If you watch TV or scour the internet for fibromyalgia info you probably have heard of the term 'central sensitiztion'. This is the term given to fibromyalgia (FMS) by the "researchers" who mostly promoted pharmaceutical drugs for the syndrome. The reason I use quotations around researchers is because 'central sensitization' is NOT the cause of fibromyalgia. Dr. Alex Vasquez, in his numerous books on the topic, has clearly discounted 'central sensitization' as the cause.
A research group from Spain has proven that inflammation has a real link to fibromyalgia. They did a study with women using diagnosed FMS patients and healthy, age-matched controls and confirmed the IL-8 is elevated in all of the FMS patients. They also found CRP, an inflammatory marker, to be elevated significantly in FMS patients as well.
This was the first study of its kind to show CRP elevated in FMS. We know FMS is partly caused by excessive inflammation. Cytokines lead to increases pain and sensitivity to pain. IL-8 specifically increases sympathetic pain when elevated, which can be problematic in a pain syndrome like FMS. Science has already shown that increases in inflammation lead to increased pain. This makes logical sense that inflammation leads to pain, and would be elevated in a pain condition like FMS.
FMS is a complex, multi-faceted syndrome or disease that affects a lot of people in the United States and the world. Understanding the causes is of utmost importance, and the US is last in the pack of understanding. Researchers create causes in order to sell drugs. 'Central sensitization' fits perfectly with the 3 drugs approved for FMS, which incidentally, all have black box warnings. Black box warnings mean they can increase your risk of dying, usually by suicide. Sounds appealling right?
Spanish researchers have shown now, inflammation is a cause of the pain in FMS. This makes sense because there is diagnosable muscle damage with FMS, and muscle damage is a pretty good cause of inflammation, among other things.
Sources:
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
How to come out of the Holiday Season ahead.
I have been getting a lot of questions from patients about how to beat the holidays and not gain weight. Thanksgiving is next week, with the rest of the holidays of holiday season vastly approaching. So, what can you do to maintain, and possibly even lose weight over the holidays?
Here are 4 simple strategies to avoid the holiday weight gain, and actually come out ahead...
1) Earn your carbs/sweets/desserts/sugar/anything that spikes blood sugar...
What does that mean? Earn your carbs? That means if you are going to eat dessert, you have to earn them. For every 1 serving of dessert you eat, you must workout, hard (to a sweat), for 30 minutes. There is a receptor called the GLUT 4 receptor. This receptor becomes up-regulated with exercise. The important thing about this receptor is it helps the cells use glucose without the help of insulin. So when you work out you can eat sugar for a certain period of time without a high insulin response. Body builders know this as carb loading or carb cycling.
EARN YOUR CARBS!!!
2) Eat breakfast. More specifically eat protein and fat for breakfast.
Researchers have shown eating breakfast decreases over eating at the end of the day. Skipping breakfast in order to have "room" for Thanksgiving dinner will only lead to over eating. You don't get tired from the turkey. You get tired because you over ate. To remedy this situation, eat breakfast on Thanksgiving and all holiday dinner days.
Eating breakfast is only the first part of the equation. Research out of Australia found that the type of breakfast you ate plays a huge role in eating throughout the day. Eating a high glycemic index breakfast, like corn flakes (or any cereal for that matter), will lead to over eating, specifically carbohydrates. The group that ate a high protein breakfast ate less, and avoided processed carbs.
So the trick to not over eat is breakfast. Not just eating breakfast, but making sure it is a high protein breakfast. The other, even more important (in my opinion) reason to eat a high protein breakfast is for brain function. The brain needs amino acids to drive proper neurotransmitter function. Amino acids are in protein. Therefore, a high protein breakfast is good for brain function. It increases drive, focus and mood.
3) Eat protein first.
When sitting down for a big holiday meal go for the protein first. Protein is satiating, meaning it will fill you up. High glycemic index foods like potatoes or bread will increase blood sugar fast and cause you to eat more. Think, what do restaurants serve you first? There is a reason for that...
4) Limit alcohol consumption.
Spanish red wine tends to be the best choice of alcohol for the antioxidant benefits, but if you are going to drink, keep it reasonable. Over drinking leads to bad decision making. Not just in eating either... This is pretty explanatory. Hang overs, low testosterone, bad sleep, dehydration, blood sugar spikes, detox problems, high risk of cancer, etc. are all consequences of heavy drinking. Set limits and keep them.
These are 4 simple strategies to enjoy the holidays and keep your waist line the same size. Stick to these 4 strategies and you will come out ahead.
Stay safe and healthy this holiday season...
-Dr W
Here are 4 simple strategies to avoid the holiday weight gain, and actually come out ahead...
1) Earn your carbs/sweets/desserts/sugar/anything that spikes blood sugar...
What does that mean? Earn your carbs? That means if you are going to eat dessert, you have to earn them. For every 1 serving of dessert you eat, you must workout, hard (to a sweat), for 30 minutes. There is a receptor called the GLUT 4 receptor. This receptor becomes up-regulated with exercise. The important thing about this receptor is it helps the cells use glucose without the help of insulin. So when you work out you can eat sugar for a certain period of time without a high insulin response. Body builders know this as carb loading or carb cycling.
EARN YOUR CARBS!!!
2) Eat breakfast. More specifically eat protein and fat for breakfast.
Researchers have shown eating breakfast decreases over eating at the end of the day. Skipping breakfast in order to have "room" for Thanksgiving dinner will only lead to over eating. You don't get tired from the turkey. You get tired because you over ate. To remedy this situation, eat breakfast on Thanksgiving and all holiday dinner days.
Eating breakfast is only the first part of the equation. Research out of Australia found that the type of breakfast you ate plays a huge role in eating throughout the day. Eating a high glycemic index breakfast, like corn flakes (or any cereal for that matter), will lead to over eating, specifically carbohydrates. The group that ate a high protein breakfast ate less, and avoided processed carbs.
So the trick to not over eat is breakfast. Not just eating breakfast, but making sure it is a high protein breakfast. The other, even more important (in my opinion) reason to eat a high protein breakfast is for brain function. The brain needs amino acids to drive proper neurotransmitter function. Amino acids are in protein. Therefore, a high protein breakfast is good for brain function. It increases drive, focus and mood.
3) Eat protein first.
When sitting down for a big holiday meal go for the protein first. Protein is satiating, meaning it will fill you up. High glycemic index foods like potatoes or bread will increase blood sugar fast and cause you to eat more. Think, what do restaurants serve you first? There is a reason for that...
4) Limit alcohol consumption.
Spanish red wine tends to be the best choice of alcohol for the antioxidant benefits, but if you are going to drink, keep it reasonable. Over drinking leads to bad decision making. Not just in eating either... This is pretty explanatory. Hang overs, low testosterone, bad sleep, dehydration, blood sugar spikes, detox problems, high risk of cancer, etc. are all consequences of heavy drinking. Set limits and keep them.
These are 4 simple strategies to enjoy the holidays and keep your waist line the same size. Stick to these 4 strategies and you will come out ahead.
Stay safe and healthy this holiday season...
-Dr W
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Failure is the new norm
"Failure is the new norm."
This was a quote from an annonymous blogger in regards to describing allopathic medicine and health care in this country. At the time he wrote the article he was in his 3rd year of medical school. He described how when entering into the primary care phase of training he almost failed. The reason for almost failing wasn't because he lacked skills or medical knowledge. It was because he was spending too much time connecting with patients, discussing their eating habits, their stress buffers, how much they exercised, why they were eating gluten, and the like. When seeking an answer why these were considered negative and deserved an almost failing grade, his teacher simply said spending that much time and educating patients to that degree isn't worth it. They [patients] will not follow through and it is not financially feasible.
This is exactly what is wrong with healthcare. Profits, prescription drugs, surgery (many times unnecessary), anything and everything to avoid actual healthcare. Actual healthcare being lifestyle care.
'Lifestyle care? What is that? No doctor has ever talked to me about lifestyle care before. What does my lifestyle have to do with my diabetes? Thyroid problem? Exhaustion? Pain?'
Lifestyle care can be termed lifestyle management. It means a doctor must address the underlying cause of the issue. I know lots of doctors and nutrition experts talk about THE CAUSE of the problem or disease. That is because searching for the cause is what 'new' doctors look for. It is what true health professionals look for. Functional nutrition, functional medicine, lifestyle medicine are all new areas of healthcare that search out the cause and look to modify and change those 'cause' behaviors. The cause almost always comes back to lifestyle.
What is one thing that every person does, every single day?
Everyone eats. So step one in addressing the cause of any condition is looking closely at what you put in your mouth everyday. Are you eating something you are allergic to? Gluten? Dairy? GMOs? And if you are how often are you eating it? Every single meal is the usual answer.
Think about this. You have hypothyroid and are taking Synthroid. You also have a gluten allergy. It isn't an anaphylactic allergy. It is an allergy that causes immune reaction and inflammation every time you are exposed to gluten. Now, your breakfast consists of bread and cereal. Lunch is a sandwich. Your snack is cracker and cheese. Supper consists of pasta and bread with some chicken. This is a pretty common daily food intake for many Americans. That is exposure to gluten at every single meal. You can say gluten seems to be the staple of your diet. So wouldn't it make sense to modify lifestyle to eliminate gluten, which has autoimmune thyroid implications, as a starting point?
Failure should not be accepted. It definitely should not be the new norm.
Demand success. Demand lifestyle care from your doctor. If they refuse or simply don't know anything about it, find a new doctor. Surround yourself with a team of lifestyle managers. Creating a better you starts today when you make the decision to seek success and leave failure behind.
Dr K
This was a quote from an annonymous blogger in regards to describing allopathic medicine and health care in this country. At the time he wrote the article he was in his 3rd year of medical school. He described how when entering into the primary care phase of training he almost failed. The reason for almost failing wasn't because he lacked skills or medical knowledge. It was because he was spending too much time connecting with patients, discussing their eating habits, their stress buffers, how much they exercised, why they were eating gluten, and the like. When seeking an answer why these were considered negative and deserved an almost failing grade, his teacher simply said spending that much time and educating patients to that degree isn't worth it. They [patients] will not follow through and it is not financially feasible.
This is exactly what is wrong with healthcare. Profits, prescription drugs, surgery (many times unnecessary), anything and everything to avoid actual healthcare. Actual healthcare being lifestyle care.
'Lifestyle care? What is that? No doctor has ever talked to me about lifestyle care before. What does my lifestyle have to do with my diabetes? Thyroid problem? Exhaustion? Pain?'
Lifestyle care can be termed lifestyle management. It means a doctor must address the underlying cause of the issue. I know lots of doctors and nutrition experts talk about THE CAUSE of the problem or disease. That is because searching for the cause is what 'new' doctors look for. It is what true health professionals look for. Functional nutrition, functional medicine, lifestyle medicine are all new areas of healthcare that search out the cause and look to modify and change those 'cause' behaviors. The cause almost always comes back to lifestyle.
What is one thing that every person does, every single day?
Everyone eats. So step one in addressing the cause of any condition is looking closely at what you put in your mouth everyday. Are you eating something you are allergic to? Gluten? Dairy? GMOs? And if you are how often are you eating it? Every single meal is the usual answer.
Think about this. You have hypothyroid and are taking Synthroid. You also have a gluten allergy. It isn't an anaphylactic allergy. It is an allergy that causes immune reaction and inflammation every time you are exposed to gluten. Now, your breakfast consists of bread and cereal. Lunch is a sandwich. Your snack is cracker and cheese. Supper consists of pasta and bread with some chicken. This is a pretty common daily food intake for many Americans. That is exposure to gluten at every single meal. You can say gluten seems to be the staple of your diet. So wouldn't it make sense to modify lifestyle to eliminate gluten, which has autoimmune thyroid implications, as a starting point?
Failure should not be accepted. It definitely should not be the new norm.
Demand success. Demand lifestyle care from your doctor. If they refuse or simply don't know anything about it, find a new doctor. Surround yourself with a team of lifestyle managers. Creating a better you starts today when you make the decision to seek success and leave failure behind.
Dr K
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Low-carb ketogenic diets decrease oxidative stress
We have known for a long time that malignant cells, specifically, cancer cells consume huge amounts of glucose; Warburg postulated that is was a defect in the aerobic respiration of cells (oxygen utilization) that convert a normal cell to a malignant one. Other Nobel prize winners have proven that when oxygen is deficient, cancer cells emerge. Oxygen alone can inhibit malignant cells from proliferating by stopping anaerobic respiration, which is the preferred energy production choice of malignant cells. If malignant cells proliferate using glucose as the primary energy source, then here's an idea for the ages, why don't we starve cancer of glucose and increase oxygen utilization?
Now, what does this have to do with a low-carb ketogenic diet? First glucose is not our only fuel source. In fact, our brain seems to function better when ketone bodies are the primary energy source. Beta-hydoxybutyrate (BHOB) is one such ketone body. BHOB is the primary energy source in starvation or strenuous exercise. So, when all the glucose gets used up BHOB becomes the primary energy source.
BHOB concentrations increase in a dose-dependent manner with strenuous exercise. Increases in BHOB bring about epigenetic changes to specific genes related to oxidative stress. Epigenetic changes are simply changes in gene expression. So by exercising "hard", we see a rise in blood concentrations of BHOB, which turns on genes associated with decreasing oxidative stress.
Foxo3a is one of the genes that is affected by changes in BHOB concentrations. This gene and its targets are important in the expression of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD), a very important antioxidant. Another way to increase Foxo3a expression is through calorie restriction or carbohydrate restriction.
When we restrict carbohydrates, or simply don't intake high glycemic index grains, sugars, processed products (yes products because they aren't real food), our body begin to burn more ketone bodies for energy. This process of energy production is favorable for the brain, fighting cancer, seizure disorders, ADHD, dementia related symptoms, obesity, stress, etc.
Take away from this study? Ketone bodies will up-regulate the good genes that help buffer excessive oxidative stress. To increase ketone bodies we must eat a low-carb ketogenic diet in addition to a strenuous exercise routine. The higher the ketone bodies, the lower the glucose and the better your blood sugar handling is.
Source:
Now, what does this have to do with a low-carb ketogenic diet? First glucose is not our only fuel source. In fact, our brain seems to function better when ketone bodies are the primary energy source. Beta-hydoxybutyrate (BHOB) is one such ketone body. BHOB is the primary energy source in starvation or strenuous exercise. So, when all the glucose gets used up BHOB becomes the primary energy source.
BHOB concentrations increase in a dose-dependent manner with strenuous exercise. Increases in BHOB bring about epigenetic changes to specific genes related to oxidative stress. Epigenetic changes are simply changes in gene expression. So by exercising "hard", we see a rise in blood concentrations of BHOB, which turns on genes associated with decreasing oxidative stress.
Foxo3a is one of the genes that is affected by changes in BHOB concentrations. This gene and its targets are important in the expression of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD), a very important antioxidant. Another way to increase Foxo3a expression is through calorie restriction or carbohydrate restriction.
When we restrict carbohydrates, or simply don't intake high glycemic index grains, sugars, processed products (yes products because they aren't real food), our body begin to burn more ketone bodies for energy. This process of energy production is favorable for the brain, fighting cancer, seizure disorders, ADHD, dementia related symptoms, obesity, stress, etc.
Take away from this study? Ketone bodies will up-regulate the good genes that help buffer excessive oxidative stress. To increase ketone bodies we must eat a low-carb ketogenic diet in addition to a strenuous exercise routine. The higher the ketone bodies, the lower the glucose and the better your blood sugar handling is.
Source:
Med Hypotheses. 2012 Oct;79(4):433-9. doi:
10.1016/j.mehy.2012.06.015. Epub 2012 Jul 17. PMID: 22809841
Health Quote of the Week - Jeffrey Bland
For this week's quote I chose the quote from Jeffrey Bland, PhD, and the founding father of functional medicine. In Advancement in Clinical Nutrition, 1994 he was quoted...
"The questions we ask determine the answers we get."
This is so true on so many different levels. First let's look at healthcare. Traditional healthcare (or sickcare) looks to ask what question? 'What are you symptoms?' And the answer is generally a drug to block or reduce the symptoms. Look at what that got us. Now we are the most drugged nation in the history of the planet. We had over 4 billion prescriptions written in 2011. Forbes did a study and the average American spends over $6,500 a year on healthcare. My question is for what? We are fatter, sicker, more stressed, toxic, and tired then we have ever been. Where is all this money going?
A functional medicine doctor asks different questions. Instead of 'what are your symptoms?' we ask 'what is causing your symptoms?' The answers you get from that line of questioning will blow your mind. Gut issues, GMO allergies, food allergies, nutrient deficiencies, detox problems, toxic exposures, heavy metals, etc. The list is endless. The difference is the answer leads a solution because the question demanded a solution.
When the question asked is too simple for the problem, or not asking the right question, the answer will not be a solution.
Here is a question for patients to ask of their doctor. "Are you going to find the cause of my complaint?" Many times you will not get a straight answer. Or you might simply get the wrong answer or a blatant lie. One big lie permeating is biomarkers being causes of disease. For example, high cholesterol does not cause heart disease. THAT IS A LIE.
The real question is 'why do I have high cholesterol?'. The answer most certainly is not, 'because you are statin deficient'.
I leave you with this quote.
"The questions we ask determine the answers we get."
Seek the right answers. Ask the right questions. This is where health starts.
Dr W
"The questions we ask determine the answers we get."
This is so true on so many different levels. First let's look at healthcare. Traditional healthcare (or sickcare) looks to ask what question? 'What are you symptoms?' And the answer is generally a drug to block or reduce the symptoms. Look at what that got us. Now we are the most drugged nation in the history of the planet. We had over 4 billion prescriptions written in 2011. Forbes did a study and the average American spends over $6,500 a year on healthcare. My question is for what? We are fatter, sicker, more stressed, toxic, and tired then we have ever been. Where is all this money going?
A functional medicine doctor asks different questions. Instead of 'what are your symptoms?' we ask 'what is causing your symptoms?' The answers you get from that line of questioning will blow your mind. Gut issues, GMO allergies, food allergies, nutrient deficiencies, detox problems, toxic exposures, heavy metals, etc. The list is endless. The difference is the answer leads a solution because the question demanded a solution.
When the question asked is too simple for the problem, or not asking the right question, the answer will not be a solution.
Here is a question for patients to ask of their doctor. "Are you going to find the cause of my complaint?" Many times you will not get a straight answer. Or you might simply get the wrong answer or a blatant lie. One big lie permeating is biomarkers being causes of disease. For example, high cholesterol does not cause heart disease. THAT IS A LIE.
The real question is 'why do I have high cholesterol?'. The answer most certainly is not, 'because you are statin deficient'.
I leave you with this quote.
"The questions we ask determine the answers we get."
Seek the right answers. Ask the right questions. This is where health starts.
Dr W
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Health Quote of the Week
I am starting a new segment on my blog. I do a ton of reading and find myself not writing as much as I feel I should. From now on, when I read something good, either an article, or a quote, or even a book, I am going to do a write up for everyone to read.
Look for my new segment. 'Health quote of the week.'
Steve Tobak, a writer for FOX Business, in an article about reasons not to buy a new 'smart' watch had a priceless and paradigm breaking quote.
When talking about how the new 'smart' watches can be used as health trackers he states...
"Really? I’m a runner. I own a pair of sneakers, shorts, and socks. I don’t need to know how far I run or how many calories I burn. I know I’m fit because my clothes fit. Funny how the more fitness stuff we buy the fatter we become. If everyone would quit trying to be so smart and just go out and do something, there’d be no obesity epidemic."
Why can't we all be as smart as Steve? For what I know I don't think Steve has a medical degree. I don't believe he is a weight loss expert. He is a business writer. From a business stand point he says away with all this fancy crap to help you be healthy. Get out and move. These are words of pure wisdom.
Look for my new segment. 'Health quote of the week.'
Steve Tobak, a writer for FOX Business, in an article about reasons not to buy a new 'smart' watch had a priceless and paradigm breaking quote.
When talking about how the new 'smart' watches can be used as health trackers he states...
"Really? I’m a runner. I own a pair of sneakers, shorts, and socks. I don’t need to know how far I run or how many calories I burn. I know I’m fit because my clothes fit. Funny how the more fitness stuff we buy the fatter we become. If everyone would quit trying to be so smart and just go out and do something, there’d be no obesity epidemic."
Why can't we all be as smart as Steve? For what I know I don't think Steve has a medical degree. I don't believe he is a weight loss expert. He is a business writer. From a business stand point he says away with all this fancy crap to help you be healthy. Get out and move. These are words of pure wisdom.
I have patient's that do not want to know their weight, or have had past eating issues in which the number becomes problematic. This is the same advice, or what I refer to, measurement, I instruct them to use. Put your favorite, best fitting "butt" jeans on. See how they fit. Are they too tight? Let those jeans be your measure. When they fit perfectly you know you are where you want to be.
Jeans don't change. People change. Weight is not something that creeps up with age. It is a constant once you reach adulthood. Let's get to ideal and make it the constant!!!
Thank you Steve for your words of wisdom. It is refreshing to read this kind of common sense.
-Dr K
Friday, August 2, 2013
Shoulder Health and Crossfit
I recently started working out at a Crossfit gym. I have always loved Olympic and multi-joint lifts as a way to work out, so logically moving into Crossfit was the next step. Crossfit offers some of the best and most exhausting workouts I have ever had. The class atmosphere in addition to the intense training is great and unlike any other fitness "class" you can take at a chain gym. One week into doing crossfit I noticed the lack of posterior deltoid work and proper rotator cuff/external rotation exercises. It dawned on me, after seeing a couple of [Crossfit] patients with shoulder issues (AC joint issues related to rear deltoid/anterior deltoid imbalance) that this could be an issue with Crossfit. At the same time a very easy and adaptable fix.
Presses, pull-ups, push-ups, snatch, and all the variations of pushing weight above the head all strengthen the flexors. As in, the pecoralis muscles (specifically the clavicular division), the anterior deltoid, along with the legs, core, and back as stabilizers. Don't get me wrong, Crossfit works the back muscles extensively, but one thing to note; pull-ups, butterfly pull-ups, and any other variation primarily work the latissimus dorsi group. The latissimus dorsi muscle is an internal rotator of the shoulder. Therefore, external rotation is excluded.
In this article I will be covering the top 4 musculoskeletal injuries to the shoulder that I see in my clinic. I will also cover and talk about ways to strengthen the shoulders and rotator cuff muscles in order to take you to the next level at Crossfit, or any other workout you are doing.
Top 4 Causes of Shoulder Problems (seen in my office)
1. The Neck: If the neck is out of alignment this can have a devastating effect on the shoulder. If you look up the maps of the cervical plexus (and while your there look up the brachial plexus) you will see the cervical nerve roots. It is these very nerves that innervate the arm muscles. Now the specifics aren't needed for this. What you need to know is if the neck is imbalanced, that can place pressure on the nerves. Proper nerve function is needed for muscles to activate and function properly. If the neck is off, the arm muscles can be off, and this includes any one of the many different muscles acting on the shoulder. Imbalance leads to dysfunction and pain. This is the primary starting point. Any of the following injuries can stem from the neck so ALWAYS CHECK THE NECK.
2. AC Joint (M/C Crossfit imbalance): Before we get into the actual AC joint we need to look at the deltoid. The deltoid is the muscle that covers the whole shoulder. It is also notoriously weak in people. The unique thing about the deltoid is it antagonizes itself. That means when the anterior deltoid is firing the posterior deltoid is not and vice versa. Another example of muscles that antagonize each other are the biceps and triceps. When you flex your bicep you can't flex your triceps. It is turned off. Now the deltoid is unique in that it does this with itself. When using Applied Kinesiolgy (neurologic testing) I find that when a muscle is spasmed or chronically tightened (muscle fibers shortened) it can inhibit the muscle opposing/antagonizing it. The 2 most common are the anterior deltoid being over tight and shutting off the rear deltoid, and the psoas muscle being over tight and shutting off the glut max. (Interestingly both are ball and socket joints.)
What does this have to do with the AC joint? Everything! The rear deltoid muscle stabilizes the AC joint. So think about it. The anterior deltoid is chronically tight, there is a strength imbalance in the deltoid due to presses and internal shoulder rotation exercises. The rear deltoid is weak and inhibited. Where does that stress from the imbalances go? The AC joint. If this problem persists for too long the stress can become too great and a diagnosable AC injury or separation occurs.
3. Biceps Tendon Injuries: This is a fairly complex condition, often called biceps tendonitis among other things by medical doctors, that can affect a number of different joints from the neck to the wrist and can be hard to find if you don't see someone who uses Applied Kinesiology. Applied Kinesiology is neurologic testing. It test muscles and how well the brain turns them on. If a muscle is turned off, or not firing at full potential, it leads to imbalance. Imbalance leads to pain and dysfunction and eventually serious injury. In terms of the biceps tendon, I am talking specifically about the long head biceps tendon.
Some anatomy about this injury you need to know to fully understand the injury includes the bicipital groove of the humerus, the subscapularis, the long head of the biceps, and surrounding musculature. If you don't know these structures please look them up. The long head of the biceps moves up the arm and attaches to the glenoid labrum. The problem mostly arrises in the area of the the bicipital groove. This is a valley in the humerus which houses the biceps tendon. Simply stated, irritation happens to this area and the tendon moves medially. The subscapularis is an internal rotator of the shoulder. It attaches to the transverse ligament, which is the ligament that houses the bicipital groove holding the biceps tendon in place.
The problem: As we slouch, have too much focus on internal rotation of the shoulder, weak extensors, etc. the subscapularis will tighten and create a lot of strain on the transverse ligament of the bicipital groove. This is turn puts strain on the biceps tendon and the biceps function as a whole. This leads to major imbalances in the shoulder and elbow. The shoulder, being a more mobile and vulnerable joint, bares most of the stress and becomes injured.
Sounds complicated, but treatment is usually pretty straight forward (at least in my office). Identify what is happening with the muscles. Which are inhibited, which aren't. Work on the joint specifically, the subscapularis, the bicipital groove area, and long head of the biceps (specific treatments) and things generally get better almost immediately. It isn't rocket science!!! (As in, your doctor should know how to treat this. If they don't, FIND A NEW DOCTOR!)
4. Infraspinatus injury: The infraspinatus muscle is one of the main external rotators of the shoulder. This muscle is notorious for becoming injured, and I believe it is because of the heavy amount of internal rotation today's life and workouts require. This muscle has to be addressed in all shoulder injuries for the shoulder to become function. That usually entails muscle work, muscle lengthening, and neck adjustments. If you don't address an infraspinatus injury, the shoulder will NOT get better.
You may be thinking what about the supraspinatus tendon. This is a common shoulder injury. This is the result of years of wear and tear (really major imbalance and dysfunction) culminating in the tendon tearing. I am not a surgeon and don't see supraspinatus tears in my office. I do have patients with them and miraculously some of them have skipped surgery and have better shoulder function after seeing me. This is because when the shoulder is balanced, there is no added stress on the ligaments and joints, and things heal.
Now, to the good stuff. What can you do to work out the shoulder to take your Crossfit workout to the next level (or any workout for that matter)?
The posture stretch: Take a 3 foot foam roller. Lay on it so your whole spine is on top of the roller. Pelvis to head. Lay your arms on the ground, thumbs pointed toward your head, at a 45 degree angle. Feel the stretch and inch your hands up over the course of 15 minutes. Do this everyday until you no longer feel an intense stretch with your hands at 90 degrees or greater. (hint: should look like a cross position.)
Rotator cuff workout:
Can be done as a workout by itself or after a workout.
A1: 30 degree incline prone trap raise 3 x 10-12 (3 second eccentric phase) 10 sec rest
A2: Elbow on knee DB external rotation 3 x 10-12 (3 second eccentric phase) 10 sec rest
A3: Low pulley external rotation at 30 degress 3 x 10-12 (second eccentric phase) 60 sec rest
This is a super set workout. For more info on what this means, eccentric phase, timing and any lifting questions I encourage you to visit charlespoliquin.com for more info. Below is the link to the article I took this workout from.
http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/984/How_to_Square_Round_Shoulders.aspx
Posterior Deltoid workout:
The rear delts should be worked on a minimum of once a week. I like to to the same as the rotator cuff and follow with some super sets after a workout. It should be noted that shoulders can be a whole day at the gym themselves, and I personally have been working shoulders out extensively for years. So you may have to have separate shoulder days for a while in order to do this.
A1: Bent over rows 3 x 6-8 (2 second eccentric phase) 10 sec rest
A2: Standing cable rows 3 x 8-10 (2 second eccentric phase) 10 sec rest
A3: Face Pulls with rope 3 x 10-12 (4 sec eccentric phase) 60 sec rest
It should be noted that I have adapted these workouts from the shoulder workouts of Charles Poliquin. That guy knows his stuff and for more reading check out his site.
This article has been fun for me to write and I hope very informative for you all. With the tips here, all you Crossfitters out there looking to take your lifts to the next level think about shoulder health and strength. Some added effort can make huge gains and even break some PRs along the way.
Cheers,
Dr. Kurt
References:
Netter FH. Atlas of Human Anatomy. 4th Ed. 2006. (Textbook)
Rakowski Bob. Kinesiology Applied to Functional Medicine. Seminar Series 2010-2012. Minneapolis MN. (itsdrbob.com is his website) (favorite teacher/seminar instructor/mentor/doctor check his seminars and info out!)
Charles Poliquin. www.charlespoliquin.com (too many articles to list. One of the best sources of info I have ever come across. Check out his website.)
http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/962/Building_3D_Shoulders.aspx
Presses, pull-ups, push-ups, snatch, and all the variations of pushing weight above the head all strengthen the flexors. As in, the pecoralis muscles (specifically the clavicular division), the anterior deltoid, along with the legs, core, and back as stabilizers. Don't get me wrong, Crossfit works the back muscles extensively, but one thing to note; pull-ups, butterfly pull-ups, and any other variation primarily work the latissimus dorsi group. The latissimus dorsi muscle is an internal rotator of the shoulder. Therefore, external rotation is excluded.
In this article I will be covering the top 4 musculoskeletal injuries to the shoulder that I see in my clinic. I will also cover and talk about ways to strengthen the shoulders and rotator cuff muscles in order to take you to the next level at Crossfit, or any other workout you are doing.
Top 4 Causes of Shoulder Problems (seen in my office)
1. The Neck: If the neck is out of alignment this can have a devastating effect on the shoulder. If you look up the maps of the cervical plexus (and while your there look up the brachial plexus) you will see the cervical nerve roots. It is these very nerves that innervate the arm muscles. Now the specifics aren't needed for this. What you need to know is if the neck is imbalanced, that can place pressure on the nerves. Proper nerve function is needed for muscles to activate and function properly. If the neck is off, the arm muscles can be off, and this includes any one of the many different muscles acting on the shoulder. Imbalance leads to dysfunction and pain. This is the primary starting point. Any of the following injuries can stem from the neck so ALWAYS CHECK THE NECK.
2. AC Joint (M/C Crossfit imbalance): Before we get into the actual AC joint we need to look at the deltoid. The deltoid is the muscle that covers the whole shoulder. It is also notoriously weak in people. The unique thing about the deltoid is it antagonizes itself. That means when the anterior deltoid is firing the posterior deltoid is not and vice versa. Another example of muscles that antagonize each other are the biceps and triceps. When you flex your bicep you can't flex your triceps. It is turned off. Now the deltoid is unique in that it does this with itself. When using Applied Kinesiolgy (neurologic testing) I find that when a muscle is spasmed or chronically tightened (muscle fibers shortened) it can inhibit the muscle opposing/antagonizing it. The 2 most common are the anterior deltoid being over tight and shutting off the rear deltoid, and the psoas muscle being over tight and shutting off the glut max. (Interestingly both are ball and socket joints.)
What does this have to do with the AC joint? Everything! The rear deltoid muscle stabilizes the AC joint. So think about it. The anterior deltoid is chronically tight, there is a strength imbalance in the deltoid due to presses and internal shoulder rotation exercises. The rear deltoid is weak and inhibited. Where does that stress from the imbalances go? The AC joint. If this problem persists for too long the stress can become too great and a diagnosable AC injury or separation occurs.
3. Biceps Tendon Injuries: This is a fairly complex condition, often called biceps tendonitis among other things by medical doctors, that can affect a number of different joints from the neck to the wrist and can be hard to find if you don't see someone who uses Applied Kinesiology. Applied Kinesiology is neurologic testing. It test muscles and how well the brain turns them on. If a muscle is turned off, or not firing at full potential, it leads to imbalance. Imbalance leads to pain and dysfunction and eventually serious injury. In terms of the biceps tendon, I am talking specifically about the long head biceps tendon.
Some anatomy about this injury you need to know to fully understand the injury includes the bicipital groove of the humerus, the subscapularis, the long head of the biceps, and surrounding musculature. If you don't know these structures please look them up. The long head of the biceps moves up the arm and attaches to the glenoid labrum. The problem mostly arrises in the area of the the bicipital groove. This is a valley in the humerus which houses the biceps tendon. Simply stated, irritation happens to this area and the tendon moves medially. The subscapularis is an internal rotator of the shoulder. It attaches to the transverse ligament, which is the ligament that houses the bicipital groove holding the biceps tendon in place.
The problem: As we slouch, have too much focus on internal rotation of the shoulder, weak extensors, etc. the subscapularis will tighten and create a lot of strain on the transverse ligament of the bicipital groove. This is turn puts strain on the biceps tendon and the biceps function as a whole. This leads to major imbalances in the shoulder and elbow. The shoulder, being a more mobile and vulnerable joint, bares most of the stress and becomes injured.
Sounds complicated, but treatment is usually pretty straight forward (at least in my office). Identify what is happening with the muscles. Which are inhibited, which aren't. Work on the joint specifically, the subscapularis, the bicipital groove area, and long head of the biceps (specific treatments) and things generally get better almost immediately. It isn't rocket science!!! (As in, your doctor should know how to treat this. If they don't, FIND A NEW DOCTOR!)
4. Infraspinatus injury: The infraspinatus muscle is one of the main external rotators of the shoulder. This muscle is notorious for becoming injured, and I believe it is because of the heavy amount of internal rotation today's life and workouts require. This muscle has to be addressed in all shoulder injuries for the shoulder to become function. That usually entails muscle work, muscle lengthening, and neck adjustments. If you don't address an infraspinatus injury, the shoulder will NOT get better.
You may be thinking what about the supraspinatus tendon. This is a common shoulder injury. This is the result of years of wear and tear (really major imbalance and dysfunction) culminating in the tendon tearing. I am not a surgeon and don't see supraspinatus tears in my office. I do have patients with them and miraculously some of them have skipped surgery and have better shoulder function after seeing me. This is because when the shoulder is balanced, there is no added stress on the ligaments and joints, and things heal.
Now, to the good stuff. What can you do to work out the shoulder to take your Crossfit workout to the next level (or any workout for that matter)?
The posture stretch: Take a 3 foot foam roller. Lay on it so your whole spine is on top of the roller. Pelvis to head. Lay your arms on the ground, thumbs pointed toward your head, at a 45 degree angle. Feel the stretch and inch your hands up over the course of 15 minutes. Do this everyday until you no longer feel an intense stretch with your hands at 90 degrees or greater. (hint: should look like a cross position.)
Rotator cuff workout:
Can be done as a workout by itself or after a workout.
A1: 30 degree incline prone trap raise 3 x 10-12 (3 second eccentric phase) 10 sec rest
A2: Elbow on knee DB external rotation 3 x 10-12 (3 second eccentric phase) 10 sec rest
A3: Low pulley external rotation at 30 degress 3 x 10-12 (second eccentric phase) 60 sec rest
This is a super set workout. For more info on what this means, eccentric phase, timing and any lifting questions I encourage you to visit charlespoliquin.com for more info. Below is the link to the article I took this workout from.
http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/984/How_to_Square_Round_Shoulders.aspx
Posterior Deltoid workout:
The rear delts should be worked on a minimum of once a week. I like to to the same as the rotator cuff and follow with some super sets after a workout. It should be noted that shoulders can be a whole day at the gym themselves, and I personally have been working shoulders out extensively for years. So you may have to have separate shoulder days for a while in order to do this.
A1: Bent over rows 3 x 6-8 (2 second eccentric phase) 10 sec rest
A2: Standing cable rows 3 x 8-10 (2 second eccentric phase) 10 sec rest
A3: Face Pulls with rope 3 x 10-12 (4 sec eccentric phase) 60 sec rest
It should be noted that I have adapted these workouts from the shoulder workouts of Charles Poliquin. That guy knows his stuff and for more reading check out his site.
This article has been fun for me to write and I hope very informative for you all. With the tips here, all you Crossfitters out there looking to take your lifts to the next level think about shoulder health and strength. Some added effort can make huge gains and even break some PRs along the way.
Cheers,
Dr. Kurt
References:
Netter FH. Atlas of Human Anatomy. 4th Ed. 2006. (Textbook)
Rakowski Bob. Kinesiology Applied to Functional Medicine. Seminar Series 2010-2012. Minneapolis MN. (itsdrbob.com is his website) (favorite teacher/seminar instructor/mentor/doctor check his seminars and info out!)
Charles Poliquin. www.charlespoliquin.com (too many articles to list. One of the best sources of info I have ever come across. Check out his website.)
http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/962/Building_3D_Shoulders.aspx
Friday, May 17, 2013
Low Back Pain and Bacteria. What's the gut have to do about it?
Recently, as I have been studying about brain based chiropractic treatments I realized everything keeps coming back to nutrition. I've always believed that nutrition is the best way to stay and be healthy, but this revelation really clicked. Over the past couple of days, while studying Andy Barlow material, a brilliant neuro-based chiropractor, he stated that when the brain has conflicting tests look to metabolic treatments. What that means is the more messed up the brain is, the more you should look to the gut health.
Now a couple days later I stumbled upon a new study linking bacterial infections and chronic low back pain. After reading through the article and a couple of reviews of the article is dawned on me that this all comes back to gut health.
The study found that around 50% of chronic low back pain cases are the result of invading bacteria. The bacteria invades the disc and moves into the surrounding bone causing irritation and pain. More interestingly, when the patients in the study were given a course of antibiotics 80% of them improved drastically. Some of them were even called 'cured' in the article. By far the most interesting part of the article was the invading bacteria. It was the same bacteria present in common acne.
As any natural medicine practitioner will tell you and knows from clinical experience the most common reason people have regular acne is diet. Improper diet, foods you are intolerant or allergic too, GMOs, conventional foods, dairy, gluten, and corn all cause acne. Another thing a crappy diet causes is leaky gut. Dairy causes excessive mucus production clogging the pores inducing acne. Gluten has skin conditions associated like atopic dermatitis. GMOs and toxins all have the ability to cause acne. What I tell patients who ask about acne is this. 'Acne is toxins trying to get out of the body. They want out so fast they are breaking through the skin. Imagine what your intestines look like.'
A common 4 R gut healing program usually always clears up the common acne. Now what does this mean for low back pain cases. Well since the invading bacteria in chronic low back pain seems to be the same as with common acne, wouldn't it make sense that this is a gut issue? How does conventional medicine clean up a bad gut? Antibiotics. How does a natural medicine practitioner do it? With soothing nutrients. With nutrients that kill bad bacteria, yeast, and fungus, while at the same time increasing the good bacteria and nourishing the gut. By reestablishing proper digestion with HCl, enzymes and gallbladder support, healing the gut lining and providing the right probiotics, and most importantly improving the diet. 'Leans, greens, nuts and seeds' is a great easy way to look at food. Michael Pollan stated, "Eat food. Real food. Mostly plants."
So combine what we already know works for low back pain, chiropractic, and now add a gut healing program and we will be eliminating chronic low back pain for millions. All at the same time helping people get healthier!
In good health,
Dr. Kurt
Sources:
Eur Spine J. 2013 Apr; 22(4): 697-707. PMID: 23404353
Now a couple days later I stumbled upon a new study linking bacterial infections and chronic low back pain. After reading through the article and a couple of reviews of the article is dawned on me that this all comes back to gut health.
The study found that around 50% of chronic low back pain cases are the result of invading bacteria. The bacteria invades the disc and moves into the surrounding bone causing irritation and pain. More interestingly, when the patients in the study were given a course of antibiotics 80% of them improved drastically. Some of them were even called 'cured' in the article. By far the most interesting part of the article was the invading bacteria. It was the same bacteria present in common acne.
As any natural medicine practitioner will tell you and knows from clinical experience the most common reason people have regular acne is diet. Improper diet, foods you are intolerant or allergic too, GMOs, conventional foods, dairy, gluten, and corn all cause acne. Another thing a crappy diet causes is leaky gut. Dairy causes excessive mucus production clogging the pores inducing acne. Gluten has skin conditions associated like atopic dermatitis. GMOs and toxins all have the ability to cause acne. What I tell patients who ask about acne is this. 'Acne is toxins trying to get out of the body. They want out so fast they are breaking through the skin. Imagine what your intestines look like.'
A common 4 R gut healing program usually always clears up the common acne. Now what does this mean for low back pain cases. Well since the invading bacteria in chronic low back pain seems to be the same as with common acne, wouldn't it make sense that this is a gut issue? How does conventional medicine clean up a bad gut? Antibiotics. How does a natural medicine practitioner do it? With soothing nutrients. With nutrients that kill bad bacteria, yeast, and fungus, while at the same time increasing the good bacteria and nourishing the gut. By reestablishing proper digestion with HCl, enzymes and gallbladder support, healing the gut lining and providing the right probiotics, and most importantly improving the diet. 'Leans, greens, nuts and seeds' is a great easy way to look at food. Michael Pollan stated, "Eat food. Real food. Mostly plants."
So combine what we already know works for low back pain, chiropractic, and now add a gut healing program and we will be eliminating chronic low back pain for millions. All at the same time helping people get healthier!
In good health,
Dr. Kurt
Sources:
Eur Spine J. 2013 Apr; 22(4): 697-707. PMID: 23404353
Monday, May 6, 2013
Ask Dr. Kurt: Do you have metabolic syndrome?
Ask Dr. Kurt: Do you have metabolic syndrome?: Many people hear this term all the time and know that it is part of the diabetes spectrum. First you get metabolic syndrome then you get dia...
Do you have metabolic syndrome?
Many people hear this term all the time and know that it is part of the diabetes spectrum. First you get metabolic syndrome then you get diabetes. How many people really know that they have metabolic syndrome, let alone are full fledged diabetics?
Metabolic syndrome is not just one symptom but a combination of a bunch. High blood pressure, abdominal obesity, increased blood sugar, increased cholesterol levels, high triglycerides, ect. A lot of these markers are pretty easy to see (obesity) or test for. So why is metabolic syndrome and diabetes running rampant?
The reasons for metabolic syndrome and diabetes being so prevalent are the topic for another blog, or weekend seminar (for that matter). But a glaring fact at the time of diagnosis for type II diabetes is the pancreas is at 50% function. This corresponds to a problem 10-12 years in the making to reduce pancreatic function to 50% before type II diabetes is diagnosed.
There is an even drearier outlook for type I diabetes is at the time of diagnosis the beta cell mass of the pancreas is 10%. Type I diabetes also has a huge autoimmune component, as well as a glutamate link. This is all discussion for another time. For this blog is it simply stating the pancreas has to have extensive damage in order for diabetes to be diagnosed.
The positive side of this is that the pancreas is an organ that can withstand a lot of abuse and still work. If the pancreas has to lose 90% of the beta cell mass for DM1 and 50% of function in DM2 to show overt diabetes than that gives us lots of room to improve.
The easiest way to assess and see if you are at risk for metabolic syndrome, or DM2 is the measure your waist and make sure it is equal to or less than your height. This is called the waist to height ratio. It has been extensively studied and proves better than other measurements including the famed waist to hip ratio. One simple reason, 'a big butt cancels a bit waist'.
A study done in 2009 found that for men with a waist greater than 1/2 their height had a 92% increased risk of getting metabolic syndrome. Women were found to have a 87.4% increased risk.
A new study gave the exact ratio that implies metabolic syndrome. 0.59. So if your waist is 60% of your height than you probably have metabolic syndrome, and in the next decade will probably have diabetes.
This is a lot of science to simply say, keep your waist 1/2 your height and have a really good chance of avoiding diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Now for those of you who do have metabolic syndrome, or at worst have diabetes, than it is time to find a natural medicine practitioner and make an appointment. The time was 10 years ago to get this problem in check and start living healthier.
Leans, greens, nuts and seeds is a great way to view food. Avoiding excessive carbohydrates, exercising hard (burst exercises, heavy weight training, sprints, total exhaustion exercises), eating organic foods (especially meats and fats), avoiding all dairy and gluten, and most importantly supporting the pancreas with proper nutrients will help fight diabetes. The side effect is a healthy fulfilling life.
To beat a lifestyle disease we must positively change lifestyle. We can through drugs at diabetes all we want. We are doing that in this country and what effect is it having?
In health,
Dr. Kurt
References:
Metab Syndr Relat Disord. 2009 Oct;7(5):477-84. PMID: 19492953;
Metabolic syndrome is not just one symptom but a combination of a bunch. High blood pressure, abdominal obesity, increased blood sugar, increased cholesterol levels, high triglycerides, ect. A lot of these markers are pretty easy to see (obesity) or test for. So why is metabolic syndrome and diabetes running rampant?
The reasons for metabolic syndrome and diabetes being so prevalent are the topic for another blog, or weekend seminar (for that matter). But a glaring fact at the time of diagnosis for type II diabetes is the pancreas is at 50% function. This corresponds to a problem 10-12 years in the making to reduce pancreatic function to 50% before type II diabetes is diagnosed.
There is an even drearier outlook for type I diabetes is at the time of diagnosis the beta cell mass of the pancreas is 10%. Type I diabetes also has a huge autoimmune component, as well as a glutamate link. This is all discussion for another time. For this blog is it simply stating the pancreas has to have extensive damage in order for diabetes to be diagnosed.
The positive side of this is that the pancreas is an organ that can withstand a lot of abuse and still work. If the pancreas has to lose 90% of the beta cell mass for DM1 and 50% of function in DM2 to show overt diabetes than that gives us lots of room to improve.
The easiest way to assess and see if you are at risk for metabolic syndrome, or DM2 is the measure your waist and make sure it is equal to or less than your height. This is called the waist to height ratio. It has been extensively studied and proves better than other measurements including the famed waist to hip ratio. One simple reason, 'a big butt cancels a bit waist'.
A study done in 2009 found that for men with a waist greater than 1/2 their height had a 92% increased risk of getting metabolic syndrome. Women were found to have a 87.4% increased risk.
A new study gave the exact ratio that implies metabolic syndrome. 0.59. So if your waist is 60% of your height than you probably have metabolic syndrome, and in the next decade will probably have diabetes.
This is a lot of science to simply say, keep your waist 1/2 your height and have a really good chance of avoiding diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Now for those of you who do have metabolic syndrome, or at worst have diabetes, than it is time to find a natural medicine practitioner and make an appointment. The time was 10 years ago to get this problem in check and start living healthier.
Leans, greens, nuts and seeds is a great way to view food. Avoiding excessive carbohydrates, exercising hard (burst exercises, heavy weight training, sprints, total exhaustion exercises), eating organic foods (especially meats and fats), avoiding all dairy and gluten, and most importantly supporting the pancreas with proper nutrients will help fight diabetes. The side effect is a healthy fulfilling life.
To beat a lifestyle disease we must positively change lifestyle. We can through drugs at diabetes all we want. We are doing that in this country and what effect is it having?
In health,
Dr. Kurt
References:
Metab Syndr Relat Disord. 2009 Oct;7(5):477-84. PMID: 19492953;
Nature. 2010 Apr
22;464(7292):1149-54.
Endocr Rev. 2007
Apr;28(2):187-218. Epub 2007 Mar 12. PMID: 17353295 Monday, December 10, 2012
Basic Nutrition is LOST Today!
The nutrition industry is starting to lean toward the same marketing strategies as big pharma companies. At the gym I work out at, they have an TV advertisement about Vitamin C. It has an ex-Olympian talking about how she would never leave her house without Vitamin C. Vitamin C alone has single-handedly changed her life and allowed her to be a professional athlete. This is just one example of a single nutrition supplement changing the life of the user. Sounds like a miracle. Why doesn't everyone taking Vitamin C become an elite athlete? Don't get me wrong, I do love some Vitamin C, but I don't think I could say it changed my life. No one nutrient can change someone's life.
No wonder people don't feel the effects of vitamins and minerals. Taking one supplement will not change the body like the claims maintain. Although one MAJOR difference between nutrients and pharmaceuticals is the side-effects and death rates. No one has ever died directly from taking vitamins. Nutrients and vitamins simply do not kill people. It is acceptable for over 100,000 people a year to die from pharmaceuticals being used correctly. Discrepancy? I think yes.
Single nutrients or supplements can have powerful effects when the body is near perfect balance. That means baseline nutrition has been established. Now, what is baseline nutrition?
-Adequate minerals. No single mineral should be given without some form of comprehensive multi-mineral supplement. I love extra magnesium and zinc, but I also give them in conjunction with a comprehensive multi-mineral supplements. A Zn Tally taste test is not only a subjective Zn test, but a total mineral balance test.
-Proper intake of omega 3s. This might take a while to establish, like months of high dose fish oil, more than 10 g per day. As the fat intake becomes more balanced some might decrease the intake, but most people feel so good they continue to take a higher dose of fish oil.
-Plant nutrients including anti-inflammatory nutrients. A plant nutrient powder is a great way to alkalize the body and promote an anti-inflammatory environment. The body works best at a pH of around 7.35. Living creates acid and we need to buffer that acid. Eating lots of plants does this. In today's toxic world we need an even more powerful boost than simply eating plants. This is where a solid and comprehensive plant nutrient supplement comes in. If someone is horrendously inflamed the addition of curcumin and ginger inflavonoids will also help.
-Vitamin D. Vitamin D, yes is one vitamin, but one thing that is unique about Vitamin D is the receptor. Every cell in the body has Vitamin D receptors, making it very important. I don't need to preach the importance of D, just do a google search and see.
-Digestion. Proper stomach acid, gallbladder function, and enzymes are important. Making stomach acid is one of the most energy dependent processes in the body. People don't make too much stomach acid, they make to little. The LES (lower esophogeal sphictor) is pH dependent meaning the more HCl one has, the tighter the esophagus closes. No acid reflux. Acid reflux is not too much stomach acid, it is too little. Stomach acid is needed to digest food and protect the body from outside infections. The HCl challenge is a simple way to assess if one needs to supplement it. Now HCl by itself might be a supplement that can change someones life.
Once someone's baseline nutrition has been established and continually maintained for a while, this includes lifestyle, organic eating, working out and being active, and most of all a continual source of love, then and only then will single supplement really have great effect on the body.
Next time you are sick and want to reach for the Vitamin C, don't get mad when it doesn't live up to label claims. Take the next week to do an Intense Detox, and start living baseline nutrition. That way the next time sickness happens, the Vitamin C might have a great effect. It might live up to label claims.
-Dr. Kurt
No wonder people don't feel the effects of vitamins and minerals. Taking one supplement will not change the body like the claims maintain. Although one MAJOR difference between nutrients and pharmaceuticals is the side-effects and death rates. No one has ever died directly from taking vitamins. Nutrients and vitamins simply do not kill people. It is acceptable for over 100,000 people a year to die from pharmaceuticals being used correctly. Discrepancy? I think yes.
Single nutrients or supplements can have powerful effects when the body is near perfect balance. That means baseline nutrition has been established. Now, what is baseline nutrition?
-Adequate minerals. No single mineral should be given without some form of comprehensive multi-mineral supplement. I love extra magnesium and zinc, but I also give them in conjunction with a comprehensive multi-mineral supplements. A Zn Tally taste test is not only a subjective Zn test, but a total mineral balance test.
-Proper intake of omega 3s. This might take a while to establish, like months of high dose fish oil, more than 10 g per day. As the fat intake becomes more balanced some might decrease the intake, but most people feel so good they continue to take a higher dose of fish oil.
-Plant nutrients including anti-inflammatory nutrients. A plant nutrient powder is a great way to alkalize the body and promote an anti-inflammatory environment. The body works best at a pH of around 7.35. Living creates acid and we need to buffer that acid. Eating lots of plants does this. In today's toxic world we need an even more powerful boost than simply eating plants. This is where a solid and comprehensive plant nutrient supplement comes in. If someone is horrendously inflamed the addition of curcumin and ginger inflavonoids will also help.
-Vitamin D. Vitamin D, yes is one vitamin, but one thing that is unique about Vitamin D is the receptor. Every cell in the body has Vitamin D receptors, making it very important. I don't need to preach the importance of D, just do a google search and see.
-Digestion. Proper stomach acid, gallbladder function, and enzymes are important. Making stomach acid is one of the most energy dependent processes in the body. People don't make too much stomach acid, they make to little. The LES (lower esophogeal sphictor) is pH dependent meaning the more HCl one has, the tighter the esophagus closes. No acid reflux. Acid reflux is not too much stomach acid, it is too little. Stomach acid is needed to digest food and protect the body from outside infections. The HCl challenge is a simple way to assess if one needs to supplement it. Now HCl by itself might be a supplement that can change someones life.
Once someone's baseline nutrition has been established and continually maintained for a while, this includes lifestyle, organic eating, working out and being active, and most of all a continual source of love, then and only then will single supplement really have great effect on the body.
Next time you are sick and want to reach for the Vitamin C, don't get mad when it doesn't live up to label claims. Take the next week to do an Intense Detox, and start living baseline nutrition. That way the next time sickness happens, the Vitamin C might have a great effect. It might live up to label claims.
-Dr. Kurt
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Global Warming... More Like Humans Living
We have all watched, or at least heard of Al Gore's, "Inconvenient Truth" documentary about global warming. One problem I have with the whole global warming movement is that it has become a political movement. Democrats and republicans, liberals and conservatives, all have views on global warming with the left leaning for it and the right leaning against it. This has done a great disservice to all humans. It has created great anger and hostility for both sides when the whole issue should be a human issue.
Yes, I said global warming is not a global issue in the sense that we are saving the Earth. It is a human issue, that we should all be part of. Global warming promotes green cleaning, less non recyclable trash, better products that lower our carbon foot print, etc. Now that is all great, but what the global warming movement does not talk about is how all these products help humans. Yes, they help clean the Earth by not contributing to greater toxification, but what they also do is decrease toxicity to humans.
Humans are exposed to over 80,000 registered chemicals, not counting all the ones not registered. BPA is one of the most talked about toxins, which we know causes cancer, as well as a myriad of other symptoms and problems, most of which are associated with estrogen toxicity. Much of the toxins humans are exposed to are what we call endocrine disruptors. This simply means toxins mess with hormones, usually increasing estrogen in some way, and decreasing or suppressing testosterone by a whole number of mechanisms. We now know that toxins are contributing to type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome. There are reports that toxins are a major contributing factor in austism. High estrogen is associated with infertility, autoimmunity, cancer risk, etc. High estrogens are also associated with toxic exposure.
We as humans should all unite under one cause, a human cause to clean up the Earth. Not only should we detoxify our bodies, but we need to detoxify the Earth. Global warming is a great movement in that it promotes detoxification of the Earth, but the problem is that it is also a political movement. The political movement is killing the effectiveness of the movement.
It is my call to unite the people and join the human movement of living cleaner and creating a clean environment to live. Global warming is an Earth movement. Let's make it a human movement. Healthier humans are the key to a healthy Earth. If we do not promote health in humans, a clean Earth does not matter.
-Dr. Kurt
Yes, I said global warming is not a global issue in the sense that we are saving the Earth. It is a human issue, that we should all be part of. Global warming promotes green cleaning, less non recyclable trash, better products that lower our carbon foot print, etc. Now that is all great, but what the global warming movement does not talk about is how all these products help humans. Yes, they help clean the Earth by not contributing to greater toxification, but what they also do is decrease toxicity to humans.
Humans are exposed to over 80,000 registered chemicals, not counting all the ones not registered. BPA is one of the most talked about toxins, which we know causes cancer, as well as a myriad of other symptoms and problems, most of which are associated with estrogen toxicity. Much of the toxins humans are exposed to are what we call endocrine disruptors. This simply means toxins mess with hormones, usually increasing estrogen in some way, and decreasing or suppressing testosterone by a whole number of mechanisms. We now know that toxins are contributing to type II diabetes and metabolic syndrome. There are reports that toxins are a major contributing factor in austism. High estrogen is associated with infertility, autoimmunity, cancer risk, etc. High estrogens are also associated with toxic exposure.
We as humans should all unite under one cause, a human cause to clean up the Earth. Not only should we detoxify our bodies, but we need to detoxify the Earth. Global warming is a great movement in that it promotes detoxification of the Earth, but the problem is that it is also a political movement. The political movement is killing the effectiveness of the movement.
It is my call to unite the people and join the human movement of living cleaner and creating a clean environment to live. Global warming is an Earth movement. Let's make it a human movement. Healthier humans are the key to a healthy Earth. If we do not promote health in humans, a clean Earth does not matter.
-Dr. Kurt
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Changing Habits
This week I read the book The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg. The book was very interesting. He didn't bring up anything new per se but he did talk about human nature in terms of habits. For example, ever wonder why you did something without realizing it? It is because of habit.
Habits have cues, actions, and rewards. It is the action part of the habit circuit that can be changed. The cue and the reward are essentially all the same. Let's take a sugar craving. The cue is the craving, the action is eating sugar, the reward is the feeling afterward. This concept of changing the action in the habit circuit is phenomenal and every doctor should start applying this to patients.
Living healthy depends on changing the action phase of the habit circuit. Let's take a look at the average American. One gets home after a long day at work. Relaxation and eating is all that is left on the mind after a long day at work. One can either grab fast food, veg out, and sit in front of the TV all night or live for tomorrow. Vegging out in front of the TV is not living for tomorrow, it is existing until tomorrow. To change this habit one must first alter the action phase.
The cue is getting off work and wanting to eat and relax. The action is eating and relaxing, with the reward being relaxed at the end of the night. To change the habit, the action phase must be altered. Instead of classic American relaxing, how about this. At around 4pm eat a nice piece of organic chicken breast with some almonds and fruit. At 5pm, when work is done and it is time to relax, head straight to the gym to a nice workout session with the trainer. The action of needing to relax was just altered. After a solid 45 min workout, the feeling of relaxation and accomplishment kick in. The post workout shake quenches a little hunger, as you know when you get home a nice salad, cooked salmon, and sweet potatoes are prepared, as you planned ahead for the evening. Now relaxing is healthy. You changed the action phase. Instead of fast food and vegging in front of the TV you added healthy food and a workout. All it took was some planning. The cue and the reward are the same.
Changing a lifestyle can be difficult. The concept of habit changing, specifically, changing the action phase, is a perfect way to help facilitate this change. The cues and rewards can essentially be the same, but the action is dependent on you. Change the action and change your life. In time the cues and the rewards will change as well.
Paraphrased from Dean Ornish: People don't think of lifestyle change as something they see today like a drug or pill. They see it as something they do now to get a couple extra years at the end of their life. That simply isn't true. Healthy lifestyle changes genes. Once people start living healthier they start feeling better and the positive loop has begun. Increasing lifespan isn't the goal. Joy is the goal. Joy is what will sustain healthy lifestyle change. Joy.
I will add love as well. The more love in one's life the more joy.
Dr. K
Habits have cues, actions, and rewards. It is the action part of the habit circuit that can be changed. The cue and the reward are essentially all the same. Let's take a sugar craving. The cue is the craving, the action is eating sugar, the reward is the feeling afterward. This concept of changing the action in the habit circuit is phenomenal and every doctor should start applying this to patients.
Living healthy depends on changing the action phase of the habit circuit. Let's take a look at the average American. One gets home after a long day at work. Relaxation and eating is all that is left on the mind after a long day at work. One can either grab fast food, veg out, and sit in front of the TV all night or live for tomorrow. Vegging out in front of the TV is not living for tomorrow, it is existing until tomorrow. To change this habit one must first alter the action phase.
The cue is getting off work and wanting to eat and relax. The action is eating and relaxing, with the reward being relaxed at the end of the night. To change the habit, the action phase must be altered. Instead of classic American relaxing, how about this. At around 4pm eat a nice piece of organic chicken breast with some almonds and fruit. At 5pm, when work is done and it is time to relax, head straight to the gym to a nice workout session with the trainer. The action of needing to relax was just altered. After a solid 45 min workout, the feeling of relaxation and accomplishment kick in. The post workout shake quenches a little hunger, as you know when you get home a nice salad, cooked salmon, and sweet potatoes are prepared, as you planned ahead for the evening. Now relaxing is healthy. You changed the action phase. Instead of fast food and vegging in front of the TV you added healthy food and a workout. All it took was some planning. The cue and the reward are the same.
Changing a lifestyle can be difficult. The concept of habit changing, specifically, changing the action phase, is a perfect way to help facilitate this change. The cues and rewards can essentially be the same, but the action is dependent on you. Change the action and change your life. In time the cues and the rewards will change as well.
Paraphrased from Dean Ornish: People don't think of lifestyle change as something they see today like a drug or pill. They see it as something they do now to get a couple extra years at the end of their life. That simply isn't true. Healthy lifestyle changes genes. Once people start living healthier they start feeling better and the positive loop has begun. Increasing lifespan isn't the goal. Joy is the goal. Joy is what will sustain healthy lifestyle change. Joy.
I will add love as well. The more love in one's life the more joy.
Dr. K
Friday, September 7, 2012
Ambition
Many people talk about having ambition. What exactly is ambition? Merriam-Webster states ambition is an ardent desire for rank, fame and power. What is the difference between ambition and dreaming? I believe the difference is ambition is something believable. A dream of sorts, that others, as well as yourself, believe in passionately. Ambition also includes all means to achieve that dream. Ambition is the road to making dreams come true.
Some self-help books and different get rich quick companies talk about the dream. They try and package ambition into something anyone can do and make millions of dollars doing. That is wrong. Do you know anyone that went to a get rich quick seminar and now is a multimillionaire?
Ambition is something that grows from inside you, but must be fed with the right things in order to grow into something great. Being from an up and coming younger generation, I believe ambition today requires different steps than in the past. The commonality is passion, without passion ambition cannot be fed.
In today's world, we as American's are the most unhealthy generation of all time. The essential beginning after passion is health. Specifically brain health. If one's brain does not work properly, or to full potential, ambition has no means to grow.
Step 1: Get Healthy
Now this is no simple task. This requires a lifestyle change, a change forever. If it doesn't come directly from the ground, don't eat it. If the meat isn't grass fed or organically raised, don't eat it. Gluten? Never eat it again. Leans, greens, nuts and seeds. That should be a mantra. Eat natural, live natural, be natural.
Step 2: Live Green
This simply means stop exposing yourself to unwarranted toxins. The green movement needs not be about the Earth and the Globe. It needs to be about humans. We need to go green because we need to decrease our toxic exposure as humans. Most personal care products contain cancer causing agents and endocrine dysruptors. That means they alter hormones in the body. Get them out and spring for as natural as possible. If you have body odor, it is time to detox.
Step 3: Detox
A minimum of 2 full weeks of the year need to be solely dedicated to detoxification. This means a complete detox program formulated for you. We are bombarded with toxins everyday, and even the healthiest people on Earth need to annually detox. Detoxification programs help the body work better.
Step 4: Balancing the Brain
Balancing the brain. All the steps to this point have begun the process of balancing the brain. Protein for breakfast is key to driving dopamine and norepinephrine in the morning. Carbohydrates drive serotonin and should only be eaten in the evening, that is if you are lean and workout twice a day. Balancing mineral status is pivotal. Vitamin D, Mg, Zn, Vitamin E, and Omega 3's need to be supplemented and balanced in order for the brain to work.
Next, specific nutrients and herbs can be used to boost brain power. This needs to be customized for each individual and vary greatly in regards to stress type.
Step 5: Ambition
Now that the brain and your lifestyle have begun to be balanced in a healthy way, ambition has the roots to grow. Think of steps 1-4 as fertilizer for the step 5, the tree. Ambition needs to be fed in order to grow. Ambition also requires a plan. A means to accomplish that plan. Finally, it needs follow through.
This is a great outline to create an environment to foster ambition. Remember, ambition needs to be fed, and this feeding begins with lifestyle and properly supporting the brain. Without the right fertilizer ambition will whither and die.
Some self-help books and different get rich quick companies talk about the dream. They try and package ambition into something anyone can do and make millions of dollars doing. That is wrong. Do you know anyone that went to a get rich quick seminar and now is a multimillionaire?
Ambition is something that grows from inside you, but must be fed with the right things in order to grow into something great. Being from an up and coming younger generation, I believe ambition today requires different steps than in the past. The commonality is passion, without passion ambition cannot be fed.
In today's world, we as American's are the most unhealthy generation of all time. The essential beginning after passion is health. Specifically brain health. If one's brain does not work properly, or to full potential, ambition has no means to grow.
Step 1: Get Healthy
Now this is no simple task. This requires a lifestyle change, a change forever. If it doesn't come directly from the ground, don't eat it. If the meat isn't grass fed or organically raised, don't eat it. Gluten? Never eat it again. Leans, greens, nuts and seeds. That should be a mantra. Eat natural, live natural, be natural.
Step 2: Live Green
This simply means stop exposing yourself to unwarranted toxins. The green movement needs not be about the Earth and the Globe. It needs to be about humans. We need to go green because we need to decrease our toxic exposure as humans. Most personal care products contain cancer causing agents and endocrine dysruptors. That means they alter hormones in the body. Get them out and spring for as natural as possible. If you have body odor, it is time to detox.
Step 3: Detox
A minimum of 2 full weeks of the year need to be solely dedicated to detoxification. This means a complete detox program formulated for you. We are bombarded with toxins everyday, and even the healthiest people on Earth need to annually detox. Detoxification programs help the body work better.
Step 4: Balancing the Brain
Balancing the brain. All the steps to this point have begun the process of balancing the brain. Protein for breakfast is key to driving dopamine and norepinephrine in the morning. Carbohydrates drive serotonin and should only be eaten in the evening, that is if you are lean and workout twice a day. Balancing mineral status is pivotal. Vitamin D, Mg, Zn, Vitamin E, and Omega 3's need to be supplemented and balanced in order for the brain to work.
Next, specific nutrients and herbs can be used to boost brain power. This needs to be customized for each individual and vary greatly in regards to stress type.
Step 5: Ambition
Now that the brain and your lifestyle have begun to be balanced in a healthy way, ambition has the roots to grow. Think of steps 1-4 as fertilizer for the step 5, the tree. Ambition needs to be fed in order to grow. Ambition also requires a plan. A means to accomplish that plan. Finally, it needs follow through.
This is a great outline to create an environment to foster ambition. Remember, ambition needs to be fed, and this feeding begins with lifestyle and properly supporting the brain. Without the right fertilizer ambition will whither and die.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Attraction and Hormones
When was the last time you were sitting at the local Starbuck's and saw a man who had the physique of a pro athlete walk in holding hands with a women who looked similar to Precious. There is a reason we don't see sights like this too often. People date with similar hormone profilew. Sometimes we see an obese women with a skinny man, but are they dating out of their hormone profiles? My answer would be no. They are of equivalent profiles, but differing weights.
So many different theories on attraction exist today. Facial symmetry states we are attracted to people with equivalent facial symmetry. Some attraction experts think we are attracted to people whose immune system differs with ours in a way that would compliment offspring. This immune theory works with smell. We smell our mate to find attraction. We are attracted to people with the same or complimenting personalities states other experts yet. Some say we are attracted to people within our same walk of life, as in years of schooling, social status, economic status, etc. Still yet on a more primal level, we are simply attracted to women who appear to be good child carriers; wider hips, hourglass figure, softer cheekbones, etc. Whereas men need to have characteristics of high testosterone; high cheek bones, broad shoulders, hair all over, etc. What is the correct theory?
I believe it is a combination of all these theories, but with a modern day twist. We are attracted to our hormonal equivalent. When combining all of the other theories the final and most intriguing part of the picture is we are attracted to a person who has a similar hormone profile. That means a male with above average testosterone will be attracted to a women with above average testosterone. A women who is extremely estrogen toxic will be attracted to a man with low testosterone because of estrogen toxicity. Their hormone status will be equally as pathetic.
This theory makes sense on a number of different levels. First, we have known for years that a women on birth control, excess estrogen, is more attracted to the features of the room than a naked man in front of her. We know the opposite of a women not taking birth control. She is turned on the mere sight of the naked man; his muscles, hair, smell, and all his nakedness. Why does the estrogen toxic women not care about these things? Estrogen effects the brain. It also changes what she is attracted to. The same thing is true in men. Men with high testosterone look at women that will meet their needs. Lean, healthy, shapely in the right ways, and strong. Men with deficient testosterone, estrogen toxic men, obese men, or sick men find women attractive in different ways. Yes, they are still attracted to the traditional boobs or butt, but one striking difference emerges. They are not interested in the other things. They fail to notice the signs of a terrible hormone profile. The don't notice the extra fat on the triceps, or under the armpits, or around the waist. I have seen diabetic men actually enjoy women are look diabetic as well. 'Extra pudding.' This should disturb you.
This theory also makes sense in ways of lifestyle. We cannot be compatible with someone who does not live like we do. If a male has high testosterone, proper thyroid function, adequate growth hormone, sleeps 8 hours a night, eats organic food, detoxes regularly, takes supplements, weight trains, etc. how will he be able to be with a women who is deficient in all these categories. Hormone balance is key, not only for good health, but also for attraction.
Estrogen receptors belong to the nuclear receptor family. This means that when estrogen binds to one of its receptor types is has the ability to alter genetic expression down stream. That means excess estrogen can affect a number a different body processes, from mentration, muscle growth, and specifically brain function. Estrogen can alter the way our brain works, therefore, in theory it can drastically change what and how we are attracted to people.
Now it is time to take a good hard look at yourself. Now look at your partner. Do you both carry fat in similar areas of your body? How compatible are your lifestyles? More importantly how do you hormones match up? If you are single, take a hard look at yourself, and now think real hard about what you are attracted to? Does it match up? Next time you are out on the town, take a look around. What do you see?
Hormones attracted to like hormones.
-Dr. Kurt Waples
So many different theories on attraction exist today. Facial symmetry states we are attracted to people with equivalent facial symmetry. Some attraction experts think we are attracted to people whose immune system differs with ours in a way that would compliment offspring. This immune theory works with smell. We smell our mate to find attraction. We are attracted to people with the same or complimenting personalities states other experts yet. Some say we are attracted to people within our same walk of life, as in years of schooling, social status, economic status, etc. Still yet on a more primal level, we are simply attracted to women who appear to be good child carriers; wider hips, hourglass figure, softer cheekbones, etc. Whereas men need to have characteristics of high testosterone; high cheek bones, broad shoulders, hair all over, etc. What is the correct theory?
I believe it is a combination of all these theories, but with a modern day twist. We are attracted to our hormonal equivalent. When combining all of the other theories the final and most intriguing part of the picture is we are attracted to a person who has a similar hormone profile. That means a male with above average testosterone will be attracted to a women with above average testosterone. A women who is extremely estrogen toxic will be attracted to a man with low testosterone because of estrogen toxicity. Their hormone status will be equally as pathetic.
This theory makes sense on a number of different levels. First, we have known for years that a women on birth control, excess estrogen, is more attracted to the features of the room than a naked man in front of her. We know the opposite of a women not taking birth control. She is turned on the mere sight of the naked man; his muscles, hair, smell, and all his nakedness. Why does the estrogen toxic women not care about these things? Estrogen effects the brain. It also changes what she is attracted to. The same thing is true in men. Men with high testosterone look at women that will meet their needs. Lean, healthy, shapely in the right ways, and strong. Men with deficient testosterone, estrogen toxic men, obese men, or sick men find women attractive in different ways. Yes, they are still attracted to the traditional boobs or butt, but one striking difference emerges. They are not interested in the other things. They fail to notice the signs of a terrible hormone profile. The don't notice the extra fat on the triceps, or under the armpits, or around the waist. I have seen diabetic men actually enjoy women are look diabetic as well. 'Extra pudding.' This should disturb you.
This theory also makes sense in ways of lifestyle. We cannot be compatible with someone who does not live like we do. If a male has high testosterone, proper thyroid function, adequate growth hormone, sleeps 8 hours a night, eats organic food, detoxes regularly, takes supplements, weight trains, etc. how will he be able to be with a women who is deficient in all these categories. Hormone balance is key, not only for good health, but also for attraction.
Estrogen receptors belong to the nuclear receptor family. This means that when estrogen binds to one of its receptor types is has the ability to alter genetic expression down stream. That means excess estrogen can affect a number a different body processes, from mentration, muscle growth, and specifically brain function. Estrogen can alter the way our brain works, therefore, in theory it can drastically change what and how we are attracted to people.
Now it is time to take a good hard look at yourself. Now look at your partner. Do you both carry fat in similar areas of your body? How compatible are your lifestyles? More importantly how do you hormones match up? If you are single, take a hard look at yourself, and now think real hard about what you are attracted to? Does it match up? Next time you are out on the town, take a look around. What do you see?
Hormones attracted to like hormones.
-Dr. Kurt Waples
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Chronic Pain
Pain
Pain is a very complex entity. It can come in many different
shapes and sizes. We have a pill for every type of pain people feel, and yet we
are having a pain epidemic. We have pain syndromes, such as fibromyalgia, which
translated to layman’s terms means muscle fiber pain. Muscle fiber pain! Pain
is so complex we don’t even know what it is. So we call it a fancy name which
means muscle fiber pain. Conventional/allopathic treatments options prove this.
One common treatment for fibromyalgia is antidepressant medication. Does this
make sense?
Pain is multifaceted. It combines three components of
health; structure, biochemistry, and emotions. Structure is the bones, muscles,
ligaments, tendons, etc. making up the frame of the body. Biochemistry is the
internal makings of the body; the ways we interact with food and everything in
our environment. Finally, emotion is what we think, feel, and love. Emotion is our
soul. Pain does not affect only one component of health. It is like a virus,
and it infects all components of health.
Chronic pain requires all aspects of health to be addressed.
As pain continues and becomes chronic, the emotional and biochemical components
become more involved and infinitely more complicated. This is where a
knowledgeable practitioner, one who addresses structure, biochemistry, and
emotion, is needed. The cause needs to be found, addressed, and ultimately
corrected.
How can the cause be found? The key to finding the cause is
by having accurate, objective ways of assessment. Applied kinesiology is one
assessment tool, when used objectively and scientifically, can accurately
assess the structure and give powerful insight into ways to address the
biochemistry and emotions. To accurately assess biochemistry a comprehensive
history, labs, and physical assessment are all needed to completely understand and
accurately treat. Once the body has been assessed in a way which addresses the
three components of health, only then can the body begin to heal.
Remember, pain is not a single entity. It affects all
aspects of health. It only makes sense to address all aspects of health in
order to heal pain. Anyone who has, or is experiencing chronic pain understands
how deep chronic pain cuts into all aspects of health. America has a fascination
with covering up symptoms. This is evident as we are the most drugged nation in
the history of the world. The truth of the matter is people are in pain. People
are seeking answers. People are seeking solutions. Isn’t it time to seek out a
practitioner who understands this and seeks the cause and real solutions? We
don’t need more pills to cover up the pain. We need a means to address,
understand, become educated, and eliminate pain. Please seek out doctors who
want to understand you as a person, understand your condition, seek real
answers, and offer a treatment to heal. Don’t accept treatments to cover symptoms.
Take health back into your own hands and demand HEALTH care.
-Dr. Kurt Waples
Monday, July 2, 2012
Structural Emotions
The Interweaving of Emotions
Have you ever experienced a release of emotion and had no idea where it stemmed from? This is a frequent occurrence in my practice. I always understood that emotions are weaved into certain types of trauma, but didn't quite understand how they can be molded into all types of pain, structural issues, mental problems, etc.
One place on the body which seems to hold a lot of emotion is the cranium. When adjusting the skull emotions can be released. Emotions can be released from any part of the body with almost any type of modality or treatment, but the skull seems to be a powerful epicenter. This does make sense, considering the brain is housed there. Almost all emotion seems to stem from the brain. It would only make sense that our body would compensate emotional overload with a structural change in order to obtain a new state of equilibrium. This compensation is a cranial subluxation.
In today's high tech medicine type world, there is no place for emotions, let alone emotional related structural problems. This is why most of my colleagues have no understanding of the emotional subluxation. An emotional subluxation is a misalignment or structural problem, which will not be 100% corrected until the emotional component has been released or addressed. This requires the body to unwind. Sometimes adjustments will contradict each other. When you take a step back, it makes sense. The body is unpredictable, so doesn't it make sense that it can unwind in an unpredictable way? YES.
Emotions are intertwined into the body. Emotions cut deep and form many layers. Unwind one layer, and there lies many more to be unwound. A perfect example of this emotional interweaving is a trigger point. When releasing a trigger point the pain will radiate, stay in one spot, be dull pain, be stabbing pain, change radiating patterns, move up and and down the body, change frequencies, tingle, go numb, etc. Emotions cut the same way into the body.
Next time you are visiting your doctor for structural work and have an over abundance of emotions leave your body. Thank your doctor for having the right tools to unwind your body. You are better and more in touch with yourself after each layer removed.
-Dr. Kurt
Monday, June 25, 2012
Feet Like a Hunter-Gatherer
When I was a teenager I had the belief that my feet were flat, and that was due to some bad genetics. The only way to change my flat, defective feet was to wear orthotics. I had this belief until the second year of chiropractic school, when one day I took the orthotics out of my shoes and never wore them again. I didn't know at the time why I did it. I just knew it was the right thing. It made sense that some people might have flatter feet than others.
One critical thing I noticed at the time I took my orthotics out of my shoes was how weak my feet felt. My feet felt weak and sore. Not a plantar fasciitis sore, but a muscle sore. My feet muscles were sore. Now this was interesting to me. After years of wearing orthotics in my shoes I thought my feet should be perfect. Why were they sore?
My feet were sore because the muscles were getting a workout. The muscles in my feet were starting to shape and strengthen properly. My feet were becoming what they were supposed to be. Strong, powerful, sturdy supports for my body. After I started attending Applied Kinesiology seminars the reasons why I took the orthotics out began to make sense. Every single body is different. Every single body functions at a different optimal. Every single body has a different movement pattern. Every single foot is different, and who are we to try and make every foot have the 'optimal' arch? Then, I started thinking, 'What does this do to the neurology?' Changing someone's foot has to mess with the neurology. It changes the way people feel the ground. This cannot be good.
Last week while doing research on the Hunter-Gatherer lifestyle I read some articles on shoes and running that supported the original epiphany I had in the second year of chiropractic school. Certain shoes, usually the more expensive ones, tend to splint the foot, cast the foot in the shoe which ultimately causes atrophy of the musculature, shortening of the tendons, weakening of the foot and lower leg muscles, stiffening of the ligaments, etc. This is exactly what I felt in my feet once I took the orthotics out. (One other thing I left out from above was I also started wearing barefoot type shoes, like the Nike FreeRun.) Now what is the consequences of having weak muscles in the foot and lower leg? Injuries such as plantar fasciitis, ankle sprain, Achilles tendonitis, hamstring tears, and low back pain. These injuries are so prevalent in today's world. I can't think of a single person who hasn't had at least one of those injuries. So, with all the advancement in shoe technology we are making our feet weaker, and ultimately, our entire structure from the ground up weaker.
The journal Ergonomics has an article which specifically addresses this issue. The article states that although barefoot running may not be advantageous for all in today's world, a barefoot simulated shoe will greatly improve orthopedic health in the long term. So, moving back to a simpler shoe may be better for orthopedic health than the expensive alternatives. This is great news, and exciting to see that now we are using technology to better orthopedic health. There is a huge barefoot movement going on right now, and many different shoe companies have great barefoot simulated shoes. I would recommend everyone start wearing barefoot simulated shoes some of the time, walk barefoot in the grass whenever possible, take a walk in the woods because we know a nature scene calms us down more than an urban environment, and finally live like our ancestors. By that I mean eat real food, exercise, early to bed, early to rise, and most importantly LOVE.
When strengthening the foot, it might be a good idea to see a chiropractor, one who specifically uses kinesiology to balance the neurology. As the foot changes and becomes stronger, good structural care will be pivotal. Think of a broken arm. Once the cast comes off you go to physical therapy to help with proper healing and strengthening. Once you unleash your foot from the years of casting, it will take a chiropractic kinesiologist to properly align and aid in the strengthening process.
Live like your ancestors, but do it in a smart way. Use technology to better your life, as with the new lines of barefoot simulated shoes. Try them out!
-Dr. Kurt
References:
Lieberman DE, Venkadesan M, Werbel WA,
et al: Foot strike patterns and collision forces in habitually barefoot versus
shod runners. Nature 2010;463:531-535.
PMID: 20111000
Digby CJ, Lake MJ, Lees A: High-speed
non-invasive measurement of tibial rotation during the impact phase of
running. Ergonomics
2005;48:1623-1637 PMID: 16338728
Berman MG, Jonides J, Kaplan S: The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychol Sci 2008;19:1207-1212. PMID: 19121124
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
You can't fight feelings with logic
A couple weekends ago and throughout my professional life so far this is something I have learned to embrace. Sometimes logic tells us to do one thing, but our feelings (our gut) tells us another. Recently, I have given this advice to a number of different people, all experiencing different problems. It seems to make sense and ease the decision making.
As a kinesiologist, I see people everyday that are ignoring feelings, and quite possibly ignoring all logic as well. As we begin to ignore feelings we start to lose touch with ourselves, our body, our mind, our spirituality. Once we start ignoring this innate sense of feeling, our body becomes detached from our soul. Is this one of the reasons for disease? Are we as a society detached from feeling?
The answer is a daunting YES. We as Americans, are very detached from feeling. Look at the progression of TV throughout the last couple decades. We have lost the ability to feel and now think it is pleasurable to not feel. One major way we have stopped feeling is our lifestyle. We live for pleasure, but don't find it pleasurable to live. We treat our bodies in ways that would make our Hunter-Gatherer counterparts cringe, and probably make fun of us, if not destroy us for being inferior. We take drugs without questioning the consequence, eat processed foods genetically engineered to be addictive, we pollute the Earth without question, give birth control to young teens knowing it increases their risk of cancer later on in life. What is the logic behind this?
Is it logical to FEEL like crap? Is it logical to live in pain and not try to correct the problem? Is is logical to take pain blocking medication and not change the reasons for pain? It is time to change this epidemic of unfeeling. It is time to use logic to feel properly. Time to logically feel. Treat your body like a temple. As Dr. Bob Rakowski to eloquently states, and I personally think embraces the concept of using logic to feel:
EAT RIGHT
DRINK RIGHT
THINK RIGHT
MOVE RIGHT
SLEEP RIGHT
POOP RIGHT
TALK RIGHT
And probably the most important one of all is LOVE RIGHT.
Love is a feeling. Love doesn't know logic.
-Dr. Kurt
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Innocence
Last night I went on a walk around midnight. It was cool outside and very pleasant. The air smelled nice, the sounds were that of night. The occasional car drove by, the other night owls were out walking around, and high school kids scurrying through the alleys, just happy to be out and away from the house. It was these very high school kids running around, 3 girls, 2 boys, that got me thinking. They seemed to all have this innocence which was priceless.
As I walked past them I saw the boys and girls all at arm distance from each other. There was awkward laughing and giggling. The girls talking to the girls, and the boys talking to each other. Innocence was still a virtue. These young teenagers weren't out experimenting with any number of things, they were simply enjoying company. The boys thinking, wow we are hanging out with girls, and the girls thinking wow these boys are so cute. Pure innocence.
Now onto another note about innocence. Doesn't the world seem so much nicer before we know more about it? Why does the pursuit of knowledge lead to loss of innocence? For example, think of food. When we are kids we know good food and we know bad food. The difference is good food is the food mom makes for dinner, and bad is food is that food from the local gas station. Now as we get older and more knowledgeable we start looking at food differently, yet again. We see processed food and real food. Some of us even move a step further and see organic food, quality free-range meats, eggs, etc. from conventional food. It is this step where we begin to loose even more innocence. We start seeing the evils of the conventional food industry. 87% of all antibiotics are not used in the treatment of humans, but the treatment of animals in feed lots. Pesticides, which cause cancer, sickness, and death are sprayed on our food, and that food is marketed as healthy. Chemical companies own life and genetically modify it and claim it makes us healthier and is better for the planet. Studies out of Europe have confirmed the exact opposite. GMOs shut down 2 primary detox organs, the liver and kidneys. The question then remains what kind of health are they helping? The answer is this so called 'healthcare' industry. Who makes money from this 'innocence' of the American public on the issue of food?
This is just one case of innocence in American society. I like the word innocence because once people become educated about what is really going on it is a loss of innocence. It is something you will never get back. It is like your first kiss, your first girlfriend, your first sexual encounter, etc. You can be naive over and over again, but you can only loose innocence once before a new baseline is established. The new baseline is then set at your new level of innocence.
Now back to the innocent teenagers in the night. It was pleasant seeing such a wealth of innocence walk by me, but they too will someday become less innocent. Let's hope this loss of innocence will lead to a better, healthier life. For all of you reading this, let your loss of innocence in life be for the better. Loose your innocence with knowledge. Become smarter and spread that knowledge.
-Dr. Kurt
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