Robert H. Lustig, MD, UC San Francisco Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology, explores the damage caused by sugary foods. He argues that fructose (too much) and fiber (not enough) appear to be cornerstones of the obesity epidemic through their effects on insulin.

Notes from Dr. Cohen: I find this video insightful, educational and entertaining. Enjoy!

After a traumatic vestibular concussion resulted in year-long symptoms of instability, fogginess, dizziness and light sensitivity, National Hockey League (NHL) standout Sidney Crosby has reported improved cognitive and physical functioning and is progressing remarkably well, thanks to the care of a Doctor of Chiropractic with specialized training in neurology. The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress calls upon all coaches, parents and athletes to learn concussion signs and symptoms and what to do if a concussion occurs. “In professional hockey alone, there are more than 50,000 hits annually, and far too many of these are serious injuries to the head,” says Dr. Ted Carrick, the Chiropractic Neurologist who treats Crosby and other NHL and NFL players. Dr. Carrick is the Distinguished Professor of Neurology at Life University, Marietta, Ga., and points to vestibular concussions as a national epidemic requiring a resolution.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head that can change the way your brain normally works. Concussions can also occur from a fall or a blow to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth. Health care professionals may describe a concussion as a “mild” brain injury because concussions are usually not life-threatening, but their effects can be serious.

“Concussions can occur in any sport or recreation activity,” says Dr. Carrick, a spokesperson for the Foundation. “Many people who suffer these injuries suffer seemingly irreparable symptoms that affect their daily activities and performance. With experience specific to the neurological system, our specially trained team utilizes an exclusive neurologically-based intervention that oftentimes is successful in the recovery process.”

According to the Foundation, board certified Chiropractic Neurologists are specialists within the chiropractic profession that receive an additional three years of specialty training following a Doctor of Chiropractic degree, to specifically deal with the functional integrity of the brain and nervous system. Treatment methods are brain-based, non-invasive, drug-free physical rehabilitation, using receptor-based stimulation, such as chiropractic adjustments, movement, light, taste and smell, in conjunction with nutritional therapies, exercise and rehabilitation. Collectively, these approaches work to re-establish balance as well as maximal brain and nervous system functionality.

According to Dr. Marc Ellis, a board certified Chiropractic Neurologist on Dr. Carrick’s Life University clinical team who also represents the Foundation, “Concussions and their debilitating effects have been receiving increased attention, particularly with professional athletes sidelined because of the lasting effects of a concussion. The issue has also become a flashpoint in youth sports – especially bicycling, football, playground activities, basketball and soccer.”
According to a recent report by the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, more than 500,000 concussions are sustained by the 4.4 million children who play tackle football. Dr. Susan Esposito, another expert from the Life University Neurology Clinic shares, “Our society needs to place greater emphasis on prevention, while continuing to address those who experience concussions resulting from sports injuries, car accidents or other mishaps – especially our youth. This approach will not only have a major impact on professional and amateur athletes, but also the health of all Americans.”

Read more in the

Notes from Dr. Cohen: In recent years, the increased focus on concussions has provided the healthcare community with ever-improving knowledge of how best to manage concussions. Determining the ideal time to return an athlete to play is key to achieving an optimal recovery. As the National Hockey League knows, pre-season physicals and brain function tests are useful tools to aid physicians, coaches, and athletes deciding when a player can return to the field, track, or court. I use SCAT-2 testing, designed by The Zurich Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport, and endorsed by The International Olympic Committee. The test is a standard element of a pre-season physical performed in my San Francisco office, ProActive Chiropractic. Currently, I’m becoming a Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician, a post-doctoral degree that enables me to better care for athletes and get them back to work and back to play!

“You banged my head on the damn log.”

“You weighed more than the winner so you slowed me down.”

“You splashed mud in my face.”

“You were choking me; it was hard to breathe.”

“It’s a stupid competition anyway; I can’t believe you got me to do this.”

These are some of the phrases I imagine were muttered after the race this past weekend. It was Sunday River’s 12th annual North American Wife Carrying Championship.

While I’ve done the Tough Mudder the past two years and seen a number of fellow Tough Mudders and Triathletes, that seems far easier and safer than this event. I can only imagine the fights that take place after this event for everyone but the winner.

Anyone from the Bay Area who competed in this incredible yet strange competition: come on in; the first visit is on me. I can only imagine what that does to your body, not to mention your mind.

“The 11+” is a complete warm-up package for soccer players. The program was developed by an international group of experts.

In a scientific study it was shown that female youth football teams using “The 11+” as a standard warm-up had significant lower risk for injuries than teams that warmed-up as usual,” says Football for Health, an offshoot of FIFA.

(click on the photo below to see the video)

This is an easy, cheap, and effective prevention tool but unfortunately even with “the 11+” injuries may occur.

Some common injuries that present at ProActive Chiropractic are pulled hamstrings, groin pulls, knee injuries, low back sprains, neck whiplash-type injuries from heading, and ankle sprains/rolls.  Some injuries can be quite serious such as an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, and after a thorough exam Dr. Cohen is able to refer you to the appropriate specialist. If a sports injury occurs quickly see Dr. Cohen at ProActive Chiropractic because the sooner you are treated, the sooner you can be out of pain and return to play.  When you wait too long, scar tissue develops which prolongs the healing time dramatically.

Schedule today by calling 415-762-8141.

Dr. Andrew Cohen, San Francisco Chiropractor, provides non-drug approaches to health ranging from pain management to lowering cholesterol. Call today 415-762-8141.

“Based on the research I’ve read, I believe that dramatically decreasing the intake of sugar, soy, dairy, wheat, and processed corn reduces inflammation and the likelihood of diseases. Dr. Lustig certainly makes a strong case for decreasing sugar,” states Dr. Cohen of San Francisco.

The New York Times has an in-depth article on this as well.

“While I appreciate Dr. Oz using his show to highlight chiropractic, he presented chiropractic as non-scientific and somewhat barbaric. He created the illusion that the audience member-patient was randomly picked live and on the spot so that viewers reasonably assumed that the chiropractor did no exam, history, or evaluation before or after the adjustment. This also leaves viewers wondering why she needed the adjustment and if chiropractors will just adjust anything,” states Dr. Cohen, a San Francisco Financial District chiropractor. Dr. Cohen also commented that Dr. Oz further distracted his audience from the positive impression of chiropractic that, one hopes, he was trying to convey by referring to the patient as “the victim.” A final measured critique of the show offered by Dr. Cohen notes that Dr.Oz’s introductory explanation of chiropractic and the recently published study gave the impression that the efficacy of chiropractic is just now coming to light and is very limited, which is, according to the overwhelming weight of the peer-reviewed evidence, inaccurate on both counts.

“I would never send my mother (always the test) to a chiropractor who just adjusted without using his or her brainpower first to get to the bottom of the problem,” said Dr. Cohen from his Financial District office. “Some patients don’t respond well to the rack-em-and-crack-em style shown on Dr. Oz, so there are more gentle approaches available.”  This can be determined by taking the time to evaluate each patient individually. What makes Dr. Cohen’s care different from the adjustment portrayed on the Dr. Oz show is that Dr. Cohen first meets with is patients to listen to them, discuss their symptoms, and test their muscle and nerve functions.

Talk to Dr. Cohen at his San Francisco office to discuss any questions you may have about chiropractic care.
4/29/11

Updated Post: I received an email from the chiropractor on the show and he clarified that an exam and assessment was done prior to adjusting the patient.  He pointed out that “the exam part doesn’t make for exciting television,” although he wished it would have been included. I agree and want to emphasize that I did not mean to offend or disparage him in any way.  I was criticizing the portrayal of chiropractic as simply moving bones for cracks, because good chiropractors, and I include the chiropractor from the show,  do much more than that.

The Examiner stated:

“LaLanne was a pioneer in fitness before it became an industry.

LaLanne was a chiropractor who opened his first health spa (what we’d now call a gym) back in 1936. Many of the things we see in gyms today came from the mind of Jack LaLanne. He is credited as the inventor of the leg extension machine, weight selector devices and several cable and pulley machines that are standards. Even the most hardcore bodybuilder who thinks pulley machines are only for soccer moms and newbies still has to thank LaLanne for the Smith machine that they likely use…

Jack LaLanne was, in many aspects, ahead of his time. He was a trailblazer in the fitness industry and should be remembered as such. Although some of the things he encouraged people to do and how he did it have been supplanted by better techniques and equipment, one of his core principals will always remain: Just get up and do something.”

It’s important to realize that although he is teaching basics that he learned at chiropractic school, his proactive approach to health was against the mainstream at the time. He said, “People thought I was a charlatan and a nut. The doctors were against me—they said that working out with weights would give people heart attacks and they would lose their sex drive,” according to Wikipedia.  Of course, now it’s mainstream to have a focus on exercise and nutrition — but at the time that was not the case.  Thank you Dr. Jack Lalanne for shifting the thought process.

Most of his old videos are still relevant, I would encourage you to spend a few minutes on Youtube checking them out.