New research shows that seeing a chiropractor or doing simple home exercises relieve neck pain more effectively than taking medication.

New research from Northwestern Health Sciences University in Minnesota shows that seeing a Chiropractor or doing simple home exercises like neck bends can relieve neck pain more effectively than taking pain meds like ibuprofen, Tylenol, or even narcotics. Scientists tracked more than 270 people to find that 57 percent of those who saw a Chiropractor and 48 percent of those who did home exercises daily had a 75 percent drop in pain after three months; only 33 percent who took drugs reported the same relief. While popping a pill may be an instant palliative, therapy can trump prescription meds in as little as two weeks’ time, says lead author Gert Bronfort.

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Researchers have found that there’s a part of your body that might actually shrink when you eat too much fast food.

Unfortunately, it’s your brain.

People with diets high in trans fats are more likely to experience the kind of brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer’s disease than people who consume less of the artery-damaging fats, the new study suggests.

Those with diets high in vitamins C and E, the B vitamins and vitamin D, meanwhile, appear to have larger brains than people with diets low in these nutrients.

And diets high in omega 3 fatty acids seemed to benefit the small blood vessels of the brain — “and the thinking abilities related to those vessels,” said lead investigator Dr. Gene Bowman.

The B vitamins, the antioxidants C and E and vitamin D all seemed to be working in concert in some way the researchers can’t yet fully explain. But the B-C-E-D pattern was associated with greater total brain volume and better global cognitive function. People who scored low on this vitamin combination turned out to have less total brain tissue;

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When we think of chiropractors, we usually think of human patients, but one Georgia chiropractor is trying to help save the life of a more exotic creature from down under.

The patient’s name is Oliver.

Five-years-old and 68 pounds, he’s a Marcropus Agilis…an Agile Wallaby.

This was Oliver’s third visit to Dr. Stover’s clinic since injuring himself about a week-and-a-half ago.

“The first time I touched him his ears perked up and when he got my scent his heart beat slowed; he’s definitely aware that I’m here to help him,” he added.

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Below is a quick summary of an article that was recently posted on Foxnews.com:

Back and neck pain are the chief complaints for which patients seek chiropractic help. Through manual spinal manipulation, chiropractic care is a holistic therapy that focuses on maintaining healthy musculoskeletal and nervous systems to ensure overall wellness.

The research about chiropractic care is growing. According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, recent studies show that spinal manipulative therapy performed by a chiropractor, along with exercise, relieve neck pain more effectively than medication.

Nancy Elwartowski-Cooper, a pediatric and prenatal chiropractor, sees more and more referrals from medical doctors: “They (patients) are tired of the drugs and want answers to what is causing their problems.”

Many chiropractors seek to care for the whole person, from general wellness to disease prevention. They examine every patient, not only for the reason of their visit but also their level of health. After diagnosis, a chiropractor develops a treatment plan.

You can read the entire article here.

When most of us sneeze, we put it down to a cold or even allergies, and our first thoughts are to pop an antihistamine pill – not to call a chiropractor! But did you know that a chiropractor could help you overcome your allergy problems? Most people associate chiropractors with back and neck issues, and while it’s true that chiropractors can help with such health conditions, they can also help the body achieve optimum health by ensuring the spine is correctly aligned.

A study from the University of California [1] found that signals from the nervous system may influence the function of the immune system. While our immune system is there to fight against viruses, disease and infection, and helps to keep the body performing at its peak, it also works to dispel foreign contaminants that enter the body. When we sneeze because of an allergy, it’s because our body detects the presence of a foreign object in the system, such as dust, mites, pollen, etc. and it produces chemicals to neutralize and expel the allergens. These chemicals are known as histamines. In the case of allergies, the immune system overreacts to the presence of the allergens in the body.

A chiropractor treats the patient by releasing the stresses on the patient’s nervous system, which as a result causes the immune system to work more effectively and as a consequence allergies are thereby reduced. Patients with misaligned spinal vertebra may have pinched nerves, which apply pressure and stress the system. Once the trapped nerve is released, the nervous system in general is free from stress and the body can then work more effectively to neutralize the allergy-causing chemicals found in the body.

Spinal health is as beneficial to the body as is good nutrition.

What else can be done? Enjoying tree nuts, like walnuts and pecans, apples, fish (for the fish oils), red grapes, and tomatoes have all been shown to help your body deal with allergies. (Time Article).

[1] Goetzl EJ, Voice JK, Shen S, Dorsam G, Kong Y, West KM, Morrison CF, Harmar AJ., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Nov 20;98(24):13854-9. Epub 2001 Nov 6.

[2] Brandes LJ, Simons KJ, Bracken SP, Warrington RC., J Clin Oncol. 1994 Jun;12(6):1281-90.

According to researchers from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston, obese Americans are trying to lose weight — and many are successful.

“I was surprised by how many people in our study had success,” says lead researcher Dr. Jacinda Nicklas, a clinical research fellow at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. “We have this impression that it is really difficult for obese people to lose weight, but no, they are losing weight. Even if it’s a modest amount, you don’t have to be thin to have a nice health effect.”

How did the successful losers do it? Here’s what didn’t work: using fad techniques like 30-day liquid cleanses, taking nonprescription diet pills and eating “diet” foods. Obese Americans who reported weight loss were more likely to steer clear of the so-called latest and greatest in dieting and instead adopt the classic technique of eating less and exercising more, reporting that they “drank lots of water” and “ate less fat,” for example.

The most popular strategies were eating less, exercising more, eating less fat and switching to lower-calorie foods. People who used commercial weight-loss programs and prescription weight-loss pills also saw success, but only a small portion of the study participants used them. Meanwhile, liquid diets, nonprescription diet pills and popular diets showed no association with weight loss.

Time Article

Sweet news about those chocolate cravings: People who eat moderate amounts regularly are thinner than those who eat chocolate less often.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL2AHSMWELE