Closer look at what is in your water and toothpaste

97% of Western Europe has chosen fluoride-free water. Water fluoridation’s benefits to teeth have been exaggerated. No statistical difference exists in tooth decay between fluoridated & unfluoridated countries. Fluoride is the only chemical added to drinking water for the purpose of medicating the public.

Contrary to belief, fluoride has minimal benefit when swallowed. According to the Centers for Disease Control, fluoride's "predominant effect is topical". Many people are being over-exposed to fluoride. Children can ingest more fluoride from toothpaste alone than is recommended as a “safe amount”. Fluoridated water is no longer recommended for babies. According to a recent review published in the medical journal The Lancet, fluoride may damage the developing brain, causing learning deficits and other problems.

Ingestion of fluoride has little benefit, but many risks. Whereas fluoride's benefits come from topical contact with teeth, its risks to health (which involve many more tissues than the teeth) result from being swallowed. Adverse effects from fluoride ingestion have been associated with doses atttainable by people living in fluoridated areas. For example:

a) Risk to the brain. According to the National Research Council (NRC), fluoride can damage the brain. Animal studies conducted in the 1990s by EPA scientists found dementia-like effects at the same concentration (1 ppm) used to fluoridate water, while human studies have found adverse effects on IQ at levels as low as 0.9 ppm.

b) Risk to the thyroid gland. According to the NRC, fluoride is an “endocrine disrupter.” Most notably, the NRC has warned that doses of fluoride (0.01-0.03 mg/kg/day) achievable by drinking fluoridated water, may reduce the function of the thyroid among individuals with low-iodine intake. Reduction of thyroid activity can lead to loss of mental acuity, depression and weight gain.

c) Risk to bones. According to the NRC, fluoride can diminish bone strength and increase the risk for bone fracture.
d) Risk for bone cancer. Animal and human studies – including a recent study from a team of Harvard scientists – have found a connection between fluoride and a serious form of bone cancer (osteosarcoma).

e) Risk to kidney patients. People with kidney disease have a heightened susceptibility to fluoride toxicity. The heightened risk stems from an impaired ability to excrete fluoride from the body.

Some words of advice… do not simply trust what many in the dental profession still promote, investigate how to eliminate fluoride from your water, and find toothpaste that does not contain fluoride. The Sunflower Market, or most health food stores will have a fluoride free toothpaste. We use the brand “Kiss My Face” in our household, and its actually pretty good stuff! The key here, as with most things, is to minimize the bad stuff and maximize the good stuff when it comes to health and disease. You can do it, and it’s worth the effort!

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig

“Mr. Burns sold seltzer water as the flu vaccine.”

This was a line from a recent Simpson’s episode. It made me think about a few things regarding what will soon be a “hot topic” for many commercials, billboards, magazine ads, etc. – the flu vaccine!

What do you know about the flu vaccine? Don’t believe what you hear. Here is some of what I know:

1) Common vaccine ingredients that you do not want in YOUR bloodstream?

• Ethylene glycol (antifreeze)
• Phenol, also known as carbolic acid (this is used as a disinfectant, dye)
• Formaldehyde, a known cancer-causing agent
• Aluminum, which is associated with Alzheimer's disease and seizures and also cancer producing in laboratory mice (it is used as an additive to promote antibody response)
• Thimerosal (a mercury disinfectant/preservative) can result in brain injury and autoimmune disease
• Neomycin and Streptomycin (used as antibiotics) have caused allergic reaction in some people.

2) Vaccines are also grown and strained through animal or human tissue like monkey kidney tissue, chicken embryo, embryonic guinea pig cells, calf serum, and human diploid cells (the dissected organs of aborted human fetuses as in the case of rubella, hepatitis A, and chickenpox vaccines). Want that junk in your body?

3) The number of deaths arising from the flu are statistically inaccurate and misleading, to say the least. But, with good advertising and the right blend of “scare tactics” people will take almost anything. $$$$

4) The odds of picking the right strain of virus among all the possibilities is like a bad trip to Las Vegas, it is a huge gamble. In addition, what about the mutated strain that no one has any experience with? This has happened many times over the last several years… the “scientists” picked the wrong strain to emerge, made the vaccine anyways, and then promoted sales under the premise that “well, it’s better than nothing”. Are you kidding me? Yet, the sale of flu shots hit all time highs every year.

5) People do die from the flu. People also die from taking the flu vaccine! Allergic reactions to all types of medicines- including the flu shot is not something you will hear a lot about. After all, where is the $$$ in sharing that info with the public, i.e. commercials, warnings in print and media, etc?

6) More people in the practice got sick last year, who got the flu shot, compared to those that did not!

7) What you MUST understand is that people are dying from the flu because they are already sick and have compromised immune systems. The ultimate treatment for the flu is proactive prevention – there is no side effect with this method. Eat the right foods, avoid the junk, get plenty of rest, stay well adjusted, and stay emotionally balanced - and you and the flu symptoms will likely never meet.

As far as doing my best to not get sick… I would rather have a shot of seltzer water than a cocktail of dangerous chemicals that statistically have a higher chance of making me sick than offering a “cure”!

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig

What is Power Plate?

Power Plate® equipment is the premium vibration device powering a new dimension in wellness solutions for all ages, lifestyles and physical abilities. It uses the principles of Acceleration Training™ to stimulate the body’s natural response to vibration. These vibrations transmit waves of energy throughout the body, activating muscle contractions between 25 and 50 times per second, enhancing overall performance in sessions as short as 15 minutes a day, 3 times a week.

Acceleration Training™ on Power Plate® equipment offers a host of benefits, ranging from an immediate improvement in blood circulation, to a variety of other measurable outcomes: such as increased muscle strength and flexibility, improved range of motion, decreased cellulite, increased bone mineral density, reduced pain and soreness and faster recovery. Our three-dimensional vibration technology continues to lead the industry, and its benefits are grounded in extensive academic and independent scientific medical research.

How Does it Work?
Acceleration Training™ with Power Plate® machines creates instability in the human body, as with each vibration the body is forced to perform reflexive muscle actions, 25 to 50 times per second. Furthermore, these contractions must work in multiple dimensions as the Power Plate® machines actually oscillate in all three planes, exactly as the human body is designed to do. The net result is an incredible improvement in force production, or strength and power.

The principle by which Power Plate® machines work lies in the law of motion, stated by Sir Isaac Newton: that the force of an object is equal to its mass multiplied by acceleration, or f = m x a. What this means is that one can improve functional force (stability, strength or power) by either applying more mass or more acceleration to the body. Many forms of training and conditioning use mass - as seen in methods with weight machines, free weights, etc. Power Plate® machines, instead, use the second half of this equation, by applying acceleration to the body, while keeping mass, i.e. your body weight, the same.

This is a real breakthrough in training and conditioning as we can now optimally “load” the human frame while minimizing high impact, high load, and high stress factors. Gravity is the force that adds load to the human body every second of every day for every movement we perform. Through Acceleration Training™ exercise, Power Plate® machines make the body feel as though it “weighs” more every time acceleration forces increase.

The result is that you work against a far greater influence or “load” of gravity in every movement you perform. This is the essence of all strength and conditioning programs and Power Plate® machines simply use a different part of the same equation to achieve this! In fact, the amazing outcomes seen with Acceleration Training™ exercise respect the same biological and physiological laws of the body as witnessed in other forms of training. The difference is merely the nature of the stimulus applied (i.e. acceleration), and not the human response.

Chiro Myths & Facts

As successful as chiropractic has become, there are a lot of myths circulating among the general public. Times have definitely changed for the better, but the fact is that many people still do not understand what chiropractors do. Let's talk about a few of the more common myths about chiropractic.

Myth #1 - Chiropractors are not real doctors.
A chiropractic college grants a D.C. or Doctorate of Chiropractic degree. Chiropractors are licensed as health care providers in every U.S. state and dozens of countries around the world. While the competition for acceptance in chiropractic school is not as fierce as medical school, the chiropractic and medical school curricula are extremely rigorous and virtually identical. In fact, chiropractors have more hours of classroom education than their medical counterparts. As part of their education, chiropractic students also complete a residency working with real patients in a clinical setting, supervised by licensed doctors of chiropractic. Once chiropractic students graduate, they have to pass four sets of national board exams as well as state board exams in the states where they want to practice.

Just like medical doctors, chiropractors are professionals that are subject to the same type of testing procedures, licensing and monitoring by state and national peer-reviewed boards. Federal and state programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Workers' Compensations programs cover chiropractic care, and all federal agencies accept sick-leave certificates signed by doctors of chiropractic. Chiropractors are also commissioned as officers in the military.
The biggest difference between chiropractors and medical doctors lies not in their level of education, but in their preferred method of caring for people. Medical doctors are trained in the use of medicines (chemicals that affect your internal biochemistry) and surgery. Consequently, if you have a chemical problem, such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, or an infection, medical doctors can be very helpful. However, if your problem is that your spine is mis-aligned or you have soft tissue damage causing pain, there is no chemical in existence that can fix it. You need a physical solution to correct a physical problem. That is where chiropractic really shines. Chiropractors provide physical solutions -- adjustments, exercises, stretches, muscle therapy -- to help the body heal from conditions that are physical in origin, such as back pain, muscle spasms, headaches, and poor posture. Another distinction is the fact that it is completely appropriate to receive chiropractic care even if you do not have symptoms. Unlike standard medical doctors, whom you visit when you have a symptom to be treated, chiropractors offer adjustments to improve spinal alignment and overall well-being before symptoms develop.

Myth #2 - Medical doctors don't like chiropractors.
The American Medical Association's opposition to chiropractic was at its strongest in the 1940s under the leadership of Morris Fishbein. Fishbein called chiropractors "rabid dogs" and referred to them as "playful and cute, but killers" He tried to portray chiropractors as members of an unscientific cult who cared about nothing but taking their patients' money. Up to the late 1970s and early 1980s, the medical establishment purposely conspired to try to destroy the profession of chiropractic. In fact, a landmark lawsuit in the Supreme Court of Illinois in the 1980s found that the American Medical Association was guilty of conspiracy and was ordered to pay restitution to the chiropractic profession.

In the 20 years since, the opinion of most medical doctors has changed: several major studies have shown the superiority of chiropractic in helping people with a host of conditions, and medical doctors developed a better understanding as to what chiropractors actually do. Many people have returned to their medical doctors and told them about the great results they experienced at their chiropractors office. Hospitals across the country now have chiropractors on staff, and many chiropractic offices have medical doctors on staff. Chiropractors and medical doctors are now much more comfortable working together in cases where medical care is necessary as an adjunct to chiropractic care.

Myth #3 - Once you start going to a chiropractor, you have to keep going for the rest of your life.
This statement comes up frequently when the topic of chiropractic is discussed. It is only partially true. You only have to continue going to the chiropractor as long as you wish to maintain the health of your neuromusculoskeletal system. Going to a chiropractor is much like going to the dentist, exercising at a gym, or eating a healthy diet: As long as you keep it up, you continue to enjoy the benefits.

Many years ago, dentists convinced everyone that the best time to go to the dentist is before your teeth hurt, that routine dental care will help your teeth remain healthy for a long time. The same is true of chiropractic care for your spine. It is important to remember that, just like your teeth, your spine experiences normal wear and tear as you walk, drive, sit, lift, sleep, and bend. Routine chiropractic care can help you feel better, move with more freedom, and stay healthier throughout your lifetime. Although you can enjoy the benefits of chiropractic care even if you receive care for a short time, the real benefits come into play when you make chiropractic care a part of your wellness lifestyle.

A closer look at fruit juice. choose wisely!

Imagine this… you have two plastic, fully enclosed glasses sitting in front of you… you can not tell what is inside, but you do have a description sitting beside each glass vaguely outlining its contents.

Glass #2:

• No sugar added, only naturally occurring sugars and associated sweetness.
• No food coloring or dye added.
• Calorie count is minimal, but all calories are natural and well assimilated.
• Nutritional value has been maintained.
• Preservatives have NOT been added to promote your body’s shelf life.

Glass #1:

• Contains large amounts of sugar and is very tasty.
• Red dye color # 478 and is very colorful to look at.
• Enormous calorie count that will allow you to skip other meals.
• Nutritional value has been minimized.
• Preservatives added for better shelf life

If you and your children like fruit juice, choose 100 percent fruit juice instead of sweetened juice or fruit-juice cocktail drinks. While 100 percent juice and sweetened fruit drinks may have about the same number of calories, your children will get more vitamins and nutrients from 100 percent juice.

Fruit juice can be a good source of vitamin C, calcium and other nutrients. Some children don't like eating fruit, so serving juice is one way to get them the two to three servings of fruit they need everyday. Four ounces of juice equals one serving of fruit, but keep in mind that juice lacks the fiber of whole fruit. Although a little fruit juice each day is fine for most children, whole fruit is preferred.

A 2006 study showed that people who drank fruit or vegetable juices more than three times a week were 76 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those who drank juice less than once a week.

Follow these simple guidelines in order to make good decision about fruit juice:

• Rule of Thumb: find one with a short ingredient list (100% fruit juice only is a good start)
• Shop in you local “health food” store, or at least where “healthier alternatives” are located
• No artificial sweeteners or added sugars… there is always a better choice than these items
• Compare calorie and sugar content (less is better – usually)
• Don’t drink it at night – too many calories = bad nights sleep and weight gain
• Moderation is key… approximately 12 ounces per day is plenty
• Go for the real thing… real fruit with fiber and all that “other good stuff”
• Try using your blender to create your own fruit juice
• Mix it up… don’t always consume the same thing… blueberry, cranberry, orange, pomegranate, etc.
• Support a company who is trying to support your health by producing a better product
• Vegetable juice may not be as “tasty”, but is even better than fruit juice.

I hope this clears some of the confusion – or at least gives you a sense of direction when it comes to making better decisions about what you put into your body.

Speak up and educate others,
Dr. Craig

The "Race For The Cure". what's the deal?

For the last couple years my wife April and good friends of ours all wake up early on a Sunday morning and drive to Denver. There we participate in an event that I know you are probably familiar with… The Race For The Cure. Each time we leave feeling accomplished for our physical achievement. It is also a great feeling to see people gather and bond in a magnificent way for something meaningful.

However, this time I had a moment that made me ‘sick to my stomach’. Upon completion of the race all participants receive a bag of ‘free goodies’ including water, Sunchips, Power Bars, raisins… and a free sample of Zicam. Zicam… are you kidding me? I am here participating in an event that is supposed to be promoting health instead of disease and they give me a free sample of Zicam?

What is Zicam you say? It is one of the most popular cold remedies on the market. In five years, millions of bottles of Zicam have been sold with the promise that it could shorten the duration of a cold. Now, as a Doctor of Chiropractic I was actually quite offended by this! And here is why...

Look up Zicam on the internet and you might find the following information as I did:

When Ellen Ziegler felt the sniffles coming on last November, she tried Zicam. It stopped her symptoms in three days. But something else stopped, too. “I found over the next week to ten days I had totally lost my sense of smell and taste," Ziegler said.

Zicam contains zinc gluconate, a type of salt. A pump device "splatters" it inside the nostrils.

You put zinc on the olfactory receptor (smell detectors in the brain) and you effectively kill the receptor. It's like pouring acid on an open wound.

Doctors discovered the link to smell loss in the 1930's when they tried to use zinc to prevent polio. It's still widely used to destroy smell in laboratory animals.

If it does this in animals, do we really want to give it to people?

My friend did something that was really quite funny, but was actually more enlightening than funny. She threw the Zicam sample on the ground and screamed, “I don’t need this stuff, I have a Chiropractor”. We all laughed of course, but, looking back now I wonder:

• Why did they put this poison in my bag after I just ran 3 miles to support a good cause?
• Would you recognize this as a mistake/problem as I did?
• Will you come to the same level of understanding as my friend did… choose chiropractic, not drugs?
• Are you scared of a cold or more scared of drug induced side effects? What is worse… a runny nose, cough, and sore throat for 3 days or possibly loosing your sense of taste and smell indefinitely?

Will I Race for the Cure next year? After this incident- I just don’t know why I would. I would rather do a walk-run with each of you in celebration of “better health through chiropractic”. Maybe someday!

Speak up and educate others,
Dr. Craig

How much do you know about Soda?

I don't recommend drinking soda (or even giving it away to a relative or neighbor you don't like), but there are some very practical things you can do with it.

Practical uses for soda include:

1. Cleaning your dirty toilet bowl
2. Removing grease, milk or blood stains from clothes
3. Stopping a jellyfish sting from stinging
4. Getting gum out of your hair
5. Getting rid of skunk odor

Soda is plagued with real dangers. Drinking just one soda a day can increase your risk of being obese by a whopping 60 percent and your risk of diabetes by 85 percent!

On top of that, soda drinkers have a higher throat cancer risk, and many varieties of soda contain a preservative that has the ability to switch off vital parts of your DNA.

If you thought diet soda was better, think again. After carefully reviewing this topic for years I am convinced that artificially sweetened soda is certainly worse. Your body was simply not designed to be exposed to the artificial chemical sweeteners used in diet sodas, and they can result in terrible side effects. For example, there are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame (Equal) consumption, including brain tumors, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures.

In spite of all of the dangers, consumers spend down more than $60 billion each year on soda. One of every four drinks consumed is a soft drink, and the annual consumption in the U.S. averages out to more than 56 gallons for every for every man, woman and child. High fructose corn syrup in soda is, in fact, the number one source of calories in the US.

Soda is one of the main nutritional reasons why most people suffer from health problems. It parallels alcohol in one profound similarity. If one drinks all that sugar the appetite is relatively suppressed for nourishing foods like vegetables and that results in nutritional deficiencies. This is independent of all the damage that sugar can do.

We all need about one quart of water for every 50 pounds of body weight. Soda, juice and milk do not count towards this requirement. As a matter of fact, it is very sad to read that the leading source of vitamins and minerals in children's diets comes from juice and milk, both of which should be avoided in a diet for maximized health.

Speak up and educate others,

Dr. Craig