Montel Williams Praises Chiropractic
During the episode of The Montel Williams Show that aired December 18, 2007, award winning talk show host Montel Williams explained how he was suffering from severe pain and how his chiropractic visits got him back on track. Below is an excerpt of Montel discussing his experience with chiropractic care:

“I’m not certain because I haven’t done the scientific research on it to know if this can work for everybody else out there, but I want to tell you I suffer from MS (multiple sclerosis). I have extreme neuralgic pain in the lower extremities. I’m in pain 24 hours a day seven days a week 365 days a year, and then I go to see this doctor… I’ve had pain in my feet. I’ve struggled with my balance. So Dr. Erica sent me to see a man (Dr. Patrick Kerr, New York chiropractor) who I will tell you now, 12 days ago, and there’s not a person that knows me who will not confirm this, if you just ask them, everybody who sees me, I am walking differently. My pain is less. I have already regained strength in my left leg. My left leg has dropped because I found out that my pelvis was tilted, it’s dropped back down, they are now the same length. It’s the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me.”

Exercise Is The Fountain of Youth
According to new research, those who exercise compared with those who do not are biologically younger by up to 9 years. In the study of 2,401 twins, researchers examined their DNA as well as exercise activities. They found those exercising vigorously 3 hours each week compared with those who exercised less than 15 minutes were biologically 9 years younger. Those who exercised moderately for 1.5 hours each week were biologically 4 years younger. According to the researchers, exercise lowers the risk of a range of problems such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Researchers are still unclear as to why exercise has these positive effects on the body but believe it somehow may prevent oxidative stress which damages and kills cells of the body.

Chiropractic Does Not Increase Risk of Stroke
Over the past many years, there have been a small number of claims made against chiropractors by those hoping to cause damage to the profession for various reasons, many being personal and unethical reasons. Some of these claims have stated that chiropractic care can cause certain individuals to suffer from a stroke after receiving chiropractic treatment. While simply getting up in the morning and walking outside for the morning paper has its associated risks, new research now clearly indicates that chiropractic does not increase risk of stroke, much to the dismay of chiropractic opponents. Below is a press release from our friends at the American Chiropractic Association:

A new study finds there is no evidence of excess risk of stroke following chiropractic spinal manipulation, according to a February 2008 report in the journal Spine.  In the study, researchers noted that patients are no more likely to suffer a stroke following chiropractic treatment than they would after visiting their family doctor’s office.

The study goes on to say that any observed association between a vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) stroke and chiropractic manipulation is likely due to patients with an undiagnosed vertebral artery dissection seeking care for neck pain and headache before their stroke.

“This may prove to be one of the most important and significant studies in the profession’s history,” said ACA President Glenn Manceaux, DC. “The results of this study confirm that chiropractic manipulation is a safe and appropriate course of treatment.”

The issue of stroke being associated with a chiropractic neck adjustment focuses around the very rare occurrence of a tear to the vertebral artery as it passes through the sides of the upper cervical vertebrae and into the base of the skull. An injury to the arterial wall may lead to formation of a blood clot, which can break free and travel upward until it lodges in one of the smaller blood vessels in the base of the brain, blocking circulation.

There are many reports in the literature of cervical artery dissections (CADs) occurring after everyday activities that most people would consider non-traumatic, such as turning the head when driving, having your hair washed at a beauty salon, or sleeping on your stomach.

A research paper published in 2001 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found there is only a one-in-5.85-million risk that a chiropractic neck adjustment will be associated with a subsequent CAD and stroke.

In this new study, the Canadian team looked at nine years of data in Ontario, and found that only 818 patients with a VBA stroke were reported among a population of some 11.5 million people. Unlike a previous study in 2001 that investigated the relationship between chiropractic visits and vertebral artery stroke, researchers in this study also studied visits to family doctors that preceded this kind of stroke.

According to the study’s authors, “Because the association between chiropractic visits and VBA stroke is not greater than the association between PCP visits and VBA stroke, there is no excess risk of VBA stroke from chiropractic care.”

Stroke Warning Signs

While there are no standard screening procedures to indentify patients with neck pain who are also at risk of a VBA stroke, health care providers should be aware of the following stroke warning:

• Sudden difficulty speaking (slurred speech) understanding what people are saying
• Sudden onset of confusion or altered mental status, such as loss of consciousness, or recognizing people who should be familiar
• Sudden numbness or tingling on one side the face or body, or both
• Sudden onset of dizziness or unsteadiness, loss of balance or coordination, or both
• Sudden difficulty walking or standing upright
• Sudden severe headache
• Sudden severe unexplained upper-neck pain
• Sudden trouble with vision or sight

 

Four Healthy Habits That Add 14 Years To Your Life
In a study involving more than 20,000 men and woman with an average 11 year follow-up evaluation, researchers were able to identify 4 healthy habits that can potentially add an average of 14 years to one’s life. Put another way, those practicing the 4 healthy habits as compared to those not practicing any of the 4 healthy habits will live, on average, 14 years longer. The 4 healthy habits are (1) Don’t smoke, or, quit smoking, (2) Eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables daily, (3) Exercise, and (4) Drink in moderation. According to researcher findings, the most important healthy habit to practice was to stop smoking followed by eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

Be Happy… Be Healthy
New research indicates that those who lead a happier lifestyle also appear to be healthier. In a recent study of nearly 3,000 adults, British researchers found those who reported being happier had lower levels of the hormone cortisol, also known as the “stress” hormone. Since higher levels of cortisol increase blood pressure, lower immune function and can even increase adominal fat deposits, keeping cortisol levels low is optimal for ones health. Thus, those under psychological stress at work and at home will experience elevated cortisol levels which in turn can adversely affect their cardiovascular and immune health as well as contribute to obesity. Aside from exercising and eating right, it also appears leading an overall “happy” lifestyle is important for maintaining one’s health.

Dieting Losing Its Popularity
A marketing research firm has found Americans are choosing to consume a more healthy, sustainable diet rather than opting for a temporary short-term diet that may not be sustainable over the long-term. According to findings, 29 percent of women and 19 percent of men are currently on diets. Ten years ago, the numbers were 35 percent and 23 percent, respectively. While 8 out of 10 dieters stated their goals were to both lose weight and improve health, approximately 7 out of 10 dieters stated improving their health was the primary reason they initiated dieting. If you plan on doing your body good, do what more and more others are doing - follow a sustainable healthy diet that can be maintained for the long-term.

 

Moderate Alcohol Consumption May Be Healthy

While it’s clear that drinking alcohol during pregnancy, while driving a vehicle and while participating in many other activities is clearly unhealthy, moderate alcohol consumption in a responsible manner may provide a significant health benefit. According to Danish researchers, “the medical and scientific literature shows that moderate drinking (1–2 drinks/day for women and 2–4 drinks/day for men) is associated with a better life expectancy in the general population as well as in patients with established coronary heart disease.” Other major studies have also found light to moderate alcohol consumption (1 to 2 drinks per day) can lower the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. In this study, researchers found non-drinkers had a 30 percent higher risk of heart disease compared to moderate drinkers, regardless of the amount of exercise they undertook. It should be noted, those with the lowest risk of dying from any cause were physically active, moderate drinkers while those at highest risk were physically inactive, heavy drinkers.