Pregnant women do not tip over, and the reason has a lot to do with an evolutionary curve, researchers say

By JOHN SCHWARTZ (Seen in the New York Times)
Published: December 13, 2007

Anthropologists studying the human spine have found that women’s lower vertebrae evolved in ways that reduce back pressure during pregnancy, when the mass of the abdomen grows by nearly a third and the center of mass shifts forward considerably.
Even without the benefit of advanced study in biomechanics, women tend to deal with the shift — and avoid tumbling over like a bowling pin — by leaning back. But the solution to one problem creates another, since leaning puts even more pressure on the spine and muscles.
And that, report researchers from Harvard and the University of Texas in the current issue of the journal Nature, is where evolution enters the story.
Anthropologists have long known that the lower spine in humans developed a unique forward curve to help compensate for the strains that arose when the primate ancestors began walking upright. Researchers looked for a mechanism that compensated for pregnancy’s additional burden as well.
What they found, said Katherine K. Whitcome, a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard and the lead author of the paper, was evidence that evolution had produced a stronger and more flexible lower spine for women.
After studying 19 pregnant subjects, Dr. Whitcome found that the lumbar, or lower back, curve in women extends across three vertebrae, as opposed to just two in men. And the connecting points between vertebrae are relatively larger in women and shaped differently in ways that make the stack more stable and less prone to shifting or breaking.
Since the engine of evolution runs on the passage of genes from one generation to the next, pregnancy is a critical moment. Without that adaptation, Dr. Whitcome said, females would have been in considerably greater pain during pregnancy and might not have been able to forage effectively or escape predators, ending the pregnancy and the genetic line as well.
Working at the University of Texas with Dr. Liza Shapiro, an associate professor of anthropology, Dr. Whitcome found that the differences between male and female spines do not show up in chimpanzees. That suggested that the changes occurred in response to the pressures of walking upright.
When she moved on to Harvard and started working with Daniel Lieberman, an anthropologist with expertise in primate fossils, she was able to examine two sets of fossilized vertebrae. Of the two samples, she found the three-vertebra arrangement in one sample and not in the other. Separate evidence suggested that the extra-curvy spine belonged to a female and the other to a male. “It was very exciting” to have the fossilized puzzle fall into place, Dr. Whitcome said.
As solutions go, the extra flexibility is only partly successful, Professor Shapiro said, since women still commonly complain of back trouble during pregnancy. And that is the difference between the way that evolution works and the way that actual designers do their job, Dr. Whitcome said: nature tinkers. For natural selection to favor one feature over another, “It doesn’t have to be an ideal solution,” she said. “It just has to be better.”
Karen R. Rosenberg, an associate professor and chairwoman of the anthropology department at the University of Delaware, characterized Dr. Whitcome’s work as “way cool.” Dr. Rosenberg, who studies the evolution of childbirth, said the paper was the first published research that asked whether pregnancy caused evolutionary changes in the skeleton. “In hindsight,” she said, “Duh, of course it does.”

NEW STUDY: Honey is better than cough medicine for kids' coughs....

Honey works best to calm kids' coughs, study finds
Source: Reuters

By Michael Conlon
CHICAGO, Dec 3 (Reuters) - A spoonful of buckwheat honey quells a child's nighttime chest cold coughing better than the most common cough suppressant in nonprescription medicines, researchers said on Monday.
"Honey may be a preferable treatment for the cough and sleep difficulty associated with childhood upper respiratory tract infection," a team of investigators from Pennsylvania State University said.
Their study, paid for by the National Honey Board, an industry-funded U.S. Agriculture Department agency, compared honey to dextromethorphan -- or DM -- the most common cough suppressant in over-the-counter remedies.
Honey is not recommended for children under the age of one. Buckwheat honey is a dark variety that tends to have more compounds associated with honey's antioxidant properties, the researchers said. In addition, they said honey can sooth the throat and thus help control coughing.
The report said that neither the American Academy of Pediatrics nor the American College of Chest Physician backs the use of DM for childhood cough.
In addition the substance has been implicated in drug abuse among teenagers who use cough medicine to get high.
The study, published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, comes just weeks after a government advisory panel recommended that many nonprescription cough and cold medicines in use for decades should not be given to children under 6 until their efficacy can be proven.
That move came after a group of pediatricians and public health officials petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to restrict sales for children younger than 6 because of reports of deaths, seizures, hallucinations and other problems.
Makers have said the products are safe and effective, when given as directed, to children aged 2 and older.
The new study involved 105 youngsters age 2 to 18 who had been battling upper respiratory tract infections for seven days or less. Some were given 10 milliliters -- about one tablespoon -- of buckwheat honey 30 minutes before bedtime, others got DM and others nothing at all.
Honey was found to make the best improvements in cough control and sleep followed by DM, while doing nothing showed the least improvement.
"Parents rated honey most favorably for symptomatic relief of their children's nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty," the study concluded.
"While our findings and the absence of contemporary studies supporting the use of DM continue to question its effectiveness for the treatment of cough associated with upper respiratory tract infections, we have now provided evidence supporting honey, which is generally regarded as safe for children older than 1 year, as an alternative," the authors said. (Editing by Andrew Stern and Eric Walsh)

New thoughts on BRAIN FOOD....

This is an article from the Mercola.com newsletter......

Newest Thoughts on Brain Food
Fish have long been regarded as “brain food” because of their high content of omega-3 fatty acids.Historically, omega-3 fats have been said to improve brain development and maintenance. Now, two new studies in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition provide further evidence for the beneficial effects of omega-3 fats, including better performance or preservation of your brain function as you age.While numerous studies exist showing diets high in omega-3 fats lower your risk of dementia, these newer studies looked at the benefits of omega-3 fats among healthy people, with the hope that they would prevent progression to dementia. More than 5 million Americans have some form of Alzheimer’s disease, and just as many suffer from vascular dementia, so preventing and slowing the progression of neurodegenerative disorders is a public health imperative.The studies found:
A diet high in fish and fish products is associated with better cognitive performance
Higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids were associated with less decline in the speed-related cognitive domainsIt often takes decades for dementia to develop and brain volume to shrink. These studies of the benefits of omega-3 fats on brain function offer an opportunity for early intervention to maintain your brain function and slow progression to dementia.
Sources:
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 86(5), 1259-1260, November 2007
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition November 2007, 86: 1470-1478
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition November 2007, 86: 1479-1485

Flouride in the drinking water. Is it safe?????

This is a great article from Canada.
Critics raise red flag over fluoride in tap water
MARTIN MITTELSTAEDT
From Friday's Globe and Mail
November 23, 2007 at 9:27 AM EST
Nearly a half-century after water fluoridation became widespread, a small but growing number of medical officials and environmentalists are again raising concerns over the practice.
Recent research is suggesting that fluoride may be connected to a number of serious conditions, including the development in teenage boys of osteosarcoma, the rare bone cancer that killed Canadian icon Terry Fox, reduced intelligence levels in children, and impaired thyroid function.
In Waterdown, Ont., a suburb of Hamilton, Cindy Mayor has approached her city council and asked that it stop fluoridation for the area's 500,000 residents. "Here we are, mass-medicating with a drug," she says. The activist frets that fluoridation could be one reason for the growing number of people being treated for lowered thyroid hormone levels.
She isn't alone in worrying about fluoride, placed in many municipal water supplies to make teeth more resistant to decay.
Enlarge Image
While those complaining about fluoride were often portrayed as a kooky fringe - typified by the 1964 movie classic Dr. Strangelove, in which a demented U.S. general feared fluoridation was a communist plot - fluoride criticism has recently gone mainstream.
Although the research linking the chemical with serious conditions is disputed, critics of fluoridation say that at the least it indicates a review of the practice needs to be conducted.
A review is even more pressing, in the view of critics, because scientists now believe that the main protective action from fluoride does not come from ingesting the chemical, with the teeth absorbing it from inside the body, but from direct absorption through topical application to teeth.
This means swallowing water is a far less effective way to fight cavities than brushing with fluoridated toothpaste. That may explain the steep decline in cavity rates observed in industrialized countries since the 1970s, irrespective of whether they fluoridate water. Almost all of Europe does not, and yet has seen a sharp reduction in dental caries.
"I think there is a much broader understanding that there might be some legitimate concerns with fluoride," said Richard Wiles, executive director of the Washington-based Environmental Working Group, a public-interest group that has been lobbying the U.S. National Institutes of Health to provide a second opinion on fluoridation.
About 13.5 million Canadians, or about 43 per cent of the population, live in communities with fluoridated tap water, but almost no fluoridation is done in British Columbia or Quebec, according to Health Canada.
The EWG worries that the public is being overexposed to fluoride, and says water is the easiest source to eliminate.
Fluoridation is based on research from the 1940s, and Mr. Wiles contends that it wouldn't be able to pass a modern risk assessment used for drugs or pesticides.
"We took a look at the science and it was really apparent to us that the current levels of fluoride exposure were unsafe," he said.
The view on fluoride's potential downside is rejected out of hand by Health Canada, as well as the Canadian Dental Association.
"The fluoridation of drinking water supplies is a well-accepted measure to protect public health that is strongly supported by scientific evidence," Health Canada said in an e-mailed statement.
Nonetheless, the department said it is currently studying the recent scientific findings and may adjust the amount it recommends for water.
The Canadian Dental Association also endorses fluoridation. "It's among the greatest public-health measures that has ever been put in place, right up there with vaccination," said Darryl Smith, president of the association.
Dr. Smith worries that if fluoridation critics have their way, it will lead to a loss in the hard-won gains against tooth decay. Currently, about half of the children in Canada younger than 11 don't have cavities.
Although health authorities are confident fluoridation is a good idea, they haven't been very good at picking the optimum dose.
Many jurisdictions have, with little fanfare, recently cut the amount they add, to minimize chances that children will get dental fluorosis, or mottled teeth.
The cuts have been substantial enough to suggest that previous levels to which the public was exposed for more than three decades were too high. Toronto's drinking water, after several reductions, now contains half the fluoride it did before 1999, while the province of Quebec cut the recommended amount by 42 per cent in 2004.
Fluorosis, if severe, causes unsightly staining of teeth, but in mild cases the result is white streaking that many dentists consider cosmetic. During the 1990s, anywhere from 20 per cent to 75 per cent of children were afflicted in fluoridated areas.
Both Toronto and Quebec fluoridate below the level Health Canada believes is optimum: 0.8 to 1 part per million fluoride to water. Toronto is at 0.6 ppm.
Among the recent studies, the most worrisome is the possible association with childhood osteosarcoma.
The disease, the cause of which is unknown, is fatal in about one-third of cases and almost always leads to amputations.
The research indicates that fluoride exposure among boys, but not consistently among girls, during a critical period of bone growth from age 5 to 10 makes them more susceptible to the bone cancer during their teenage years.
Scientists are on the lookout for effects on bones, because they absorb half the fluoride people ingest.
A paper outlining the finding was published in 2006 in the journal Cancer Causes & Control and produced by Harvard University researchers.
Researchers found that boys aged 6 to 8 who were exposed to more fluoridated water were about four times more likely to develop the cancer than those exposed to lower levels. The researchers called their results "remarkably robust."
Although similar findings in young male rodents have been seen in laboratory experiments, other studies that investigated lifetime human exposure to the chemical did not detect any association with osteosarcoma.
The EWG's Mr. Wiles said these findings are the kinds of research clues that should cause governments to consider listing the chemical as a probable carcinogen.
In its statement, Health Canada says it wants to see whether further research confirms the cancer finding before taking action. "The findings of the study are in contradiction with the majority of current science," it said, although it said health authorities around the world "have taken seriously the suggestion that fluoridation might increase bone cancer rates."
Also worrisome are four studies in China, published in scientific literature from 1996 to 2007, that found a strong association between water with high fluoride levels and sharply reduced IQs in children.
Some parts of China have water naturally rich in fluoride and the chemical was not deliberately added, as it is in Canada.
Although the concentrations that led to the reduced intellectual functioning were far higher than found in Canada, the studies weren't designed to discover whether neurological effects occurred at the lower levels typical of the West.
Fluoride has also been found to disrupt normal thyroid hormone functions. There are concerns that fluoride exposure may be associated with hypothyroidism, a condition of lowered thyroid hormone levels. Those with the illness often experience depression, fatigue and weight gain.
Hardy Limeback, head of protective dentistry at the University of Toronto and a former advocate of fluoridation, is alarmed by these studies.
"We don't know what the health implications are of a lifetime exposure to fluoride in drinking water," he says.
If fluoridation is ended, it may lead to a modest increase in tooth decay, which Dr. Limeback estimates at one extra filling in every fifth child. Given the emerging data on its possible risks, he says, this would be a small price to pay.
Ms. Mayor in Waterdown isn't waiting for Health Canada to complete its study of the new research. She doesn't drink or cook with tap water, and instead buys distilled water that has had fluoride removed.
Fluoride primer
Researchers hit upon adding traces of fluoride to water after observing that people living in areas with drinking water naturally rich in the element had lower cavity rates.
Fluoridation is primarily done in Canada, the United States and Australia, but almost nowhere else in the world. Western Europe and Japan have almost no fluoridated water supplies.
Small amounts of fluoride make teeth stronger so they resist decay better. Too much fluoride causes teeth to be mottled.
A typical big city that fluoridates will spend about $1 per resident each year to add the chem- ical to drinking water supplies.
Although fluoridation has been practised for nearly half a century, it has always been controversial. Critics contend that if fluoride had to pass a modern assessment for a new drug, it would flunk.
But health authorities insist that fluoridation is a good thing and that the benefits of better oral health outweigh potential risks.
Once fluoride is added to water, it isn't easy to get out. It can't be captured through simple filtering devices. It can be removed through reverse-osmosis filters or through distilling.
Many bottled waters don't contain a lot of fluoride, but some are rich in it. Those worried about fluoride should check the labels.
Martin Mittelstaedt
*****
Fluoride facts
Fluoridation practices vary widely around the world and in Canada. Most of Europe doesn't fluoridate, and practices vary across the country. There are no national figures to show whether cavity rates differ substantially as a result of fluoridation.
SOURCE: HEALTH CANADA, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Dragster crashes 320 mph!-- Chiropractic to the Rescue

This is yet another incredible story about how Chiropractic helped an athlete recover from a seemingly hopeless accident. The first part tells you his voyage to the emergency ward to save his life, and about 5 minutes in, the story shifts to how Chiropractic helped Tony get back to his old self!!!! What are you waiting for? It is never a bad time to have a Chiropractic checkup.

What's In A Flu Shot (comedy as promised)

Please take the additional time to read the below information on the Flu Vaccine

Flu Shot Facts and comedy

This Information is given to start a dialogue with my patients. The Nike mantra of "just do it" should not be good enough when it comes to what you put in your body. The video is a funny skit from Canada on the Flu Shot and the information is from the National Vaccine Information Center:

THE FLU AND THE FLU VACCINE
FLU FACTS
What is the flu?

Influenza is a respiratory infection that produces fever, chills, sore throat, muscle aches, and cough that lasts a week or more. The flu can be deadly for the elderly and those with compromised immune systems or who are suffering from diabetes, kidney dysfunction and heart disease. Each year about 36,000 Americans, mostly in these high risk groups, reportedly die from flu complications such as pneumonia.

Who is at increased risk for serious complications due to the flu?

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) lists the following persons as being at increased risk for complications from influenza: anyone 65 years of age or older; nursing home residents or residents of other long-term care facilities; anyone with chronic lung or heart disorders, chronic metabolic diseases (like diabetes), kidney dysfunction, or blood disorders; anyone who is immune suppressed by medication (steroids, chemotherapy, etc) or by AIDS/HIV ; children or adolescents on long-term aspirin therapy due to possible risk of developing Reye syndrome; and women who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during flu season.

What is the Flu Vaccine?

The flu vaccine is prepared from the fluids of chick embryos inoculated with a specific type(s) of influenza virus. The strains of flu virus in the vaccine are inactivated with formaldehyde and preserved with Thimerosal, which is a mercury derivative.Every year, federal health agency officials try to guess which three flu strains are most likely to be prevalent in the U.S. the following year to determine which strains will be included in next year's flu vaccine. If they guess right, the vaccine is thought to be 70 to 90 percent effective in temporarily preventing the flu of the season in healthy persons less than 65 years old. For those over 65 years old, the efficacy rate drops to 30 to 40% but the vaccine is thought to be 50 to 60% effective in preventing hospitalization and pneumonia and 80% effective in preventing death from the flu.However, sometimes health officials do not correctly predict which flu strains will be most prevalent and the vaccine's effectiveness is much lower for that year.

Does the flu vaccine protect against all throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal and ear infections?

The flu vaccine only protects against the three specific viral strains which are included in any given year's flu vaccine. Throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal and ear infections caused by bacteria or other kinds of viruses are not prevented by getting an annual flu shot.Vaccination against the flu does not protect against SARS or the complications of SARS. The World Health Organization is urging a worldwide flu vaccination campaign in the belief that high vaccination coverage can decrease the possibility of misdiagnosing flu as SARS and help in the early identification of a SARS outbreak. The CDC however is not recommending the flu vaccine for this purpose since the flu vaccine is not 100 percent effective and the suggested benefits in regards to SARS cannot be reliable.

Why do doctors say I have to get a flu vaccine every year?

Like all vaccines, the flu vaccine only gives a temporary immunity to the virus strains or closely related virus strains contained in the vaccine. The only way to get natural and permanent immunity to a strain of flu is to recover naturally from the flu. Natural immunity to a particular strain of flu can be protective if that strain or closely related strains come around again in the future. However, because the vaccine only provides a 70 to 80 percent chance of temporary immunity to selected strains and those strains may or may not be prevalent each year, doctors say you have to get a flu shot every year.

Are there reactions to the flu vaccine?

The most common reactions, which begin within 12 hours of vaccination and can last several days are: fever, fatigue, painful joints and headache.The most serious reaction that has been associated with flu vaccine is Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) which occurs most often within two to four weeks of vaccination. GBS is an immune mediated nerve disorder characterized by muscle weakness, unsteady gait, numbness, tingling, pain and sometimes paralysis of one or more limbs or the face. Recovery takes several months and can include residual disability. Less than 5 percent of GBS cases end in death.Brain and nerve disorders such as encephalopathy, optic neuritis, partial facial paralysis, and brachial plexus neuropathy as well as vasculitis have also been reported following the flu vaccine, although a definite causal relationship has no been established.

What are contraindications to the flu vaccine?

Among high risk factors listed by the CDC and the vaccine manufacturers are anyone who: (1) is sick with a fever;(2) has an egg allergy; (3) has a mercury allergy; (4) has a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome. If immunosuppressed individuals receive the flu vaccine they may not get an adequate protective antibody response.

Is the vaccine safe during pregnancy?

In years past, pregnancy was also a contraindication to flu vaccine but, today, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends flu vaccine for women more than 14 weeks pregnant.The package inserts published by the flu vaccine manufacturers state that "Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with influenza virus vaccine. It is also not known whether influenza virus vaccine can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. Although animal reproductive studies have not been conducted, the prescribing health care provider should be aware of the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The ACIP states that if used during pregnancy, administration of influenza virus vaccine after 14 weeks of gestation may be preferable to avoid coincidental association of the vaccine with early pregnancy loss."Pregnant women should be aware that the flu vaccine contains Thimerosal, which is a mercury derivative. Mercury is toxic to the brain and has been found to be associated with brain damage and developmental delays in babies whose mothers were exposed to high levels of mercury during pregnancy.

What about mercury in the vaccine?

In 1999, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) directed the vaccine manufacturers to take mercury out of all childhood vaccines. In October 2001, the Institute of Medicine issued a report that said it is "biologically plausible" that mercury-containing vaccines could cause injury to the brain but there have been too few scientific studies conducted to prove conclusively that mercury in vaccines has caused brain damage." Nevertheless, the Institute of Medicine recommended that drug companies take all mercury out of all vaccines and over-the-counter drugs.In compliance with this recommendation a preservative-free vaccine formulated for children ages 6 to 35 months, with only a trace amount of Thimerosal, is available in a limited amount. It is distinguished by a pink syringe plunger rod in the pre-filled syringe. All adult formulations still contain Thimerosal.

Is Flu Vaccine Recommended for Children?

One consideration with the mass use of flu vaccine in healthy children is the removal of natural antibodies to flu which are obtained from natural infection. The question of whether it is better for healthy children, who rarely suffer complications from flu, to get the flu and develop permanent immunity to that flu strain or it is better for children to get vaccinated every year to try to suppress all flu infection in early childhood is a question that has yet to be adequately answered by medical science.Although in the past the flu vaccine has not been recommended for healthy children, today vaccination of children older than 6 months of age is strongly recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the CDC.What About The New Nasal-Spray Flu Vaccine? A live-virus nasal flu vaccine, FluMist, was approved for use in June 2003. Its approved use is limited to healthy people between the ages of 5 and 49. This excludes its use in those considered at greatest risk from the disease - the very young and the elderly.

Who should not receive the FluMist vaccine?

(1) pregnant women(2) people with asthma(3) people with chronic lung or heart disease (4) people with chronic underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney disorders(5) anyone allergic to any part of the vaccine including eggs(6) children or adolescents receiving aspirin therapy(7) those with a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome(8) people with known or suspected immune system problems or who are immune-suppressed due to treatment with steroids, chemotherapy, radiation or other immunosuppressive therapies or their close contacts(9) children younger than 5 and adults over 50.Due to the possibility of spreading the virus, individuals receiving the vaccine are advised to avoid close contact with immune-compromised individuals for at least 21 days.

Is it safe to give with other vaccines?

No studies have shown the safety of giving FluMist along with other vaccines; therefore it should NOT be given along with any other vaccine. The product manufacturer's insert advises waiting at least two weeks after receiving a killed vaccine and at least one month after receiving a live-virus vaccine (MMR, Chicken pox).

How is the new vaccine administered?

Unlike the standard flu vaccine given by injection, which contains a dead virus, the vaccine is squirted up the nose and contains a diluted, live virus that could endanger people with weak immune systems. The live vaccine virus has been shown to shed for up to 3 weeks after receiving the vaccine.

What are the reactions to the vaccine?

Reported adverse effects to FluMist in children include runny nose, nasal congestion, cough, sore throat, headache, irritability, decreased activity, fever, chills, muscle aches, and vomiting. In adults the most common side effects were runny nose, cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, fever, chills and tiredness or weakness. Other adverse events that occurred in children were abdominal pain, asthma, bronchitis, conjunctivitis, viral syndrome, otitis media (middle ear infection), and wheezing or shortness of breath.

How is the vaccine made?

FluMist is prepared by introducing influenza viruses into eggs where they are allowed to multiply. Fluid from the eggs is processed and sucrose, potassium phosphate and monosodium glutamate (MSG) are added as stabilizers. The antibiotic Gentamicin is also added during the manufacturing process. FluMist does not contain any preservatives.

What should I do?

Become educated about the flu and its benefits and risks and the vaccine and its benefits and risks and make an informed decision after consulting multiple sources of information and discussing your questions with one or more health professionals.

References:1. MMWR Recommendations and Reports "Prevention and Control of Influenza: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)" April 25, 20032. Fluzone 2003-2004 Formula, Aventis Product information as of July 20033. Influenza Virus Vaccine Live, Intranasal Flumist 2003-2004 Formula, Package Insert (Circular) June 16, 2003

Bill Maher - Anti-Pharma Rant

This is an interesting commentary on our common attitudes toward drugs

You tell 'em Cole Hamels........

This is the second time this year we have seen a major league baseball player demanding a team Chiropractor..... This article is a repost of Paul Hagen's article from the Daily news....

Paul Hagen Cole: Get my back, will ya?
SAYS TEAM CHIROPRACTOR MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED ELBOW INJURY

YONG KIM/Daily News
Cole Hamels has been out 3 weeks, might not be back this year.
ATLANTA - Sometimes a pitcher will challenge the hitter. Sometimes he'll knock the batter off the plate.
Cole Hamels, who knew exactly what he was doing, took advantage of an impromptu interview session in front of his locker before last night's 5-2 win over the Braves at Turner Field to come up-and-in on the Phillies organization.
That's a pretty neat trick for a guy who's on the disabled list.
It's no secret that inconsistent pitching has been the Phillies' biggest bugaboo all season and remains their most pressing concern down the stretch. Or that getting Hamels - who was 14-5 with a 3.50 earned run average before being sidelined by a strained elbow 3 weeks ago - back into the rotation for several more starts would be like adding a jet-propulsion pack to their chances of making the playoffs.
So a conversation with reporters that started with an inquiry about when he'll try to throw again - probably Friday - quickly evolved into the 23-year-old lefthander saying he thinks his elbow aches are an outgrowth of his back problems, for which he sees a chiropractor.
And he was just getting warmed up.
"Sometimes it's tough to get [appointments] when we're traveling," he said. "That's why it would be a big help if the team would get a chiropractor. That's up to them. I'd like to go at least twice a week. That's what I try to do when I'm at home. When I'm at spring training, I go twice a week and I get a massage before I get adjusted."
So was he suggesting that if the Phillies employed somebody to work on his back regularly, he wouldn't be on the disabled list with elbow problems?
"I don't think so. I really don't," he replied. "To be a top player you have to use the best of everything."
Zing . . .
"There's a lot of guys that are very interested. It's just up to the team to make the effort," he added helpfully.
There will be some who will applaud all this as a sign of coming-of-age leadership.
There will be others who will see this as just another example of a pampered modern athlete who will next expect the club to provide manicures and pedicures on demand, along with green tea and finger sandwiches presented on a silver platter.
If nothing else, it helped shift the focus from the three-game losing streak that the Phillies dragged with them into the ballpark last night.
This is a touchy area. Some teams openly frown on chiropractors. Some players who see them have to do it on the down low.
The Phillies have never tried to discourage Hamels from seeking treatment on his own. "Cole is free to use it. We do not provide it and it is not commonly provided throughout the industry. Maybe two or three teams do," said assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr.
While conceding that he doesn't have a medical degree, Amaro indicated that he doesn't really believe there's a link between the back and his elbow. "I would be surprised if the tendon problem he is having in his elbow is either best served or reduced with the use of chiropractic medicine," he said.
Hamels, however, is convinced. And as long as he thinks it will help him, well, success in this game is largely mental, after all.
"A lot of it is keeping your elbow in place," he said. "When you're using it and using it, it can slowly slip and you develop some fluid and inflammation in there. When you're keeping it in place, then when it is getting that wear and tear it's actually in the right area.
"You definitely need a guy you can trust."
That's why he would like to have a team chiropractor who makes all the trips.
In fairness, the Phillies are working with a nutritionist this year and regularly make a massage therapist available at home. Compared to the rest of baseball, they are not behind the curve here. "It took the team a while, but it's hard to complain when we've had a lot of good things here," Hamels said.
Amaro diplomatically didn't rule out the possibility that the team will strongly consider the suggestion of one of the best young pitchers in baseball and a player that much of the franchise's near future appears to hinge on.
"We've discussed it. Probably at some point we'll evaluate it," he said.
Meanwhile, the question of whether Hamels will be available again this season also remains up in the air.
"There's a chance he might not be," admitted manager Charlie Manuel. "It depends on how he feels when he tries to throw. He's a guy that, when he pitched, you expect to win the game. So if you go back and count at the end of the year and he's missed six, eight starts, those are games you think you would have won."
Hamels said there's only so much he can do. "I don't want to get that label of being injury-prone, but I can live with that," he said. "I'd definitely like to be back to finish the season.
"I think we just keep bumping it back until I feel good. The goal is to get healthy before the end of the season. Whether it's three starts, two starts or one start. That all depends on our chances for the playoffs."
The fewer starts Hamels is able to make, of course, the less the Phillies' chances for the playoffs seem to be.

The E-newsletter for Parents to Make Informed Health Care Choices

Unassisted Birth on the Rise:More and more mothers are choosing to have their babies at home without assistance. This practice is increasing in both the US an UK. Read more about it here: http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=155541274&u=1513905
To read more about natural, home birthing visit: http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=155541274&u=1513906
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC) Success Story.
The video on this link is inspirational and motivating for mothers who are attempting a VBAC. Sent over by the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN), this clip give mothers hope and courage to take charge of their lives and their births. View the clip here: http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=155541274&u=1513908
To read more about C-sections and VBACS visit: http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=155541274&u=1513909
HPV Vaccine Update: Serious Side Effects
The BMJ has questions over the HPV Vaccine where out of 1,637 reported adverse reactions, 3 were deaths! Read the article here: http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=155541274&u=1513910
Of course the National Vaccine Information Center has the latest updates on GARDASIL and all other vaccines. Visit their web-site here: http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=155541274&u=1513911 and while you are there, sign up for their free e-newsletter.
Baby Bottle Update:
In reference to the recent concern over plastic baby bottles and the health dangers of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical in many plastics, one bottle company proudly announces BPA-free baby bottle products.Read more about it here: http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=155541274&u=1513912
Food Coloring Warnings:Parents are being advised not to give their children food containing certain additives until the results of a new study are published. Read more here: http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=155541274&u=1513913
How Does Your Sunscreen Rank? Before summer's out check out this website to learn more about sunscreen, how it works and what's safe and effective. They even have a comprehensive listing of sunscreens and the health and sun hazard ranking for each kind: http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=155541274&u=1513914

The latest on Chiropractic During Pregnancy...

Chiropractic and Pregnancy
Two news stories chronicled chiropractic helping pregnant women during their times of physical change. One of the stories appeared on the website of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on July 2, 2007 and followed a second time mother who was suffering from lower back pain caused by her pregnancy. The second story was from the May 22, 2007 Asheville Citizen-Times and reported on a four time mother who had been under chiropractic care regularly to help prevent problems and make the experience healthier.
The St. Louis story followed the plight of Tykita Bethley who was suffering from what she referred to as usual aches and pains during her first pregnancy four years ago. She stated, "My back hurt, and then once I had my daughter, it hurt even more, especially on the right side." Then during her second pregnancy she added, "My back hurt like crazy then, too, but I had accepted my back pain for the longest time."
Tykita went to the Pregnancy Clinic at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, a facility that is set up to help study the effect of chiropractic care and exercise on pregnant women. She started care at week 27 and continued throughout the remainder of her pregnancy. She received stretching exercises and chiropractic adjustments. The result was that she became nearly pain free. I can`t tell you," Tykita stated, "I feel so much better.
In the second story out of Asheville, NC, Wendi Lonabaugh is an ongoing chiropractic patient who was under care to prevent the problems she had with previous pregnancies. She noted that chiropractic made a difference and unlike her previous pregnancies, she did not have any sciatic pain this time, she commented, "It makes sense when you think about it.
The Asheville Citizen-Times also reported that according to the N.C. Chiropractic Association, more than 25 million people visited chiropractors last year. They noted that the number of people receiving chiropractic services has doubled in the past 20 years, and they estimate that the number will double again by 2010.
The article also reported on cyclist Patricia Pinner, who uses chiropractic to help improve her performance. The article reports that Pinner estimates that 90 percent of the women on the Asheville Women’s Cycling team see a chiropractor. “The whole keeping your spine in alignment is necessary for total health,” she said. “When you are trying to compete, total health needs to be as good as it can be.”

Chiropractic: Saves you $$$ on healthcare costs

Dr. C's commentary: Would you like to save $$$ on your family's healthcare costs? The following is a truely amazing bit of research. It is the culmination of a seven year study that suggests, those individuals who utilize Chiropractic in their health program, goto the hospital less often, have less surgeries and proceedures, & take less drugs. More importantly those folks were cited as having a greater satisfaction with their Healthcare.

Chiropractors have said for years that a properly functioning nervous system, has a tremendous affect on overall health. Now we get to see some great supporting research......

New research suggests: Chiropractors Serving as Primary Care Providers Decrease Costs When Chiropractors serve as Primary Providers in health plans, these plans save significant amounts of money. This according to a new study published in the May 2007 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. The study, also reported on in the June 7, 2007 Earthtimes.org could have profound implications as the US presidential campaigns seem to be dealing more with the issues related to health care and ways to make a system of universal health care affordable.
Researchers compared the costs and clinical utilization of members enrolled in a traditional health maintenance organization (HMO). The researchers reviewed data from those HMO members who had an integrative CAM Independent Physicians Association (IPA) and compared them with members who had a conventional medical IPA. In essence they look at the costs of those programs where the primary care physicians (PCPs) were exclusively doctors of chiropractic. The research, led by Richard Sarnat, MD, not only compared costs but also looked at patient satisfaction.
The results showed that over a seven year period, patients who utilized chiropractors and other CAM-oriented primary care physicians had a 60.2% decrease in-hospital admissions, 59.0% decrease in hospital days, 62.0% less outpatient surgeries and procedures, and an 85% decrease in pharmaceutical costs when compared with the total network HMO utilization rates and costs where medical physicians were the primary physicians.
Coauthor James Winterstein, DC commented on the results by saying, "Our most recent analysis supports earlier findings that patients visiting CAM (Complimentary and Alternative Medicine)-orientated primary care physicians (PCP) -- primarily chiropractors -- experienced fewer hospitalizations, underwent fewer surgeries and used considerably fewer pharmaceuticals than HMO patients who received traditional medical care."
In addition to costs savings those enrollees who utilized chiropractic consistently reported a higher satisfaction rating with their HMO than those who did not have chiropractic. The study showed that the rates of patient satisfaction ranged between 89% and 100% and that patients consistently rated their experiences more positively than did members enrolled within the HMO`s offering only conventional medical care.
Dr. Winterstein summed up the results and their impact by stating, "This study confirms that integration of allopathic, chiropractic and other complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers can positively impact patient quality of care while limiting overall costs. This approach to patient care has great potential to improve the U.S. healthcare system."

Over the Counter Drug Use A Concern

The above headline appeared in a May 3, 2007 article from the online BBC News. The article is an article based on a letter in the May 5, 2007 issue of the prestigious British Medical Journal (BMJ). The BBC article starts off with an ominous warning, "The dangers of becoming addicted to over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are going unrecognized, doctors warn."
This article raises many questions regarding a growing problem and the lack of study done in this area. Dr. Chris Ford, one of the authors of the BMJ paper starts off by noting, "The development of dependency on over the counter (OTC) drugs is often forgotten." He also notes in his letter the lack of serious research into this growing serious issue. Dr. Ford writes, "A Medline search found no research into addiction to OTC drug dependence in the UK. Numerous websites are, however, documenting cases of addiction and offering support to those people trying to withdraw from these drugs."
In the BBC article, Dr. Ford restated his concern that this growing problem is going undetected. He states, "But our anxiety is that it`s a problem which is not being picked up by the public or doctors, and that we`re just seeing the tip of the iceberg." Dr. Ford continued, "But we have no idea how big the problem is because there has been no research to quantify it."
Several representatives of the drug companies who supply some of the OTC drugs questioned in the article state that these drugs come with warnings that if followed do not lead to addition.
The authors of the BMJ letter, Drs. Chris Ford and Beth Good are asking for more in-depth studies into this problem. In their paper they call for large scale research to assess and monitor the extent of the problem.

Good Enough for The Yankees is Good enough for you!!!

This week in baseball the news is that New York Yankee outfielder Johnny Damon used his day off to travel to his Chiropractor in Orlando, Fla. Damon has used his Chiropractor for his entire career which has helped him to stay off of the disabled list (As of this writing Johnny has never been placed on the DL in 12 years of Major league service. Truely amazing!!!!


The truth is most professional athletes use Chiropractic care as part of their healthcare. An athletes body is their "tool of the trade", so they choose modes of care that not only minimize symptoms, but maximize performance.

Join Tiger Woods, Emmitt Smith, Lance Armstrong, and the thousands of other athletes who utilize Xhiropractic for better health!!!

Chiropractic Cuts Blood Pressure

This study was published recently on WebMD. It illustrates the link b/t the nervous system and the body's overall health. I can't wait to see the follow-up studies on a greater scale.

Chiropractic Cuts Blood Pressure

Study Finds Special 'Atlas Adjustment' Lowers Blood Pressure
By Daniel J. DeNoon WebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
March 16, 2007 -- A special chiropractic adjustment can significantly lower high blood pressure, a placebo-controlled study suggests.

"This procedure has the effect of not one, but two blood-pressure medications given in combination," study leader George Bakris, MD, tells WebMD. "And it seems to be adverse-event free. We saw no side effects and no problems," adds Bakris, director of the University of Chicago hypertension center.
Eight weeks after undergoing the procedure, 25 patients with early-stage high blood pressure had significantly lower blood pressure than 25 similar patients who underwent a sham chiropractic adjustment. Because patients can't feel the technique, they were unable to tell which group they were in.
X-rays showed that the procedure realigned the Atlas vertebra -- the doughnut-like bone at the very top of the spine -- with the spine in the treated patients, but not in the sham-treated patients.
Compared to the sham-treated patients, those who got the real procedure saw an average 14 mm Hg greater drop in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure count), and an average 8 mm Hg greater drop in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom blood pressure number).

None of the patients took blood pressure medicine during the eight-week study.

"When the statistician brought me the data, I actually didn't believe it. It was way too good to be true," Bakris says. "The statistician said, 'I don't even believe it.' But we checked for everything, and there it was."
Bakris and colleagues report their findings in the advance online issue of the Journal of Human Hypertension.

Atlas Adjustment and Hypertension

The procedure calls for adjustment of the C-1 vertebra. It's called the Atlas vertebra because it holds up the head, just as the titan Atlas holds up the world in Greek mythology.
Marshall Dickholtz Sr., DC, of the Chiropractic Health Center, in Chicago, is the 84-year-old chiropractor who performed all the procedures in the study. He calls the Atlas vertebra "the fuse box to the body."
"At the base of the brain are two centers that control all the muscles of the body. If you pinch the base of the brain -- if the Atlas gets locked in a position as little as a half a millimeter out of line -- it doesn't cause any pain but it upsets these centers," Dickholtz tells WebMD.

The subtle adjustment is practiced by the very small subgroup of chiropractors certified in National Upper Cervical Chiropractic (NUCCA) techniques. The procedure employs precise measurements to determine a patient's Atlas vertebra alignment. If realignment is deemed necessary, the chiropractor uses his or her hands to gently manipulate the vertebra.
"We are not doctors. We are spinal engineers," Dickholtz says. "We use mathematics, geometry, and physics to learn how to slide everything back into place."
What does this have to do with high blood pressure?
Bakris notes that some researchers have suggested that injury to the Atlas vertebra can affect blood flow in the arteries at the base of the skull. Dickholtz thinks the misaligned Atlas triggers release of signals that make the arteries contract. Whether the procedure actually fixes such injuries is unknown, Bakris says.
Bakris began the study after a fellow doctor told him that something strange was happening in his family practice. The doctor had been sending some of his patients to a chiropractor. Some of these patients had high blood pressure.

Yet after seeing the chiropractor, the patients' blood pressure had normalized -- and a few of them were able to stop taking their blood pressure medications.
So Bakris, then at Rush University, designed the pilot study with 50 patients. He's now organizing a much bigger clinical trial.

"Is it going to be for everybody with high blood pressure? No," Bakris says. "We clearly need to identify those who can benefit. It is pretty clear that some kind of head or neck trauma early in life is related to this. This is really a work in progress. It is certainly in the early stages of research."
Dickholtz has been teaching, practicing, and studying the NUCCA technique for 50 years. He says high blood pressure is far from the only thing an Atlas misalignment causes.
"On the other hand, if people have high blood pressure, there is a tremendous possibility they need an Atlas adjustment," he says.

Advantages of Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy

Dr. C's comments: The following is an article from a chiropractic website (www.planetc1.com). The author (credited at the bottom) does a wonderful job of illustrating the importance of chiropractic during pregnancy. Enjoy...

Pregnancy and Chiropractic
By Martha Collins, D.C.

As I write this today, two of our beautiful practice members are awaiting the arrival of new additions to their families. Adjusting women through pregnancy is one of the most rewarding parts of our work, because a healthier pregnancy means an easier labor and delivery, and a better transition for the baby into this life. On Monday night at our workshop, a young woman told the story of the traumatic birth of her son, and the subsequent eight years of poor health he has suffered as a result. She was unaware that Chiropractic care through pregnancy would have given him a better start, and angry that she didn't know this prior to her son's conception. I promised her I'd get the word out. This article is dedicated to her and her son with the intent that this information will prevent another mother and child years of heartbreak. Chiropractic care through pregnancy is not only safe, it is essential. We can look at the implications of subluxation from a bio mechanical, hormonal and neurological standpoint. It is easy for all of us to see postural changes through pregnancy-the centre of gravity changes, the weight of the baby places increased pressure on the spine and pelvis, and towards the end of the pregnancy, changes are seen in gait pattern-the "waddle." What we can't see, are the millions of different hormonal changes and chemical reactions occurring both in the mother and the developing baby--all of which are controlled and coordinated through the nervous system.

Adjustments result in easier pregnancy, significantly decreased mean labor time, and assists new mothers back to prepartum health. In one study, women receiving Chiropractic care through their first pregnancy had 24% shorter labor times than the group not receiving Chiropractic, and multiparous subjects reported 39% shorter labor times. Thirty-nine percent-that's a massive difference. In addition, 84% of women report relief of back pain during pregnancy with Chiropractic care. Because the sacroiliac joints of the pelvis function better, there is significant less likelihood of back labor when receiving Chiropractic care through pregnancy.Body position during delivery is also critical. Any late second stage labor position that denies postural sacral rotation denies the mother and the baby critical pelvic outlet diameter and jams the tip of the sacrum up to 4cm into the pelvic outlet. In other words, the popular semi-recumbent position places the laboring woman on her back onto the apex of the sacrum, which closes off the vital space needed for the baby to get through the pelvic outlet. This delivery position is the main reason why so many births are traumatic-labor is stalled, the mom becomes fatigued and overwhelmed by pain, so the utilization of epidurals, forceps, episiotomy, vacuum extraction and cesarean increases. Just consider the analogy my husband uses-how hard would it be to have a bowel movement while lying on your back? You're right, very hard, and it may not happen. This is why squatting is the preferred position-gravity works to help and the pelvic outlet can open to a greater degree. Squatting during delivery results in decreased use of forceps and a shorter second stage of labor than the semi-recumbent position.Greater complications during delivery result in greater neurological insult to the newborn due to injury to the head and neck. Even after vaginal births, 4.6% of term neonates suffer unexplained brain bleeds and 10% suffer neonatal encephalopathy. Because so many children had been injured with forceps deliveries, (facial nerve palsy, tearing of cervical spine musculature) vacuum extraction was developed. Suction cups are placed on the newborn's head, and the baby is literally sucked out of the mother.When utilized, 120 pounds of pressure goes through the baby's head and neck. Decapitation occurs at 140 pounds of pressure, to give you an idea of the high forces involved. Remember when you were a little girl or boy and there was a new baby you were being introduced to? Our parents always said, "Watch his head-you don't want to hurt him." We're careful because the fontanel's of the skull are so pliable, and the neck and brain are fragile and unprotected. This is why so many babies sustain injuries to their heads and neck during vacuum extraction-the force is far greater than their little bodies can tolerate. Adjustments to newborns contain only ounces of force. But that force is directed into the spine to facilitate health and remove subluxations. We adjust babies as soon after birth as possible, to alleviate subluxations caused by in-utero constraint and the journey down through the birth canal. There has been a lot in the media lately about children not needing Chiropractic care, but there is no better way to get a head start in life. As you all know, Chiropractic care is not a cure for anything-it is a system of wellness to help us be who we're supposed to be. It is not a cure for ear infections, for colic, for allergies, for asthma, for frequent colds, nor for ADD/ADHD.When we listen to mothers' stories of their pregnancy, labor and delivery, the children who suffer the most from the above complaints, are the ones who've had the greatest trouble with their births. Even relatively easy deliveries can result in subluxations. That's why every child should be checked, before problems with their health even develop. That's preventive care in the truest sense-preventing subluxations in mothers to prevent subluxations in their babies during childbirth. This is why every woman needs Chiropractic through pregnancy-so that the arrival of their baby is a "wonderful experience", as one of my patients told me last week, after her son was born.

- - - - - - - - - - - -Dr. Martha Collins is a Family Chiropractor practicing in Kingston, Ontario with her husband Dr. Carl Weber. She is committed to spreading the message of Chiropractic around the world so we can all lead healthier, happier lives.

Welcome To the Rhino Chiro Center Blog page!!!

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Here you will find great articles on Chiropractic and health, happenings in the office, links to great services and webites to check out, AND much, much more....

Dr. C