60 Day Turnaround

I wanted to tell the story of Steve!  I asked him, he added to it, so here it is.

Steve has been a patient for about five years, started getting adjusted by me shortly after he had started off with Watermarke church after it had launched.  He was part of that initial steering team, and we spent time together with a few other men praying over the church most weeks.  I have gotten to know him pretty well over the years.

Introduced him to CrossFit, which he now coaches some classes at my gym as a Level 1 certified coach, he works IT at Buckhead Church, has two kids that he did not have five years ago.  He has a pretty solid spine.  Good cervical curve, nice atlas angle, only issue is some odd lower back problems that come up once and awhile, even though he does not have significant cause for those in his structure (he has less these days, which I would attribute to the strength and balance developed in his spine from his exercise habits).

So after five years, I would say he sees the value in continued maintenance care, though I believe it has become a little routine for him.  Its ok, it happens to everyone.  If I had a chance to convince all of you to come back through a doctors report every year, you would never lose this intensity and desire for the best health in your body.  So Steve has been adjusted twice since September 15th.  Which is less than I recommend for anyone.  Maintenance is two to four times a month if you really want to maintain.  If you don’t mind decline (especially if you sit for any amount of time during the day), then less than the recommended adjustments will get you decline.

So why am I seemingly picking on Steve?  He got a migraine quality headache the other day, the first one in his life.  And as his wife was texting me asking what they should do, the first thought I had was “get adjusted”.  Though it was happening at an impossible time to get adjusted.  Funny, they were so shocked when my response was “take meds to get to sleep”.  I have said it before, I don’t hate meds, just their overuse.  If you have never suffered a migraine quality headache in your life, and all of a sudden you are faced with one… take some drugs and go to bed!  I am not a sadistic individual, nor a masochist so if it happens to me, you know I’ll be in bed with some meds!

So he came in the other day, seems as though the entire headache was neurologically based, and structure caused it.  I don’t believe it was a migraine, but rather more of a tension type headache, just severe.  He came in and said, “figured I needed to be adjusted because I had this funny numbness working up the left side of my body.”  Sure enough, he needed to be adjusted.

So here are the questions:

1. What does it mean to have a headache followed closely by a very significant and odd pattern of numbness?  Is it benign, or is that enough of a sign to say that there is a significant problem starting in the spine (subluxation)?
2. What if Steve had been adjusted 8 times in the last two months, would that have erased the cause of the symptom, so that he would never have suffered the headache, or the underlying more significant neurological cause?

The truth is, we don’t know.  There is no way to tell if we could have eliminated the problem, but there is enough information in this situation for me to feel as though the chance would have been high that he would not have had the problem that he did.

I ask God to guide my hands, and for knowledge to rule my process.  I don’t know how many times we have helped someone skip over a problem that was developing, but I do know that we have had much success in helping people.  Our recommendations are based on a very real system and very real understanding of spinal degeneration.  Don’t take them lightly, and don’t become routine in your pursuit of health!  Steve is a great guy, and he knows I love him, now I look forward to getting him back on the path that will keep him free of damage!

Have a great weekend – hope to see you next week – Dr. E

What to expect after an adjustment?  I don’t know.  Honestly, we can make some very good assumptions, but the reality is that everyone and every adjustment will have a different result.  BUT, there is a relative rule.  The body will work better.

But what does that mean?  It is a complicated thing to quantify what working better really means.  If you are feeling “sick”. you’ll hear us refer to that as “expressing health”.  I’ll get to that in a minute, but lets start by asking what a symptom is.  I know that about 70% of you, would quickly answer “your body working”.  Which is right, you have learned well that function of the body.

So then, if symptoms are your body working, then you understand that to relieve symptoms is to stop your body from working.  Whether it be a medication, or a homeopathic treatment, if it is designed to stop symptoms, then it is getting in the way of what your body is designed to do.  Programmed to do correctly.  I am not an advocate of treating symptoms until it is absolutely necessary to function.

Our goal, as I always state to my new patients on their first adjustment, and feel as though I probably don’t re-state it enough to our existing patients, is to improve the function of the nervous system.  That is it.  As Dr. Sigafoose (old time, well known great chiropractor) used to say, “It is not my job to make you feel better so you can go out there and die!  It is my job to help get your nervous system working right so you can go out there and LIVE!”  That is our job, and once again, how do you quantify that?

There was a study done some time ago that showed that people who had been under chiropractic care for seven years or more, when compared against groups that had been adjusted for less than six months, up to three years, or three to five years… the group of seven years plus, had the highest levels of serum thiol (thiol in the blood).  According to many studies thiols are predictors of how well DNA can repair itself.  There has since been other studies showing similar results from chiropractic care.

So working better could mean living longer.  But how in the world do you measure that?

You know the thing I like to understand, is that working better might just mean more symptoms.  🙂  Nobody likes that idea, but let me say it differently.  I believe working better is more aggressive acute symptoms, and less chronic ones.  We have had awesome results with many, many people reducing their allergies under our care, or reducing their asthma, or other inflammatory conditions.  Where others have not had any results… why?  Working better could simply mean that in this period of time, those symptoms make the most sense.  Period!

So expressing health is the expression of health that comes from a strong system.  If my daughter gets “sick”, I tell them that they are expressing health.  Which happened last night as Brooke had a stomach bug, and that moved to my wife this morning.  Hopefully not me next, but I will assuredly keep myself clean for you just in case.  Now think about a stomach bug, what is the best response?  If you have something dangerous, growing in your intestine, trying to establish its own colony.  The most HEALTHY response you could have, would be to get violently ill quickly and decisively.  Toss it up fast and completely.  Both Brooke and Laura were sick for about four hours, everything came up or out, then it was over.

Now Brooke at her young age was fine, no problem once again after.  Where my wife, well, we tend to regain our strength a little more slowly, but the need to get it out, is gone.  That is a great immune response to a healthy nervous system.  If Iwere to adjust you, and you had a virus brewing, I would hope you would get the signs of “illness”.  Fever, chills, headache, body ache, runny nose, etc.  But then for it to come and go more quickly.  Your stress has a lot to do with this, so don’t go getting crazy ideas of how an adjustment takes away everything else.  That is not the case.

But now you will understand why the next time you are expressing health, I will celebrate the post adjustment toilet hugging, or fever fighting.  It is only a sign that you are a better version of you in the moment!  Be well, and blessed!!  Dr. E

Monday, Nov. 21st  8:00am-11:30am    3:30pm-6:30pm

Tuesday, Nov. 22nd 8:00am-11:30am   3:30pm-6:30pm(YES we are open, this is not a typo)  so come get adjusted!!!

Wednesday, Nov. 23rd CLOSED

Thursday, Nov. 24th CLOSED  (gobble gobble till ya wobble!!!)

Friday, Nov. 25th CLOSED

Any questions please feel free to call the office at 770-517-2240.

http://www.naturalnews.com/033328_Mark_McAfee_Organic_Pastures.html

The link is to the full article on this story.  I want to give my simple perspective on this topic.  It might be wrong, sad, bad or ridiculous.  I just think that this FDA position on raw milk is wrong, sad, bad and ridiculous.

First off, the reason why we would say raw milk is better for you than processed, relates to a couple things.  But before I get into that, I would like to say that I think the best source for raw milk would be grass fed cows.  There is some research that shows the chance of e-coli in grass fed beef is almost impossible, and the chance of contaminated milk is also extremely low.  That risk goes up when the cows are grain fed.  OK, on to the meat… : )

So the first consideration is pasteurization.  To heat the milk to a high temperature for a defined period, then immediately cool it back down.  This process kills many of the microbes in the milk, giving it a much longer shelf life.  If you click the link for pasteurization, you will see that the CDC has research that says that raw milk is actually much more dangerous than raw milk, but then it goes on to say that the milk is infected by cow feces, bacteria on the udder, etc.  I agree!  Of course that is the cause, and if it were a pen fed cow, who defecates where she lives, then that would be expected.

If it is a grass fed cow, living in a field, brought into a stall for milking, and washed prior to, then you have the best chance ever of having very healthy milk.  So I still haven’t said why I don’t like pasteurization… enzymes.  Enzymes are preserved when food is not heated.  This is one reason why I am such a fan of Juice Plus, the process of dehydration is low temp, preserving enzymes.  If milk is heated, the enzymes are destroyed, and they play a key part in the breakdown of the milk protein.

Which brings me to the next concern.  Homogenization.  Homogenized milk means that the fat in the milk has been forced into smaller, non-binding molecules.  There is evidence that this smaller particle milk (done so that milk does not separate into cream and the lower fat milk), allows absorption of larger chain amino acids through the intestinal wall.  These protein chains would not be absorbed as readily with the larger non-homogenized fat particles still intact.  This represents a significant decrease in the inflammatory effect of milk (normally a very high inflammatory food).

So check out the article, look at what is going on in our country, where the choice of raw milk is not your choice.  The hope of going raw is quickly being blotted out, and heavily on the shoulders of groups that have financial gain if small independent dairy farmers go out of business.  Large dairy farmers and the companies that serve these farmers (Monsanto) have been pushing the anti-raw milk movement.  Don’t take my word, check it out and decide for yourself.

http://www.naturalnews.com/033328_Mark_McAfee_Organic_Pastures.html

Enjoy, and be great!  – Dr. E

Purpose…… Purpose in life for anyone is more important than you may think. And for those out there that have lost faith and let the hope of a happy fulfilling life go… Just know it is still possible. Even those who struggle every day just to take care of themselves… It is still possible. Remember God is good but doesn’t always work with our timing. Those of you with friends or family that you feel have lost hope for making more of their life or or those you know feel they will never find a purpose…. Have hope and pray For them! It is never too late, it is never hopeless, and if you love and care for this person… Pray for them, encourage them, support them. If you don’t who will?

I just recently was a part of a special event that I thought would never happen . My brother got married (the brother I thought would never get married, not that he shouldn’t, couldn’t or didn’t want to… it was just that he was not on a path leading in that direction)! It was amazing! I have prayed for this day for many years, knowing that he wanted it, but felt like it would never be true. I just wanted him to find happiness in his life, and from there a greater purpose.

Well, the day came when his now wife came into his life and … he changed! He changed for the better and life seemed to take on a new meaning. His life was now NOT just doing more for himself but for doing more and being a better version of himself for her.  He had given himself to community enrichment endeavors, but he didn’t see himself fulfilling another person.  That is love… Wanting to be a better version of yourself and having purpose in your life beyond what you want for yourself, but first for someone else. For me now, the bible helps direct me on how to become a better version of myself.  But I caution all of you not to give up on those you think it is not possible to change!  As I heard my mom whisper today after the wedding… God is good.  You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you!

Had it not been girlfriend, turned fiancé,turned wife, that changed my brothers life, it could have been the desperate need of an orphan in Africa or perhaps even a friend dying of cancer. Purpose comes in many shapes, sizes, and colors, but one thing is the same regardless … You need to be open to receive it.

As our family sits in support of my husbands mission, we are reminded daily that dreams do come true. Sometimes in small easily ignored ways (but important just the same), and sometimes in amazing, huge life changing ways!  We have to stand up and speak out for what we believe in… our purpose and mission depend on it.  We are grateful for your support of ours!  God IS good!

In Christ,
Laura Richards

I have a friend, one whom I will not name because I want to protect his privacy.  He is getting married later this year, which is an incredible accomplishment given the last fifteen years of his life.  I have known him for quite a few years, and I have seen him fight through tough times.  He has battled a diagnosis of bi-polar, with periods of extreme depression over the years.

At times I have been blessed with the opportunity to adjust him, and at other times simply to mentor him.  It wasn’t but a few years ago that he was checked into a hospital for those who are feeling a little unstable.  I drove down to visit him, and as we talked, it dawned on me, and I shared it with him, that his story would be one worth writing.  That when he got well, truly well, that he would need to write about his life, and encourage others along the path to wellness.

It wasn’t his first time in a “mental institution”, nor the first time that he had considered thoughts of hurting himself.  He has always been one to shun the medication that has been prescribed for him, but at times he seemed to find solace in it.  When we spoke that day a few years back, I felt confident that he would not hurt himself ever.  As if God spoke into that moment, “he knows he has too much worth doing here”.

So the turnaround.  This is pretty cool when you look at the story.  A history of near misses.  Going to college, getting 4.0 grades, getting close to graduation, then falling into depression and not finishing the curriculum.  Taking poor grades for the last semester, and ruining the GPA at this school.  Well, he had been on a similar path, when in walks a woman into his life.  This is the power that I speak of above.

It wasn’t love at first site, but it was love.  And as that love grew and grew (my friend had hardly been going into public just a few months prior), his desire to do well by her, grew as well.  He slowly was being rescued by the care he had for this woman’s opinion of his life.  She was saving him, and didn’t even know it at the time.  And now, he is on his way to something bigger and better in his life with his career, his relationship, and his peace.

You know, there are a lot of us who need saving from ourselves.  Perhaps daily.  Many of us don’t even realize it, but the person whom is designed to save us, is very often with us.  My practice has been shrinking lately, and it is because (I believe), I have not been devoted to the effort of reaching the community.  The one thing that I hold paramount to our success in achieving my mission – To change the way the world perceives health, while showing honor to God and my family.

If I am to do that, I need to be reaching a new person every other day, and I have not been.  So I tell you now, that I am back on that mission, and it is because of my wife.  She has come out and saved me, and I know nobody else could have.  It has been building in its tension, but she is the one who put it just right, and as I sit and think about the legacy that I will leave for my children, I want it to be all about the relationships I have in my life, with my patients, with my friends and ultimately with my family and my God.

I have a dream that I will be able to positively influence all of you through what I do.  The problem is that the dream is self centered, and really allows that ego to rear its ugly head.  In reality, it is through the blessing that God has given me to relate to you.  And so I thank you for giving me the opportunity to be part of your wellness pursuit.

One thing I can tell you confidently though, is that because of that relationship, and what He has allowed me to learn about the nervous system, I will be able to help you draw closer to the body that was part of the original design.  That by staying the course of regular adjustments over time, you will not only feel better, but you will quite obviously function better.  My best stories are the patients who have been coming for years, who simply are well.

If you are not that person, stay the course, build deep relationships with those who will positively influence you, and your time will come.  Let us know where you seem to be failing, and we will be sure to push to help you!

Be well, be blessed, be loving!  Hug day coming soon! – Dr. E

Dr. Eric is attending a family wedding in Athens, and will not be here this Thursday, Nov. 10th.  Dr. Levi will be here to adjust you.  Any questions call the office at 770-517-2240.

Making Your Blood Pressure Plummet (if it is high and needs to J )

RE-PRINT – 11-7-2011

Originally Printed October 11, 2010

 The Journal Of the American Society of Nephrology:

The recent increase in fructose consumption in industrialized nations mirrors the rise in the prevalence of hypertension… We investigated whether increased fructose intake from added sugars associates with an increased risk for higher BP levels in US adults without a history of hypertension… These results suggest that high fructose intake, in the form of added sugar, independently associates with higher BP levels among US adults without a history of hypertension.

Do you eat a lot of fruit?  Do you realize you are primarily eating fructose?  How about grains… yep, it turns to fructose.  A a matter of fact, this article on my Blog … drericrichards.com, will shed some light on the bane of some of the foods that are consumed as “Health” foods everyday.  Even the sweet red peppers that I so enjoy need to be consumed in moderation when on the healing diet.

The association of High Blood Pressure with high intake of grains and sugar, dates back to 1998 when the journal Diabetes reported that nearly 2/3 of insulin resistant test subjects also had high BP.  Insulin resistance comes from a typical American diet, rich in grains and sugars.  As we have seen over hundreds of patients over the years.  If you control your diet, you will drop your blood pressure.  Un-responsive blood pressure after dietary changes will typically respond to chiropractic care, and was shown to be VERY responsive in this chiropractic study by The University of Chicago MEDICAL School.

If you really want to make sure your blood pressure is as good as it can be, you need to invest in the Total Food Makeover, and figure out how to eat in order to insure that your blood pressure is healthy.  I do not believe in medicinally treating disease if there are other options.  However, I do not believe in letting high blood pressure go unchecked, especially if it is climbing into the 150/100 range, that is associated with a significant increased risk of heart attack and/or stroke.

The amazing thing to me, is that the diet that has been shown to be the best at reducing blood pressure, is the exact opposite of the diet that doctors had pushed as being the healthy diet.  For years they thought that low fat high carb diets were the best for weight loss, and cardiovascular function.  Even today that mentality still rules many doctor’s offices, and package marketing on food products, it has been completely destroyed in the research.  The research has slowly been pointing towards high fat diets ever since the 1970′s when scientists discovered that the Greenland Eskimos had practically NO instance of heart disease, yet were eating diets of lard and fat from whales, seals and fish.

Understanding the “why” behind blood pressure and diet is the first step to getting it right.  When the sugar goes up, there is an immediate need for increased blood pressure to push that “syrup” through the arteries.  Of course, you fix that pretty quick with insulin.  The insulin drives the sugar out, and the blood pressure normalizes.  This is why in the study referenced above; the patients had no history of hypertension.  Of course, as they continue down this sugar cycle (grains, sugars, fruits…), they begin to over-stimulate the insulin receptors and start to burn them out.  As these receptors are burnt out, the body no longer responds to insulin, and the sugar rises… permanently.

So if you want your blood pressure to stay lower, let’s fix your insulin receptors.  Come tonight at7pm, and you will be able to do just that over the next five weeks!

This and every Daily Sprout is now available online at HealthSprout.com, be sure to keep up with them by visiting daily!

 

Just a reminder, we are collecting candy for the TROOPS overseas until next Friday!

he will be here from 9:00am-11:30am  then  2:30pm-3:30pm