reef

July 2012

Welcome to our July Newsletter. I hope you’re having a fun summer so far. Take advantage of the weather and get outside. Get to the beach or head for the mountains. If the Mayans are right, this may be the last summer we’ll ever have. So enjoy it!

BTW, my son informs me that the scheduled end of the Mayan calender might now be delayed by a couple of years or more. Soma type of science/history bureaucratic mix up. So don’t stop paying taxes, mortgages or other bills just yet.

Forward Head Posture

Forward head posture plays a crucial role in the stress on your upper back and neck. For every inch your head moves forwards, it gains 10 pounds in weight, as far as the muscles in your upper back and neck are concerned, because they have to work that much harder to keep the head (chin) from dropping onto your chest.

This also forces the suboccipital muscles (they raise the chin) to remain in constant contraction, putting pressure on the 3 Suboccipital nerves. This nerve compression may cause headaches at the base of the skull. Pressure on the suboccipital nerves can also mimic sinus headaches.

Persistent forward head posture (a.k.a “hyperkyphotic posture”) puts compressive loads upon the upper thoracic vertebra, and is also associated with the development of Upper Thoracic Hump, which can devolve into Dowager Hump when the vertebra develop compression fractures.

It’s not uncommon to observe 2″ of anterior head placement in new patients. Would you be surprised that your neck and shoulders hurt if you had a 20-pound watermelon hanging around your neck? That’s what forward head posture can do to you. Left uncorrected, FHP will continue to decline. Chiropractic can be very corrective, especially along with corrective postural exercises. Our specialty is in reversing the joint fixations (what we refer to as “subluxations”) and in re-invigorating the muscles that normally retract the head.

Chiro.org

MRI for Low Back Pain?

It has always been my policy to defer ordering an MRI for lower back pain. Unfortunately the results too often pick up incidental changes that do not correlate with the clinical findings of the examination. This can lead to unnecessary interventions. Typically I see this with disc herniation cases. Here is a very good presentation that explains why MRI for low back pain should be less frequently ordered. Video

Low Carb Diet Burns More Calories

This recent study measured how many calories people burned daily when they were on three different diets. The three diets were low fat, low glycemic index (similar to a Mediterranean diet) and low carb. All subjects were given the same number of calories to ingest every day. The researchers then measured how many calories each burned every day. They found that the low carb diet subjects burned about 300 more calories per day than the low fat subjects. Think of it as an engine that has a higher resting idle speed. The low glycemic index dieters burned about 150 more calories than the low fat group. The implications for those who are trying to maintain weight loss is worth further study. Read more.

Re-Thinking Low Dose Aspirin Therapy

For years doctors have been recommending low dose aspirin to prevent heart attack and stroke. These recommendations typically included healthy people as well. I’ve always been concerned that the research did not show any benefit for people who did not have any prior heart disease. In fact the early aspirin studies only showed a benefit in preventing a second heart attack for those who’ve already experienced one.

Here’s a new report on the risks associated with aspirin. The conclusion is that healthy people taking daily aspirin may want to reconsider that decision. As a researcher quoted in the article stated; “all the aspirin vs. placebo clinical trials showed that—no matter how low the aspirin dose—there were always more cases of brain or gastrointestinal bleeding in the study participants on aspirin.”

Read more

Bovine Chiropractic

Here’s an interesting report on dairy cows who get chiropractic adjustments, massage, and even waterbeds in an effort to increase milk production.

I’m not sure what to think, but I’m intrigued enough to want to observe a moo cow therapy session. If anyone out there is getting their cows adjusted please let me know. However I would prefer to stay as far away from the manure holding tanks as possible. ChiroCows

If all this cow talk is making you hungry please read this report……

Beware Grill Brush Bristle Ingestion

This article has been making the news of late. In recent years, internal injuries have been reported following unintentional ingestions of wire grill-cleaning brush bristles by both children and adults.

It hit close to home on Father’s Day weekend here at chez Baker. My son Luke bit into a piece of wire bristle along with his steak Saturday evening. Fortunately he survived and was able buy me a new grill brush for Father’s Day.

Here’s the article with case reports: CDC article

Front Page News

This is a cool website that shows the daily front page of over 800 newspapers worldwide. Just drag your pointer over the map and click on any country, state or city. Today’s Front Page

2012 – June Newsletter

Posted on: June 1st, 2012

Reef Chiropractic Care

Dr. Brian C. Baker

203.259.4939

To view an online version of this please click here

IN THIS ISSUE

Intro to Chiropractic
Mosquitogeddon

Kids and Chiropractic

Vitamin D Blues

Berrys Anyone?

Pizza Soundtrack

INTERESTING LINKS

June 2012

Welcome to our June Newsletter. I hope this month finds you staying well and keeping healthy. The farmer’s markets are open and the local produce is looking good. Eat your veggies. Your body needs vitamin D, so go out and get some sunshine. Hop on your bike, or paddle board, or in your kayak and get some exercise. Remember the five facets of health. Proper rest, exercise, nutrition, a positive mental attitude and chiropractic care!

Intro to Chiropractic

Have you ever tried to refer a friend or family member to our office, but they resisted due to some uncertainty or apprehension about trying chiropractic? Here’s a great video to share with them about using chiropractic for their lower back issues.

Kids: Neck and Back Pain?

Do children have a need for chiropractic care. From a strictly musculoskeletal point of view it would appear so. Here are two graphs showing the prevalence of neck and back pain in children.

Natural Mosquito Relief

I’m sure you’ve been reading all the headlines about how this will be a bad mosquito season. You just knew that we would pay dearly for such a mild winter. Right? In fact, many of us simply couldn’t enjoy ourselves last winter, with all the worrying about the upcoming pollen and mosquito apocalypse. Well, here are some natural alternatives to ward off the mosquito assault. God bless and stay safe out there! Read more

Feeling Blue? Try Some Sun.

A large cross-sectional study of adults suggests a link between low vitamin D levels and depressive symptoms.

The study, published in the November 2011 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, involved 12,594 participants.
All participants completed baseline examinations that included measurement of serum vitamin D levels and an assessment using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).

According to the investigators, low vitamin D levels were common in the sample as a whole, with 50.7% of participants having levels in either the deficient or the insufficient range.

In the overall sample, higher vitamin D levels were associated with a decreased risk for current depression, based on CES-D scores.

This study was one of several that has looked at a connection between depression and Vitamin D. While other study results have been mixed, it is my opinion, that vitamin D supplementation is a safe preventative strategy when combined with blood testing.

Eating Berrys May Delay Memory Loss

Increased consumption of blueberries and strawberries appears to slow cognitive decline in older women, according to an analysis of data from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS).

The researchers found that greater intakes of blueberries and strawberries were associated with slower rates of cognitive decline. “Specifically, eating 1 or more servings per week of blueberries or 2 or more servings per week of strawberries appears to be associated with memory benefits,” lead researcher Dr. Devore said.

So get out and do some berry pickin’! Then some berry eatin’!

Pizza Joint Music

I came across a video of a couple of guys playing music at a pizza place in Utah. They have an interesting background. One is a deputy prosecutor, the other is a defense lawyer. I think you’ll be impressed. I was. Turn up the volume on your computer. I’ll betcha can’t watch just one! Mike Masse

2012 – May Newsletter

Posted on: May 1st, 2012

Reef Chiropractic Care

Dr. Brian C. Baker

203.259.4939

To view an online version of this please click here

IN THIS ISSUE

SEAL Team Six
Headaches

Laughing Gas

Tempurpedic Pillows

Pie Chart

INTERESTING LINKS

May 2012

As I write this, it appears that April showers have decided to come in May instead. It’s great to see everything in bloom and my lawn never looked so good!

If you’re tackling yard work, be sure to bend and lift correctly. If you’re using fertilizers or weed or pest control, read the labels and handle chemicals carefully. Keep hands and feet clear of running lawn mowers and avoid climbing high ladders or playing with chainsaws unless you’re experienced.

As the great philosopher Dirty Harry once growled, “a man’s gotta know his limitations.”

SEAL Team Six Chiropractor

Keeping in mind Memorial Day, you might appreciate this video about chiropractic and former member and author of SEAL Team Six.

Headaches and Chiropractic Care

I was a kid when I was first introduced to chiropractic by my mother. At the time, she suffered with intense migraine headaches and she eventually sought help through chiropractic care. Her relief was so impressive that she insisted that our family all get regular chiropractic checkups and adjustments. Over forty years later she still gets regular chiropractic care with her doctor in New York and I get regular adjustments from my colleagues. How about you?

I thought I’d share this article on chiropractic care as a drug free headache treatment. Headaches are one of the top reasons people seek medical attention. I hope you’ll share this with others. Read more

Laughing Through Labor?

Here’s an interesting article about dealing with the pain of child birth. Some folks are using nitrous oxide (a.k.a. laughing gas) for women during labor. The two caveats mentioned are interesting. First and foremost, how does the baby react to the gas? And secondly, is the gas exposure in the delivery room affecting the nurses and midwives? Who says childbirth isn’t a laughing matter?

HaHaHa

Tempurpedic Pillow Order

I’m ready to place an order to restock our inventory of Tempurpedic pillows. Tempurpedic makes a whole variety of both Neck Pillows as well as regular and deluxe pillows. Take a look at the selection and let me know if you want to add to our order. If you do it with us, you’ll receive a 20% discount off the retail price. You must let me know within the next 6 days.

Fascinating Pie Chart

I am always on the lookout for cutting edge nutritional information. This chart puts it all in perspective. Any questions? Please call.

2012 – April Newsletter

Posted on: April 1st, 2012

Reef Chiropractic Care

Dr. Brian C. Baker

203.259.4939

IN THIS ISSUE

Dr. Wayne Dyer
Statins: Pro or Con

Antibiotics in Livestock

Stoogesta

Scale of the Universe

Tempur-pedic Mattress

INTERESTING LINKS

April 2012

I hope your Spring is off to a good start. It’s a time of renewal. Evidence of growth is all around us. If you’re like me, you may sense a feeling of optimism and inspiration. I hope you’ll take time to reflect on the quality of your life, especially your health.

To get you started I’ll share Dr. Wayne Dyer’s opinion of chiropractic. Then I’ll give you something to wrap your analytical brain around: Dueling opinions about statin therapy for cholesterol. Then antibiotics in your meat and, the latest drug therapy, Stoogesta. Finally let’s put it all into perspective with the Scale of the Universe.

When you’re done, give us a call and get yourself an adjustment.

Dr. Wayne Dyer on the Chiropractic Profession

Here’s a video of Dr. Wayne Dyer, internationally best-selling author of more than 30 books including The Power of Intention, sharing his views on the status of the current health care paradigm and the role of Chiropractic in the shift away from that current health care model.

Dr. Dyer

Should Healthy Men Take Stains? Opinions May Vary

I know you pay close attention to my in-office pontificating. So you’ve got a pretty good idea of my stand on the proliferation of lifetime medications such as statin therapy for cholesterol lowering.

The conventional wisdom pro-statin camp has been under increasing pressure lately. The latest trend in healthcare analysis is using meta-analysis (reviewing the best quality studies all together) to form a consensus opinion. The statin outcomes have not been so promising and the risk associated with statin use need to be put into perspective, especially if the risk out ways any benefit.

So this month JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) published dueling opinions about taking statins. It is a very interesting idea and I applaud their open discussion.

Here’s the question they asked: Should a 55-year-old man who is otherwise well, with systolic blood pressure of 110 mm Hg, total cholesterol of 250 mg/dL, and no family history of premature CHD(coronary heart disease) be treated with a statin?

Here are the opinions:

Against taking statins

For Taking Statins

If you care to, after you’ve read the articles, let me know. Then you get my opinion.

FDA Ordered to Restrict

Livestock Antibiotic Use

This seems like a no-brainer. Eighty percent of antibiotics are used in animals. 80%! Antibiotic resistance is considered a significant health crisis. So maybe we should reduce our exposure in our food right? I found the interesting point made was that the FDA had to be ordered to implement a program to reduce antibiotic use.

Read More

Stoogesta Rx: It’s Not for Everyone

Some might think you suffer from this disorder, but I doubt it. Take a look at the ad that CBS refused to air because it might upset their other drug advertisers. I’m not kidding.

Watch

Scale of the Universe

This is a very, very cool website that will give you an idea how everything in the universe measures up to each other. Let the website load then scroll back and forth. From a Plank Length to the size of the observable universe. It puts the analogy “a pimple on the butt of an elephant” to shame!

Universe

Tempurpedic Mattress Promotion

As you may know, I sell and use the Tempur-pedic NeckPillow. We also have professional pricing on Tempur-pedic Matresses. From now until May 11, if you order through our office, you’ll receive free shipping as well as a free matress protector. You always get the 90 trial and a full money back refund if you’re not happy. If you’re in the market for a Tempur-pedic mattress, let us know and we’ll price it for you.

2012 – March Newsletter

Posted on: March 2nd, 2012

Reef Chiropractic Care

Dr. Brian C. Baker

203.259.4939

IN THIS ISSUE

Maintenance Care
Carbs are Killing You

Childhood Asthma

Drug Deaths

Statins and Diabetes

INTERESTING LINKS

March 2012

Got a few minutes? If you’re working, grab a mug of coffee or a cup of Bigelow tea. If it’s evening, maybe a little red wine and a piece of dark chocolate. Both can be healthy choices. I’d like you to think about the other choices you make every day and the impact on your health. Get enough rest? Eat a healthy diet? Any exercise? Keeping stress under control? Been adjusted lately?

Take some time to read the articles below and consider making healthy choices. If you’ve got any questions let me know.

If you’re having that red wine you’d better be 21!

Medical Research Supports Chiropractic Maintenance Care

Two research studies generated by the medical profession add evidence in support of the value of chiropractic maintenance care.

The first study published in January 2011 in Spine concluded that “spinal manipulative therapy is effective for the treatment of chronic non specific low back pain. To obtain long-term benefit, this study suggests maintenance spinal manipulations after the initial intensive manipulative therapy.”

The second study in April 2011, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, provides additional support for the value of chiropractic maintenance care for post injury low back pain patients. The study followed 894 injured workers for a period of one year. During that year there were four different types of therapy available to the workers: medical management, physical therapy, chiropractic, and no therapy. Episodes of repeat disability were recorded during the year following the initial injury. Physical therapy had the highest percentage of re-injured workers followed by those receiving medical management or no treatment at all. The lowest incidence of repeat injury was found among those workers who had received chiropractic maintenance care.

Carbs are Killing You

You never get tired of hearing my opinion about the benefits of low carbohydrate diets on your health. Right? Well, I’ve come across this great graphical flow chart on the effect of a high carbohydrate diet and how it makes us fat. It’s named “Carbs Are Killing You!” Hyperbole? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Flow Chart

An Acetaminophen -Childhood Asthma Link?

I’m always asked about over the counter drugs for acute back and neck pain. Researchers have shown that NSAIDS, like Advil or Alleve, do little to help with spine pain. Tylenol (acetaminophen) has a slight pain relief advantage in some studies. However, it is well established that acetaminophen overuse is a leading cause of liver failure. Here’s an article that finds a link with childhood asthma as well.

Asthma

Drug Deaths Now Outnumber Traffic Fatalities in the United States

We are not talking about crack cocaine, crystal meth or heroin. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2009, prescription drugs exceeded motor vehicle accidents as a cause of death, killing at least 37,485 people. While almost all other areas of preventable death are declining, drug related deaths have increased to a rate of one every 14 minutes in the United States. That is double what it was a decade ago. The main culprit is thought to be prescription narcotic overdoses-Vicodin, Darvocet, Oxycontin and all their brothers and sisters.

Drug deaths among teens and young adults doubled between 2000 and 2008. The rise is deaths parallels medical doctors prescribing more painkillers and anti-anxiety meds. By the way, hydrocodone is the most widely prescribed drug in America.

After 25 years as a chiropractor I am thrilled to say we haven’t contributed the first script to this problem.

Read More

Statins and Diabetes

You may have heard about a recent study showing a higher risk of diabetes in people who take statin medication to lower cholesterol. A colleague sent me this very entertaining video from an MD who frequently criticizes the use of statins. Here he comments on the study.

2012 – February Newsletter

Posted on: February 3rd, 2012

Reef Chiropractic Care

Dr. Brian C. Baker

203.259.4939

IN THIS ISSUE

Neck Pain
Snake Oil

Antibiotics in food

Medical, Inc.

Citrus

INTERESTING LINKS

February 2012

I don’t know about you, but I’m really enjoying this relatively balmy February. Not a single snow shoveling or ice slip and fall injury this year and that’s just me! My wife and I recently vacationed in Arizona and, besides the great weather and visits with family, I was re-inspired while reading The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living. If you’ve been in recently you’ve probably heard my encouragement to pursue low carb diets for pain and inflammation control as well as weight loss and serum triglyceride and cholesterol management. The Deflame and Paleo Diet links are good places to start. Want to know more? I’m always here to help.

For Neck Pain: Chiropractic and Exercise Are Better Than Drugs

A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine provided additional evidence that chiropractic is effective for neck pain. BTW, both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal reported on this study. Who says we all can’t get along?

Read more

Snake Oil?

I’m always critical of health claims made by various supplement products out there. Airborne anyone? Yet I believe that there are benefits associated with certain vitamins for certain conditions. Here is an very cool bubble chart that illustrates the evidence for supplements and conditions. Be sure an explore the condition menu.

Bubble Chart

Cut Back on Antibiotic Use!

The FDA has concern that the loading up of animals on antibiotics before slaughter is linked to growing antibiotic resistance among humans. Farmers say the antibiotics are necessary as the livestock enters the food chain, forget the fact that one of the effects of the drugs is to fatten up the animals. Health activists say the antibiotics are way over-utilized to begin with and the use should be curtailed even more.

The key drug category in question is the cephalosporins and go by the trade names of Cefzil and Keflex among others. In the farming world these drugs are used in cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys before slaughter. In humans Cephalosporins are used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections, such as respiratory tract infections (pneumonia, strep throat, tonsillitis, bronchitis), skin infections and urinary tract infections. They are sometimes given with other antibiotics. Cephalosporins are also commonly used for surgical prophylaxis – prevention of bacterial infection before, during, and after surgery.

If you’d like to try some clean local grass fed beef, I highly recommend Laurel Ridge Farm. John Morosani delivers right to Fairfield (our office) the first Thursday of every month. Check them out.

Grass Fed Beef

Medical, Inc. Exposing The Medical Monopoly

I’m excited about a new movie that is slated to come out this summer. It’s about the “unseen tactics of organized medicine in an investigation that leads to the highest levels of the American Medical Association (AMA) and reveals an alarming portrait of deception and criminality. Medical Inc. takes us into the courtroom with five chiropractors who, having been labeled “an unscientific cult,’ fought back and won a landmark verdict.” Take a look at their teaser video.

Monday (2/27) Deadline: Help Fairfield Kiwanis Club End Citrus Hunger

Cold season is upon us. Vitamin C has been shown to boost immunity and fresh Florida oranges, tangerines and grapefruit have been shown to lessen the winter blues. Here is an opportunity to help you and your family get through the winter.

Take a look

2012 – January Newsletter

Posted on: January 1st, 2012

Reef Chiropractic Care

Dr. Brian C. Baker

203.259.4939

IN THIS ISSUE

Back pain
Diet Soda
Belly Buttons

Save 40%

Citrus

INTERESTING LINKS

January 2012

I hope you’re enjoying the most mild winter we’ve had in several years. I’ve been delequint in getting back to a regular newsletter schedule and I hope you’ve been able to persevere without my monthly update. If you’re overdue for an adjustment, than take this opportunity to call. If you’re serious about taking some action steps toward better health this new year, then let us know so we can help.

Consumer Reports on Back Pain Treatment

Chiropractic outperformed all other back-pain treatments, and prescription medication rated about the same as deep-tissue massage, yoga, or Pilates. Over-the-counter medication was less helpful than hands-on therapies but performed about the same as progressive relaxation and meditation.

Read more

How Diet Soda Can Make You Fat

Here is an interesting video that discusses the acid/alkaline balance in foods and, more importantly, how diet soda can make you gain weight.

Besides Lint, What’s in Your Belly Button?

Have you ever wondered what keeps all that lint company inside your navel? Science has taken one step closer to understanding the complexities of nature in this intriguing must read article.

Read

Starting with Chiropractic Saves 40% on Low Back Pain Care

A new study finds that low back pain care initiated with a doctor of chiropractic (DC) saves 40 percent on health care costs when compared with care initiated through a medical doctor (MD). The study, featuring data from 85,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield beneficiaries, concludes that insurance companies that restrict access to chiropractic care for low back pain treatment may inadvertently pay more for care than they would if they removed such restrictions.

The study, “Cost of Care for Common Back Pain Conditions Initiated With Chiropractic Doctor vs. Medical Doctor/Doctor of Osteopathy as First Physician: Experience of One Tennessee-Based General Health Insurer,” looked at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee’s intermediate and large group fully insured population over a two-year span.

Results show that paid costs for episodes of care initiated by a DC were almost 40 percent less than care initiated through an MD. After risk-adjusting each patient’s costs, researchers still found significant savings in the chiropractic group. They estimated that allowing DC-initiated episodes of care would have led to an annual cost savings of $2.3 million for BCBS of Tennessee.

Help Fairfield Kiwanis Club End Citrus Hunger

Take a look

This message was sent to email@example.com from:

Dr. Brian Baker | reefchirocare@optimum.net | Reef Chiropractic Care | 133 Reef Road | Fairfield, CT 06824

Email Marketing by

Manage Your Subscription

2011 – December Newsletter

Posted on: December 1st, 2011

REEF CHIROPRACTIC CARE

133 Reef Road, Fairfield, CT 203.259.4939

Dr. Brian C. Baker

Healthy Living Newsletter

Since our last newsletter some major changes have taken place. Anne Ballou has retired and moved up to the Cape. We wish her well in this new chapter in her life. At the same time I’m pleased to welcome Shane Mraz to the office. Shane and her family have been patients here so she has some idea what she is getting into! I plan on getting back to a regular newsletter soon, but I wanted to get out my annual pitch for the Kiwanis Poinsettia fundraiser. Thanks for indulging me. Stop by, or call and say hello to Shane.

– Dr. B.

2011 Fairfield Kiwanis Club Poinsettias

As many of you know, I am a proud member of the Fairfield Kiwanis Club. Have been in fact for 24 years. This organization has been around Fairfield since 1961 and is comprised of dedicated men and women who serve the community, especially the youth, by raising funds to grant scholarships, support local charity organizations and our future leaders involved in high school Key Clubs.

Throughout the year the Fairfield Kiwanis holds various fund-raising events like an annual golf tournament, a weekend craft fair, cooking and selling hot dogs and hamburgers at town-wide events, and selling seasonal citrus and POINSETTIAS!

If you’ve bought these plants in the past than you know that these are not those anemic, sickly, local home center plants, but HUGE, florist quality, nursery fresh, 18 -20″ triple plant per pot, with 12-15 blooms, in vibrant red, white, or pink in a foil wrapped pot. Stop by the office and check out the one on the counter.

They are priced at $25 in your choice of Red, White or Pink. They will be available for pick-up on 12/10. If you order 5 or more plants than we’ll deliver them. To order your plants please click fairfieldkiwanis.org and click the order form on the page.

If you would prefer, e-mail me and I’ll send the form out to you with the details.

I appreciate your help and thanks for reading.

BTW, if you’re interested in learning more about Kiwanis please let me know. We meet 12:15 Wednesdays at the Gaelic Club for a lunch meeting. I’ll buy.

October 2011

“Too many people resign themselves to living with chronic pain or relying on a steady diet of medication to get through the day. I believe there is a better way.

We offer a knowledgeable diagnosis and evaluation with actual hands-on care, along with lifestyle counseling, focused on your well being.”

Dr. Brian Baker

REEF CHIROPRACTIC CARE

133 Reef Road Fairfield, CT

203.259.4939

Quick Links

Which are more powerful? Pills or Capsules?

Here’s an interesting video that explores the strange powers of the placebo effect.

2011 – April Newsletter

Posted on: April 1st, 2011

REEF CHIROPRACTIC CARE

133 Reef Road, Fairfield, CT 203.259.4939

Dr. Brian C. Baker

Healthy Living Newsletter

Spring is here! Get outside. Go for a hike. Get the yard cleaned up. Shake off those winter cobwebs. Here’s this month’s newsletter. Be sure to read all the way to the end. When you’re done reading, please forward this newsletter to your friends, then get in for an adjustment.

Wine and Heart Health, Stroke Prevention

Many studies have shown a reduction in the risk of heart disease and stroke with moderate alcohol intake. I recently became aware of a study from Denmark that looked at a non-Mediterranean population whose wine intake had increased over a 30 year period. Their conclusion: Low to moderate intake of wine is associated with lower mortality from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease and other causes.

Similar intake of spirits implied an increased risk, while beer drinking did not affect mortality. There was a 49% decrease in total mortality among the moderate drinkers and a 30% decrease among those with low consumption, compared with people who never drank wine.

So what is a low to moderate intake of wine, you ask? The study said 1-2 glasses a day is a low intake and 3-5 a day is a moderate one. Now 3-5 glasses a day seems like a lot to me and that’s higher than US researchers have suggested in the past as well. My analysis of this study is that they used a serving size of about 4 to 5 ounces. Keep that in mind when you’re pouring a glass of wine. I’m assuming a typical serving size at home or your favorite restaurant is more likely 6 or more ounces.

Although this research made no distinction between red and white wine, most studies have suggested that red wine confers the most benefit.

Copenhagen Heart Study

Study Compares Chiropractic to Microdiskectomy
for Low Back Pain with Sciatica

In an excellent example of the kind of comparative effectiveness research needed to distinguish the relative quality of competing treatment approaches, researchers in Alberta, Canada studied the relative costs and benefits of lumbar microdisckectomy (the surgical removal of herniated disc material that presses on a nerve root or the spinal cord) and chiropractic spinal manipulation for patients with low back pain and sciatica associated with lumbar disk herniation for whom usual medical care had failed. The results were dramatic: 60 percent of patients with sciatica who had failed medical management benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they had undergone surgical intervention, at a far lower cost.

The economic implications of these findings are far-reaching. In the U.S., at least 200,000 microdiskectomies are performed annually at a direct cost of $5 billion, or $25,000 per procedure. Avoiding 60 percent of these surgeries would mean a reduction savings of $3 billion annually. In the Canadian study, patients receiving chiropractic care averaged 21 visits during their course of care. If a cost of $100 per patient visit is assumed for the care provided by the chiropractor, then the total cost per patient would be $2,100, yielding per patient savings of $22,900, or $2.75 billion dollars annually.

April 2011

“Too many people resign themselves to living with chronic pain or relying on a steady diet of medication to get through the day. I believe there is a better way.

We offer a knowledgeable diagnosis and evaluation with actual hands-on care, along with lifestyle counseling, focused on your well being.”

Dr. Brian Baker

REEF CHIROPRACTIC CARE

133 Reef Road Fairfield, CT

203.259.4939

Quick Links

Kids on Farms Breath Easier. It may be the bugs!

Children growing up on farms have a much lower risk of asthma than others, but it’s not all that fresh air and exercise that turns the trick. Instead, it’s exposure to a larger range of bacteria and fungi in the barnyard.

That’s the conclusion of investigators who reported in the Feb. 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine on two large European cross-sectional studies that looked at asthma, and predisposition toward developing certain allergic hypersensitivity, in more than 16,500 elementary school children.

The investigators reported that they identified several types of microbes that might be responsible for the reduction in asthma risk, including members of the fungal and a variety of bacterial species.

The mechanisms involved remain unclear, the researchers noted. One possibility is that some combination of microbes stimulates the innate immune system and prevents it from entering a pro-asthma state.

It is also possible that exposure to many different microbes makes it harder for those that can induce asthma to become dominant in the lower respiratory tract, they noted.

The results of the study support the so-called “hygiene hypothesis” which is that exposure to germs help in the maturation of a child’s immune system and offer protection against asthma and related allergic disease.

What about dairy farms? I’d find it ironic that breathing is improved even when the smell takes your breath away!

We might have a drug problem

Here is an excerpt from an article in Pain Physician Journal I came across. Read these numbers and be prepared to be blown away!

“In the United States, the therapeutic use of opioids has exploded as witnessed by the increased sales of hydrocodone by 280% from 1997 to 2007, while at the same time methadone usage increased 1,293% and oxycodone increased 866%. In addition, the estimated number of prescriptions filled for controlled substances increased from 222 million in 1994 to 354 million in 2003. Consequently, the milligram per person use of therapeutic opioids in the United States increased from 73.59 milligrams in 1997 to 329.23 milligrams in 2006, an increase of 347%. And, while hydrocodone is the most commonly used opioid in the United States, based on milligrams per person, oxycodone is the most commonly used drug with methadone use rapidly increasing the most.

In pain management settings, it has been reported that as many as 90% of patients receive opioids for chronic pain management in spite of the numerous issues involved. Similarly, it has been shown that a majority of these patients were on opioids prior to presenting to an interventional pain management setting. However, the claims of under-treatment of pain and the campaign for increased availability of opioids and so-called assessment for proper treatment of pain continue.

Consequently, Americans, constituting only 4.6% of the world’s population, have been consuming 80% of the global opioid supply, and 99% of the global hydrocodone supply, as well as two-thirds of the world’s illegal drugs.

In addition, the liberalization of the laws governing opioid prescribing for the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain by state medical boards in the late 1990s, the introduction of new pain management standards for inpatient and outpatient medical care implemented by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) in 2000, and the advocacy efforts of many physicians and organizations for increased usage of opioids in the treatment of chronic pain has resulted in escalating use, abuse, and overuse of therapeutic opioids. Opioids in general, and the most potent forms of opioids, including Schedule II drugs in particular, have dramatically increased.”

I am stunned by the amount of opioids this country consumes. At first glance it appears that we have created a society of drug addicts. Chronic back pain is frequently cited as a reason for pain management and I believe more people should utilize chiropractic as a drug free pain management tool.

Pain Physician Journal

Which are more powerful? Pills or Capsules?

Here’s an interesting video that explores the strange powers of the placebo effect.

2011 – March Newsletter

Posted on: March 1st, 2011

REEF CHIROPRACTIC CARE

133 Reef Road, Fairfield, CT 203.259.4939

Dr. Brian C. Baker

March Healthy Living Newsletter

All right, the snow has melted! The winter is actually coming to an end. Here’s this month’s newsletter. When you done reading please forward this newsletter to your friends. Then call Anne and get in for an adjustment before the crocus blooms get the better of you!

Do Maintenance Adjustments Help?

A recent study in the journal Spine says they do. Here’s the details.

Over a 1 month period, 60 patients with chronic, nonspecific low back pain lasting at least 6 months were randomized to receive either 12 treatments of sham spinal manipulative therapy (SMT), or 12 treatments consisting of SMT, but no treatments for the next nine months, or 12 treatments followed with “maintenance spinal manipulation” every two weeks for the following nine months. To determine any difference among therapies, the investigators measured pain and disability scores, generic health status, and back- specific patient satisfaction at baseline and at 1-month, 4-month, 7- month and 10-month intervals.

Patients in both second and third groups experienced significantly lower pain and disability scores than first group at the end of 1- month period. However, only the third group that was given spinal manipulations during the follow-up period showed more improvement in pain and disability scores at the 10- month evaluation. In the no maintained SMT group, however, the pain and disability scores returned back near to their pretreatment level.

Conclusion. SMT is effective for the treatment of chronic non specific LBP. To obtain long-term benefit, this study suggests maintenance spinal manipulations after the initial intensive manipulative therapy.

Emergency Room Visits for Back Problems Tops Reaches Three Million

Roughly 3.4 million emergency department visits, or an average of 9,400 visits a day, that occurred at U.S. hospitals in 2008 were related to back problems, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

In addition, more than 663,000 inpatient stays — a daily average of nearly 1,820 stays that year — were mainly for back surgery or other back disorder treatments.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) also found the following back pain statistics for 2008:

Adults ages 18 to 44 years were most likely to require just emergency department care for back pain with 1,569 visits per 100,000 people. Senior citizens aged 65 to 84 years were least likely to have such visits.
Individuals ages 18 to 44 years were far less likely to be hospitalized, while seniors had the highest hospitalization rates;
Men were less likely than women to need emergency department care or be hospitalized for back pain. with 1,005 visits and 209 admissions per 100,000 men vs. 1,244 emergency visits and 225 admissions per 100,000 women; and
The overall costs for inpatient stays principally for back problems was more than $9.5 billion, making it the ninth most expensive condition treated in U.S. hospitals.

Maybe we need to start putting more Doctors of Chiropractic into the hospitals.

March 2011

“Too many people resign themselves to living with chronic pain or relying on a steady diet of medication to get through the day. I believe there is a better way.

We offer a knowledgeable diagnosis and evaluation with actual hands-on care, along with lifestyle counseling, focused on your well being.”

Dr. Brian Baker

REEF CHIROPRACTIC CARE

133 Reef Road Fairfield, CT

203.259.4939