Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays to all!  Family Health Friday will return January 8th.  Enjoy your family and have a safe, happy and healthy holiday season.  And remember, if you need an adjustment, we will are here for you.  720-362-2225 (720-DOC-BACK)  www.broomfieldfamilychiropractic.com

Some good advice on picking a new mattress.  Get lots of questions on how to do this, and this article explains some of the points very well. 

http://www.chiroeco.com/chiropractic/news/8869/52/aca-proper-mattress-can-improve-sleep-comfort-reduce-pain/

The link to the new issue of JMPT, which is all about chiropractors collaborating and integrating with other healthcare professionals.  Some great information!

http://www.jmptonline.org/article/PIIS0161475409002784/abstract?rss=yes

Chiropractic and ear infections.  Article I wrote.

http://www.broomfieldfamilychiropractic.com/1/post/2009/12/family-health-friday-ear-infections.html

Article on preventative health care and potential cost savings, that I think truly misses the point. 

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/358/7/661

Many people are surprised to learn that one of the conditions chiropractic is most effective at eliminating in kids is chronic ear infections.  Chronic ear infections often become a problem when the eustacian tube, responsible for draining fluids from the ear, is blocked.  Chiropractic is very effective at relieving this blockage so that the body is able to do what it was designed to do, in this case allow for drainage. 
I can personally attest to this.  Before I started chiropractic college, my kids had ear infections almost yearly.  Since they began regular chiropractic care, not one ear infection.  I kid you not, NONE in 6 years!  Think of the residual benefits from this also...no antibiotics, no medical doctor appointments, no missing school, no miserable kids, etc...  I can't emphasize enough the importance and value of chiropractic for this reason alone.  Check out this video, it's a few years old, but still very relevant to this topic.

http://cbs11tv.com/video/?id=16152@ktvt.dayport.com

The first one here is just a quick link to the page where you can sign up to take part in a study on chiropractic's effects on blood pressure.  You have to live in the Quad Cities (Iowa/Illinois) to take part, but I really wanted  to post something on this exciting study.  Can't wait to see the results, and I'll be sure to keep everyone posted when the results are published.

http://www.hcfa.com/?p=20664

The next one here has some tips on natural ways to prevent the flu.  It's from mercola, which is a great site with loads of information on natural health.  There is quite a bit of controversial opinions put forth there also, so pick and choose what you like and need.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/12/03/How-to-Prevent-the-Flu-Easy-as-1-2-3.aspx

A link to a study on something that may seems obvious, but it's good to know anyway.  Childhood obesity and the development of back pain later in life...

http://www.spine-health.com/news/20091204/could-childhood-obesity-spur-early-disc-degeneration-and-future-back-pain

And finally, an interesting use for tennis balls and duct tape...(you'll have to read it to find out ;))

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/exercise-fitness/how-tennis-balls-and-duct-tape-can-morph-a-do-it-yourself-massage-lower-back-p

I thought today I'd briefly go into some of the developments in chiropractic, and the amazing research that is being conducted at my alma mater, Palmer College of Chiropractic.  In the past, chiropractic was a very insular profession, believing that we had all the answers and the proof was in the pudding if you will.  We were getting amazing results with our patients, and that was all that mattered.  Adjusting the spine to affect changes in the body through the nervous system was the answer to all that ailed you.  Releasing the pressure on pinched nerves solved all of your problems.
Well, as in all professions, we have evolved.  Where it used to be thought that nerves were pinched, we now know that that is actually relatively rare.  Through research, we now know that there is nerve interference, but it is caused by chemical irritation due to malfunctioning spinal joints.  There are certainly instances where direct nerve pressure is involved, and we are taught to recognize those instances.  There has been conflict within the profession on the value of this research.  Ironically, many of the voices who are opposed to it are having their very procedures validated in the mainstream by it!  We have developed imaging technology to show us more than we were ever able to see in the past.  We are investigating why it is that chiropractic works, and examining conditions that chiropractic is effective in treating.
Palmer College of Chiropractic, the "fountainhead", where chiropractic was invented and developed, has in the past decade taken leadership in chiropractic research.  There is some AMAZING research being conducted.  Just today, I received an email stating that they are now recruiting patients for a study on how chiropractic effects blood pressure.  There has been anecdotal evidence on this, but this new project will take it to a new level.  Imagine if the results of this show that chiropractic care is effective in lowering blood pressure.  How many lives does that have the potential to change? 
Check out this link to see the grants and published articles coming out of Palmer; http://www.palmer.edu/research_content.aspx?id=436 . I have been following chiropractic research since my time in school, and even I was surprised at the amount of research Palmer has already conducted.  What a great time to be a chiropractor, or a chiropractic patient!

This from the Wall Street Journal, about how the new drug Pfizer is pushing is a motion sickness pill.  FOR DOGS!  I guess this may be good news as it seems maybe they are running out of things to drug in humans!
http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/11/19/why-pfizer-wants-you-to-take-your-dog-home-for-thanksgiving/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+wsj%2Fhealth%2Ffeed+%28WSJ.com%3A+Health+Blog%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

Here is a great little article with some sleeping tips to help you get better sleep during the winter.  Nothing groundbreaking here, just a nice little reminder that can help you sleep better.
http://www.spine-health.com/blog/sleep-and-insomnia/7-winter-sleeping-tips-number-days-week

Awesome paper on a new way of measuring disc pressure.  Great implications for the future of chiropractic research.
http://www.thespinejournalonline.com/article/PIIS1529943009008390/abstract?rss=yes

If you read my True Health Tuesday article, you'll see a common theme here.  I just love it when I write about something, then a few days later one of the bug guys, in this case WebMD, puts something out about the same thing.
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/news/20091123/bacteria-key-to-healthy-skin?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Did you know that chiropractic is great, not only for getting you out of pain and keeping you healthy, but for improving athletic performance also?  Here's a study showing chiropractic actually improves your golf swing.
http://www.journalchiromed.com/article/PIIS1556370709001059/abstract?rss=yes

And finally, the best 10 seconds on TV last week.  Wish the game had gone better, but hey, I'll take it!