Flocking Behavior

This newsletter issue for April 2012 is brought to you by Life Wellness Center

The scientific concept of complexity is only a few decades old, but like many powerful ways of looking at the world it has spread rapidly throughout the public consciousness. Anyone who has watched even a couple of episodes of "The Big Bang Theory" would have heard multiple references to chaos theory, complex systems, and emergent phenomena. Remarkably, these very interesting topics from the fields of physics, mathematics, chemistry, and biology have special importance for human health and wellness.
Examples of complexity and chaos abound in the natural world. For example, weather systems are complex systems, which is why weather is notoriously difficult to predict even in the short-term. And long-range weather forecasts are not much better than guesswork, because the basic structure of a weather pattern can change in an instant. Study of avalanches has helped to advance chaos theory. And the flocking behavior of birds, especially the well-studied starlings, represents ever-shifting outcomes of a huge number of factors.
An emergent phenomenon is one that cannot be predicted from studying the various parts that make up the whole. Emergent phenomena include flocking behavior, in which large flocks create beautiful, always varying, dynamic patterns in flight; the architecture of beehives; and the World Wide Web. Even human consciousness may, from a certain perspective, be considered an emergent phenomenon.
From a health perspective, the relative wellness of any specific individual is an emergent phenomenon.1,2,3 For example, fighting off an infection is a dynamic process with many complex and chaotic interactions taking place before the final outcome is determined. We're not aware of these specific processes per se. We are aware of how things are going, that is, the sum total of the cellular and subcellular activities, based on how well or not well we feel.
Looking at one key area as an example of flocking behavior, are our white blood cells being effective in combating the infection? Is their behavior organized? Do they know where to go to battle the invading forces? Or is their behavior random and uncoordinated and are we not well and even sick as a result?
Long-lasting good health emerges from a variety of inputs, including nutritional balance, regular exercise, and sufficient rest. These activities are known as healthy behaviors or healthy lifestyle choices. As the interactions are complex, we can never predict a specific outcome. But we can base our choices on historical data and an analysis of facts. This information tells us that the outcomes we want - health and wellness - are likely to emerge from a set of healthy behaviors, i.e., healthy lifestyle choices taken consistently over the long-term.
Chiropractic Care: A Partner in Good Health
Good health happens by intention. A very few people will enjoy good health no matter what they do. For everyone else, healthy behaviors are required to be well over the long term.
We want good health to be seamless, that is, we don't want to be continually wondering whether we're healthy or not. Sometimes, of course, we need to pay close attention to what's happening. But for the most part we'd like these considerations to be in the background. We're alive - we're healthy. That's how we'd like our relationship with our health to be.
In order for good health to be in the background, we need to take actions on our own behalf in the foreground. These various actions are all related to the healthy lifestyle we want to have. Chiropractic care is an important component of healthy lifestyle. Regular chiropractic care helps us get the most value out of our other healthy lifestyle choices, including nutritious food, regular vigorous exercise, and sufficient rest. Regular chiropractic care in the foreground helps us achieve the long-lasting good health we want to be experiencing in the background.

Inspirational Quote of the Week:

“We can’t predict the future.  We can’t change the past.  All we have is the present moment.” ~ William T. Forte

Exercise of the Week: Standing Quadriceps Stretch

Difficulty: Easy

Start: Standing beside a chair.

Exercise: Reach for one foot, and hold it behind you.  Keeping knees close together bring foot up toward buttocks until you feel a light pull along front of thigh.  Hold for 30-60 seconds.  Switch sides, and repeat 2X per side.

Topic of the Week: Tea and Health: The Good News Continues

“Drinking a daily cup of tea will surely starve the apothecary,” according to a Chinese proverb. Well, tea may not drive your pharmacist out of business, but this Chinese saying does have some merit when it comes to tea promoting better health.

Although we have covered the benefits of tea in a previous edition of the Wellness Express, new research has emerged that supports the therapeutic role of tea in a number of health conditions – including some not covered in the previous edition. In this update, we will also look at a way to boost the effectiveness of tea for your health.

Caffeine – An Antioxidant?

One question both the general public and scientists ask is “What role does caffeine play, if any, in the health benefits of tea?” There have been a number of studies on this topic, with scientific reports often showing contradictory results.

Last year, the Journal of Physical Chemistry B investigated caffeine as a source of antioxidants – molecules that protect your body from free radical cell damage.

After reviewing animal and laboratory experiments, the clinic investigators believe caffeine is likely to deliver antioxidant protection against some types of free radicals.

Colon Cancer & Tea

Catechins are health promoting substances found in tea, and recent research has focused on how they might help to fight colon cancer. Ohio State University and Purdue University conducted a study where health researchers used extracts from green and black tea with high amounts of the most active type of catechins known as EGCG/EGC to treat colon cancer cells.  The results showed a significant reduction in colon cancer acivity.

The researchers noted that, as well as possibly leading to better cancer treatments, the study may help us develop food products that promote anticancer activity in our bodies.

Weight Loss

Green tea could prove valuable for weight loss. Researchers at Penn State University conducted a study on feeding obese rodents with a high fat diet combined with an extract made from green tea catechins. Scientists discovered the mice that received the extract gained weight 45 percent more slowly compared to the control group mice.

Although a person would need to drink 10 cups of green tea daily to equal this percentage, the scientists commented that even one or two cups of green tea each day can help in reducing weight.

Superbug Killer?

A growing problem in the health community is the emergence of superbugs – bacteria resistant to antibiotics.  These dangerous types of bacteria can spread easily and can live on many surfaces in hospitals, schools, homes and offices, but at a meeting of the Society of General Microbiology, Egyptian medical researchers reported they tested green tea (combined with antibiotics) against 28 disease causing micro-organisms. They noted that in all cases green tea boosted the antibacterial power of the medications. In one case, it improved bacterial eradication by 99 percent!

How to Boost the Power of Green Tea

Another interesting discovery health researchers made is that adding citrus juice to green tea may improve catechin absorption in the body.  In non-acidic environments catechins become unstable, but when researchers added citrus juice, such as lemon, into the tea, 80 percent of the catechins remained after the digestion process – a 60 percent increase compared to green tea without citrus juice.

Herbal Teas Deliver Good Health Too

Usually containing a mixture of herbs, flowers, roots and similar ingredients, herbal teas are more accurately called tisanes or herbal infusions because they do not actually contain leaves from the tea plant.  However, several studies have uncovered health advantages in some tisanes.  Yerba mate is a popular South American tea-like beverage that is now available in many parts of the world.  Researchers at the University of Illinois investigated the caffeine derivatives in yerba mate and discovered they can kill colon cancer cells, most likely because  the derivatives destroy the DNA of the dangerous cells and prevent them from reproducing.

Another study linked yerba mate to boosting good (HDL) cholesterol and lowering bad (LDL) cholesterol.  However, you would need to use four or five teabags for a single serving to obtain this cholesterol lowering effect.

Other research shows chamomile tea has antimicrobial properties and hibiscus tea has a moderate effect on lowering blood pressure.

Disclaimer: Information contained in The Wellness ExpressTM newsletter is for educational and general purposes only and is designed to assist you in making informed decisions about your health. Any information contained herein is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or other healthcare professional.  Copyright © -The Wellness ExpressTM

Topic of the Week: Chiropractic from Head to Toe: THE HEAD

THE HEAD
In this new series of articles, Chiropractic from Head to Toe, we are going to start from the very top.

Two of the most common conditions involving the head that chiropractors are recruited to treat are: TMJ syndrome and headaches.

The TMJ is where the jaw bone connects to the head. It is also called the temporomandibular joint. Since it is a moveable, functional structure, any misalignment or restriction in this joint can cause pain in and around the jaw, ear or head. Causes of TMJ pain may include: poor alignment of the teeth, grinding or clenching the jaw while sleeping, excessive gum-chewing, etc.

Chiropractors know how the TMJ is supposed to function. After assessing your jaw for dysfunction, your chiropractor may apply chiropractic adjustments to the TMJ in order to restore proper function. Whenever you feel your jaw clicking or popping, or have pain on opening or closing your mouth, call on your chiropractor to help. Research has shown how effective chiropractic can be to solve this problem.

Another common condition affecting the head is the collection of symptoms referred to as “headaches”: including migraines, tension-type headaches, cervicogenic headaches, cluster headaches and so on.

Since irritation of the brain itself does not result in pain (open-brain surgery has proven this to be true), “aching” in the head can only be caused by the irritation of a number of other painsensitive tissues. Muscles, nerves, joints or ligaments are all examples of potential sources for head pain.

Muscles:
The most common type of headache is the tension-type headache. It represents approximately 90% of all headaches and is described as a generalized tightness and ‘achiness’ around the head. The cause of tension-type headaches is thought to be tightness in the muscles of the neck and scalp. There are a number of contributing factors, including mental stress, postural stress, lack of sleep, etc. Chiropractic adjustments are very helpful in reducing the frequency and intensity of tension-type headaches, because joints that move easier and have better alignment significantly reduce the stress and strain on the surrounding muscles.

Nerves:
The scalp is innervated primarily by the occipital nerves, originating in the upper cervical spine. Whenever these nerves are irritated, the tissues that are connected to these nerves can feel like they are being irritated also. Thus, it is common to feel headaches when subluxations are present between the first and second cervical vertebrae. If your head is aching at the base of your skull, and/or the pain is traveling around to your temples, then your pain is likely being caused by an irritation of the occipital nerves. If you are prone to these types of headaches, be sure to have your chiropractor assess your neck. Often one or two adjustments are all that you need to take the pressure off these nerves.

Joints:
When joints become dysfunctional, all other tissues can be negatively affected, often leading to painful symptoms. Headaches that originate from dysfunctional joints in the neck are called cervicogenic headaches. When the normal freedom of movement is restored in these joints with chiropractic adjustments, headache intensity, duration, and the need for medication are all significantly reduced.

Thankfully, there is a study that finally shows how vertebral subluxations really are a pain in the neck (and head):
In this recently published study, a researcher recruited a sample of students between the ages of 10 to 13 years old. The sample was divided into two groups: one con taining children who experienced recurring neck pain and/or headaches (40% of all the students surveyed), and the other group with an absence of these recurring symptoms. Then, a physical examination was performed on each child, specifically analyzing postural alignment, range of motion of the cervical spine, muscle tone and function, plus passive motion of the individual neck vertebrae.

The results amazed even the researcher: of all the data collected from the physical examinations, the only factor that could be correlated to the students’ pain was the presence or absence of cervical subluxations!

So, if you have any symptoms that resemble TMJ pain or headaches, remember to consult with your chiropractor first.

Disclaimer: Information contained in The Wellness ExpressTM newsletter is for educational and general purposes only and is designed to assist you in making informed decisions about your health. Any information contained herein is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or other healthcare professional. Copyright © - The Wellness ExpressTM

Quote to Inspire

“Usually the biggest demon is not out there. It’s what’s inside your head." ~ Rick Hansen

Exercise of the Week: Hamstring Stretch

Difficulty: Easy (Consult your chiropractor before starting this or any other exercise.)

Start: Standing in front of a chair.

Exercise: Place one foot up on chair, with leg straight. Slowly bend forward, reaching toward foot. Stop and hold when you feel a light pull behind leg. Hold for 30-60 seconds, relaxing muscles of upper leg. Switch sides, and repeat 2X per side.