JOURNAL.GRAPEVINECHIROPRACTIC.COM

Treating Scoliosis

2010-01-12T21:19:00Z

Check out the work of Janzen Chiropractic, CLEAR chiropractors in San Jose, CA. CLEAR Scoliosis protocol is the most innovative scoliosis work available today I'm blessed to be a part of such an amazing group of doctors!

Introducing Alivia Grace

2010-01-06T17:36:00Z

I have a brand new niece, Miss Alivia Grace. She's cute as can be! She was born at the Avenlee Birth Center; I can't say enough about the midwife, Jennifer and her assistants. They were top-notch and created a wonderful birth for my sister, her new baby, and our entire family.

Baby Alivia was born 100% naturally without interference of any kind, and her health has benefited for it. Current recommendations state that all children should be checked for subluxation after birth, especially if a c-section, forceps or vacuum extraction were used. These forces can create stresses and strains in the baby's spine that can lead to severe health problems throughout life.

Here's baby Alivia getting her first check at 2 hours old. I'm happy to say that she checked out 100% perfect, and didn't need an adjustment. I attribute this to her excellent prenatal care and gentle birth.

Carcinogen in Your Chips?!

2010-01-06T16:52:00Z

I cam to the conclusion many years ago that we are doing ourselves a huge disservice by processing our foods; the more I investigate nutrition the clearer this becomes. Researchers discovered a carcinogen called acrylamide in cooked, starchy foods way back in 2002. One of the researchers, Dale Hattis, stated that, “I estimate that acrylamide causes several thousand cancers per year in Americans".

The kicker is this: acrylamide either isn't found or is only found in very minute amounts in raw foods. It's the high-heat cooking process that changes the food and creates the carcinogen. Dr. Joseph Mercola states that, "eating one french fry is as bad for your health as smoking one cigarette." Keep this in mind next time you're tempted to "biggie size" that fry order.

The take-away message is this: if you want to maximize your health, don't eat chips and french fries... stick to the raw and boiled varieties.

Safety of Mammograms

2009-12-19T19:25:00Z

4 CAT-scans in your life-time is equivalent to the nuclear fallout from ground zero at Hiroshima
Each CAT-scan is eqivalent to 500 Chest X-rays
4 CAT-scans are equivalent to 2,000 chest rays
One mammogram is eqivalent to 100 Chest X-rays
Thermography is the safe alternative to mammograms

Seven Steps to Successful Resolutions

2009-12-16T16:16:00Z

New Year's Resolutions are as American as apple pie and as expected as turkey on Thanksgiving. After all, It's a good time of year to renew ourselves and look for a fresh start. Statistically speaking, most of those resolutions don't even make it past January 31st... but let's be honest here. Do most of your resolutions even make it off the paper??

There's good reason for this, and resolution failure can be prevented with just a little planning:

1. Pick one thing:

What are the chances that you're going to both lose weight AND double your income in 2010? Sure, it's possible, but let's be a little more realistic. Keep it simple and pick an action item that you'd most like to change about yourself; one thing that nags you and brings down your self esteem. For the over-achievers out there, don't worry; once you've mastered THIS ONE THING, then you can move on!

2. Be specific:

Sixty-six percent of Americans are overweight, and most of those people will write "lose weight" on their 2010 resolutions list. How successful do you think they'll be? How successful have you been in the past? To be successful, evaluate where you are now and where you want to be. Then use numbers to evaluate your progress. If your goal is to lose weight, then use body fat percentage as you goal- this is specific and measurable.

3. Plan Action Steps:

Prevent failure by honing in on the most important component and makeTHAT your initial step. In the example of weight loss, choose the goal "Eat 80% raw, uncooked vegetables at every meal" or "walk 20 minutes over lunch hour". Improving just one area and making that a new habit will bring you closer to your goal than half-completing five or six steps. Once you've mastered the first step then move on to your next step until your specific goal is achieved.

4. Plan a start date:

Not January 1st, unless you must. Plan a date when you will be prepared and ready. If your goal is to get to the gym 5 days a week, make sure you have your membership and a specific time carved out of your schedule before your start date.

5. You will fail:

Nobody is perfect every day, all day long. Recognize that you will cheat, you will forget, you will fail. Pick yourself back up, don't berate yourself, and GET GOING AGAIN!

6. Motivate yourself:

Be your own motivational speaker... create a mantra for yourself that is encouraging and uplifting and assumes that you've already reached your goal. "I AM 30% body fat" or, "I LOVE working out, it makes me feel so much better!" Images are a great motivator. Make your computer desktop wallpaper an image that reminds you of your goal. Tape a picture or magazine photograph on your bathroom mirror for reminder.

7. Reward yourself:

Pick rewards for yourself that will help you to stay motivated. Want new clothes? A trip you've been thinking about? Making positive changes in your life isn't about punishing or depriving yourself... it's about becoming a better, happier version of the already fabulous you!
GO FOR IT!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T04:07:00Z

Happy Halloween, everyone! This is my son Joshua's pumpkin artwork...

Hope your holiday was a fun as ours!

Spine in Decay

2009-10-11T03:46:00Z

This is a time-lapse video of a spine that is decaying.. .this is NOT the same as ageing. Just like your teeth, if your spine is not cared for it will decay. How healthy is your spine?

Fraudulent Insurance Companies?

2009-10-01T20:56:00Z

Cell Phone HOT List

2009-09-14T16:04:00Z

This chart and more information can be found on the Environmental Working Group's website. They also have great tips for reducing your exposure... and they're not all what you think.

Vaccination & Brain Damage: Inform Yourself

2009-09-06T03:00:00Z

Interesting video of a MD, PhD, Dr. Moulden, speaking about vaccination and neurological damage. Worth a quick watch here.

With an Ally Like This, Who Needs an Enemy?

2009-08-27T02:15:00Z

Alli Side Effects In Layman's Terms
by Jeff Kay

Alli is a new over-the-counter weight-loss pill which, predictably enough, has proven to be a massive best-seller from the moment it became available. The drug, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, reportedly works by blocking the absorption of excess fats by the body. And folks are waddling, not walking, to their local drug stores for a chance to start on the Alli "program."

As is the case with most drugs, Alli comes with a risk of certain side effects. Or, as they're known on the company website, treatment effects.

A person is reportedly limited to 15 grams of fat per meal, and if they go over (or even if they don't), there's a significant chance they'll find themselves out behind a shopping center somewhere, crying and clutching a wad of horrifyingly soiled undergarments, searching for a place to ditch it.

As best as I can tell, anyway...

Since a lot of this stuff is couched in language that is technically truthful, but very carefully worded, I've taken it upon myself to go through the list of side (treatment) effects and warnings, and translate it all into layman's terms.

I'm no scientist or doctor, and don't pretend to have any special knowledge. I'm just a person who's fairly good with words and reading between the lines... The highlighted phrases below are direct quotes from the Alli website, with my translations in between.

Undigested fat cannot be absorbed and passes through the body naturally. The excess fat is not harmful. In fact, you may recognize it in the toilet as something that looks like the oil on top of a pizza.

Here the drug makers are trying to soothe the nerves of the skeptical fatty, by speaking their language. Pizza is something fatties understand, and a big part of the reason they’re interested in Alli to begin with. Pizza is good, pizza is reassuring… even when it’s flowing from your ass like molten lava.

The website mentions seeing the undigested fat in a toilet, but that’s clearly a best case scenario. You might also see it on the tops of your shoes, across the hood of a car, or way up the shower curtain, near the loops.

The fat passes out of your body, so you may have bowel changes, known as treatment effects.

Bowel changes. Notice how they phrase that? It means stuff will be happening the likes of which you could never have imagined. It’ll be like a daily Dean Koontz novel inside your underwear.

You may get:

gas with oily spotting

You’ll be farting Wesson oil straight through your Dockers…

loose stools

and having violent chipped beef explosions...

more frequent stools that may be hard to control

all the time, with a sphincter that can no longer be counted as a friend.

Eating a low-fat diet lowers the chance of these bowel changes. Limit fat intake in your meals to an average of 15 grams.

The McDonald’s Big Mac has 34 grams of fat, and the Burger King Whopper has 40. Eat either of these while taking Alli, and you’ll very likely be transformed into a diarrhea cannon.

Learning how to manage treatment effects is an important part of being successful with alli. Here's how to take control:

Start trimming fat from your diet now, even before you begin taking alli. Then pick a day to begin taking alli, such as a weekend day so you can stay close to home if you experience a treatment effect. Make the timing work for you. If you're getting ready to travel or attend a social event, hold off on starting with alli until the event is over

Blowing liquid feces down a row of bridesmaids, for instance, could be viewed negatively in certain circles. Further, an unexpected bout of the power-squirts while riding “The Bullet” at the county fair might not ingratiate you with your friends. Or anyone on the fairway. Or the folks in the parking lot walking to their cars.

While no one likes experiencing treatment effects, they might help you think twice about eating questionable fat content. If you think of it like that, alli can act like a security guard for your late-night cravings

You see, when you think about it, shitting yourself is actually a positive.

You can't "save fat grams" from lunch and "spend them" at dinner. Spread your daily fat gram allowance of 15 grams on average per meal over the whole day

Cheating can lead to embarrassment, tears, and the introduction of a frantically constructed toilet paper crack-wedge in the bathroom of an Applebee's. It’s simply not worth it.

You may feel an urgent need to go to the bathroom. Until you have a sense of any treatment effects, it's probably a smart idea to wear dark pants, and bring a change of clothes with you to work

Until you get the hang of it, you should probably take along a rolling suitcase full of brown clothes everywhere you go, while taking Alli. Luckily, however, turd-colored clothing is in this season; turd is the new vomit.

If co-workers ask about it, there is no shame in telling the truth. You might be surprised how understanding folks can be if you simply say, “I dress like this to conceal the poop that's constantly soaking through the seat of my pants.”

You may not usually get gassy, but it's a possibility when you take alli. The bathroom is really the best place to go when that happens

Showboating is not recommended.

You can use a food journal to recognize what foods can lead to treatment effects. For example, writing down what you eat may help you learn that marinara sauce is a better option than Alfredo sauce

In addition to a handcart full of extra pants designed to camouflage your anal leakage, it might also be a good idea to carry a schematic and information wheel, so you don't repeat past mistakes and have a treatment effect halfway up your back.

I hope this information has proven to be valuable.

Dr. Christy wins Flickr Photo of the Week from KERA

2009-08-26T19:55:00Z

Dr. Christy was KERA's Art & Seek photo winner of the week August 24, 2009. You can see more of Dr. Christy's work on Flickr under the screen name Ein Schuss.

Book Review: Lunch Lessons

2009-08-20T02:29:00Z

This book is chalk full of interesting health tidbits, child nutrition common sense, road map starting points for making change in your school. I found some of the recipes a little involved... this isn't a quick-fix-throw-lunch-together type of book. The recipes were refreshing, however, and I really could see my kids at least trying the Squash Phyllo Triangles or Pasta with Greens and Feta.

The Lunch Lessons Website has a number of useful tools including the Meal Wheel, recipes, and the chance to follow Chef Ann on Twitter.

Also featured in the book is a cool lunch system called Laptop Lunches. These lunchboxes are designed to help keep portions healthy and limit waste. They're made from polypropylene and polyethylene, two of the safer plastics as rated by the Environmental Working Group.

Safe Fish

2009-08-20T01:22:00Z

Very cool website designed especially for cell phone use. Save the URLonto your phone and you're able to quickly check any type of fish forit's safety rating. I will be using this on my next visit to Kampi Sushi, one of my favorite sushi restaurants in Dallas.

Check out the website from your phone here:

FishPhone

Is it Ever Okay to Buy Non-Organic?

2009-08-20T00:52:00Z

The Environmental Working Group has identified several fruits & veggies that consistently have the lowest amount of pesticide residue. These are okay to buy 'conventional' when organic is not available:

avocados
pineapples
mangoes
kiwi
papayas
watermelon
grapefruit
onions
sweet corn
asparagus
sweet peas
cabbage
eggplant
broccoli
tomatoes
sweet potatoes

I would encourage you to purchase the organic version whenever it is available. This promotes organic farming and farmers. Organic foods have also not been genetically modified.

Here are a couple of quick facts to help you feel great about an organic purchase:

Most Americans have traces of at least 6 pesticides in their urine.
Since WWII pesticide use has risen 10 fold. During this same time period crop loss due to pests has doubled.

The Dark Side of Fluoride

2009-08-19T15:47:00Z

Josh & Chuck from the Stuff You Should Know podcast tackle another chemical additive in this podcast about fluoride. Check out this information and buy yourself a good water filter.

High Fructose Corn Syrup

2009-08-16T02:39:00Z

Check out this fun and informative podcast from the website of How Stuff Works.com. Josh Clark & Chuck Bryant co-host the "Stuff You Should Know" podcast with charm and charisma, adding humor to this important subject.

When it comes to sugar, high fructose corn syrup is just like any other nutritional topic- keep it simple and natural and your body will thank you. High fructose corn syrup is neither natural nor simple, so keep it out of your food. For all the details and a good laugh, press play below.

Asparagus with Garlic and Pecans

2009-08-13T22:14:00Z

Asparagus with Garlic and Pecans

Makes 4 servings

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 pound fresh asparagus, broken into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon soy sauce
¹/₂ cup pecan halves

Sauté garlic in oil in a medium skillet. Add asparagus and soy sauce. Cook 4 to 6 minutes, stirring often until asparagus is tender. Add pecans and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve.

Per serving (1/4 of recipe)

Calories: 111
Fat: 10.3 g
Saturated Fat: 1 g
Calories from Fat: 83.4%
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Protein: 3.1 g
Carbohydrates: 3.9 g
Sugar: 1.5 g
Fiber: 2.2 g
Sodium: 230 mg
Calcium: 23 mg
Iron: 0.8 mg
Vitamin C: 14.5 mg
Beta Carotene: 274 mcg
Vitamin E: 1 mg

Source: Amy Joy Lanou, Ph.D.

TED Talks: Seth Godin

2009-08-11T13:45:00Z

Beauty Products: Ingredients to Avoid

2009-08-05T15:19:00Z

Here are some common ingredients to avoid when buying soaps, shampoos and beauty products:

DMDM hydantoin and Imidazolidinyl urea
Fragrance and dyes
Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone
Parabens or anything with the suffex -paraben
PEG and -eth
sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate
triclosan and triclocarban
triethanolamine (TEA)
Anti-aging creams with lactic, glycolic, AHA, and BHA acids
Liquid hand soaps with triclosan
Nail polish and removers with formaldehyde
Skin lighteners with hydroquinone
Diaper creams with sodium borate
Baby wipes with 2-bromo-2nitropropane-1,3-diol

copy & paste this list into your phone, or print a small copy to keep in your wallet for reference at the grocery store.

JOURNAL.GRAPEVINECHIROPRACTIC.COM

Treating Scoliosis

Introducing Alivia Grace

Carcinogen in Your Chips?!

Safety of Mammograms

4 CAT-scans in your life-time is equivalent to the nuclear fallout from ground zero at Hiroshima

Each CAT-scan is eqivalent to 500 Chest X-rays

4 CAT-scans are equivalent to 2,000 chest rays

One mammogram is eqivalent to 100 Chest X-rays

Thermography is the safe alternative to mammograms

Seven Steps to Successful Resolutions

1. Pick one thing:

2. Be specific:

3. Plan Action Steps:

4. Plan a start date:

5. You will fail:

6. Motivate yourself:

7. Reward yourself:

Happy Halloween!

Spine in Decay

Fraudulent Insurance Companies?

Cell Phone HOT List

Vaccination & Brain Damage: Inform Yourself

With an Ally Like This, Who Needs an Enemy?

Dr. Christy wins Flickr Photo of the Week from KERA

Book Review: Lunch Lessons

Safe Fish

Is it Ever Okay to Buy Non-Organic?

The Dark Side of Fluoride

High Fructose Corn Syrup

Asparagus with Garlic and Pecans

Asparagus with Garlic and Pecans

TED Talks: Seth Godin

Beauty Products: Ingredients to Avoid