Tag Archives: diabetes

Are Statins a Waste of Time, Money?

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What Do Statins Do? Are Statins Good For Me?

The headline above comes from a Newsmax Health article by Lynn Allison published on January 11, 2017. The article offers information showing that one of the most profitable drugs of all time is actually based on a false theory. Statin drugs bring in over $34 billion in sales each year.

Are Statins a Waste of Time, Money - Austin Chiropractor Texas Natural Health Wellness No Medication NecessaryMs. Allison begins the article by saying, “Millions are being misled about the pros and cons of statin drugs.” She goes on to explain that a recently convened panel of experts are suggesting that the theory of bad cholesterol may be faulty. If this revelation is true, it would mean that the millions of statin drugs being given are unnecessary and may even be harmful.

Additionally, the side effects of taking statins may be more serious than treating cholesterol, if that cholesterol is not as harmful as once thought. Some of the side effects of statin drugs include muscle pain, liver damage, increase in blood sugar, type 2 diabetes, memory issues, and neurological effects.

Dr. John Abramson of the Harvard Medical School stated in the article that earlier research found no link between high LDL cholesterol levels and heart deaths in those over 60. In an article titled “The Great Cholesterol Con,” Dr. Abramson stated, “A lack of association between LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular disease in those over 60 from our recent systemic review suggests the conventional cholesterol hypothesis is flawed.”

Dr. Richard Thompson, former physician to the Queen of England, asks the questions, “For hundreds of years physicians have clung to outdated and ineffective treatments. Could statins be now the latest star to fall? Have patients been misled over them for many years?”

Dr. Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., co-author of “The Great Cholesterol Myth,” also added to this article by saying, “Our book, ‘The Great Cholesterol Myth,’ references dozens of studies that not only cast doubt on the cholesterol theory but in some cases totally refutes the notion that cholesterol causes heart disease. We list several peer-reviewed studies that show more than half the people admitted to hospitals for cardiovascular disease have normal cholesterol. Not only doesn’t cholesterol cause heart disease, it is a lousy predictor of it!”

To drive home his point, Dr. Bowden, while appearing on the Dr. Oz show, said, “Trying to lower the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol is like trying to lower the risk of obesity by taking the lettuce off your Big Mac.”

Dr. Bowden further explained the problem with doctors over-prescribing these drugs by saying, “Doctors prescribe them randomly for anyone with a so-called elevated cholesterol level. Interestingly, the Framingham study revealed that people with the highest cholesterol levels actually lived the longest.” He continued, “And the claim from drug companies that statins save lives usually does not hold up upon close examination. You may see a slight reduction in heart attacks but your will see a corresponding increase in cancer and diabetes.”

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Bilateral Sciatica Helped with Chiropractic According to Study

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What is Sciatica? Can Chiropractic Care Help Sciatica?

On September 22, 2016, a study was published in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research documenting chiropractic helping a patient with bilateral sciatica. Sciatica is a term that means pain down the sciatic nerves which run on each side from the buttocks down the back of the leg to the foot.

bilateral-sciatica-helped-with-chiropractic-according-to-study-austin-tx-best-chiropractor-office-reviews-google-yelpThe sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It is actually comprised of fibers from several nerve roots exiting from several levels of the spine. In addition to pain, sciatica can also involve weakness, numbness, or a loss of motor control down the leg. Sciatica usually involves some type of mechanical compression on the sciatic nerve or the sources of the sciatic nerve.

According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 70% of the population in industrialized countries will suffer back pain at some time. It is estimated that between 13 to 40% of the public will suffer from sciatica at some time in their lives. Annually, it is estimated that between 1 and 5% of the population deals with this issue in a given year.

In this case, a 77-year-old man went to the chiropractor. The man was suffering from bilateral sciatica which started a year earlier after a car accident. The pain was so severe that the man was unable to walk more than four steps. In addition to the sciatica, the patient was suffering from diabetes, depression, and constipation.

A chiropractic examination was performed on the man which included range of motion, palpation, infrared paraspinal thermal scans, spinal x-rays, and motion x-rays. The man’s range of motion was limited due to pain, and palpation showed areas of tenderness over the pelvis at the origin of the sciatic nerve. From the examination and x-ray findings, a determination was made that subluxations were present in the patient’s spine.

Specific chiropractic adjustments were given to address the subluxations found to be present. After a month and a half, totaling eleven visits, a re-examination was performed. At that time, the man reported that his sciatica had been significantly reduced. He also reported that he was able to walk for a longer distance than before. His range of motion was also greatly improved.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, “Sciatica and other lumbar radicular syndromes are painful conditions that can cause significant disability to a patient.” They also noted that specific chiropractic care for the reduction of vertebral subluxations can have a positive effect on bilateral sciatica symptomatology.

If you or anyone you know could benefit from a better functioning nervous system, please call us at 512-452-2525 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Swanson. We are located in north central Austin, TX.

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Resolution of Infertility with Chiropractic – A Case Study

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Can Chiropractic Help With Infertility? How Does Chiropractic Help Me Conceive?

From the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health comes a case study and literature review published on July 7, 2016, documenting a case of infertility being resolved with chiropractic. Infertility is the inability to conceive within one year of attempting to get pregnant.

Resolution of Infertility with Chiropractic - Austin TX Pediatric Fertility Care for Mom and DadThe study begins by noting that about 85% of couples attempting to conceive are successful in the first year. Therefore, a timeframe longer than one year is classified as infertility. It is estimated that 6 million couples are struggling with infertility in the United States.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common form of infertility that prevents ovulation. It affects approximately 6.6% of reproductive-aged women and is characterized by swollen ovaries, cysts or follicles on ovaries, infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods, excess hair growth, acne, and obesity. Women with PCOS often have difficulty becoming pregnant, and could develop other health issues such as diabetes and heart disease.

In this case, a 30-year-old woman went to the chiropractor with a chief complaint of ulcerative colitis and neck pain which extended into her upper back. She was also suffering from tension headaches on a regular basis. Her history revealed three car accidents with the oldest dating back to over 30 years ago. She also reported that she had been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). She was unable to get pregnant and was told by her MD that her ovaries were “covered in cysts.”

A chiropractic examination was performed which included a spinal analysis, postural analysis, leg length analysis, static palpation, motion palpation, paraspinal thermography, and spinal x-rays to determine the levels of vertebral subluxation. Based on the findings, chiropractic care was initiated to address the spinal subluxations at the rate of two visits per week.

By the fifth chiropractic visit, the patient reported that her neck pain had significantly decreased, and she reported having no headaches that week. By her 14th visit, the woman reported that she was no longer having pain from her ulcerative colitis.

As she continued her care, she noticed that she had begun ovulating for the first time in eight years. Because of this, the woman and her husband decided to try to conceive again. This time, after only the first attempt, they were successful and she became pregnant. Shortly over 40 weeks later, she gave birth to a baby boy. The woman continued under wellness chiropractic care and, one year later, became pregnant again, delivering a baby girl 9 months later.

In the study conclusion, the author wrote, “Chiropractic adjustments, resulting in reduced vertebral subluxations, appear to have benefited a female who was previously anovulatory. Reduction of vertebral subluxations may have a relationship to improved female fertility and the ability to achieve pregnancy.”

If you or anyone you know could benefit from a better functioning nervous system, please call us at 512-452-2525 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Swanson. We are located in north central Austin, TX.

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Over 184,000 Global Deaths Each Year Caused by Sugary Drinks

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Are Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Bad? Can Sugar Negatively Affect My Health?

Medical News Today (MNT) published an article on June 30, 2014, with the above headline addressing the issue of the health impact drinks with a high amount of sugar have on the population. The article is based on several studies including a study published on June 29, 2015, in the journal Circulation with the title, “Estimated Global, Regional, and National Disease Burdens Related to Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption in 2010.”

Over 184,000 Global Deaths Each Year Caused by Sugary Drinks - Austin Health ClinicThe MNT article begins by reporting that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates show that men consume an average of 178 calories from sugary drinks daily, compared to women who consume around 103 calories from these drinks daily. While some may make the point that these types of drinks should not be part of anyone’s diet, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends consuming no more than 450 calories from these drinks in a week. This is equivalent to less than three cans of soda in a week.

Prof. Gitanjali Singh, research assistant professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy of Tufts University in Boston, MA, and his team analyzed sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumption data from 1980-2010 from 62 surveys involving 611,971 people in 51 countries. They reviewed the data to see how consuming sugary drinks impacted the death rate from diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

The results of the study showed that in 2010, sugar-sweetened beverages were responsible for around 184,450 deaths worldwide, with 133,000 deaths from diabetes, 45,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease and 6,450 deaths from cancer. The study also highlighted that younger adults were more negatively impacted by these drinks than were older adults. Prof. Singh commented, “The health impact of sugar-sweetened beverage intake on the young is important because younger adults form a large sector of the workforce in many countries,” he explains, “so the economic impact of sugar-sweetened beverage-related deaths and disability in this age group can be significant.”

Prof. Singh continued his concerns by adding, “It also raises concerns about the future. If these young people continue to consume high levels as they age, the effects of high consumption will be compounded by the effects of aging, leading to even higher death and disability rates from heart disease and diabetes than we are seeing now”

In the study conclusion, Prof. Gitanjali Singh and his coauthors wrote, “SSBs, are a single, modifiable component of diet, that can impact preventable death/disability in adults in high, middle, and low-income countries, indicating an urgent need for strong global prevention programs.”

If you or anyone you know could benefit from a better functioning nervous system, please call us at 512-452-2525 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Swanson.

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Diet Sodas Linked to Increase in Belly Fat

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Is Diet Soda Better For Me? Does Diet Soda Make You Fat?

CBS News ran a story with the above title on March 17, 2015. The story was based on research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society on March 17, 2015, showing that drinking diet soda actually causes an increase in waist size in seniors, and places them at risk for a number of adverse health conditions.

Diet Sodas Linked to Increase in Belly Fat - Austin TX ChiropractorStudy author Sharon Fowler, an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, commented in the CBS article saying, “We’re being naive if we only look at the number of calories in the label. People may be sabotaging their own health if they use diet sodas to protect themselves from gaining weight.”

The study showed that the more diet soda someone consumes, the more likely they are to increase their waist size. Diet soda was also shown to contribute to greater risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. Metabolic syndrome is a combination of risk factors that can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

The study named the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging (SALSA), looked at 749 Mexican and European-Americans who were aged 65 and older. Researchers monitored diet soda intake, waist circumference, height, and weight over a 10 year period on the subjects. The results showed an increase in waist circumference among diet soda drinkers, that was almost triple that among seniors who did not drink diet sodas.

Science Daily also carried the story and quoted author Sharon Fowler saying, “Our study seeks to fill the age gap by exploring the adverse health effects of diet soda intake in individuals 65 years of age and older. The burden of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, along with healthcare costs, is great in the ever-increasing senior population.” She concluded, “The SALSA study shows that increasing diet soda intake was associated with escalating abdominal obesity, which may increase cardiometabolic risk in older adults.”

If you or anyone you know could benefit from a better functioning nervous system, please call us at 512-452-2525 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Swanson.