Home      Newsletter      Archives      January-March 2007 Newsletter Some of the following articles require the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Please click the previous link, or the following icon to download your free copy:   January-March 2007 Solving the Healthcare Crisis One Person at at Time Download Article - Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader Study explores chiropractic influence on oxidative stress and DNA repair Go to Article Low Back and Pelvic Pain Treated Nonsurgically with Progressive Resistance Exercise Download Article - Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader Impossible...To Change Your Body with a 20 Minute Workout, 1-to-2 Times a Week?...POSSIBLE! Download Article - Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader A SUPERSLOW® WORKOUT AS REPORTED IN MARCH 2006 ARTHRITIS TODAY Go to Article BENEFITS OF FIGHTING BACK WITH SUPERSLOW® at Back2Strength AS REPORTED IN MARCH 2006 ARTHRITIS TODAY Go to Article Don't Underestimate the Value of Calcium Go to Article A Salute to Chiropractic Go to Article Chiropractic in the Military Go to Article           Study explores chiropractic influence on oxidative stress and DNA repair Affect on human biology could explain improved health in chiropractic patients Chandler, Ariz. -- There is a growing body of evidence that wellness care provided by doctors of chiropractic may reduce health care costs, improve health behaviors, and enhance patient perceived quality of life. Until recently, however, little was known about how chiropractic adjustments affected the chemistry of biological processes on a cellular level. In a landmark study published this week in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR; www.jvsr.com), chiropractors collaborating with researchers at the University of Lund found that chiropractic care could influence basic physiological processes affecting oxidative stress and DNA repair. These findings offer a scientific explanation for the positive health benefits reported by patients receiving chiropractic care. The researchers measured serum thiol levels in 21 patients under short-term chiropractic care and 25 patients under long-term chiropractic care. The results were compared to those of a non-chiropractic treated control group of 30 subjects. Long-term chiropractic care of two or more years was shown to re-establish a normal physiological state independent of age, sex, or nutritional supplements. Symptom-free or primary wellness subjects under chiropractic care demonstrated higher mean serum thiol levels than patients with active disease, and produced some values that were higher than normal wellness values. Serum thiols are primary antioxidants, and serve as a measure of human health status. The test provides a surrogate estimate of DNA repair enzyme activity, which has been shown to correlate with lifespan and aging. Dr. Christopher Kent, one of the authors explained, “Going through life, we experience physical, chemical, and emotional stress. These stresses affect the function of the nervous system. We hypothesized that these disturbances in nerve function could affect oxidative stress and DNA repair on a cellular level.” “Oxidative stress, metabolically generating free radicals, is now a broadly accepted theory of how we age and develop disease,” Kent continued. “Oxidative stress results in DNA damage, and inhibits DNA repair. DNA repair is the mechanism which fixes the damage caused by environmental impact.” Chiropractors apply spinal adjustments to correct disturbances of nerve function. “Chiropractic care appears to improve the ability of the body to adapt to stress,” continued Kent. “Further research is needed to gain additional insights that will ultimately lead to improved clinical outcomes,” he said. The study was a collaborative involving Camgen, Inc. of Victoria, B.C. Canada; Chiropractic Leadership Alliance in Mahwah, NJ; Biomedical Diagnostic Research, LLC in Chesterland, Ohio; and Department of Cell and Molecular Biology of Tumor Immunology, University of Lund, Sweden. JVSR is a peer-reviewed scientific journal devoted to subluxation-based chiropractic research affiliated with the World Chiropractic Alliance (WCA), an international organization representing doctors of chiropractic. WCA promotes the traditional, drug-free and non-invasive form of chiropractic Top of Page A SUPERSLOW® WORKOUT AS REPORTED IN MARCH 2006 ARTHRITIS TODAY Published by the Arthritis Foundation By Linda Richards Get the benefits of strength training sooner by taking your time. SOME THINGS ARE BEST DONE SLOWLY, AND WEIGHT Lifting IS ONE OF THEM, SAY SOME FITNESS EXPERTS. Traditional weightlifting involves brief, intense workouts focusing on repetitions, or number of times you perform a single exercise. In that type of workout, weights go up, down, up, down, with about two seconds' time in each direction. With a method called slow weights or slow-cadence lifting, the lifting and lowering motions are drawn out to about - 10 seconds each. Because the muscle is taxed over a longer period with each repetition, fewer repetitions and shorter workout time are required. Only one or two short sessions per week are the norm. Several studies show greater muscle strength and endurance increases with the slow approach than with the traditional approach. Pushing a muscle to work hard, like when you lift weights, activates muscle fibers, which respond by growing stronger as well as bigger, if pushed hard enough over time. Gaining more strength in time and with fewer repetitions appeals to everyone, but the slow method of weightlifting offers something more to people with arthritis: more control of motion the entire movement, causing less pressure on the joints and preventing pain, "People with stiff or impaired joints who need extra protection when they exercise are the ones who benefit the most,” says David Fischer, MD, a rheumatologist in Palo Alto, California. He has recommended dozens of patients do this type of resistance training. Founded by Ken Hutchins in 1982, the SuperSlow® Exercise Protocol is central to certification requirements to become a Certified SuperSlow Instructor. Command of this information engenders SuperSlow Certified Instructors everywhere the skill to elicit stellar results for anyone under their direct supervision If you would like to experience the SuperSlow difference, which continues to confound uninitiated experts, contact Back2Strength and inquire about our FREE consultation. Top of Page     BENEFITS OF FIGHTING BACK WITH SUPERSLOW® AS REPORTED IN APRIL 2006 Vogue After only one month of SuperSlow® high-intensity strength training, the April 2006 issue of Vogue magazine reports that Jancee Dunn realized her back felt more stable, inspiring her to continue her newfound disciplined exercise program. By the end of month two, after diligently adhering to her personally-designed strength training regimen and sensible nutrition recommendations, Jancee reported fitting into smaller sized clothes and regaining back mobility without conscious effort and best of all – it was pain-free. These remarkable results are in direct opposition to recent findings published in American Journal of Public Health stating that most people who performed exercises specifically for their backs seemed to make their conditions worse. The cornerstone to these stellar results is the SuperSlow® Exercise Protocol, founded by Ken Hutchins in 1982. Command of this information is central to becoming a Certified SuperSlow Instructor making it possible for SuperSlow Certified Instructors everywhere to inspire remarkable results for anyone under their direct supervision who is willing to put forth effort. For more information, contact The SuperSlow Zone, premier health and fitness franchise for strength training results. To schedule a conversation to learn about combining high-intensity SuperSlow strength training with discriminated fat loss and healthy eating to meet your health and fitness goals call us at Back2Strength at 541.484.0360. Remember to ask us about our FREE consultation. Top of Page     Don't Underestimate the Value of Calcium Most peri- and postmenopausal women do not get enough vitamin D or calcium in their diets to promote healthy bones. Calcium also has beneficial effects on several nonskeletal disorders, primarily hypertension, colorectal cancer, obesity, and nephrolithiasis. The North American Menopause Society recently reviewed the role of calcium in peri- and postmenopausal women. The optimal calcium intake for most postmenopausal women is 1,200 mg/day. Vitamin D intake of 30 ng/mL or more is required to achieve the nutritional benefits of calcium. The society emphasizes that "average calcium consumption is far below the amount recommended for optimal bone health, and many U.S. healthcare providers do not recommend calcium supplements." They add that, based on the available evidence, there is strong support for the importance of ensuring adequate calcium intake in all women, particularly those who are peri- or postmenopausal. Please consult with your chiropractor regarding any vitamin supplements you are taking. They can help you achieve the best possible nutritional results for good bone health. Top of Page     A Salute to Chiropractic One of the largest groups to utilize alternative therapies is veterans. A recent mail survey evaluated selected alternative medicine use among 264 veterans. The survey included questions on demographics, health beliefs, medical problems and use of six common alternative therapies (chiropractic, herbs, dietary supplements, massage therapy, acupuncture and homeopathy). Seventy-two patients (27.3%) reported alternative therapy use within the past 12 months. One-fourth of patients (26%) used chiropractic care to alleviate their pain. Back pain was the most frequently reported medical problem (62.5%). While most veterans (76.9%) had used prescription pills to treat their medical problems, 67% of veterans who had not used alternative therapies reported that they would use it if offered by the Veterans Administration (VA). Currently, chiropractic care is provided at a number of VA hospitals across the country -- but many other VA facilities and veterans are still out there. If you are a veteran, talk to your local VA about providing chiropractic care and other alternative treatments. You can also contact your state legislator(s) and ask them to support House Resolution 5202, which mandates chiropractic at every VA medical center by the year 2010. To learn more about H.R.5202, visit Chiropractic in the Military. McEachrane-Gross FP, Liebschutz JM, Berlowitz D. Use of selected complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments in veterans with cancer or chronic pain: a cross-sectional survey. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, October 2006;6;6:34.   Top of Page     Chiropractic in the Military Proposed Legislation Would Expand the Chiropractic Benefit Worldwide Dynamic Chiropractic examines House Resolutions 5122 and 5202, two important pieces of legislation that would significantly impact the provision of chiropractic services to U.S. military personnel and veterans around the world. H.R.5202 Mandates Chiropractic at Every VA Medical Center by 2010 Providing chiropractic benefits to the nation's veterans has been a goal of the chiropractic profession for decades. B.J. Palmer first promulgated the idea of making chiropractic a health benefit for veterans as early as 1937, and even succeeded in having a bill introduced in Congress that would have given veterans access to chiropractic services. While Dr. Palmer's original efforts were unsuccessful, the profession finally reached its goal in January 2002, when President George W. Bush signed into law the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Programs Enhancement Act, which established a permanent chiropractic benefit within the Veterans Affairs health care system. Among other things, the Health Care Programs Enhancement Act authorized the hiring of doctors of chiropractic in the VA health system, and mandated that chiropractic care be available in at least one VA medical center of each geographic service area of the Veterans Health Administration. It also called for the creation of an advisory committee, designed to assist the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the development and implementation of the chiropractic health program. In November 2003, the chiropractic advisory committee submitted a list of 38 recommendations to Sec. Anthony J. Principi that covered numerous aspects of chiropractic's involvement in the VA system. Included in the list were recommendations that doctors of chiropractic be "integrated into the VHA health care system as a partner in a health care team," and that chiropractic care be provided "at each of the major VHA facilities in each of the Veterans Integrated Service Networks, consistent with the VHA distance and time standards for specialty access." In March 2004, based in part on the advisory committee's recommendations, Sec. Principi issued an order that the VA begin the inclusion of chiropractic care into the veterans health system. At the time he issued the order, Principi stated that one of his goals was "to ensure that chiropractic care is ultimately available and accessible to veterans who need it throughout the DVA system." Unfortunately, in some instances, actually making chiropractic benefits both available and accessible to veterans has been easier said than done. While chiropractic is offered in at least one facility in each of the nation's 23 Veterans Integrated Service Networks, less than one-fifth of the nation's major VA medical centers currently have a chiropractor on staff. "In the more than 120 facilities without a chiropractor on staff, the chiropractic care benefit that Congress authorized for America's veterans remains virtually nonexistent," said American Chiropractic Association President, Richard Brassard, DC. "Detroit, Denver and Chicago are a few examples of major metropolitan areas without a doctor of chiropractic available at the local VA facility. Without a congressional directive, further expansion to these facilities and to other major metropolitan facilities will be on a case-by-case basis and will be terribly slow." To help remedy that situation, Reps. Jeb Bradley (R-NH) and Bob Filner (D-CA) have co-sponsored House Resolution 5202. The legislation, introduced April 26, 2006, amends the Health Care Programs Enhancement Act by requiring that chiropractic benefits be provided at not fewer than 75 VA medical centers by the end of 2008, and at every VA medical center by the end of 2010. Both Filner and Bradley are longtime supporters of the chiropractic profession. Rep. Bradley played an instrumental role in the passage of House Resolution 5122, which would expand the provision of chiropractic services to all members of the armed services at military treatment facilities worldwide. (Editor's note: see "HR 5122 Would Extend the Chiropractic Benefit to All U.S. Military Personnel" on page 1.) Rep. Filner, meanwhile, introduced the Better Access to Chiropractors to Keep Our Veterans Healthy Act in 2004, which would have provided eligible veterans with direct access to chiropractic care at DVA hospitals and clinics, and would have prohibited health care providers from discriminating against chiropractors when determining what types of services a patient needs. While the bill failed to make it out of committee, Rep. Filner was presented with the ACA's "Veterans Health Care Leadership Award" for his efforts. "ACA offers its gratitude to Reps. Jeb Bradley and Bob Filner for their steadfast support of America's veterans," said Dr. Brassard. "Veterans want, need and deserve access to chiropractic care, and it is ACA's goal to ensure that chiropractic is ultimately available and accessible at every major VA health care facility." As of press time, H.R.5205 has been referred to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs for further consideration, and has garnered a third co-sponsor, Iowa Rep. Leonard Boswell. Look for an update on the status of H.R.5205 in a future issue of Dynamic Chiropractic. Note: For a more in-depth look at the background and current status of chiropractic in the Veterans Health Administration, please read Dr. Anthony Lisi's article in the next (July 4) issue. In October 2004, Dr. Lisi became the first staff chiropractor appointed to the VA Connecticut Healthcare System. In January 2006, he was appointed to a three-year term as chairperson of the Veterans Health Administration's National Chiropractic Field Advisory Committee. Dynamic Chiropractic June 20, 2006, Volume 24, Issue 13 Resources Devitt M. VA to offer chiropractic at 26 sites nationwide. Dynamic Chiropractic, July 29, 2004. www.chiroweb.com/archives/22/16/11.html. Edwards JD. Fathers of success. Journal of the American Chiropractic Association, April 2002. Chiropractic celebrates – Bush signs VA bill. Dynamic Chiropractic, Feb. 25, 2002. www.chiroweb.com/archives/20/05/18.html. Legislation introduced to expedite expansion of chiropractic care to veterans. American Chiropractic Association press release, May 8, 2006. Veterans get chiropractic care. Dynamic Chiropractic, May 6, 2004. www.chiroweb.com/archives/22/10/16.html. Top of Page