CHOICES NEWSLETTER

December 05, 2005

Welcome to CHOICES, Gutrich Chiropractic and Naprapathy's Newsletter

Keeping you up-to-date in the constantly changing and expanding field of complementary health care. Forward to a friend!

Real Cold Busters:
Healing From the Inside

The past 15 years of health science and research has seen a tremendous increase in the knowledge and understanding of the human immune system. The inability of antibiotics to wipe out disease entirely and the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria and super infections have led many distinguished researchers and physicians to conclude that the answer to disease is not to create stronger medicines. Rather, we say the solution lies in attacking the disease from the inside out by strengthening the body’s natural defense network. The immune system is our body’s natural defense against constant invaders such as environmental toxins, pollutants, bacteria, germs, and viruses. Communication between cells, tissues, and organs is essential for the proper functioning of the immune system.

The foundation of health begins with a properly functioning nervous system, to the extent that we can equate levels of function and healing capability with the ability of the nervous system to send and receive information. There is a greater quantity of communication in the human body than all of the combined man-made communication systems in the world and the coordination and precision of neurological and biological communication systems is un-paralleled. Since its inception, Chiropractic has been a vital tool in establishing and maintaining optimal neuronal connections in the central nervous system and optimizing immune regulation and reactivity. Research has demonstrated that chiropractic manipulations result in a phenomenon called a “respiratory burst”, leading to a greatly-increased production of certain white blood cells that are essential for fighting infection. Further, patients who receive regular chiropractic care have been shown to contract fewer colds and other respiratory infections than those who do not receive regular treatment.

What are Probiotics and
What Can They Do For Me?

In many individuals, owing in large part to our poor North American diet and antibiotic overuse, there is an imbalance of helpful bacteria in the human gut. Imbalance in gut flora can lead to poor water and nutrient absorption, diarrhea and constipation, as well as numerous intestinal diseases such as Crohn’s Disease, Colitis, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Probiotic therapy involves the ingestion of live bacteria that normally live in the human gut (most commonly Lactobacilli acidophilus and Bifidobacteria) as a means of re-establishing an ideal balance. A number of potential benefits arising from this include increased resistance to infectious diseases, decreased duration of diarrhea, reduced blood pressure and cholesterol, reduced allergic symptoms and reduced side- effects during antibiotic therapy.

Perhaps surprisingly, despite this impressive list of therapeutic and preventative attributes, probiotics are not commonly part of the medical practitioner’s arsenal of prescription drugs. Instead, probiotics are primarily available from complementary health care providers (such as chiropractors) and health food stores. These are available in either tablet or powder form.

With no known clinical side-effects or contraindications, probiotics are an excellent way to maintain a healthy gut and are a safe and simple way to protect your body from the potentially damaging effects of antibiotics, infections and heart disease. Ask the doctors of Gutrich Chiropractic what is the best Probiotic available.

Care for the Body as a Whole

We at Gutrich Chiropractic stress care for the body as a whole, not just eliminating symptoms of pain. Here are Six Reasons to Continue Chiropractic Wellness Care…

1. Continue your Progress – research suggests ligaments and muscles that support the spine can take longer to heal than indicated by how you feel. Continuing with wellness care encourages more complete healing and a lasting recovery
2. Prevent a Relapse – Your body adapts to soft tissue damage caused by improper spinal function. Without corrective chiropractic care, muscles and connective tissue are predisposed to assume unhealthy patterns. Rehabilitative care helps retrain and strengthen your spine to help avoid relapse.
3. Avoid future problems – Long periods of sitting, financial worries, toxic environments, and many everyday activities can stress your spine and compromise optimal health. Wellness care can help you stay healthy and keep small problems from becoming big ones.
4. Save Money – Besides keeping at your best, continuing your care can save you money. Just as flossing your teeth will prevent expensive dental work, regular chiropractic checkups can avoid the expense of having to correct more serious and preventable problems.
5. Feel Good – Enjoy life to the fullest! Your Doctor will recommend a schedule of preventative care visits. Patients who enjoy a chiropractic lifestyle have more energy and perform better in everyday life.
6. Continue to Learn – Proper spinal maintenance is new to most people. Ask questions. Get involved. Understanding your body and health are investments in your greatest resource!