Monthly Articles, Dr Larry Smith, Chiropractor

		Newsletter: October 2003 Back to Articles & Newsletters Page American Women's Health Initiative & More Greetings: October is one of my favourite months. We are nicely back into the rhythm of our lives after September's transition period. October is: brightly hued colours arriving where there was green; the undeniable bounty of Mother Earth; friends and neighbours exchanging gifts from their gardens; crisp nights and dewy mornings; a full moon that appears twice its normal size; the smell of chimney smoke; football games. It is a month of fullness. With the weather we have here in paradise, do yourselves a favour and get outside. A walk in the many forested parks and trails, and/or the miles of beautiful beaches will go a long way toward helping us recharge, reconnect and "re-align". (As would a visit to your chiropractor.) OFFICE NEWS Many of you, no doubt, saw the article in our local "P.Q. News - Weekender" (Saturday, September 20) which was an edited version of last month's Dr. Larry's Newsletter. The topic was "The MSP-B.C.'s Premium Assistance Plan". It was hoped that disseminating this information to the larger audience would benefit more people. Apparently, it worked. Our office has had almost a hundred inquiries regarding that article. I have ordered more application forms from the Ministry and they are available at our office. If you think you may be eligible, give me a call or drop in. And DO pass this information on the everyone you know. Dr. Larry's Fit Ball Seminar The seminar at the PharmaSave in Parksville on September 16th was attended by 25 people. It was a great evening. Many people have indicated an interest in having a repeat of the seminar. Let us know if you would be interested and we will make arrangements. See Doc run. Run Doc run. Dr. Larry is participating, once again, in the Victoria Marathon. It is being held on the Thanksgiving weekend (October 12th). I will update you with the results in our November issue. To Top of Page Olé Cuba Dr. Larry is going to Cuba over the Christmas season! Through an organization called "CORe', (Chiropractic Overseas Relief) he is volunteering his time and talents for a three week period in December and January. More details of this exciting and altruistic venture will be featured in next month's newsletter. If you are interested, you can go to the CORe website at: www.chiropracticoverseas.org/index2.htm "Chiropractic best for back-related conditions" The findings of the most recent focus groups and public survey - conducted by Ipsos-Reid and involving healthcare consumers throughout the province - indicated a widespread lack of knowledge regarding information and options available for treating back-related conditions. This information gaps includes: understanding of outcomes, treatment expectations, questions about cost and medicare coverage and making the right healthcare choices. With six in 10 British Columbian's having experienced the benefits of Chiropractic, this knowledge gap is shrinking. It is important that all healthcare consumers in the province fully understand why the standard of care for back-related conditions is treatment by a Doctor of Chiropractic. "See a Chiropractor first for the most effective relief." 73% of those who have not visited a chiropractor are unsure about what results to expect from treatment. In this recent study, "Eight in 10 chiropractic patients say treatment was effective, with most saying it was very effective". Chiropractic is firmly grounded in science and endorsed by research, and numerous studies confirm that it is one of the safest and most effective methods of healthcare available. How to Make the Right Choice The majority of British Columbian's don't know which health practitioner to see for which conditions - including low back problems. With an average of seven to eight years of specialized education and hands-on training, a chiropractor is the most qualified to treat neuromusculoskeletal conditions through spinal manipulation. Studies confirm treatment by a chiropractic doctor as the most appropriate standard of care for back-related problems. How Much Does it Cost? Although most people are aware of reductions in Medicare, 36% of British Columbian's are still not sure. Most see the value in receiving the right treatment first and are surprised to learn that the average cost of a single visit to a chiropractor is $35 - much less than expected. Ongoing public studies help determine which messages are vital to ensure that British Columbian's have the tools they need to make the right choice for treatment and prevention of back-related conditions. For more information regarding the back and chiropractic, please visit www.bcchiro.com To Top of Page Guiding Patients to Safe and Effective Alternatives to Hormone Replacement Therapy On July 9th, 2002, researchers announced that they were stopping the American Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial of 16,000 women taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), as results showed that after 5.2 years there was a 26% increased risk of breast cancer in women taking HRT, compared to those receiving the placebo. Women taking HRT also showed a 41% increased risk of stroke and a 29% increased risk of heart attack. This alarming news is amplified by the fact that, until recently, many doctors prescribed HRT believing it would help women reduce their chances of heart attack, which is the leading cause of death in post- menopausal women. The findings from the WHI trial have convinced even the most traditional medical practitioners that HRT should only be used in cases where it is absolutely necessary. The Three Proven Natural Agents for Post-Menopausal Women A detailed search of the world wide evidence reveals that the herbal product known as Black Cohosh Extract, along with Soy Isoflavones and Gamma-oryzanol, are the three most thoroughly studied natural agents that have been shown to safely and effectively reduce menopausal symptoms, (e.g. hot flashes, insomnia, anxiety, sweats, mood swings, lack of libido, atrophy of reproductive tissues, etc.) and provide additional health benefits for the post-menopausal woman. For instance, Soy Isoflavones and Black Cohosh Extract have been shown to support bone density helping to reduce risk of osteoporosis and Gamma-oryzanol and Soy Isoflavones are known to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride blood levels by approximately 12% each. In fact, in Japan, Gamma-oryzanol is used as a cholesterol-lowering medication (by prescription), even though it is a naturally-occuring agent derived from rice bran oil. Gamma-oryzanol is also a prescription medication used to reduce hot flashes and contain other menopausal symptoms in Japan - where most of the research on this substance has been performed. In Germany and throughout Europe, Black Cohosh Extract (standardized to 2.5% triterpene glycoside content) is medically approved for the treatment of menopausal symptoms and has been used in this application for more than 40 years. In head-to-head trials against HRT, Diazepam (Valium, etc.) and placebo, Black Cohosh Extract has proven to be as effective, and often more effective, than Diazepam and HRT, and consistently outperforms the placebo, in reducing a broad spectrum of menopausal symptoms, and has been shown to prevent dryness and atrophy of vaginal tissues. With millions of patients taking Black Cohosh for 40 plus years, there has been no shred of evidence that it increases the risk of breast cancer. Recent experimental studies suggest that it protects against breast cancer develoment by slowing down cellular proliferation of breast cells, and by hindering the growth of human breast cancer cells in-vitro. Populations ingesting soy isoflavones on a regular basis are also known to have a 75% lower incidence of breast cancer, such as in Japan, where the typical daily intake of soy isoflavones by postmenopausal women is 50-75 mg. per day. Recent studies show that soy isoflavone supplementation reduces hot flashes in menopausal women, supports bone mineral density and helps to keep their cholesterol levels in a safer range. These are all very desirable outcomes. With the dangers of HRT now firmly established, it is important for women to know what alternative products are effective, safe, and available to them in this part of the world. To Top of Page Quotes from Famous People I once had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: "no good in a bed, but fine up against a wall". Eleanor Roosevelt The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending and having the two as close together as possible. George Burns Got Topics? Dr. Larry and I would like to invite your suggestions for topics for our Newsletter. Is there some topic you would like us to feature? Some chiropractic/health related issue you would like us to research and present herein? Also, If you have questions, please feel free to call or email either one of us and we will make every attempt to answer you as fully as we can and/or provide possible other sources for you to explore. Afterall, this Newsletter is for you. We welcome your input. Tell us what you want to see here. To Top of Page We invite you to sign up for Dr. Larry's newsletter, which is sent out periodically with interesting new health information. When you click below an email will be generated, and then you simply press "send" on your email software. Contact the office: Dr. Larry Smith D.C., B.P.E. Chiropractor P.O. Box 307 255 Island Highway Parksville, British Columbia Canada V9P 2G5 Phone: (250) 248-6333 Fax: (250) 248-6390 e-mail: info@drlarrysmith.com