Research Finds Low-Glycemic Index Diet Helps Mice with Autism.

10 Aug

In the past 20 years, the number of diagnosed cases of autism spectrum disorder has dramatically increased. While both a cause for the substantial increase in diagnoses and a cure for autism remain elusive, the findings of a new study indicate that a low-glycemic index diet — a diet used to treat type 2 diabetics — may benefit people with autism. In the study, researchers used mice found to display autism-like symptoms and fed them either a high-glycemic index diet (heavy with foods such as breads, cereals, and other sugary processed foods that can cause blood sugar levels to spike) or a low-glycemic index diet (heavy with vegetables, fruits, and whole grains that take longer to digest, which can keep blood sugar levels more even).

During the study, the research team observed that the mice on the high-glycemic diet displayed several behavioral symptoms consistent with autism such as extensive grooming, repeated actions that served no apparent purpose, and impaired social interactions with other mice. Blood samples from this population of mice showed decreased levels of doublecortin, a protein that indicates neuron development, and increased levels of inflammation markers. On the other hand, the mice fed the low-glycemic diet showed fewer autism-related symptoms, greater neural development, and lower levels of inflammation.

While this study was conducted with mice and further research needs to be done to see if similar results can be observed in human subjects, it does offer hope for patients with autism spectrum disorder as well as a potential avenue to look for a possible contributing cause for the disease. If you don’t have autism spectrum disorder, you can at least take away the finding that eating more natural foods and fewer processed foods will not only help you better manage your blood sugar levels and possibly reduce your risk for diabetes, but if these findings hold up for humans, a low-glycemic diet may also reduce inflammation (which will lower your risk for chronic diseases) and may also help improve your brain’s function.

Reacting Positively to Stressful Situations Can Benefit Your Health!

6 Aug

It is known that inflammation increases an individual’s risk for several chronic diseases, but until recently, it was not known if one’s emotional responses to daily stress were linked to inflammation production.  In a recent study, 872 adults from the National Study of Daily Experiences (sub-study of Midlife in the United States II) reported daily stressors and their reaction to them during telephone interviews over the course of eight days.  Blood samples were obtained at a separate clinic visit and analyzed for inflammatory markers.

The researchers note, “Adults who fail to maintain positive affect when faced with minor stressors in everyday life appear to have elevated levels of IL-6, a marker of inflammation.  Women who experience increased negative affect when faced with minor stressors may be at particular risk of elevated inflammation.  These findings add to growing evidence regarding the health implications of affective reactivity to daily stressors.” 

Dr. Nancy Sin, postdoctoral fellow in the Center for Healthy Aging and Department of Biobehavioral Health at Penn State adds, “A person’s frequency of stress may be less related to inflammation than responses to stress. It is how a person reacts to stress that is important.”

Blind Dog Helps Others See Better Days!

4 Aug

Sometimes real life is better than any Hollywood movie.  This might be one of those moments…

He was a nameless dog, born without eyes, serving a life sentence in a terrible puppy mill.  Who knows how much longer this particular golden retriever would have suffered — or even been allowed to live — if it wasn’t for one special person.

Enter Joanne George.

  • Certified with the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers in 2003
  • Professional member of the Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers
  • Therapy Dog Evaluator for St. John Ambulance
  • Training professionally for over 15 years
  • Veterinary Assistant for over 20 years
  • Educated in Canine Behavior

Joanne rescued the golden retriever and named him Smiley.  She quickly noticed something was very wrong with her new dog.  Smiley was very introverted and scared, which wouldn’t be unexpected for a dog in his situation, but there was more…

Smiley was born without eyes, yet his eyelids were open and this appeared to be causing him a great deal of pain.  Joanne arranged for a veterinarian to help close Smiley’s eyelids.

As soon as this happened, Smiley’s pain subsided and he started to come around.

Joanne paired Smiley with a deaf Great Dane named Tyler.  Tyler is high energy, and the two hit it off.  Tyler immediately raised Smiley’s energy and spirits.

“Tyler was so bouncy and crazy and happy-go-lucky and [Smiley] turned into the same dog,” George told ABC News.  “He came out from underneath the tables where he was always hiding.”

As soon as Smiley started to interact with people, his shyness melted away.  Not only did he tolerate being around them, but he became very friendly, even with strangers he’d just met. Joanne spotted a gift in Smiley and started taking him to hospitals and schools to visit people who needed some cheering up.

There was one patient in a nursing home named Teddy whom no one visited and hadn’t been known to speak during his stay.  The staff at the nursing home said they had never even saw him smile.  That was, of course, until Smiley came along.  Joanne recalls, “(Teddy) smiled and laughed when Smiley got into his vision.  It was so touching to see we had made a difference… a big difference in this man’s life.”

The therapy work Smiley does is quite amazing, especially with children. Joanne adds, “It’s very touching when they see how he was born different and it’s ok to be different and you can still overcome things.  Their confidence level goes right up.”

Smiley’s biggest message is that whoever you are and whatever circumstances or situations you are in, you can always overcome them.  You can always be happy.  You can always smile.

Is There a Secret to Success and Happiness?

3 Aug

Webster’s Dictionary defines a secret as something kept hidden from others or something that is known to only a few people.

While real secrets probably exist, most of the “secrets” for success and happiness come from knowledge that is more common than we think.  In reality, we just choose to ignore or not act on such knowledge, as demonstrated in the fable called The Lion and the Mouse…

A lion was awakened from sleep by a mouse running over his face.  Rising up angrily, he caught him and was about to kill him, when the Mouse piteously entreated, saying:  “If you would only spare my life, I would be sure to repay your kindness.”  The Lion laughed and let him go.  It happened shortly after this that the Lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him by strong ropes to the ground.  The Mouse, recognizing his roar, came and gnawed the rope with his teeth and set him free, exclaiming: “You ridiculed the idea of my ever being able to help you, expecting to receive from me any repayment of your favor; now you know that it is possible for even a Mouse to confer benefits on a Lion.”

The moral of this story is:  No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

Pretty simple, right?  One can call this a “secret to success and happiness.”  Doing acts of kindness will not only enrich other’s lives, but they will also enrich yours.

Let’s be honest… Everyone already knows that.  YOU already know that.  So, how is it a “secret” if everyone already knows it?

You see, there is a big difference between not knowing about something versus choosing not to do something about it.  If we are honest with ourselves, we know what the right thing to do is most of the time.  We just choose not to because it is too hard or we are too lazy or whatever the reason may be.

So, maybe the definition of a “secret” should be “the right thing that most people choose not to do.”

Think about it.  How many random acts of kindness have you done today in which you cannot see any immediate personal gain?  This week?  This month?  This year?

For most people, the answer to that question is a sobering realization.

It is never too late to start.  It is never too late to be the lion.  Or the mouse.

Stop reading this and do a random act of kindness in the next five minutes. Make up your mind you are going to do one every day for the next week and see what happens in your life.

You won’t be disappointed.

Sincerely,
Dr. Binder

Can Stress Contribute to Your Back and Neck Pain?

30 Jul

In a study that looked at stress and how people who seek chiropractic care perceive it, researchers wrote that psychosocial stress, “…pervades modern life and is known to have an impact on health. Pain, especially chronic back pain, is influenced by stress.” Here, ten different chiropractic clinics reported results tallied from 138 patients who were given questionnaires about stress and its association with their current condition.

Of interest, more than 30% categorized themselves as being “moderately to severely stressed,” and over 50% felt that stress had a moderate or greater effect on their presenting complaint. Further, about 71% of the patients felt that a stress management approach would be useful to help them cope and 44% were interested in taking a “self-development program to enhance their stress management skills.”

The study concluded that: 1) patient perceptions are known to be important in management approaches and treatment outcomes; 2) in this study, about 1/3 of patients presenting perceived themselves as being moderately or severely stressed; and 3) interventions that reduce stress or the patient’s perception of being stressed may be an important and valid “intervention” in patient management.

So, how do doctors of chiropractic do this? First is pain management, which is often at the core of a current heightened stress level, as it can push the stress level “over the edge.” But just managing pain doesn’t always work by itself, and doctors of chiropractic will often intervene with nutritional recommendations such as educating the patient about an “anti-inflammatory diet,” and the use of vitamin and/or herbal approaches specific to stress management, including specific nutritional approaches to balancing neurotransmitter levels. Other approaches may include the use of various calming techniques that can be employed at times when patients are “stressed” and can be used during the day during these “stressful moments.”

There are even “calming apps” to help de-stress and clear the mind available for your smartphone! Just as there are apps to measure your steps, calories, or METS burned during the day, these apps are specific for calming and reducing stress! Here are the names of a few that are FREE for you to investigate and consider (Web, Android, or iOS): MindMeister, Breath2Relax, White Noise Lite, Calm, Diaro, Headspace, Relax, Guided Meditations, and more. Give one of these a try as it is clear we all focus far too little on stress management!

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.

Whiplash – “Will This Ever Get Better?”

29 Jul

Whiplash (or WAD – whiplash associated disorders) can be defined by a sudden movement of the head and neck beyond its normal range of motion resulting in pain and stiffness and less often, numbness and tingling in the arms and hands. Prognosis is a term associated with a predicted outcome of a condition with the passage of time, either with or without treatment. A condition is considered “stable” when symptoms aren’t changing and are not likely to change significantly over the next several months to a year. In general, recovery may depend on the severity of the injury. Usually, minor whiplash injuries will resolve completely within approximately one to two weeks, moderate whiplash injuries within approximately four to eight weeks, and severe whiplash may or may not completely “resolve.” Rather, severe whiplash may result in a chronic condition which may lead to a permanent reduction or a complete loss of certain functions. There are “risk factors” that can result in either a prolonged recovery or just a partial recovery, regardless of the degree of injury which makes the process of prognosing whiplash cases challenging. Let’s take a closer look!

There have been many published studies that have looked at the long-term prognosis of whiplash injuries using different approaches. For example, one study reported that reduced cervical range of motion was able to predict those less likely to fully recover after one year.

Another study broke down acute whiplash patients into seven risk levels using one-year work disability (total number of days missed from work) as the main outcome measure. The age of injured subjects ranged from 18-70 years and injuries varied between WAD 1 to 3 (WAD 1 = Pain but no loss of motion, primarily soreness; WAD 2: Loss of motion and muscle tightness/pain; WAD 3: Same as WAD 2 but WITH neurological problems like numbness &/or weakness in the arms due to nerve injury). The study evaluated a total of 483 women and 250 men within ten days of their motor vehicle collision (MVC). At the end of one year, a total of 605 participants completed the study and were given a “RISK SCORE” which included: a) initial neck pain/headache intensity; b) the number of non-painful complaints; and c) active cervical range of motion. When researchers compared the patients’ RISK SCORE at the one-year mark to their work disability (number of sick days), they found a direct correlation between lower scores and lower work disability and higher scores and greater work disability. They concluded that this could be a valuable tool to assess a patient’s ability to return to work following WAD injuries.

It’s worth noting that many studies have found no association between the amount of damage to the vehicle and the patient’s risk for a poor outcome.

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.

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