Compass Chiropractic

It seems that just about everyday there is a study that comes out that proves a supplement or vitamin is not effective and their studies are correct, at examining what they have set out to test.  For the most part scientific studies are reductionist, they take something large and attempt to break into to smaller pieces that can be tested and ultimately better understood.  For example, if we had a hunch that vegetables are healthy we might want to break them down into tiny microscopic parts in order to determine what components are responsible for these health benefits.

One way to figure out which piece of a vegetable makes it healthy would be to determine all the parts of a vegetable and give that to a group and subjects individually and see if they get healthier.  We know that vegetables contain vitamins like A,B,C etc, so we could put together three groups; each group would be told to keep living like they have always lived but  group 1 would be told to take a vitamin A pill, group 2 a vitamin B pill and group 3 a vitamin C pill.  In order to determine which part of the vegetable is the healthy part we would following these people over time  to see if they get more or less diseases, but since there are so many diseases we would have to pick a handful of diseases to track.

Let’s take the average American eating the standard American diet and have them take a few thousand IUs of vitamin A and see if miraculously there’s any impact on  morbidity.  If this person is deficient in Vitamin A we might see some improvement in health, but didn’t look for people who are Vitamin A deficient, but that was not what we were testing for.  Obviously we wouldn’t expect a small Vitamin pill to have a profound impact on our sedentary, overweight smoker.  When we read the headlines “Vitamin A doesn’t work!” we throw up our hands and curse that talk show host that told us to go out buy this supplement.

There is a reason that our vegetables contain a wide array of nutrients, because our bodies need all of the parts to be healthy.  Our aforementioned hypothetical study would be akin to studying how well your car can get you to work, but we only gave you the windshield.  We need every part of a car for it to function properly and our health is no different.

Are their people that can benefit from taking individual nutrients, of course, but we can’t give these nutrients to people without knowing if they truly need them.  The best source of these nutrients is through dietary intake, but due to our modern diet these nutrients are not consumed in the levels we need.  Vitamin D is a good example of a nutrient that many of us are deficient in.  Vitamin D is processed in the body from either food or from the sun.  Most of us don’t get enough from our diets and rarely do we get outside to get Vitamin D from the sun.  We are even seeing kids getting Rickets, which is a disease associated with low Vitamin D and thought to be all but eradicated in developed areas.   If I were to give Vitamin D to someone who lived in Southern California I might not see much benefit, but there might be a completely opposite effect on someone living in the Pacific Northwest.

The take home message for this post is to take studies as what they are, a small piece of the puzzle.  If one study comes out and says that Vitamin A has no effect on prostate cancer,  it isn’t time to throw away all your carrots.  The best source of healthy nutrients comes from a plant, it’s not made in one but there are most definitely situations where dietary supplementation can have a profound affect on vitality and wellness.   Also, don’t pick up a supplement that you co-worker has recommended because it has worked from them, they’re not you and that supplement may not be right for you even though you swear you have the same symptoms.  Research your symptoms, speak to someone who is knowledgeable in order to get on the path to wellness.

What is better than a great cup of tea on a cold day? Well, there are a lot of things that are better than a warm cup of tea, but how about a warm cup of free detox tea?

To celebrate National Chiropractic Month we are giving away a box of our Total Detox Tea.  There are two types of Total Tea that are listed at the bottom, but before you win you have to answer the following question.

“There are 10 trillion nerves in the body, what percentage of them carry pain signals?”

Total Tea Gentle Detox is a natural Herbal tea that offers detoxification that is gentle to the body, and does not produce the unexpected, sometimes-serious results that some other body detoxifiers may produce. The Gentle Detox tea aids in many GI abnormalities such as, IBS, diarrhea, indigestion, and acid reflux; while also relieving constipation, increase food digestion, helping maintain a “regular” cycle, reducing bloating/cramping, and building our immune system.
Total Tea can be used hot or cold, and can really help achieve and maintain a great quality of life.

Total Tea Herbal Energy is an all-natural herbal tea that promotes energy and decreases the possibilities of mental fatigue. There are many positive results coming from within the Herbal Energy, Including the increase of antioxidants, physical and mental endurance, weight control and cardiovascular health!  There’s no need to lie, the ingredients are right one the box! The six- basic and all-natural ingredients include: Yerba Mate, Green Tea, Cinnamon, Red Ginseng, Raspberry Flakes, and Eleuthero.
So, if you are looking for an energy boost, that is all natural and positive alternative to black coffee and Red Bull, give this tea a try, you may be surprised!

Center for Urban Ecology, Harrison Center Present FoodCon III

Butler University’s Center for Urban Ecology and The Harrison Center for the Arts present FoodCon III, an unconventional convention celebrating the art and culture of food in Indiana, from 5-9 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Harrison Center, 1505 N. Delaware St.

This year’s FoodCon centers around the idea of “The Food Cycle” beginning with Birth – the beginning stages or emergence of new life and activities; Growth – the early expansion of life forms, development of methods and techniques, critical learning and exploration; Maturity – where relations with surroundings have been solidified; and Death – the decline and ultimate ends with the potential for death to start the life cycle over.

Participating artists include Maren Bell, whose two-part show Urban Gardens will include both paintings and an interactive mural that invites viewers to create urban green spaces on a large scale city skyline. Also exhibiting are Carolyn Springer, Holly Childress, Christie Anderson and Erica Cunningham.

In the courtyard, enthusiasts from a wide variety of organizations involved in the local food movement will circle up to provide a feast of information about Community Supported Agriculture, beekeeping, urban farming, animal husbandry, cooperative groceries and much more.  In Gallery No. 2, participants can view photographs of Indiana chefs, farmers, entrepreneurs and other figures who are making this an exciting time in Indiana food. Attendees can add to the statewide map of Indiana food stars, write a six-word story about Indiana food and purchase a copy of Food for Thought: An Indiana Harvest.

The work hangs through Friday, Oct. 26.

For information – Click here

According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people absorb fewer calories from whole almonds than originally thought.  Researchers evaluated the amount of calories that were absorbed by the participants and found that they absorbed about 75% of the total calories in the almonds.  This study was only performed using whole almonds and it is thought that the results would differ if other forms of almonds were ingested, ie almond butter or almond slivers.

What does this mean for someone who is counting their calories?

The study showed that participants absorbed less calories from almonds, but almonds have a high calorie content to begin with. If you are truly counting calories, you already know that nuts pack a lot of punch in the calories department even if you absorbs fewer calories.

So Should I not eat nuts if I’m trying to lose weight?

I didn’t say that, there are also a lot of health benefits associated with eating nuts.  Nuts contain good fats that signal the body to release a hormone called Leptin.  Leptin is responsible for telling the body that you’ve had enough to eat, without this hormone you would continue to eat and eat and eat…

The bottom line is that nuts are good for you and almonds might help you keep a couple pounds off is you eat them responsibly.

This month’s newsletter, we focused on iliotibial band syndrome (ITB Syndrome), and seeing that it causes such inflammation, I wanted to think of a recipe that would include the most anti-inflammatory spices in it. Twelve spices with very high anti-inflammatory properties are: ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, rosemary, basil, cardamom, chives, cilantro, cloves, garlic, and parsley. Mmm! I just love flavor! So it works out well for me to eat these foods… I hope you do too! The first type of meal that came to my mind that includes a number of these spices was… curry.

The word curry means ‘sauce’ and has immense popularity in Thai, Indian, and Japanese cuisine. This blend of spices varies depending on the cook and can be individualized to your own taste. If you are not so sure about trying curry, rest assured, I used to be as well until a few years ago. I was on a trip in New Zealand, and a friend from India convinced me to try Indian curry… it was love at first bite! I have now tried other types of curries, really enjoy them, and even try to make it. I have found that I particularly enjoy most Thai curries as they typically have a hint of sweet and spicy. This yellow curry recipe is a classic Thai dish that can easily be adapted to the flavor profile you prefer and the veggies you have on hand. My recipe includes chicken, but it can very easily be made vegetarian, or vegan. Remember to let veggies be the main show (as this is where most of the nutrition you need is) and the meat be a side. Let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

• 1 stalk fresh lemongrass
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 thumb-size piece of ginger, minced
• 1 small onion
• ½ – 1 tsp. dried crushed chili, depending on heat desired
• ¾ tsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 tsp white pepper
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce or Bragg liquid aminos
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 chicken breasts, cut in roughly 1 inch cubes
• 2-3 potatoes (can mix sweet and white potatoes), cut in roughly 1 inch cubes
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ½ – 1 can diced tomato, depending on preferred taste
• handful fresh Thai basil

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Peel off and discard the outer woody layers of the lemongrass and place cut the stalk about 5 inches from the bottom. Place that in a blender or food processor (the greener top of the stalk is too tough to eat but can be used in potpourri or tea). To the lemongrass, add garlic, ginger, onion, chili, turmeric, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, white pepper, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, and coconut milk. Blend until a fragrant, even sauce is made.
3. Pour sauce to a 9×13 casserole dish. Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Mix in chicken, potatoes, and chickpeas. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and add tomatoes, then cover and return to oven for 15-20 more minutes.
4. Remove from oven and check the chicken. If the meat is tender and juices run clear, the dish is cooked. If not, stir and return to oven for another 10 minutes.
5. Top with a handful of lightly-chopped Thai basil, serve with rice, and enjoy…mmmm!

Flu influenza spreads around the world in seasonal epidemics which slows down our busy lives and results in 250,000 and 500,000 deaths every year! Typically occurring between October–March (for our area), the flu outbreak typically coincides with flu vaccinations being pushed at us from all angles. I’ve always been a bit skeptical about getting the flu vaccination and have often gotten sick from the shot. After doing a bit of research, a key vitamin (one of our favorite here at Compass) has proven to be more effective than the flu shot.

Flu shots were originally recommended only for the elderly and youngest children, but each year, the recommended age range grows. Though those groups are at more risk, the flu shot shouldn’t be the only strategy recommended against the flu. In fact, there is a lack of evidence for it being beneficial, receiving the vaccination poses great risk to the consumer, and you might not even be protected from the correct strain of flu! Because there are so many strains of the virus, officials must select the 3 strains they think are most likely to circulate. The vaccines are then grown in fertilized chicken eggs for up to eight months. Formaldehyde (a known cancer-causing agent) is used to inactivate the virus. Aluminum (a neurotoxin that may play a role in Alzheimer’s disease) is added to promote an antibody response. Other additives in the flu vaccine include Triton X-100 (a detergent), Polysorbate 80, carbolic acid, ethylene glycol (antifreeze), gelatin, and various antibiotics that some are allergic to! I was stunned when I saw this list of chemicals!

In an article titled Avoid Flu Shots, Take Vitamin D, by Dr. Donald Miller, he states that there is some evidence that flu shots have caused Alzheimer’s and the mercury levels in the vaccination has also been implicated as a cause of Autism. In addition, he states that “Three serious, acknowledged adverse reactions to the flu vaccine are joint inflammation and arthritis, anaphylactic shock (and other life-threatening allergic reactions), and Guillain-Barré syndrome.” Guillian- Barré syndrome is a paralytic autoimmune disease. It is rare that something as severe as these reactions would happen to you, but I would rather risk getting the flu or using something else much more trustworthy than risking Alzheimer’s, arthritis, paralysis, or other reactions!

So what is a recommended, healthy, and safe alternative to the flu shot? Vitamin D. As the sun shines down on you, UVB rays interact with the skin, and particles of a cholesterol derivative open to form vitamin D! Amazing, isn’t it?! Vitamin D regulates many processes in your body, acts as an antiviral, makes natural antibiotics, and keeps inflammation down. In twenty minutes of sun exposure for a fair skinned person (more for those with darker skin), 20,000 IU of vitamin D are produced at which the body stops synthesizing it for the day.

Depending on what you read, daily vitamin dosage recommendations can range from under 1,000 IU to over 20,000 IU.  Personally I feel that 5,000 units per day is sufficient unless you’re fighting off an infection in which case I recommend 15,000-20,000 IU.  There have been no cases of Vitamin D toxicity in the literature and Vitamin D can be found in prescription form with up to 50,000 IU.

In the winter months sun can be hard to come by especially when you’re covered head to toe.  If you are unable to get in the sun each day, look to supplements or foods rich in vitamin D, including wild Alaskan salmon and mackerel.  For a list of foods high is Vitamin D click here.

I recently attended a seminar in Chicago presented by Dr. Seaman, professor and founder of deflame.com.  The seminar was titled Pain and the Clinical Practice, a topic only a Chiropractor could love.  There was a lot that I took away from the seminar, but the most profound is the wide ranging impact that Vitamin D deficiency has  on the health of our population.

Unfortunately the current RDA for Vitamin D was created to ward off diseases such as Rickets and as most researchers believe, these levels are too low to have a preventative disease fighting effect.  The current RDA for an adult is 600 IUs and to put it in to perspective, a light skinned person will get about 20,000 IUs after spending 30 minutes in the sun (Harvard “Ask the Experts”).

There have been numerous studies showing the health benefits of Vitamin D and the pandemic deficiencies, but outside of disease prevention Vitamin D has also been shown to decrease low back pain (Vit D and Low Back Pain).

How do you know if you need Vitamin D?

Considering the vast population is Vitamin D deficient you can assume that you’re levels are low, unless you spend a lot of your time outside in the sun uncovered and without sunscreen.  You can also get a blood test from your doctor at a local lab.  One option that I have recently become aware of is the at home test.

Ordering an at home Vitamin D test.

Grass Roots Health is a public health promotion organization that is comprised of Vitamin D researchers who are studying the benefits of Vitamin D.  The website allows you to order a test kit for $70 (including shipping) and they give you the option to partake in a study that looks at Vitamin D levels and consumption.  I have recently ordered my kit and will send out updates as I get the kit.

It might not surprise you to hear that we see a lot of low back pain in our office, what might surprise you is that a vitamin deficiency might be contributing to the lower back pain that many people experience.  A recent study out of Canada looked at patients who had chronic back pain and found that there was a significant rate of vitamin D depletion in these patients.  When given Vitamin D supplementation patient showed improvement in reported pain levels.

Who is deficient is Vitamin D?

It is estimated that 60% of Americans are  deficient in vitamin D.  Why is this?  Vitamin D is obtained from two sources, the sun and food.  Because we are spending more and more time indoors, people are not getting exposed to the sun and therefore not getting vitamin D.   As far as food sources go, fish is one of the best sources of vitamin D and most Americans don’t consume fish on a regular basis.

Are you deficient?

Most people don’t know if they are vitamin D deficient.  You can obtain a blood test that will test your levels of vitamin D.  You can ask your doctor about this test next time you see them or your next physical.

What can you do?

If you suffer from chronic lower back pain you might considering increasing your vitamin D intake.  As we get closer to the winter it is going to be harder to get outside and more of our bodies will be covered preventing sun exposure.   Vitamin D can easily be obtain in food and supplement form.   For a list of foods with the highest levels of vitamin D click Vitamin D foods.  If you don’t find yourself eating many of the foods on the vitamin D list you can get vitamin D through supplementation.  Vitamin D3 has been found to be the most beneficial.  The Vitamin D3 that I recommend is from Metagenics and you can see it by clicking Metagenics vitamin D3.

Most of the studies done on vitamin and pain have looked at lower back pain, but it would stand to reason that if you have other pains such as neck, upper back and shoulder pain that vitamin D might also help.  There are numerous benefits from getting a healthy dose of vitamin D and very few risks if taken appropriately.

For more information of vitamin D you can view these other articles on our blog, You need more vitamin D and Vitamin D as an anti-inflammatory.

In my previous article (found here), I began to explain a resource that has been helpful to me. It is a wheel that allows you to visually see the different of areas of your life charted out according to how much of your time and energy you put toward developing those areas. After creating your own wheel (with areas of your life that are significant and important) you can analyze and discovering which areas need improvement or more attention. In this article and my 2 more articles to come, I want to share outside-the-box ways to tend to a few different areas…at the same time! This hopefully will benefit you as many of your wheel’s shorter ‘spokes’ have direct impact on other spokes. Now, I would love to share a creative way to develop the areas of Health, Relationships, and Money together.

A typical way we tend to connect with each other is hitting up a restaurant/club and attending some sort of entertainment. We all need a night out on the town.  But an alternative to that regular Saturday night with friends could be simple and very rewarding. Here’s a way to focus on having a healthier, richer, and more conscious evening. Instead of going out for the meal, make a delicious meal at home (Money) with our friend, significant other, childen etc. Spend time investigating and trying new recipes (Health), and choose to engage in intentional and meaningful conversation as opposed to being simply consuming the evening with the use of technology (Health).  Many studies show that even though we may be connecting via text or emails, our entire health gets a big boost from actual human contact.  I can’t begin to tell you that some of my favorite times with friends and family has been in the kitchen.  Bonding over mishaps and culinary mistakes are priceless.  Taking away the expensive tab, noisy restaurant and even the wait could be an easy exchange for a fun evening at home followed by a leisurely walk (whether the weather cooperates or not).

With a simple evening in, we have effectively boosted our relationships, saved some money AND helped out our mental and general well being.  What are some fun combo ideas you have for these three wheel areas?

I love making recipes that give me the freedom to pick and choose the combination of vegetables that are in season and that I love to eat. This recipe is vegetarian and a great way to incorporate a your choice of vegetables. I would recommend using those vegetables that are fresh and in season but use any variety of those I included in the recipe or any of these: zucchini, peas, yellow squash, eggplant, yellow or orange bell pepper, broccoli, cabbage, or mushrooms.  In this recipe, I additionally included quinoa to increase the amount protein! So here’s how to prepare it!

• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1-2 ears worth of corn kernels
• 1 cup (1-inch) cut green beans
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 to 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tablespoon sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 diced fresh tomatoes (can also use 1 can diced tomatoes, drained, if not in season)
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/4 cup blanched almonds
• fresh basil

1. In a saucepan, add chickpeas, quinoa and 1 ¼ cup of water. Heat on medium-high heat, bringing water to a boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat; simmer for 15 minutes, or until quinoa has ‘opened’ (quinoa will look translucent with a ring around it) and chickpeas have softened. Next put the sweet potato in the pan, put the lid back on, and steam for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the veggies to the pan and steam for an additional 5 minutes until desired tenderness.

2. While vegetables are cooking, a separate skillet, heat coconut oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent. Add all of the spices. If you don’t have each of the individual spices, feel free to use a store bought curry powder mix.

3. Add the chickpea-quinoa-sweet potato mixture to the skillet. Add tomatoes and coconut milk and mix all together.

5. Allow temperature to rise again and bring to a boil. Reduce heat back to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Serve into bowls and top with almonds and basil.

I hope you enjoy it!! Happy Cooking!!!