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Diet Sodas and Juices Are Linked to Higher Stroke Risk, Study Says

Researchers found that older women who drank more diet drinks had a higher risk of stroke and heart disease, as well as a higher risk of diet cokedying early from any cause, compared to women who drank fewer of the drinks.

Researchers studied data from more than 81,000 post-menopausal women. After an average follow-up of nearly 12 years, the scientists found that women who drank two or more artificially sweetened drinks a day had a 23% higher risk of having any type of stroke, and a 31% increased risk of having a stroke due to clotting in brain blood vessels, compared to women who reported drinking fewer than one beverage a week (or none at all). (1)


A Daily Diet Soda Habit May Be Linked to Dementia – Both Sugar- and Artificially Sweetened Drinks Might Have Negative Effects On The Brain

MRI scans and cognitive exams of about 4,000 people ages 30 and up found that people who consumed more than three sodas per week – or more than two sugary drinks of any type (soda, fruit juice, and other soft drinks) per day – were more likely to have memory problems, a smaller brain volume and a smaller hippocampus (an area of the brain used in learning and memory. Drinking at least one diet soda a day was associated with smaller brain volume, as well. (2)


  1. Mossavar-Rahmani Y, Kamensky V, Manson JE. artificially sweetened beverages and stroke, coronary heart disease, and all-cause mortality in the women’s health initiative. Stroke. 2019;50:555-562.
  2. Paseabc MP, Himalidbd JJ, Jacquesbe PF et al. Sugary beverage intake and preclinical Alzheimer’s disease in the community. Alzheimer’s & Dementia. 2017;13(9):955-964.

Why do chiropractors encourage breastfeeding?

Questions and Answers About Chiropractic: Why do chiropractors encourage breastfeeding?encourage breasfeeding

Chiropractic is a natural healing art that recognizes the wisdom of nature. Nature makes a perfect food for baby for optimal brain and body development. It’s called breast milk and the advantages over anything else are many.

Benefits to baby:

  • Breastfeeding protects against infections including meningitis, bacteremia, diarrhea, respiratory tract infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, otitis media, urinary tract infection and sepsis in pre-term infants.
  • Breastfed babies have less Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (CRIB death).
  • Breastfeeding is associated with better grades in high school.
  • Breastfed babies have less diabetes, lymphoma, leukemia, Hodgkin disease, obesity and asthma.
  • Breastfed babies show enhanced cognitive development.

Benefits to mother:

  • Decreased postpartum bleeding
  • Faster return to pre-pregnancy weight
  • Natural child spacing/family planning
  • Decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancer
  • Decreased risk of hip fractures and osteoporosis after menopause
  • Women in their 60s who breastfed were 10% less likely to develop heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. 

    https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/nursing-basics#1

Enchilada Lasagna

This is looks like a lot of work but it actually comes together very quickly,  Dr.C.

For the Base:

    • 3 medium sweet potatoes, diced                                         
    • 1/2 large onion, diced
    • 1 red pepper, diced                                                             
    • 3 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained                 
    • 1 lime, juiced
    • 2 green onions, sliced
    • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder                                                    
    • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
    • 1 bag spinach, chopped                                                        
    • A handful cilantro, chopped
    • 3 cups  cheese, (vegan if preferred) shredded                       
    • 12-15 corn tortillas

 

For the Sauce:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil                                                         
  • 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup tomato paste                                        
  • 2 tablespoons cumin                     
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder                                                    
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder    
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder                                                   
  • 4 cups vegetable broth

 

To Make the Enchilada Sauce:

  1. Heat the olive oil.Add all spices and toast them for about 1 minute.
  2. Whisk in the tomato paste.
  3. Finally, whisk in the flour. It will form a ball. Let cook for about 1 more minute.
  4. Slowly add the broth, whisking as you add it, until you get a smooth consistency.
  5. Bring sauce to a boil until it thickens. Set it aside.

To Make the Base:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Toss the sweet potatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper and place them on a baking sheet.
  3. Roast them for 20-25 minutes.
  4. In a large pan, sauté the onion and pepper in a little bit of olive oil until they’re soft.
  5. Add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, and cumin.
  6. Cook this for about 2 more minutes.
  7. Add in the spinach and cook it until just wilted.
  8. Remove this from the heat and place the mixture in a bowl
  9. Add the black beans, green onion, lime juice, and cilantro.
  10. Mix this well.
  11. When sweet potatoes are done, add them to this mixture as well and mix it to combine.
  12. Assemble the lasagna in a 9×13 pan.
  13. Cut each corn tortilla in half.
  14. Add 1 cup of sauce to the pan and move it around to cover the bottom.
  15. Place the flat side of the tortillas in the pan so they are flush with the sides of the pan, essentially creating a rectangle with 2 tortillas.
  16. Cover the bottom with tortillas.
  17. Add 1/2 of the sweet potato mixture, 1 cup of cheese, and 1 more cup of enchilada sauce.
  18. Start the layer again with corn tortillas, the rest of the sweet potato mixture, cheese, and sauce.
  19. Finish the dish with a layer of tortillas, cover with the rest of the sauce, and top with the rest of the cheese.
  20. Bake lasagna for 20 minutes, then broil the top until golden brown.
  21. Let it sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

This is from one of my fave sites One Green Planet

What is Health?

So many people use the word “health” in different ways. We want to answer the question, “What is health?”

Chiropractic is a healthcare profession – a profession whose goal is to help you regain and maintain health. How does it do that? First, we need to explain what health is all about.

Health is your body functioning at 100% efficiency on every level.

That means:

  • you have lots of energy
  • you can digest foods to obtain nutrients
  • your immune system is keeping you free from invaders and toxins
  • your muscles and joints are balanced
  • your brain is working to keep you awake, alive and happy and communicating with all your body parts

Communication is importantbrain

Your brain sends nerve messages to coordinate the function of every muscle, gland, bone, joint and body part. Your body parts also send messages to your brain so everything knows how things are going.

Chiropractors have recognized a serious communication disorder that prevents your body from working at its optimum: subluxations. Subluxations are areas of spinal, structural and nervous system stress that interfere with your internal communications – interference between your brain, spinal cord and internal organs. 

Without good communication, your body begins to malfunction. A subluxation undermines your health, interferes with your ability to function at your optimum and causes dis-ease or body malfunction.

How do Chiropractors Help?

Chiropractors specialize in locating and correcting/adjusting subluxations. Subluxations are often painless – you and your children may have many and not know it – until disease symptoms occur. Make sure you and your family members (especially if they are pregnant) are functioning without subluxations. Come in for a fun, pain-less, drug-free chiropractic checkup. 

Call Today! 517.627.4547

VEGAN IRISH STEW

   From “It doesn’t taste like Chicken”

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oilIrish stew
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 – 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 can (473ml) vegan stout beer (I used Guinness…YUM!)
  • 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 8 oz mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 1/2 cups baby potatoes, halved (or about 2 regular potatoes and cut into chunks)
  • 1/2 cup tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, and when hot add in the celery, onion, and garlic. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent and just begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
  2. Sprinkle in the flour. Stir well to coat the veggies, and cook for another minute to heat up the flour. Add 2 cups of vegetable broth, and scrape the bottom of the pan with your spoon to get any bits off the bottom.
  3. Add in the beer, all of the remaining veggies, tomato paste, and spices. The beer will foam up, but that’s ok, the bubbles and alcohol will cook right out. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 – 15 minutes until the veggies are fork-tender, but not mushy. The stew will be very thick! If you prefer a thinner stew, feel free to thin it out to taste with 1 to 2 more cups of vegetable broth. Remove bay leaves before serving, and serve hot.

Made this many times… LOVE it…great stick to your ribs food!

Irish Stew

30-Minute Quinoa Enchilada Skillet

For Crazy School Nights…..very yummy!!!!! Serves 6-8

 This entire quinoa skillet dish is cooked from start to finish in 30 minutes, all in ONE pot! It’s a healthy, nutritious & flavorful family-friendly dish!

Ingredients:quinoa

  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 cup enchilada sauce
  • 1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
  • ½ cup corn kernels
  • 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1 ¼ cup shredded cheese
  • Optional toppings: avocados, sour cream/Greek yogurt on top, parsley for garnish

Directions:

  1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a lid, heat 1 tablespoon of oil (I used coconut oil, you can use the oil of your choice) over medium heat and add the sweet potato and garlic, stirring together with the oil to coat. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring and watching the garlic so it doesn’t burn.
  2. Add the quinoa, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, ground cumin, paprika and chili powder and stir to combine.
  3. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the temperature to a simmer, cover, and continue to simmer to 15 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the quinoa and the quinoa has popped and begins to look fluffy.
  4. Add the enchilada sauce, black beans, corn kernels, and diced tomatoes. Stir in and cook for another 5 minutes until heated through.
  5. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the dish and cover the skillet so that the cheese melts.
  6. Serve with optional garnishes such as parsley, avocados and sour cream/Greek yogurt on top. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. This dish freezes well, but I would not add the cheese if I was freezing. After thawing, add the cheese when reheating the dish.
    2. This dish tastes even better as leftovers!
    3. Feel free to add in your own ingredients. This is a great dish to add vegetables that are perhaps a little past their prime!

How grandchildren perceive their grandparents

The following is a cute compilation of instances where we get a glimpse into the minds of grandchildren. Enjoy! grandchildren

 

  1. I was in the bathroom, putting on my makeup, under the watchful eyes of my young granddaughter, as I’d done many times before. After I applied my lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, “But Grandma, you forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!” I will probably never put lipstick on again without thinking about kissing the toilet paper good-bye….
  1. My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He asked me how old I was, and I told him, 72. My grandson was quiet for a moment, and then he asked, “Did you start at 1?”
  1. After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin. Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room, putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, “Who was THAT?”
  1. A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own childhood was like. “We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a grandchildren 2swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods.” The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this all in. At last she said, “I sure wish I’d gotten to know you sooner!”
  1. My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, “Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?” I mentally polished my halo and I said, “No, how are we alike?” “You’re both old,” he replied.
  1. A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather’s word processor. She told him she was writing a story.

               “What’s it about?” he asked.

                “I don’t know,” she replied. “I can’t read.”

  1. I didn’t know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it was. She would tell me and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I continued. At last, she headed for the door, saying, “Grandma, I really think you should try to figure out some of these colors yourself!”
  1. When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects. Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy whispered, “It’s no use Grandpa. Now the mosquitoes are coming after us with flashlights.”
  1. When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, “I’m not sure.” “Look in your underwear, Grandpa,” he advised “Mine granchildren 3says I’m 4 to 6.” (WOW! I really like this one — it says I’m only ’38’!)
  1. A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother, “Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today.” The grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. “That’s interesting.” she said. “How do you make babies?” “It’s simple,” replied the girl. “You just change ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘es’.”
  1. Children’s Logic: “Give me a sentence about a public servant,” said a teacher. The small boy wrote: “The fireman came down the ladder pregnant.” The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. “Don’t you know what pregnant means?” she asked. “Sure,” said the young boy confidently. ‘It means carrying a child.”
  1. A grandfather was delivering his grandchildren to their home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog’s duties.

                      “They use him to keep crowds back,” said one child.

                      “No,” said another. “He’s just for good luck.”

                      A third child brought the argument to a close. “They use the dogs,” she said firmly, “to find the fire hydrants.”

  1. A 6-year-old was asked where his grandma lived. “Oh,” he said, “she lives at the airport, and whenever we want her, we just go get her. Then, when we’re done having her visit, we take her back to the airport.”
  1. Grandpa is the smartest man on earth! He teaches me good things, but I don’t get to see him enough to get as smart as him!
  1. My Grandparents are funny, when they bend over, you hear gas leaks and they blame their dog.

Is This The End Of Diet Soda?

Huge Study Links Aspartame To Major Health Problems; Sales Drop

As concerns about health epidemics plague the nation, demand and sales of diet soda have plunged as consumers try to make better diet cokechoices. As reported recently, Aspartame (the main sweetener for diet soda – check the labels) is regarded by scientists as one of the most dangerous ingredients used in our food supply, who have linked it to seizures and a host of other major health issues including fatal cardiovascular events. [1]

In a newly published study [2] (presented in 2014 at the American College of Cardiology, Washington D.C.), 60,000 women were sampled over ten years. It was shown that women who drink two or more diet drinks a day have much higher cardiovascular disease rates and are more likely to die from the disease.

“30% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, 50% more likely to die from related disease…”

In the largest study done of its kind, The University of Iowa concluded:

“…Compared to women who never or only rarely consume diet drinks, those who consume two or more a day are 30 percent more likely to have a cardiovascular event [heart attack or stroke] and 50 percent more likely to die from related disease.

This is one of the largest studies on this topic, and our findings are consistent with some previous data, especially those linking diet drinks to the metabolic syndrome,’ says Dr. Ankur Vyas… the lead investigator of the study.

…The association persisted even after researchers adjusted the data to account for demographic characteristics and other cardiovascular risk factors, including body mass index, smoking, hormone therapy use, physical activity, energy intake, salt intake, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and sugar-sweetened beverage intake.

On average, women who consumed two or more diet drinks a day were younger, more likely to be smokers, and had a highdiet sodaer prevalence of diabetes, high blood pressure, and higher body mass index.” [3]

Soda sales slipping… Thankfully this study comes on the heels of reports of already slipping sales of diet soda, one of the largest aspartame markets.

According to Time Magazine’s 2014 report:

“One reason for the decline could be a growing awareness of the obesity epidemic in the US and growing health concerns surrounding sugar-sweetened beverages. According to Reuters, industry experts say the beverage industry is shrinking under the scrutiny. Even diet-branded drinks have suffered a loss of sales with concerns over artificial sweeteners.” [4]

Whatever the reason for the decline, this new study should only add fuel to the movement away from artificial sweeteners. There are plenty of natural sweeteners that people can choose that are regarded as much healthier than aspartame.


 

References:

[1] http://www.wesupportorganic.com/2014/04/why-aspartame-is-the-most-dangerous-substance-added-to-our-foods.html

[2] http://now.uiowa.edu/2014/03/ui-study-finds-diet-drinks-associated-heart-trouble-older-women

[3] https://now.uiowa.edu/2014/03/ui-study-finds-diet-drinks-associated-heart-trouble-older-women

[4] http://time.com/44282/soda-sales-drop/

This article originally appeared on WeSupportOrganic.com.

HOW DOES CHIROPRACTIC PROMOTE WELLNESS?

Chiropractors know that adjustments are good for your general health. Millions of satisfied patients cannot be wrong. But what do chiropractors know that the rest of us do not?

They know the nervous system is the one system in the body that directly affects every other system. This is because nerves conduct sensorydrawing of spinal column and nerves information from every part of the body and then delivers this information to the brain. Once there, the brain analyzes the information to determine what the body needs to maintain a healthy state. So the health of this system is paramount to the good health of the rest of the body.

Chiropractors recognize that misalignment in the spine can interfere with proper nervous system function. More specifically, chiropractors study the effects of vertebral subluxations – conditions of the spine where alignment and/or movement patterns of the vertebrae are abnormal. When this occurs, imbalances cause irritation and inflammation. In turn this can cause interference with information that is transmitted along nerves and spinal cord. Chiropractors are the only health care professionals specifically trained to locate and correct spinal subluxations.

This is the principal reason why chiropractors should be called wellness doctors. Every time a chiropractor corrects a vertebral subluxation, the positive effects are felt in multiple systems simultaneously.

Where’s the Proof?

proof

For decades, scientific research has focused on the use of chiropractic adjustments for low back pain, neck pain and headaches (1-3) In fact, there is now clear evidence to recommend chiropractors as the go-to professionals for spinal pain syndromes. However, with the rising popularity of wellness- based philosophies focused on non-traditional approaches to health, chiropractors are being asked to justify their role.

The traditional medical model of symptom-based healthcare is rapidly waning. We no longer feel we have to be sick to call upon a health professional for advice. Instead, we are focusing more on the detrimental effects stress has on our bodies, and the therapies that address the mind-body connection are getting much more attention.

In a recent report from the Center for Disease Control, the four most popular forms of alternative and complementary medicine were listed as: natural products, deep breathing, meditation and chiropractic! (4)

People are casting their votes with their healthcare dollars and chiropractors are taking a leadership role in this new wellness model. As a profession whose core philosophy is about the optimization of the brain- body communication network, chiropractic can be viewed as a therapy with an emphasis on whole body health and wellness

Research

Research is catching up to what chiropractors have known for years. In a recent study that reviewed all the available research to date, investigators found that “chiropractic adjustments, often for the purpose of correcting vertebral subluxation, confer measurable health benefits to people regard- less of the presence or absence of symptoms.”(5)

More people are seeking what chiropractic offers: optimization of health and an improved quality of life, with a spine free of vertebral subluxations!

In a multi-nation study involving hundreds of chiropractors and thou-sands of chiropractic patients, researchers sought to measure the incidence of non-musculoskeletal responses to chiropractic therapy. What they found was that a number of patients experienced systemic benefits from their chiropractic treatments whether or not they mentioned any symptoms in these areas at the onset of care. The most common benefits reported in this study were breathing (27%), digestion (26%) and circulation (21%). (6)

In yet another ground-breaking study, chiropractic adjustments were shown to actually decrease blood pressure, one of the leading causes for preventable death in North America (in relation to the incidence of heart-attacks and strokes). The study stood up to medical scrutiny and showed unequivocally that vertebral subluxations – of the upper cervical vertebra in this case – can be detrimental to the health of the individual, and not just a pain in the neck. (7)

From these research results, chiropractors clearly have a greater role in your health and wellness than just treating sore backs. Chiropractic care should be considered an invaluable tool for you to not only help you feel well, but to also help you be well.


 

References and sources:

  1. Dagenais S, Gay RE, Tricco AC, Freeman MD & Mayer JM. NASS Contemporary Concepts in Spine Care: Spinal Manipulation Therapy for Acute Low Back Pain. Spine Journal 2010 (Oct.); 10(10): 918-940.
  2. Bronfort G, Assendelft WJJ, Evans R, Haas M & Bouter L. Efficacy of Spinal Manipulation for Chronic Headache: A Systematic Review. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2001 (Sept.); 24(7): 457-466
  3. Thiel HW & Bolton JE. Predic- tors For Immediate and Global Responses to Chiropractic Manipulation of the Cervical Spine. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2008 (Mar.); 31(3): 172-183.
  4. Barnes PM, Bloom B, Nahin R. Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Adults and Children: United States, 2007. CDC National Health Statistics Report #12. December 10, 2008.
  5. Hannon SM. Objective Physiologic Changes and Associated Health Benefits of Chiro- practic Adjustments in Asymptom- atic Subjects: A Review of the Literature. J Vertebral Subluxation Research 2004 (Apr.): 1-9.
  6. Leboeuf-Yde C, Pedersen EN, Bryner P, Cosman D, Hayek R, Meeker WC, Shaik J, Terrazas O, Tucker J & Walsh M. Self-reported Nonmusculoskeletal Responses to Chiropractic Intervention: A Multi- nation Survey. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2005 (Jun.); 28(5): 294-302.
  7. Bakris G, Dickholtz M, Meyer PM, Kravitz G, Avery E, Miller M, Brown J, Woodfield C & Bell B. Atlas Vertebra Realignment and Achievement of Arterial Pressure Goal in Hypertensive Patients: A Pilot Study. Journal of Human Hypertension 2007 (May); 21(5):

Researching Chiropractic: Asthma and Concussion

Do you know someone suffering from asthma or a concussion? Chiropractic could help! 

Chiropractic clinical case histories have been a regular feature of our patient newsletter since its inception and have included papers published in various bio-medical and chiropractic journals.

There seems to be no end to the physical and psychological benefits of chiropractic care.

That is because chiropractic does not “treat” any particular condition. Chiropractic care “treats” or more accurately, “corrects” a serious interference to brain, nervous system and energy function known as the subluxation.

No matter what condition you (or a loved one) may have, you will always function better when free from subluxations. Chiropractors are uniquely trained to locate and correct subluxations. Enjoy this month’s cases and see more next month.

Asthma and chiropractic6 year old boy

This case report is of a 6-year-old male presenting with a history of asthma that was diagnosed when the patient was 4 years old. His mother sought chiropractic care to help control and alleviate his symptoms that would worsen depending on the season.

A total of six chiropractic adjustments were rendered to the boy in conjunction with the recommendation of daily probiotic and omega 3 supplementation. The patient no longer needed his daily inhaler dose of Albuterol® after having received his first adjustment and was able to sleep undisturbed through the night without experiencing flare-ups.

Concussion in a 23-year-old femaleheadache

A 23-year-old female presented for chiropractic care five months after a slip and fall that resulted in a concussion. She had vertigo and a history of headaches that were made worse by the concussion. The vertigo occurred immediately following the trauma.

She received upper cervical specific chiropractic care and her symptoms resolved.

Chiropractic, lower back pain and health maintenance care

A comparison was made between chiropractors, medical doctors, and physical therapists for people who suffered from low back pain. The authors concluded: “In work related lower back pain chiropractic health maintenance had less recurrence of disability than patients treated by MDs or PTs.” Also: “Chiropractic patients had fewer surgeries, used fewer opioids (pain killers) and had lower costs.” Interestingly, if a chiropractic patient did have a recurrence it occurred on average 29 days later than those who saw PTs or MDs.”

Overall, chiropractic patients got better sooner than patients of MDs and PTs. “No health maintenance care is generally as good as chiropractic care” and perhaps most revealing is this: “Chiropractors might be preventing some of their patients from receiving procedures of unproven cost utility value or dubious efficacy.”