Do you ever get the feeling that there’s something you are supposed to do but can’t remember what it is?  I think that happens to all of us at one time or another, but did you see the story this fall about the plane that flew past its destination?

I wonder if the two pilots flying Northwest Airlines Flight 188 had a feeling in the back of their minds that said, “Isn’t there something I’m supposed to be doing right now, but I can’t remember what it is?”

After all, their flight was scheduled to land in Minneapolis, but both pilots were so busy on their laptops that they overshot their destination by 150 miles.

How pathetic is that?  You would think the pilots would have been paying attention to minor details like:

* The fact that they were flying at 35,000 feet and were responsible for the safety of 144 passengers on board.

* Flight control had been trying to contact the pilots for over an hour

* People were trying to call the pilots on their cell phones

* The pilot’s instrumentation in the cock pit showed that they had veered off course

* The time on their watch would suggest they were late for something they were supposed to do…land the plane in Minneapolis and hour ago.

This was such a debacle that the White House was being briefed and F-16 military fighter jets were ready to take off…because the flight was off course, off schedule, and out of contact.

This is definitely an “Are You Kidding Me” moment.  But we’ve all seen this story before by countless individuals.  Think about it.  How many people do you know who set goals, talk about their dreams, and plan out their objectives for a better life only to become distracted?  They’ve veered from their flight plan and find themselves off course and off their schedule.

Does this sound familiar to you?  Because all of us have had a time when we find ourselves a long way from the plans we made and the goals we set.

I think it’s a great idea to make plans and goals to improve your life.   But remember, there is a good chance that circumstances will cause you to veer from your plan.  And when that happens, don’t stress out about it.  Just make the decision to get back on course.

Dr. Jason Gerard DC

Abraham Lincoln once said, “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” 

That being said, there are times in life when things don’t go as expected.  I know a lot of people who are under a tremendous amount of stress right now.  So I thought it might be helpful to talk about ways to handle the stress.  Here are a few tips you can use to improve how you feel when you’re under stress. 

1. Calm Yourself Down 

Before you do anything else, try to calm yourself down.  Don’t panic.  Take deep breaths and try to relax.  The rest of the tips below won’t help you if you aren’t calm.

2. Feed Your Mind With Positive Thoughts

When you’re under stress, it’s easy to fall into the vicious cycle of negative thoughts.  The problem with this is the negative thought cycle will actually make things seem worse than they already are.  It’s important that you break this cycle so you don’t become a victim of your own thoughts.

3. Think About The Good

When under stress, our minds tend to focus on the negative and not the positive.  So direct your mind to the positive.  Even when things are going bad, or things are stressful, there are good things happening in your life.  Think about the good people around you.  Try to balance out your perspective so that you don’t dwell on only the negative.

4. Look At The Big Picture

Something you’re stressed about might not seem as bad if you step back and look at the big picture.  Try to get another perspective on what’s going on.

5.  Believe That Everything Will Be All Right

What you believe has an effect on you, whether you like it or not.  That’s just the way it is.  So if you believe that things will go wrong, then that would usually be the case.  On the other hand, if you believe that everything will be all right, you have a much better chance of that actually happening.

6. Exercise

When you’re under stress, make sure you take the time to exercise.  Exercise is related to positive mental health and helps with depression and anxiety.

7. Forgive

Mahatma Gandhi said: “The weak can never forgive.  Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”  Sometimes in life, you need to forgive others.  Sometimes you need to forgive yourself.  Work on forgiveness.

8. Take Action

Things in your life aren’t going to get any better if you just sit around and do nothing.  Focus on solutions to improving your stress and any problems you have in life and then set up the action steps you need to take to make it happen.

9. Gratitude

Practice gratitude.  What are you grateful for?  Who are you grateful for?  Focus on what’s right in your life instead of what’s wrong.  Every day answer this question…”What am I grateful for?”  Focusing on gratitude regularly is very powerful.

10. Get Adjusted

Chiropractic care has a tremendous stress reducing effect on your body.  Make sure you take care of your body regularly when you are under stress.  Make sure you are eating healthy foods, getting plenty of rest, and keep your muscles and joints healthy with chiropractic care and massage therapy.

I hope these help you out.  If you know anyone who’s under a lot of stress, email them these tips to help them out.

Have a great day and I’ll talk to you soon,

Dr. Jason Gerard

Lakewoods Chiropractic

Resource: www.lifeoptimizer.org

Many people get through the holidays and then do what?  They go on a diet in an attempt to lose those holiday pounds.  But what’s the best diet to help you lose weight?  After all, there are hundreds of different diets out there.

I get lots of different health news and information sent to me and an article by a heart surgeon caught my attention.  I’ve kept the article in its entirety and I recommend you take a few minutes to read it.  It’s very informative.  The article discusses the myths and dangers of the “low fat” diet.

Enjoy!

Heart Surgeon Says Low Fat Is A Big Fat Lie

By Dwight Lundell MD

What you are about to read requires an open mind. You have to look at facts instead of massive advertising and failed, faulty theories. Are you ready?

Fact: From 1900 to 1980, obesity rates in the US remained stable at 14% to 15% of the population.  Since 1980, however, obesity rates have skyrocketed. Today, nearly 66% of the population is overweight or obese. This spike is directly linked to the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) creation of the food pyramid, advocating 11 daily servings of grains and cereals.  This is not a coincidence.

For most of my 25 year career and 5,000 heart surgeries, I accepted low-fat dieting theories.  I also believed the theory that dietary cholesterol was a primary cause of heart disease. But as heart disease continued to soar, year after year, my doubts began to haunt me.

I treated thousands of patients after they became ill.  The question that haunted me was what was causing heart disease, obesity and diabetes in the first place?  As I examined the data, it was clear that these conditions spiked in the 1980s and continued to climb.

Study after study has demonstrated the negative effects of consuming a grain-based, low-fat, high-sugar diet.  On the other hand, there is no credible evidence to suggest that a low-fat diet equals lower incidences of heart disease and obesity.  In fact, all the evidence proves otherwise. The low-fat and cholesterol theories are based on incomplete science.

“We are what we eat” is a slogan that is often repeated. But it is not quite accurate.  Instead of focusing on what we put inside our bodies, we should focus on how our bodies metabolize the foods we put there. And how we metabolize low-fat, high-sugar and grain-based foods is clearly reflected in obesity and heart disease statistics.

Fact: 65% of the nation is overweight or obese.  More people develop heart disease today than ever before at an earlier age.  Every 34 seconds a person in this country loses their life to a heart attack.  That’s 2,500 a day.

The National Institutes of Health, the National Cholesterol Education Program, the American Heart Association, the US Department of Agriculture and a host of other medical organizations continue to promote a low-fat diet and statin medications to reduce cholesterol.

These organizations are wrong, but to admit it threatens their bottom line. You don’t have time to wait for government, the medical community and food manufacturers to admit their mistake. And you can stop blaming yourself for excess pounds and ill-health, if you have faithfully followed their mistaken regime. Your life and health happens now and it’s in your control.

The cholesterol and low-fat theories are firmly planted in our consciousness. From the advice of our physicians, to the TV ads for statin drugs, to the grocery store aisles packed with low-fat foods… these faulty theories are reinforced at every turn. Their powerful marketing may be persuasive, but it is not scientific fact.

Here’s the first step that will go a long way to improving your health.  Return to the diet of your grandparents, before governments and food manufacturers declared war on fat and real food to fit faulty theories.  Your grandparents were not afraid to drink real milk and eat eggs, butter and red meat.

I am not advocating these foods in large quantities. But their elimination, in favor of low-fat, high-sugar, grain-based foods has resulted in inflammation and staggering rates of obesity.

Packaged low-fat foods created for shelf life – not human life – never touched your grandparents’ plates.  Hydrogenated omega-6 vegetable oils and margarine were not even invented.  For your grandparents, sugar was a treat reserved for special occasions. Today, it has become a daily staple.

The drug companies have done a magnificent job convincing us that we cannot get well without medication. This is not true. Your body is a tremendous, self-healing organism.  When you consume real food and essential nutrients, it will respond and flourish.

Low-fat packaged foods, filled with sugar and omega-6 oils, strongly contribute to inflammation. This is the true cause of heart disease, diabetes and a host of other diseases.  There is no better time than right now to understand how the faulty cholesterol theory created an epidemic of inflammation and what you can do about it.  You only have one heart. Keeping it healthy is not nearly as difficult as you might think.

Note: Dr. Dwight Lundell is the past Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery at Banner Heart Hospital, Mesa, AZ.  He is the founder of Healthy Humans Foundation and Chief Medical Advisor for Asantae. In 2003, Dr. Lundell made the most difficult decision of his 25 year surgical career.  As traditional medicine continued to chase the cholesterol theory of heart disease, Dr. Lundell closed his surgical practice. He then devoted the rest of his life to speaking the truth that inflammation causes heart disease. By lowering inflammation, heart disease has a cure.

Dr. Lundell is the author of the world-wide bestselling book, The Great Cholesterol Lie. This book is a revealing look at heart disease and the faulty theories of low-fat diets and cholesterol.  He also reveals his clinically-tested recommendations for lowering inflammation that can prevent and reverse heart disease. For more information, go to the website www.thecholesterollie.com

I hope you enjoyed the article.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jason Gerard, DC

Cells phones are “the norm” these days.  Almost everyone has one, and most people use them every day.

In the past, there have been rumors about cell phones causing health problems like cancer.  But there was never any proof that this was true…until now.

A new research study from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) shows that many of the new cell phones assault your skull and brain with harmful electromagnetic waves.

They found that the electromagnetic waves penetrate your skull and can double your risk of getting a brain tumor.

They also found that if you use a cell phone for more than 10 years, which most of us will do, the risk of having a health problem goes up.  Researchers have discovered that people who use a cell phone for more than a decade have a significantly higher chance of developing a brain tumor.

What’s even scarier is what happens to kids that use cell phones on a regular basis.

Because young skulls have much less thickness than adult skulls, it is much easier for electromagnetic waves to pass through the skull and harm the brain.  Numerous studies confirm that young children absorb more radiation than adults do.

They’ve found that a 2 minute phone call on a cell phone can alter the natural electrical activity in your child’s brain for one hour.  So if your child uses their cell phone for just 20 minutes a day (600 minutes a month), that’s 5 hours of unnatural brain activity every month.

You may be thinking, “But I use a wireless ear piece.”  The problem is, the earpiece relies on radio waves for transmission, so it still negatively affects you.

So what should you do?  I’m not suggesting that you give up your cell phone.  That’s just not practical in today’s day and age.  But here’s what you can do:

* Get a cell phone that emits as little radiation as possible.  You can see a list of the best and worst phones at this link here:

http://www.ewg.org/cellphoneradiation/Get-a-Safer-Phone

* If you put your phone in your pants pocket, your coat, or your purse, TURN IT OFF if you don’t plan on using it for awhile.  If someone is trying to call you and your phone is off, you can call them back.  You don’t need to be “connected” 24/7, unless your job requires it.

* Use a wired headset instead of a wireless headset.  Make sure the wire is at least 12 inches long.

* Send text messages instead of calling.

* Keep your calls short.  If you plan on having a long conversation and you have access to a land line, then use the land line.

* Limit your child’s use of cell phones.  They won’t like it, but explain to them why this is important.  If you have a teenager, tell them to text more often than calling.  This will limit their electromagnetic exposure.

Hope you found this information informative.  Email me with your thoughts, comments, or questions.  I’d love to hear from you!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jason Gerard

Here are the references for the research studies that confirm this information:

Cell Phone Radiation – Science Review on Cancer Risks and Children’s Health – Environmental Working Group http://www.ewg.org/cellphone-radiation  

Khurana VG, Teo C, Kundi M, Hardell L, Carlberg M. “Cell phones and brain tumors: a review including the long-term epidemiologic data.” Surg Neurol. 2009 Sep;72(3):205-14

International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) 2008; Lahkola 2007.

deSalles 2006; Gandhi 1996; Kang 2002; Martinez-Burdalo 2004; Wang 2003; Wiart 2008

Did you know that at any given time, over 31 million people in the US suffer from back pain?  It’s true.  In fact, 80% of all Americans will have back problems and back pain at some point in their lives.

Why is this? 

I think it’s because we were never taught to take care of our back on regular basis…like how we take care of our teeth.  The simple fact is most people neglect their spinal health.  They take a “reactive approach” which means they do nothing until a problem is already there.

The better approach would be to take care of not only your spine but your health on a regular and consistent basis.  Aging and stress break down our bodies and unless we are doing something positive to keep our bodies healthy, then we are on a crash course with back and body problems.

If you’ve had really bad back pain, you know what a life changer it can be.  It’s miserable.  It negatively affects everything.  But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Here are some simple things you can take to reduce or eliminate your back pain:

* First, it starts with “how you think.”  The bottom line is you can’t ignore your spinal health.  There is a price to pay for neglect.  The best approach to health is “attention” instead of neglect.  You will want to take care of not only your spine but the rest of your body on a regular basis…even when you are feeling good.  After all, you brush your teeth everyday and your teeth don’t have pain.  After all, who says you need to be in pain to take care of yourself?

* Next, use services that work great for back pain.  Chiropractic care has been PROVEN countless times to be the BEST choice for back pain.  So when you have back pain, make sure you get adjusted.  And when you are feeling good, get an adjustment once a month to MAINTAIN your good health.  A monthly adjustment will not only prevent major back “flair ups” but will also keep your spine healthy.  Massage therapy and acupuncture can also help with back pain and stiffness.

* Exercise regularly.  Your body was meant to “move.”  Your joints like motion, so if you aren’t moving and exercising regularly, your joints will stiffen up.  This includes your back.  So make sure you are active and exercising.  Even something simple like taking a walk every day is better than doing nothing.

* Stretch regularly.  It’s important that you keep the muscles in your back and legs limber and flexible.  The tighter these muscles get, the bigger chance you have of developing back pain.  Make sure you stretch after you exercise.

* Pay attention to how you lift things.  Make sure you bend with your legs and not at the waist.   Keep the object you are lifting as close to you as possible.  And try not to bend and twist.  Instead, turn your entire body.

* Check your mattress.  It’s important that you have a quality mattress that gives you BOTH comfort and support.  A bad mattress can be a cause of developing back pain.

* Watch your posture.  A bad posture doesn’t just look bad; it’s bad for your back too.  Pay attention to how you stand and sit.  If you work at a desk all day, or on a computer, make sure you maintain good posture.

I promise that if you incorporate these strategies into your daily routine, your back will feel great!

If you have any questions or comments, just email me.  I’d love to hear from you!

Sincerely,

Dr. Jason Gerard, DC

There’s some new information on second hand smoke that I want you to know about.

A report was recently released that showed bans on smoking in public places really do work at reducing heart attacks from second hand smoke.  The major study by the U.S. Institute of Medicine showed that smoke free policies can reduce the risk of heart attack by up to 47% and significantly reduce the likelihood of other heart problems.

Another interesting thing the study found was compelling evidence that even a brief exposure to secondhand smoke can trigger a heart attack.

The findings in the report show that implementing smoking bans in public areas like restaurants and bars significantly reduces the risk of acute coronary events.

The doctors who did the study said they did conclude a “cause and effect” relationship between heart disease, heart attacks, acute coronary events, and secondhand smoke exposure. 

This new study further proves that smoke-free laws result in fewer heart attacks.  Because of this new information, more states might pass smoke free legislation for public areas. 

Danny McGoldrick, the Vice President for research at Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said “If policy makers are paying attention to the science, and this is one more piece of evidence that says you can actually save people’s lives and save health care costs, then those states that have yet to act should do so.  How many dramatic findings do you need before you are finally going to act and protect everybody’s right to breathe clean air?” 

To read the article in its entirety, visit the link below at the US World and News website: 

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/10/15/smoking-bans-reduce-heart-attacks-study.html 

I don’t know about you, but I like the smoke free environment in restaurants and bars.  Not being exposed to the second hand smoke makes my evening much more enjoyable!

Dr. Jason Gerard, D.C.

As you can imagine, I get the chance to meet and help a lot of people with their health.  And just like you, everyone I know has a “philosophy” or “mindset” of how to be healthy and pain free. 

The thing is, there is only  one philosophy that works better than all the rest.  That approach is the “take care of yourself on a regular basis” approach to health. 

Unfortunately, some of the patients that I see are of the belief that they are “entitled” to have good health and feel great all the time without having to do anything.   They think they can eat whatever they want, rarely exercise, and only take care of their body when “something hurts”…and feel great.  

But it doesn’t work that way.  At least not in the long run, and especially as you get older. 

Here’s a question to think about…How come no one questions the idea of servicing a car regularly throughout its lifespan?  You know, things like keeping the interior and exterior of the car clean, changing the oil every 3,000 to 5,000 miles, rotating the tires, putting in new spark plugs, and so on. 

You want to know why?  Because it’s the right thing to do.  Everyone knows that if you take care of your car regularly, then it will not only run better but in the long run will cost less.  So why is it then that some people take better care of their cars than they do their health?  How come some people think it makes sense to take care of a car regularly, but not their body? 

Here’s the dilemma we all face, whether we like it or not… 

1. Our bodies all experience “normal wear and tear” from living our daily lives.  And this normal wear and tear breaks our bodies down.  

2. We are all aging, and it’s unavoidable.  And guess what?  Aging slowly but surely breaks our bodies down. 

3. We all experience stress in our lives.  Some more than others, but we all do.  Whether it’s relationships, finances, work, environmental, etc.  And what do you think stress does to our bodies?  You got it…breaks it down. 

These 3 things are unavoidable, and happen each and every day whether we like it or not.  And these 3 things are constantly working against us to wear our bodies out and decrease our health and quality of life. 

So what should we do?  Here’s something I want you to do.  Take out a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle, and on the left hand side, write all of the things that are causing your health and quality of life to decrease.  I’ve given you 3 things for that side…normal wear and tear, aging, and stress.  You might have others to add to that list. 

Now, on the right hand side of the paper, write down all of the things you do on a regular basis to improve your health and quality of life.  These are things that will counter act the things on the left hand side of the paper that are decreasing your health. 

Do you see the problem that exists for some people?  Some people can’t write anything down on the right hand side of the piece of paper.  They aren’t doing anything on a regular basis to counteract the negative effects of list on the left hand side of the page. 

These are the people who hurt all the time.  They have a sore back or neck all the time.  They complain of being sore and stiff all the time.  Are constantly on multiple medications all the time.  They get sick all the time.  They have trouble sleeping.  They are always tired.  They rarely feel very good.

 Do you know anyone like this?  Most of us do. 

Here’s the point to all of this.  What’s YOUR health mindset?  Are you someone who believes in taking care of yourself on a regular basis?  DO YOU take care of yourself on a regular basis?  Or do you neglect yourself?  Is your lack of activity causing your health and quality of life to slip away from you?

 I’ve seen a lot of patients over the years and I can tell you that the patients who take care of themselves on a regular basis are ALWAYS healthier than those who don’t.   They always feel better, they are always happier, and they actually spend less on their health care than those who don’t take care of themselves regularly.

So think about your health and what you need to do on a regular basis to keep yourself healthy and feeling great.  Then make sure you are doing it.  And if you do, I promise you’ll enjoy a much better quality of life.

Dr. Jason Gerard, D.C.

Since I have a lot of patients with children and grandchildren in my practice, I wanted to share with you some information on Ritalin that I came across.  This is important because ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed disorder in children, and Ritalin is the drug of choice for this condition. 

A recent study shows that healthy kids who take Ritalin have a 500% greater risk of sudden death. 

Yes, you might want to read that again to let it soak in. 

Keep in mind that these aren’t kids with pre-existing health or heart conditions.  These are “healthy” kids we are talking about here. 

This is more proof that what you’ve been told for decades about Ritalin…that it’s safe for kids…is far from the truth.

Here’s some more information you need to know about Ritalin…

Ritalin is a stimulant. It causes the heart to beat faster. And that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest.  Ritalin acts exactly like amphetamines such as crystal meth and cocaine.

In spite of evidence that Ritalin can stunt the growth of children (1), and cause irreversible brain damage (2) and that it is linked to serious cardiovascular events, the FDA remains silent about the dangers of this dangerous drug.

Objections to the FDA’s sluggishness are even starting to appear in conservative medical journals like JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association. In a recent editorial, they criticized the FDA by saying the FDA is “interpreting the results cautiously.”

Plus, JAMA notes that the FDA funded and approved the design of the study. Only when the results came out did they have a problem with the design of the study. I guess the FDA didn’t like the results their own design produced.

This is the big point for all of us: Doctors hand out Ritalin prescriptions every day. And too often you aren’t told of the dangers (which is why I’m telling you about them).

What’s more, studies show that Ritalin doesn’t even work. The same study that found Ritalin stunts kids’ growth also found that it has no beneficial effect on behavior over a three-year period.

So if you have kids or grandkids who have trouble concentrating, focusing, or calming down, here are some easy, safe, and natural ways to bring kids “to attention” without endangering their mental and physical health.

1. Increase the consumption of omega-3 in their diet. Studies show that many children with ADHD don’t get enough omega-3.  Try to give the child 1000 mg of omega-3s every day.

2. Pine bark extract.  This is another natural supplement that works. A European study using pycnogenol, an organic compound found in the bark of the French maritime pine tree, showed that after only one month, children’s behavior improved significantly on as little as 1 mg per day. (3)

3. Some naturally occurring amino acids can treat ADHD.

One of them is 5-HTP. Try 50 to 100 mg three times per day with meals.

Another is tyrosine. The optimal dose is 5,000 mg per day for children and up to 10,000 mg per day for adults.

4. Chiropractic care.  Many people still don’t know that chiropractic care works great with children.  With nutritional supplements and chiropractic adjustments, I’ve helped several children who were diagnosed with ADHD improve dramatically.

Jason Gerard, D.C.

Sources:

Jensen et al, “3-Year Follow-up of the NIMH MTA Study.” Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2007. 46(8):989-1002.

Gray et al, “Methylphenidate Administration to Juvenile Rats Alters Brain Areas Involved in Cognition, Motivated Behaviors, Appetite, and Stress,” Journal of Neuroscience, 2007, 27(27):7196-7207.

Trebatická et al, “Treatment of ADHD with French maritime pine bark extract, Pycnogenol.” European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 2006. 15(6):329-35.

I’ve got more information for you about the swine flu.  The mainstream media is engaged in scare tactics, lying, and misinformation, so I want to keep you informed about this topic so you can make educated decisions for yourself and your family. 

According to Natural News (www.naturalnews.com), there are 10 key lies that continue to be told by the mainstream media about the swine flu and swine flu vaccines.  So let’s go through each one so you are better informed. 

Lie #1: There are no adjuvants used in the swine flu vaccines 

Truth: You may be wondering what adjuvants are.  Well, adjuvants are a crucial part of the vaccine recipe.  The problem is, they are toxic chemicals that can cause side effects, and they are in the swine flu vaccine.

Lie #2: The swine flu is more dangerous than seasonal flu 

Truth: The virus has shown to have a mild impact on the majority of people who have gotten it.  The swine flu has shown to be a mild flu, no more dangerous than a seasonal flu. 

Lie #3: Vaccines protect you from swine flu 

Truth: The media insists that getting the swine flu vaccine will protect you from the swine flu.  But that’s not true at all.  Even if the swine flu vaccine produces antibodies, that’s not the same thing as real world immunity from a live virus.  Also, if the virus mutates, as it often does, the vaccine will not protect people from the mutated virus strains. 

Lie #4: Swine flu vaccines are safe 

Truth: None of the swine flu vaccines have been subjected to real-world testing for any meaningful duration.  The simple fact of the matter is the vaccine manufacturers and the media have no idea if this vaccine is safe or not.

Lie #5: The swine flu vaccine isn’t mandatory 

Truth: You may hear people tell you that the swine flu vaccine shot is voluntary.  But is it?  Not if you work at a place where the vaccine shot is being mandated.  Millions of Americans are being told by their employers that if they don’t get the vaccine shot, then they will not be able to work at their job.  It’s especially true for health care workers, day care employees, and school teachers. 

Lie #6: Getting a swine flu vaccine shot is a good bet on your health

Truth: The reality of this is that a swine flu vaccine shot is more likely to cause harm to your body than help you.  Here’s why.  According to one viral expert, the actual mortality rate of the swine flu virus is estimated to be as low as .007 percent.  That means the swine flu will kill less than 1 out of 100,000 people.  They are saying the risk of the side effects of the vaccine will harm or even kill several people, so the net risk of death is increased by getting a swine flu vaccine.

Lie #7: The vaccine isn’t made with “attenuated live virus” 

Truth: The vaccines ARE made with attenuated live viruses.”  That’s how you make a vaccine: You take live viruses, then you weaken them (attenuate) and then inject them into people. 

Lie #8: Wash your hands multiple times a day to avoid exposure 

Truth: The virus is now so widespread that the majority of people are going to be exposed to it through the air and other means.  The idea that you will avoid exposure is not practical at this point.  Instead, focus on how to have a healthy immune system when you do get exposed. 

Lie #9: Children are more vulnerable to swine flu than adults 

Truth: This is not true.  Right now the swine flu has been very mild in children.  In fact, Dr. Marc Lipsitch of Harvard University says the swine flu, “Is the mildest in kids.” 

Lie #10: There is nothing else you can do besides get the swine flu vaccine and Tamiflu 

Truth: This is not true.  Vitamin D and anti-viral herbs helps fight the flu.  Chiropractic adjustments have been proven to boost the immune system.  So despite what the media may try to tell you, there are things you can do to strengthen your body naturally to fight the swine flu. 

Pass this information on to any family or friends that you have that you think could benefit from learning the truth regarding the swine flu and the swine flu vaccine.  It’s important that people know what’s really going on so they can make good decisions.

Jason Gerard, D.C.

In May 2009, Consumer Reports published the results of a survey involving over 14,000 of their subscribers.

The results showed that “hands on” treatments, led by chiropractic care, were the “top-rated” treatments for people suffering from back pain.  The massage survey also found that chiropractors were given the highest “satisfaction with care” ratings, well above those given to medical doctors who administered various forms of care to back pain sufferers.

The survey found that more than half of the respondents had pain that severely limited their daily routine for a week or longer, and 88% said it recurred throughout the year.  The report stated that while many go to a primary care physician for diagnosis and treatment, the majority were disappointed with the results.

On the other hand, the majority reported that they were “highly satisfied” with the care they received from chiropractors.  Respondents were also asked to rate the types of treatments they received.  Again, chiropractic/spinal manipulation got the top honors.

Dr. Orly Avitzur, a medical neurologist, said, “The survey showed “hands-on” therapies, which include chiropractic care, are “very successful” and I almost always recommend them.”

This is exciting news because Consumer Reports has a great reputation.  What’s also nice is that the positive comments are coming from people just like you and I, so no one’s trying to scam or manipulate what’s being reported.

So if you know someone who could benefit from chiropractic care but is skeptical or unsure of whether or not chiropractic care could work for them, please share this information with them.

I’m sure you are like me and hate to see your friends and family suffer with pain, so let them know that chiropractic care is a proven option to restore their health and relieve their pain.

Dr. Jason Gerard, D.C.
Forest Lake Chiropractor