Archive by Author

Football Player Reveals Simple Secret To Success

5 Jan

At 37 years old, Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks in professional football.

He may not be old for the average person, but 37 is considered old for a professional football player, especially for a super-star professional football player.

So, how does Tom Brady, the quarterback for the New England Patriots, do it?

When asked recently, he said, “I do go to bed very early because I’m up very early.  I think that the decisions I make [probably always] center around performance enhancement, if that makes sense.  So whether that is what I eat or what decisions I make or whether I drink or don’t drink, it’s always football-centric.  I want to be the best I can be every day.  I want to be the best I can be every week.  I want to be the best I can be for my teammates.”

What does this have to do with you?

Quite a bit, actually.

I’m sure you noticed that Tom Brady’s “secret” was kind of a let down.  No magic supplements.  No crazy exercise program.

Just common sense-101.

That’s because there really are no secrets to success, great health, or whatever you want to achieve in life.

Something like going to bed early can have a dramatic impact on your health and performance in the long-term.  It is hard or impossible to measure the impact of just one night’s sleep, but there is no doubt that years of consistently doing the right thing pays HUGE dividends.

The same holds true for diet and exercise.

One meal or walk around the block does not seem to mean much, but those exact same things done ritualistically for years can change your life.

So, follow Tom Brady’s example… and go to bed early TONIGHT.  And start eating right and exercising RIGHT NOW.

Not tomorrow.  Not next week.  Not after the holidays.  RIGHT NOW.

And then, don’t stop.

Sincerely,

Dr. Binder

Diabetes Prevention and Control

1 Jan

Chiropractic is often sought after for managing conditions associated with the nerves, muscles, bones, and joints (or the “neuromusculoskeletal system”), and typically NOT for conditions associated with blood sugar (which is also called dysinsulinism, since insulin controls our blood sugar levels). Insulin controls the level of our blood sugar and is secreted by the endocrine part of the pancreas. Can chiropractic help in the management process of diabetes, and if so, how? Let’s take a look!

In 2012, the American Diabetes Association reported that 29.1 million Americans, or 9.2% of the population, had diabetes compared with 25.8 million (8.3%) in 2010. Worldwide, the number of diabetics in 2010 was estimated at 165 million people and may reach 330 million by 2025! More importantly, 8.1 million were undiagnosed in 2012 vs. 7 million in 2010. Since diabetes (Type II) is usually acquired later in life, the prevalence among seniors in America (>65 years old) in 2010 was 25.9% (11.8 million), including both diagnosed and not diagnosed. What is most alarming is the growing rate of diabetes among our youth (younger than 20 years old), which affects approximately 208,000 Americans (about 0.25% of that population) with an annual incidence rate of 18,436 with Type I and 5,089 with Type II diabetes. The list of problems that can arise BECAUSE of diabetes includes (but is not limited to) hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), hypertension, high “bad” blood fat (LDL, cholesterol), cardiovascular disease-related deaths (1.7 times higher), stroke, blindness/visual problems, kidney disease, and amputations. In 2013, the total cost associated with diabetes in the United States was $245 billion ($176 in direct medical costs and $69 billion in reduced productivity).

What can chiropractors do about this? First, we can help get the condition properly diagnosed. Symptoms such as numbness/tingling in the hands and/or feet may be related to diabetic neuropathy, and these symptoms often drive the undiagnosed diabetic patient to our clinics. Other common symptoms that “look like” a typical chiropractic complaint include limited joint motion, stiff hands, muscle pain, shoulder capsulitis, osteopenia, tendonitis, osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and more! A simple urine and blood test can identify whether diabetes is part of the problem, which we may be able to conduct in the office or refer you to your primary care physician, if necessary.

So, what can we as chiropractors do for those with diabetes? First, recognize that blood sugar must be controlled. There are many nutrients — herbal, vitamins, and minerals — that can help (see WebMD for a LONG list). Dietary management can include an anti-inflammatory diet, removing grains (gluten is BAD), and emphasizing fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and “good“ fats. The use of chromium (up to 1000 mcg/day) can have significant benefits in both prevention and treatment of diabetes with studies that date back to the 1950s! It’s considered safe for most children and adults and can even be used during pregnancy! Besides reducing high blood sugar, it can help lower “bad” cholesterol (and raise “good” cholesterol), fight depression, aid in weight loss, increase muscle mass, and decrease body fat! Some reports include athletic performance benefits and increased energy as well! Let us help guide you in this process!

We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs.  If you, a friend, or family member requires care, we would be honored to render our services.

How to Avoid Whiplash!

31 Dec

Whiplash is a common problem following motor vehicle collisions and because prevention is considered the best medicine, here are some tips to AVOID car crashes altogether …

Don’t eat, take your eyes off the road while talking, fiddle with the radio or iPod, talk on your cell phone, or text while driving! The National Safety Council estimates 1.6 million crashes are caused by cell phone use, and you’re four times more likely to have a crash while talking on a cell phone. In 2011, 23% of auto collisions involved cell phone use, and of those, 21% involving people between ages 16 and 19 were fatal. A good website to check out WITH YOUR CHILDREN is http://www.textinganddrivingsafety.com. Texting while driving results in a minimum of five seconds of eyes off the road, which is equal to the length of a football field if you’re traveling at 55 mph (~88 km per hour). While talking on the phone increases your crash risk by 30%, texting increases your risk 2,300%! About one in seven drivers between ages 16-20 involved in car wrecks admit to texting or talking on their mobile devices at the time of the crash, and 82% of Americans age 16-17 own cell phones. A third say they text while driving, 52% say they talk on a cell phone while driving, and 77% of young adults are very or somewhat confident that they can safely text while driving. About half of young drivers have seen their parents drive and talk on a cell phone, and 15% have seen them texting while driving. One in four adults have sent or received text messages while driving and half of kids age 12-17 have been in a car while the driver was texting. One in five drivers of ALL ages confess to surfing the web or texting while driving AND they “justify it” with excuses like “reading a text is safer than composing and sending one,” “the phone is held near the windshield for better visibility,” “I increase the following distance,” and “I text only at a stop sign or red light.”

So WHAT CAN BE DONE to change this behavior? Ten states in the United States prohibit ALL drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving and 32 states prohibit novice drivers from cell phone use. Thirty-nine states prohibit ALL drivers from text messaging. Parents can “DRIVECAM” their kids’ cars – a device that monitors a driver’s activity and provides real-time feedback with video. Use the AT&T “Drive Mode” app. It’s a FREE APP for Android & Blackberry that prohibits texting while driving. Teens and parents can also take the text-free-driving pledge at textinganddrivingsafety.com. Social media sites for anti-texting & driving awareness include Facebook & Twitter: @RayLaHood, @DistrationGov, @NHTSgov, @DriveSafely. Check out blogs such as FromReidsDad.Org, RookieDriver.wordpress.com, ctdrive.blogspot.com, and EndDD.org.

One Belgium-based project tricked teen drivers into thinking that in order to pass their driving test, they had to be able to successfully text and drive on a tight course. The results on You Tube are both funny AND frightening. Student reactions included: “If this becomes law, I’ll stop driving,” “It’s impossible,” “What you’re asking is dangerous,” “People will die,” and “Honestly, I feel like an idiot who can’t drive.”

Drive safely and enjoy a long, happy life!

We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs.  If you, a friend, or family member requires care for Whiplash, we would be honored to render our services.

The Diagnosis and Misdiagnosis of Fibromyalgia

30 Dec

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition that the medical community has long had difficulty defining. As stated last month, FM is often considered a “musculoskeletal disorder” (MSK) because of the aches and pains it produces in the muscles and joints. However, this is not really accurate since FM includes many other symptoms beyond just severe muscle pain, such as extreme fatigue, mental fog, sleep disorders, irritable bowel, and more. As such, “misdiagnosis” is more common than an accurate diagnosis when it comes the FM. Let’s take a closer look!

FM is described as a “syndrome,” meaning it includes multiple complaints and findings that commonly occur together such as (but not limited to) widespread pain, decreased pain tolerance or threshold, multiple tender points, incapacitating fatigue, anxiety, and/or depression. Though the intensity of these symptoms can vary, persistent and chronic fatigue is one of the most common complaints, second only to the whole body deep muscle aches. Unlike “normal” fatigue, the type of fatigue, weakness, and exhaustion associated with FM often leads to social isolation, and as a result, anxiety and/or depression.

The reason WHY FM is so difficult to diagnose is that: 1) These same symptoms are found in many other conditions and, 2) There is no one test that can diagnose FM like a blood test or x-ray. The diagnosis process must RULE OUT all the other conditions that present with similar symptoms. Hence, blood tests are used to rule out anemia or hypothyroid (for fatigue), inflammatory arthritis, and Lyme disease. Sleep studies are used to rule out sleep apnea (which can co-exist with FM). X-rays are used to rule out a bone or joint cause of the patient’s muscle pain. Many diseases or conditions have a pattern of complaints, but FM doesn’t consistently follow a similar presentation. There are so many different degrees of FM and the symptoms include so many different systems of the body that FM sufferers often have to go from doctor to doctor before they find one willing to take the time needed to properly assess for fibromyalgia. Some doctors firmly believe there is no such thing as FM stating that “…it’s all in the head!” This can only adds to the frustration, anxiety, and depression for the FM sufferer.

Common misdiagnoses include (but are not limited to) depression, inflammatory arthritis (like rheumatoid or lupus), chronic myofascial pain syndrome, or chronic fatigue syndrome. Conditions commonly associated with FM may include some of the above as well as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), thyroid deficiency, and others, which only makes the diagnosis of FM even more challenging!

Some doctors and researchers use the term “primary FM” for FM that is not caused by something else vs. “secondary FM” where something like a trauma (eg., car accident), IBS, or an inflammatory arthritis either precedes the start of FM symptoms or is closely associated with its onset. The important point is that FM is unique and it must be properly diagnosed so accurate and effective treatment can be administered. The diagnostic Guidelines for FM include three main things: 1) Widespread pain in all four body quadrants; 2) At least three months of symptoms; and 3) No other disease is causing these symptoms.  You can expect us to check for the following: 1) Widespread pain; 2) Trigger point evaluation; 3) Ask about fatigue; 4) Ask about sleep disturbances; 5) Ask about stress levels; and 6) Ask about depression. Proper treatment is often best approached with a “team” consisting of chiropractic, primary care, clinical psychology and/or counseling, and sometimes others.

If you, a friend or family member requires care for Fibromyalgia, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services!

Neck Pain – When Should I Come In?

30 Dec

Neck pain is one of the most common complaints patients have when they come to a chiropractic office for the first time, second only to low back pain. Neck pain affects all of us at some point in life, and for some, it can become a chronic, permanent problem that can interfere with many desired activities and lower their quality of life. There are many different causes, and prompt evaluation and treatment is important is some cases.

Neck pain and stiffness are the two most common symptoms that present for evaluation and treatment. This can be located in the middle of the neck and/or on either side and can extend down to the shoulders and / or chest. It can contribute to or cause tension headaches that can travel up the back of the head and sometimes behind the eyes. Pain often increases with neck movement, such as when turning the head to check traffic while driving and/or it can hurt at rest while held in static positions, such as when reading a book. Neck pain can come on gradually or quickly and often cannot be traced to a specific injury or cause making it a challenge to figure out. While neck pain is often not serious or life-threatening, there are causes that should be evaluated promptly. If you wake up with acute neck pain associated with very limited range of motion, this may be due to torticollis, or wry neck, and prompt treatment helps it resolve more quickly than “waiting it out.” Torticollis can be caused by exposure to a draft, changes in weather, trauma, or after a cold or flu. When in doubt, come in for an evaluation and treatment, as anxiety associated with the “fear of the unknown” only adds to the stress associated with neck pain and it’s ALWAYS best to be “…safe than sorry!”

Numbness or tingling may accompany neck pain and can be located in the face, arms, hands, and/or fingers. This is one of those times to come in promptly, as these symptoms may indicate the pinching of a nerve root in the neck. There are MANY chiropractic treatment approaches that effectively treat nerve root pinching, and treatment should NOT be delayed. Other common symptoms may include clicking, crunching, or grinding noises, technically called crepitus, which may or may not be benign. If the noise is accompanied by pain, especially if it radiates down to the shoulder blades or arms (either side or both), it’s time to promptly come in. Any time symptoms occur acutely or come on fast, it’s best to get evaluated as soon as possible.

Dizziness is another common symptom that can result from neck problems and is often associated with movement such as rising from laying or sitting. Certain positions of the neck can also bring on dizziness. This is sometimes caused by the “stones” in the inner ear shifting out of position and is technically called BPPV or “benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.” When this occurs, we can usually manage it very well with treatment and specific BPPV exercises. Other times, dizziness may be due to a restriction in blood flow reaching the brain. In which case, a prompt evaluation is VERY appropriate, especially if blackouts occur.

Sleep interruption or difficulty falling asleep are other good reasons to seek prompt evaluation and treatment. Sleep loss can lead to many problems such as excessive fatigue, tiredness, irritability, and just generally feeling poor! Remember, prompt care usually results in prompt resolution!

We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs.  If you, a friend, or family member requires care for neck pain, we would be honored to render our services.

Who Else Wants to Make Their Body Younger, Have More Energy and Decrease Your Risk of Heart Disease, Stroke, Cancer, and Mental Dysfunction?

29 Dec

Our basic premise is that your body is amazing.  You get a do over. It doesn’t take that long, and it isn’t that hard if you know what to do.  In these notes, we give you a short course in what to do so it becomes easy for you, and for you to teach others. We want you to know how much control you have over both the  quality and length of your life.

If you want to make your body younger, have more energy, and decrease your risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and mental dysfunction by at least 80%, then the researchers who studied the men of Sweden, nurses from the United States, and patients at multiple locations, including the Cleveland Clinic, want you to know that making these five choices can help you do just that:

Choice #1: Eat a diet with less than four ounces of red meat a week, five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, only whole grains, and no added sugars or syrups.

Choice #2: Do at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day (this includes walking).

Choice #3: Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) under 25.

Choice #4: Avoid all tobacco products.

Choice #5: Drink only a moderate amount (less than two drinks) of alcohol per day, and never more.

While the Swedish men, nurses, and patients who made all five choices managed to cut their risk for heart disease, stroke, cancer, and mental dysfunction by at least 80%, the sad truth is that the numbers only accounts for 4% of those studied.

But, it may not be too late for you, even if you aren’t currently doing any of the five things listed above! You can always start making healthier choices now, even if you’ve already had a heart attack. Get your plan together today.

Thanks for reading. And feel free to send more questions, you can always send us questions at youdocs@gmail.com, and some of them we may know enough to answer (we’ll try to get answers for you if we do not know).

Young Dr. Mike Roizen (aka, The Enforcer)

NOTE: You should NOT take this as medical advice.  This article is of the opinion of its author.  Before you do anything, please consult with your doctor.

You can follow Dr Roizen  (and get updates on the latest and most important medical stories  of the week) on twitter @YoungDrMike.

Feel free to continue to send questions to youdocs@gmail.com. You can follow Dr Roizen on twitter @YoungDrMike (and get updates on the latest and most important medical stories of the week).  The YOU docs have a new web site: YOUBeauty.com  and its companion BeautySage.com the only site we know of where you can find skin products proven to meet the claims (opened for business on June 1st, 2012), and a new book: YOU: The Owner’s Manual for Teens.

Michael F. Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer and chair of the Wellness Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. His radio show streams live on http://www.healthradio.net  Saturdays from 5-7 p.m . E-mail him questions at YouDocs@gmail.com.   He is the co-author of 4 #1 NY Times Best Sellers including : YOU Staying Young and YOU: The Owner’s Manual. He is Chief Medical Consultant to the two year running Emmy award winning Dr Oz show– The Dr Oz show is #2 nationally in daytime TV.  See what all the fun is about, and what he, The Enforcer, is up to. Check local listings or log onto DoctorOz.com for channel and time. And for more health info, log onto youbeauty.com anytime. 

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