"In Good Hands"

"People will forget what you do. People will forget what you say. They will never forget how you made them feel." ~ Francis X. Maguire "Has Mother Nature Already Given Us The Best Possible Solution For Heart Disease?" Virginia Beach - Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. So, there is a very, very, very good chance it will be YOUR cause of death, and the cause of death of many of your loved ones. Got your attention? Good! Now, what if I told you there is a way to DRAMATICALLY reduce your risk of heart disease… even if you had already suffered a heart attack? And, what if I told you it was all natural, quick, easy, inexpensive, and had research to back it up? Better yet… what if I told ya… It Only Takes About 10 Seconds A Day!!! Would ya be interested in hearing more about it? Well… would ya? If you are interested and would like to discover a possible way to dramatically decrease your risk of heart disease… then this will be one of the most important messages you'll ever read. Here's why. Most heart attacks and strokes are caused by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the gradual build-up of cholesterol on the walls of the arteries. This slowly causes an increase in blood pressure (the heart has to pump harder to move the same amount of blood through a more narrow artery), which can lead to an acute heart attack. Even though researchers have known for years that heart disease runs in families, they have never been able to isolate a genetic cause… Until Maybe Now… A new study from the University of South California and the University of California at Los Angeles have found that a variation of a gene called 5-lipoxygenase (ALOX5;associated with inflammation) might be linked to atherosclerosis build up. The research team examined the medical records of 500 California Utility Workers. Dietary records were monitored for 18 months. Ultrasound was used to measure the thickness of the carotid artery walls… and… tests were done to determine 6% of the study group had the presence of the ALOX5 gene variation. Here's The Shocking Results: The group with the ALOX5 gene variation had an 18% increase plaque build-up than the others! If you think that's BIG… listen to this... From the dietary analysis, it was found that: 1. An intake of omega-6 fatty acids "significantly enhanced" the formation of plaque in the 6% group with the gene variation. 2. An increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids dulled the effect. Even though more research is needed to prove the effects of the ALOX5 gene variation, this could lead to a milestone in early heart disease detection… and more importantly… prevention. So Why Is All This Important To YOU? Who cares if modern technology finds a gene responsible for a disease if there is no cure? Who wants to know they have the genetic make-up to get heart disease… or… cancer… or… anything else - if there is nothing you can do about it. I sure as heck don't want to get a bunch of tests done only to have a doctor tell me: "Hey, looks like you are going to get heart disease and die of a heart attack… but… there's nothing we can do about it. Have a nice day!" That's why the most promising part of the new research you just read about was NOT the identification of the ALOX5 gene. No-siree-bob! It Was The Part About Omega-6 And Omega-3 Fatty Acids! Not only did this study show promising results for reducing heart disease with diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids… so have previous studies. In fact, studies have shown increased intakes of omega-3 fatty acids may also lower triglyceride levels, reduce platelet clumping, and improve the function of the cells that line the blood vessels and heart. In one major study, 16 years of data on 120,000 women were studied and the group with the highest omega-3 intake had about half the risk of developing heart disease when compared to the women with the lowest intake. The study also found the risk of developing and dying from heart disease… or suffering a non-fatal heart attack… both steadily decreased as the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids increased. And The Best Thing Is… Yet another study of more than 11,000 men and women who had recently suffered a heart attack… found that supplementation of just one gram of fish oil a day cut the incidence of sudden death in half compared to the group without the supplementation. I don't know about you… but… I see a pattern here. A pattern worth following. It seems extremely wise to increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids…. whether you have the ALOX5 gene variation or not. So Doc… How Do I Add Omega-3 fatty Acids To My Diet? Glad you asked! There are basically two ways. (1) By eating whole foods that are high in omega-3 content… or… (2) Take a supplement. Let's look at both: The best natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids are dark meat fish. Such as - - mackerel, salmon, sardines, bluefish and swordfish. These fish have an average 1.51 grams per serving. Most other fish have about .45 grams per serving. Shellfish around .32. We always like to get our nutrients out of the most natural source possible… but… in this case, it may not be the best idea. Why? Mercury! There have been many recent warnings about the mercury level in fish and some studies have taken samples and found the levels to be as much as twice as high as the FDA standard in certain areas. For this reason, it seems as though omega-3 supplementation may be the best way. And, you don't need to go crazy! Like the study above showed… it only took one gram a day to dramatically improve the vascular health of heart attack victims. But here's a little warning most people don't know about: Fish oil supplements can contain mercury and other toxins. To ensure the highest quality, make sure the supplement you choose is pharmaceutical grade and has been molecularly distilled. Molecular distilling removes toxic heavy metals. If you have any questions, I'll be glad to answer them at your next visit. …And don't forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your, questions. We're here to help, and don't enjoy anything more than participating in your life long good health. Patient of the Month CONGRATULATIONS TO MIMI ADAMS! In appreciation for referring others to our chiropractic family, Mimi Adams and three friends will enjoy a dinner for four at D'Mustard Co. located on Independence Blvd. in Virginia Beach. Thank you to everyone for referring your friends, family and co-workers to chiropractic care! Look for your name to appear here next month and keep up the good work! Tip of The Month: How To Lower Your Risk of Skin Cancer Without Summer is just about in full swing and so are those dangerous rays from the sun. For as long as I can remember, I've been told the sun is dangerous… and… the best way to prevent skin cancer is to use plenty of sunscreen. So, for years, that's exactly what I did. I bet you did too. Well, guess what? What if I were to tell you Sunscreen might not be the best way to prevent skin cancer? What if sunscreen was actually a harmful chemical? Impossible? Crazy? Let's just see what the research has to say about that… First of all, can sun exposure cause skin cancer? Absolutely. However, sunlight also prevents many forms of cancer and is crucial in the formation of Vitamin D. There is strong evidence it is preventative against MS and breast cancer. The Issue Is Never To Burn! That's why we use sunscreen. The only problem is… there is evidence that demonstrates sunscreens may not only be a toxic chemical that can make you sick… they may not protect you from skin cancer. According to a researcher from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, Sunscreen can prevent the most common types of skin cancer… basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas… but it does not protect against melanoma, a more rare but deadly type of skin cancer. Genetic factors such as fair skin and fair hair with a tendency to develop moles where the greatest risk factors. Those with red or blond hair and light colored eyes and pale skin were six times more likely to develop melanoma than those with darker features, and those with numerous moles also had six times the melanoma risk as those with fewer moles. Sunscreen use did NOT lower risk of melanoma, even though it has been theorized that preventing sunburns in childhood with sunscreen might lower the risk of cancer. Based on the evidence, researchers concluded that sunburn itself probably does not cause melanoma, but that it is an important sign of excessive sun exposure, particularly among those who are genetically susceptible because of their skin type. The scary thing is… Because sunscreen prevents sunburn, it might encourage light-skinned individuals to spend more time in the sun, possibly increasing melanoma risk, said the researchers. What's worse, in a study reported in New Science magazine, Octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), which is present in 90 percent of sunscreen brands, was found to kill mouse cells even at low doses in a study by Norwegian scientists. It is unknown if the same effects will occur in human beings, although the findings reported in New Scientist magazine suggest that human cells could be damaged if a sunscreen containing OMC penetrates the outer layer of dead skin and comes into contact with living tissue. Terje Christensen, a biophysicist from the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority near Oslo, said her research showed that sunscreens should be treated with caution, and used only when it was impractical to stay indoors or to shield the skin from the sun with clothes. As you can see, we have quite the conundrum. We need sunlight to stay healthy, yet burns cause skin cancer… and… the safety of chemical sunscreens may be in question. The best advice seems to be to get sun exposure naturally… in small doses… without getting a burn. Then covering up with clothing. Let the pigment in your skin adapt and darken so you can increase the time. For fair skinned individuals, this must be done with caution. But wait… here's some good news! Research has shown omega-3 fats act as inhibitors of development and progression of a range of human cancers, including melanoma! That doesn't mean you can take an omega-3 supplement and go get a good sunburn. But, every little bit helps! Did You Know? • Human skin is nearly as thin as a few sheets of paper. • Over 1 million Earths would fit inside the Sun. • A humming bird weighs less then a penny. • TV dinners originated in the artic. • A humming bird is the only bird that can fly backwards. • A jiffy is 1/100 of a second. • A ducks quack doesn't echo. • Alaska is the most Eastern and Western state in the US. • The city of LA has 3x more cars then people. • The first sailing boats were built in Egypt. • Beavers can hold their breath for up to 45 minutes. • In a year, the average person walks four miles making his or her bed. • The bullfrog is the only animal that never sleeps. • The average person uses 150 gallons of water for personal use each day. • 1.3 Billion pounds of peanuts are produced in Georgia each year. • Frowning burns more calories then smiling. • The average American walks 18,000 steps a day. • Honeybee's navigate by using the Sun as a compass. • A goldfish's attention span is three seconds. • A duck can't walk without bogging it's head. • A human would weigh less on top of a mountain then at sea level