Backbone, LLC

Debunking Organic Food Myths

2012-01-19T15:30:00.000-08:00

If this is healthy- why is he wearing a mask?

I never really know if I should laugh or cry when I hear someone talk about "regular" vs organic food. We come up with lots of reasons for not buying organic: cost, availability, not visually appealing, and so on. The organic section in the grocery store is called "health" food. What does that make the rest of it? Yes, you got it - unhealthy food. The truth is...organic food is REAL food that has not been doused in bug spray and weed killer or worse had it genetically fused into it.

The 2 biggest things I hear why someone doesn't eat organic:

1. There isn't really any difference. They just want more money.
Well, if I handed you an apple and told you I hosed it in bug spray first, would you eat it? I don't think so. If I gave you a choice of 2 apples and one had bug spray and the other cost 30 cents more which would you choose? I have posted before about the damage pesticides and herbicides do to the hormone system. The 30 cents somehow seems insignificant after reading this.
2. It costs too much to eat organic.
This one is a bit tricky to just throw out. Yes- real food costs more per fruit or vegetable BUT you also get more nutrition out of it so after a couple months of eating real food your appetite will naturally drop and the cost of food per month will not really change. This is also a very short sighted response. Is it better to save a few bucks now and spend vastly higher amounts on unnecessary illnesses, lost time at school or work due to doctor's visits, and generally lower health status?

Real Food Has No Bug Spray!

The good new is that there are solutions:
1. I very highly recommend my friends at Terra-Organics for a great way to shop for fruits, veggies, and some other miscellaneous items. You tell them what you want and they deliver it. It doesn't get much easier than that.

2. Use the web to find great recipes with lower cost items. I love a black bean chili (in fact, I have a pot full on the stove right now simmering for dinner). Beans are an amazing source of high quality protein. Great for lowering cholesterol, improving your waist line, and saving money.

3. Most importantly: Decide to be okay with it! 100 years ago almost 25% of a family's annual income was spent on food. Today it is closer to 10%. Food (and I use the term loosely) has become overly-available and inexpensive and we are paying for it with our waist lines and our health.

As always, I remain available to answer questions one-on-one or in a group health talk. Reaching me is easy. Stay healthy my friends.

In health,
Dr. Christian Cohen

How do you value health care?

2012-01-14T20:25:00.000-08:00

This last week we saw a large number of clients with drastically different insurance benefits as we start 2012. Less massages, tighter limits on adjusting, less rehabilitation and all for more money. It is not really shocking to see premiums and deductibles get bigger while coverages and limits get smaller. After all, insurance companies are a business and have to answer to shareholders first and you, the patient, later.

More and more, people are referred to as "non-insured" - insured patients. These are people with such large deductibles or ridiculously low limits that they have essentially no coverage. For example, someone might need $1500 worth of care and have a $3000 deductible. Or they may require 24 visits to fix a problem and their insurance will only pay for 8.

What do you do when presented with this situation? Sadly, many people never address their health care budget with the doctor's office and simply continue to suffer with a problem they should have fixed. In my office, we recognize that each person's financial situation is as different as their health concerns. This is why as a progressive and concerned provider office, we have options to work with every budget so each person can be treated with respect and dignity to get the care they need without feeling like a charity case.

I am not trying to do a commercial. Many offices will work with a patient financially. Very few are so cold as to turn away a suffering patient. My point is that it is up to you as a patient to bring up any financial concerns and even better - propose a solution that is fair and reasonable to both you and the doctor. This way you get the care you need and the doctor gets to stay in the business of helping people.

In health,
Dr. Christian Cohen

Make Procrastination Work for You

2012-01-03T11:14:00.000-08:00

Chances are, you are making (or just made) resolutions for the new year. Some of the most popular resolutions are to eat healthier, exercise more, and lose weight. For improving eating habits, the best thing may be to procrastinate. Procrastination has gotten a bad rap for so long that it is time we start leveraging it to our advantage for a healthy lifestyle.

I used to eat ice cream like it was going out of style. I would get a pint of Ben & Jerry's cookie dough and down it in a single sitting after dinner. I didn't even bother with a bowl. I knew the whole thing would be gone. And this wasn't once in a while- it was every day. The thing was...I liked it. Who doesn't love rich, sugar and fat-laden ice cream? To make it worse, as soon as I "decided" I couldn't eat ice cream anymore it was the only thing I wanted.

As my waistline grew and my blood sugar climbed I knew I had to do something different. I was reading a book called Body by God by Dr. Ben Lerner. He suggested procrastinating. So I did. I would walk to Baskin-Robbins in Gig Harbor for a scoop. I had to wait 15 minutes to get to my ice cream (and I was walking 15 minutes each way for it). Then I decided to up the ante. I would say to myself, "I can wait an extra day". Then it became 2 days, then 3 days. Then I was procrastinating to eat ice cream only on Sunday. When I got a Friday craving for ice cream I would put it off until Sunday. Don't get me wrong, I ate ice cream on Sunday and I was guilt-free. I was leveraging the power of procrastination to my advantage.

Then a funny thing happened. I realized one Monday morning that I had missed my Sunday ice cream! I was doing a lot of weekend travel for work and would be flying home on Sunday nights. It was purely by accident that I missed my dose that week. The next thing I knew it had been weeks since I had ice cream at all. Now it has been years since having ice cream (although I do enjoy a semi-annual bowl of coconut milk ice cream, sweetened with agave instead of sugar). I successfully leveraged procrastination to eliminate a bad food habit!

You can do the same thing. Take a food you know is bad for you and just start procrastinating. Get to the Oreo cookies later. Save that pizza for another day. Put the sweets away for a while. It works if you just get to when you get to it. Of course, you can call me now to help you through it and get some measurements to track how well procrastinating can work for you. Call me at 253-858-2474 and I will not procrastinate in helping you reach your goals.

Thrive, Don't Just Survive the Holidays

2011-12-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

So many people go through Thanksgiving and Christmas and just plan to put on extra weight, let their cholesterol climb, and add inches to the waist.

It is possible to go through the end of the year and actually come out healthier! Here are my top 7 health tips:

Stay hydrated. Drinking enough water is a natural appetite suppressant. It reduces joint and muscle pain, improves digestion, and flushes the body.
Don't skip breakfast. Breakfast gets your metabolism revved up and keeps your blood sugar stable. Wild swings in blood sugar can add inches to your waist quickly.
Try a new twist on old recipes. Instead of smothering sweet potatoes in sugar (marshmallow) try mixing in cinnamon and raisins or baked as "fries" coated with a mix of lime juice, olive oil, and a pinch of crushed red pepper.
Avoid the eggnog. I gave up eggnog 2 years ago as it is so terribly unhealthy. This year I have a great alternative. Metagenics Ultrameal + 360 Eggnog protein shake tastes great and lowers cholesterol at the same time!
Commit to exercise daily. This one is very manageable if you plan for just 10 minutes on the busiest days and 45 on all others. Just decide you will do something everyday and then do it.
Keep eating your veggies. Raw, steamed, roasted, baked, grilled - have them however you enjoy them. Just keep them going in. Half you plate in veggies every meal.
Breath. This time of year is stressful for many people. Deep breathing reduces stress and helps manage weight, blood pressure, and improves cardiovascular function.

Of course, if you prefer some customized health advice, call me at to set up a time just for you. Most of all, Merry Christmas and stay healthy my friends.

In health,

Dr. Christian Cohen

Flu Shot? No Thanks, I don't want the flu.

2011-10-26T23:04:00.000-07:00

So it's that time of year when many patients come to me and ask, "Doc, should I get the flu shot?"
Since the laws regarding my license do not give me prescriptive authority (I cannot tell them yes or no by law). I respond with, "Well, do you want the flu?".

Puzzled, they look at me. So I explain, there are several questions that each person should be asking their MD before getting any vaccine. My list goes something like this:

What is in the shot besides the virus? Most have additives that I wouldn't touch, much less let someone inject into me. Check out some of the ingredients here. Pay attention to Thimerosol (Mercury) which is know to cause brain (neural) damage and is linked to Autism.
What is the risk to me if I don't get the vaccine? Are you an otherwise strong individual who is not likely to die from the flu? Uncomfortable for a few days? Yes. Death, not so much.
Who should not get the vaccine? People with certain allergies, history of reactions to vaccines, people with a compromised immune system.
How effective is it really? Polio was already on the decline according to government statistics prior to the introduction of the vaccine by Jonas Saulk.
What are the potential side effects? This is a standard risk to benefit question that should be very straight forward and easy to answer.
Last is one of my favorites, "Doctor, have you had this vaccine?" Obviously, many won't even answer the question. That alone should be a huge red flag.

What do you do if you are sitting nose-to-nose with your doctor and they are pressuring you into a vaccine you don't want? There are 2 different ways to deal with it.

If you don't mind some confrontation- these 4 words are the most powerful that can be spoken to any doctor: "I DO NOT CONSENT." Bam! Procedures halt in the throws of it all.
If you don't like confrontation- simply ask the question, "Doctor, are you willing to personally take full responsibility for any and all adverse reactions?" If the answer is no, well, you get the idea.

So what are my options besides just accepting whatever happens to float on by? Well, try boosting you immune system so it can effectively fight off any virus. This can be done (and is done all the time) without so much as a hint of symptoms. How do we accomplish such a marvelous feat? Try any of my favorites. In fact, try them all. You can only get healthier because of them!

Proper diet (no sugar, remove allergens, lots of veggies)
Regular exercise (daily not annually)
Take a daily Multivitamin/Mineral (Usana)
Detox
Massage
Get enough rest
Get adjusted
Use natural immune boosters

Want more specific help? I am here to serve your health needs. Simply call 253-858-2474 to schedule a time just for me and you.

In health,
Dr. Cohen

Bug Spray and Hormones

2011-10-19T01:02:00.000-07:00

Have you heard the radio ads recently talking about the choice or organic food and food produced by "conventional farming"? Organic (that is, USDA Certified Organic) food is free from pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals. Conventional farming methods employ the use of weed killers and bug spray on your food. (Yes, you read that correctly- bug spray.)

The concern about "conventional" foods is that the chemicals in them are categorized as endocrine disruptors. This means they interfere with hormone production and signaling, cause cellular damage, tumors, cognitive problems, ADD, and learning disabilities.

Hormone disruption for men means less testosterone. When it drops sex drive goes down, muscles gets smaller, and you get fat stores in the chest/pectorals. That's right guys- man boobs. For women, interference with estrogen balance leads to a list of symptoms: meunstral cramping, endometriosis, and breast cancer. There is also a strong link between xenoestrogens and thyroid problems.

The good news is that you have a high level of control over your exposure to these terribly damaging chemicals. Here is a list of common offenders and healthier options you don't have to go searching for:

Personal care products: lotions, shampoo, conditioners, facial cleansers, etc. that contain ANY kind of "parabens". Replace with Sense Products from USANA Health Sciences.

"Conventional" foods: produce with bug spray on it, meats injected with growth hormones, antibiotics, and who knows what else. Replace with organic produce and grass-fed (free range) meats.

What should you do if you are already hormone imbalanced and you suspect xenoestrogens? You may do well to perform an "Estrogen Detox". This is accomplished without much difficulty as your body is supported nutritionally to rid the offending chemicals and restore proper hormone balance. Many hormonally related symptoms simply disappear. My favorite is to use Estrium, a protein-based neutraceutical shake from Metagenics.

Want specific help? Visit me here to learn about working with me or call 253-858-2474 and we can easily set aside a few minutes just for you!

In health,
Dr. Christian Cohen

Fear of the Unknown

2011-08-18T23:04:00.000-07:00

So I have to give fair warning - I am on the soapbox for this post...

I have a patient who's 1 year old has lost a few ounces of weight since her last check up. A few ounces doesn't sound like much but for a 1 year old it is significant. At the pediatrician's advice she took the little one to a nutritionist.

Here is where it gets interesting: the nutritionist discovers that I have her on a high protein, loaded with nutrients, low glycemic shake to supplement her eating but doesn't know Metagenics as a company or product (by her own admission to the patient/mom). Her advice- stop taking the high quality shake and instead use carnation instant breakfast.

Really?

Ever see the ingredients? Milk, sugar, maltodextrin (sugar), lactose (allergen to many people), natural and artificial flavor (hidden things like MSG, flavor enhancers, etc), corn starch (sugar-based thickening agent), wheat starch, salt, and the cheapest (read that worst quality) "nutrients" they can shove in just to say they are there. The form of zinc that they add is essentially a form of rust. Vitamin D without the co-factors necessary to absorb and use it.

Did I mention the kid is gluten sensitive? Breaks out in a rash every time something is ingested that has wheat in it. And the nutritionist was put off by the fact that I worked with the mom to get the kid off gluten. This is the equivalent of saying to the poor mom- stop giving the kid food and nutrients and start with a healthy dose of crack instead.

So here is what happens- I advised mom on simple, healthy eating changes for the whole family not just the baby and mom says the baby is already doing better (eating regularly, active, and better mood). This is just in the last week so it is too early to see an appreciable weight gain but it is coming. And, it is healthy weight. We want the baby to become strong and healthy not fat and "up to normal weight".

Helping clients with Body Composition change is something I excel at. Whether you want to trim down the body fat, add some bulk, or just get to an ideal weight I can help. Nutritional work with me does not require you to come in for adjustments. Diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes are important.

Call me to schedule your nutritional consultation and get on the way to your healthiest ever. I Love This!

An Ounce of Prevention.

2011-08-08T23:10:00.000-07:00

Saturday night at The Art Space Gallery @ Backbone Art Reception, a very nice lady I met explained to me about her bad back and the problems she had with it. When I offered to help improve her spine (really her whole health), she declined because "it isn't acting up right now".

To me, this is the same as saying, "I'm not going to brush my teeth until they hurt." The sad truth is pain is not an indication of poor health any more than no pain is an indication of good health.

Pain is a sign of inflammation. It is to stop us from causing further damage to ourselves. That's all. Having no pain and thinking you are healthy is like sticking your head in the sand.

Many people have cancer and don't know it. For a majority of heart attack victims, the actual heart attack is the 1st "symptom" of heart disease. Clearly the injury to the heart didn't begin at the moment of the heart attack. We all know this. Don't fool yourself into thinking that no pain = health!

Be proactive. We all know the expression about an ounce of prevention. Prevent sickness and dis-ease. Get a massage and adjustment regularly. Exercise daily. Eat organic fresh veggies and fruits, lean meats, nuts, and seeds. Be informed. Check out FoodMatters.tv, Food, Inc., Super Size Me and other shows that tell the truth about food, farming, and food handling.

Seek out guidance from specialists and health care providers who go beyond the surface and only treat the symptom.

As always, my door is open and I love to help people improve their health. Call 253.858.2474 and check out BackboneRestored.com to see what I can do for you.

Don't Be Fooled By Aggressive Ad Campaign

2011-07-28T23:17:00.000-07:00

     According to the ~~drug pusher~~, I mean pharmaceutical manufacturer, "Shift Work Disorder occurs when your body's internal sleep-wake clock is out of synch with your work schedule—your body is telling you to go to sleep when your work schedule needs you to stay awake."

In other words- you work nights and are tired.

     But don't worry, they have your answer. (No, I won't name the drug- they don't deserve the free ad from me.) They will even do like the crack dealers in the 80's and offer you a free taste in the hopes you get hooked (although they call it a free 14 day trial, very PC).
     The infuriating part is how they make up a condition to sell a drug and then casually ramble through the "possible side effects" as though they should be disregarded.
     Well let's review. The list includes: serious rash, hives, difficulty swallowing or breathing, allergic reaction that damages the liver and blood cells (and may be life threatening), depression, anxiety, sensing things that are not really there (last I checked these are called hallucinations), chest pain, abnormal heart beat, headache, nausea, dizziness, and trouble sleeping. Be sure to tell your doctor if you develop a side effect that bothers you or that doesn't go away. Of course they push the liability off in a letter to "warn" doctors (taken directly from their website):

      "Discontinuation of treatment may not prevent a rash from becoming life-threatening or permanently disabling or disfiguring."

    Well, guess what? It is PERFECTLY NORMAL to be tired if you are up all night. Yes, some professions need to be up at unusual hours in the night (Thank You Firefighters, Police, Emergency Room staff). Do we want any of them having suicidal thoughts or hallucinations when they are doing that job?
     How about doing things to protect the body's health and make it stronger and better able to deal with the off-hours? Try things like regular exercise- it boosts energy production. Healthy diet that eliminates processed sugar, reduces high glycemic starches, and includes lots of organic fresh veggies, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, and fruits. How about stress reduction like walks or bike rides with friends and loved ones? Of course, my favorites are to have a massage and an adjustment, take vitamins/minerals, and use protein shakes to stabilize blood sugar and maintain healthy body composition.
     Don't fall for their million dollar ad campaign. Make them realize that people are smart and know when they are being buffaloed. Want options? Call me at 253-858-2474 or check out our new website at www.BackboneRestored.com for resources to help.

Normal or Insane?

2011-02-19T00:52:00.000-08:00

I was coaching a client earlier this week about eating habits. He said something interesting to me. He said he just wanted to be able to eat "normal". He said that meant he just wanted to eat the way he usually does: bread, potatoes, pasta, starches. Two thoughts occured to me.

First, one definition of insanity is doing the same thing yet expecting different results. If we eat the way we always have and we expect to change our health, i.e. lose weight, control blood chemistry, have more energy, etc., we might just be insane.

This is the down side to crash diets. For example, HCG works very well at helping a person drop a lot of weight very quickly. The challenge is that it was never intended to be a long term solution. If after a round of HCG a person slowly goes back to their "normal" eating habits, they will also slowly go back to their "normal" unhealthy self. To think otherwise is...insanity.

Second, I realized that in this sense, being normal is not always a good thing. What is normal?

Mirriam-Webster dictionary describes normal as "conforming to a type, standard, or regular pattern". What is standard or regular pattern of health in this country? Let's see...1 in 2 women will get breast cancer, 1 in 3 men will get prostate cancer. 1 in 3 will become diabetic, unless you are of a minority group in which case it is 1 in 2. So, "normal" lifestyle patterns cause "normal" diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

If that is normal, I want to be weird. I want my family, friends, patients, and everyone I can influence to be weird with me until healthy is normal again.

Can you join me? Do you have the courage to be weird? It is really not hard. Eat veggies, fruits, and lean meats daily, refuse food with bug spray on it (if you are not eating organic- it is covered in bug spray), shut off the TV or computer, take a multivitamin and fish oil (USANA Health Sciences), avoid sugar, dare I say it...choose to be healthy.

You can do it! I can help. Call, email, send smoke signals, use carrier pigeons- I don't really care how you reach me- just do it. Make the change and choose health!

Suffocating!

2011-01-04T11:16:00.000-08:00

Most people I know are actually suffocating.

I ask all of my patients if they know how to breath. Funny enough, most of them don't. It seems kind of self explanatory- if you just exhaled, inhale and vice versa. Actually, there is a lot more to breathing correctly.

Good breathing requires full use of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a large flat muscle that attaches to the spine, bottom of the rib cage, and sternum. There is an attachment (called the central tendon) to the sack the heart rests in(pericardium).

A good breath means the diapragm contracts down and pulls air into the lungs. The chest should not have much movement. The belly should protrude out. When you exhale the belly button moves towards the spine. If your chest heaves up and down with breathing you are not doing it right.

Correct breathing improves oxygenation of the body. It helps circulation and strengthens the heart. The heart actually gets a "massage" from the sac it sits in. There is a study that suggests that chest breathing occurs in most if not all heart attack victims.

A strong diaphragm also helps maintain the low back curve (lumbar lordosis). Remember, the diaphragm attaches to the spine? This means your breathing is connected with spine form and function. It also means that if you had a spine injury you may not be breathing well and don't even know it.

When you get overly tired or stressed what should you do? Breath. It helps you to relax.

If you want to practice correct breathing- sit up tall, put your hand over your belly button, and inhale pushing your hand away with your belly. Then exhale and squeeze your belly to bringing your hand towards your spine. Try to inhale for 4 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds.

If this feels awkward to you- congratulations you have now recognized that you have a problem that you can correct. As you practice and progress, maintain the exhale twice as long as the inhale. If you really want to step it up- try this exercise on a Pettibon Wobble Chair with full spinal motion. Not sure what that is? Call Deb at 253-858-2474 and she can teach you.

Made to be Healthy

2010-12-19T22:13:00.000-08:00

Did you know there are 2 completely opposite ways of looking at the body?

A mechanistic view says we are a list of chemicals, parts, and pieces. We are a machine like a car. If a part stops working, pull it out (surgery), chemically force it to do something different (drug it), or manipulate it. YOU don't get treated- your illness or injury does.

Do you want to have a doctor for each part of the body or condition? (We know how often they all talk to know what is going on with you.) Do you want to treat the body by forcing it to behave differently? A mechanistic approach is why you may have a diabetes doctor, an oncologist, a cardiologist, a GP, an internist, a gastroenterologist, and an ENT (ear, nose, throat). Each doctor only works with "his part" of the body.

A holistic (also called vitalistic) view of the body says that YOU ARE MORE THAN THE SUM OF YOUR PARTS. If you have an illness it is because you are not working properly- you need to be nourished, moved, hydrated, neurologically stimulated, or in some way cared for. You have a symptom because something is not right. The symptom is not the problem- it is just a signal of the problem.

A vitalistic approach honors you as a complex relation of systems designed to be healthy. That is right, you are made to be healthy.

I love to know my patients. What is going on with you, your family, your job. When did you eat? How is the stress level? Did you get the raise or promotion? To be the best doctor that I can for each client I HAVE TO know them.

Would you love that kind of doctor and that kind of personalized care? To be treated like a real person and not have a conversation with the doctor's hand already on the doorknob? That is what I want and therefore what I deliver. Want to know more? Come by and sit down with me for a real consultation.

Costco-Sized Bottles of Aspirin!?

2010-11-21T23:21:00.000-08:00

You know what scares me? Those huge bottles of aspirin you find at Costco or Sam's Club. I mean 500 tablets per bottle. Those things have a shelf-life you know. They should expire before anyone could possibly go through them all.

But then, I know there are people out there who take 8 or more, at a time. Sometimes 3 times per day! The question I have is- why? Even taking 2 aspirins (or Tylenol, Excedrin, etc.) per day for a prolonged time (that being greater than 7-10 days according to most manufacturers) can have side effects. Not just bleeding stomach ulcers but some really nasty things like liver and kidney damage.

If you take ANY pain reliever as part of your daily routine you have a problem and should actively seek to fix it. Fixing the underlying problem is the smartest thing you can do.

Take muscle and joint pain- there are several causes. If your cause is found and corrected then the pain can go away on it's own. Try any of these: (Realize, too, you may have more than 1 problem).

See a chiropractor/ME. (http://www.backbonerestored.com/).
Drink enough water (see my blog post about water for all the info).
Exercise 4-5 times per week. (start simple and build up).
Take supplements - I prefer USANA Health Sciences (http://www.gigharborhealth.usana.com/).
Get enough rest/sleep.
Take MSM (it is a similar compund to glucosamine and chondroitin but more effective).
Increase your fish oil (talk with me, a naturopath, or your doctor as too much can be not good).
Take a "greens" supplement to improve your pH (reduce the acid in your system).
Increase your salt intake (must be electrolyte balanced like RealSalt or Himalayan Pink- again, ask me if you need help or are not sure).

I get questioned sometimes about taking any kind of prescription or over-the-counter medication.

*Legal Disclaimer - I do not and can not prescribe ANY medication, even OTC.*

Logic would dictate that if the problem is corrected then the symptom (pain) should resolve as well. If reaching for a bottle is your first reaction then I have to recommend you fix the problem instead of just putting a band-aid over it and pretending it isn't there.

Do you know a healthy kid when you see one?

2010-11-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

This sounds like the start of a really bad joke. I wish it was. This is the paradigm of "normal" that we need to be cautious of.

So a friend of mine takes her 1 year old son in for his check up with the pediatrician and the doc comments how the little guy is dropping in his percentile of weight. Not that he is undernourished, malnourished, showing any signs of starvation or abuse. He is just not as big "for his age group" as he used to be.

I know the family and mom feeds the kids typically very healthy. So what happened that he is dropping compared to his "peers"? I think the answer is easy - like my kids, they don't eat foods loaded with growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals. Growth hormones in meat artificially stimulate our bodies to get bigger faster. Not healthier mind you, just bigger.

Shame on this pediatrician for not looking at anything other than an age-divided height/weight chart before making a comment that has the potential to really upset a good parent. What are we willing to accept as normal? Does being called small compared to a group of overweight people seem a bit off to you to?

A good doctor asks you about eating and exercise habits, vitamin/mineral supplements, how much water you drink, what kind of things you do to relieve stress, how much rest you get, etc. That is part of taking care of a whole person and being a trusted and learned friend a.k.a. doctor.

Lets Talk Supplements

2010-11-09T21:41:00.000-08:00

Supplements are vitamins, minerals, herbs, and so on that are meant to help us complete our bodies nutritional needs. They are NOT meant to replace good eating habits. The whole concept seems to be misunderstood.

There are really only a few things to consider about supplements.

1. Quality. My recommendation is USANA Health Sciences (http://www.usana.com/). They are a general health support supplement meant to give you a solid base of nutrition to work from. You won't find a line of targeted amino acid therapy with them, that is just not what they do. What they do have is the best* multivitamin/mineral supplement with a selection of optimizers to expand on an individual's needs.

2. Diligence. It is like brushing your teeth. It has to be done daily. Waiting until Saturday and just brushing for 30 minutes is not the same as brushing every day for 5. Supplements have to be taken daily to be useful. They just can't work if they are not in your body.

3. Consistency. I almost always get asked, "What will I feel and how long will it take?" Generally, you may or may not have a noticeable change. Does it really matter? Are you expecting drastic changes in a day? When change happens over time it is harder to notice.

The thing to remember is that supplements do not replace good eating. They add to it. And please, don't be fooled by thnking that the foods around today offer a complete nutritional profile. Even the organic stuff (which is almost all I will eat) doesn't have it. Organic means they don't add chemicals and poisons, it does NOT mean that they are complete nutritionally.

Lastly, please don't buy supplements off the shelf at the grocery stores. They offer what is going to make them money not what is going to make you healthy. Some of the poorest quality supplements out there are Centrum, Kirkland Signature (Costco), and pretty much any grocery store brand.*

Do your health and that of your family a great help- use USANA supplements daily. And remember, if you want help determining your nutritional needs I can order labs and blood tests to dial in your specific needs.

*This statement is not FDA supported. It is not opinion as 3rd party companies have independently ranked USANA as the top supplement. (Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements, MacWilliams).

Happy Halloween, Please Pass the Crack.

2010-10-29T22:32:00.000-07:00

So I can't figure this out. When did it become completely acceptable to ingest poison simply because we like it? I mean, crack addicts really like crack but we clearly don't want ANYONE ingesting it and yet we happily allow,even encourage people (especially children) to eat sugar.

Now, I know someone is going to say crack and sugar are not even close to the same. Indulge me for a second. Sugar has zero health benefits. It causes inflammation that leads to cancer, diabetes, and heart disease just to name a few problems. There is no real reason to eat sugar at all. In fact, as far as effect on health - sugar only kills slower than crack.

I don't know about many others but I personally know 2 (count them, two) people who have been addicted to crack. I know DOZENS IF NOT HUNDREDS of people with diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Doctor's offices, medical centers, and hospitals are literally crowded with diabetics, heart disease and cancer patients, stroke victims, and morbidly obese patients. Sugar will damage far more people than crack ever will.

Let me be clear- I am not referring to naturally occuring sugar like in fruit and some veggies. I am talking about processed, refined, added sugar. Cakes, cookies, pies, candy bars, processed meats (high fructose corn syrup is one of the worst), and boxed "foods" are loaded with it.

Let's stop the insanity of loading up on sugar and then pretending it is a "treat". At Backbone, we refer to sugar by its correct name - poison. Let's be rid of it. We can recommend and even offer natural alternatives for chocolate, sweeteners, and foods that will build you up instead of tear you down. Healthy eating is a part of treating healthy people.

You are the Greatest Super Computer

2010-10-20T00:16:00.000-07:00

So here is a new concept for some: spine care helps organs function better.

How does this work? Let me give you an analogy. The nerve system is like a computer. The spine is the keyboard. (90% of the information into the brain comes from the many joints, muscles, and nerve endings in the spine). The brain is the hard drive and processor in one. The organs are the monitor.

So it goes SPINE ---> BRAIN ---> ORGANS. We are input (sensory) driven!

Just like your computer, if the spine (keyboard) is broken then the brain (processor) just doesn't know what to do and the organs (monitor) will give you an "error message".

What is the "error message" from the organs? There are several things that can show up. High or uneven blood pressure, indigestion (even with a reasonable diet), muscle weakness, respiration, pulse rate, poor posture, glandular or cellular dysfunction, fatigue, or poor breathing.

Taking a drug (without investigating the CAUSE of the problem is like altering the processor without fixing the keyboard. Surgery is unplugging the monitor (permanently) so you don't have to see the error message. Neither approach deals with the underlying CAUSE of the problem.

What is the take home message? If you don't like what you see on the monitor (organs) - look at the input (spine) to the processor (brain). Get your spine checked! Find the long term solution to your health problems and have your quality of life as high as you deserve it to be.

PS- I know there are doctors out there who will disagree with this since it is not commonly taught anywhere but in chiropracitc schools. I invite them to contact me and I will happily put it in big technical language so they can feel spoken to from 1 physician to another.

What's the Deal with Rehab?

2010-07-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

So most chiropractors offices make you wait until the secretary puts you back in a small room with an adjusting bench. the doc comes in and pushes on all the tight spots until something "pops". Then you leave. Sounds wonderful right?

The idea of just getting adjusted and not doing rehabilitation to strengthen the muscles is so antiquated that it really amazes me that anyone still gets away with it.

If you want the spine to line up and stay lined up then a proper combination of adjusting and rehabilitation must take place. There are lots of types of rehab so the thing to understand is that the rehab we do in the office is for postural muscles.

Postural muscles respond to direct nerve stimulus with the Pettibon Weighting System and the Linked Exercise Trainer. Postural muscles just don't respond in the gym the way phasic muscles do. Postural muscles need isometric exercises.

The idea of just doing rehab doesn't cut the mustard either. If the joint is not moving properly then all the time spent making the muscle pull on the spine won't move the spine an inch. The combo of adjusting plus rehab is really what it takes to get the job done.

Healthy Now a Mental Disorder

2010-07-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, sadly enough there are psychiatrists who now say that if you refuse to eat sugar, wheat, gluten, or some other known allergen foods or if you avoid herbicides, pesticides, and chemicals that you have a mental disorder. Did you get that?

If you eat healthy, organic food (no pesticide, herbicide, or chemical) you have a mental disorder.

You have to wonder if they really think that or if there is a new drug that isn't being used and someone came up with this hair-brained "disease" to justify prescribing it. (If you think that doesn't happen- look up Ritalin.)

The claim is that you will somehow become malnourished if you eat this way. The assumption is that the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) is somehow better for you. This is the epitome of illogical.

So, if wanting to be healthy is now a disease- I will wear that badge with honor. Anyone care to join me?

Do you know your workout intensity?

2010-05-28T07:33:00.000-07:00

Choosing what type of exercise, how long you do it, and when to change it up is important if you are going to get to a health goal. I strongly advise working with an experienced doctor who deals with preventitive health (not many do) or a trained and certified personal trainer. Preferably one with a degree in exercise physiology not just a weight training certification.

To know if your workout intensity you need to do a couple simple calculations. The formula comes from our friends at Penn State University.

220 - (your age) = your maximum safe heart rate.

The intensity is then based on a percent of the maximum.

High intensity (cardio) is 70-80% of your maximum. Medium intensity (fat burning) is 60% of your max. The only adjustment to this is based on resting heart rate since your age is already factored in.

So, if your goal is to lose weight your most effective workout is not turning up the treadmill to max and huffing and puffing. Stay at 60% which is far less intense than most people think. Try a simple walk after dinner. And remember to start easy- 5 or 10 minutes at first and gradually (weeks) build up to 30 to 45 minutes.

If you want improved cardiovascular function and better heart rate- try a kickboxing or something that really gets your heart thumping. Strength and endurance comes from resistance training (weights) and can be done at any intensity.

Of course, combinations can be a great time-saver but if you have a specific goal then you should have a targeted plan. My clients get a custom made plan just by asking for it- at no charge- including follow up and adjusting that plan as needed. I want the healthiest clients in the world. Wouldn't you like to reach your best? You can do it. I can help you.

Eat to Maximize Your Work Out Effectiveness

2010-05-25T22:17:00.000-07:00

Are you a morning, lunchtime, or evening exerciser? Time of day and how you fuel is important to maximize your workout effectiveness.

Eating should be done to correlate to the body's needs for the workout. One common misunderstanding is going to the gym to workout before breakfast. The idea is that if there is no sugar (glucose) in the blood then the body will burn fat. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.

When the body doesn't have enough blood sugar it will convert amino acids (proteins) into glucose (sugar). This is done by the liver and is called gluconeogenesis. There are 2 available sources of proteins to use-immune cells (immunoglobulins) and muscle cells. You don't want your body converting your immune system to sugar OR your muscles to break down for fuel every time you work out.

The best time to eat is before your workout. Not right before it- you definitely don't want to up-chuck on the gym's equipment- about an hour is good. The best choice of foods are low-glycemic carbs, lean proteins, and don't be afraid of good quality fats. This can be accomplished with a high quality meal replacement shake if time is tight. Otherwise, I can share with you some relatively fast and easy recipes.

And, if your workout is going to last more than about 45 minutes then you want to stop near the half-way point and take in a small amount of shake or a nutrition bar and a strong anti-oxidant/vitamin.

I prefer USANA Health Sciences Nutrimeal for my shakes and their Peanut Butter Crunch nutrition bar. There are a few other but you have to be careful about the types of sugars- you don't want to spike your blood sugar either.

One lady I know spends 2-3 hours per day at the gym and yet she just can't seem to lose the extra weight. Popular thinking says "calorie in, calorie out" so she must be eating too much of the wrong stuff. In fact, she eats very well but doesn't eat enough to sustain her during the workouts so she is not generating lean muscle mass. It is lean muscle mass that is responsible for burning "calories" and weight loss, lowering triglycerides, cholesterol, and improving health.

Paradigm Change

2010-05-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

A paradigm is a pre-set way of thinking about something. It is how we view the world sub-consciously. I like to say it is what we think about something before we think about it. We do this with our health all the time.

How many people do you know that reach for an aspirin when they get a headache? I'd like to think we all recognize that the aspirin doesn't cure the headache. It just shuts off the pain signal. So what paradigm are most people using?

The one the pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars a year making sure they do. Ever notice that about 1 in 3 commercials is for a pharmaceutical product? Go ask your doctor about...What happened to the doctors making the decisions about what would help you most?

So next time someone asks or reaches for an aspirin- ask yourself, is this just a habit of an old paradigm? Is there something causing the headache that should be addressed? If it is an aspirin deficiency then by all means stick with the daily dose of aspirin. If that seems as absurd to you as it does me maybe you should consider getting to the cause of the problem. Call me. I live for this stuff.

Weekend Warrior Syndrome - 2 Types of Injuries

2010-05-11T08:43:00.000-07:00

It never fails- Monday morning following the first really nice weekend there are scores of people suffering from Weekend Warrior Syndrome. What is this about?

There are really 2 varieties of injuries that happen over the weekend.

Sudden onset
Delayed onset (improper cool-down injury).

Sudden onset injuries happen "right now". A patient will come into see me and say, "I was doing... and all of a sudden felt...". This type of injury happens when we participate in activities on the weekend that we have not done all week. This is one reason why consistent exercise is so important.

Delayed onset injury happens when the body is not allowed to cool down properly after an activity. This is not the same as delayed onset muscle soreness that happens after intense physical exercise. According to Penn State University, many injuries happen between bursts of work or play.

For example- you need to move dirt or beauty bark. Most people will go out and simply start bending, shoveling, lifting and pushing the wheelbarrow without warming up. Then after some time (usually without adequate water) the job is done and you get to go inside and "kick back" in the recliner. After all, you worked hard and deserve some rest. Then an hour later you get up and feel stiff and ache all over.

This is because when we exercise our ligaments become soft and pliable. Then when they cool down and become stiff they assume whatever shape they are put in. So, if we exercise (yard work, sports, playing, etc.) then plop into the recliner when we come inside and rest we can expect to have more soreness when we get up 15 minutes to 2 hours later because the ligaments have cooled down without the spine being in the correct position.

Prevent this type of injury by simply laying down on proper spinal supports for 10-15 minutes when you come inside and then you can kick back into the recliner and enjoy your hard earned rest.

Good Morning Sunshine

2010-05-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

When the weather gets nice there are 2 main concerns that come about:

Dehydration
"Weekend Warrior" syndrome.

Dehydration is easier to get to than most people think. Out in the yard playing or gardening in the warm sunshine it is easy to just enjoy and forget to stop for water. Some will accelerate the process by adding other fluids that actually cause more dehydration-like soda or alcohol.

Just remember to drink half your weight in ounces of water every day. It is really easy if you just follow these 4 steps:

Drink a big glass 1st thing in the morning- at least 12 ounces.
Drink a big glass 10 minutes before each meal- at least 12 ounces each time.
Drink just 2 bottles of water throughout the day besides the "before-meal" glasses.
Be sure to keep up your electrolytes by using RealSalt. Pedialyte or gatorade may be used if necessary but they have lots of sugar in them making them less healthy.

Be careful not to drink a large amount just before bed or you may be up several times in the night and will be less liekly to wake up refreshed.

Snap, Crack, Pop- Cereal or Adjustment?

2010-04-29T08:35:00.000-07:00

Much discussion has taken place around the noise often heard with an adjustment and there is still a lot of confusion as to what the noise is, what it means, and what is happening. So let's define some language and eliminate some confusion.

Adjustments restore function and stimulate the nerve system. They do not correct the spine's shape, restore curves, or reduce Forward Head Posture (FHP) with any permanency.

An adjustment serves 2 purposes:
1. Stimulates the nerve system- one of the most valuable purposes of an adjustment.
2. Unlocks or mobilizes fixated (improperly moving) joints. (Crucial for maximum effectiveness of a rehabilitation program.)

So what is with the popping or cracking sound that has led to the breakfast cereal confusion? Truth is- we just don't know. There are no studies that I am aware of confirming exactly what causes that noise. There are a couple theories out there but the reality is- it just doesn't matter.

A good adjustment is not dependant on how noisy it is. A good adjustment delivers an outcome (better nerve function and joint mobility). This is measurable and observable in some very practical and simple in office tests.

Health or Wellness?

2010-04-13T10:08:00.000-07:00

Mosby’s Medical Dictionary says, “Health is a condition of physical, mental, and social well-being. It is not a static condition; constant changes and adaptation to stress result in homeostasis (balance).”

Wellness is achieving and working to stay in that balanced state. Most people think of wellness as eating organic food, participating in activities like yoga or Pilates, and having time for both rest and play. It is that and more.

What if there was one aspect so vitally tied to our health but was missed by approximately 85% of the population? Sadly, there is: the health of your nervous system. Your nervous system controls and coordinates every other system of the body (Gray’s Anatomy- the book not the TV show).

Most people have never had their nerve system’s function evaluated. How do you check the nervous system? The easiest way is to look at posture. When your posture is bad- your nervous system is stressed. The Sealy Institute states that posture effects and moderates (via the nervous system) every physiologic function from breathing to hormonal production.

The most common postural problem leading to nerve stress is forward head posture (FHP). FHP causes loss of normal spinal curves when viewed from the side. This causes the whole spine to be thrown out of balance. Common findings include shoes wearing out unevenly, one pant leg longer than the other, one hand seems more in front of the body than the other, shoulders rounded or slouching. If you notice any of these signs in yourself, a friend, co-worker, or loved one, recommend they get checked.

Benefits of a Pettibon Rehabilitation program, like the one offered at Backbone, include enhanced physical performance, decreased risk of injury, more energy, and improved health. Only when the nervous system is functioning at 100% can you truly achieve wellness.

Vitamins and Free Radicals

2010-03-18T08:12:00.000-07:00

Free radicals are little scavengers that come by a cell and "steal" parts to make themselves whole while leaving the cell damaged. Free radicals are a part of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress can be thought of as "rust on the inside".

Vitamins and minerals protect the body and the cells by giving the free radicals the parts they need- effectively neutralizing them. For this reason vitamins (and their mineral co-factors) are more accurately called anit-oxidants.

The sad fact is that it is just about impossible to get enough vitamins and minerals from food. It has to do with the way food is farmed, processed, packaged, and stored. An apple today does not have the same nutrients as an apple 100 years ago.

What is the way to get the vital anti-oxidants? Supplements. I use and recommend USANA Health Sciences. Their quality is unsurpassed anywhere. They not only use the best ingredients, they also have the most complete and bioavailable (absorbable).

You can learn more at USANA.com or scheduling a nutrition consultation with me.

High Glycemic vs. Low Glycemic Eating

2010-03-13T15:58:00.000-08:00

Foods that are both healthy and delicious are an important part of life. What foods fit into the category of healthy and delicious? Whole foods. Lean meat, fruits, vegetables, beans (legumes), whole grains, and even some dairy. These are foods that build the body strong and healthy.

If you don't think they are delicious it may be that you are used to eating high glycemic foods. High glycemic foods cause a sharp spike in your blood glucose. This would be processed foods: sugar, flour, pasta, bread, potatoes, and rice (there are some exceptions).

WARNING: HIGH GLYCEMIC FOODS ARE HIGHLY ADDICTIVE.

High glycemic foods cause the body to release large amounts of insulin and set off a cascade of ill effects. Blood sugar comes crashing down leaving you hungry, fatigued, and even light headed.

Think about a child at a birthday party. They eat cake and ice cream and they seem to be bouncing off the walls. What happens in the car? They crash (sorry, but the pun is intended).

Most people think they are just tired from running around and having fun. The truth is that their blood sugar is crashed to hypoglycemic levels and they CAN'T stay awake for anything.

Eventually the body becomes resistant to the insulin and you develop Metabolic Syndrome (Syndrome X) or what is now called "pre-diabetes". Left uncorrected it will become full blown diabetes.

The good news is that this can be corrected. It takes making some lifestyle changes and time but what better reason is there for a lifestyle change? Stop, control, or even reverse diabetes. That means no diabetic neuropathy, less stroke, aneurism, and heart disease.

That is why Backbone offers the Healthy for Life program. Dr. Cohen and his team are Certified Team Leaders. For more information check out the Healthy for Life program and USANA Health Sciences or just stop in my office and schedule a consultation.

Exercise at the Gym Won't Fix This

2010-03-06T08:06:00.000-08:00

When you have Forward Head Posture (FHP) your neck literally doesn't work right. FHP and loss of the normal curve (lordosis) go together all the time. Losing the curve means the muscles don't work properly.

Going to the gym and pumping iron (which I do encourage people to after their spine has been corrected) simply won't fix the problem.

The reason is that you have postural muscles. Going to the gym only helps with phasic muscles. What's the difference?

Postural muscles cannot be controlled by thinking about them. Phasic muscles are can. In other words- you can choose to flex your arm (biceps) but you can't choose to wiggle one of your backbones.

Our program is specifically designed to work with your postural muscles.

Dangerous Posture

2010-02-21T20:28:00.000-08:00

Do you know the most common presentation of an injured spine? It is called Forward Head Posture (FHP).

It is where the weight of the skull is in front of the balance points in the neck, back, or pelvis. It causes serious compromise to your health.

According to research from University of Southern California it causes gut problems, lung problems, pain sensitivity problems, and overall poor spine function.

Shealy Institute says posture regulates EVERY physical and mental function of the body including; pulse, blood pressure, breathing, and mood.

The thing people seem to have a hard time with is that FHP can cause little pain until it is really advanced.

Most patients presenting in my office have over an inch of FHP and some have had over 3 inches. That is severe and is obviously much more difficult to work with.

The secret to optimum health is to stay proactive. And remember, everything of value takes maintenance- your house, your car, and your body.

Treated Like You Are Already Dead

2010-02-20T20:51:00.000-08:00

So here is the challenge: adjustments restore function and are profoundly important for proper neurological balance but adjustments alone can’t change the structure of the spine.

Muscles react, under nerve-controlled reflexes, to applied forces. Adjusting a vertebra back into alignment and expecting it to stay (like most chiropractors) works great if the patient is already dead. No Reflexes!

Every living patient takes rehabilitation to change the structure of the spine. Our rehabilitation works with the muscle reflexes instead of against them. This allows you results that adjustments alone can't get.

Healthy Eating or Dieting?

2010-02-12T22:45:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that some people are always on a diet. They are either just finishing one, sufering through one, or just finishing one.

The problem is that diets are meant to be short term. But, eating is something we will do for the rest of our lives.

So ask yourself this- do you want to diet off and on with your weight going up and down like a yo-yo? Or would you rather learn how to eat to gain strength, vitality, and youth? The difference is the way we think about and perceive eating.

Instead of thinking about not getting to eat sugar and foods (I use that word lightly) that are like poison in our system- think about what you do get. You get to eat foods that taste good AND deliver strength and energy.

When the decision to eat better happens the changes become life-long because you are not on a diet. You simply eat better.

You will probably lose inches. But more importantly you will have a better quality of life with stregth, energy, and a youthful feel. That is worth it.

Get the Most of Your Joint Supplements

2010-01-19T21:25:00.000-08:00

So what is the deal with supplements? Are glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate really any good? What about MSM? The answer is yes and no.

Let's get an understanding of the process first. I'll use MSM as an example (mostly becasue it is short and easy to type). MSM is a comound particle. In order to get where it needs to be and be effective it must be carried there. Guess what carries it? You got it- WATER.

So the first challenge is taking a good supplement but not getting enough water. The supplement would then appear to be ineffective. Hence, many people say they have tried MSM but it didn't work.

Try taking your joint supplements with at least 12 ounces of water. (More info- see my post about drinking enough water). Be done with chronic dehydration and you will see a difference in pain anyway.

Next, you have to understand something about a joint or a disc. THEY HAVE NO BLOOD FLOW. That's right- they are avascular. The only way they get rid of waste and bring in fresh nutrition is through movement.

And not just any movement- it must be specific to the joint involved. It fascilitates 2 processes- imbibition and osmosis. Imbibition is to simply take in fluid. Osmosis is the movement of water due to concentration gradients.

So the moral of the story is- water and movement or your joint supplements are useless!

Happy New Year Resolutions

2010-01-01T09:58:00.000-08:00

So it's that time again. Most people make their resolutions and it takes about 8 days (national average) for them to vanish. Most people tend to make unattainable resolutions or resolutions that are not specific enough to be useful.

For someone who does not go to the gym to all of a sudden start going 5 days a week- probably not reasonable. Saying "I am going to get healthier" also not good. What does that mean? What does healthier look like? Is it a weight goal? A clothing size? Lowering cholesterol by X points?

Reasonable goal setting includes attainable and specific(measurable) goals. Some goals for the most common resolutions:

1. Spend more time with family.

Better: Spend 20 minutes per day with my spouse and kids with no TV, computer, or other distrations. (Sounds easy, right? Try it.)

2. Get in better shape.

Better: Go to the gym 2 days per week to lose 15 lbs and 2 inches from my waist by February 28. (specific and measurable)

3. Eat healthier.

Better: Eat a salad with at least 1 meal each day with a good salad dressing (no sugar).

The idea of setting smaller goals seems silly to most people. We all think we can accomplish huge changes. The truth is we can- but not so suddenly. Starting with a smaller reasonable goals with a deadline allows us to take measurable steps towards the bigger goals. It also allows us successes along the way that we can be proud of.

Understanding Brain Health

2009-12-29T08:55:00.000-08:00

Did you know your nerves are these really cool message transport systems? They work in scales of thousandths of seconds (milliseconds). The brain is a trillion nerve cells working together.

Your brain (nerves) needs 3 things to stay healthy:
1. Oxygen- remember we can go weeks without food, days without water, but only minutes without oxygen.
2. Glucose- sugar is the brain's favorite food. There have even been some recent research articles that suggest the brain may be able to produce insulin. Talk about really wanting that sugar.
3. Activation- the old "use it or lose it" is really true. The coolest part is that 90% of the signals into the brain (activation of nerve pathways) comes from "midline"- eyes, nose, ears, and SPINE.

So how do you activate the most nerves? By doing the largest variety of things that you can. Do crossword puzzles, do picture puzzles, listen to music (new stuff, too not just familiar songs), and MOVE.

Move arms and legs and most importantly your backbone! Spend 8 minutes on a wobble chair daily. Do 3 minutes of neck traction. Make sure the joints of the neck are moving properly by getting adjusted. In the spine, the closer you get to the head the higher the concentration of nerve endings.

Not sure if your backbone is moving correctly? Call me or stop by.

Little Things That Make a Big Difference: Salt

2009-12-13T18:15:00.000-08:00

I am going to share something VERY controversial. I use salt.

I like the taste and what it adds to my food. I am not woried about high blood pressure because of it. In fact- in my own "case study" it lowered my blood pressure from 140/90 to 117/75.

I do use a specific kind of salt- they are not all the same. It MUST BE electrolyte balanced, non-chemically tampered, unheated, unprocessed in any way other than literally grinding it to the desired size. There are only 2 that I know of that fit this requirement. One is RealSalt (available in my office) and the other is Himalayan Pink.

Not sure about this? After all we have all been thumped on repeatedly about the dangers of salt. Consider that in a hospital when they hook an IV into someone they don't use pure water. They use saline solution. Can we say SALT WATER?

Little Things That Make a Big Difference: Water

2009-12-06T19:55:00.000-08:00

Did you know that your body is more than 70% water? The discs are as much as 90%! Water is so vital for every function in the body that it even has a rationing system for when we don't drink enough. The 1st system to dry up is the muscles and joints (musculoskeletal system). This means increased aches and pain. The next to suffer is the gut and digestive tract. Finally, the nervous system loses out resulting in headaches, dizziness, even coma and death. Think of the morning after a night of heavy drinking. A hangover is really dehydration in a massive way.

How much should you drink? Most adults need half the body's weight in ounces. So, if you weigh 160lbs- drink half that or 80 ounces of water- each day. Yes, you will be in the restroom a lot more but only at first. Within 2 or 3 days most people get used to the increase and the peeing slows down.

Unfortunately, coffee, tea, and soda don't count towards your water. They actually make it worse. There are some "green" drinks that can help in a big way. That gets us into a discussion of pH and that is another post.

Website construction

2009-12-05T23:28:00.000-08:00

Thanks for your patience as our new website is getting up and running. Keep watching for health tips and little things that make a big difference in your health.

Meet the Doctor

2009-11-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

“I started seeing a chiropractor when I was a teenager. I went in because I had pain right between my shoulder blades. It seemed to help. In fact, I was so impressed that I decided to go to chiropractic school. Sitting in school, spending hours poring over books had caused my back pain to return- bad.

I was getting adjusted more and more with less and less relief. I was so disheartened with the lack of results that I was about to drop out of school. That is a scary thought half way through chiropractic school with the debt one accumulates. That’s when I was introduced to The Pettibon System™. It was all the things that chiropractors have been promising patients.

I dove into learning all I could about really correcting spines- the Pettibon way. Dr. Pettibon quickly became a mentor and friend. I took his courses over and over until I began to teach them.

After graduating, I practiced in my home town just outside Chicago. After almost 2 years, I was invited by Dr. Pettibon to come to Gig Harbor to run a practice for him. It was an opportunity of a lifetime.

My wife, Jen, and I trekked across the country and set up shop. We have been here since 2003. We are active with the Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce, supporters or Habitat for Humanity, part of the worship team at Inspiration Bible Church, and proud parents of 2 beautiful daughters- 2 year old Alexis and 4 month old Keira.

We pride ourselves on keeping our practice a true place of hope and healing and invite you to come in and become part of our healthy family.”

Dr. Christian Cohen, D.C., C.C.C.N.