Living with Pets May Protect Your Infant from Allergies

Check out this great article to help reduce allergies for your young ones! 

(Health.com) -- Children who live with dogs and cats are less likely to develop allergies to those animals later in life, but only if the pet is under the same roof while the child is still an infant, a new study suggests.
Compared to babies born into cat-free homes, those who grew up with cats were roughly half as likely to be allergic to them as teenagers, the study found.

Growing up around a dog reduced the risk of dog allergies by about the same amount for boys, but not for girls -- a finding that mystified researchers.

Being exposed to pets anytime after the first year of life appeared to have no effect on allergy risk, however, which indicates that timing may be everything when it comes to preventing allergies.

Health.com: 15 hypoallergenic dogs and cats

Though they can't say for sure, the researchers suspect that early exposure to pet allergens and pet-related bacteria strengthens the immune system, accustoms the body to allergens, and helps the child build up a natural immunity.

"Dirt is good," says lead researcher Ganesa Wegienka, Ph.D., summing up the theory. "Your immune system, if it's busy with exposures early on, stays away from the allergic immune profile."
This isn't the first study to find that having a household pet may protect kids from allergies, but it is the first to follow children until they were 18 years old.

Health.com: How to reduce pet allergens at home
Previous studies have had mixed results -- some have even linked pet exposure during infancy to an increased risk of allergy -- so it's too early to recommend getting a dog or cat just to ward off allergies in your infant, says David Nash, M.D., clinical director of allergy and immunology at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

"In the end, we'll probably find out that there are periods of opportunity when exposure to allergens, for some people, is going to have a protective effect," says Dr. Nash, who was not involved with the new study. "But we're a long way from figuring out who it's protective for and when that optimal period is."
By the same token, don't give away your beloved family pet because you're concerned the critter will provoke allergies.

"I would not get rid of my dog if I was having a child," says Wegienka, an epidemiologist in the department of public health sciences at Henry Ford Hospital, in Detroit. "There's no evidence that you should get rid of a dog or a cat."

Health.com: What to do if you're allergic to your pet
Moreover, it's possible that factors other than having a dog or cat in the house influenced the study participants' risk of allergy.

For instance, although the researchers took into account whether the children's parents were allergic to animals, they didn't ask about a broader family history of allergies or other health problems. So it could be that children who are genetically predisposed to animal allergies simply are less likely to grow up in homes with pets.

In the study, which appears in the journal Clinical & Experimental Allergy, Wegienka and her colleagues collected information from 566 children and their parents about the kids' exposure to indoor pets and their history of allergies.

In addition, when the kids turned 18, the researchers took blood samples and tested them for certain immune-system proteins (known as antibodies) that fight off cat and dog allergens.
The teenagers who lived with a cat during their first year of life had a 48 percent lower risk of cat allergy than their peers, and the teen boys who lived with a dog had a 50 percent lower risk of allergy.

The authors suggest that infant girls may not develop the same immunity as boys because they may interact differently with dogs than infant boys, but that's only a guess.

Copyright Health Magazine 2010

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/06/13/pets.infants.allergies/index.html?hpt=hp_bn6

http://www.siouxfallschiropractic.com/

Workers' Compensation Update: Chiropractic Care More Valuable and Cost-Efficient

Dr. Bob would like me to share this article that was forwarded from the South Dakota Chiropractic Association.  Take a look:

CARMICHAEL, Calif. - June 2, 2011 - A recent study conducted by medical and healthcare professionals outside the chiropractic profession, "Health Maintenance Care in Work-Related Low Back Pain and Its Association with Disability Recurrence," (Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, April 2011, Vol. 53 Is. 4, p: 396-404) concludes chiropractic care to be more effective for common, work-related, low back pain (LBP), when compared to treatment by a physical therapist or physician.  Overall, chiropractic patients illustrated lower medical expenses, fewer disability recurrences and shorter initial periods of disability.

Researchers compared disability episodes across types of healthcare providers who treat claimants with new episodes of work-related LBP.  After an analysis of 894 workers' compensation cases, it was concluded that the preventive healthcare, predominantly and explicitly recommended by chiropractic doctors, is associated with lower disability recurrences. In this study, a recurrent disability is defined as the resumption of at least 15 consecutive days of temporary total disability payments following the health maintenance stage -- the period following a patient's recovery and restoration of optimal health.

"A chiropractor provides an effective approach to maintain health, a key component in preventing episode recurrence," says Gerard Clum, D.C. and spokesperson for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. "The clear trend revealed in this study shows chiropractic care resulting in the best outcomes, and the mechanism being used deserves the attention of both the consumer and healthcare professional."

Ten percent of patients experienced recurrent disability due to LBP between initial disabilities and the subsequent return-to-work or healthcare phase. After controlling demographic and severity factors, when compared to recipients cared for mostly by physicians and/or physical therapists, those treated mostly by chiropractors showed consistently better outcomes, less use of opioids, and had fewer surgeries, with overall lower medical expenses.

"A significant hypothesis derived from this study states that chiropractors may be instrumental in avoiding procedures or surgeries of unproven cost utility value or uncertain efficacy," adds Dr. Clum.

About Foundation for Chiropractic Progress 
A not-for-profit organization, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress aims to inform and educate the general public about the many benefits associated with chiropractic care. To learn more about the Foundation, please visit us on the web at http://www.yes2chiropractic.com/.

Benefits of Omega-3s

KSFY Medical Minute did a story recently on the benefits of Omega-3s.  Not only are they good for your heart, they are also a great supplement to take for joint health!

Before you know if you are at risk for heart attack or stroke you need to know your numbers. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are 2 risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but Nancy Naeve Brown tells us there are some things you can do to supplement your heart health with diet and supplements.

The first thing you need to do, if you haven't done it in the last year, is to get your cholesterol checked. It's a simple blood test done on an empty stomach.

Your total cholesterol should be less than 200.
--HDL (happy or good cholesterol) should be greater than 50 in women, 40 in men.
--LDL (lousy or bad cholesterol) should be less than 100. Less than 70 if you have coronary disease.
--and your triglycerides should be less than 150.

A healthy blood pressure is 120/80 or lower.

Cardiologist Dr. Mark Gordon with North Central Heart says, "Exercise works well to increase HDL and does to some degree lower LDL. Diet probably plays a greater role in reducing LDL cholesterol."

Dr. Gordon says eating a Mediterranean diet filled with whole grains, lots of fish and fruits and vegetables is best.  Omega 3 fatty acids, found in salmon, helps reduce triglycerides and protects the walls of the arteries, but we need to have 2 to 3 servings of salmon a week which most in the Midwest don't and that's where supplements come into play.

 Dr. Gordon says, "Red yeast rice has been shown to lower cholesterol. The latest study shows a combination or red yeast rice with fish oil actually reduced cholesterol to the same degree as Zocor/ Simvastatin could (lipid lowering prescription medication which can be expensive and have adverse side-effects for people)."

 Dr. Gordon says it's important to read the label of your fish oil. Make sure your fish oil pills have concentrated DHA. Dr. Gordon says we should take 2 grams of DHA.  So either follow the serving size or do some math 1000 mg = 1 gram. Dr. Gordon recommends Nordic Natural which you can find at Wayne and Mary's Nutrition Center in Sioux Falls. That brand contains 450 mg of DHA in each capsule and you won't burp up fish.

Dr. Gordon says, "The other natural things you can do to reduce your cholesterol is to take plant sterols or plant stanols. They have been FDA approved to lower cholesterol; you need .8 grams a day."

The less prescription medications you have to take the cheaper it is for you and the better off you'll be. So change your diet, increase your exercise and supplement instead.  

We went to Wayne and Mary's Nutrition Center in Sioux Falls and suggest if you are looking for insight into what supplements are best and which ones are best for you.. to go there.

Acupuncture Care

Take a look at this article from KSFY.com about benefits of Acupuncture.

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese therapy that involves putting tiny needles in the skin at certain points in the body to restore the flow of energy through the body.  Nancy Naeve Brown met a Sioux Falls woman who is sold on it's healing nature because she no longer has hot flashes, insomnia or allergy congestion.

Linda Olson has been coming to get acupuncture from Dr. Dawn Flickema at the Sioux Falls Avera McGreevy Clinic on 69th going on 3 months now and going on 3 months she says she has never felt better.

Linda says, "I'd been having issues with hot flashes and insomnia for well over a year and anytime I don't have to take a pill I'm for it."

Dr. Flickema says, "It's not a hollow needle like you draw blood with.  It's a solid stainless steel sterile needle when I put the needle in I'm looking for specific anatomic landmarks as to where the meridian is for the person I'm trying to fix. What I do is twist the needle down to hit the specific cells associated with the meridian."

The needles in her leg are helping with hot flashes, insomnia and respiratory issues.

Dr. Flickema says, "The Chinese or oriental theory is that illness is because energy through the meridian is not flowing through the meridian. So what you are doing with acupuncture is unblocking that channel to provide relief or benefit of the problem."

Linda says, "Dr. Flickema is a lifesaver.  I sleep 5 to 6 hours at night now and I used to wake up every hour on the hour. Very rarely do I have a hot flash."

Since acupuncture has resolved her insomnia, hot flashes and allergy congestion Linda has now moved on to weight loss. She's already dropped 5 pounds in the last month. Linda says something that's been around for 5000 years certainly has a history of healing behind it and it's made a loyal believer out of her.

Dr. Flickema says 3 symptoms is the most she will treat at one time and typically doesn't use more than 10 needles in a session.  Once the needles are in place, patients will sit for 20 minutes. Linda says she is so relaxed she falls sound asleep. Dr. Flickema says it usually takes about 10 sessions to alleviate symptoms.

For more information call 605-322-5240 or visit http://www.averamcgreevyclinic.org/

http://www.ksfy.com/Global/story.asp?S=13805188

Feeling Like you Have No Energy?

Try some vitamin B12.  Here is a great article on the benefits of B12 Vitamins.  We have started carrying B12 vitamin liquid shots here at the clinic.  Don't hesitate to ask questions the next time you're in for your adjustment!

Vitamin B12 is sometimes also called cyanocobalamin because they contain a metal ion which is cobalt. The vitamin b12 benefits that are the most popular are often due to its crucial role in giving you energy. While not all the functions and vitamin b12 benefits are clear they definitely have a vital role in the creation of healthy red blood cells. In fact, you might sometimes hear of people such as athletes or people with low energy getting a B12 injection. You often hear about these injections because clinicians use them to help your energy level and nervous system. These vitamins might also be important in the production of neurotransmitters in your brain such as dopamine and serotonin.

Another of the B12 benefits is that it protects myelin which is a fatty material that covers your nerves and enables them to transmit electrical impulses/messages between the nerve cells throughout the body. Depressed patients often have low serotonin so one of the benefits of vitamin b12 is their role in preventing depression which is another of the reasons it is often called an energy vitamin. They also support your growth and appetite. People sometimes associate this vitamin with weight loss because since it increase your energy and metabolism your body will naturally  increase its daily energy consumption.

B12 vitamin is found in animal-based foods such as eggs, dairy products, fish including crabmeat, croaker, lobster, oysters, scallops, and meat. This is one of the reasons why vegetarians often have problems with vitamin B12 intake and might suffer from vitamin b12 deficiency symptoms . It’s interesting to note that your body actually produces a small amount of vitamin B12 in your small intestine thanks to bacteria that live there and help you digest foods. If you are vegetarian make sure you have enough B12 vitamins in your diet. If not, supplements are heavily recommended because this is an essential vitamin and you will have to add a much harder time making sure you have sufficient amounts of B12 in your diet. Other people at risk of deficiency in vitamin B12 are young children and seniors who can have problems storing a good supply of vitamins in their bodies. As previously mentioned some people, especially those with pernicious anemia, also get vitamin b12 injections because their diet does not naturally have enough for their needs.

You only need a few micrograms of the vitamin daily to receive all the benefits of vitamin b12; people sometimes enjoy taking up to a few milligrams claiming improved energy and no side effects. Since Vitamin B12 is a water soluble vitamin all excess will simply be washed away in your urine. This is unlike vitamins such as vitamin A which are stored in your fat so while you might want to take a lot of supplements to take advantage of all the vitamin A benefits your actually doing so at your own peril past a certain daily amount. If you decide to take Vitamin B12 supplements you definitely want to make sure there is ample information about the brand you want to buy and contacting your health doctor for his approval is probably also a good idea.

http://wisemensvitamins.com/vitamin-b12-benefits/ For more information on this article, follow the link.

Chiropractic Speeds Up Your Golf Swing!

Take a look at this article about how simple physics and chiropractic improves the speed of your golf swing!
Article shared from Planet Chiropractic News. (http://www.planetc1.com/)

Marietta, Georgia -- It is a simple physics equation in golf: the higher the swing speed, the farther the golf ball travels. The average PGA Tour player generates a swing speed in the neighborhood of 110 MPH. Maurice Allen, a first year chiropractic student at Life University, recorded the highest ever swing of 161 MPH as recorded on the Momentus® Speed Whoosh, a golf training aid.

The previous record of 159 MPH was set by Joe Miller, the 2010 Remax Long Drive Champion. Before Miller, the record of 157 MPH was held by Jamie Sadlowski, the 2008 and 2009 Remax Long Drive Champion. Maurice will attempt to qualify for the 2011 Remax event beginning in March. The finals will be held in Mesquite, Nevada in November.
 
Allen attributes his long drive prowess to God-given abilities. “I’ve never really played golf,” he says. “My dad played when I was growing up, but I never competed and never owned golf clubs.” He only discovered his uncanny knack for long hitting about six months ago.
 
“I lost a bet,” says Allen. “I was helping a friend of mine named Steve Harrison organize a golf event, and he bet me I couldn’t hit the ball very far.” From that first shot, a phenomenon was born. You can regularly find Maurice Allen in the PGA Superstore in suburban Atlanta, literally cracking golf balls into a net. On a recent visit, he cracked the covers of three regulation golf balls, the sheer force of the club splitting the ionomer polyelectrolyte cover.
 
Allen is taking his newly discovered talent seriously, training in the Life University Sport Science Institute (LUSSI). LUSSI is a proprietary center on the campus of Life University that specializes in helping elite athletes reach peak performance. Through a specific regimen of chiropractic adjustments, fitness and nutrition, Allen is becoming a finely tuned athlete, ready to take on all comers in long drive competitions. He credits LUSSI’s Dr. Keith Rau with helping him break the club head speed record, and looks forward to seeing how far he can push the limit of the golf ball.
 
About Life University Founded in Marietta, Georgia in 1974, Life University is the largest chiropractic college in the world. Life University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) to award four-year undergraduate and graduate degrees in a variety of health care, science, business and general studies fields. The mission of Life University is to empower students with the education, skills and values necessary for career success and life fulfillment, based on vitalistic philosophy.

Chiropractic Care for Babies with Colic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXBns0lF_l8&feature=player_embedded

Watch this video for great information for babies with colic.