Blog Posts

Toilet water or ice cubes...... which one is dirtier??

1/28/2016

In honor of the New Year this month’s newsletter is dedicated to the art of eating healthy. That’s because we are all doing our very best to achieve this right? R-I-G-H-T!? (well, I guess it’s more dedicated to the art of eating fast…….fast food).
If you read my newsletter you know I like to keep things light while giving you pertinent information. So, instead of telling you all the ways for you to eat healthy, this month I am going to give you the top 5 “Dirty Secrets” that the fast food industry does not want you to know. Here we go!

1. Fast food is purposely made to be eaten FAST! This may seem like one of those “well duh,” statements. But the reason may differ from what you think. It takes a full 20 minutes for your brain to get the signal from your stomach that you are full. This is called the Satiation Reflex. A recent study in the Journal for Pediatric Obesity studied children (12 year olds) and their eating habits. One group swallowed at 30 second intervals while the other group swallowed at their normal speed. The results were astonishing. The group who swallowed at 30 second increments lead to weight loss between 2 and 5.7% over a 6 month period. Those children who continued at their normal eating speed gained 8.2% over the same period! According to the researchers, eating slowly leads to weight loss because it gives the brain time to process and determine whether the body is full before taking another bite.
***Thinner people actually take 20% more bites before swallowing their food than heavier people***

2. Your ice cubes are made from toilet water. Not exactly, but they might as well be. It may very well be cleaner. In 2006 Jasmine Roberts (then 12) performed a study that found that 70% (70%!!!) of the time, the water from the ice bin in fast food restaurants was dirtier than the water from the toilet in the same place. Often contaminated with e-coli. Dasani ice cubes anyone?

3-Twice the size…Twice the calories-With the increased size of food comes the increased caloric size as well. We take in over twice as many calories from restaurant food than we did in the 80’s. French fries of today pack a whopping 190% more calories than they did just 30 years ago. Why? Most of it is size. Researchers have found that most of us will choose the middle size, (it’s like Goldilocks…..it’s just right) So, if most of us will flatly choose the middle option without much thought, why not just increase the size of that option and charge more for it. That’s exactly what they have done.

***Our medium is actually bigger than the Japanese large***

4-Would you like some AJAX with your Hamburger? Several chemicals normally associated with household cleaning products are added to much of the fast food meat to ensure it kills off things like e. coli. I’m pretty sure it is killing off most of the nutrition as well.

5-Happy Meals age like fine wine - So what do all those preservatives do to the fast food? Sally Davies answers that question for us. Please go check it out for yourself. Scan down through the pics…………TEASER…….The last picture is on day 2,193 and counting (That’s 6 years people!!!)
http://tinyurl.com/h74kj7b

Want some "healthy" fast food choices? Panera Bread, Jason's Deli, and Fresh To Order are three places where the food is prepared fresh and the ingredients are fresh as well. You can obviously make poor choices at these establishments, but they also give you the option to choose healthy lite fare. As usual, thank you for reading. Several of my past newsletters have centered on nutrition. Whether it was about fast food or soda, or about the gluten controversy nutrition is such an integral part of our overall wellbeing. There is so much information out there, much of it either confusing, contradictory, or just plain garbage. Please, if you have any questions at all don’t hesitate to contact me. That’s what I’m here for. If I do not have the answers I will put you in touch with someone who does.
As always, you can reach me at drwiskind@vitalitysportschiropractic.com
Yours in health,
Dr. Wiskind

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To flu or not to flu, that is the question!

12/15/2015

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Flu season is upon us (does it ever leave?)! With that, I wanted to give you some up to date information on Mr. Flu shot before you head out and get the injection. This information is in no way a maneuver to sway you from your current position. I am not here to change your mind or to tell you whether you and your family should or should not get the flu vaccine. That is a personal decision for you and your family to make. I know you’re asking yourself………………WELL COME ON, DO YOU OR DON’T YOU? I do not get the Flu vaccine, nor do my kids. My wife and I make our decision on a year by year basis. Have our children received other vaccinations?..............Yes (intriguing), but that is a newsletter for another day ☺.

Top 10 things you should know about the Flu and its vaccination.

Up to 50,000 people a year die from the Flu. On average that is more than Ebola!
A flu shot does sorta, kinda, in a roundaboutish way give you the flu. Vaccines, like the flu shot contain a teensy eensy amount of killed or weakened flu strains that are handpicked as the ones (often they are wrong) that will be common for the year. This causes your body to make antibodies that will fight off the germs next time you’re exposed.
If you are going to get the flu shot, get it early in the season…….like now! It takes a full two weeks for protection to kick in (That means you can still get the flu within that two week period).
You can feel flu-ish after getting a flu shot! Don’t let them tell you different. You can or may experience flu-like symptoms after the shot – achiness, or tenderness are common and some people who get the nasal spray version report a sore throat or stuffy nose.
Take extra precautions if you have egg allergies. The antibodies in the standard flu shot are made using a virus grown in eggs. Non egg versions are available, just ask.
Ever wonder how they make the flu shot? Well here ya go. The flu shot begins its life every year in February. This is the month that popular strains of the flu virus are collected. The viruses are injected into millions of fertilized eggs, and allowed to incubate and grow. The infected fluid (never said it was pretty) is harvested, purified, and tested for safety before coming to a CVS near you.
7.Only about 20% of “flus” are actually caused by the two main influenza strains included in the flu vaccine. What does that mean? It means that there are roughly 200 bugs floating in the stratosphere that can make you sick – of which the flu shot is helpless against.
8.Any small genetic changes can make a flu strain JUST different enough that your body doesn’t recognize it from the vaccine. BUMMER. This is what happened last year when there was very little protection. CDC feels this year will be different (I’m not sure what else they are supposed to say………we blew it last year and expect the same this year??)
9.Not showing any symptoms? Don’t’ feel sick? You can spread the flu anyway. Being infected won’t always cause symptoms like sneezing, coughing, and running a fever.
10.Here’s an interesting one……Skipping a year might be preferable? Weirdly, some research shows that getting a flu shot two years in a row actually decreases vaccine effectiveness.

There you have it. The quick 101 on our friend the flu vaccine. Whether you decide to get one or not, your best course of action is prevention. Wash your hands…OFTEN! Did you know that public handrail you just grabbed? It’s dirtier than a toilet and is like shaking hands with 10,000 people (I hear the fist bump is making a strong return). Hmmmmm…where have all their hands been?! One can’t even imagine.

At that this time of year I hope all of you have a safe and happy holiday. Please know that it is an honor for me to work with each and everyone of you, and I wish you nothing but the best during the holiday (the rest of the year too) season.

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I’ll sit on a soda and drink a sofa. It’s just healthier

11/5/2015

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"I’ll sit on a soda and drink a sofa. It’s just healthier."

Americans consume more soda than any other country. No only do we drink more soda than anyone else, we also consume soda more than any other beverage available to us (yes even water). Americans consume nearly 55 gallons of soda per person per year!!
In weight that's nearly 450 pounds of soda!!!

This month's newsletter is dedicated to that fizzy bubbly drink that everyone loves so much.

The North American President of Coca-Cola was once quoted saying this......“There is no scientific evidence that connects sugary beverages to obesity.”

C-R-A-Z-Y.......I think that most of us would disagree with her assumption. But, in case you might be wondering what the real effects of soda are on your system, let’s take a look at some interesting facts and what actually happens to your body when you chug down that refreshing soda.

-Sugary drinks (yes soda counts) are the SINGLE LARGEST source of calories in the American diet (7%)........WOW.

-Every daily sugary drink ingested increases the likelihood of a child becoming obese by 60%.

-Did you know it takes the average adult over an hour of walking just to burn off the calories taken in from one soda?

-Since the 70's/80's Americans have added roughly 300 calories per day to their diet. Between 20% and 50% of those calories come directly from the increased consumption of soda.

-Drinking soda daily increases the risk of heart disease by 19% and the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25%. Guys...did you know that type 2 diabetes can lead to erectile dysfunction?
(not all the time....but HELLO!!!)

-If you didn't know....congress has considered a soda tax to help offset the increasing health-care costs attributed to sugary drinks. To combat this “Big Soda” companies have increased their lobbying expenses by 3,000%......to over ONE HUNDRED MILLION...(In my best Dr. Evil voice).

So what happens to your body when you glug down that soda? Let’s take a quick look at what happens during the first hour.

IN THE 1ST 10 MINUTES
Within the first 10 minutes of drinking that soda between 7 and 10 teaspoons of sugar blitzkrieg your system. (BTW...this is 100% of your recommended daily intake...good luck avoiding any added sugar for the rest of the day.) Let me introduce you to phosphoric acid. It's added to fertilizers, livestock feed, soaps, polishes, dyes, and polishing metals. It's added to soda to cut the sweetness of 10 teaspoons of sugars so you don't instantly vomit it up.

20 MINUTES
Your blood sugar is now spiking! Your body responds by increasing the production of insulin (here is where the diabetes issues arise). The role of the insulin is to get the sugar out of your bloodstream and into your cells for energy. The body wants to use that sugar for energy immediately. So what does the body do? It shuts down the fat burning process so it can use the sugar for energy. The body moves that sugar for energy into your muscles. Here is the problem. Most of us are not Ironman triathletes so for the most part our muscles are already full of energy stores (because we sit on our bumpkins all day long). Since that sugar energy can't be used, the body converts it to fat.
Fat Burning Turned Off + Conversion of Available Energy to Fat=OBESITY

40-45 MINUTES
Absorption of the caffeine is done. In response your body dilates your pupils, and raises your blood pressure. The body responds to this by trying to regulate itself. The body does this by driving the liver to dump more glucose (or sugar) into your bloodstream perpetuating the cycle just described above.

60 MINUTES
Remember that phosphoric acid that was added to douse the sugariness of the soda? It now binds to magnesium, calcium, and zinc in your intestines. The caffeine's diuretic effects take hold (you do the pee pee dance) and you go to the bathroom and pee out all the healthy nutrients that were headed to your bones and teeth to make them strong.

>60 MINUTES
The dreaded SUGAR CRASH. Yep, the body now crashes because it has pulled all the sugar out of your bloodstream to use it for energy or to convert it to fat. SO, what do we do next? Yep.....drink another soda. The cycle continues.....

What's the answer? To me, it is moderation. Is a coke or soda going to send you to an early grave if you drink one every now and then.....not likely. But for those of you who drink soda on a daily basis, I would challenge you to drastically reduce that immediately. The numbers are the numbers. My job as a health-care provider is to not only help you be happy and healthy in my office, but in all areas of your life.

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The Top 10 Worst Habits For Your Back

7/21/2015

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Top 10 Most Wicked Habits That Hurt Your Back

In honor of posture month (who knew there was such a thing), I have listed the top 10 nastiest, foulest, most horrible habits that destroy the very soul of your low back. Oh……and I also list how to fix them.

1. BEING A DESK JOCKEY: You’ve heard me say it before and I am saying it again. Sitting puts 40% more pressure on your spine than standing. The stagnation from a desk job causes your lower back muscles to weaken from disuse, and causes joints to lose lubrication from the inactivity.
**Sounds like a chiropractic problem if I ever heard of one!
THE FIX: Get up, get up, get up! Take water breaks, go to the copier, go find the birthday cake cubicle that seems to be ever present. Just get up and move a couple of minutes every ½ hour. Also, ensure the desk is set up correctly for you (if you have questions on this please email me - I will help!!)

2. THE LONG COMMUTE: Is your morning commute longer than the Sherpas' of Mt. Everest? Do your shoulders slump at the mere thought of your drive? Have you ever noticed where your head is? Is it against the head rest? It’s not called an air rest for a reason.
THE FIX: Try to sit as close to a 90-degree angle as possible. Make sure your head is actually against the head rest as this will keep your shoulders back. Roll up a towel and put it in the hollow of your back for extra lumbar and muscle support.

3. SKIPPING THOSE WORKOUTS: Seems like it gets harder and harder to find the time to get a workout these days and low back pain tends to make us even more weary of the gym because of possible injury.
FIX IT: Don’t skip the workouts! Things as simple as walking and stretching can drastically reduce the healing time of back pain. To avoid back pain in the first place try Yoga. Research has proven its effectiveness at keeping the back pain free. My favorite place is Korsi Yoga in Roswell (www.korsiyoga.com). Give them a call…try out a class. What have you got to lose? Back pain? Exactly!

4. MUNCHING ON ALL THE CRUNCHING: Oh, my crunch addicts are going to be so disappointed! We all know that a strong core is a key to lessening low back pain. BUT...crunches alone do not work the muscles that actually stabilize the low back and can even make low back pain worse. How you ask? Crunches alone create a core imbalance and excessive compression on the spine by curving the spine forward like a “C" - this would be bad.
FIX IT: Strengthen your transverse abdominis muscle which is extraordinarily important to a strong core. Guess what? You don’t do it with crunches at all!! You do it with planks. Not the "Argggh I’m a pirate kind," the on the floor core ripping kind!

5. YOU EAT LIKE ***T: OH MY!!! Healthy circulation brings nutrients to the spine and removes waste. If this stops and the arteries clog, inflammation results, which then activates chemicals for the nerves to send pain signals to the brain. OH MY AGAIN!!
FIX IT: Concentrate on a diet that is low in inflammation. Avoid hydrogenated oils, enriched wheat, and words ending in iose, iates, and ites (IE-Nitrates, Sulfites, etc). Add in more whole grains, nuts/seeds, veggies and fruit.

6. YOUR PURSE IS LARGER THAN MY SUITCASE: That heavy bag causes an imbalance in your shoulders, as the shoulder that the bag rests on hikes up to carry the weight. This pulls on your spine causing the muscles to overcompensate and ache over time.
FIX IT: Pretty obvious - lighten the load! The American Chiropractic Assoc. recommends that your purse be no heavier than 10% of your body weight…..which I feel should be more like 5%.

7. YOUR MATTRESS LOOKS LIKE A BANDAGE FROM THE CIVIL WAR: That old mattress can be killing your back! Most mattresses last about 9 years, but most experts agree to change it about every 7 or so. Recent research showed that those who changed their mattress every 5 years slept significantly better and had much less back pain.
FIX IT: Mattresses and pillow are the wild west of the health care industry. Lots of great claims - lots of poor follow through and results. What I can tell you is that you get what you pay for. You get a $400 mattress from Herschel’s House of Beds and that is exactly what you will get. You spend two-thirds of your life on your mattress - you owe it to yourself to spend the money for the right one. Don’t want to buy a new one? A memory foam mattress topper can be a great way to extend the life of a fading mattress. I recommend at least 3 inches thick.

8. SHOES….THE HIGHEST HIGHS AND THE LOWEST LOWS: High heels force your back into extension (an arch) putting extra pressure on your back and making those spinal muscles work harder. On the other side flip flops and backless sandals allow your feet to shift from side to side as you walk causing an uneven weight shift which can cause back pain.
FIX IT: NO - you don’t have to throw away a closet full of shoes! During commutes wear comfy flats and then change into your favorite pair of peep toes. The idea is to reduce the amount of time you’re spending in the improper shoe wear. 80% of people who suffer back pain report relief by changing their shoes to something with more flexibility, arch, and cushion!

9. THAT GLOWING BOX ON YOUR WALL: A study showed that those who sat in front of a TV or computer for more than 15 hours a week were three times more likely to have low back pain! First, if you are watching TV, you aren’t working out or being active. Second, that posture puts your low back into severe flexion (bend) for hours on end, putting severe stress on the muscles that support your back.
FIX IT: On commercial breaks, yes even on your DVR’D shows, get up move around and stretch. This will break the monotony of sitting and allow your back to recover.

10. NO ZEN TIME: Have you ever thought that all the jaw clenching you’re doing at work because you are stressed might be causing those debilitating headaches? NO? Think again!
FIX IT: Find time to slow down. Prioritize time to slow down. Whether that be exercise, a good book, or time with a friend, finding time to tune out is vitally important to our overall health.

**Speaking of tuning out. An Austrian study was done on two groups of people with low back pain. Both groups got standard medical care (Meds and PT. What? No chiro?). But one group also listened to music daily. After 21 days the music group reported pain 40% lower than the standard group with no music. So throw on that Bon Jovi and wait for the pain to ease away.

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Text Neck Leads to.....Gulp (or gobble)......Turkey Neck??

3/27/2015

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Yep.......you heard me right. Text neck leads to turkey neck. You may have not heard these two terms yet, but I promise you....you will. As the technology age gets quicker and smaller we spend more and more time hunched over our smart phones texting/surfing the internet/and watching videos. This led the medical community to come up with a name (Text Neck) for all the new patients that were coming into their offices with increased headaches, neck, and upper back pain. Hunching over your phone can lead to an extra 50 pounds of pressure across your neck. Lean over and tie a 50lb sack to your head..............how do you think it would feel? Check out the illustration below for a visual.

You can see that as the head gets further forward the pounds of pressure increase. Well, if the excruciating pain piercing your upper back and neck weren't enough, now plastic surgeons around the US are reporting a new malady.............Turkey Neck!!! What the heck is Turkey Neck?? Let me fill you in. The skin and collagen (what gives your skin elasticity and makes it look young) is very thin in the neck. By leaning over your phone for hours at a time you loosen and break down the collagen. Think of it like a rubber band that has lost it's ability to stretch. Try it now....go ahead...tilt your head all the way forward. What happens? Yep...the skin bunches and sags. Do this long enough and you develop jowls.....or the dreaded TURKEY NECK (spooky music inserted here)!!!.

So what do you do about it?? To start, spend a little less time drooling into your phone. There is honestly no better cure than to not do it. In my office in Roswell Georgia, I also work with patients on proper alignment and posture throughout their activities of daily living. Contact us for a list of exercises and stretches you can do to help prevent and reverse this problem. If all else fails the plastic surgeon will be more than happy to pull your face back and give you a nice Kenny Rogers/Burt Reynolds look. Thanks as always for reading--Dr.Wiskind
www.vitalitysportschiropractic.com

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Night Of The Living Allergy....The Sneezes Return

3/25/2015

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AREN'T YOU GRATEFUL THAT COLD AND FLU SEASON HAS FINALLY GIVEN WAY TO ALLERGY SEASON?

Well…it’s that time of year again. Allergy season! This month’s newsletter is dedicated to all the sneezes, watery/itchy eyes, and sore throats that persist through the prolonged (seems to start earlier and end later every year) Atlanta allergy season.

Let’s get the first concept out of the way. What is an allergen? You might want to blame all the flowering trees, fresh cut grass, or the food you’re eating. Well, I’m here to tell you that all those things, plus Grandma’s four kitties are absolutely innocent. INNOCENT I SAY! I hate to tell you but the real problem is you. Actually it’s your immune system. Most of us have certain allergies to certain things, but it’s not the “allergen” that is the real culprit. It’s the fact that your body’s immune system has mistaken these mostly harmless irritants for serious threats and then attacks them. So, it’s not the threat itself, but our body’s misguided attack on those threats - what amounts to an over attack.

The next question is who gets them and when do they start? All of us to some degree get allergies. Obviously some more than others, and that starts with genetics. Kids of one parent with allergies are over 30% more likely to develop allergies themselves. Two parents with allergies - 70% chance. Even with the chances being that high, everything has to come together just right for you to have an actual allergic reaction. Reaction to any allergen begins with exposure (go figure), of which you can go years being exposed without any reaction whatsoever. For some reason, and we are unsure why, at some point the body marks the allergen as an intruder. During this invasion the body creates antibodies and becomes sensitized to the allergen.

Now, the next time you are exposed to Great Aunt Sheila’s dusty couch, your body attacks that allergen that you have now become sensitized to by activating mast cells. What is a mast cell and what is it doing in my body? Let me quickly enlighten you! Mast cells produce histamine, which is a chemical involved with inflammation. It's the histamine that causes all the problems. Histamine causes vasodilation (widening of cells) and swelling, as well as airway shrinkage (perish the thought). This leads to all the symptoms- runny nose, itchy eyes, breathing troubles - that wreak havoc on you during the Spring season.

The last question is, what do we do about it? Now that you have all these mast cells dancing around like it's an 80's retro party......who ya gonna call? (couldn't resist). There are several things you can do to help not only treat the symptoms, but to help with the root cause of allergies.

Avoidance - avoid what you are allergic to (imagine that)! If it's pollen like many of us during this time of year, stay inside during the morning and evening hours as these are the time periods that pollen counts are at their peak.
Take a shower- seems pretty straight forward, but take your showers at night. The pollen builds in your cloths and hair during the day. The last thing you want to do is sleep all night in a pile of the very thing you are allergic to.
Clean your house - again, pollen is carried into the house by you and the constantly shedding long-haired dog you own. Vacuum daily to reduce the buildup and change out the HVAC filters at the beginning of the season to help with the quality of the air in the house.
Immunotherapy - put simply.......allergy shots. You get tested for what you are allergic to and then the allergist gives you shots of increasing dosage of the allergen so you slowly develop an immunity. Although more painful than others, many agree that this is the most effective method.

Chiropractic - What??? A promotion for chiropractic in a chiropractic newsletter? Yep...I actually don't do it frequently, but in this case I can often help.

Below is what we call the Meric Chart. It is a map of what nerves feed what organs in your body. Everything is fed by nerves in your body. If that area of the body is being stressed then it can't perform its job like it should. Think of it like a light bulb that should be shining at 100 watts but is only shining at 75 - you're losing 25 watts of efficiency! As chiropractors we can work on C2 and T9 (in this case) which feeds the eyes, sinuses and adrenals (all things involved with allergies) and often help reduce the severity of symptoms by “tightening” that light bulb and making sure your body is working at 100% efficiency. Check out the chart below to see what “symptoms” can be caused when the brain/body connection is working poorly. I know this is the more “metaphysical” side to chiropractic, so if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. There is also an outstanding supplement by Vitamin Power called Allergy Aid (100% natural) which I have found to be of great help during the spring sneeze season. As well, there is always Allegra, Flonase (I take both on bad days), etc to also help. As usual.....I am happy to help in any way I can. Good luck and may the yellow haze pass quickly this year!

If you like the newsletter please click on the link at the bottom and go to Facebook and like it/us, takes two seconds, and helps our web presence. Thanks!!!

Thanks for reading,
Dr. Wiskind DC, CCSP

Please visit our site to read any of the other newsletters
http://www.vitalitysportschiropractic.com/blog

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Better Get Your ZZzzzzz's

3/16/2015

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Just when you thought that the importance of sleep couldn't be stated more strongly, a new study appears. If you didn't know it already....sleep loss is cumulative (that's means it adds up over time). A new study published by The Endocrine Society shows that just 30 minutes of sleep debt a day can have dramatic effects on body weight and metabolism. Just 30 minutes of sleep loss a day increases the body's resistance to insulin and raises the risk of obesity by a WHOPPING 72% ! There are lots of questions that arise from this. Such as, is the effect on metabolism and weight gain due to the fatigue that sets in during sleep debt? Lets be honest, when we are tired we tend to eat poorly. Who wants to eat a heaping bowl of steamed broccoli when we're tired. More like a heaping bowl of macaroni and cheese. We are just now uncovering how insidious lack of sleep can be. What I can tell you is that none of the findings tell us to get less sleep or that the effects of the lack of sleep are beneficial. Although we don't necessarily need the 8 hours of sleep they once recommended, 7 hours seems to be the critical point for many of us.

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New Procedure For Migraine Relief

3/4/2015

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I am a Migraine sufferer and have been so since I was 10 years old. I lose half my vision field, my lips and tongue go numb as do my fingers. I get horrible nausea and vomiting, not to mention the sound/light sensitivity and the ice pick going through my skull. For days afterword my brain is scrambled, my words mumble and I often find it difficult to pull words and thoughts. I walk around in a daze for almost a half a week. What an absolutely debilitating "disease"! You may not know it, but Migraines are the number one cause of chronic daily pain. Migraines are still poorly understood, but here is a highlight of what we do understand. There is an electrical pulse that we all have at the base of our brainstem. For whatever reason (we have no idea why) in those of us who suffer with Migraines that pulse swells. As it swells the electrical pulse essentially fries everything around it. Included in that are the pain tracts that feed the temples, as well as the nausea center. The old idea of "vessel" swelling and contracting causing the pain has long been debunked. This is a very simple explanation, but the closest thing we have to an understanding of what is going on.

I Got this article today, thought I would share as it provides hope for all us who suffer with this issue. If you have any questions feel free to email me. Here is the original article.

New Intranasal Migraine Treatment Provides Sustained Relief Wed, 03/04/15 - 09:02 A new, minimally invasive treatment method known as intranasal sphenopalatine ganglion (SPG) block has been shown to provide sustained relief to sufferers of chronic migraines, according to a recent study.

Since migraine headaches are one of the most prevalent debilitating chronic illnesses in the US, and the costs of medicine and their side effects can often be overwhelming, researchers have constructed a breakthrough treatment to improve a patient’s quality of life.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In a study of the method’s safety and efficacy, researchers evaluated 112 participants who suffered from migraine or cluster headaches. They had patients report the severity of their headaches based on a visual analogue scale (VAS), which ranges from 1 to 10.

Participants displayed an average VAS score of 8.25. On average, patients had scores greater than 4 on at least 15 days of the month.

During the treatment period, researchers inserted a long, thin catheter through the nasal passages of participants and administered lidocaine (4%) to the bundle of nerves behind the nose—known as the sphenopalatine ganglion—which is associated with migraines.

The day after the procedure, researchers discovered that patients VAS scores decreased significantly from 8.25 to an average of 4.10. Further, 30 days post-procedure showed that patients experienced a mean score of 5.25, which is a 36% decrease from their migraine debilitation before treatment.

Overall, 88% of participants reported that they needed less or no migraine medication at all for current relief.

“Administration of lidocaine to the sphenopalatine ganglion acts as a ‘reset button’ for the brain’s migraine circuitry,” said Kenneth Mandato, MD, the lead researchers of the study and interventional radiologist at Albany Medical Center.

“When the initial numbing of the lidocaine wears off, the migraine trigger seems to no longer have the maximum effect that it once did. Some patients have reported immediate relief and are making fewer trips to the hospital for emergency headache medicine,” he said.

Mandato and colleagues further noted that while patients reported significant relief from their migraine symptoms, the SPG block is not a cure for migraines and only acts as a temporary solution.

The researchers will conduct future studies to track how the participants have responded after 6 months of post treatment.

The complete study was presented at the Society of Interventional Radiology’s Annual Scientific Meeting.

Reference:

Society of Interventional Radiology. Image-guided treatment shown to break the migraine cycle. February 28, 2015. www.sirweb.org/news/newsPDF/Release_ASM15_headaches77_21815_final.pdf. Accessed March 3, 2015.

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OH GLUTEN MY GLUTEN

2/20/2015

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This month I’m going to discuss a topic that has been on the hot seat in the health industry for the last year or so. With the growing confusion I felt it was a good time to shed some light on that four letter word that is actually six-----GLUTEN.

Let’s quickly review first.

Gluten is a protein, a heavily consumed one at that. Gluten is created when two molecules, glutenin and gliadin, contact one another and form a bond. When bakers (gigantic industrial machines) knead dough, that bond creates an elastic membrane, which is what gives bread its chewy texture. As humans we have been eating wheat and thereby gluten for many thousands of years. So why all the hubbub now?? The answer…………Celiac disease/gluten insensitivity, and honestly……….the media. If we have been eating gluten so long why all of a sudden is there this drastic increase with people suffering from complications from ingesting gluten?? There are several reasons. Let’s take a look at some of the theories.

THE WHEAT...THINK OF THE WHEAT--The wheat we have now is different from the wheat we had 50 years ago. Is it? Let’s discuss. Wheat today isn’t simply milled and baked into bread. Wheat today is the brainstorm of some lab experiment gone horridly wrong. Much of the wheat ingested today has been milled into white flour which has lots and lots of gluten, but guess what……no nutritional value. Did you know that wheat is in over 30% of the foods we purchase at the grocery store? Included in this are snack foods, soups, dressings, and even processed meats and frozen veggies (anyone else seeing a processed theme here?). But…wait a moment…researchers at the US Department of Agriculture, the Mayo Clinic, and even the North American Society for the Study of Celiac Disease have been studying wheat genetics and have shown that there is virtually no difference in the genetic makeup of wheat now and wheat of the past. What they do know is that something seemed to change in 1950, right about the time when heavy industrialization was introduced as a means of producing baked goods (Anyone else seeing a theme as well?). So, if it’s not fuzzy genetics, what else might it be?

GLUTEN HYSTERIA--Gluten anxiety has been building for years. About a decade ago William Davis wrote a book called Wheat Belly and everything changed in an instant. David Perlmutter a Neurologist went as far as saying that Gluten sensitivity, “represents one of the greatest and most under-recognized health threats to humanity.’’ Sales of Gluten free products exploded and will in fact exceed 15 billion (That's a B folks) dollars next year, double what it was just five years ago. It has become a cultural phenomenon. You want Gluten free vacations....you got it. You want Gluten free weddings.....you got it. They even make gluten free communion wafers and matzah (OY VEY!). Want to read a great blog? Check out Gluten Is My Bitch (Excuse the language, but yes...a real blog)https://glutenismybitch.wordpress.com/. A great blog about life without Gluten. Point is.........you want Gluten out of your life? There is an armada of people who agree with you and plenty of resources to make it happen.

ANECDOTAL--Many people just feel better when they get off Gluten. People who complain of headaches, nausea, arthritis, aches and pains, trouble sleeping, trouble with digestion, trouble with energy, and any other number of ailments report them disappearing after getting off of Gluten. As April Peveteaux the author of Gluten Is My Bitch so bluntly puts it, "No matter what kind of sickness has taken hold of you, let’s blame gluten. If you want or need to get gluten out of your diet, bravo! Kick that nasty gluten to the curb. . . . Not sure if gluten-free is for you? Perhaps gluten simply causes you some discomfort, but you’ve never been diagnosed. Then eff that gluten!’’ But is Gluten getting a bad rap? MSG has long been the Godfather of all things evil in the kitchen, causing many of the same symptoms that gluten does. But after many years of debate and study there is still no definitive evidence that MSG actually contributes to these problems, and that there is virtually no chemical difference between man made MSG and that which is natural. Did you know there is MSG in tomatoes? Mushrooms? Potatoes? What quantity you ask? Ahhh…now we are getting somewhere.

FODMAPS—Means fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. Now that's a mouthful(pun intended). New research has been focusing on these types of carbohydrates. There is a growing culture (and diet) that feel not eliminating these water grabbing carbs from your diet leads to many of the same discomforts that gluten causes. In fact a recent study removed both FODMAPS and gluten from the diet of the participants. Guess what? Their intestinal discomfort disappeared (no surprise). But, gluten was then reintroduced to their diet. You know what happened? Nothing...bubkis. The digestion issues did not return. What does this point to?? Well, we are not entirely sure yet, but that maybe removing gluten from your diet is not necessarily a panacea to all your problems.

THE REAL CULPRIT??--Vital wheat gluten is a powdered, concentrated form of gluten that is found naturally in all bread. It is made by washing wheat flour with water until the starches dissolve. Extra VWG is often added to dough to provide the strength and elasticity necessary for it to endure the brutal process of commercial mixing. VWG increases shelf life and acts as a binder. Interestingly and perhaps ironic is the fact that the use of VWG increased when we as consumers demanded healthier bread. It is nearly impossible to mass produce whole wheat bread without adding something to strengthen it, the dough is just not strong enough to endure the current way it is manufactured. That something is vital wheat gluten. Look at the 1st four ingredients of your average whole wheat bread and it may look something like this: whole-wheat flour, water, wheat gluten, and wheat fiber. Translation=gluten, water, more gluten, and fibrous gluten. Does anyone else think that is a whole bunch of gluten? The notion is that gluten in itself is not exactly the problem, it is the sheer amount of gluten. One would think that there has to be a limit to the amount of gluten the body can digest. Did you know that in China gluten is used as a substitute for meat and tofu? It is often served straight up steamed, fried, or baked. Is all the gluten hysteria similar to the Low Fat diets of the 80's?? For years low-fat diets have been recommended for weight loss and to prevent heart disease. Food companies have altered thousands of products so that they can be labelled as "low in fat", but they replaced those fats with sugars, salt, and refined carbohydrates making the foods even less healthy. What research has shown is that the total amount of fat in your diet (in moderation) isn’t truly linked to weight or disease. What matters is the type of fat and the total calories you consume. Bad fats increase the risk of death from heart disease and good fats can help lower it.

WHY CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG--Perhaps gluten is suffering the same fate. Peter H. R. Green, the director of the celiac-disease center at the Columbia University medical school states, “This is a largely self-diagnosed disease, and in the absence of celiac disease, physicians don’t usually tell people they are sensitive to gluten." You know who is now prescribing this gluten free diet? ME!! chiropractors, psychiatrists, acupuncturists, naturopaths, personal trainers, life coaches, podiatrists and the like are all preaching the benefits of a gluten free life. And it is distinctly possible we are doing so without firm data supporting such a move. The idea in itself is solid, let's cut back on foods that contain gluten which helps people reduce their consumption of refined carbohydrates, bread, beer (perish the thought!), and other highly caloric foods. If followed carefully, these restrictions help people lose weight. But, what I am learning is that the gluten-free versions are not necessarily more healthy even though they are found in the "green" section at Kroger. Ingredients like rice starch, cornstarch, tapioca starch, and potato starch are often used as replacements. These are also highly refined carbohydrates, and release at least as much sugar into the bloodstream as the foods that people have just given up.

WRAP UP—So, what’s the answer? To be completely honest…..I have no idea. I am just as exhausted with the whole idea as you are. This is what I can say….do your due diligence. Research any diet or life style change that you are considering undertaking. Don’t just hop on the bandwagon because everyone else is. Remember, the goal of any company, including those who make gluten free products is to get you the consumer to buy their wares. Much of the time they will use any means available to make that happen. It is likely that it will take years for us to know the true extent of the effect of gluten on our diet. Until then, follow your gut (pun intended again)…it won’t lead you wrong.

Thanks for reading. The information above is not meant to sway you one way or another. It is also not meant as a pro or anti gluten stance. It’s meant to open conversation and get you thinking. That what good healthcare practitioners should do. J

If you would like to read any of the other previous newsletters, you can find them here.

Vitality Sports Chiropractic Blog

Thanks again,
Dr. Wiskind DC, CCSP

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The Question of all Questions....Can a Chiropractic Adjustment Cause Stroke?

2/5/2015

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Everyone always asks the question....can a chiropractic adjustment of the neck cause a stroke? The very simple answer is, well yes, anything is possible. But upon a closer look at the statistics out there, they show that the actual chance of this happening is extremely small. In fact, The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association recently released a statement that there is insufficient evidence to connect cervical adjustments and cervical arterial dissections (stroke), although all practitioners should inform patients about possible risks. Shouldn't ANY practitioner inform their patients about possible risks however remote they may be, isn't that something as healthcare providers we take an oath on? For the overwhelming majority of patients, cervical manipulation will pose no potential problems. The most credible study on the subject by Cassidy et found has found that the association between a neck adjustment and a possible stroke is less than 1 per 1 million or roughly 1 in 5.85 million adjustments!. Last year alone 27 million people sought the care of a chiropractor (if you multiply that by the number of times they saw their chiropractic.....that's a lot of adjusting going on) Lets take a look at some other maybe less known stats. Overall risk of death from spinal surgery 1,800 per 1 million, risk of serious side effects from spinal surgery, 500 per 1 million. Did you know that roughly 1.5 million people are injured each year in errors over prescribing medications. Or that over 100,000 people are a year are hospitalized over complications from taking NSAIDs (Ibuprofen). The risk of death from taking a simple aspirin is 25 per 1 million!

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