Archive for the ‘Chiropractic’ Category

Chiropractic care is a method to maintain good health conditions of the spinal column, discs, related nerves and bone geometry. The fascinating thing is that its done without drugs or surgery. Chiropractors say that it is the art and science of adjusting misaligned joints of the body, especially of the spine. Spinal nerve stress is greatly reduced through Chiropractic Care which promotes health throughout the body.

During pregnancy, there are several physiological and endocrinological changes that occur in a human body, creating the environment for the developing baby. This also involves weight bearing changes which causes added stress to the spine. Chiropractic care during pregnancy not only can help you to stay more comfortable, but can also help to facilitate your birth.

During pregnancy, the pelvis can get misaligned. When this happens, the amount of room available for the fetus greatly reduces. This restriction is called intrauterine constraint. Less amount of room may also make it difficult for the baby to get into the best possible position for delivery. Through Chiropractic Care, pelvic balance and alignment can be obtained.

Chiropractic care during pregnancy may provide the following benefits

• Helps to maintain a healthier pregnancy
• Helps in controlling symptoms of nausea
• Increases the likelihood of full-term delivery
• Can reduce the time of labor and delivery
• Helps relieve back, neck or joint pain
• Can prevent a potential cesarean section

Chiropractic care during pregnancy is absolutely safe for both mother and fetus. Spinal adjustments are especially gentle during pregnancy. This is due to the increase in hormones released during pregnancy which causes significant muscle and ligament relaxation. Hence less force is required to correct sub-luxations Special adjustable positions can also be provided ensuring comfort and safety for both mother and fetus.

Specialised doctors who are licensed to diagnose and correct subluxations are called Chiropractors. Currently there are about 100 Chiropractic Physicians in the United States and Canada who have completed a 3 year post-doctorate degree. They specialize in maternity and pediatric care. According to Chiropractors the frequency of care varies for a number of different reasons. Normally, regular care during a non-complicated pregnancy will range from once per week to once per month.

So, as a pregnant woman adjusts to her new body during her pregnancy, it is important for her to learn and understand the benefits of chiropractic care. Small adjustments may improve her overall health as an expectant mother. Also chiropractic care is a drug-free approach to pain reduction and that eliminates unnecessary complications that might arise due to intake of unnecessary medication. And above all, scientific studies have proved that chiropractic care works! Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy is proved to restore balance to the pelvis and the muscles and ligaments that attach to the pelvis. That leads to better deliveries for you and your baby.

We shouldnt forget that pregnancy should be a time full of health and happiness! It should not be a time to suffer from pain or discomfort .Contact your local Chiropractic Physician who has specialized training in maternity care and work with him so that you can experience the quality of life you and your unborn child deserve!

Learn and understand more about Chiropractic Care at the Chiropractor pages at http://chiropractor.zupatips.com

As a Doctor of Chiropractic, I often deal with new patients who carry
an unreasonable fear concerning chiropractic treatment. I currently
practice in San Diego, California and have been in practice for 15 years.
At this point in my life, I keep in close contact with 8 friends that
I made in school. There are another 10 or so that I speak with 2 or 3
times per year. All but one of these doctors has been in full time
practice for at least 15 years. Out of all of these doctors, not one of
them has had a patient sue them for treatment related
injuries. One of these doctors, knows a doctor who was sued by a patient
for an injury. That patient was injured in the doctor’s office after
they tripped over his welcome mat and suffered a broken arm.

At a risk prevention seminar that I attended three years ago, the
instructor stated that in a group of 25 chiropractors that practice for 20
years seeing an average of 100 patients per week, that one of these
doctors would have a patient suffer from a serious injury related to
treatment. That is equal to 1 serious injury in every 2.6 million
chiropractic adjustments. When these numbers are compared to the dangers of
Tylenol use, one can see how safe chiropractic care actually is. Just in
the United States and the United Kingdom, each year there are 300
deaths and 130,000 emergency room visits as a direct result of Tylenol use.

The rest of this document is a compilation of facts regarding the
safety of chiropractic treatment.

Chiropractic is Safe

Records form insurance and court cases have constantly shown that
chiropractic is the safest portal of entry health care available to the
public today. Although no healthcare procedures are 100% safe, chiropractic
stands on its record of safety and effectiveness unmatched in
healthcare. To learn more about the safety record of chiropractic please visit
the website Chiropractic Is Safe at <a target="_new"
href=”http://www.Chiropracticissafe.org”>http://www.Chiropracticissafe.org

Chiropractic is the fastest-growing and second-largest primary
health care profession.

There are approximately 60,000 doctors of chiropractic (DCs) in active
practice in the United States spread from rural areas to inner cities.
More than 10,000 students are currently enrolled in chiropractic
educational programs accredited by a federally-recognized body (CCE).

Chiropractic services are in high demand

Tens of millions of Americans routinely opt for chiropractic services
and this number is rapidly growing. In 1993, more than 30 million
consumers made chiropractic a regular part of their health care program.

Doctors of Chiropractic receive extensive, demanding professional
education on par with medical doctors (MDs) and osteopaths (DOs).

To receive the doctor of chiropractic degree, candidates must complete
extensive undergraduate prerequisites and four years of graduate-level
instruction and internship at an accredited chiropractic institution.
Comprehensive knowledge of all systems of the body and diagnostic
procedures enable the DC to thoroughly evaluate a patient, address disorders
relating to the spine and determine the need for referral to another
health care provider.

Doctors of Chiropractic are primary health care providers

According to the Center for Studies in Health Policy, “The DC can
provide all three levels of primary care interventions and therefore is a
primary care provider, as are MDs and DOs. The doctor of chiropractic is
a gatekeeper to the health care system and an independent practitioner
who provides primary care services. The DC’s office is a direct access
portal of entry to the full scope of service.”
b>Doctors of Chiropractic are licensed in all 50 states

DCs have been licensed and recognized for many decades in all states,
the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Chiropractic is recognized by governmental health care programs

Chiropractic is included in Medicare, Medicaid, Federal Employees
Health Care Benefits Programs, Federal Workers’ Compensation and all state
workers’ compensation programs. Chiropractic students are qualified to
receive federal student loan assistance and DCs are authorized to be
commissioned as health care officers in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Chiropractic care is very effective and very safe. I hope that this
article hits home with some of you who have delayed chiropractic care due
to unfounded fears.

Steven R. Jones D.C. has a 15 year chiropractic practice in San Diego, CA 92108. Learn More here about relief from back pain or if you live in San Diego, make an appointment to see the the doctor. Doctor Jones is also a Practitioner of the 21st Century Technology” Intense Pulsed Light System for Hair Removal and Acne Treatment” Practicing in a city by the sea, bikini season is 7 to 9 months. That’s a long time to shave and pluck unwanted hair.

Chiropractic has 33 principles that comprise its’ philosophy. The 1st principle is that there is intelligence in the universe (Universal Intelligence). This intelligence is present in all matter and gives matter all properties and actions.

The expression of universal intelligence through matter is the chiropractic meaning of life. This is the 2nd principle.

This intelligence is present in the body and it’s called innate intelligence (principle #20). There are many functions of innate intelligence. It adapts the body to it’s environment and maintains health (principle #23), and does everything in the body that we don’t have to think about such as digestion, assimilation, excretion, healing of wounds, immune system function, and thousands of other activities.

Innate intelligence operates through the nervous system (principle #28). Interference with this innate intelligence, results in lack of harmony or disease (principle #29 & #30). Interference in the body is due to subluxation in the spinal column (principle #31). A vertebral subluxation is a misaligned vertebra causing interference with nerve messages between your brain and your body. Doctors of chiropractic specialize in locating, analyzing and correcting vertebral subluxations. Subluxations can be caused by trauma, toxins( impurities through diet, breathing, exposure to toxins, etc,.) and thoughts( that can result in stressful responses).

Most of the chiropractic work done with HIV/AIDS patients is new and very clinical. Clinical studies indicate chiropractic can: 1) boost immune system function, 2) help with secondary symptoms (i.e. peripheral neuropathy), 3)address quality of life issues (reduction in stress, the prevention of disease and symptoms). All of these are self empowering HIV/AIDS patients to live a more positive quality of life. This in turn increases life expectancy.

Chiropractic has been proven on a very introductory scale.

In Psychoimmunity and the Healing Process : A Holistic Approach to Immunity and AIDS, the use of chiropractic is highly recommended:

Chiropractic alignment of the body, specifically to alleviate stress and tensions placed upon the medulla oblongata and the coccyx, is important in cases of AIDS and immune dysfunction. Adjustment of the medulla oblongata allows for clear flows of energy along the neurological pathways which help stimulate immune system. Correct alignment of the coccyx, which is the reflex point for the adrenals, helps with proper functioning of endocrine system and nervous system; by helping to “ground” and center an individual, it promotes calm and reduces stress.

To alleviate stress upon the medulla oblongata, we suggest alignment of the entire cranial area- in particular loosening and alleviating tension at the sagital suture and the temporal mandibular joint. Pg. 127

*(Make note of the anatomy and the reduction of stress)

PNI (psychoneuroimmunology)

There is a new science, deeply rooted in western empiricism, called Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI). This is a science that blends immunology, neurology, and endocrinology. It started, accidentally, with the discovery of experimental conditioning of the immune system. Robert Ader and Nicholas Cohen were studying taste aversion in animals by pairing a saccharin flavored solution with a nausea-producing drug, that coincidently suppressed the immune system. After conditioning, (the drug no longer given) suppression of the immune system was still created when given saccharin, and in turn higher mortality rates. Conditioning of the immune system was also demonstrated with other animals.

PNI has been getting increased attention do to its sound research. No one has done more then Dr. Candice Pert. She is a pharmacologist and research professor at Georgetown University in the Depart of Biophysics and Physiology. Dr. Pert also was Chief of Brain Biochemistry at The National Institute of Health for 13 years. She has done research that proves the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems have a “multidirectional network of communication, linked by information carriers known as neuropeptides. There are many well-studied physiological substrates showing that communication exists in both directions for every single one of these areas and their organs.”.

Dr. Pert goes on to state,

A number of brain loci , many within emotion-mediating brain areas, are enriched with many types of neuropeptides receptors, suggesting a convergence of information processing at these nodes. Additionally, neuropeptide receptors occur on mobile cells of the immune system: Monocytes can chemo tax to numerous neuropathies via processes shown by structure-activity analysis to be mediated by distinct receptors indistinguishable from those found in the brain. Neuropeptides and their receptors thus join the brain, glands, and immune system in a network of communication between brain and body, probably representing the biochemical substrate of emotion.

Ultimately, she has proven that emotion can have an effect on immune function! Not only that, but she also concluded that the body is the subconscious mind! Do you think that anyone self empowered, with a good self image, and feeling good about themselves isn’t health. Think again. PWA (people with AIDS) have this battle daily, minute to minute, moment to moment.

Chiropractic’s role can now be viewed as a mind /body therapy. Whereby, working with the nervous system, we effect the emotions and the whole PNI network systems. This, in conjunction with Yoga, represent a powerful model of self healing.

There is plenty of anatomical information that can correlated to the effects of Chiropractic. Harvard educated Medical Doctor, Herbert Benson ‘s first book, The Relaxation Response, written in the seventies, concerned the physiology of meditation. Meditation has allowed it’s practitioner to perform so called “super human” feats, like lowering heart, respiratory, and metabolic rates, and decreases in response to pain, muscle tension, and stress response. He concluded that meditation’s power came from alteration in the nervous system from sympathetic to parasympathetic pathways. The parasympathetic system counterbalances the “flight or flight” (sympathetic) response. The sympathetic system response is what happens in time of stress.

“When stress prevents the molecules of emotion from flowing freely where needed, the largely autonomic processes that are regulated by peptide flow, such as breathing, blood flow, immunity, digestion, and elimination, collapse down to a few simple feedback loops and upset the normal healing response.” (Pert, pg 242-243)

It is common knowledge that stress can play a big part in health, especially PWA. Stress engages the sympathetic nervous system to release glucocoticords (steroids). Long term consequences of steroid use include diabetes, osteoporosis, suppression of immune system (making people susceptible to infections and cancer), peptic ulcers, internal bleeding, elevated cholesterol, impotence, interruption of menses, and ulcers just to name a few.

Anatomically Chiropractic seeks to balance the nervous system allowing for the parasympathetic nervous system to respond correctly. This allows the whole system to function at optimum, including the immune system. As mentioned earlier, in Psychoimmunity and the Healing Process : A Holistic Approach to Immunity and AIDS, the parasympathetic system is referred to indirectly. The coccyx isn’t only a reflex point for the adrenals, but located directly in front of it is the Ganglion Impar, a nerve center for the parasympathetic system. The authors also make mention of the medulla oblongata. The medulla oblongata is the control center for the vagal nerve. This “wandering” nerve is the parasympathetic innervation to the heart, lungs, stomach, esophagus, stomach, entire small intestine, proximal half of large intestine, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and upper portions of the ureters. ( This same anatomy is used in yoga, discussed later).

There are many techniques that seek to provoke a parasympathetic response. One technique is Sacral Occipital Technique discovered by Major Bertrand De Jarnette, D.C. Logan technique is another one that works with the sacrotuberous ligament to indirectly effect the Ganglion Impar. Dr. John Upledger found CranioSacral technique, which also evokes a parasympathetic response.

In many ways, Yoga and Chiropractic share similar philosophies and anatomy. Yoga calls the life force (innate) Prana. Prana is in matter, but it is not matter. Prana is conserved through the charkas, which are centers of energy. There are seven charkas, six of which correlate to neurological plexuses. There is the Muladhara, which corresponds to the sacral plexus. The Swadhisthana is equivalent to the prostatic plexus. The Manipura corresponds to the solar plexus. The Anahata is analogous to the cardiac plexus. Parallel to the laryngeal plexus is Vishudda. Ajna is located between the eyebrows and corresponds to the cavernous plexus. The pineal gland is anatomically equivalent to the Sahasrara, which is the Crown Chakra.

Nadis are nerve channels through which prana flows. The Sushumna nadi is the spinal cord; and the Pingala nadi and Ida nadi are correlated with the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system, respectively. Asanas and pranayama are designed to purify nadis. When these nadis are blocked prana cannot flow freely and poor health results.

Chiropractic and yoga also address lifestyle issues as well. Chiropractic and yoga firmly believe that you are what you eat. A pure and moderated diet is the best possible guarantee of physical and mental health, bringing harmony and vitality to body and mind. In Chiropractic philosophy there is a concept of limitation of matter (principle #24). Innate intelligence works 100% of the time and is perfect, however the material it works in is not. The material is the body and it (unfortunately) has a tendency to get old and breakdown. In order to be at optimum health, innate intelligence must have an optimum medium to work in. An optimum body, via good nutrition, would give innate intelligence as close to perfect medium as physically possible.

B.J Palmer, the developer of chiropractic, wrote in his book, Palmer’s Law of Life (vol.36, 1958):

The yogis of India have the right principle, mentally.

The sincere yogi would make an excellent Chiropractor for getting sick well, if he had knowledge and ability to correct the intermediary adjustment to restore power of internal Innate, to perfect greater understandings. Yogis assume what is, to each, the most relaxed posture, which they assume for hours or days. In this way, they attain the peace and poise of plenty, and become “In Tune With the Infinite” (Sheldon).pg 22

Another mutual concept is exercise. Exercise is essential of health. There must be a certain amount of activity for our bodies to be healthy. Unfortunately, I believe the American society has put an overemphasis on exercise to the point of stressing the body to induce subluxation(s). Yoga is not a stressful exercise. It lets everyone work at their own pace and endurance. Ironically enough, during the asanas, posture is continually focused on. This prevents subluxation(s) and the impingements of vital energy. This brings up another similarity. The idea of positive thought is also inherent in Chiropractic philosophy. There are three things that can induce a subluxation(s). They are trauma (bodily harm), toxins (poor nutrition, environmental, self induced (ie cigarette smoking)), and thought. Negative thoughts can cause stress on the body; there by causing muscle tension and possibly a subluxation. Subluxations cause impingement on vital energy.

There are five main principles found in Yoga philosophy. 1) Proper relaxation, which entrains the body to release muscle tension, conserve energy, and to let go of all worries and fears. 2) Proper exercise: this is done through yoga postures called asanas. These work systemically on all parts of the body by stretching the muscles and ligaments, thereby keeping the spine and joints flexible while improving circulation. 3) Proper diet with natural foods. It keeps the body light and supple, while giving a high resistance to disease. 4) Positive thinking and meditation. This helps to remove negative thoughts and calm the mind. 5) Last, but not least, is proper breathing. Proper breathing is breathing fully and rhythmically thereby making use of all lung capacity, eventually increasing oxygen intake. (Side note: it is interesting that the sacral pump’s function would be increased if both posture and breathing were practiced more). Yoga breathing exercises called pranayama, trains a person to recharge the body and control the mental state by controlling the flow of life force called prana.

Having given a brief synopsis of both Yoga and Chiropractic philosophies, I will concentrate on the yogic idea of prana and innate intelligence, how they are controlled and related. Innate intelligence is in living matter and prana is in all matter. Intelligence is divided into universal (which everything possesses) and innate (which only living matter possesses). Prana is not divided into living and non-living, but all things are energy (vibrating at a different rate). Innate intelligence relates to distinctly organized matter called living. Since matter without innate is not living, innate intelligence is considered the source of all living activity. Prana is the life force in matter, but is not matter (as is innate intelligence). Prana flows along the neuro pathways (as does innate intelligence). If this flow of energy is interrupted disease will result. This energy has been called by many different names by many different cultures (IE chi, vital energy, life force, qi, etc…). Regardless of what one calls it, the fact remains without it there is no life.

I will focus on three aspects of yoga: postures (asana), breath control (pranayama), and meditation (dyhana). These are 3 of the 8 stages of Yoga.

In Yoga, breath is life. There are two functions of proper breathing. One is to bring more oxygen to the blood and thus to the brain. Two, in order to control prana.

Your breathing pattern is a reflection of your mind. If you are in a flight or fight situation (angry or scared), your breath will be shallow, rapid and irregular. The opposite is also true, when you are relaxed or in deep thought, your breathing pattern changes. It becomes slow, deep and regulated. Yogic breathing teaches how to control prana and thus control the mind.

Since state of mind is reflected in the quality of the breath, controlling the breath is also controlling the state of mind. “The practice of pranayama quickly induces the relaxation response and its accompanying enhancement of immunity.” According B.S.K. Iyengar (founder of Iyengar Yoga), the practice of asana and pranayama balances the nadis and the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Candice Pert helps to validate the effects of pranayama:

Conscious breathing, the technique employed by both the yogi and the women in labor, is extremely powerful. There is a wealth of data showing that changes in the rate and depth of breathing produce changes in the quantity and kind of peptides that are released from the brain stem, and Vice versa. By bringing the process into consciousness and doing something to alter it – either holding your breath or breathing extra fast- you cause the peptides to diffuse rapidly throughout the cerebrospinal fluid, in an attempt to restore homeostasis, the body’s feedback mechanism for restoring and maintaining balance…..The peptide-respiratory link is well documented: Virtually any peptide found anywhere else can be found in the respiratory center. This peptide substrate may provide the scientific rationale for the powerful healing effects of consciously controlled breath patterns.

Let’s talk anatomy. The Reticular Activating System (RAS) is located in the midbrain. It is responsible for keeping the brain awake. It receives direct and indirect input from many other brain centers, most or all sensory systems, and from chemicals circulating in the blood.

When the RAS becomes quiet, brain waves in all regions slow down. To reduce the RAS activity, there must be a decrease in sensory stimulation. Decrease in sensory stimulation will increase stimuli that inhibit the RAS.

There are areas that actively inhibit the RAS. One is the solitary tract nucleus in the medulla. This nucleus can be activated by stimulating the baroreceptors (blood pressure indicators). These receptors, located in the carotid sinus and aortic arch, when stretched, by increase in blood pressure, send nerve signals to the solitary tract nucleus. The solitary tract nucleus then sends signals that activate parasympathetic nuclei and inhibit sympathetic nuclei. Ultimately resulting in a slowing of the heart and dilation of blood vessels, which cause blood pressure to fall. (This will be revisited in the discussion of asana).

Now let’s discuss the respiratory center. It’s comprised of three groups of neurons located in the medulla oblongata and pons. (1) The dorsal respiratory group which is responsible for inspiration. (2) Ventral respiratory group which does both, inspiration and expiration. (3) The pneumotaxic center group helps control rate and pattern of breathing. The dorsal respiratory group of neurons plays the most fundamental role in the control of respiration.

All or most of its neurons are located within the nucleus of the tractus solitarius, although additional neurons in the adjacent reticular substance of the medulla probably also play important roles in respiratory control. The nucleus of the tractus solitarius is also the sensory termination of both the vagal and the sensory termination of both the vagal and the glossopharyngeal nerves, which transmit sensory signals into the respiratory center from the peripheral chemorecpetors, the baroreceptors, and several types of receptors in the lung. Guyton pg. 525

The release of peptides in the respiratory center would have a direct effect on the parasympathetic system. This helps activate the relaxation response.

“Our intention as we work with the breath is to regulate it so as to calm and focus the mind for meditation” In meditation the breath becomes still and the mind becomes still.

“That is why it is important that the conscious mind go on a vacation, be vacant, open, receptive, to permit something new to come through the void to make itself known”The Glory Of Going On. B.J. Palmer 1961,PG 87

With this statement, B.J. Palmer is telling us to quiet the mind. How do we accomplish this? We accomplish this through art of meditation. Meditation allows us to turn our senses inward and stops the internal chatter of the educated mind. When the mind is focused on a single thought, internal chatter stops. (Control of the senses is central to the Yoga discipline).

On a mind/body/spirit level, B.K.S Iyengar says, “Meditation is integration-to make the disintegrated parts of man become one again. When you say that your body is different from your mind, and your mind is different from your soul, that means you are disintegrating yourself. “(The Tree of Yoga, pg143).

Meditation can be of several different forms. Transcendental Meditation, pranayama, chi gong, tai chi, knitting, adjusting, and the list goes on. Anything that focuses the attention on a single action, idea, or emotion can be called meditation. Athletes, very focused in their sport, call it the zone. Stilling the mind, focusing attention and stopping extraneous thought, you begin to understand your true nature. You discover the wisdom and tranquility that lie within. This wisdom is the innate intelligence.

Many sages and gurus have practiced meditation. Jesus meditated for 90 days in the desert. He was in touch with his innate and universal intelligence to such a great degree, his presence had a healing effect. This is the greatest example of our bodies true healing capabilities. Buddha meditated to gain enlightenment under a bodhi tree. Several studies have been done on meditation. These studies have been through various disciplines and researchers.

One such study, by Herbert Benson of Harvard Medical School, in 1981 studied the Tibetan Monks tradition called tumo. Tumo is the ability to withstand cold, by raising internal body temperature through meditation. It is practiced by sitting naked in the snow, while being wrapped in a wet sheet at high altitudes. The here lama monks were all able to raise their body temperature to prevent hypothermia or frost bite.

Other studies referenced to in Michael Murphy’s book, entitled The Future Of The Body: Explorations into the Further Evolution of Human Nature, documents remarkable control of the body. Alleviation of pain (something we see a lot of), lowered blood pressure, heart rate, respiration, muscle tension, lactate, and metabolism are a few of the physiological effects. Synchronization of brain waves between right and left, and between front and back could be the reason for meditation’s behavioral effects. These are documented as enhanced sensory, perceptual, reaction time, motor skills response and cognitive abilities, including concentration and attention.

In 1978, Robert Keith Wallace studied Transcendental Meditators. He studied the effect of meditation on aging. He tested three simple variations: blood pressure, acuteness of hearing, and near point vision. These three deteriorate as body biologically ages. Biological age shows how well a person’s body functions compared tothe average of the population. Wallace found out that meditators were biologically 20 years younger than their counterparts.

Candice Pert believes,” … the most effective method for reducing stress is meditation, because it allows us, even without conscious awareness, to release emotions that are stuck in modes that subvert a healthy mind-body flow of biochemicals.” (pg 293). “Meditation, by allowing long buried thoughts and feelings to surface, is a way of getting the peptides flowing again, returning the body, and the emotions, to health”. (Pert pg.243)

T.K.V. Desikachar seems as though he was talking to PWA. He writes,” Dhyana (meditation) strengthens self sufficiency. Yoga makes us independent. We all want to be free, although many of us are dependent on psychologists, gurus, teachers, drugs, or whatever. Even if advice and guidance are helpful, in the end we ourselves are the best judge of our own actions. No one is more interested in me than me. With the help of dhyana (meditation) we find our own methods and systems for making decisions and better understand our behavior.” (The Heart of Yoga, pg83)

B.K.S Iyengar has developed a series of passive poses called restorative postures (asanas). These poses are extremely effect at engaging the relaxation response. “The relaxation response experienced during Savasana, meditation, pranayama, and the restorative poses promotes healthy immune surveillance and responsiveness.”

The restorative poses are modifications of classical poses. The muscles remain quiet. The poses are held in alignment with props. The poses are the reclining hero’s pose, child’s pose, supported bound angle,

supported half plow, supported bridge, supported two legged inverted staff, legs up the wall.

The last four poses are example of poses the have a physiological effect of producing the relaxation response. Roger Cole has a Ph.D in health psychology. He is also a yogi. He states,” The fact that a full blown relaxation response, comprised of so many diverse, mutually reinforcing physiological processes, can be elicited all at once by stimulating a single area of the brain is very important for our understanding of how to practice relaxation. It means that the ability to relax, the wiring if you will, is built into all of us. Our mission, then, is not to create relaxation, but to allow it- to release an ability we already have. The secret is to set up the circumstances for relaxation, then to remain passive and allow the process to unfold of its own accord.”

The parasympathetic nervous system is activated by head down postures, muscle relaxation, slight pressure on the eyeballs. and exhalation. The head down postures stimulate baroreceptors in the carotid sinus and aortic arch. “These receptors. When stretched by increase blood pressure, send nerve signals to the solitary tract nucleus in the brainstem. The solitary tract nucleus, in turn sends signals that activate one or more brainstem parasympathetic nuclei and inhibit one or more sympathetic nuclei. The result is slowing of the heart and dilation of the blood vessels, which cause blood pressure to fall. At the same time, the solitary tract nucleus also promotes relaxation in other parts of the nervous system” (see figure 1).

Dr. Cole proves that the physiology is there, and can be obtained through Yoga restorative poses. He also proves that exhalation activates the solitary tract nucleus. The solitary track nucleus actively inhibits the medullary RAS. This also refers back to the pranayama.

YOGA

Yoga means union. The union of the individual soul with the Universal Spirit is yoga. But this is too abstract a notion to be easily understood, so for our level of understanding I say that yoga is the union of body with the mind and of mind with the soul. Ninety per cent of us are suffering in some way, physically, mentally or spiritually. The science of yoga helps us to keep the body as a temple so that it becomes as clean as the soul. The body is lazy, the mind is vibrant ad the soul luminous. Yogic practices develop the body to the level of the vibrant mind so that the body, and the mind, having both become vibrant, are drawn towards the light of the soul

Having discussed the physiological and anatomical effects of each, of the three limbs, of yoga, The secondary benefits and testimonials are just as compelling. Stress for PWA is greatly increased by additional factors: side effects of medicine cocktails (diarrhea, neuropathy, liver dysfunction, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, nausea, digestive problems), discrimination, disclosure, racism, and homophobia.

A May study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that PWAs with more than average amounts of stress got sick two to three times faster. And a study released last summer from the University of Miami, Florida, reported that the stress hormone nor epinephrine was significantly lower in PWAs who attended weekly stress management group sessions. Even better, the study also showed that the same group had higher levels of CD8 cells, which are known to help control the HIV virus.

Catholic priest, Father Joe Pereira, of the Archdiocese of Bombay, has been practicing yoga for over 27 years. In 1981, he founded Kripa Foundation. He believes if we reconnect with the Divine Presence that resides within us, we can heal ourselves. This is what his 24 centers help people understand through Yoga. He started with addicts and has expanded to include PWA.

When asked about his results with HIV positive people. He replied, “…I can only say this much: at my therapeutic communities, when you emphasize yoga and meditation, people who are worried and tense about being HIV-positive drop this anxiety and live their lives. And we’ve found that those who are living life with a sense of joy and well-being and have taken a Western Blot test have so far tested negative.”

When Mary Schatz M.D addressed the question can yoga halt or reverse the progression of AIDS? Her answer was “no one knows….. Yoga’s stress management and anxiety reducing aspects are useful in many chronic and incurable diseases and would certainly be appropriate in this, one of life’s most stressful situations. Practice of asana and pranayama can help maintain the health of unaffected organs and tissues. Finally, a yoga practice offers something positive for the AIDS patient to do to help counteract feelings of depression, helplessness, and despair.”

River Huston is an AIDS activist, published poet and author. She has used Yoga to combat fatigue, headaches, and nausea associated with her weekly intravenous drug treatment for an AIDS related auto immune condition attacking her bone marrow).”It’s about going deep under the waves – the hurricane that’s HIV- and finding a stillness. As debilitating and emotional as HIV is, yoga helps me transcend it so that I can rediscover myself. Then I remember I’m not HIV; I am not the face of AIDS. I am me.”

Yoga has a great many immune boosting techniques. It is useful to boost the immune system, cope with secondary effects and to address lifestyle issues.

In clinical trials, Chiropractic has shown great potential to boost immune function. A clinical study, conducted at Life University by several Chiropractors, demonstrated CD4 cell levels increased 48% compared to control group. Both groups were monitored with Rand Corp. SF-36 to determine quality of life as rated subjectively. The adjusted group exhibited greater subjective improvement than the control group.

Several other preliminary studies also show the promise of immune system boosting. In 1991 Patricia Brennan, PhD conducted a study that demonstrated an increase of polymorph nuclear (PMN) and monocytes following a thoracic adjustment. Dr. Pero states in his research, “Chiropractic patients in the study had 200% greater immune competence than people who had not received chiropractic, and 400% greater immune competence than people with cancer or other serious disease.”

Chiropractic can also help with secondary symptoms. These secondary symptoms are usually the primary reason chiropractic care is sought out. In his article, Craig Martin D.C states,” 80 % of those patients reporting some degree of neuropathy (i.e. numbness, tingling and/or burning in either one or both of the extremities), report significant decrease in these symptoms post-care.

Patrece Frisbee D.C, of Stratogen Health of Miami Beach, a multidisciplinary clinic, reports 80% of her patients are HIV positive, ” and they need extensive chiropractic care because of the wide array of side effects that accompany the powerful prescribed medications.”

The vertebral subluxation is comprised of five components.
1) Spinal kinesiopathology – the inability to comfortably turn neck, hips, or back in every direction.
2) Neuropathophysiology – Impingement of nerves creating numbness, tingling, pain or pins and needles.
3) Myopathology (tight, spastic, weak, sore, and/or overly sensitive muscular responses.
4) Histopathology Swelling, tenderness, painful spots, and other soft tissue changes.
5) Pathophysiology – muscles, joints, ligaments, and organs show wear and tear and premature aging.( This has proven true in numerous low back pain studies ). These are usually the reasons people see chiropractors. Adjustments alleviate these components, providing a powerful medium to combat primary ,as well as secondary symptoms.

Quality of life is an issue, that has a profound effect on HIV/AIDS patients. Increasing quality of life symbiotically decrease stress, as I will demonstrate, plays a major part in life expectancy.

Testimonials of Chiropractic HIV/AIDS patients are good indicators to quality of life issues. Dr. Craig Martin best describes chiropractic’s role in lifestyle:

My own clinical experience has led me to believe that people with AIDS are looking to be educated as to how they can best help themselves with infection. As a Chiropractor, I attempt to provide useful information for leading an immunopositive lifestyle. This includes recommendations on exercise, nutrition, rest, attitude, education and personal habits.

Dr. Johnathan Tinsley

The field of chiropractic therapy is witnessing an advent of new techniques. These techniques have had a major impact on the results produced by Chiropractic therapy. One of the best techniques to come up recently is Chiropractic BioPhysics.

Chiropractic BioPhysics is a wonderful technique that combines the principles of mathematics, physics, biomechanics and Chiropractic. It focuses on improving a patient’s posture. Through the improvement of the patient’s posture, it focuses on providing relief from neck and back pain, headaches, fatigue and other similar chronic health problems.

Chiropractic BioPhysics works on the fact that any deviations from the normal spine can cause some tension upon the spinal chord as well as brain stem. With time this tension starts to interfere with the normal functions of the central nervous system that includes, brain, brain stem and the spinal cord. This interference over the time will have a detrimental effect on an individual’s quality of life.

The technique of Chiropractic Biophysics (CBP) combines various chiropractic adjustments with physical exercises. This combination aims to stretch and strengthen the muscles that facilitate a healthy posture. CBP technique is to restore normal three-dimensional posture. In CBP, the overall posture or global positioning of the spinal column is targeted for correction, as opposed to individual segments.

Chiropractic Biophysics also facilitates the optimum static position of the upright spine. The corrective procedures involved in Chiropractic Biophysics target the overall posture of the spinal column and correct it.

This produces better results than the techniques that target on the individual spinal segments. The various corrective methods included in the Chiropractic Biophysics techniques include, rehabilitative exercises, “mirror image” posture adjustments. Also included are the various cervical and manual adjustments. These methods work to align the spine with gravity. This helps to correct the spine and promote the nervous system health. By doing this, it helps you get rid of the symptoms permanently. The best thing about CBP is that it does not just provide temporary relief but works to remove the cause of the problem. It works to change the spinal configuration to bring it back to the normal position.

Also, the technique of Chiropractic Biophysics goes one step ahead and restores optimal balance to the spine and the posture. It allows the soft tissues located in the spinal area to achieve the optimum state of health. The technique of chiropractic biophysics, if used properly can help patients experiencing pain for years.

In most of the cases, the patients not only experience lasting pain relief, but also feel less irritable, more energetic and able to get a better sleep. Truly, it has contributed a lot in helping people fight and overcome chronic pains.

Find more great Chiropractic information at Chiropractic Business Advice. It’s primary focus is to aid those starting their own chiropractic business but covers various other aspects also.

Everyone knows that chiropractic care can be a great relief to the new mother plagued by back pain after childbirth. But what most people don’t know are the benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy, both for the mother and the unborn child.

1. Some Common Misconceptions

there are many myths about the dangers of chiropractic care during pregnancy. Some of the more common myths concern the discomfort experienced during therapy, awkward spinal positioning during treatment, and undue pressure on the fetus. these myths may discourage pregnant mothers from seeking chiropractic care during their pregnancy, fearing damage to them selves or the baby. It is certain, though, that no licensed and competent chiropractor every did lasting harm to either a mother or her unborn child. It is too bad that these myths are so common, since there are few people who could use chiropractic care more than a new mother in her first pregnancy.

2. The Benefits of Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy

The most obvious effects of chiropractic care during a mother’s pregnancy are the relief of pain in the neck, back, and joints caused by carrying the extra weight of an infant in addition to the demands of supplying both herself and the child with sufficient nutrition. What may not be immediately obvious are other benefits such as relief from morning nausea, because of the central nervous system benefits chiropractic care has. Chiropractic care during pregnancy can also lead to shorter delivery times and less time spent in labor. Regular chiropractic care can also prevent any spinal misalignment or damage caused by the excessive spinal curve many mothers develop from the effort of carrying the weight of the child, especially during the last trimester.

3. Finding a Chiropractor

All licensed chiropractors are trained to work with pregnant women, but you should not settle on the first chiropractor you find. If you are newly pregnant, you should try to find a chiropractor ahead of time. Look for one that specializes in and has advanced training for chiropractic care during pregnancy. Larry Webster, D.C. founded the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. Ideally, your chiropractor of choice should have an ICPA certificate, be Webster Certified, or hold a DACCP certificate.

Chiropractic care during pregnancy is not only safe, but should be actively sought out my mothers who are currently pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant. The benefits to the spine, musculoskeletal system, and nervous system are undeniable. Even the relief from back pain common to pregnancy (especially in the later stages) can be of enormous benefit to both the mother and the unborn child in the form of reduced levels of pain-caused stress hormones.

Abhishek has got some great tips to relieve back pain! Download his FREE 127 Pages Ebook, “How To Win Your War Against Back Pain!” from his website http://www.Health-Whiz.com/767/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

Ouch! Does it seem like every note you play on your guitar or musical instrument results in pain? Maybe its a nagging ache in your neck and shoulder. Perhaps youve had long rehearsals for that important gig or recital, and now you notice severe pain and loss of strength in your elbow and wrist. Or maybe you are trying to cope with hands that are increasingly numb and clumsy. Well its all part of being a serious musician, right? Youve got to keep practicing too much depends on it! Sound familiar?

Guitarists and instrumental musicians are a special risk group for repetitive strain injuries, with sizable percentages of them developing physical problems directly related to playing their instruments. In fact, RSI or repetitive strain injury in musicians was around centuries before the term was recently coined for computer injuries. Incorrect posture, overuse, stress, insufficient rest, excessive force and incorrect ergonomic technique all contribute to chronic pain and injuries that spell the end to careers. For many musicians, repetitive strain injuries are more feared than stage fright or an unresponsive audience. If they are also heavy computer users (my category of experience!), their risks are further compounded.

Doctors and therapists have long known that musicians are notoriously hard to convince that playing should be reduced or stopped to allow time for injuries to heal. Many guitarists and musicians are afraid to find out they might have a severe injury, and much prefer the head-in-sand approach of ignoring the pain and pushing on. This is a disastrous policy for a musician if it hurts, it should be checked out!

As a systems accountant consulting to small business, I spend most hours of my working in front of a computer. Not surprisingly, this has resulted in several serious repetitive strain injuries over the years. In similar fashion to the approach of many guitarists and musicians, I spent a long time trying to ignore the pain and push on. It is only in recent years that I have discovered the optimum program for managing the injuries and avoiding future repeats, with regular chiropractic care well and truly established at number one on my list of priorities.

WHAT IS CHIROPRACTIC?

Meaning done by hand, chiropractic is a method of restoring good health through adjustments of the spine. The basic chiropractic premise is that the spine and nervous system control the body completely. Any interference to nerve function by spine misalignments can therefore result in poor organ function, resulting in any number of seemingly unrelated diseases and ailments. Chiropractors generally subscribe to the theory that technically, they dont cure anybody, but simply help the body to heal itself.

In the past, chiropractors traditionally had trouble gaining the respect of medical doctors. Although basic philosophical differences between medicine and chiropractic still exist, chiropractic care is now considered mainstream and is routinely recommended by members of the medical profession.

WHAT TREATMENT DO CHIROPRACTORS GIVE?

Ever wondered what happens at the chiropractor? Perhaps youve heard theyre just bonecrackers, not doctors!. Not so.

In the US and many other countries, the educational program for chiropractors includes training in the basic medical sciences, including anatomy with human dissection, physiology, and biochemistry. Thorough training is also obtained in differential diagnosis, radiology and therapeutic techniques. This means, a doctor of chiropractic can both diagnose and treat patients. (This separates them from non-physician status providers, like physical therapists.)

As with all healthcare practitioners, chiropractors follow a standard routine to secure the information needed for diagnosis and treatment. When the source of pain involves musculoskeletal structures, chiropractors manually manipulate or adjust the spinal column. This typically requires the chiropractor to bend and twist the patient into various positions, which may cause some patients (myself included!) to tense up. Other more gentle methods, such as the activator method, deliver a high-speed, gentle, thrust to the vertebrae via a small rubber tip.

Atlas orthogonal chiropractors focus on the atlas bone (the first bone that the spinal cord passes through). Using x-rays and precision measuring equipment, the atlas bone is gently realigned without using manipulation techniques. I can personally vouch for this chiropractic specialty, which worked like magic on the most recent and severe of my repetitive neck injuries.

Many chiropractors also use water, light, massage, ultrasound, electric, and heat therapy and may apply supports such as straps, taping and braces. They may also counsel patients about wellness concepts such as nutrition, exercise, lifestyle changes, and stress management, but do not prescribe drugs or perform surgery. Some chiropractors also specialise in orthopedics, sports and musician injuries, neurology, nutrition, internal disorders, and/or diagnostic imaging.

HOW CAN MUSICIANS BENEFIT FROM CHIROPRACTIC CARE?

The benefits of chiropractic care for guitarists and musicians are widespread and numerous. Chiropractors can help with relief of specific pain being experienced at the moment, or as part of an overall wellness program, which also includes exercise, proper nutrition and rest. Many musicians understand that the position they assume while playing stresses their body, and are seeking to offset this stress and prevent further problems from developing.

Chiropractors evaluate and analyse the spine with an understanding of physics and how gravity and distorted postures can stress areas of the spine, ribs, neck, shoulders and hips. Specific adjustments are used to offset these distortions.

Chiropractors who specialise in helping musicians repetitive injury problems usually examine the musician patient and the instrument together. By thoroughly analysing their patient’s posture, movement patterns and range of motion with the instrument, the chiropractor can detect areas of dysfunction in and around the spine. They also make recommendations as to what guitarists can do, both while playing and before and after playing, to keep the stress from returning. They teach their musician clients exercises to offset the repetitive stress placed on certain joints while playing a particular instrument.

Chiropractic care is reportedly simple, yet it is profound in its ability to help the body regain and maintain its health. Bob Birch, Elton Johns bass player and background vocalist said his chiropractor showed him pictures and told him muscle stuff that no other doctors ever did. Certain things that he had wrong with him, like the extensive pain in the left shoulder blade that shot up the side of his head (which other doctors pooh-poohed) were explained and put right with chiropractic adjustments.

Make no mistake about it, regular chiropractic care for guitarists and musicians is the way to go. If you play and instrument, and want to avoid repetitive strain injuries for good, go find a musician-friendly chiropractor now!. Scores of famous musicians agree with me!

Jean Littman is co-owner of the popular guitar resource site, GuitaroJam.com Learn the essential keys to musicians’ health and injury prevention. Subscribe to your free newsletter by visiting: http://www.guitarojam.com

Many seniors are unaware of the outstanding benefits that are possible through regular chiropractic care. I have compiled a list of seven of the most frequent benefits that chiropractic care provides for seniors.

1. Pain Relief

Chiropractic care is one of the most effective and safest forms of health care to treat pain due to spinal related conditions. Chiropractic is so effective because most causes of spinal disorders are related to abnormalities of the spine and the surrounding soft tissue structures. Doctors of chiropractic are specifically trained to identify and treat subluxations (misalignments of the vertebrae) and their subsequent effect on the central nervous system. Anti inflammatory medication and pain relievers merely mask the symptoms and have many undesirable side effects.

2. Increased Range of Motion of the Spine and Extremities

Chiropractic care has been shown repeatedly to increase not only the range of motion of the spine but also in the extremities. Increasing a persons range of motion can positively and drastically affect lives in many ways. For some, an increased range of motion means being able to bend down to pick up their grandchildren. For others, it means they can garden without pain or get an extra 40 yards of distance out of their driver on the golf course. In many cases, an increase in range of motion immediately follows chiropractic adjustments. This is one of the reasons why many top professional sporting teams have team chiropractors.

3. Increased Balance and Coordination

Many problems in balance and coordination in the aging population have been shown to come from injury or degenerative changes to the cervical spine (neck region). Structures known as mechanoreceptors are located in the posterior (back) joints of the cervical spine and are responsible for providing the brain with essential information important for balance and coordination. Mechanoreceptors in cervical posterior joints provide major input regarding the position of the head in relation to the body. With aging, mild defects impair mechanoreceptors function and results in a loss of proprioception (sense of body awareness). With decreased proprioception, body positioning in space is impaired and the patient becomes reliant on vision to know the location of a limb. To compensate for the loss of proprioception (sense of body awareness) in the legs, the feet are kept wider apart than usual. Steps become irregular and uneven in length. As impairment increases, the patient becomes unable to compensate. With severe loss of proprioception, the patient is unable to get up from a chair or rise after a fall without assistance.

Studies have shown that chiropractic care can help restore balance and coordination by stimulating the joint receptors (mechanoreceptors) in the cervical spine. This stimulation is thought to restore or normalize joint receptor functioning which leads to improvements in balance and coordination. (Caranasos, MD, Isreal, MD. Gait Disorders in the Elderly. Hospital Practice. 1991; June 15:67-94.Guyton, MD. Textbook of Medical Physiology. 9th edition. WB Saunders, Philadelphia 1996; 714.)

4. Decreased Joint Degeneration

A subluxated (misaligned) spine is much like a misaligned wheel on an automobile. This misalignment will cause the spine (and the wheel) to wear out prematurely. Since all moving parts will eventually wear down over time, it is very important to get your spine aligned periodically. Chiropractic care decreases spinal degeneration and other arthritic changes by normalizing the spinal alignment and reducing spinal stress.

5. Increased Health and Well-Being

We commonly ask our patients what changes they notice once they are put of pain. Here are some regular responses we hear every day:
I feel great!

I can sleep through the night!

Now I can play in the garden!

I have so much energy!

Life is worth living now!

Yes, chiropractic is far more than mere pain relief.
Feeling good, staying healthy and doing the things that make us happy are what keeps us looking forward to each new day. Regular chiropractic care increase the quality of life and increase health and well being.

6. Decreased Incidence of Falling

Injuries due to falling are extremely common in the elderly population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are responsible for 90% of the 850,000 bone fractures which occur annually among Americans past the age of 65. Chiropractors reduce the risk of falls by normalizing the mechanoreceptors of the cervical spine by administering chiropractic adjustments. They also prescribe stretching and exercise programs to increase strength, flexibility, mobility, balance and coordination.

7. Keeps Seniors Out of Nursing Homes

While studying at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, I had the opportunity of meeting the president Dr. Ian Coulter. Dr. Coulter was involved with many research projects studying the benefits of chiropractic care and exercise.
In 1996, he published an interesting study in the Journal, Topics of Clinical Chiropractic called Chiropractic care for the Elderly.
The key points he noted in this study were:

44% of those who used chiropractic care reported having arthritis compared with 66% in the non-chiropractic care group

those who used chiropractic care were more likely to do strenuous levels of exercise

at three years follow-up, less than 5% of those who used chiropractic care lived in a nursing home while a staggering 48% of those who did not use chiropractic care did live in a nursing home

at three years follow-up, only 26% of those who used chiropractic care were hospitalized compared with 48% of those in the non-chiropractic group

There is no need for seniors to suffer needlessly. Chiropractic provides amazing benefits and has an outstanding record of safety and effectiveness. Ask your family and friends for a chiropractor that they recommend. Take action now and make an appointment to see if chiropractic can help you!

Dr. Larry Smith Chiropractor and author of:

Embrace the Journey of Recovery: From Tragedy to Triumph

Embrace the Journey of Recovery will passionately reignite your spirit and teach you how to confront, conquer and powerfully triumph over any life threatening illness! Experience the remarkable story of two courageous yet ordinary individuals and their astonishing recoveries from heartbreaking tragedy. The message is simple. They transformed their lives and you can too!

To find out more about this excepting new book and to receive a special offer click here:

http://embracingthejourneybook.com/

You’ve probably heard about chiropractors, chiropractic therapy, or even chiropractic treatment while watching a sports news about your favorite athlete getting therapy because of an injury. It’s not uncommon since chiropractic treatment is commonly associated with sports. If you’re thinking that you don’t need it since you don’t do sports, think again. Chiropractic medicine are not isolated to the sports world; in fact, you might even have an injury that needs chiropractic attention.

Unknown to many, chiropractic practices are based on several key principles. The basic assumptions behind this form of therapy include the belief that the body can heal itself and that the brain controls body functions through the nervous system. The belief that spinal malfunction has direct effect on the nervous system as well as on the body’s general health is also an underlying factor of chiropractic treatment. This is because chiropractic treatments are usually focused on neuromusculoskeletal disorders or NMS. NMS disorders are usually diagnosed at the back muscles and the spinal cord.

A founding principle of chiropractic is adjustment. Adjustment in this case is a distinct type of manipulation of joints by using controlled direction, leverage, force, velocity, and amplitude. Adjustments can be practiced on almost all joints in the body. This can be accompanied by cavitation usually characterized by a popping sound. The goal of adjustments is to affect nerves and nervous system to ease the body in returning to homeostasis by restoring the normal function and condition of the joints. These may sound to technical but chiropractors, chiropractic therapists, and chiropractic practitioners maintain that chiropractic treatment is also an art. Art in chiropractic medicine is viewed as the intuition, expertise, and skill that practitioners employ to accurately diagnose dysfunction and abnormality of the body’s NMS system. Specific tests are administered to the patient to determine the injury, its extent, and the proper treatment or technique that must be used to correct it. Art is also seen in perspective as the finesse of the practitioner in applying techniques. Chiropractors insist that grace and fluidity of movement are necessary so as not to shock the NMS system and aggravate injury.

Though people with some sports injuries are still on top of the list, other injuries or ailments can also be treated by chiropractors, chiropractic, and chiropractic treatment. Reports indicate that there is an increasing number of people availing of chiropractic help to ease head aches, neck pain, arthritis, and other muscular pain. Patients also indicate that they function better and feel energetic after undergoing chiropractic treatment. Also, there is no need to worry as chiropractors have undergone rigorous training and study for as much as 4 to 6 years before they can get certified. As a plus, the practice is also less expensive than NMS surgery that you might need if continue to ignore your NMS problems.

For more valuable information on chiropractors and chiropractic, please visit http://www.chiropractorresources.net

Dr. Benedict Lust (M.D., D.C., N.D.) a German doctor and chiropractor who emigrated to the U.S. in 1892, was Americas first naturopathic physician. Although ridiculed by the establishment for his revolutionary ideas of exercise, vegetarianism and healthy living, Benedict Lust, founded the first health food store as we know it, and crystallized the focus of naturopathy on diet and nutrition as the chief route to health. He also started the countrys health spa, in Butler NJ, and founded the first naturopathic college, the American School of Naturopathy and chiropractic in 1902, in New York.

Where there is no official recognition and regulation, you will find plotters, the thieves, the charlatans operating on the same basis as the conscientious practitioners Frankly such conditions cannot be remedied until suitable safeguards are erected by law, or by the profession itself, around the practice of Naturopathy.

- Benedict Lust, circa 1902, the founding father of naturopathy.

Naturopathic medicine grew through the 1910s and 1920s, but by the 1930s and 1940s, pressure from the pharmaceutical companies, political leaders, the rise of antibiotics, and numerous other factors caused a severe decline: In 1910, when the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching published the Flexner Report which criticized many aspects of medical education in various institutions (natural and conventional), it was mostly seen as an attack on low-quality natural medicine education. It caused many such programs to shut down and contributed to the popularity of conventional medicine. Schools were closed, sanatoriums shut down, and doctors had their privileges revoked. However, because chiropractic colleges excided the standards of education forced upon the medical institution by the “Flexner” reform, most of them stayed open and flourished. But Naturopathic medicine, with its herbs, Nature Cure, and holistic view of the body was considered unscientific and based on unproven folk tradition. It therefore was almost lost.

However naturopathic medicine did not go away. It was kept alive by chiropractors in Portland, Oregon where graduates of the Western States Chiropractic College could enrol in a 2-year postgraduate course of study and receive a degree in naturopathy. This lasted until 1956 when the program was dropped. To keep the practice of naturopathy going, several naturopaths and chiropractors founded the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in 1956 in Portland, Oregon. It moved briefly to Seattle and then returned to Portland where it is today. Very slowly Naturopathic medicine began to rise.

CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS LEADING TO THE BIRTH OF MODERN NATUROPATHY

Chiropractic education was introduced in Portland as early as 1904 when Drs. John and Eva Marsh opened Marshes’ School and Cure. In 1909, the college changed its name to Pacific College of Chiropractic.

The institution absorbed the Lindlahr College of Naturopathy in 1926 and introduced one of the first four-year courses in the profession in 1928.

Pacific College of Chiropractic entered a new phase in January 1929, when the college was purchased for $20,000 by the former dean of the National College of Chiropractic in Chicago, William Alfred Budden, DC, ND (a chiropractor and naturopath). The timing was terrible, for the U.S. stock market crash and the onset of the Great Depression were only nine months away. Dr. Budden would struggle for years to keep the school afloat, eventually re-chartering the institution as the non-profit Western States College, including instruction leading to degrees in chiropractic and naturopathy. During his tenure at the reins of the institution (he died “in the saddle” in 1954), the Western States College, School of Chiropractic and School of Naturopathy, would exert a profound influence on the course of the profession, both through Budden’s activities within the National Chiropractic Association’s Council on Education (today’s CCE), and by way of the several exceptional doctors he trained.

In 1932 the Pacific Chiropractic College was reorganized and became Western States College and Drugless Physicians (1932 1956). The College also offered a degree in naturopathy from the mid-thirties through the mid-fifties. Now called the Western States Chiropractic College (1956 present).

Western States College has struggled on through the decades since Buddens demise. The school eventually divorced itself from naturopathic education, as the NCA had been urging since 1939, but maintained a very broad instructional program. Chiropractic and naturopathy were taught together until about 1955 when the National Chiropractic Association stopped granting accreditation to schools that also taught naturopathy.

In the mid-1950′s, when Western States Chiropractic College in Portland decided to discontinue naturopathic training, Dr. Bastyr knew it was time to take action, so he and few colleagues decided to open a school in Seattle. In 1956 National College of Naturopathic Medicine was born and Dr. Bastyr and other practitioners became teachers. Dr. John Bastyr, the naturopathic physician for whom Bastyr University in Seattle is named.

A chiropractor, Dr. John Bartholomew Bastyr, N.D., D.C (1912-1995), is credited with being the Father of Modern Naturopathic Medicine. Because of Bastyrs influence naturopaths have been at the forefront of the rebirth of homeopathy in this country. He made sure that homeopathy shared equal emphasis with nutrition, hydrotherapy and botanical medicine in naturopathic education. Dr. Bastyr considered manipulation the most important therapy in his practice.

He immediately went on in his studies of choice and received doctorate degrees in naturopathy and chiropractic from Northwest Drugless Institute and Seattle Chiropractic College, respectively. He became licensed to practice naturopathic medicine in 1936.

National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM) is the oldest programmatically accredited naturopathic medical school in North America. NCNM had its beginnings in the early 1950′s, in response to the termination of the naturopathic program at Western States Chiropractic College. Members of the profession from Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia planned the founding of the College and in May 1956, in Portland, Oregon.

Dr. Sylvain Desforges
B.Sc., D.C., D.O., N.D.
Director of Research and development for Momentus Technologies
http://www.drdesforges.com

Most people are wary about complementary and alternative medicine or CAM because of the flak it received from medical organizations. However, all is well now between the two camps and even medical doctors now prescribe CAM for therapy. The most popular CAM providers at present are chiropractors, chiropractic practitioners, and chiropractic clinics. They are also the most prescribed CAM treatment providers. Not surprising because the treatment chiropractors, chiropractic practitioners, and chiropractic clinics provide are not based on wooly assumptions. The treatments are based on basic and rather medical principles.

The work of chiropractors, chiropractic practitioners, and chiropractic clinics are based upon a fundamental principle. It states that a body has self-healing properties based on spine alignment and nerve flow. Simply put, diseases and pain are caused by interruption in the nerve flow due to misalignment of the spine or “subluxation.” A body can heal itself when the spine’s alignment is corrected. These corrections are very different from traditional medical procedures and can be very disconcerting if you don’t know what to expect. Though these CAM providers are trained and certified individuals, it won’t hurt to have a clue before you visit.

Initial consultations usually involve interviews about your medical history and experiences with treatment procedures. Chiropractors, chiropractic practitioners, and chiropractic therapists will take the time to brief you about the different services they provide. They will also explain the principles behind the treatment. This is your chance to ask questions and clarify your doubts about the treatment. As professionals, chiropractors will not perform any treatment, unless you are absolutely sure about going through the procedure. If all goes well, your chiropractor will require you to undergo a full physical examination. Expect basic tests like X-rays and spine examination. Your chiropractor will base his treatment plan on your exam results.

When you finally go for treatment, do not be surprised to see another chiropractor. Sometimes, treatments may require professional assistance. Chiropractors, chiropractic practitioners, or chiropractic therapists may perform an adjustment or two. Dubbed as manipulation treatment, this involves manual therapy. Through applying pressure and massage techniques in your spine, the chiropractors, chiropractic practitioners, and chiropractic therapists will correct your spine. This may include the application of sudden but controlled force to joints and bones. Call their attention if you feel pain, only minor discomfort should be felt during the treatment procedure. Treatments are usually broken in several sessions. You may have to undergo a series of treatments to fully get the benefits of chiropractic treatment.

For more valuable information on chiropractors and chiropractic, please visit http://www.chiropractorresources.net