» Dr. Arthur

In our last post we discussed the cause of the majority of the chronic conditions, including heart disease, we see in the US: the pro-inflammatory state.  Today, I want to talk about some simple things you can do the ensure you’re living a lifestyle that doesn’t promote inflammation. 

In last week’s article we highlighted two causes for the pro-inflammatory state:  the stress response and the food we eat.  Let’s talk first about how to promote a proper, balanced, stress response in your body.  We have two general classifications of nervous system stimuli, nociception (negative body thoughts) and mechanoreception (positive body thoughts).  Nociceptive input, or negative body thoughts, are stimuli such as pain, chemicals, inflammation, lack of motion, negative emotions or emotional trauma.  These nervous system stimuli cause a stress reponse in the body, leading to sympathetic effects that we outlined last week: increased insulin resistance, increase blood lipid and cholesterol levels (LDL up, HDL down), etc.  The chronic accumulation of these negative effects leads to the pro-inflammatory state and the eventually development of chronic disease (note that this accumulation occurs even in the abscense of pain or symptoms). 

We are very lucky that are body has given us a mechanism to control nociceptive input.  This mechanism the result of the second general type of stimuli:  mechanoreception (positive body thoughts).  These receptors detect positive body input such as movement, posture, positive emotions, good biochemical nutrients, etc.  Because of nervous system connections in the brain and spinal cord, the stimulation of these mechanoreceptors inhibit or block the effects of the negative stimuli (nociception).  This is HUGE!  It means we have the key to prevent heart disease, diabetes, depression, cancer, and much more!  We don’t need a drug to mask the effects, we simply have to promote healthy mechanoreceptive input in our lives.

In what ways can we promote healthy mechanoreceptive input?  The biggest key is movement, both globally and segmentally.  Global body movement such as exercise stimulates mechanoreceptors in muscle tissue.  The act of contracting and relaxing muscles stimulates the receptors repetitively.  Ever wonder why seemingly every day there is a new article that talks about exercise preventing ______?  This is why:  exercise promotes proper nervous system function! 

Segmental motion is also very important.  Segmental motion refers to motion at specific joints in the body.  Certain joints, like those in your cervical spine, have large numbers of mechanoreceptors.  When we lose motion at one of these joints, we see large negative effects, conversely, when we stimulate or movement these joints we see powerful results.  This is what we are doing with the chiropractic adjustment, and why we see such powerful results with not only pain conditions but chronic diseases such as allergies, asthma, depression, seizures, etc.  The chiropractic adjustment is a very large mechanoreceptor stimulant!  This is why chiropractic care is vital to a wellness lifestyle!

As we mentioned before, the food we eat plays a major role in causing a pro-inflammatory state.  We need to stay away from foods containing white sugar and white flour as these are turned into power inflammatory stimulants in our body.  Almost all processed food contains corn products, which are high in Omega-6 fatty acids (in part 1 we talked about how these fatty acids effect the body).  We need increase our intake of Omega-3 fatty acids:  best done by eating more cold water fish and taking a fish oil supplement.  When we eat meat, we need to eat free range beef or chicken.  These animals eat grass, they have proper ratios of Omega 3: Omega 6.  Farm raised animals are fed feed made from corn - they have very high Omega 6 levels.  Finally we need to eat fruits and vegetables, preferably as raw as possible.  These have excellant anti-inflammatory products in them.  When you cook, try to make sure they retain as much color as possible, i.e. steaming, stir frying (with olive or canola oil).

In the end the science continues to validate what people have instinctively known since Greek times:  how you live you life, your lifestyle, directly determines your health and the quality of your life.  In the last 80 years, with the advances in medicine and pharmacology, we have been sidetracked.  We have looked outward, hoping to find a pill or a potion that will somehow give us health.  The reasons for this we’ll save for another post.  But understand this (this is the key to wellness), your body is smart.  It evolved for millions of years without cholesterol medications, or any other medications.  You have all the tools necessary for health and wellness already in you.  You just have to do the thing necessary to allow your body to use the tools.  You simple have to flip the switch, live a wellness livestyle, and you’ll have the health that you want and need.

As we know heart disease is the number 1 cause of death in this country at over 450,000 people in 2008 accounting for $448.5 billion spent.  Since the eighties we have been taught that the primary cause of heart disease is high cholesterol levels causing plaque in the arteries.  Because of this belief, statin drugs have become the highest selling drugs in history, of which Lipitor is the most popular.  Today, though, we are starting to see a shift in this thinking as more and more people are coming to the realization that while the high cholesterol=heart disease connection is great marketing for the drug companies, we continue to see staggering levels of heart disease even as millions of people take these medications. 

If high cholesterol was the cause of heart disease and millions of people are on medications to lower it, shouldn’t we see less and less levels of heart disease? 

Why do we see countries with high average cholesterol levels have comparatively low rates of heart disease?

The good news is more and more attention is starting to be placed on what I believe is the real cause of heart disease (and many other chronic diseases including cancer and diabetes): a pro-inflammatory state in the body as the result of a pro-inflammatory lifestyle.  MSNBC recently had an article outlining a new $20 million study sponsered by the Federal government that is going to take a look at Fish Oil and Vitamin D supplementation and their effect on heart disease rates.  I suspect that this study will show a decrease in those populations supplementing with Fish Oil and Vitamin D as these supplements have anti-inflammatory properties which help to offset the damage done by the typical American lifestyle.

Let’s take a look at what we mean by a pro-inflammatory state in the body.  We cause a pro-inflammatory state in two ways:  our body’s stress response and food we eat.  First we’ll talk about the stress response.  The autonomic nervous system is the part of your nervous system that controls sub-conscious, visceral function.  It can be divided into two parts, the parasympathetic and sympathetic.  You may have heard the sympathetic nervous system called the “flight or fight response.”  Basically what happens is this:  when we are stressed, whether by a tiger jumping out at us, by a fight with our spouse, or any other negative stimulus, the sympathetic nervous system sends signals to organs and glands causing an increase in catabolic activites (heart rate, blood pressure) and a decrease in anabolic activities (sex glands, digestion, growth, cellular immunity).  The sympathetic nervous system also stimulates the adrenal glands to release catecholamines (adrenaline, epinephrine, etc) and cortisol.  These hormones cause a cascade of actions that, in a short-term stress situation are necessary, but if allowed to continue unchecked can have devastating effects.   Some (but not all) of these effects include:

• increased blood glucose levels and increased insulin resistance
• increase blood lipid and cholesterol levels (LDL up, HDL down)
• increase in body adipose (fat) tissue
• increased clotting factors
• increased vasoconstriction
• increased feelings of stress, fear, anxiety
• and much more.

The chronic accumulation of these effects is the pro-inflammatory state, leading to what is termed high Allostatic Load.  A high allostatic load causes your body to not be able to adapt to stress properly, leading to chronic disease.

The other way we cause a pro-inflammatory state is by the food we eat.  Dr. David Seaman writes extensively on how certain foods we eat are converted into inflammatory products in the body.  His book, Clinical Nutrition for Pain, Inflammation, and Tissue Healing, is a great resource for exactly how this happens.  To summarize, we need to stay away from grains, white sugar, white flour, and especially corn products.  These foods are converted into pro-inflammatory products in the body (we need these products to heal properly, the problem is that most of us have way too much).  One example of how this happens is with Omega-6 fatty acids.  Omega-6 fatty acids are ingested and then converted in the body to pro-inflammatory products.  This conversion is increased in the presense of trans fat and insulin (whose levels are raised due to the Stress Response).  We ingest Omega-6 fatty acids when we eat corn and corn derived products, which is present in almost every processed food we eat as well as most of our meat (beef, chicken, and pork).  A great book on our food supply and its components is “The Omnivores Delimma” by Michael Pollen.

How does a pro-inflammatory state lead to heart disease? The pro-inflammatory state causes the perfect storm when it comes to heart disease.  All of the effects, and then some, that we listed above contribute to damage to our vessel walls.  In a nutshell this is what happens:  the chronic inflammatory products (including free radicals) that are rushing through the blood vessels cause the walls of those vessels to become weak.  The body rushes to fix them using clotting factors.  Fat also becomes trapped in the walls.  Over time this happens enough that the vessels eventually become clogged, leading to a heart attack.

Looking at this process you may ask:  If my vessels walls are becoming clogged with fat (cholesterol) doesn’t it make sense to lower my cholesterols levels?  Furthermore, don’t studies show a correlation between cholesterol levels and heart disease rates? The answer to the first questions is no.  The level of cholesterol in your blood doesn’t matter, the level of damage caused by inflammation does.  You can have high levels of cholesterol in your blood, but if your vessels walls are not being damaged then you will not develop plaque in the arteries.  This is the reason countries like France, despite having high average cholesterol levels, have comparatively low rates of heart disease.  Conversely, lower levels of cholesterol due no good if the vessels wall are damaged due to inflammation.  This goes back to the question we posed in the beginning:  why is our rate of heart disease so high if so many people are taking cholesterol meds?  The answer:  because the cholesterol level doesn’t matter! It’s a fancy number, but unless you’re making lifestyle change to prevent a pro-inflammatory body state you’re still going to be at risk.

The answer to second question,”don’t studies show a correlation between cholesterol levels and heart disease rates?”, is actually true.  The reason is simple, one of the effects of chronically high catecholamine and cortisol levels is an increase in the body’s production of LDL (and decrease in HDL).  Furthermore, people who live a pro-inflammatory lifestyle consume high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, cholesterol, and trans-fat.  In the end though, as we outlined, the problem is not the high cholesterol damaging the blood vessels, it’s the chronically high levels of inflammatory products circulating as a result of lifestyle.

As you can see, heart disease is a completely preventable disease caused by your lifestyle.  You don’t have to be enslaved by a number.  In our next post we’ll talk about what you can do to prevent heart disease in yourself and your loved ones. 

The 3 dimensions of Health

Natalie, a local Wellness Coach, passed this article from the Huffington Post, “Is it an Eating Disorder, Or a Relationship Disorder?”, on to us.  Written by one of her mentors, it does a great job of emphasizing the relationship between the biochemical and psychological dimensions of health. 

Remember you must have balance in all three dimensions (physical, biochemical, and psychological), I don’t care if you have 3% body fat and work out 7 days per week, if you aren’t happy, if you don’t surround yourself with good, supportive people, if you don’t have constructive ways to manage limit and manage your emotional stresses, you will not be well!  There’s a reason that above our door it says, “Be Fit, Eat Right, Think Well” ….because it’s true!

Is Your Ab Workout Hurting Your Back?

This article pretty much sums it up.  Many of you are working on deadbugs, birddogs, etc. core strengthening  exercises.  Stuart McGill, the expert quoted in the article, developed these exercises (and I stole them).  The most important thing to take away is this:  ab work is not core work, in fact improperly done ab work will hurt your back.

Please talk to us about your ab routine and if it is appropriate for your body!

The Wall Street Journal Health Blog today posted a couple of articles (here and here) on the costs and the effectiveness of preventative medicine in the US and Germany.  The articles outline that despite their high costs, preventative medicine programs do not actually help to prevent any disease such as colon or breast cancer.  In fact the article on Germany, based on research by the German magazine Der Spiegel, claims that the only people who benefit from the screenings are the doctors who are paid fees to perform the test.  For example, there are no randomized trials (the gold standard for medicine) demonstrating benefits for patients who under go regular colonoscopies.  In the US researchers looked at a prevention program performed with 200, 000 Medicare participants.  They found that it didn’t improve patient’s health and it didn’t result in fewer doctor and hospital visits and therefore less cost. 

For anyone who came to our dinner event last March these articles shouldn’t come as a suprise.  Preventative medicine is a misnomer.  It doesn’t actually prevent anything.  You could have a colonoscopy every single day for a year, but doing so would not lower your chances of getting colon cancer.  Preventative medicine is really early detection and screening.  It simply tells you if you already have the problem (this is an important role but it clouds the issue in peoples minds).  True preventative medicine is all about the lifestyle choices you make.  Each one of us has the keys to determine if we develop or don’t develop any of these chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer.  We should be (and do in our office) advocating lifestyle intervention; that is the key to making America (and Germany) healthy, and in the process saving billions of dollars, not costly screening tests.

MSNBC just posted an article on the upcoming FDA decision to approve new pyschiatric drugs for children.

For this discussion I’m going to leave aside the questions of 1.) whether these drugs are safe and effective (many groups are questioning whether enough studies have been done to determine the long term effects of the drugs), and 2.) do children need to be taking them or is there a better way to help them?

Just like efforts to promote Lipitor for children, we are again seeing drug manufactures attempting to push medicine designed for adults onto younger and younger children.  This time it is a drug that many studies show has no greater effectiveness, or less side effects, then current drugs on the market.  What is the motivation behind this push then?  Well these older drugs were first developed in the 1950s, meaning that they can be bought as generic.  The cost for them is around $100/month.  The newer drugs cannot be bought as generic, they sell for between $300/month and $500/month.  These drugs had combined sales of $14.6 billion last year.  With approval for use in children that number could conceivably double.  My question is what motive beyond money could there be to approve new drugs (that haven’t been long term tested, even beyond 6 weeks) for children, and promote there use over older, known drugs when there is basically no difference in effectiveness between the two?

If these new drugs are approved by the FDA, there are two groups of people I feel sorry for.  The first, of course, is the children who take it, especially if these drugs turn out like so many others who are not properly tested (or are and those test results are buried), and have dangerous long term effects that we don’t know about now.

The second group is the doctors who perscribe these drugs.  In many cases all the information that doctors receive about a drug, its effectiveness, side effects, etc.  are from the manufactures themselves.  Most doctors, especially general practitioners, simply do not have the time to do due diligence and study every single drug they prescribe.  There are too many.  They are forced to rely many times on marketing materials they receive from drug reps, whose job it is to convince the doctors to prescribe their medication, in the case of these psychiatric drugs cost 2-3 times more but show little to no increased effectiveness.  For a more indepth view of the lengths that drug reps go to sell their products check out this article from ABC News.  It interviews a former rep for Eli Lily who sold Zypraxa, one of the drugs we’re discussing here.  He describes the lengths he went to sell doctors on drugs.  In another article a chiropractor from Michigan posts a blog describing his interaction with some pharmaceutical reps.

In the end we all pay the price if these drugs are approved.  The children who take them unknowingly face the unknown consequences of long term use of these drugs.  We, the public, have to pick up the tab on the increased cost of using these medications over the ones currently prescribed.

Update:  The panel voted to OK the psychiatric drugs just a couple hours ago.  The FDA doesn’t have to take the recommendation, but does anyone think that they won’t?  Again, there is too much money riding on it for them not to.  Don’t forget, many of these same folks who determine supposedly impartially determine what drugs get approved eventually leave the FDA to work at the drug companies themselves in high paying positions.  They definitely don’t want to endanger that golden parachute.

In a completely related note, the Wall Street Journal reports another research psychiatrist has been accused of not disclosing the fact that he receives money from the drug company, GlaxoSmithKline, which make the drug Paxil.  He was researching on a NIH grant the effects of Paxil on pregnant women.  /sarcasm| I’m sure that GSK was paying him out of the goodness of their heart and expecting nothing in return in regards to his research, even though it could be worth billions to them if her returns the “correct” outcome. /sarcasm\

On the front page of Yahoo today there is an article detailing the finding of a gene that could explain why boys are four times more likely to develop autism than girls.  The gene, CACNA1G, regulates the excitability of nerve endings and is more likely to be a variant (turned on incorrectly) in boys than in girls.    This is not the only gene that researchers believe contribute, there are a large number of genes that contribute to nerve excitability; this helps to explain the wide variability in autism’s symptoms among children.  Different genetic combinations produce varying expression in individual children. 

This article intrigues me in a couple of ways.  First is the belief that faulty excitability of nerve endings leads to autism.  As an office who sees a number of children who have been diagnosed as “autistic”, and who sees marked improvement in these children almost immediately following adjustments, this doesn’t suprise me at all.  For any function of the body to work properly the proper signals must be sent from the brain to the body.  If the nerves that these signals are sent down aren’t transmitting them properly then of course the body isn’t going to work like it should!  Chiropractic has know this for over 100 years! It just so happens that these kids are predisposed to this because of the faulty expression of genes like CACNA1G.  When we adjust the spine we are stimulating nerve pathways and reseting this communication.  We’re not “treating” autism or MS or back pain or anything thing else.  We’re just allowing the body to work like it should.

The second point I would like to make about this discovery relates directly to our views and misconceptions about genetics.  Some of the newest and most exciting discoveries in the field of genetics are coming from researchers studying something called epigenetics.  Epigenetics refers to the expression of the gene - basically how genes are turned on and off.  Here is a great video (just hit play) from PBS’s NOVA that explains epigenetics in detail.  What they are finding is that your genes don’t determine how healthy you are.  You can have the genes for a certain type of cancer, but never get that cancer.  What determines how genes express themselves is your lifestyle and environment.  Exposure to a poor lifestyle will turn these genes on, leading to their poor expression, and leading to less health and more disease. 

How does this fit in with these new discoveries about autism?  One, it helps explain massive increase in the rates of autism.  Kids, and their parents, are exposed today to more pollutants, toxins, drugs, and poor lifestyles, then at any point in history.  Our genetic code hasn’t changed over the past 20, 100, even 1000 years.  What has changed is the increased expression of genes like CACNA1G due to these poor lifestyle and environmental factors. 

Two, it helps explain why the chiropractic profession is seeing amazing improvements in kids with autism, epilepsy, ADHD, and a myriad of other conditions thought to have a genetic component.  Beyond the fact that chiropractic wellness patients, and their families, live a healthier lifestyle than the average person, studies show that the chiropractic adjustment directly affects gene expression.

Finally, this study gives me hope.  By finding the genes that links to autism, and knowing what we know about the epigenetics involved, we can help to prevent it by ensuring that the children, starting in the womb, are living as healthy as lifestyle as possible.  We know that every couple that is thinking of conceiving should be adjusted to give the embryo the best chance of starting life properly.  We know that every pregnant women should get adjusted so the signals from her to the baby are transmitted fully, so the baby has the room to develop without outside constraint, and so the mother can have a natural birth, giving the infant the best chance of a healthy life from the moment of birth.  And we know that kids should be adjusted so their genes can be properly expressed as they growth.  We have to make sure that, starting in the womb, kids are not exposed to the toxins that cause the negative gene expression that lead to autism and similar conditions.  Toxins like drugs, vaccines(without wading into that controversy at a minimum we need more research into all the components of our vaccines, whether their is a safer alternative, and which vaccines, if any, are truely necessary), processed and syntheic foods, and environmental pollutates.  This articles confirms everything we have been talking about in regards to autism and health in general.  I can’t wait to see what the future holds for epigenetics and chiropractic’s role in it.  I know that we will find a “cure” for autism, and that it won’t be a drug or a surgery, but that it will be the proper expression of the body’s innate need to be healthy!

Hey everyone, hope you’re having a great start to your week.

If you’re like me your probably sick of hearing about the swine flu.  Dr. McKinley wrote a great piece about it last week.  In it he mentioned that one of the events that put Chiropractic on the map was the Flu epidemic of 1917-1918.  You see before the 1970s the public consciousness didn’t immediately associate Chiropractic with back pain, people visited Chiropractors for any number of reasons.  You may have recently heard the term “Wellness Revolution”.  It’s used to describe the new focus (of mainly allopathic medicine) on holistic and natural methods of healing.  Well, guess what, there is nothing revolutionary about wellness, the Chiropractic profession has been practicing it for hundreds of years.  This is why those people in 1917-18 brought their loved ones to the Chiropractor when they were suffering from the flu.  It wasn’t because their back hurt, it was because at that time Chiropractic hadn’t been label as “back doctors”, and they understood that a chiropractic adjustment allows the body’s immune system to function better, allowing them to fight off the flu virus.  This is the reason that so many less chiropractic patients died during the epidemic than the general population as a whole.

This brings me back to the swine flu.  I’m linking a great article written outlining the scientific evidence for chiropractic helping those with the flu.  You’ll see close to a hundred articles referenced for this claim.

In the end it all comes down to this:  you can’t avoid the flu bug, if one person in your school, your place of work, your home has it, you will be exposed.  Your level of health and immunity will determine whether you or your loved ones will suffer from it.  If you eat healthy, exercise, manage stress in your life, live purposefully, are under chiropractic care, etc, you shouldn’t have to worry.  If you’re not doing these things it doesn’t mean that you will get swine flu.  But eventually your lifestyle will catch up with you:  maybe swine, bird, dog, cat, bear, iguana, or any other flu.  Why not do something about it now?

Click here for the article!!!

Enjoy!!!

Dr. Arthur

Hey everyone, I just wanted to post a release on the Flu and Chiropractic from Dr. Matthew McCoy, a chiropractic pediatric researcher and editor of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal, and Family Health.  He does a great job of outlining the research showing why people everywhere should be getting adjusted as part of their plan to make their body strong enough to fight off the flu!

Enjoy

Dr. Arthur

Flu Prevention Plan Should Include Chiropractic Care

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dr. Matthew McCoy

People of all ages are encouraged to add chiropractic to their strategy for warding off and fighting the flu and its effects – swine flu or otherwise.

Spinal adjustments can have a positive effect on immune function according to a growing number of researchers who are exploring the common denominators in disease processes, and the role of the nervous, immune, and hormonal systems in development of immune related illnesses.

Chiropractic corrects spinal abnormalities called vertebral subluxations that result in interference of the nervous system. Since the nervous system controls all functions of the body — including the immune system — chiropractic care can have a positive effect on immune function.

“Contemporary research is beginning to shed light on the neurobiological mechanisms which may explain the outstanding clinical results chiropractors have experienced when managing patients with viral and infectious diseases,” stated Dr. Christopher Kent, Co- Founder of Chiropractic Leadership Alliance.

Dr. Kent explained: “A comprehensive review of the research literature reveals the current understanding that the brain and immune system are the two major adaptive systems in the body. During an immune response, the brain and the immune system ‘talk to each other’ and this process is essential for maintaining homeostasis or balance in the body.”

Since its inception, chiropractic has asserted that viruses and microbes don’t threaten us all equally and that a healthy immune system easily repels most invaders. The immune system protects us from the flu, as well as any other infectious disease, and strives to get us well again when we do fall ill. Our immune system, like every other system in the body, is coordinated and controlled by the nervous system.

Chiropractors are also aware of the importance of positive health life style practices (rest, drinking ample quantities of water, diet, exercise, proper diet, use of multivitamins and minerals, and stress reduction approaches) that can also positively influence the nervous system and immune response. According to a large study of the chiropractic profession recently conducted by the Institute for Social Research, Ohio Northern University (McDonald et al., 2003), chiropractors also customarily advise their patients as to the benefits of these other modalities in optimizing overall health.

Chiropractors helping patients battle the flu is not a new occurrence either. During the 1917-18 influenza epidemic, which brought death and fear to many Americans, it has been estimated that 20 million people died throughout the world, including about 500,000 Americans. It was chiropractic’s success in caring for flu victims that led to the profession’s licensure in many states.

Researchers reported that in Davenport, Iowa, out of the 93,590 patients treated by medical doctors, there were 6,116 deaths — a loss of one patient out of every 15. Chiropractors at the Palmer School of Chiropractic adjusted 1,635 cases, with only one death. Outside Davenport, chiropractors in Iowa cared for 4,735 cases with only six deaths — one out of 866. During the same epidemic, in Oklahoma, out of 3,490 flu patients under chiropractic care, there were only seven deaths. Furthermore, chiropractors were called in 233 cases given up as lost after medical treatment, and reportedly saved all but 25. In another report covering 4,193 cases by 213 chiropractors 4,104 showed complete recovery.

“These results are not so surprising given what we now know about the interaction between the nervous system and the immune system” stated Matthew McCoy DC, MPH, Editor of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health – Chiropractic. “Through research we know that chiropractic has beneficial effects on immunoglobulins, B-lymphocytes (white blood cells), pulmonary function and other immune system processes.”

One such study, conducted by Patricia Brennan Ph.D and her team, found that when a chiropractic “manipulation” was applied to the middle back, the response of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (white blood cells) taken from blood collected 15 minutes after the manipulation was significantly higher than blood collected 15 minutes before and 30 and 45 minutes after the chiropractic procedure. This research demonstrated an “enhanced respiratory burst” following the chiropractic adjustment. This “burst” is needed for our immune cells to destroy invading viruses and bacteria.

Another small study of HIV positive patients was conducted to study the effects of specific chiropractic adjustments to correct vertebral subluxations in the upper neck on the immune systems of HIV positive individuals. Over the six-month period of the study, the group that did not receive chiropractic care experienced a 7.96% decrease in CD4 cell counts, while the adjusted group experienced a 48% increase in CD4 cell counts over the same period.

A large retrospective study conducted by Robert Blanks Ph.D and colleagues studied 2,818 individuals undergoing chiropractic care - these individuals reported an average overall improvement, ranging from 7-28%, in a battery of physical symptoms including stiffness/lack of flexibility in the spine, physical pain, fatigue, incidence of colds and flu, headaches, menstrual discomfort, gastrointestinal disorders, allergies, dizziness and falls (Blanks et al., 1997, Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research).
More importantly, the incidence of colds and flu was reduced by an average of 15% in this large population who were undergoing regular chiropractic care.

“In addition to the passive recommendations regarding hand washing, avoiding large gatherings, coughing and sneezing into your hands – it makes a great deal of sense to do everything you can to ensure that your immune system is functioning at its best. And that strategy should include chiropractic care” stated Dr. McCoy.

Immunity References

1. Riley, G.W. Osteopathic Success in the Treatment of Influenza and Pneumonia. American Osteopathic Association – Chicago Session. July 1919. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, August 1919.

2. Riley, G.W. Osteopathic Success in the Treatment of Influenza and Pneumonia. American Osteopathic Association – Chicago Session. July 1919. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, August 1919. Special Reprint Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, Vol. 100. No. 5, May 2000.

3. Noll, DR., Shores, JH., Gamber, RG. Benefits of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment for Hospitalized Elderly Patients with Pneumonia. Journal of the American Osteopathic Assocaition. Vol. 100. No. 12. December 2000.

4. Breithaupt, T., Harris, K., Ellis, J. Thoracic lymphatic pumping and the efficacy of influenza vaccination in healthy young and elderly populations. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. Vol. 101. No. 1. January 2001.

5. Noll DR, Degenhardt BF, Stuart MK, Werden S, McGovern RJ, Johnson JC. The effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment on immune response to the influenza vaccine in nursing homes residents: a pilot study. Altern Ther Health Med. 2004 Jul-Aug;10(4):74-6.

6. Degenhardt BF, Kuchera ML. Update on osteopathic medical concepts and the lymphatic system. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 1996 Feb;96(2):97-100.

7. Allen TW. Coming full circle: osteopathic manipulative treatment and immunity. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 1998 Apr;98(4):204.

8. Schmidt IC. Osteopathic manipulative therapy as a primary factor in the management of upper, middle, and pararespiratory infections. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 1982 Feb;81(6):382-8.

9. Ward, EA. Influenza and Its Osteopathic Management. Eastern Osteopathic Association’s Seventeenth Annual Convention. New York, April 3, 1937. J. Am Osteopath Assoc. Sept. 1937.

10. Ward, EA. Influenza and Its Osteopathic Management. Eastern Osteopathic Association’s Seventeenth Annual Convention. New York, April 3, 1937. J. Am Osteopath Assoc. Sept. 1937. Special Reprint. J. Am Osteopath Assoc.  Vol. 100. No. 5. May 2000.

11. Smith, KR. One hundred thousand cases of influenza with a death rate of one-fortieth of that officially reported under conventional medical treatment. Annual Convention of the American Association of Clinical Research, New York. Oct. 18, 1919. J. Am Osteopath Assoc. January, 1920.

12. Smith, KR. One hundred thousand cases of influenza with a death rate of one-fortieth of that officially reported under conventional medical treatment. Annual Convention of the American Association of Clinical Research, New York. Oct. 18, 1919. J. Am Osteopath Assoc. January, 1920. Special Reprints. J. Am Osteopath Assoc. Vol. 100. No. 5. May 2000.

13. Patterson, M. Osteopathic methods and the great flu pandemic of 1917-1918. JAOA (The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association) May 2000; 100(5):309-10

14. Masarsky, C. 1918. Dynamic Chiropractic. November 17, 2003, Volume 21, Issue 24 http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/21/24/01.html

15. Kent, C. Chiropractic and infectious disease — an historical perspective. The Chiropractic Journal April 2003. http://www.worldchiropracticalliance.org/tcj/2003/apr/apr2003kent.htm

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