Chiropractic and Your Immune System

How about a little natural immune boost.

Since its inception, chiropractic has maintained that viruses and microbes don't threaten us all equally and that a healthy immune system easily repels most invaders. The immune system protects us from the flu, as well as any other infectious disease, and strives to get us well again when we do fall ill. Our immune system, like every other system in the body, is coordinated and controlled by the nervous system. For proper function the immune system must receive the correct signals from the brain through the nervous system.

Spinal misalignments called vertebral subluxation put pressure on the nervous system which can compromise communication between the brain and the body. Chiropractors remove this interference allowing messages to clearly travel from the brain to the rest of the body thereby improving the function of all the body systems. If the nervous system is not functioning properly, then the immune system cannot function at 100%, thus the body becomes vulnerable to bacteria, viruses and illness.

Chiropractic care was first linked to improved immunity during the deadly flu epidemic of 1917 and 1918. They were surprised to find that Chiropractic patients fared better than the general population. This observation prompted a study of the field which found that flu victims under chiropractic care had an estimated .25 percent death rate significantly less than the rate of 5 percent for those flu victims not receiving chiropractic care.

In the years since, studies are finding that chiropractic care is a way to improve immunity. One study, from National College of Chiropractic in Lombard, Illinois, found that disease-fighting white blood cell counts were higher just 15 minutes after a chiropractic adjustment to the spine. A similar study investigated the immune system response in HIV-positive patients under chiropractic care. After six months of treating vertebral subluxation, the group receiving the chiropractic treatment showed a 48 percent increase in white blood cell counts compared to a 7.96 percent decrease in immunity cells for patients not receiving chiropractic treatment. It has also been observed that children who have regular Chiropractic adjustments have fewer colds, ear infections and flu. "People who receive regular chiropractic adjustments have immune system competency that is 200% greater than those who don't." (Dr. Ron Pero. New York Preventative Medicine Institute and Environmental Health at NYU)

Even though you are not sick and have no back pain, your body may be acquiring vertebral subluxations that are interfering with your nervous system and thus your immune system. Regular chiropractic check-ups can help you to maintain a healthy immune system and ward off illnesses. A chiropractic adjustment will restore the integrity of your nervous system and improve the flow of energy and information throughout the body.

High Quality Fish Oils and Your Health

With all the recent research on the importance of fish oils in heart and brain health every health food store, grocery store and big box store carries what they call the “highest quality fish oils.” But what makes fish oil high quality and what should one look for when purchasing a fish oil to improve their health?

First off let’s get a little background on omega fatty acids. There are 3 types of omega fatty acids, Omega 3’s (n-3), Omega 6’s (n-6), and Omega 9’s (n-9) many fish oil supplements will list these or a variation of these on the label. Let’s start with n-9 fatty acids, unlike n‑3 and n-6 fatty acids, n-9 fatty acids are readily made by the human body. N-6 fatty acids are considered an essential fatty acid since they are unable to be made by the human body however n-6 fatty acids are found in high concentrations in animal products like eggs, beef and pork and also canola, soy and vegetables oils. N-3 fatty acids are essential like n-6 fatty acids so they must be consumed they can be found in flax seed and flax oil, trout, salmon, sardines and herring. Currently the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids consumed in the standard American diet is about 15:1 to 20:1 an ideal ratio is between 1:1 and 2:1 a far cry from what we actually get. For this reason it is important to supplement n-3 fatty acids.

N-3 fatty acids can further be broken down to 3 different components EPA, DHA and ALA. EPA and DHA are actual complete n-3 fatty acids ready to be incorporated into your body tissues. ALA is a precursor to EPA and DHA and must be further changed by your body to make n-3 fatty acids that can be incorporated into your cells. Flaxseed oil has only ALA so for that reason it may not be the best choice, however if you are a strict vegan or sensitive to fish it is the only choice. Fish oil has EPA and DHA and is a better option however when looking for a quality fish oil there are a few things to be aware of. Be aware that fish can have many contaminants like mercury and PCBs look for a fish oil where much of the contaminants have been removed look for molecular distillation or assayed for PCBs and mercury on the label. Also remember that we want to improve the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids so look for a supplement that is at least 50% total EPA, DHA and/or ALA. This would be at least 500 miligrams of EPA plus DHA and/or ALA per 1 gram capsule fish oil.

Improving the ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids can help reduce inflammation, which is a large component of heart disease, autoimmune conditions, aging and degeneration.

Your health is by choice not by chance. Your choice to eat well, move well and think well outweighs chance.

**If you're still not sure about quality supplements, please call our office (952-471-2560) we would be happy to set up a free consultation to help you. Also Dr. Jayme is teaching multiple classes through Westonka community education this fall, all about nutrition, health and wellness. See our website or the fall Westonka Community Ed catalogue for more information.**

War and Peace

Yes a very odd topic for a blog on health and wellness, I understand this, however I came across this quote today and was absolutely inspired. Now I must admit I've never read the book War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy but now it is officially on my list of books to read (although I fear that if I expect it to be full of these same inspiring quotes I so easily align with I may be disappointed).

Our body is a machine for living. It is organized for that, it is its nature. Let life go on in it unhindered and let it defend itself, it will do more than if you paralyze it by encumbering it with remedies.

The exact premise of Chiropractic 50 years before its practice began! He goes on to say "Our body is like a perfect watch that should go for a certain time; watchmaker cannot open it, he can only adjust it by fumbling and that blindfolded...Yes, our body is just a machine for living, that is all."

Of course I'd like to end the quote at "he can only adjust it" for obvious reasons (...I'm a Chiropractor, we adjust) but I can't mislead my readers.

And although medical advances have come a very long way since 1869 the premise still stands that the human body has an innate capacity to heal. Its so easy to forget that in such a medical minded society where often a pill is prescribed to be well again.

In Honor of Earth Day!

So I was thinking about earth day and then again about my garden I'm about to start planting and thought what better way to celebrate Earth Day than to write about organic gardening!

Its safe to say that growing your own vegetables is easy on the pocket book, but what about the health and environmental benefits of a victory garden of your very own? A chemical free garden would be the healthiest and most environmental friendly alternative to grocery produce but in today's world of chemical for this and another for that how easy it that to achieve? It's possible! It just takes a little research and some tips from my great grandfather who grew the biggest tomatoes I've ever seen!

-Use natural fertilizers. If you don't have a cow pasture or a compost bin you can purchase manure and compost from your local garden store. Manure, compost and peat are all great alternatives to chemical fertilizers. For best results mix them well with the soil before planting.

-Use plants to deter pests. Marigolds are great for repelling most insects and protecting tomatoes and potatoes from beetles and slugs. Planting herbs like sage, rosemary, peppermint, mint and basil can keep pesky bugs away also.

-Grass clippings or straw can be used as bedding to prevent weeds from popping up. Just be sure they are free from herbicides, pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Grass and straw will also breakdown and provide nutrients for next season's crop.

Gardening is tough work, don't forget the sunscreen (preferably zinc oxide), and enjoy the benefits of an organic summer for your health and the earth!

Happy Feet!

With summer upon us and all the wonderful ways to get active our feet can really take a beating. Because our feet are the foundation of our every step it's important that we support them well. Pain in the arches, heals and ball of your feet as well as in our calves can be a sign that we're not supporting our feet properly. Here are some easy steps to make sure our feet are well supported.

-- Wear good shoes! Shoes could be flexible with support for our arches and cushion for the heal and ball of the foot.

-- Replace your shoes often. Athletic shoes worn 4-6 days a week for moderate activity should be replaced every 3 months. After 3 months the support begins to break down.

-- High heels are not ideal. They cause our center of gravity to shift forward putting strain on calves, hamstrings and muscles of the back and even the neck which work to hold us from falling forward. High heels also do not usually have any arch support and the angle that the heel causes the foot to be in can actually cause the arches to fall.

-- Avoid those fun colored bejeweled flip-flops. Most flip-flops have a cushy flat foam base and offer no arch support. Save these for shower shoes and the beach. Instead look for sandals with support for your arches and a heal strap to hold it firmly to your foot.

Welcome

A blog about health and life, at least that’s my goal, to help my readers better achieve health.  Webster's dictionary defines health as the condition of being sound in body, mind or spirit.  I think that’s pretty accurate, although I would have to include that health is a journey and not simply a snapshot in time but Mr. Webster and I can disagree.  So what brought me to Chiropractic?  Let’s just say in a long series of events I came to realize I was meant to help, teach and interact with people and when I finally realized Chiropractic would allow me to do that I was very excited to have something meaningful to strive for.  Please feel free to contact me with health questions.  Maybe I'll blog about it!

 

Enjoy the journey!

Jayme L. Clayton DC