically receive neither antibiotics nor growth hormones, and eat feed that is itself raised and harvested on organic farms.

In part because they are locally grown, organic fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of antioxidants than produce grown via other methods. Antioxidants are powerful, health-promoting biochemicals that help prevent a wide variety of diseases, including inflammatory diseases and cancer. Organically grown food not only tastes better but is actually good for you, which of course is what we want our food to be.

Your Bladder: More Than Just A Container

2012-02-06T10:09:00.002-05:00

In last month’s issue, I began the New Year with our column oriented toward educating you on the major organs and the importance of each. I discussed the Kidney and went over several different aspects of the Kidney's functions, the importance of maintaining healthy Kidneys, the emotions associated with the Kidneys, and finally what you can do to restore balance to the Kidneys. In this month’s issue, I will be focusing on the Kidney's partner within the Water Element, its Yang counterpart, the Bladder.

When one thinks of their Bladder, you need to appreciate that although it does store our liquid wastes before being excreted, your Bladder certainly is more than just a container.

Bladder health is important, as it is responsible for helping to balance the energy of the Kidney. As it happens, if one develops a weakness in their Bladder, it will naturally create more stress on the Kidneys. This, as you may remember, will cause a lessoning of your Vital Qi. Similarly, if the Bladder gets an infection, you risk the chance of the infection spreading to the Kidneys. This would be devastating to your overall health. A great way to avoid this problem is to drink the proper amounts of water on a daily basis. For those of you who forgot, you'll need one quart (about 1 liter) of water for every 50 lbs. of body-weight, everyday.

What If I Get Frequent Bladder Infections?

This can happen for many different reasons, and tends to affect women much more than it does men. Many times this is directly related to the length of the urethra. Because this is much shorter in women, and if proper hygiene is not practiced, it is easy for a bladder infection to occur. What it also means is the amount of water being consumed is deficient, and the pH of the persons urine is too alkaline. A great remedy for Bladder infections, or painful urination is to drink 100 % cranberry juice. The juice will help to acidify the urine, thereby causing the infection to get burned up. Unfortunately, if you are a person who has had several different dosages of antibiotics over the years, the cranberry juice may not work, as the concentrated sugar will contribute to more weakening of the Immune System. A different approach is recommended for this situation with the utilization of a MediHerb product called Cranberry Complex. It helps to encourage healthy urinary tract function, supports healthy Bladder tissue and function, and it helps to promote healthy mucosal surfaces within the urinary tract. It should be combined with Echinacea Premium tablets or liquid or Andrographis Complex tablets for extra Immune support. Whole Food Supplemental approaches to Bladder Infections would include Standard Process Albaplex, Arginex, and Cataplex ACP. The office can certainly supply you with these products.

Can You Help Your Bladder Weakness?

Many women experience Bladder weakness or Incontinence after having a hysterectomy because of a ligament that supports the Uterus also helps to support the Bladder. When the Uterus is removed, the ligament is cut, and the support for the Bladder is weakened. This results in incomplete Bladder voiding, or the embarrassing Incontinence. There is a simple strengthening exercise and adjustment that will help to balance the Bladder, along with the nutrition Albaplex and AC Carbamide from Standard Process.

Can You Help If I Suffer With Interstitial Cystitis?

Inflammation of the middle layer of the Bladder muscle can be helped tremendously with Albaplex, Cruciferous Complete, Cataplex A, Chlorophyll Perles, Arginex and Cal Amo, again all from Standard Process. Together these products will help to decrease the inflammation and help to heal the muscle layer.

What Are Some Other Common Imbalances That Would Indicate A Bladder Weakness?

Anyspinal weakness, All fixations of the spine (areas that don't seem to have flexibility), chronic ankle/foot imbalances, Sacral Imbalances and Low Back pain, Bilateral Pelvis imbalances, Intervertebral Disc Syndromes, or neck weaknesses. If any of these areas in your body are prone to injury, or if you have a chronic problem within one or more of these areas, there is a great chance that a Bladder weakness may be contributing to the condition. The muscles associated with these weaknesses include the muscles that support the ankles, the Sacrospinalis that extends from the base of the spine to the back of the head, and the Iliacus muscles, your primary hip flexor muscles.

The chief emotion associated with the Bladder is the emotion of Paralyzed Will, or not being able to do something you really want to do. Lesser emotions include feeling Miffed, Timid, Inefficient, Wishy-washy, or comme ci-comme ca, meaning "whatever" can also be associated with bladder issues. When one experiences these emotions on a regular basis, either on the job or in a relationship, or simply within yourself, these often lead to Bladder weakness and the correlated muscular weakness.

What Should I Do If I Suspect A Bladder Weakness?

I would encourage you to contact the office and schedule an appointment. Since this is the time of year when the energy of the Bladder is most active, it is the best time of year to support the Bladder. Even if you don't currently suffer with symptoms. If you suspect an imbalance, I can help you by checking the Bladder Reflex and determining if there is a weakness. Then we can determine if the weakness is sponsored by an emotional imbalance, a structural imbalance, an imbalance in your body chemistry leading to urine that is too alkaline creating infection, or if the weakness is due to the accumulation of toxins that sit in the bladder waiting to be voided. All of this takes about a minute to determine, and together we can determine which solution is right for you.

My Offer To You

If you are a Current Patient and suspect a Bladder problem, call the office today at (845) 561-2225, and we will schedule you for "My Bladder Health Check." If you call during the Month of February, Bladder Health Month, I will do this check for you, administer any appropriate treatment, and make the necessary recommendation for proper supplementation for FREE. This is a $75.00 value (does not include the cost of the supplements, etc.) and is valid through the month of February Only. As of March 1st, the offer will be gone. So call The Officer today and schedule your Bladder Health Check. You certainly have nothing to lose. Call NOW!

If you are a Potential New Patient, and are concerned about your Bladder, call the office today, and I will extend a Bladder Health Check and consultation to you, normally a $100.00 value, at no charge. That's right, it's FREE. But you too must hurry, as I make this offer only for the month of February. As of March 1st, the offer will be gone. So Call Now!

As always, we offer a FREE Health Care Class at 6:30 pm every Tuesday at 320 Robinson Avenue, by appointment only. Since the class size is limited, we require reservations to secure your spot in the class. So if you have any simple or even complex health questions that you haven't found an answer to, call The Office at (845) 561-2225 and sign-up for the class. Likewise, you certainly have nothing to lose.

Lifestyle Matters

2012-01-21T07:27:00.000-05:00

Chiropractic Care and Lifestyle Enhancement

Chiropractors are wellness experts. Chiropractors teach their patients how to begin safe, effective exercise programs. Chiropractors teach their patients how to create healthy food plans that will enhance their well-being and the well-being of their families. Healthy lifestyles are a key element in the overall chiropractic approach to long-term wellness.
Chiropractors are highly trained in nutritional science and rehabilitative exercise. In addition to your chiropractic hands-on treatment, regular exercise and healthy nutrition will help you return to high levels of wellness and well-being.
The fitness boom was launched in America in the early 1980s by a small group of celebrities, including Jane Fonda, who recognized the importance of exercise for long-term health and well-being.

Although their methods were flawed, their vision was important. Over the past 30 years the notion of fitness as a valuable end in itself has persisted in the public consciousness. But for the most part, people do not take action on their own behalf in this critical area.

In a typical scenario, a person will finally decide to begin a plan to shed the 30 or more pounds of excess weight he or she has been carrying around for too many years to count. In a whirlwind of activity, the person joins a gym, buys a pair of snazzy cross-trainers, stylish new workout shorts, and tank tops, and even purchases 10 grueling sessions with a personal trainer. After this initial burst of enthusiasm, the typical fitness-seeking person will lose interest in 30 days. Health clubs across the globe rake in their profits from new member initiation fees, knowing full well that most new gym members discontinue their efforts within four to six weeks.

But fitness matters. And from an even broader perspective, lifestyle matters. In 2007, heart disease, cancer, cerebrovascular disease (including stroke and hypertension), and pulmonary disease accounted for more than 60% of the 2.4 million deaths in the United States.1 It is now well-recognized that each of these diseases and conditions is specifically a lifestyle disease. With respect to cancer, less than 10% of cases are due to an inherited condition. The rest are a result of lifestyle choices such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption. overweight and obesity, and lack of exercise.2

With respect to your long-term health, one key action step is to engage in regular vigorous exercise. If you haven't exercised in many years, daily walks are a good way to begin your life-long exercise program. Start with a modest 10-minute walk and build up over six to eight weeks to a daily 30-minute walk. Once you're walking 30 minutes a day, gradually increase your daily pace. When you've achieved a quick 30-minute daily pace and can maintain your schedule comfortably, you may begin to alternate strength-training workouts with your walks.

Fitness is not only a critical lifestyle enhancer, it is also a state of mind. People who are fit want to stay fit. A person who becomes fit usually discovers that he has begun to choose healthy food rather than junk. Frosted doughnuts, candy bars, and twisted ropes of raspberry-flavored sugar lose their allure and appeal. Organic trail mix, organic apples, and protein smoothies become preferred snacks. Persons who take on a fitness lifestyle find themselves losing weight, naturally and easily. No stress-inducing diets. No drastic weight loss. The pounds just fall away because the person is exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet.3

Now-fit people never want to put that weight back on again. The healthy lifestyle becomes the preferred lifestyle.

1Xu J, et al: Deaths. Final data for 2007. Natl Vital Stat Rep 58(19), May 20, 2010
2Kirkegaard H, et al: Association of adherence to lifestyle recommendations and risk of colorectal cancer: a prospective Danish cohort study. Brit Med J October 26, 2010 (Epub ahead of print)
3Brietzke SA: A personalized approach to metabolic aspects of obesity. Mt Sinai J Med 77(5):499-510, 2010

Your Health Account

2012-01-21T07:23:00.000-05:00

Doc Rick says, "We can use fiscal accounting as a metaphor for our physical health and well-being. Click on the link to determine how fiscally sound your health account is."

Health Deposits and Health Withdrawals
In terms of your health and well-being it's very important to maintain current accounts. Deposits always need to exceed withdrawals. But sometimes we don't know we're making a withdrawal, or we forget we've not made sure to make enough deposits to cover a big withdrawal. That's the time we get sick.

For example, stress causes a big withdrawal from your health account. Your body expends high levels of energy to cope with stress - regardless of whether the stress is physical or psychological. And ongoing stress causes ongoing withdrawals.

In times of stress we need to pay particular attention to our health accounts. Healthy nutrition, regular exercise, and sufficient rest become even more important. The gotcha is when we're stressed we're often expending so much energy we don't think we have any energy left to do the things that are going to keep us healthy. We think we don't have enough time to exercise or go to the store to buy healthy food.

It's well worth making the time, even though we don't want to. Taking the time now to replenish our health accounts will pay off big time down the road.
Everyone wants to grow their bank account. We know our financial health is usually estimated by the level of our resources. The more money in the bank, figuratively speaking, the more secure we feel. If our resources include stocks, bonds, and property, we are even more secure.
We can use such fiscal accounting as a metaphor for our physical health and well-being. The more resources we can accumulate in our "health account" the healthier we'll be. And if we're able to diversify the "holdings" in our health accounts, as we'd like to be doing with our financial accounts, we'll enjoy more and better long-term health from many points of view.
Whether we're paying attention or not, our physical resources fluctuate as regularly as do our financial resources. And as in financial accounting, health accounting involves income and expenses. If income exceeds expenses, you enjoy higher levels of relative health. The converse is also true - when expenses exceed income, health deteriorates.
What kinds of things can go into our health accounts? We can easily list the most crucial of these - food,1 exercise 2 and rest.3 But we're not interested in quantity. We're much more interested in quality. We're interested in maximizing value. For example, focusing on quantity with respect to food causes a person to become overweight. Focusing on quality - high-quality protein and high-quality complex carbohydrates, with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables - causes a person to become leaner and fitter. We don't want to fill our health accounts with coins made of lead and copper. We want to fill them with coins made of gold.
As far as rest is concerned, it's important to get, on average, the rest we need. Most people require 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. There are exceptions, of course. For the average person, getting 6 or less hours of sleep on a long-term basis will deplete their health account. But getting too much sleep also has a negative impact. Again, quality is more important than quantity.
There are many additional sources of "income" that enrich our health accounts. Loving relationships with our family, fulfilling relationships with our friends, stimulating and challenging activities and interests, learning new skills, and exploring new environments all grow our health accounts and enhance our long-term health and well-being.
Chiropractic care is another source of "income" for our health accounts. Regular chiropractic care helps a person maximize the value - on a physiological basis - of the food, exercise, and rest she is getting. Chiropractic care helps people get the most out of their health resources, becoming more efficient and effective in terms of physiology, health, and well-being.

1Greenwald P, Dunn BK: Do we make optimal use of the potential of cancer prevention? Recent Results Cancer Res 181:3-17, 2009
2Jackson AS, et al: Role of lifestyle and aging on the longitudinal change in cardiorespiratory fitness. Arch Intern Med 169(19):1781-1787, 2009
3Smaldone A, et al: Sleepless in America: inadequate sleep and relationships to health and well-being of our nation's children. Pediatrics 119(Suppl 1):S29-S37, 2007

The Importance of Understanding Vitamin A

2012-01-14T19:16:00.001-05:00

     Today, I will be discussing a vitamin that was the first vitamin ever discovered. It is important for the health of the body and most importantly, it is important to the health of the kidney. And since we have learned about the health of the kidney during the month of January, I felt it important to finish off the month of January discussing the vitamin related to that organ. The vitamin I am speaking of is Vitamin A. And we are now going to discuss The Importance of Understanding Vitamin A.
     Since we are beginning a New Year, I wanted to help you with some important information about vitamins, and how they are related to health and disease.
     Given that we are starting with Kidney Health Month and discussing the vitamin associated with the kidney, It’s ironic that at the beginning of the alphabet is vitamin A and that it relates to influencing Kidney Health.
What are Vitamin A Functions?
     It Promotes normal tissue formation: This means it helps to enhance how your cells, tissues and the rest of your body develops and heals. Therefore, vitamin A is important in overall healing. And if you are going to Re-Solve your health related issues in 2010, you’ll definitely need vitamin A.
     It Increases blood platelets: This allows for normal clotting to take place. Many people have difficulty with their blood platelets, and since your blood platelets are what prevents you from bleeding to death, these are important and therefore so is having enough vitamin A.
     It Promotes normal growth and feeling of well-being: Everyone would choose to feel well. AND not everyone does. In helping people take better care of themselves, making sure they have enough vitamin A is important.
     It Promotes normal appetite and digestion: Since all health problems stem from poor digestion, making sure you can digest your food is important. And if your appetite is poor, then digestion at that point doesn’t matter. Therefore to maintain both normal appetite and digestion, taking adequate amounts of vitamin A is important.
     It Prevents infection, most notably of eyes, tonsils, sinuses, lungs and the digestive tract. AND with so many people suffering from any conditions associated with the eyes, respiratory and digestive tracts, making sure to have adequate vitamin A levels is important.
And if one has a Vitamin A Deficiency:
If one is Deficient in Vitamin A it can lead to:
     Loss of appetite. And without proper appetite, the person will not grow or repair themselves very well. Therefore, make sure you have enough vitamin A in your diet.
     Lack of normal growth and development in children: If your children are not as healthy as you would like them to be, have them evaluated fort vitamin A. At my office it doesn’t take but two seconds to do and we have a solution if that is a concern for your child or children.
     A failure to conceive or get pregnant: TOO many couples have issues with this now a days, and to think it could be as simple as giving them vitamin A to resolve the issue. And again, it doesn’t take that much to figure this out. Therefore, if you are a couple who is having difficulty getting pregnant, making sure you have sufficient vitamin A in your diet is important. AND I’d be happy to evaluate anyone with this concern.
     Physical weakness: Being weak and feeling unable to exert enough energy to get your life done is an extreme vitamin A deficiency. Many times, the person will go to their doctor, and the doctor doesn’t find anything wrong. Supplementing with vitamin A will make a difference pretty quickly. And again, the ability to evaluate a need for vitamin A only takes a couple of seconds.
     Diseases involving the Upper Respiratory System, the skin, bladder, stomach and colon are all related to a vitamin A deficiency. I deal with so much of this in the office, it is not difficult to spot this is so many people. Again, to have this evaluated in my office is easy and quite eye opening.
Susceptibility to diseases of:
     The eyes, such as night blindness, corneal ulcers or inflammation develop as a result of vitamin A deficiency. For people who experience this appreciate it may be directly related to vitamin A deficiency.
     The ears, such as ear infections are related to vitamin A deficiency. Therefore, infants and young children who are prone to ear infections, the best place to start after having their neck checked for proper alignment is to look at their vitamin A levels.
     Now we have been talking about vitamin A and we are in the month of January, which we have learned is Kidney Health Month.   And I mentioned before that vitamin A is related to Kidney health. And the most painful condition found with this deficiency related to the Kidneys are Kidney Stones. Therefore, if you are a person who is prone to getting Kidney Stones, it would be important to have your vitamin A levels checked and see if you are deficient in Vitamin A.
     So we’ve learned a little about vitamin A and what conditions result when you are deficient in vitamin A. And now we want to go over where you can get your vitamin A in your diet. Since it is important to eat high quality food, knowing what will give you adequate amounts of vitamin A in your diet is important.
     What are the Most Reliable Sources of vitamin A: butter, cheese, egg yolks, green leafy vegetables, yellow corn, yellow sweet potatoes, carrots and other yellow and green vegetables. Unfortunately, too many people are deficient in these types of foods and as a result develop some of the conditions related to deficiency. Those conditions again relate to Normal Tiise Healing and Formation, Normal blood clotting, Normal Growth in Children, Normal feeling of well-being, and normal digestion with appetite. Having any issues involving those areas or the following as a result of a vitamin A deficiency which leads to vision issues, especially at night, ear infections and the most painful one, Kidney Stones.
     In an effort to always help the reader, the natural question then becomes, "Do I have enough vitamin A in my diet," or more importantly, "Am I assimilating it from my food sources, or do I have a deficiency?"
     I will be happy to evaluate your vitamin A and determine if you are deficient. If you are deficient, we offer the highest quality whole food vitamin A from Standard Process called Cataplex A. And we make it available to people who test for a vitamin A deficiency. Would you like to have your vitamin A levels or your vitamin A supplement evaluated? Simply bring your vitamin A with you to my next Free Health Care Class and I will evaluate you.
     How do you arrange to come to my next FREE Health Care Class? Simply Call the Office today at (845) 561-BACK or 561-2225 and have us schedule you for our next FREE Class this coming Tuesday at 6:30 at the office in Newburgh.   Our physical address is 320 Robinson Avenue, one half mile south of exit 10 off I 84, across the street from Newburgh Free Academy and right next to Orange Radiology, right on 9W. We can help you Start the New Year Off Healthy and make sure to include the vitamin A.

How Much Water Do You Really Need, and Why?

2012-01-14T19:13:00.000-05:00

     So many people are walking around functionally dehydrated. What that means is they are able to function with lots of symptoms and possibly some signs of health issues and concerns, but it is not so bad that they cannot get out of bed and push through their day. AND they do not have enough water in their system to maintain normal functioning of the body. Did you know that the number one symptom people present to the doctor with is not pain or sickness? Did you know the number one symptom is fatigue? That’s right, fatigue. Meaning you do not feel you have the energy you are supposed to have. You are always tired and do not have the energy to do anything extra than what you normally do. Someone says, “Hey, do you want to go here and do this?” and your response is, “No, I don’t feel like it.” And all the while you are thinking, “I just don’t have the energy I feel I should." Chances are, if this is you and you do not have the energy you feel you should, or if you are too tired to do anything other than what is absolutely necessary, or if this only occurs every once in a while, chances are very good you are dehydrated.
Dehydration could mean a couple of different things:
     1) It could simply mean that you are not consuming the requisite amounts of water on a daily basis. This is far too common because of the lack of proper understanding about the importance of water. Many have heard the general rule to drink eight - 8 oz. glasses of water a day. This would be sufficient if you weighed a mere 100 lbs., and did no physical activity during the day. But since most of us do not weigh 100 lbs., this makes many people dehydrated simply because they were doing what they were told. And even if you did do your eight - 8 oz. glasses of water a day, you would still be deficient and develop health concerns as a result. So for the record, the correct formula for proper amount of water would be to consume 1 quart (approximately 1 liter) of water for every 50 lbs. you weigh, every day. So if you weighed 100 lbs., you would require the eight - 8 oz. glasses (or 2 quarts) as stated, but if you weighed 150 lbs., you would require 12 - 8 oz. glasses a day (3 quarts) and if you weighed 200 lbs., you would need 16 - 8 oz. glasses (or 1 gallon) a day.   If you can remember 1 pint (16 oz.) for every 25 lbs., you’ll be able to determine what you need between the 50 lb. marks initially given. Appreciate that if you weigh 150 pounds and drink enough for if you weighed 100 pounds, you would be missing 1 third of what you body requires, every day. Can you now begin to see what your body has to do to make it function properly? You’ve been asking your body to do something it doesn’t have the necessary ingredients to do. And no wonder so many people suffer. So strongly consider gradually increasing your water intake every day, a little at a time until over a two week period until you get to the required amount based on 1 quart for every 50 lbs. you weigh, every day.
     Now many people think this is too much for them to drink, and fear they would be running to the bathroom all day. Initially you might be in the bathroom more often, but after you consistently maintain the proper water amount over a 2 to 3 week period, your body will adjust to the new found volume, and you will return to your normal number of trips to the bathroom on a daily basis. The reason for this adjustment period is because your body is a creature of habit. When you train your body to expect a certain stimulus, in this case water, at a specific rate, it will develop a habit pattern based on the habit. So initially, when you give the body more than what it is used to, it will void the excess. And after 2 – 3 weeks of consistency, your body will say, “Oh, since we now have this new amount of water on a consistent basis, we can use it appropriately and do not have to ration it anymore.”
     Now I mentioned exercising. You will want to add an additional quart of water for every 30 minutes of high paced physical exercise you participate in. Activities such as aerobics, cycling, the treadmill or Stairmaster, etc. will all require extra water. Lifting weights for 60 minutes would roughly be the equivalent of 30 minutes of aerobic activity. Please keep that in mind.

2) The second thing dehydration could mean, especially if you are consuming enough water, would be an imbalance in how your body utilizes water. If the body is not using the water appropriately, you will begin to swell. This could potentially mean you have a hormonal imbalance, and you might notice you don’t sweat as you should. These are more serious problems, and would require having some kidney function testing done to rule out other more serious pathology. If the swelling is confined to your legs and ankles, this could mean you have right sided heart issues. If either of these are circumstances are you, please consult with a trained health care professional to have your Kidneys or Heart properly evaluated. This is not something to ignore.

So that is it for water, what is the proper amount you want to be consuming, and what happens when you do not.

What About The Simple Test?
     Now I mentioned an easy test you can do that takes less than 2 seconds to do and will let you know if you are functionally dehydrated in the moment. Simply do the following: Many people when you have your arms at your sides, your blood vessels in your hands are full and you can easily see your blood vessels. This is normal.
     Now for the test. Raise your hand to shoulder level and see if the vessels in your hands disappear. If they disappear, you are dehydrated. You need to drink more water and you need to check back with this brief test throughout your day until your vessels stay full and distended. Then whatever water your body required to get your vessels distended at shoulder level is what you need to drink regularly until they are always distended.
     Now, is this a scientifically validated test? No, AND it is a great way to evaluate your levels of hydration. So give this a shot and drink more water. And for the natural question I get all the time, Dr. Rick, I drink coffee, or tea, or other liquids. Isn’t this the same as drinking water? The answer to that is no. And the reason for that is as follows: If you drink a liquid that has something in it like a coffee or a tea or even a fruit juice, your body has to digest it. This means it has to separate the non water portion from the water itself. This is a digestive process and in order for your body to extract the water from the other ingredients, your body will lose water in the process. Therefore, other drinks will lead to and create functional dehydration. Water is water, and everything else will dehydrate you to one degree or another. Therefore, drink water at 1 quart for every 50 lbs. you weigh every day, and if you do drink the other liquids, appreciate that you will need more water to offset the potential they create for dehydration. Me personally, All I drink is water.
     Water is important for the health of your body and being able to maintain normal function. Therefore, if you choose to improve your health in 2012, and are focused on re-solving all your health related issues, drinking water is the best thing to incorporate into your plan. If you do not currently have a health plan for 2012, call me and we can develop one that will benefit you, for sure. It would be my pleasure to help you. AND what I have seen in my practice over the years is those who drink the right amount of water for their body on a consistent basis always seem to have no health concerns. Something to strongly consider. I know I do, every day.

The information you just read was taken in part from my book When Your Health Matters: Using Your Body's Natural Rhythms To Restore Your Health, available through the Office. To order your own copy, which I'd be happy to write a personal dedication to you, please call the Office at (845)561-BACK or 561-2225 and I will make sure you get it. This Book was originally released in 2010.