Head Injury or Concussion

You ever rung your bell or hit your head hard. Well you may have a concussion or MTBI, mild traumatic brain injury. It is an awakening experience for some or a unconcious experience for others. Last time it happened to me I fell on a bike and woke up in the ER 2 hours later. Headaches, Foggy mental state, inability to focus, and fatigue. Thank god for helmets, it could have been worse. The impact of your skull hitting something creates a wall for your brain to slam into since your brain has no brakes.

You ever stop fast in your car and all the stuff on your front seat goes into the dash and onto the floor? Crash, it’s like that. This causes a bruise on your brain that creates a lot of the problems like headache, mental haze, etc. This also creates jamming of the joints in the skull called cranial sutures as well as jamming of the joints in the neck. Grading systems were used to determine how bad it is based upon symptoms, amount of time person is unconsciousness, or length of amnesia, but not anymore.  There is disagreement as to which symptoms are associated with which grade since concussions are a unique experience for each person and the severity and type of symptoms can vary, probably depending on where the contact injury occurs in the brain and on the skull.

So, what do you do once you get a concussion. Get back in there! No thanks coach, I would rather be functional in society in my future. Hopefully, there is a trained individual that understands the signs and symptoms of a serious problem. If you see someone get a good bang on the head, you need to watch their movement and coordination. Are they staggering, are they maintaining their balance. If not get medical attention. Another assessment tool is the brain injury/mental status questions: Do you know where you are? Do you know who the president is. Do you know your name? etc. If the injured person doesn’t know the answers get medical attention quickly. In my case I got back on my bike after my crash and continued to ride down the road with my group of friends until all of my friends turned to go back to the car and I went straight. When one of my friends caught up with me he asked me those questions and I didn’t know any of the answers, not even where I was or what my name was, but I was able to ride my bike down a busy road and stay to the side, SCARY. Not sure where I would have ended up if I wasn’t stopped by my friend. The point being I was totally functional physically, but not mentally until 2 hours later.

The problem with concussions is they are progressive and the more concussions you get the easier you can get knocked out and the more serious symptoms you can have. So, if you get a good hit on the head take it easy if you are aware and if you are not aware hopefully someone will be near who understands what just happened to you and will help you by assessing you properly and get medical attention. Chiropractic adjustment helped me a lot and made the pain resolve faster. Time is what was needed most. It’s a tissue injury and it takes time to heal or get better. Good Luck! and keep the rubber on the road.

Weekend Warrior

How many times have you been told to not do too much on the weekend? But there is more time to do stuff. You will pay for it on Monday. That’s what I say to myself. Thank god I am a chiropractor and have friends to fix me on Monday morning. It is always easy to say I will ramp up my running mileage or I will work on the yard in stages, but I end up throwing in a  long run or doing all the yard work in one day only to pay for it with muscle soreness and pain. I hate to take an anti-inflammatory too , but sometime you need to work or sleep for that matter and sometimes pain will put an end to that. The best tricks I know how to deal with muscle soreness are #1 Drink fluids and electrolytes (gatorade, etc.) all day and afterward#2 Take a hot bath with a cup of rock salt in it afterward to help pull out the lactic acid or the toxins or whatever is making the muscles sore. #3 Get your body moving properly via chiropractic, yoga, stretching du jour. #4 Don’t forget your protein to help rebuild the muscles, so eat some. and#5 build up if you can and don’t do it all in one day. Enjoy!

Health by Coconut Oil

Have you ever felt the health from the food you eat. Sometimes you don’t feel the positive benefit unless you have experienced the absence of health.  I have been using olive oil to cook for years, never knowing the harm I was doing to my circulatory system. Over the years and slow progression of chest tension, I thought it was a normal sensation until I switched to cooking my morning eggs in coconut oil. There was a noticeable change of less chest discomfort after a few days of using coconut oil. I’ve always been concerned with my cholesterol levels, but not willing to take statin drugs to control it. Dietary changes and liver cleanses have always kept my levels in the normal range on my chem panel blood labs. Here is some research to show coconut oil is beneficial for your cholesterol levels:

Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2011;20(2):190-5.

Coconut oil is associated with a beneficial lipid profile in pre-menopausal women in the Philippines.

Feranil AB, Duazo PL, Kuzawa CW, Adair LS.

Source

The USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation, University of San Carlos, Talamban, Cebu City, Philippines 6000. alanferanil_2000@yahoo.com

Abstract

Coconut oil is a common edible oil in many countries, and there is mixed evidence for its effects on lipid profiles and cardiovascular disease risk. Here we examine the association between coconut oil consumption and lipid profiles in a cohort of 1,839 Filipino women (age 35-69 years) participating in the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey, a community based study in Metropolitan Cebu. Coconut oil intake was estimated using the mean of two 24-hour dietary recalls (9.5±8.9 grams). Lipid profiles were measured in morning plasma samples collected after an overnight fast. Linear regression models were used to estimate the association between coconut oil intake and each plasma lipid outcome after adjusting for total energy intake, age, body mass index (BMI), number of pregnancies, education, menopausal status, household assets and urban residency. Dietary coconut oil intake was positively associated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol especially among pre-menopausal women, suggesting that coconut oil intake is associated with beneficial lipid profiles. Coconut oil consumption was not significantly associated with low density lipoprotein cholesterol or triglyceride values. The relationship of coconut oil to cholesterol profiles needs further study in populations in which coconut oil consumption is common.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE:

There has also been some interesting research and case studies regarding the benefits of coconut oil for Alzheimer’s patients. I’ll let the youtube video tell you about Dr. Newport’s work:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iScs0uzQZFk

Here is some more information and some links for coconut oil products:

ORDER COCONUT OIL HERE:

http://astore.amazon.com/creathealtchi-20

Enjoy! I hope you benefit from the health charge I get from this incredible natural substance.

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Broken Leg

Healing from a broken leg is quite a process. Just ask my son who fractured his tibia skiing this year. Besides the pain, casts, splints, atrophy, learning to walk again, and dad shoving calcium down his throat, it was quite an experience. He learned that he his not invincible and that healing takes time. He also learned that spinal adjustments help his low-back and leg feel stronger. It is amazing to me when an orthopedic doctor just cuts someone loose without any recommendation for chiropractic or physical therapy after a leg fracture. Walking around on a cast for ten weeks really torques your back. Restoring the function of your spine really helps the recovery process. Having a balanced spine and pelvis helps all the muscles function correctly, so there is less to overcome during recovery. My advice, if you know of anyone recovering from an arm or leg fracture, get them to see a chiropractor. It will make the difference in their recovery. There are many low-force techniques that are safe to receive during recovery from a fracture. Get an evaluation within a week after cast removal to determine the balance of your spine and pelvis.  Heal Fast! Keep the rubber on the road and boards on the snow too.

Movement and Function

How many times a day do you check in with your body and make sure it’s functioning correctly? I wish we had a check engine light, but we don’t.  I do range of motion exercises daily to feel if I am tight or restricted. Do it! It’s easy. wake up in the morning and turn your head left as far as it can go and turn your head right as far as it can go. What do you feel? Tight on one side? Painful? Another one is to cross your arms in front of you at shoulder level and turn right and left as far as you can go. So, same thing do you feel pain or discomfort. If you do then you are restricted. Get to your chiropractor for an adjustment.

Decreased Function = Increased discomfort over time.

Check your body daily and see a chiropractor! It’s a lifesaver!

My Favorite Excuse

The worst six words in healthcare: “I thought it would go away.” How often do we have a health concern and  hope that it will go away soon. Sometimes it does. What if it doesn’t?  Do you finally drag yourself to the doctor? Yeah, men are worse than women with this. What kind of things do you look for.

1. The worst is airway constriction or anything that keeps you from breathing.

2. Changes in circulation. Anything turning blue?

3. Pain that has no incident or came on for no reason.

4. Pain that is getting worse and is constant.

5. Numbness or pain that causes loss of bodily functions

6. Temperature increasing of course

7. Do you have regular bowel movements? Does it hurt to go to the bathroom?

Well these are just a few alarms. Add some in the comments if you like. Take care of yourself. Listen to your body and know when to go to the doctor.

Ear Infection

Ear Anatomy

Have you ever had an ice pick stuck in your ear. That’s what an ear infection can feel like. For a child it can mean sleepless nights, fever, and lots of pain and discomfort. My son, who is three and a half, had a fever of 102F for about a day. We had tried every over the counter treatment available as well as Activator Chiropractic adjustments. Each different treatment would lower my son’s fever for a few hours, but it would come back. We took him to his pediatrician who was not available and we were seen by a PA, physicians assistant, she told us that he must go on antibiotics or it would just get worse. Well after one manual chiropractic adjustment of his C1- C2 neck region. His fever dropped and his ears popped. That’s what I call efficient. So, remember antibiotics are not always the answer.

Harmony and Balance

Are you bombarded by distractions? Or is it, distractions are bombarding you. I like the passive myself. It is hard to stay out of a constant scan or search mode. Phone calls, junk mail, e-mail, etc. are constantly vying for attention. Focus leads to a peaceful state when you just block out the chatter. What are the best focuses? Meditation is the best, but reading can be a great focus too. Movies and even work can give you that focus you need to overcome the exponential increase of distractions. Sometimes you need to create your own bombardment though. I like to listen to music on my ipod, watch tv, and read the paper at the same time. It drives the people around me crazy. At least I’m not bored. That’s how I control the ADD. Other people focus by training or rock climbing. Nothing helps you focus more than pain or the probability extreme pain. I think it all comes down to finding something to feel or see or hear that is beautiful or interesting, so you don’t get bored because if you don’t focus, distractions will focus your attention for you.

Chiropractic and Blood Pressure

A recent study has just shown how a specific chiropractic treatment can help reduce blood pressure. WebMD did a great article on it.

Click to access WebMD.pdf

You can also view the Good Morning America, GMA, clip on youtube.com.

The specific type of chiropractic treatment that was used in this study is called NUCCA. NUCCA stands for National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association. This treatment specifically addresses the top vertebra in the neck, which is called C1 or the first cervical vertebra, and is positioned at the base of the skull. X-rays are used to determine the exact position of C1 and where the best position of C1 should be to balance the head over the body. There are many nerves, especially the end of the brain stem and start of the spinal cord, as well as many blood vessels passing through C1. The idea is when the C1 area is balanced, the blood flow and nerve pathways through and around C1 are optimized and working properly. Chiropractors call this being at ease. This ease or relaxed state allows the nerve signals or messages and blood flow to get to the brain without interference. The body needs a certain amount of blood pressure in the blood vessels of the body and especially in the blood vessels of the brain in order to get nutrients and oxygen to cells. The brain has sensors throughout the body to make sure the brain and body get what they need through the blood flow of the body. If the body is not getting enough oxygen to the brain, then there are processes in the body that can increase the blood pressure so the brain can get what it needs. The problem being a blood vessel only has so much strength and if your blood pressure gets too high, worst case scenario, a blood vessel can burst. If a burst vessel happens in the brain it is called a stroke. If the C1 is in the wrong position and causing pressure in the base of the skull, the brain must raise the blood pressure to get what it needs. When the C1 is in the right position, the blood pressure doesn’t need to be as high to get nutrients and oxygen to the brain.
So, don’t throw out your blood pressure medications just yet. People who are on blood pressure medications need to be taken off of them slowly and a person’s blood pressure must be monitored consistently to make sure the blood pressure stays in the normal range. Changes in the body take time and may need a period of transition to stabilize.

This is a great study to show how chiropractic can influence many aspects of health. I saw a great chiropractic shirt the other day saying,”Health – now available without a prescription.” Chiropractic and Blood Pressure, great job NUCCA.

Taking out the Trash!

Have you ever detoxified your body? It’s not fun, but you feel better afterward. Generally, the body will detoxify itself eventually. Kind of like having a hangover the day after drinking. Eventually you feel better. There are many types of toxins though. The problem is the body can’t get rid of them all and most of the time there is an accumulation or backlog of toxins in everyone. So, to help with the process there are many different methods. There is the clean each organ method, ie. colon, liver, kidneys. This method is the least expensive, but it can take a lot of time and effort. There are herbal recipes to clean out each organ. The idea is to clean from the outside in so, colon, liver, kidneys, in that order. Another consideration is timing. Sometimes cleansing slowly is the best method. Too fast can make you feel ill, like the hangover thing. The next method is fasting. No eating or just drinking juice for 5 to 10 days. This method is the most challenging. When was the last time you missed a meal? The idea is that if the body is not processing your food then it is cleaning house. From what I’ve read, it takes at least 72 hours to get to the point where your body is starting to process the wastes that have accumalated in the body, in other words,”taking out the trash.” You can also get help from a therapist. Colon Hydrotherapy treatments along with a soft food diet including colon cleansing drinks can detoxify you in as little as 10 days, but it can cost $1000. If you have silver amalgam fillings in your teeth, your body likely has an accumulation of mercury or heavy metals in the cells of your body. To detoxify heavy metals you need to bring out the power tools, just kidding. It does require some more extensive treatment though. Chelation is one method of detoxifying heavy metals. Contact your closest natural medical doctor for this one, an HMD or OMD possibly. If you want to make a go at it yourself, there is a company called Kelatox that has a great product. It takes at least 30 chelation treatments or at least 90 days of the Kelatox product to eliminate heavy metals from your body. Good luck! Taking out the trash can bring about more energy and clarity into your life. It takes some time but, you won’t be sorry.