Learn to Love Your Mucous!!

In the last 5 years, the FDA has forced several drug companies to pull their "Children's Cold Medicines" off the shelves because the ingredient in these medicines were causing children to have strokes and heart attacks. SURPRISED??? Don't be - drug companies are in the business to make money and despite their warm and fuzzy advertisements ....... Side Note - no other industry spends more money on "marketing" then the pharmaceutical industry (huh - I wonder why?) ..... back to the point - they really don't care about YOU.

So what's the big deal with a little mucous?? Yes, it can be annoying and yes, it can be uncomfortable with sinus pressure, sore throats and irritated noses - I get it. But have you ever looked at the BEAUTY OF MUCOUS? Here are a couple of things to consider:

First, mucous has some REALLY important jobs. It keeps all of you epithelial (big doctor word, I know) tissues moist. These are the tissues that line all of your OPEN passage ways like nose, throat, esophagus, trachea and bronchioles (lung tubes). If these tissues are NOT MOIST they will dry out and crack. That means that every time you eat, drink or breathe - if there are cracks, BAD THINGS will happen. So you need mucous as a DEFENSE against this.

Second, mucous as a very potent "Anti-Viral" component. Most people don't know this because all we usually hear about mucous is the BAD STUFF (remember the "marketing" thing above?) - like pain, congestion, etc. There are specific components of mucous that KILL VIRUSES ON CONTACT. Why would anyone want to stop that?? (Anti-histamines do that.)

Finally, the IMMUNE SYSTEM IS REALLY, REALLY, REALLY (I can keep going with the really thing because I studied Immunology in college) SMART! As a matter of fact, your immune system and nervous system are constantly monitoring your outside environment to make adjustments to your inside environment. As we transition from the warm, moist spring and summer months into the cooler, dryer fall and winter months, your body will have to make a HUGE physiological shift. As the air dries and we start to burn fires and use our heat, the body will have to ........ OVER PRODUCE mucous to be able to catch up and protect you from disease. How does it keep up?? Funny you should ask - SINUSES! Yup, you guessed it - your sinuses are "Storage Tanks" for extra mucous. By storing extra mucous (like storing extra food or water during the hurricane) your body will have it readily available when you need it. The down side, is that during the transition period your body stores A LOT more - which can lead to congestion and sinus pressure.

3 THINGS YOU CAN DO: There is a solution to this dilemma though - it's called, TISSUES. The beauty of tissues is they have NO KNOWN SIDE EFFECTS and won't cause you or your children to have a heart attack or stroke :) - Other solutions include - Getting extra adjustments if you feel clogged up. The tubes that drain your sinuses will get choked off if your neck muscles are too tight (or in spasm). If you notice, a lot of people get headaches and neck pain when the seasons change or when they are congested. Adjustments free up the spine and muscles and the sinuses can drain better. It's very common for a patient's nose to run right after I adjust their neck. And finally, a humidifier. If you don't have an HVAC system in your home that can keep the air at a constant level of humidity - I recommend buying a humidifier for the bedrooms. DO IT NOW because your body has already started it's change for the fall and, as you know (because we harp on this all the time), by the time you feel it - IT'S TOO LATE!

Have a great, mucous filled, Kleenex laden, festive and healthy fall.

As always,
Dr. Brad

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Sleep Well.
People who sleep 6-9 hours per night had higher self-reported scores for quality of life and lower scores for depression severity when compared to short (less than 6 hours per night) and long sleepers (more than 9 hours per night). Researchers were surprised that both sleeping less than 6 hours and more than 9 hours was associated with a similar decrease in quality of life and increase in depressive symptoms.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine, August 2011

Health Alert: Depressing Statistics.
Depression can affect a person's ability to work, their ability to form relationships, and it can also destroy their quality of life. 15% of the population from high-income countries (compared to 11% for low/middle-income countries) is likely to become depressed at some point in life. Women are twice as likely to suffer depression as men, and the loss of a partner, whether from death, divorce or separation, was a main contributing factor.
BMC Medicine, July 2011

Diet: Breastfeed Babies.
Babies fed only on breast milk up to the age of 6 months have a lower risk of developing asthma-related symptoms in early childhood. Compared to children who were breastfed for 6 months or more, children who had never received breast milk had an increased risk of wheezing, shortness of breath, dry cough and persistent phlegm in their first 4 years.
European Lung Foundation, July 2011

Exercise: Muscle Mass and Type 2 Diabetes Risk.
Higher muscle mass, relative to one's body size, is closely linked to superior insulin sensitivity and a lower risk of developing pre-diabetes or full diabetes type 2.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, July 2011

Chiropractic: Cost Effective.
A review of treatments endorsed in American Pain Society and American College of Physicians guidelines found spinal manipulation was cost-effective for subacute and chronic low back pain.
European Spine Journal, January 2011

Wellness/Prevention: Sleep Well.
Interrupted sleep impairs memory, as a minimum amount of continuous sleep is crucial for memory consolidation. Researchers found memory was unaffected if the average duration of sleep was maintained at 62-73% of normal.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, July 2011

GREAT NEWS!! You Can Now Get Your Adjustments Even Earlier!!

GREAT NEWS!! You can now get you adjustments even earlier because beginning Monday, Sept. 12th, Dr. Butler will be available to handle your adjustments starting at 8:00am on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. These new chiropractic hours will enable us to better coordinate our patients appointments between our Physical Therapy dept. and Chiropractic dept.

At Oakland Spine & Rehabilitation Center, we are ALWAYS striving to find new ways to make our patients healthy and happy!

Sincerely,
Oakland Spine & Rehab

We Send Our Most Sincere Sympathies!

We send our most sincere sympathies to all our patients who have been affected by the recent flooding. We know that this is a very difficult time for all of you. Rest assured, when the waters recede, we will make every effort to get you back into our office to resume your care. As we all know, stress can make you feel worse, so please call us to schedule your appointments so that we can get you feeling well again!

Sincerely,
Dr. Brad & the OSR Staff

This month's GIVEAWAYS!!

There are many benefits of "Liking" us on Facebook such as receiving important alerts, helpful information, and access to our weekly newsletter. What you may not know is the fact that you are automatically entered to win our monthly give-away once you have "Liked" us. This month's give-away is a gift card chosen by the winner! It is as simple as logging onto Facebook and clicking the "Like" button.

The more friends and family members you refer to our office, the more chances you have to winning an iPad. When you refer in 1 friend you will receive 1 entry. If you refer in 2 friends you will get an additional 5 entries. And if you refer in 3 or more people you will get 10 entries per person!!

We would like to wish everyone GOOD LUCK and remember, there's still time for you to increase your chances!

Don't forget to follow us on our blog, Twitter and Facebook. Just click on the links below...

Thank you,
Oakland Spine & Rehab

Are you feeling unmotivated and tired?? Here are some tips!

In the Northeast it already feels like fall. It's been gray and gloomy, Labor Day is gone, we just had to go through historic floods AND NOW it's back to school. Many patients have been asking me about fatigue, feeling like they are in a slump and being unmotivated to follow through with their care and get better. I am here to tell you that IT'S NORMAL and it will be OK.

For years I taught seminars to businesses, doctors and organizations and one thing that came up continually was "slumping". Well, we all go through it. You are allowed to get in a slump, delay your work and feel a little bit down. It's a normal response to changing seasons, changing schedules and changing responsibilities - and if you add to that the stress of the weather, the economy and what's going on in the world - it's no wonder you feel a little bit down and unmotivated. Your mind is constantly trying to catch up.

HERE'S THE SOLUTION - Recognize where you are - AND GET MOVING!! Yes, the answer is moving, moving, moving. Nothing will get you feeling accomplished, improve your self esteem and generally make you feel better then MOVING FORWARD. It's the difference between a cow and a rhino - Cows sit around and accomplish little, but rhino's charge!! And research proves the power of moving and its effect on accomplishment. Most people make a HUGE MISTAKE - they tell themselves "When I feel better I'll get moving". That's exactly the opposite of what it takes to be successful in life and business. THE TRUTH IS - YOU MUST GET MOVING - AND THEN YOU'LL FEEL BETTER!

"Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy". - Wayne Dyer

HERE ARE 4 WAYS TO START MOVING:

1. Look at your Calendar: The year is almost over. Now is the time to map out your next four months. What WILL you do to bring more happiness and meaning to your life?? Commit to getting the treatment you need to feel better, lose the weight you've been procrastinating on, stop wasting money and START a savings account instead??? List out the goals that are most important to you and when you want to accomplish them- and read them daily. Then mark them off as you achieve each one.
2. Start Moving: Don't wait. The time will never be "just right." The worst thing you can do is to sit on the couch or lie in bed and think about all the things you COULD be doing. Feeling guilty and eating ice cream when you know you should be on the treadmill or outside only makes your procrastination feel worse. Remember, "A body at rest STAYS at rest. A body in MOTION stays in motion". You'll be amazed at the inspiration that comes to you when your blood starts pumping.
3. Create a NEW Schedule: It's September! You can create a brand new schedule. You can change what time you wake up (I recommend 5 AM), when you get your exercise, when you read a good book, what activities and groups you'll join, when you'll spend time with your kids, etc.
4. Find a Partner: Remember - YOU'RE NOT ALONE. Right now there is somebody you know who is in the exact same situation as you. They feel the same way you feel. So go ahead and reach out. Make a commitment to each other and hold each other accountable. There is something very powerful in committing to do something WITH someone else. The days you might not get out of bed, not go to the gym, and not get the kids together to play --- become fewer and fewer because it's natural to not want to let someone down.

"We shall never have more time. We have, and have always had, all the time there is. No object is served in waiting until next week or even until tomorrow. Keep going day in and day out. Concentrate on something useful. Having decided to achiever a task, achiever it at all costs." - Arnold Bennett.

Watching your Back, Dr. Brad

What Can You Learn From Peyton Manning?

If you are a football fan, or have just been watching the news, you have heard that one of the longest streaks in NFL history is about to be broken. No, it's not for something good, like the all time rushing record or touchdown record, it's for something that a lot of professional athletes take a lot of pride in - CONSISTENCY. And it's not that there will be a NEW all-time record holder - just the opposite because the streak is coming to an end for ALL THE WRONG REASONS. Peyton Manning, the QB for the Indianapolis Colts, has one of the longest streaks in history for "consecutive games played". He is widely considered an IRON MAN for his ability to avoid the injury bug. In fact, he has not missed starting a football game since he was a freshman in college. Pretty impressive, huh?

Unfortunately, Peyton is now experiencing what MILLIONS OF AMERICANS go through every year. It's called "Failed Back Surgery Syndrome". At the end of last season, Manning, who had previously had a surgery that didn't work, went back under the knife for a more INVASIVE surgery which his doctors told him "would fix the problem". However, not only did the procedure NOT FIX THE PROBLEM it created MORE NEUROLOGICAL problems. Sadly, depending on the research you choose to read, this happens 70-90% of the time. Even with more money then most people will ever have, and with the "best" doctors at his disposal - Peyton has succumbed to the same disastrous reality that we see in our office EVERY DAY. The truth is that surgery very rarely helps and very often creates more permanent problems then the condition it was supposed to treat. It can cause direct damage, like in Manning's case, or it can create future damage because once the spine is operated on it accelerates the break down of spine above and below the surgery location. The medical statistics speak for themselves ---- if you read my newsletter a few weeks ago you already know this.

SO WHAT'S THE LESSON HERE???? DON'T GET SURGERY UNLESS IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE LAST RESORT AND YOU HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING YOU POSSIBLY CAN!!

It's simple - your body is a truly incredible living machine. It was designed intelligently and will operate intelligently as long as it is functioning the right way. However, if it is not working the right way, it will break down and develop damage and disease. When this happens you will almost always get a warning signal. For this particular case the warning is PAIN. Pain is not our enemy, it is a warning signal to your conscious mind that things are breaking down. When this happens you have two choices: first, you can look at the pain as "THE" problem and take pills, lotions and patches to "mask" the symptom OR....... you can find out WHAT is causing the pain and deal with it. The former is the "quick-fix" method, but as with all quick fix's the future is bleak because the CAUSE of the condition was never handled (think of the recent floods our poor neighbors have had to deal with). Dealing with the problem is different in that you are asking 2 IMPORTANT questions - what is "causing" my problem and what can be done to fix it. If you want a BETTER future you will CORRECT the problem as soon as possible before it results in permanent damage and you have no other choice, but surgery.

Today, a long time patient came in for treatment. She told us of a co-worker who had surgery on his spine less then a year ago and now ALL OF HIS PROBLEMS ARE BACK AND GETTING WORSE. She stated that they are recommending another surgery (can you imaging??). SO, IF YOU HAVE A FRIEND........ BE A FRIEND....you know what I am going to say - HELP THEM! Before it's too late. Our clinic offers the most advanced therapies ANYWHERE to help heal the condition and prevent surgery. From state of the art Physical Therapy, to Spinal Decompression, to Class 4 Deep Tissue Laser .... and now, Pain Management with Dr. Gamburg, we have a comprehensive approach to almost any physical problem you can throw at us. Every year we are on the look out for new, advanced therapies that we can add to our clinic to help us with our goal of preventing pain and surgery. If there is anything more we can do for you, or if you have a family member, friend or co-worker who needs help all you have to do is ASK. We are here to help.

Watching your Back, Dr. Brad

Weekly Health Update

Mental Attitude: Money Can't Buy Happiness.
Once a point of being able to meet basic needs is reached, the effect of money on happiness levels off. More money leads to marginal gains (at best) or even less well-being as people worry about "keeping up with the Joneses."
American Psychological Association, July 2011

Health Alert: Medical Bills And Bankruptcy?
Most people who are driven into bankruptcy by illness and medical bills actually have coverage, but it's such inadequate coverage that it doesn't keep them from financial ruin. They face huge premiums, co-payments, deductibles and things that aren't covered by their insurance.
Minnesota News Connection

Diet: Food Labeling.
A recently enacted law requires restaurant chains with at least 15 locations to provide calorie data on menus and menu boards. At McDonalds, there was a 5.3% drop in average calories per purchase, and at KFC, a 6.4% drop.
British Medical Journal, August 2011

Exercise: Exercise For The Brain.
Aerobic exercise and strength training plays a vital role in maintaining brain and cognitive health throughout life. A review of 111 recent articles suggests aerobic exercise is important for getting a head start during childhood on cognitive abilities. Physical inactivity is associated with poorer academic performance and results on standard neuropsychological tests, while exercise programs appear to improve memory, attention, and decision-making. These effects also extend to young and elderly adults, with solid evidence for aerobic training benefiting executive functions, including multi-tasking, planning, and inhibition, and increasing the volume of brain structures important for memory.
Journal of Applied Physiology, July 2011

Chiropractic: Chiropractic Patients Most Satisfied.
With regards to patient satisfaction, a survey of more than 14,000 consumers rated chiropractic #1 among all health care providers.
Consumer Reports, May 2009

Wellness/Prevention: Are Vacations Worth the Effort?
Each year we save up for them, but do they do us any good? According to Dutch psychologist Jessica de Bloom, holidays help us recharge our batteries and perform at a high level.
The Psychologist, August 2011

Only one month left to win an iPad!!

Thank you to all of our patients that have referred friends and family to our office during our "Referral Give-Away". We have been able to put many entries into our "Change The World" Raffle Drum. As you know, the winner of the contest will receive an iPad!!! It's SO EASY to be entered into the drawing...when you refer in 1 friend you will get 1 entry card to write your name on. IT GETS BETTER - If you refer in 2 friends you will get an additional 5 entries. BUT THERE'S MORE - If you refer in 3 or more people you will get 10 entries per person!!

Good Luck - and remember, the more friends who come in THE MORE YOU STAND TO WIN!! Have fun.

Good luck, and we look forward to seeing you on Facebook!

Don't forget to follow us on our blog, Twitter and Facebook. Just click on the links below...

Good Luck!

Back to School Means Back To Getting Sick and Pain

Every year around this time there is a very predictable pattern that I have observed over the years ..... that there will be a spike in getting sick, headaches, upper back pain and allergies. What most people you know don't understand, and maybe this includes you as well, is that for tens of millions of people there is a dramatic shift in their schedule, their responsibilities, their time demands and at the same time the seasons are changing. The reason this is significant is that all of these things cause STRESS in your body - IN PARTICULAR - YOUR NERVOUS SYSTEM. Your nervous system is the control center of all of the other organs and systems that keep you healthy and alive. When the nerve system gets overwhelmed it creates short-circuiting to these other systems. THINK OF A BROWN OUT. It's not that all of your appliances stop working.....they just don't work the right way. In our bodies, when things don't work the right way, we get PAIN OR SICKNESS.

So, what's the best way to stay healthy during this very stressful time of the year? YOU GUESSED IT - by doing things that lower the stress in your nervous system and body. One GREAT way is to get extra chiropractic adjustments, another is to watch what you eat and drink (especially later in the day and evening), drink more water, go to bed a little earlier and finally, get some physical activity. All of these things have a "STRESS-REDUCING" effect on your body and, therefore, the more of them you can do together the better you'll feel.

Finally, pay attention to your body. It really is the most incredible thing. It will always give you little warnings that a problem is coming. If you start to feel fatigue, sore throat, congestion, headaches, upper back and neck pain, etc.... these are all signs that your physical body is not working the best it can be. When that happens - MAKE A POINT TO GET AN EXTRA ADJUSTMENT. The adjustment will free up the nerves, created more mobility of the spine and allow the spinal muscles to relax. When this happens your immune system will work better, your sinuses will drain better and you will ABSOLUTELY FEEL BETTER.

Also, think of your co-workers, friends and family members. If they are complaining about not feeling well - REFER THEM IN FOR A COMPLIMENTARY VISIT TO OUR OFFICE. They will be very glad you did.

As Always - Watching your Back,
Dr. Brad