Immune System Turbo Boost

By: Michael Sanders

Swine flu, Bird flu
Dog flu, Cat flu,

Here flu, There flu
Scare flu, Where flu?

Red flu, Blue flu
Old flu, New flu

Mo’ flu, Yo’ flu?
Go flu…No flu!

Happy Autumn Equinox! I love you Fall! But chances are someone around me is going to be sick this season. We can’t get away from it. Even when we care for ourselves, our families and loved ones with great vigilance, we are hard pressed to guard against people at work, school or the grocery store (You know, when their grimy, sneezed on hands used the cart you’re about to use now?).

We are going to be exposed.

Yet last year, when my wife and four of my children got sick, I didn’t. Now, I know I was exposed. I did not hold back hugs and kisses when my little ones felt bad. So what made the difference? Somehow, my immune system was in a position where it could handle the added stress of a virus. Boosting your immune system is your best bet to fend off the nasty, scary flu.

Here are some ways to turbo boost your immune system naturally.

1. Get a Chiropractic Adjustment. During the 1918 flu epidemic in the United States, where many people died, chiropractic care was shown to save lives…literally. The state of Iowa reported that allopathic medical doctors treating influenza and pneumonia patients lost 1 in 15 to the illness. Compare this to the loss of 1 in 789 for those treated with chiropractic! This difference was so dramatic that, in fact, in Oklahoma there is “a clear record showing that chiropractors were called in 233 cases where medical doctors had cared for the patients and finally gave them up as lost. The chiropractors saved all these lost cases but 25.” (These numbers and this quote are from Walter R. Rhodes, D.C.’s article The Official History of Chiropractic in Texas.)
   
   
2. Get Therapeutic Bodywork, a Massage, or Acupuncture. I read an article from September 9^th of this year in Science Daily that reports that a recent study showed that adults demonstrated a modified immune response after receiving a massage. The researchers took blood samples at various intervals before and after treatment. They noticed significant changes in the activity and number of natural killer cells and T cells in the blood and a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol at high levels can suppress the immune system.
   
   
3. Exercise moderately and regularly. A great article by Kevin Conley, a reporter for the Tribune-Review February 2, 2003 summarizes some of the reasons why exercise is so good for the immune system. Among these are increased lung activity which can rid the lungs of certain airborne bacteria and viruses and increased blood flow which can more quickly circulate antibodies and white blood cells needed to fight infection. Remember that more is not necessarily better, though. High intensity exercise may actually suppress the immune system for short periods of time leaving you vulnerable to infection.
   
   
4. Eat the way Andrea wants you to. And make it the way you want too. And like it! As she says, lower your sugar intake and eat raw vegetables with each meal and in-between meals. (See her previous blog entry)
   
   
5. Breathe! The authors of the textbook, Mind Body Health: The Effects of Attitudes, Emotions, and Relationships (I highly recommend this book, by the way) write, “Does stress cause infection? Researchers don’t think so. They are convinced, however, that stress compromises the immune system enough for infection to take hold…stress can delay and sometimes even prevent acquired immunity, leaving you susceptible to another bout of the cold or flu you just got over. (pg.49)” In dealing with the various stress in our lives my favorite place to start is good breathing. Breathe with your belly, expanding it like a balloon as you inhale and allowing it to relax completely as you exhale. A few minutes of mindful belly breathing can lower your body’s stress response.
   
   
6. Get your Nutrition evaluated by Dr. Brimhall or Dr. Martinsen. Taking a product like Virx or Immugen is always a good start.
   
   
7. Come in for a Spectra-Scan. The Spectra-Vision is a non-cognitive bio-feedback device that uses principles of acupuncture combined with homeopathy. We use it to test the energy of your body against the energy of another substance like a virus or bacteria. We then balance your body’s response to that substance using a natural homeopathic remedy imprinted according to your specific scan results. If this is something that interests you, my recommendations are as follows:

1. If you feel well:
   i. Get full scan each quarter with the changing of the seasons.
   ii. OR get a Virus and Bacteria Scan with Virx or Immugen imprint every 6-8 weeks or as you run out of the remedy.
   

2. If you are sick:
   i. Get a Virus and Bacteria scan with Virx, Immugen or MucRx with imprint for acute symptoms.
   ii. OR come in and buy a non-imprinted product. Better than nothing!

I do love this season when the weather starts to cool down. Here in AZ it is soooo welcome. My hope is that we all can get the immune boost we need so we can enjoy it fully with our families and loved ones.

Peace,
Michael

Scorpions

We have had several patients ask about scorpion stings this past week. Since many of us are living in the Arizona Desert, which is where the scorpion calls home, it is not uncommon this time of year to see scorpions.

Mesa, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Chandler are all mapped with high scorpion density. The surrounding cities like Awatukee, Scottsdale, Fountain Hills, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek and Carefree tend to have a slightly higher scorpion call volume most likely due to the extensive dessert landscaping found in these areas.Scorpion stings are common at night because scorpions are nocturnal by nature. Most stings are not fatal. Most complications come in the form of allergic reactions to the venom.

We would recommend that you have a bottle of liquid MiVita Minerals at home in case of a scorpion sting! You can call our office to purchase it or order it on our supplement website www.brimhallsupplements.com.

If you have ever been stung you know how much it hurts! Here's what do to if you get stung:

1. Take an old cloth (it will stain) and soak it in MiVita Minerals
2. Wrap the soaked cloth over the sting site
3. Wrap plastic wrap around the cloth to contain it
4. Leave on for 30 minutes
5. Repeat process 4 times throughout day

If you are unaware if you have scorpions you can use a black light and 'hunt' for them at night, they will glow. If you see one chances are that there will be more. We suggest calling an exterminator right away.

FREE Health Screenings!

For the next 2 weeks we will be doing FREE Health Screenings!

Don't let your immune system down!

Andrea Seibert, Nutrition Coach
Did you know that the average American consumes an astounding 2-3 pounds of sugar each week? This is not surprising considering that highly refined sugars in the forms of sucrose, dextrose, and high-fructose corn syrup are being processed into so many foods. These highly refined sugars are in foods you may not even be aware of such as bread, breakfast cereal, protein bars, peanut butter, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, and even canned beans.

How does sugar suppress you immune system? Glucose (Sugar) and Vitamin C have similar chemical structures; when the sugar levels go up they compete for one another upon entering the cells. If there is
more glucose around, there is going to be less vitamin C allowed into the cell. Basically when you eat sugar, think of your immune system slowing down to a crawl. When your immune system is down you're at a higher risk of getting sick.

As the holidays are fast approaching with that comes the dreaded cold and flu season. It is a good idea to boost your immune system with anti-oxidants.

Let’s make a goal to reduce the sugar and stay healthier!

Brain Function & Memory

Dr. Kayle Martinsen

This month’s class (September 14th @ 7:00 PM) is on brain function and memory. As with many of you my children started school recently. We all want our children to be successful in all they do. I want to go over one of the most common diagnosis’s given to school age children today “Attention deficit disorder or ADD” or ADHD that adds hyperactivity.

Characteristics of this disorder are as follows in the order of their frequency, which may be mild or severe:

- Hyperactivity
- Excessive, often inappropriate motor activity
- Perceptual motor impairment
- Motion instability
- High levels of distractibility
- Impulsive behavior
- Disorders of memory and thinking
- Specific learning disabilities
- Speech and hearing problems
- Neurological signs

A child with ADD may be described as disruptive, fidgety, easily frustrated, and having aggressive tendencies and the inability to concentrate. Usually an ADD child has a normal or above average IQ, but is hampered by a short attention span which results in poor school grades.

Some of the possible contributors to this condition are as follows:

- Dietary (artificial ingredients, preservatives, additives, refined white flour and sugar)
- Food allergies - especially dairy, wheat, corn, yeast, soy, citrus, egg, chocolate and peanuts
- Environmental allergies
- Essential fatty acid deficiency, faulty pathways may contribute to ADD
- Low blood sugar
- Genetic factors - parents of children with ADD often had ADD themselves as a child
- Injury or disease affecting the fetus or newborn (i.e. oxygen deprivation at birth, a
mother who smoked during her pregnancy, prenatal trauma to the fetus
- Emotional issues - boredom, feelings of insecurity
- Heavy metal toxicity
- Cranial involvement.
- The adrenals produce epinephrine and nor epinephrine, two major neurotransmitters

Nutritionally speaking the most beneficial supplements to help in these areas are Total Brain and Omega Balance.

Total Brain contains a combination of nutrients specifically formulated for brain function. Just one of the ingredients is B vitamins which are essential to nervous system function.

Omega Balance contains essential fatty acids. One of which is Docosahexanoic acid or DHA. Many experts recommend essential fatty acids (cod liver oil, flax seed oil, olive oil) for behavioral disorders. DHA helps support the brain's enormous need for energy, and is found in fish oil. Essential fatty acid pathways may be impaired in ADD.

Don't forget: Total Brain & Omega Balance are Products of the Month and are 10% off!

Is my child struggling, or is he/she just young?

It's not often that we view children in the same grade at school to be different ages. We usually think that if they are in the same grade they must be the same age. That's not always the case. I think it’s something to think about, especially if your child struggles to pay attention. Are they really struggling or are they younger than their peers? I have had several patients tell me that their child is having a hard time paying attention, isn't retaining what they are learning or are having a hard time focusing.

It is important to know how your brain works and what influences your ability to focus, concentrate and learn. The type and quantity of food and beverage you consume, the amount of sleep you get, the quantity of exercise and stress management you practice ALL contribute to the ability to learn. I found an interesting article that I wanted to share from ScienceDaily from a few weeks ago.
ScienceDaily (Aug. 17, 2010) — Nearly 1 million children in the United States are potentially misdiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (commonly referred to as ADHD) simply because they are the youngest -- and most immature -- in their kindergarten class, according to new research by a Michigan State University economist.

These children are significantly more likely than their older classmates to be prescribed behavior-modifying stimulants such as Ritalin, said Todd Elder, whose study will appear in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Health Economics. Such inappropriate treatment is particularly worrisome because of the unknown impacts of long-term stimulant use on children's health, Elder said . It also wastes an estimated $320 million-$500 million a year on unnecessary medication -- some $80 million-$90 million of it paid by Medicaid, stated Elder.

According to Dr. Daniel Amen, some learning difficulty may be from distractibility, hormone imbalance, impulsivity, or even from sensory integration difficulties. Dr. Amen states that there are 6 different types of ADD and each type responds differently to different interventions.

If you or your child is suffering with this please know that Brimhall Wellness Center offers therapies that many of our children patients are using to enhance their learning, memory retention and assisting those with ADD. If this is something you have been wondering about, please call our office so we can help you take the first step in the right direction.

- Dr. Brett Brimhall, DC