Category: Special Feature

 

:dropcap_open:L:dropcap_close:ong before there was aspirin, there was white willow bark. Records suggest that, as far back as 6000 years ago, white willow was used in Mesopotamia. Subsequently, multiple ancient peoples recorded the use of white willow to cure pain and inflammation, including the Assyrian, Babylonian, Sumerian, Egyptian, Chinese, Greek and Roman civilizations.1

Hippocrates (460–370 BC) recommended chewing willow bark to patients suffering from fever, inflammation, and pain. He also prescribed a brew of willow leaves to ease the excruciating pains of childbirth.1  Since that time, white willow has continued to be used to ease pain and inflammation.

Interest in the chemical properties of willow bark led chemists in the early 1800’s to identify a therapeutically active component that was named salicin. It was then determined that salicin consisted of a glucose molecule attached to a salicyl alcohol called saligenin. Oxidation of salicyl alcohol led to the synthesis of salicylic acid, which was found to be a gut irritant. Salicylic acid was acetylated and converted into the less irritating acetyl salicylic acid, which was registered by the Bayer Company Aspirin in 1899.1

During the period when chemists learned to convert salicin into acetylsalicylic acid, an article was published in the Lancet, in 1876, entitled “The treatment of rheumatism by salicin and salicylic acid.”2 The paper describes how patients were treated with salicin/salicylate, which resulted in a complete reduction of fever and joint pain/inflammation.

After the development of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), little attention was given to white willow. More recently, a greater interest in white willow as an alternative NSAID is emerging.

A Modern View of White Willow

Patients who regularly take NSAID’s for pain and inflammation are at risk for developing gut ulceration. Indeed, next to H. pylori infection, NSAID’s are the most common cause of peptic ulcers. In this context, a key benefit is that the adverse effects of taking white willow are the same as placebo;3 however, white willow may also be as effective as NSAID’s. In one study, when white willow was compared to Vioxx, pain reduction was identical in each group; however, there were less side effects in those taking willow  bark.4

In 2007, the Annals of Internal Medicine published a joint clinical practice guideline for the treatment of acute low back pain that was developed by the American Pain Society and the American College of Physicians.5 They concluded that the level of evidence supporting the use of white willow was fair and the net benefit was moderate, which is the same benefit as acetaminophen, NSAID’s, and muscle relaxants.

For patients taking over-the-counter NSAID’s who wish to avoid gastric complications, switching to white willow bark may be a good option. Adopting anti-inflammatory eating habits to reduce the reliance on NSAID’s is also an appropriate step.6

 

Dr. Seaman is a Professor of Clinical Sciences at the NUHS branch campus at St. Petersburg College, Florida. He is also a Clinical Consultant for Anabolic Laboratories. He has written numerous articles on the treatment options for chronic pain patients, with a focus on nutritional management. He can be reached at deflame@deflame.com.

 

References

1. Mahdi JG, Mahdi AJ, Mahdi AJ, Bowen ID. The historical analysis of aspirin discovery, its relation to the willow tree and antiproliferative and anticancer potential. Cell Prolif. 2006;39:147-55.

2. MacLagan TJ. The treatment of rheumatism by salicin and salicylic acid. Lancet. 1876; I:342.

3. Chrubasik S, Eisenberg E, Balan E, Weinberger T, Luzati R, Conradt C. Treatment of low back pain exacerbations with willow bark extract: a randomized double-blind study. Am J Med. 2000;109:9-14.

4. Chrubasik S, Kunzel O, Model A, Conradt C, Black A. Treatment of low back pain with a herbal or synthetic anti-rheumatic: a randomized controlled study. Willow bark extract for low back pain. Rheumatology. 2001;40(12):1388-93.

5. Chou R, Qaseem A, Snow V et al. Diagnosis and treatment of low back pain: a joint clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society. Ann Intern Med. 2007;147:478-91.

6. Seaman DR. The diet-induced proinflammatory state: a cause of chronic pain and other degenerative diseases? J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2002;25:168-79.

Our patients today are letting us know that their most pressing needs are keeping healthy naturally (solving health problems) and staying young (anti-aging). Anti-aging research has advanced in the 21st century to the point of becoming its own medical specialty. Countless companies are offering everything from replenishing moisturizers to invasive age-defying surgeries. No matter the method, the end result is an appeal to a vast and growing aging segment of the population, which realizes the importance of quality of life in their later years.

The subject of anti-aging is a primary focus as baby boomers age. Lifespan has nearly doubled in the last hundred years. Health experts predict that, in the next 25 to 50 years, Americans will be celebrating centennial birthdays in extremely good health.  As Americans live longer lives, it will become apparent that the quality of their lives must also improve. Both men and women want to age gracefully and healthfully. Natural approaches hold the secrets to making the golden years truly golden!

Homeopathy equips the chiropractor with the broadest therapeutic armamentarium beyond all other adjuncts to correct common health problems quickly, safely, and effectively. The successful doctors of the future will be the ones who are best able to address these common chronic, recurring health problems that plague our society.

The science of homeopathy, with its serial dilutions and succussions beyond the molecular level, works bio-energetically to correct interferences throughout the whole nervous system to more completely activate the proper healthy functions in the body. Homeopathy provides us a comprehensive compilation of our neuro-sensory and motor relationships to the substances of our world.  This information, recorded in various texts called “homeopathic materia medicas” and “repertories” help chiropractors to better impact the whole nervous system.

Homeopathy provides chiropractic a comprehensive approach to correcting the deeper dimensions of nerve interferences throughout both the central and peripheral nervous systems of the body. A chiropractor empowered by homeopathy is able to dynamically correct nerve interferences where the hands of the chiropractor alone cannot!

Homeopathy offers anti-aging and overall health enhancement solutions, such as human growth hormone (HGH), constitutional enhancement remedies, hormone balancers, and detoxification and drainage remedies, all of which safely and effectively broaden the scope of chiropractic. 

HGH

HGH is a protein produced in the anterior pituitary gland that activates growth and helps maintain youthfulness. It is the most abundant hormone produced by the pituitary gland, peaking during adolescence in the rapid phase of our growth process, and steadily declining with age. By the time we approach 65 years of age, our pituitary gland is secreting 75% less HGH than it did when we were teenagers.

Homeopathically prepared HGH formulations help maximize the positive effects of natural HGH through a number of advancements:

1. Multiple homeopathic potencies broaden the positive therapeutic potential upon the body. The lower 10X potency works at the more superficial levels of bodily function, such as skin and hair health. The middle potency works more in the realm of glands and organs. The mental and emotional functions are best enhanced with the higher potencies. The only legal way to get oral HGH is in a homeopathic potentiation of 8X or higher.

2. HGH formulas with additional homeopathic ingredients maximize the many other anti-aging potentials homeopathy has to offer.

3. Using a formula with a pure water base, instead of the old-style, traditional alcohol or sugar bases, unites the unadulterated function of homeopathic medicine with the purest base available.

4. HGH can enhance the growth and development of children. In fact, HGH is naturally produced through exercise.

5. HGH can be considered an adjunct with other treatments. While biochemical injection dosages of HGH can cause increase in unwanted cellular activity, homeopathic dilutions and potentizations of HGH can possibly decrease the undesirable activity by applying a verifiable law of pharmacology called the Homeopathic Law of Similars. This states  that, what a substance causes in concentration, it can correct in homeopathic potentization.

6. Homeopathically prepared HGH is not a stimulant, but may be balancing to the body that is producing either too much or too little HGH.  This modulating effect is achieved because the homeopathic therapeutic principles work to activate the regulatory networks to function optimally and create homeostasis. 

Provings of homeopathically prepared HGH have indicated it increased lean body mass, increased energy, decreased excess body fat, improved weight loss and physical strength, improved vision, enhanced sexual function, and improved sleep quality and breathing.  It also relieved minor depression, mood swings, bleeding gums, phlegm buildup, coughing, anger and apathy.

Homeopathic Detoxification and Drainage Remedies

Homeopathic detoxification and drainage formulas dislodge toxins such as heavy metals, metabolic toxins, drug residues, and environmental toxins, such as herbicides, pesticides, and plastics in the body.  They activate the proper eliminative functions to function more effectively and efficiently. This minimizes the detox traumas and maximizes proper function. “Drainage” means elimination. In our case, drainage is the elimination of toxins from the body using specific homeopathic remedies. This is the most comprehensive way of “detoxifying” the body. In other words, homeopathic detox and drainage formulas do something very special: they activate the eliminative functions of the body to work properly again!

Homeopathic detoxification will:

» Enhance overall health in most people;

» Provide results in resistant cases;

» Provide a more complete cure;

» Expedite the healing processes;

» Help achieve greater results with the standard homeopathic formula used;

» Activate further healing with cases that have plateaued, where only a partial correction has been achieved;

» Prevent further reoccurrences of an illness;

» Prevent further accumulation of toxins;

» Prevent severe healing or detox responses;

» Provide results in a broader scope of conditions, such as chronic or even so called “incurable” conditions.

Using properly formulated detox and drainage remedies along with a system of testing to confirm the appropriate formula (muscle testing, leg length check, or electrodermal) provides an accurate and time efficient system to determine the correct formulas needed at that time.

Homeopathy Works!

Homeopathy works to activate our body’s natural innate ability to heal and maintain vibrant health within our bodies. Without the valuable components of homeopathy, other treatments (whether conventional or nutritional) may not correct the malfunctions within the energetic and metabolic control systems of our body. Homeopathy equips us to go beyond the parameters of the biochemical realm of life and correct interferences within the bioenergetic control systems of our body. It gives us the opportunity to experience unprecedented high levels of health and wellness.

 

Frank J. King, Jr., N.D., D.C., is a nationally recognized researcher, author and lecturer on homeopathy. In addition, Dr. King is the founder and director of King Bio, an FDA registered homeopathic manufacturing company dedicated to completing chiropractic destiny with the marriage of homeopathy. These procedures can be used with any homeopathic company’s product line and are so easy you can apply them in one day. Call King Bio, 1-800-543-3245 or email [email protected].

 

:dropcap_open:A:dropcap_close:re you financially “well off?”  Do you have enough money to continue living your lifestyle after you retire? What will happen to you if the auditor knocks on your door, says your SOAP notes are worthless and demands that you refund to the insurance company a fortune that wipes out your retirement funds? Do you want to collect more from insurance and be able to keep it for your retirement, or other personal pleasures?

 

Electronic Health Record (EHR) software can save you, IF you implement it BEFORE the auditors arrive. How? There are several features that give you audit protection built into EHR systems, provided that you use the system as it was designed. And this is in addition to the EHR features of increasing your income and PVA (patient visit average).

A complete EHR program generates the fees for each visit based on your SOAP notes. In other words, as you document what you are doing, the system produces the billing for it. This requires that you enter at least the services you provided while the patient is still in the adjusting/treatment/exam room. Note that both Federal and State rules, regulations and laws REQUIRE the timely entry of information in the patient file, whether it is paper or electronic. “Timely entry” varies from state to state, but is usually considered to be on the date of service while the patient is still in the office. And that SOAP note must be very thorough. Documentation that was considered super fantastic five years ago would not meet the newest Federal and State standards, making you liable for refunding substantial amounts to the insurance companies. EHR keeps you compliant with the current SOAP note requirements.

:dropcap_open:EHR keeps you compliant with the current SOAP note requirements.:quoteleft_close:

EHR systems provide numerous options as to the depth of detail that should be in a SOAP note, empowering you to create documentation that meets the specific requirements of each and every insurance program that you work with. Just because a SOAP note meets the requirements of one program does not mean that it will meet the needs for all others. By complying with the specific demands of each insurance carrier, you are more likely to get paid and, when audited, be able to keep what you were paid.

When the patient attests to the fact that he/she received the care billed for, you have additional confirmation that protects you in both audits and collection proceedings. How do you get this attestation? Have the patient sign out electronically, placing his/her signature on a statement that says “I received the care described here-in and I am responsible for paying for it.” In this way, you not only document the charges in your SOAP notes, scheduling and billing, but also have the patient as a witness that you actually provided the services. Why is this important? Because some insurance companies are claiming that doctors have padded the bill charging for services they did not provide. The patient’s electronic signature makes it much more difficult for you to be falsely accused. The electronic sign out signature also means that you win every collection case.

Government certified software, which qualifies you for the Medicare stimulus incentive payments, includes another audit protector, the EHR Audit Log. This Audit Log is a non-editable report that records every entry, every access, every edit or modification, and every deletion that you make in a patient file. How does this protect you? The Audit Log proves that your entries were made in a timely fashion and that you did not “doctor” your notes.

EHR systems never forget an outstanding bill, whether it is patient direct or insurance. EHR never lets a missed appointment remain ignored. And EHR eliminates the time wasted going in and out of filing cabinets empowering your staff to be productive with recalls, collections, reactivation and practice building. Each of these features maintains or increases your income. Nothing falls through the cracks to be lost or forgotten.

The bottom line is that you can protect your retirement by audit proofing your practice with Electronic Health Record software. And using EHR programs now will help you to have the funds to keep you living the lifestyle to which you are accustomed.

  

Dr. Paul Bindell, a 1975 Palmer graduate, has been in practice in Rockaway, NJ, since 1976. He has lectured on chiropractic in Brazil and Israel and is a past Chairman of Public Relations for the Northern (NJ) Counties Chiropractic Society. The Chiropractic Answer produced by Dr. Bindell in the 1980’s was a cable television program, a newsletter, and a newspaper column. In 1991, Dr. Bindell and his family began Life Systems Software so chiropractors would have computer programs based on real practice. As a consultant, Dr. Bindell is the expert in assisting the profession and individual chiropractors to improve and succeed. Numerous articles have been written by Dr. Bindell and have appeared in several chiropractic journals. Dr. Bindell is available to speak to your group or organization and can be reached by email at [email protected], or you can call Life Systems Software at 800-543-3001.

:dropcap_open:D:dropcap_close:r. Mark Franks was perplexed by the number of his patients who were diabetic and clinically obese. During the 20 years he had been a chiropractic physician, the obesity rate had more than doubled to become the number 2 cause of preventable death in the United States.¹ Not surprisingly, there had also been a 76% increase in Type 2 diabetes during this same period. Dr. Franks also understood that, if current trends continued, 1 in 3 Americans would develop diabetes in their lifetime and they would lose, on average, 10-15 years of life.²

As a D.C., he knew he needed to address the causes for these twin epidemics if his patients were to be helped. Of course, it was common knowledge obesity was caused by overeating and lack of exercise, while Type 2 diabetes was the result of obesity. But was it? Dr. Franks had his doubts.

He knew there was a well-documented overlap between this country’s staggering rate of hunger (euphemistically referred to as “food insecurity” by the USDA) and escalating obesity rates. Nine of the ten states with the highest poverty levels also rank in the top ten of obesity levels.³ How can one be simultaneously hungry and obese?

A brief investigation into this paradox revealed the cost per calorie for foods containing fats and oils, high fructose corn syrup and refined grains are extremely low, but are precisely the foods linked to high obesity rates. Healthy foods—those high in nutrition—like vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and seafood are several thousand times more expensive per calorie. Dr. Franks realized obesity is a form of malnutrition, not overeating! Individuals are ingesting more “food” in the form of empty calories, because their bodies are being starved from lack of nutrition.⁴

The typical “fast foods” consumed today are basically “junk food” devoid of nutrition and loaded with inexpensive fats, sugars and salt because it is cheap. To make matters worse, the food industry adds various chemicals and additives designed to make such foods addictive as well as look and taste appealing.⁵ Processed food is manufactured for profit, not to promote good health.

Upon further investigation, Dr. Franks uncovered another alarming truth; the American public is being systemically poisoned! Agri-business is being allowed to poison and pollute our food to extend product shelf life, and feed our food animals garbage while shooting them with hormones and steroids to enhance growth and size. Crops are being treated with pesticides and additives, while hybrids are being developed to ward off insects and pests at the expense of nutritive value.⁶ Currently, over 70,000 chemical compounds have been identified in our food, water, and environment.⁷ Additionally, the drug industry has been given carte blanche to lie and mislead the public and promote drugs as a necessary part of everyday life.

:dropcap_open:Processed food is manufactured for profit, not to promote good health.:quoteleft_close:

It became clear to Dr. Franks that the reason many of his overweight and obese patients did not exercise was because their bodies were so undernourished, toxic, and fatigued, they simply didn’t have the vitality or energy levels!

If Type 2 diabetes was caused by obesity, then a diet program alone would appear to be the answer to the current diabetes epidemic. However, statistics indicate roughly one-third of obese individuals will never develop diabetes. Additionally, 15% of individuals who do have Type 2 diabetes are neither obese nor even overweight!⁸ Clearly, excess weight alone is not the major link to Type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Franks found the answer to this perplexing mystery in an article by Dr. Gerald Shulman, professor of internal medicine at Yale, who has studied the weight/diabetes link for 25 years. Dr. Shulman found that Type 2 diabetes is not caused by fat alone, but by fat accumulation in the liver and muscle where it disrupts normal biological processes, leading to insulin resistance. “When we eliminate fat from the liver, we reverse insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Shulman stated. He also discovered that beta cells, which release insulin into the blood, are damaged by environment insults.⁹ Studies have found that people who live in polluted areas are prone to Type 2 diabetes, as are individuals exposed to PCB’s and other chemical compounds.¹⁰

 

The Amazing Fat Burning Machine!

The liver is the major fat-burning organ in the body, more so than muscle tissue, which ranks a distant second. It regulates both fat and carbohydrate metabolism and glucose storage. The liver produces over 1,000 essential enzymes and regulates the level of sugars in our blood. It is the gateway to the body and responsible for breaking down, filtering, and detoxifying everything that is eaten, breathed, or absorbed through the skin.¹¹ When over-taxed with junk foods, environmental poisons, trans-fats, and drugs, the liver develops steatosis, commonly known as “fatty liver” disease.¹²

Just as an automobile cannot operate efficiently with a clogged oil filter, the body cannot burn fat and regulate blood glucose efficiently with a clogged liver. A recent study found that individuals with fatty liver were five times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those without fatty liver.¹³

Dr. Franks’ inquiry into the importance of proper liver function made him cognizant that detoxing the liver and ameliorating fatty liver disease was the key to reversing both obesity and diabetes!  He developed a 5-step patient protocol incorporating (1) detoxifying the liver; (2) stimulating thermogenesis with a healthy diet; (3) maintaining a sound gastrointestinal tract; (4) moderate exercise; and (5) reducing or eliminating patient drug use for “lifestyle” ailments.

The most effective liver detox herbs and nutrients, supported in the literature and by clinical research, are Dandelion root¹⁴, Milk thistle¹⁵, Artichoke leaf¹⁶, Turmeric¹⁷, Bupleurum root¹⁸, Schizandra berry¹⁹, DL-Methionine²⁰, and Choline Bitartrate²¹. Many reputable supplement manufacturers offer formulations containing these ingredients.

Stimulating thermogenesis can be accomplished by a diet featuring thermogenic and low glycemic foods. Examples include green tea, whole grain foods, fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, and lean protein, such as chicken or turkey breast and lean sirloin.

Avoid “fast foods” containing large amounts of fats, salts, and sugars, especially sodas. Processed foods are a road map to chronic malnutrition, obesity, and diabetes!

Maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract. Most overweight and diabetic individuals fail to produce sufficient enzymes to fully digest their food and also do not consume sufficient fiber in their diet to satiate their appetite and maintain a healthy colon. Patients should be placed on a digestive supplement containing the three groups of food enzymes necessary for proper digestion.²² There are also excellent supplements available containing both soluble and insoluble fiber necessary for keeping the digestive tract cleansed and operating efficiently.

A moderate exercise program, including both cardiovascular and resistant weight training, will lower blood pressure and fats in the blood, while improving blood glucose, alertness, self-image, and life span.²³ Exercise is vital, as losing weight without exercise results in lost muscle tissue.

Question the need for OTC and prescription drugs. There are approximately 18 prescription drugs to treat Type 2 diabetes, which is a lifestyle disorder. Most of these drugs have dangerous side effects, such as inducing thyroid tumors, pancreatitis, upper respiratory infection, heart attack, and sudden death!  All drugs are basically toxic and toxicity is what causes “fatty liver” and induces obesity and diabetes to begin with!  For example, NSAID acetaminophen products accounted for 39% of all acute liver failures!²⁴

Dr. Franks educated his patients that there was absolutely no reason to use drugs on an on-going basis for lifestyle ailments such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, moderately high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, arthritis, heart burn, anxiety, GERD, or insomnia. These common ailments could—and should—be treated naturally, without the poisonous side effects of drugs.

Dr. Franks’ 5-step protocol for sustainable weight loss and mitigation of Type 2 diabetes proved successful because it addressed the root causes of his patients’ problems. His investigative efforts enabled him to think outside the box and solve two major health risks with one common sense 5-step protocol.

 

Galen O. Ballard is President of Titan Laboratories and directly responsible for the products division. His background includes undergraduate studies in research at the University of Denver with graduate work at the Universities of Wisconsin and Maryland. Galen may be reached toll free at 1-800-929-0945 or by email at [email protected]

References:

¹Organization for Economic  Cooperation  and  Development, Report dated Sept. 24, 2010.

² National Institutes of Health Sheet, Updated June 2008.

³U.S. Census  Bureau,  Income,  Poverty  and  Health  Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2008.

⁴ Cotran; Kumar, Collins  (1998).  Robbins  Pathologic  Basis  of Disease. Philadelphia: W.B Saunders Company.

⁵Eric Schlosser, Fast Food Nation, Harper Collins Publishers, 2002.

⁶Donna L. Hoyert, PhD; Hsiang-Ching Kung, PhD;  and Betty L. Smith, BS Ed. “Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2003.” National Vital Statistics Report, Volume 53, Number 15.

⁷ Needleman, H, et al. Raising Children Toxic Free, 1994.

⁸Saaheh, S, Nonalcoholic  Fatty  Liver  disease and obesity, Nutr Clin Pract., Vol 22 (1): 1-10, 2007.

⁹Shulman, G, Diabetes Forecast Journal, Oct 2010.

¹⁰Preiss, D, et al. Non-alcoholic fatty liver  disease,  Clinical Science, Vol 115, p 141, 2008.

¹¹ Sung,  K, Kim,S, et al.,  The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Vol 1210/pp.2010-2190, 2010.

¹²American Liver Association website.

¹³Sung, K, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, News release, Endocrine Society, April 2011.

¹⁴Australian Journal of Medical Herbalism, Vol. 3, p4, 1991.

¹⁵Bode,  JC,  et  al., Med. Klin. (Munich) Vol 72 (12) p. 513-518, 1977.

¹⁶Kraft,  K,  Artichoke  leaf  findings  reflecting  effects  on  lipid metabolism, liver, and gastrointestinal tracts, Phytomedicine, Vol 4(4):369378, 1997.

¹⁷Soni KB, Rajan A, Kuttan R. Reversal of aflatoxin induced liver damage by turmeric and curcumin. Cancer Lett 1992;66:115-121.

¹⁸Yamamoto, M, et al., Arzniem-Forsh, Vol 25, pp 1021, 1975.

¹⁹ Ohtaki, Y, et al., Diochem Pharmacol, vol 46, pp 1081-85, 1993.

²⁰Moschen, AR, et al. Nutrition in the pathophysiology and treatment  of  nonalcoholic  fatty liver disease, Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, Vol 11, p 620, 2008.

²¹Zeisel, SH, Journal of the Am. College of Nutrition, Vol 11:5, pp 473-81, Oct 1992.

²²Kelsay, J, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 31, p 142, 1978.

²³Bjorntorp, P, Clinics in Endocrinology and Metabolism, Vol 5, no. 2, p 431, July 1976.

²⁴Lee,  WM,  Annals  of  Internal Medicine, pp 947-954, Dec 17, 2002

:dropcap_open:S:dropcap_close:coliosis is an abnormal curvature and rotation of the spine. It causes progressive deformity of the skeletal structure and changes in the overall posture of the patient. Scoliosis can also cause serious emotional stress, especially in adolescents. However, it is quickly becoming a concern amongst the adult “baby-boomer” population, as indicated by a recent study that found scoliosis in 68% of adults over 60.¹

The physical complications of scoliosis can be quite serious, ranging from pain and muscle soreness, to organ dysfunction.² This can include gastro-intestinal complications likechronic constipation or diarrhea, and severe cardio-pulmonary distress as the ribs constrict and compress the heart and lungs. This dysfunction can become so severe that 60% of patients with scoliosis may die as a result of complications with the heart & lungs.³ Research and statistical analysis show that people suffering from scoliosis have a life expectancy that is 14 years less than that of the average population (for comparison, according to the National Cancer Institute, the average cancer patient loses 15.5 years off of their life).^{4, 5} Some of the other ailments associated with scoliosis include headaches, chronic fatigue, joint pain, difficulty sleeping, loss of concentration, and depression.⁶

The emotional effects of scoliosis can be every bit as real and serious as the physical effects. Research shows that three out of four women with scoliosis never marry.⁷ Children with this condition often suffer from jokes and teasing by their classmates due to the deformity associated with their scoliosis. They are commonly unwilling to be involved with school activities that require them to wear a swimming suit or other clothing that might easily reveal the curvatures in their spine, all of which leads to social isolation. To complicate the issue, many of these children are told to wear bulky and uncomfortable braces for up to 23 hours a day, further limiting their physical activities and involvement with other children. Long term statistical studies show these patients are more prone to depression and alcoholism later in life.⁸

:quoteright_open:Research and statistical analysis show that people suffering from scoliosis have a life expectancy that is 14 years less than that of the average population.:quoteright_close:

The financial effects of scoliosis can be extremely difficult on the families. The average cost of the bracing procedures can run up to $10,000 or more. Once the curve develops to around 45 degrees, the cost of the scoliosis surgery can approach $140,000, not including all the pre and post surgical medical needs. Even with good insurance coverage (say, eighty percent), the patient’s portion of the expenses can easily exceed $15,000 to $20,000. In addition, many surgeries need to be repeated, especially if they are conducted before the patient and their spine have finished growing. In healthcare, there is no “Money-back Guarantee;” if the fusion fails for any reason, the patient does not get a discount on the second (or third) operation.^{9, 10}

While we chiropractors hold ourselves out as the spinal experts, we have historically had little to offer the scoliosis patient. This must change. We need to develop an understanding of the underlying causes of this condition so that we can develop the appropriate treatment protocols to effectively treat this condition. People living with scoliosis deserve more options than observation, bracing and surgery.

A search of the literature reveals that there have been around 9700 articles on chiropractic; 14.7% of these are on the topic of low back pain, whereas 1.4%,of them are about scoliosis.¹¹ This is significant considering that there are more than ten musculoskeletal conditions that chiropractors manage besides low back pain! Currently, a case report published by three chiropractors on the chiropractic treatment of scoliosis is listed as the Most Highly Accessed Article of All-Time in its publishing journal.¹² Doctors of chiropractic working with scoliosis have been featured in numerous media outlets around the country, including CBS, ABC, NBC, & FOX News, for their groundbreaking efforts. The recent report on the burden of musculoskeletal disorders in the United States published by The Bone and Joint Decade estimates that over 2.6 billion dollars are spent each year on hospitalization costs to treat scoliosis and scoliosis-related complaints each year.¹³ The need for chiropractors to get involved with scoliosis has never been greater than it is today.

Even if a chiropractor is not interested in dedicating the necessary resources to work with severe cases of scoliosis, we all have an obligation to understand it, and to be able to educate our patients with scoliosis effectively and responsibly. The biomechanical insight gained from working with patients with scoliosis can help you achieve better results in your patients without scoliosis, as well. There are seminars on scoliosis currently offered by chiropractic colleges and techniques that empower the doctor of chiropractic to better diagnose, educate, and manage patients with mild cases of scoliosis, and to develop a referral network of advanced specialists in this condition to refer severe cases to.

When someone is first diagnosed with scoliosis, it is logical for them to think of visiting a chiropractor—a doctor of the spine—to help them with their condition. We must respect our responsibility as primary care providers to provide these individuals with accurate information. We must know when it is appropriate to treat them, when it is appropriate to refer them to a chiropractic scoliosis specialist, and when referral to an orthopedist is necessary.

Above all, we must not take lightly the burden that scoliosis can impose upon the individual and upon our society.

A 1988 Graduate of Cleveland Chiropractic College, Dr. Glenn R. Robinson is the Director of the Frisco Chiropractic Clinic in Frisco, Texas, and is a member of the CLEAR Institute Board of Advisors. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Dr. A. Joshua Woggon, a 2010 Graduate of Parker College, is the Director of the CLEAR Scoliosis Treatment and Research Clinic in Dallas, Texas (www.clearscoliosisclinic.com), and the Director of Research for CLEAR Institute, a Non-Profit Organization dedicated to advancing chiropractic scoliosis correction (www.clear-institute.org). He can be contacted at [email protected].

Research & References:

1) Adult scoliosis: prevalence, SF-36, and nutritional parameters in an elderly volunteer population. Spine, 2005 May 1;30(9):1082-5.

2) Natural history of untreated idiopathic scoliosis after skeletal maturity. Spine 1986 Oct;11(8):784-9.

3) Long-term prognosis in idiopathic scoliosis. Acta Orthopaedica Scandinavia, 1998;39:466-476.

4) Idiopathic scoliosis: long-term follow-up and prognosis in untreated patients. J Bone Joint Surg Am, 1981 Jun;63(5):702-12

, National Center for Health Statistics. http://progressreport.cancer.gov/doc_detail.asp?pid=1&did=2007&chid=76&coid=730&mid=

6) National Scoliosis Foundation, www.scoliosis.org

7) An Algorithm for the Management of Scoliosis. JMPT 1986;9:1-14.

8) Does scoliosis have a psychological impact and does gender make a difference? Spine 1997, 22:1380-4.

9) Repeat surgical interventions following “definitive” instrumentation and fusion for idiopathic scoliosis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2006 Dec 15;31(26):3018-26.

10) The estimated cost of scoliosis screening. Spine 2000 Sep 15;25(18):2387-91

11) Results of MANTIS search performed 4-4-2011, www.chiroaccess.com.

12) Scoliosis treatment using a combination of manipulative and rehabilitative therapy: a retrospective case series. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2004.

13) The Burden of Musculoskeletal Disease in the United States, Bone and Joint Decade, 2008, chapter 3, page 64.

:dropcap_open:A:dropcap_close:t the helm of the world’s largest chiropractic franchise, you might think Dr. Chris Tomshack is finally ready to rest easy.

As the CEO of HealthSource Chiropractic, his company has already outpaced every other franchise in its category, but even the man who’s been nicknamed chiropractic’s very own “Colonel Sanders” claims he’s only just begun to stir the pot.

“I always knew HealthSource would be this big, and it’s poised to continue to lead chiropractic into the future,” Dr. Tomshack says. “In the next five years, I foresee us being at about 1,000 clinics, delivering the absolute very best care possible to millions of patients, and driving the perception of chiropractic in America. It won’t be long before chiropractors can finally assume their rightful place in healthcare.”

When talking to Dr. Tomshack, two words come to mind: tenacious positivity. It isn’t unusual to hear “fantastic” and “phenomenal” in the same sentence, and congratulatory fist-bumps occur sporadically throughout the day. Even the inscription on his red bracelet, which is given to every member of HealthSource, oozes positive thinking: “What I think about I bring about.”

But, to say he’s a chiropractic optimist is a little shortsighted.

For a DC who got his start literally living in the upstairs of his own small office, Dr. Tomshack says he simply learned to make the best out of his situation, while striving to make his situation better.

“My patients and I would play this game where we’d try to guess what’s for dinner,” he says. “My wife Lisa, who also worked the front desk, took X-rays and did the billing, would step away to the kitchen behind our tiny therapy room, and the smells would fill up the entire office. We made sure we were always having fun, especially when our 115-pound pet Rottweiler would sneak out from the living room and scare the living daylights out of patients—you couldn’t help but laugh.”

:quoteright_open:Dr. Chris Tomshack discusses implementing the  “Ah ha” moments during the 2010 HealthSource Super Camp in Dallas, TX. With more than 600 in attendance, the 2010 Super Camp was the largest in HealthSource history.:quoteright_close:

Dr. Tomshack reflects back on old memories with a smile—the cutting of his opening day ribbon, reading to his kids on his first adjusting table, and even the bulldozing of his first office to make room for a larger one.

In fact, a glimmer of hope and inspiration tends to poke its way into most of his conversations, even when talking about subjects like the ever-changing scope of healthcare and its effect on chiropractic.

“We’ve got massive changes taking place each and every year and, unfortunately, the average DC has no idea that they’re going to be audited in the next 12 months,” he says. “It takes much more effort these days to stay on top—not only to be successful, but legal. I believe it takes systems to survive today, and it’s the systems that HealthSource provides that are helping to keep our DC’s safe.”

The HealthSource “systems” were developed and perfected during Dr. Tomshack’s initial years as an in-the-trenches DC, and now make up the backbone of the HealthSource franchise. They assist HealthSource docs in everything from their initial report of findings to tracking the return on investment of every marketing effort—to the penny. Simply put, the HealthSource systems serve as a GPS-success guide for DC’s, allowing them to track, control, and evolve their office for optimum results, Dr. Tomshack says.

But success, and even the systems, didn’t just fall into Dr. Tomshack’s lap. He, like countless others just entering the field, initially struggled to build a growing patient base, and was forced to learn how to succeed by going back to business basics.

“My very first day, I had eight new patients, which was an incredible start,” he says. “But then it slowed to the point where the first year was very unsuccessful, and that’s when I began to rely on my business degree. I started studying the industries and business systems outside chiropractic, and tried to figure out the best way to import them into chiropractic.”

A Palmer College of Chiropractic alum, Dr. Tomshack credits his late-father, Michael Tomshack, for pushing him towards majoring in business, while still an undergraduate at Ohio University.

“We all heard the stories of those doctors that could do well financially, but when it came time to balancing their check book and their business—they just couldn’t do it,” he says. “So, in addition to my science classes, I made sure to build up my business know-how as well.”

Dr. Tomshack’s father played a fundamental role in his life, he says, not only as a father, but as a business mentor.  A lifelong salesman, manager and entrepreneur, Michael Tomshack was a dynamic part of the HealthSource team before passing away in 2006. His tutelage, Dr. Tomshack says, taught him that you couldn’t simply sit behind a desk and be successful—you need a phenomenal work ethic, and you need to know your business and your patients.

“To sit back behind your desk or adjusting table and merely think that your clinic is going to be successful is ludicrous,” he says. “Our profession today is more competitive than ever before—success takes hard work, but it also requires solid business systems.”

:dropcap_open:To sit back behind your desk or adjusting table and merely think that your clinic is going to be successful is ludicrous.:quoteleft_close:

It wasn’t soon after that Dr. Tomshack saw his fledgling practice begin to take flight. He would go on to build three additional HealthSource clinics throughout the Cleveland suburbs, and it was around that time that he realized his business “secret” could be molded into a plug-in-play system all chiropractors could “clone” and implement on their own.

“I knew we had systems that could be duplicated,” he says. “And then the realization came that this is the perfect franchise concept for other chiropractors to take advantage of, greatly shortening the learning curve of success.”

The first HealthSource franchise was sold in April of 2006, and another 49 more would sell throughout 19 U.S. states by year’s end. The following year, HealthSource introduced HealthSource Weight Loss Systems to franchisees, while also wrapping up another successful year with 99 franchises sold.

In 2007, HealthSource introduced its Regional Developer model to allow an on-site team to work locally in basically all areas of the country. There are now 25 groups of Regional Developers overseeing 42 franchise regions throughout the U.S. The corporate team recently grew to 14 to help accommodate and expedite questions and concerns, providing anything and everything HealthSource owners could possibly encounter while running their chiropractic clinic, according to Dr. Tomshack.

The tremendous growth of the young company didn’t go unnoticed.

HealthSource caught the attention of several publications including Inc., Entrepreneur, The Franchise Times, and Delta Airlines Sky magazine, which all touted its rousing success.

In 2009, HealthSource began its reign atop Entrepreneur magazine’s “Franchise 500,” where it was ranked the number one franchise in the Health Services category—an honor that still stands three years running today. And in January, HealthSource captured yet another Entrepreneur title—the number one “Top New Franchise.”

But, while the franchise has continued to steadily grow, Dr. Tomshack says it’s the business roots of HealthSource that has allowed it to evolve and prosper in the “new economy.”

“My father always cautioned me never to focus solely on growth,” Dr. Tomshack says. “He would reference the Wendy’s restaurant franchise of the mid-80s when they were so focused on growth that they let their product slip. First and foremost, the best marketing in the world can’t fix a bad product. That’s why, to this day, we remain entirely patient centric—focused on what’s best for patients in 2011.”

HealthSource’s patented Progressive Rehab program is one example of how patients are encouraged and taught to keep themselves injury-free through exercises at the clinic that can eventually be done at home.

When coupled with chiropractic care, patients not only feel better for longer periods of time, Dr. Tomshack says, but can get back to living a more active lifestyle.

:quoteright_open:With 300 clinics currently throughout 43 U.S. states, HealthSource appears to have all the right ingredients when it comes to expanding the role chiropractic plays in people’s lives.:quoteright_close:

“The HealthSource name has become synonymous with pain relief and wellness,” he says. “Patients know that they can walk into any of our more than 300 clinics throughout the country, and expect the same level of extraordinary care they’re accustomed to.”

HealthSource has also begun to “give back” to the profession by playing a larger role in the development of young DC’s. In addition to teaching business curriculum courses at Life College and Northwestern University, HS LaunchU was created to assist recent graduates, and soon-to-be doctors, providing them with a foolproof road map to success.

“The chiropractic profession is changing at breakneck speed,” Dr. Tomshack says. “Not a whole lot of changes took place from 1895 to 2005, but it’s a whole different animal now. We want to make sure our younger docs have the tools to succeed, and a team they can depend on.”

While HealthSource increases its role in the community, chiropractors throughout the world continue to tap in to its success.

In fact, as this story is being written, a steady stream of more than 50 interested chiropractors are making their way to a blustery, and very snow-covered Cleveland to attend a HealthSource Discovery Day—a day that Dr. Tomshack describes as “kicking the HealthSource tires to see what we’re all about.”

They’re slated to come from all areas of the country—Texas, South Carolina, Michigan, even Ohio, to name a few—and each will be encouraged to ask questions, and share their own stories and concerns.

Dr. Tomshack admits that, while many may be interested in purchasing their own HealthSource franchise, each is encouraged to go home and think about it.

“Even if they qualify, we tell all of our attendees to leave the checkbook at home,” he says. “The bottom line—there’s never any obligation to simply find out more about what we do. I want everyone to see, in person, who we are, and what we’re all about.”

With 300 clinics currently throughout 43 U.S. states, HealthSource appears to have all the right ingredients when it comes to expanding the role chiropractic plays in people’s lives.

And, as more and more HealthSource clinics pop up in the nooks and crannies of the country, Dr. Tomshack reaffirms that the end goal isn’t about trying to sell something—it’s more about sharing a secret.

“This has always been about raising the bar for chiropractic,” Dr. Tomshack says. “I’m just eager to meet some potential HealthSource family members, and help teach them how to succeed.”

 

Steve Szucs, a former journalist and two-time Associated Press award winner, now works as a copywriter and ad developer for HealthSource Chiropractic and Progressive Rehab.

:dropcap_open:D:dropcap_close:r. Frank Nicchi has served as President of the New York Chiropractic College (NYCC) since September 2000. His education includes a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. John’s University in 1973, the Doctor of Chiropractic degree from New York Chiropractic College in 1978, and a Master of Science degree in Management (with Honors) from Roberts Wesleyan College in 2005.

Dr. Nicchi’s academic career started in 1980, when he was appointed to the faculty of New York Chiropractic College, teaching clinical diagnosis and chiropractic technique. He maintains the faculty rank of Professor in the department of Diagnosis and Clinical Practice. Additionally, he has served as a faculty clinician at the College’s outpatient health center in Levittown, NY, and as Dean of the Division of Postgraduate and Continuing Education.

Over the past two years, he has also served as President of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC) and, as such, acts as a member of the Steering Committee of the Chiropractic Summit.

 

TAC:  What inspired you to become a chiropractor?

NICCHI: I was first exposed to chiropractic at a young age through my brother-in-law, who was a chiropractor. Like so many others, I benefited personally from chiropractic care in my adolescence and as a young adult, leading me to pursue a career in this rewarding profession.

 

TAC:  Did you ever have a practice?

NICCHI: Yes, prior to my appointment as President, I maintained an active chiropractic practice for some 22 years while attending to my teaching and administrative responsibilities at NYCC.

 

TAC: What are the responsibilities of the president of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges, and how does the ACC influence policy regarding chiropractic education?

NICCHI: Let me begin by giving an overview of the ACC. The Association is comprised of all accredited chiropractic educational programs in North America and New Zealand, whose mission seeks to advance chiropractic education, research and service.

A major focus of the association’s activity is the coordination of the annual educational and research conference commonly known as the ACC-RAC (Research Agenda Conference).

The conference begins with meetings of the ACC Working Groups, representatives from different areas of colleges (chief academic officers, chief financial officers, deans and directors of clinics, institutional advancement, assessment, research, libraries, admissions and postgraduate education) to discuss common challenges and share mutually supportive information.

Faculty and researchers representing academic institutions globally assemble to explore and establish best practices in chiropractic education and research. This year’s conference (scheduled for March 18-19 in Las Vegas) has as its theme, “Focus on Integration: Chiropractic Education & Practice in Integrative Healthcare.”

Additionally, the ACC advances education and research through its Journal of Chiropractic Education (JCE)—the profession’s only peer reviewed journal dedicated to the mission of promoting excellence in educational research in chiropractic.

The ACC provides educational information and guidance to the profession on topics such as the safety of cervical manipulation and guidelines related to informed consent. We also have consistently served as a partner with the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) in carrying out their Biennial Education Conference held in various countries throughout the world.

As president of the ACC, it has been my privilege to provide leadership and oversight to association activities and initiatives over the past two years. Through organizational planning, we have developed several specific strategic directives. These have led to the formation of focused task forces that: Examine how we might increase the prospective student inquiry pool (which is critical to enrollment growth); address the definition of “primary care provider” and  explore the feasibility of developing clinical residencies as part of the doctor of chiropractic program training.

Surely, these strategic directives significantly impact on the future of chiropractic education and the students we serve.

 

TAC:  How do you view the position of chiropractic with regard to the changes taking place with the healthcare reform?

NICCHI: First, let me express the importance of the unified effort and work put forth by the Government Relations committee of the Chiropractic Summit in helping to ensure chiropractic inclusion in the healthcare reform legislation slated to take effect in 2014. It includes a provision that will prevent insurance companies from discriminating against practicing doctors of chiropractic administering professional services consistent with their respective states’ scopes of practice.

This is historic language, as it will apply to ERISA plans as well as any plans created in the law’s new “state exchange market.” I am thrilled that the new healthcare reform law casts the services provided by doctors of chiropractic as an integral part of the healthcare system.

 

TAC:  Anything new happening at New York College of Chiropractic that you’d like to share with our readers?

NICCHI: NYCC recognizes the critical role it plays in shaping professional and public perceptions and has forged affiliations with several Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC).  We currently offer clinical rotations at five U.S. Veterans Affairs facilities in Miami, FL, and in Buffalo, Rochester, Canandaigua and Bath, NY. This is significant, given the fact that an estimated 75 percent of all healthcare providers do part of their training at a VA facility. Having chiropractic interns work shoulder to shoulder with other healthcare practitioners helps build the cultural authority of our profession. We’ve also been able to integrate our chiropractic clinical instruction into private hospitals and long-term care facilities, as well as in the campus health centers of several state universities in New York.

:quoteright_open:NYCC recognizes the critical role it plays in shaping professional and public perceptions and has forged affiliations with several Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC).:quoteright_close:

Consistent with our efforts to integrate chiropractic with other healthcare disciplines, we have successfully transitioned into a multi-programmatic institution, currently offering Master of Science degrees in acupuncture and Oriental medicine, diagnostic imaging, clinical anatomy, applied clinical nutrition, and human anatomy and physiology instruction. The Master of Science in Human Anatomy and Physiology Instruction, the first and only program of its kind and offered almost entirely online, takes advantage of higher education’s increasing need for instructors thoroughly trained in human anatomy and physiology and who are solidly grounded in the latest theories and best practices of undergraduate education.

In addition, NYCC launched its new Academy for Professional Success, designed to provide students and alumni with the tools required for business success. We twice earned recognition by The Chronicle of Higher Education as a “Great College to Work For,” ultimately earning a place on its honor roll.  This past year, we commenced delivery of our Master of Science in Applied Clinical Nutrition completely online and also opened our fourth outpatient health center in Rochester, New York.

 

TAC:  How do you view the future of chiropractic?

NICCHI: I am optimistic about chiropractic’s future. The public is increasingly seeking more natural approaches for their healthcare needs, and the advent of chiropractic integration into diverse healthcare settings is enabling healthcare practitioners representing a variety of disciplines to better understand the benefits and effectiveness of chiropractic. This, hopefully, will lead to collaboration with field practitioners through cross referrals and a “team approach” to healthcare.

 

To learn more about NYCC and our educational programs, please visit our Web site at www.nycc.edu.

Normal pregnancy is a controlled inflammatory state that is influenced by diet?

Inflammation is central to reproductive success.¹ Normal ovulation, menstruation, implantation, and parturition are all inflammatory processes. In contrast, conditions of pregnancy represent an exaggerated inflammatory response (systemic or localized), including spontaneous abortion, preterm labor, preterm prelabor rupture of the membranes (PPROM), preeclampsia, and other “great obstetrical syndromes.”¹

Clearly, pregnant females and those who wish to be pregnant should pursue an anti-inflammatory lifestyle that includes exercise, a healthy diet, and healthy thinking. An operational goal should be to maintain a normal inflammatory state, so that both mother and developing child can get through the initial nine month process in a healthy fashion, which should then be followed by a healthy recovery for the mother and a healthy developmental process for the newborn.

Regarding diet, researchers coined the term “fertility diet” to describe the diet that is most conducive to a healthy pregnancy,² which is very similar to the Mediterranean-like, anti-inflammatory diet that I have described previously in many TAC articles. Regarding the Mediterranean diet, preterm birth was reduced in Danish women who adhered to such a diet.³

Useful Nutrients during Pregnancy

A prenatal vitamin supplement is very common; however, research suggests that there are additional nutrients to consider as possible supportive measures.

Dietary fiber from food or supplements may be advised. Adequate dietary fiber intake has been associated with a reduced expression of gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.^4,5

Maternal omega-3 fatty acid supplementation during late pregnancy and lactation decreases the risk of developing food allergy and IgE associated eczema in infants during their first year of life.⁶ Published papers outline an omega-3 plan during pregnancy.⁷

Adequate vitamin D intake is crucial for maternal and the health of the developing infant.^8,9 Recent evidence indicates pregnant and lactating women may need as much as 7,000 IU’s of vitamin D per day.⁸

When women supplement with probiotics, such as Lactobacillus GG, before and after pregnancy, there is a reduced expression of eczema in their children.¹⁰

Summary

A healthy nutritional approach for mothers and their developing child is very straightforward and supported by clinical research. Consideration should be given to an anti-inflammatory diet that is supported by fiber, a multivitamin, vitamin D, fish oil, and probiotics.

There is an additional concern that should also be considered if infertility is a problem. Silent celiac disease can manifest as infertility in some women and this has been suspected for many years.^11-13

As this is a short article, I would suggest consulting with the cited articles for more details. The articles or abstracts are easily accessible at pubmed.gov, our National Library of Medicine’s search engine for scientific articles. If full text articles are not available, the author can be emailed directly in many cases.

 

Dr. David Seaman is a Professor of Clinical Sciences at National University of Health Sciences-SPC campus and is a consultant for Anabolic Laboratories. He has written numerous articles on the treatment options for chronic pain patients, with a focus on nutritional management. He can be reached at [email protected].

References

1. Romero R, et al. Inflammation in pregnancy: its roles in reproductive physiology, obstetrical complications, and fetal injury. Nutr Rev. 2007(II):S194-S202.

2. Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Rosner BA, Willett WC. Diet and lifestyle in the prevention of ovulatory disorder infertility. Obstet Gynecol. 2007;110(5):1050-58.

3. Mikkelsen TB, Osterdal ML, et al. Association between a Mediterranean-type diet and risk of preterm birth among Danish women: a prospective cohort study. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand, 2008; 87(3): 325-30.

4. Zhang C. Dietary fiber intake, dietary glycemic load, and the risk for gestational diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care. 2006; 29(10): 2223-30.

5. Qiu C, et al. Dietary fiber intake in early pregnancy and risk of subsequent preeclampsia. Am J Hypertens. 2008; 21(8): 903-9.

6. Furuhjelm C, Warstedt K, Larsson J, et al. Fish oil supplementation in pregnancy and lactation may decrease the risk of infant allergy. Acta Paediatr. 2009;98(9):1461-67.

7. Greenberg JA, Bell SJ, Van Ausdal W. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation during pregnancy. Rev Obstet Gynecol. 2008;1(4):162-69.

8. Cannell JJ, Hollis BW. Use of vitamin D in clinical practice. Alt Med Rev. 2008;13(1):6-20.

9. Hollis BW, Wanger CL. Nutritional vitamin D status during pregnancy: reasons for concern. Can Med Assoc J. 2006;174(9):1287-90.

10. Kalliomaki M, Salminen S, Arvilommi H, Kero P, Koskinen P, Isolauri E. Probiotics in primary prevention of atopic disease: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2001;357(9262):1076-9.

11. Wilson C, Eade OE, Elstein M., Wright R. Subclinical coeliac disease and infertility. Brit Med J. 1976; 2(6029):215-16.

12. Collin P., Vilska S., Heinonen PK., Hallstrom 0., Pikkarainen P. Infertility and coeliac disease. Gut. 1996;39:382-84.

13. Kumar A, Meena M, Begum N, et al. Latent celiac disease in reproductive performance of women. Fertil Steril. 2010 Nov 22. [Epub ahead of print].

:dropcap_open:D:dropcap_close:r. Kenzo Kase expects that when it comes his time to, well, die, he will do so slumping, lurching or somehow moving forward.

The 67-year-old inventor of the Kinesio Taping® Method and Kinesio® Tex Tape won’t be able to help himself. He has always moved forward—never backwards—in his 35-year career as a chiropractic doctor and medical researcher, and he won’t change character when the time comes.

It has been that moving forward and questioning things, especially in his chiropractic practice and in the area of human health and well being that drove Dr. Kase to develop his tape and taping method, which is used on every continent of the earth.

“Everybody probably thinks that I’m strange. It’s because I think a little bit too fast. I’m always looking for something,” Dr. Kase said on an August, 2010, trip to work with Kinesio’s U.S. operation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “I’m eager to find new things because there are so many unknown matters for us, especially for health conditions.”

His unorthodox thinking includes challenging conventional medical wisdom, which he has always done.

Kase pointed out that medical publications follow certain types of accepted advice. “They say ‘Keep your body warm.’” When followed too closely, he noted “That is dangerous. The elevation of temperature in the body may cause necrosis, which is cell death. Cells die when the body temperature goes higher. Exercise makes the body temperature higher. Hot baths make the body temperature higher and [so does] stimulation.” Kase advised care and moderation when raising body temperature. “I always have to say, ‘Put your body in cold water. Put an ice pack on your head.’ All those things come from common sense.

“As you get older and approach 70 years old, your body temperature gets higher because of the physiology of the body and chemically the body cannot metabolize, so the body temperature goes up. That is why if you fly on an airplane, say to a foreign country, you get jet lag. You can prevent it by jumping in cold water. After I have a long flight I go into cold water and I don’t get jet lag and then I can sleep well.”

Dr. Kase also explained, “People say that high salt leads to high blood pressure, and so everybody says, ‘Don’t take salt.’ Well, I say that salt is very important for health. When someone goes to the emergency room for major trauma, the first thing they always do is give them salt. At the cellular level, if we don’t have enough salt, the cell may be damaged.

“But salt is important, and so is sugar. Their levels have to be in balance for our cells and bodies to thrive. Without enough salt, sugar levels rise and that may lead to diabetes, which is much more dangerous than eating a little salt.”

Dr. Kase believes that the body must be mildly stimulated in order to remain healthy and ward off diseases.

In this modern world, he feels we should remain aware of the impact of the environment around us. As humans increasingly live bunched together in urban areas, we are subject to bad air and other byproducts of city life. He has no problem with people smoking a little, drinking in moderation and exercising only a little as a defense against the toxins we passively breathe and imbibe. The danger would come from an unprepared immune system, from an excess of any bad habit, or from overdoing our efforts at fitness.

:dropcap_open:Dr. Kase believes that the body must be mildly stimulated—often with things that are considered unhealthy by doctors—in order to remain healthy and ward off diseases.:quoteleft_close:

“If someone has high blood pressure, generally a doctor will advise to not stimulate the body because that will increase blood pressure,” Dr. Kase said. “But that type of advice will cause the opposite reaction. If you keep the body safe all the time, it will not be prepared for danger. If we are always in a safe environment, we won’t be prepared for when the danger comes.”

Kenzo Kase didn’t start out to be a chiropractor. He grew up in Tokyo, a sickly child.

“I was very weak at age six or seven. I couldn’t attend physical education classes because I had pneumonia, tuberculosis, kidney infections and all kinds of allergies. I was told by doctors not to inhale too much dust,” Kase recalled.

His grandmother was a Japanese natural healer who used herb therapy and acupuncture on her grandson. He recalled:

“She would burn dried herbs on the skin around my belly button. The idea is that if you burn the skin a little, the body tries to heal the burning area and that stimulates the body to renormalize.”

By his teens, Kase was stronger. He enrolled in Tokyo’s Meiji University and decided on a career in business. After graduation he went to work for a large Japanese railroad company, where he was one of 20,000 employees. Over a five-year period he worked in the public relations, real estate, insurance and travel departments.

“Then I quit,” Kase laughed. “I could always see more into the future. I suggested some things to the company to prepare for the future, but they didn’t. So I thought, ‘Now what am I going to do?’ I thought about being a chiropractor. We had only three chiropractors in Japan after World War II and I figured I would be the fourth and I thought to myself: ‘That would be good!’”

It wasn’t quite that simple. Kase married at age 24, and his wife’s father was one of those first three chiropractors in Japan.

“When I saw him for the first time he worked so hard on one patient,” Kase said of watching his father-in-law treat a patient.  “It was 45 minutes to an hour. He was sweating so bad. I thought, ‘Well, that’s not a real good profession.’”

How wrong he was. Although his father-in-law worked hard, Kase was impressed with his concern for patients. Eventually he himself enrolled in the National College of Chiropractic (now National University for the Health Sciences) in Lombard, Illinois. After graduating in 1974 he set out to help heal bodies. He became the fourth chiropractor in Japan to have graduated from a U.S. chiropractic college, and an acupuncturist.

Always the observer, thinker and visionary, Kase soon realized that he wanted to do more for his patients than adjust their spines and joints. He began searching for a taping method that would help heal traumatized tissue and provide muscle and joint support.

He tried various traditional sports taping methods, but found they reduced the patient’s range of motion and sometimes inhibited the healing of traumatized tissue.

:quoteright_open:He began searching for a taping method that would help heal traumatized tissue and provide muscle and joint support.:quoteright_close:

After a whole lot of tries, Kase came up with Kinesio® Tex Tape, an elastic type of tape that is about the thickness and weight of human skin. The tape, which stretches to approximately 140 percent of its own length, moves with the skin and muscles, does not trap body heat and sweat and can be worn in the shower. It lifts the skin, which promotes the free flow of body fluids, and helps muscles contract. It is the over-stretching of muscles that leads to injuries, Kase added.

After decades of improvements, Kinesio® Tex Tape is now used to treat a variety of orthopedic, neuromuscular, neurological and medical conditions. Kase uses it to relieve headaches, reduce wrinkles, heal cuts and burns, treat dogs and horses, as well as to treat cerebral palsy patients. It seems as if he finds a new use for it on a daily basis.

The tape is innovative, but by itself it isn’t magic. Medical practitioners undergo intense training in the Kinesio Taping® Method, which trains them how to recognize what is going on with a patient’s body and how to apply the tape for maximum healing performance.

Kinesio Taping® is now used to treat lymphedema. Kase explained how that use came about:

“It was five or six years after I first invented the taping method. An orthopedist doctor used my tape and method and he showed a slide at a symposium and said he could reduce hematomas by taping. He put the tape on a bruise, and shortly afterward, the bruise was gone. I thought, ‘That’s wonderful! How come?’ Then I realized that the tape could open up the capillary area between the epidermis and the dermis and it helped increase drainage. Then I figured that if it helped with hematomas, we could use it for the lymphedema.

“The lymph node system is kind of like a washing machine system. The fluids flow a certain way throughout the body and flush out impurities. It’s when the flow of lymphatic fluids is obstructed that problems occur. So, if there is a swelling of the lymph node on one side of the body, we will tape the opposite side in order to get the lymphatic fluids flowing to the healthy side.”

When it comes to patients, Kinesio has pretty much seen them all, including athletes, infants, horses, dogs and flamingos.

“I treat a lot of dachshunds. They tend to get herniated discs because their bodies are too long; they’re over-stretched. Normally, people won’t do surgery on them because it is too expensive, and if the pain is too severe, they put the dog to sleep. I apply the tape right over the hair in a certain direction and the dogs respond well.”

In the U.S., only medical practitioners are trained to apply the tape, and patients are not generally encouraged to tape themselves. Practitioners explain to patients how the tape works, especially as it relates to muscle contraction. But Kase, ever the healer, believes that “everybody should be able to learn because it is not dangerous to wear and it is effective for many emergency cases, bruising, slight burning and mosquito bites. If someone has a mosquito bite, we put the tape on and they don’t feel the scratching. Then, in 15 minutes, all the swelling is gone.”

Kase suggested that practitioners should try applying the tape before doing any extremity adjusting.

“First they should try the Kinesio® Tape, and many times they won’t have to do the adjustment. This won’t be a good answer [for some chiropractors] but that is the answer I have,” Kase explained. First they should try Kinesio Tape and then reassess the patient to determine whether an adjustment is still necessary. “You can also put the tape on and then adjust. Sometimes when we adjust we over-adjust. If you put the tape on before you adjust you will get a more gentle adjustment.”

When asked which two or three conditions he has had the most success in treating with his tape, Kase laughed.

“It is hard to tell,” he admitted, “because it is not only a couple. There is lymphedema, headaches, bruises, chest congestion, lower back pain, muscle strains. If I put the tape on the anterior diaphragm, that will help relieve chest congestions. In Japan we do a lot of organ taping—kidney, liver and spleen. There we use it for asthma and menstrual problems and pain.”

The tape is used for a wider variety of ailments in Japan and some other countries than it is in the U.S., which, with its Western medical culture, tends to dismiss natural remedies or demand expensive studies as to their effectiveness, Kase said.

The world’s top athletes use Kinesio® Tex Tape, including NBA basketball star Kevin Garnett, Japanese tennis star Kimiko Date, and, at the 2010 World Cup games in South Africa, most of the Scandinavian soccer players.

It was when the Japanese volleyball teams wore the tape in the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics that it became a sensation in Japan.

In 2010, middle schools in Japan adopted the Kinesio Taping® Method as part of the required first-aid curriculum.

In more than 30 years of taping, Kase has had famous and memorable patients, but none who stand out as much as the seven-year-old cerebral palsy patient that he treated in the summer of 2010. The boy’s parents had come to Japan from Canada for a vacation (the mother is Japanese) and asked Kase if he could do something for their wheelchair-bound son. They had heard of Kase’s work and wanted the best for their child.

“When he came to see me his left hand was folded and contorted, as was his left leg and foot,” Kase said. “I taped his finger from his fingernails up to his wrist, and I taped his toes, too. Ten minutes after I put the tape on his fingers, one of the fingers on his left hand opened up. This hand had always been claw-like, and after 10 minutes it was starting to unwind.

“A couple of days later when they came back his mother told me, ‘He can pull the toilet paper by himself!’ After three treatments he could use a camera. He could hold the camera and push the shutter button with his right index finger. Normally, people with cerebral palsy can’t use their right fingers very well.

“Two weeks after we started he could walk without holding someone’s hands so long as they supported his back. After three weeks he was walking by himself. His attitude had completely changed and he told me that he wanted to compete in the Special Olympics. He had a goal.”

As he charges forward in his career of healing, Kase will keep refining Kinesio® Tape. He continues to develop applications using cryotherapy, extending his firm belief that cold, rather than heat, is beneficial to muscle health. He has developed the “Osteo-Ariser,” a set of soft, fabric-covered mallets that he uses to gently pound and stimulate joints and bones, and he teaches a new method of chiropractic adjustments.

Kase does not only adjust to the spine, he adjusts to the skin, fascia, muscle, ligaments and tendons and finally the joint. These are components of the human body that need to be addressed to keep a healthy joint and spine system. Kase added. “I always adjust to the muscle. It is the muscle that moves the joint. If the muscle is healthy, then the joint is healthy. It is the muscle that pulls the joint off.”

In the meantime, Dr. Kenzo Kase will indulge his one weakness—food—and he will continue to be as he has always been:

An original thinker.

 

Dr. Kase may be contacted in this country through Kinesio USA.

3901 Georgia St. NE, Bldg. F

Albuquerque, NM 87110

http://www.KinesioTaping.com

505-856-2029