A new study,  published in the journal, The Lancet Oncology, analyzes the results of a host of studies of popular blood pressure medicines and found that these “drugs in the class known as angiotensin-receptor blockers showed patients were 1.2 percent more likely to be diagnosed with a new cancer over four years than others who did not take the drugs.”(1)

“…Dr. Steven Nissen, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, said in a commentary the findings were ‘disturbing and provocative, raising crucial drug safety questions for practitioners and the regulatory community.’” reports Reuters.

I mean, this does not surprise me. Many times every month we hear that Drug A causes horrible side effects and may have to be removed from the market. Despite this pattern, the cycle repeats itself because people ask the wrong follow-up question. Instead of asking how to get off the drugs, we ask what drug will be developed or what competitor’s drug will fill the void. So then Drug B is marketed as the new and improved Drug A, only to cause a separate series of side effects – shoot, who knows – maybe enough to finally remove that drug from the market.

The sad thing is that society is going to keep repeating the mistake.

Not to get preachy, but when will people realize that DRUGS, all drugs, effect the biochemistry of the body therefore changing a process within the body? By definition, any chemical alteration will have side effects. When we address the symptom of a problem without treating the cause, we will create additional, new, unnecessary problems.

Here is what I, as a patient, would ask: why is my blood pressure high? What can I do to lower my blood pressure? If there is no option other than a pill (which, by the way, is not the case), what will happen if we suddenly lower my blood pressure with a magic pill?

Apparently, the answer is that I increase my risk of cancer.

Wouldn’t you want to know that? Wouldn’t you think twice about the pill if you knew that?

There are other options for addressing high blood pressure: deep breathing, exercise…and…

Chiropractic has been shown to decrease blood pressure within one visit and have lasting effects without the side effects of pharmaceuticals.And it certainly does not increase your risk of cancer.

Why is the media not talking more about this? Could it be that the billions of dollars the pharmaceutical companies pour into television, magazines and newspaper ads might influence the quality of the reporting of non-pharmacological treatments?

So, since the drug options for lowering blood pressure cause cancer and chiropractic lowers blood pressure without the cancer side effects…does that mean chiropractic can reduce your risk of cancer???

In the unedited version of the video, future NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice says, “My first experience with chiropractic care was right before the 49ers were to play the Bengals in Super Bowl 23. A couple of our players were injured and a chiropractor turned things around. I quickly became a believer and ever since I have had the benefit of chiropractic care.”

Elsewhere, he has said, “Chiropractic was the key to keeping me in the game.”

He has teamed up with the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress to promote the field. He says, “I did a lot of things to stay in the game, but regular visits to my chiropractor were among the most important.” He goes on to give chiropractic props for his dance moves as well as his formidable football career. “Chiropractic gave me the edge to succeed, not only on the gridiron, but also on the dance floor.”

It’s true.

One of the disadvantages of being an Applied Kinesiologist and Chiropractor is that I get used to immediate positive feedback.

You have to understand: 90% of the time, my patients feel a significant improvement during their first treatment.

On the rare occasion that I don’t get that “WOW! I feel so much better!” at the end of the visit, I am unhappy, disappointed and frustrated. What do I not know? What could I learn so I don’t have to feel this way?  It’s the 10% that gets me thinking and forces me to keep learning.

This desire to help everyone in one visit makes me spend, on average, two weekends a month in seminars and post-doc training and to get 10x more continuing education than the state of California requires.  Although it means I miss out on great hikes with my wife, my friends and my puppy, it’s good news for you!

ABC News Reports:

In the past decade, prescriptions for Ritalin, a stimulant medication commonly used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), increased five-fold, with 90 percent of all prescriptions worldwide consumed in the United States. As many parents grow leery of the traditional medical approach to ADHD, doctors of chiropractic are offering promising results with non-drug treatments that focus on postural muscles, nutrition and lifestyle changes that affect brain activity.

Some children may simply have difficulty learning certain subjects, but the current system—in a sense—prompts school officials to encourage their parents to have the children diagnosed with ADHD, says Dr. Scott Bautch, past president of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. “The higher the number of disabled kids in the school, the more funding the school can apply for,” says Dr. Bautch.

Some teachers might also have difficulty with students who have a different style of learning, according to Dr. Bautch. If the child is a visual learner—and the teacher is not—perhaps the child is not being taught in a way he or she can learn. Before diagnosing the child with ADHD, Dr. Bautch recommends doctors talk to the child and the parents: “Is the child too active? Bored? Has dyslexia or a different learning pattern? It can be a behavior problem, problems at home, or frustrations with the teacher’s style,” explains Dr. Bautch. “If we went to a conference where the speakers taught in a way we can’t learn, we would be frustrated and would misbehave—we’d get up and leave or chat to the person sitting next to us.”

The traditional medical model, however, seems to follow the cookie-cutter principle. The diagnosis of ADHD is based on a questionnaire. But this is not enough, says Dr. Robert Melillo, a chiropractic neurologist. “True ADHD patients have other signs — tics, tremors, balance or postural problems, or unusual sensitivity to touch, movement, sights, or sounds.” Unfortunately, although medications can keep ADHD under control, they don’t cure it. Eighty percent of patients have ADHD features in adolescence, and up to 65 percent maintain them in adulthood.

Doctors of chiropractic and chiropractic neurologists offer a non-drug and non-invasive treatment alternative for ADHD patients that targets the underlying problems, not just symptoms. “Motor activity—especially development of the postural muscles—is the baseline function of brain activity. Anything affecting postural muscles will influence brain development. Musculoskeletal imbalance will create imbalance of brain activity, and one part of the brain will develop faster than the other, and that’s what’s happening in ADHD patients,” says Dr. Melillo.

Chiropractic neurologists are trained to identify the underfunctioning part of the brain and find treatments to correct the problem, to help that hemisphere grow. “On every patient, we perform a brain function exam,” says Dr. Frederick Carrick, president of the ACA Council on Neurology. “We test visual and auditory reflexes through, for example, flashing light in the eye, or asking patients to listen to music in one or the other ear.”

When the problem is identified, patients are placed on a treatment program—and most of the therapies can be done at home. “Patients are asked to smell certain things several times a day … or wear special glasses,” says Dr. Mark S. Smith, a chiropractic neurologist. “We also focus on their individual problems. Some children, for example, have difficulty with planning, organization, and coordination—so they benefit from timing therapies. They learn to clap or tap to the metronome, perform spinning and balancing exercises.”

Although currently no studies comparing chiropractic neurological and medical treatment for ADHD are available, chiropractic neurologists are compiling the data. “We test children before they start the treatment and then every three months,” says Dr. Melillo. “Within the first three months, the children get a two-grade-level increase on average—which is pretty dramatic. With children on medications, the improvement in academic performance is short term and lasts only as long as they take the medication. Our programs change the brain function and the improvement doesn’t go away.”

While chiropractic neurologists have found success in treating ADHD and learning disabilities by providing the necessary brain stimulation, they also recommend nutrition and lifestyle changes that may help correct or prevent biochemical imbalances that cause ADHD. Parents are encouraged to:

• Remove as many food dyes, sugar, preservatives, and additives from the diet as possible.
• Focus on natural, mostly organic foods with as few pesticides or herbicides as possible.
• Determine if there is an allergy—usually starting with dairy and gluten and try elimination diets.
• Stop using pesticide sprays in the house.
• Avoid taking medications, nicotine, alcohol, and other drugs in pregnancy that may harm the fetus.
• Find ways to relax during pregnancy. Stress on the job may affect the unborn baby’s health, as well.
• Breastfeed. The first months and years of a child’s life are critical to physical and psychological development. Breastfeeding mothers’ diets are important as well.

Chiropractic Care Can Help…
If you or your loved one is diagnosed with ADHD or has the symptoms, ask your doctor of chiropractic if he or she has experience treating patients with the condition. Doctors of chiropractic are trained to identify neurological problems and find individual non-invasive treatment modalities. They can also assess your nutritional status and help you find the diet that will help you manage your condition.
-Taken from ACA Consumer Health Tips

A new peer-reviewed study published this month, June 2010,  studied ADHD patients under chiropractic care and further supports the suggestion to add chiropractic.

Using the Friedman test to compare observations repeated on the same subjects, our findings found improvement in ADHD symptoms (ie, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattentiveness, as well as behavioral, social, or emotional difficulties) and provide supporting evidence on the effectiveness of chiropractic in the treatment of children with ADHD.

This provides supporting evidence on the benefits of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy.

Gen. Halstead’s Chiropractic Shout Out

Gen. Halstead was also able to share her personal experience dealing with fibromyalgia and how chiropractic care helped her return to a pain-free life.

“Part of getting well was a strong introduction to the chiropractic community, which I think would have really helped me if I could have received the treatment while I was on active duty,” Gen. Halstead noted.

During the radio interview, Gen. Halstead also detailed her visit to the Connecticut Veteran Affairs (VA) Hospital where she had a chance meeting with a young soldier who was suffering with a herniated disc. After two years of physical therapy, the solider was referred to chiropractic care and much like Gen. Halstead, was on the road to recovery. The soldier, who was receiving a chiropractic adjustment, spoke with Gen. Halstead about the benefits chiropractic care would have on active duty military.

“Just think if we came in off our patrols each night and we could get adjusted the way I just got adjusted, what a sense of relief and healing,” Gen. Halstead recalled the soldier saying.

Gen. Halstead was thrilled to participate in both interviews, taking the opportunity to not only remember and recognize the fallen soldiers and families for their service, but to educate everyday citizens on the importance of keeping our military ready for battle.

“I hope my message instilled a sense of responsibility in everyone to properly resource and support our military men and women,” concluded Gen. Halstead.