October 2006

Dear Patient and Friend,

Welcome to the 21^st century, where instant and clear communication is available to us at the drop of a hat. We have become so reliant on this in our everyday lives that any interference in our ability to communicate makes us feel out of touch with reality. How did we survive without cell phones, e-mail or cameras that instantly print photos you can send to friends around the world in a split second? Technology at its finest. The ability to communicate clearly and instantly has become a very relevant part of our lives. If anything occurs to interfere with our lines of communication, we immediately become angry and frustrated, and we feel a sense of disconnection from the world. We immediately try to fix the “connection” so we don’t lose touch for even a minute.

When our cell phone loses connection, we adjust our position to improve the signal. When our laptop begins to lose its battery charge, we quickly recharge the battery so our connection with the internet world won’t be interrupted.

Frequently, interference in communication can be life-threatening or even catastrophic. What would happen if there were interference in the connection of a 911 emergency call? A life may be at stake. Or, what if there were a loss of communication between an airline pilot and the air traffic controller during flight? Obvious answer. I hope you are beginning to see the importance, or shall I say the absolute necessity, of clear and instant communication! There can be very dangerous circumstances if communication fails.

Are you aware that the communication taking place within our bodies is necessary for optimal health? Inside our bodies is the most hi-tech form of communication anywhere, more so than the avenues of communication spoken about earlier. Sometimes we take this for granted. It is true that clear and instant communication is the foundation of body function. (No, communication was not invented by AT&T.)

The brain is the central communication station containing information and instructions to be communicated to every tissue, organ and cell in the body via the nerves. The lines of communication are protected by the spinal cord, which is housed in a structure of bony vertebrae.

When the lines of communication are free of interference, the body is healthy. However, when the vertebrae become misaligned due to different forms of stress (subluxation), the communication from the brain to the body is interrupted and symptoms and health issues may result.

For over 111 years, chiropractors have been the experts in locating communication breakdowns in the body and restoring the “connection” to restore the body’s natural, clear and instant system of communication. Chiropractic is the leader in natural health care in providing quick relief and long-term wellness to millions of people. It is vital to keep all of the lines of communication OPEN. Schedule an appointment today to have your nerve system checked for any interference with communication.

Back Pain? Check Your Feet

Your feet may not be hurting, but if you’ve got pain in your neck, back, hips or knees, your feet should be evaluated by your chiropractor. Why?

Studies show that at birth, most of us have perfect feet. By age 20, 80% develop some type of foot problem, and by age 40, foot problems plague virtually everyone.

Your feet are the foundation for healthy posture. If the arches in one or both of your feet collapse, your body will not get the correct postural support. Like the foundation of a building, your body’s foundation, your feet, must be stable to support the weight above it.

Movement at one joint affects movement at other joints. And every time your foot hits the ground to take a step, you are passing that imbalance all the way up your skeletal structure.  As your body compensates, stress is added to other body parts, including hips, knees and ankles, causing pain.

Fortunately, this imbalance can be easily corrected using orthotics that are custom made for each of your feet. I like to think of orthotics as tailor made foot beds which, when casted properly, will absolutely help you to hold your adjustments longer, improve posture, and give you the support you need for your feet, pelvis and spine. Orthotics will help speed up the healing process. I have personally been wearing custom-made orthotics for seven years and strongly recommend them as a vital part of a chiropractic care plan. If
you think orthotics might help get your body back in balance, speak to your chiropractor.  Your joints will be happy you did.

Merck’s Newest Pain-Killing Alternative to Vioxx

 New York Times, August 24, 2006

Merck is seeking approval for Arcoxia, the drug designed to be the successor to Merck’s withdrawn painkiller Vioxx.

Vioxx was pulled from the market in 2004 after a study found that it increased the risk of heart attack and stroke. More than 11,000 lawsuits have been filed alleging that Merck was
aware of the risks of Vioxx earlier and should have warned patients.

Merck has released the results of a study that found no more heart risk from Arcoxia than from Diclofenac gel price in india, also called Voltaren, an older drug commonly used in Europe. The Arcoxia study looked at data from 24,000 patients, and two other clinical trials, bringing the total number of patients examined to 34,000.

However, the trials also showed warning signs. Many patients stopped taking Arcoxia because of high blood pressure problems, and those who took Arcoxia may have had a
slightly greater chance of developing congestive heart failure than those who did not. Voltaren might also cause some risk of heart disease itself, making the comparison somewhat dubious.

Arcoxia is a COX-2 selective inhibitor, just like Vioxx. Why should we believe that this medicine is any safer than Vioxx, which killed 60,000 people before it was taken off
the market?  It is in the identical class of drugs, and the FDA has not improved in the least at protecting the public from dangerous drugs.

With the number of Vioxx lawsuits—and courtroom defeats—climbing, Merck is looking for another “blockbuster” drug to pay for that first disaster. So they’re already crowing about the “positive results” of Arcoxia, another worthless painkiller they hope the FDA will approve very soon.

For your own protection, it is wise to remain highly skeptical of all drugs, but especially new ones.  Also be suspicious of research funded by those who want to sell the product. When it comes to treating your pain, are you willing to take a chance on a drug — sold behind the counter or in front of it– that can cripple or kill you? Merck was very enthusiastic about Vioxx, too, when it first came out, and tens of thousands of people are dead as a result.

Can You Be Prosperous, Healthy and Maintain Your Spirituality?

New England Journal Of Medicine, August 17, 2006; 355(7): 695-703

A new study has found that older Americans with more money also have better physical functioning. Each increase or decrease in level of household income, from poverty to wealth, is associated with a similar difference in physical capability.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that wealthier people aged 55 to 84 had an easier time walking, carrying, reaching, lifting objects and climbing stairs.

Those at a similar age living below the poverty level were six times more likely to have physical limitations. A probable cause is the physical health problems that plague
poorer people in greater numbers throughout their lifetimes. These can cumulatively cause chronic problems later on.

Do you believe that you could have all three: optimal health, abundant wealth and spirituality? I believe we all can, if you’re willing to do whatever it takes.

It is my experience that many people believe they can achieve only one state in their life. They might be wealthy, but be in poor health. Or maybe they are very spiritual, but do not have many material possessions.

While it is a challenge, and takes hard work, confidence and determination, I believe we can have it all. One of the very first steps to mastering this is to set goals. Not many people do this, and I believe that setting goals is the secret key to becoming healthy, wealthy and spiritual.

Most people don’t understand that there is not much difference between properly constructed goals and having a genie that can magically grant your every wish. If they
believed that, they would start constructing goals.

Whatever you focus your attention on, you tend to manifest in your life. This is a universal
principal of life, which is true whether you believe it or not. Just like the law of gravity, you don’t have to believe in it for it to work. The law of attraction, like the law of gravity, is a universal truth.

I am here to tell you that you absolutely CAN HAVE IT ALL. You are the artist of your life and your health. You can create the “life of your dreams,” and you certainly can be healthier, wealthier and more spiritual than you have ever dreamed by simply deciding to do so.

Fascinating Facts To Think About

Did You Know?

• After two years, nearly 200 exercisers who walked outdoors for 30 minutes a day were
  just as fit as a group of dedicated gym-goers, shows a study from The Cooper Institute inDallas.
• Researchers tested fitness walkers’ reaction to three types of sound: silence, light rock
  music and hard rock music. The music that increased endurance and lowered heart
  rate the most was light rock music. Hard rock music had about the same effect as silence.
• An apple a day may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Quercetin, one of the
  primary phytonutrients in apples, seems to protect the brain from the cell damage that triggers these diseases, according to animal studies conducted at Cornell University. These nutrients tend to be concentrated in the skin of the fruit. Source: Natural Health Magazine, April 2005
• Are you stressed out? Physical activity protects against harmful effects of stress.  Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston found that during periods of high stress, those who exercised less reported 37 percent more physical symptoms than their fitness- conscious counterparts.
• A hostile heart. New research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine suggests that we take anger and anxiety to heart – literally. In a study that tracked 200 middle-aged women for 10 years, those who reported anxiety about their public image, who had a hostile attitude or angry traits, and who suppressed anger, showed greater thickening of the carotid arteries, which is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
• High heels and heel stress. A three-inch heel creates seven times more stress on the forefoot than a one inch heel. Further, women make up approximately 75 percent of the two million Americans suffering heel pain. Source: Natural Way, Sept/Oct 1998

I first started to see Dr. Stern when I was in my first trimester, pregnant with my second child. My whole body was out of order and I was in a lot of pain.  After the first week of treatments Dr. Stern had me feeling great. He continued to adjust me through my
pregnancy and still continues to adjust me every other week.

My children have also benefited from Dr. Stern’s treatments.  My daughter who was always constipated started to see Dr. Stern when she was 20 months old, his adjustments helped her get back on track and she hasn’t had a problem since, she is now 4 1/2.  My son started to see Dr. Stern when he was two weeks old, his whole little body was out of whack just from the delivery. First, Dr. Stern started with his head which was totally uneven and in just a matter of a few weeks he had his head perfectly round.  I would have never known his head was so uneven because the pediatricians don’t measure each side they just measure the whole head. Then he straightened out his little spine and pelvis. Let’s just say James has never had a problem with constipation. He’s 2 now and has to be the first one
to get adjusted every visit.

Also, another benefit of seeing Dr. Stern is we very rarely ever get sick or if we start to get sick we make a quick visit to Dr. Stern to get our bodies aligned and whatever symptoms we have go away. Anyway, I am a true believer in Dr. Stern’s chiropractic care he truly cares for all his patients and their health.  I have never met a doctor like him and have learned so much from my visits with him and still hope to keep learning in the years ahead.

– Rose Barati

Closing Thoughts …

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Count Your Blessings

Today is a perfect day to be grateful for the abundance of happiness, health, love and prosperity in your life.  To some people, these gifts may seem lacking at times. This information will give you some idea of just how blessed you really are. Sometimes, in the midst of plenty we forget to be grateful for all that we have. This is a great reminder!

1. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep…you are richer than 75 percent of people in the world.
2. If you can attend a church or synagogue meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death…you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
3. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation…you are more blessed than 500 million people in the world.
4. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet and spare change in a dish…you are among the top eight percent of the world’s wealthy.
5. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness…you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

Stop for a moment and think of your situation compared to the rest of the world. YOU ARE TRULY BLESSED! Perhaps a good idea would be to put a copy of these reminders in a place where you can see them and be thankful every day.

Waking up every day with more health than illness is a special blessing
because health makes it possible to enjoy the other good things in life. Since optimal health is our most valuable possession, we need to remind ourselves frequently that the choices we make help to determine not only the quality of our daily lives, but also the length of our lives.

As a chiropractic patient for life, you are at the leading edge in natural health care.

Living the “Chiropractic Lifestyle” adds years to your life and life to your years!