A Fine Piece of Art


Michelangelo's David was sculpted out of an "undesirable" block of marble rejected by all of his contemporaries. The artist said that when he looked at a blank slab of stone, Read more

Children, ADHD, and Sensory Disorders


It is any parent’s greatest wish to see their children happy and healthy. There is nothing more joyful than seeing a carefree, innocent smile light up your child’s face. Read more

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Sick Children Should Stay Home, and Do What Exactly?

February 15, 2012 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Balanced living, Children, Healing, Immune System, Medicine, Wellness 1

One of our biggest delusions about health is that if you have a symptom, you should suppress it. If you’ve ever had food poisoning, your body was doing its darnedest to protect you from harm. The results were not pleasant, of course. But think about the alternative. Would it have been better to shut down your digestive system completely and keep poisonous food inside you?

What about a fever? It doesn’t feel good to be feverish, and no parent wants to see their child suffering. But the increased heat during a fever has a purpose: to destroy bacteria and viruses. If the body is forced to cool down, infections take longer to clear. Putting the brakes on the immune system forces it to become hypersensitive in order to continue its activities of surveillance and destruction. Would you prefer an unbalanced immune system, or a well-balanced immune system?

The fact is, a healthier body is more expressive. If you encounter tainted food or a germ that needs to be destroyed, you won’t feel fantastic. And that is okay. There is a euphemism in our office to describe this: “expressing health in an unpleasant way.”

Do you expect that you will never experience discomfort? That you should never go to bed early “just because” you feel like you’re coming down with a cold? How disconnected we are from ourselves! The spark behind this post was a TV ad for a children’s fever reducer. The little girl was at home sick, but because of her fever-reducing medication, she was able to play, read, and be active all day. Common sense tells us she would be better off sleeping, to let her body’s natural defenses work. Instead, we are exposed to the lie that even children are “too busy” to take time for healing.


Cheap or Free: The Show-Off Vitamin

December 21, 2011 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Aging, Balanced living, Bone Health, Children, Digestive Health, Healing, Immune System, Nutrition, Research, Supplements, Wellness 1

Would you trust a nutrient with 3000 cancer studies under its belt? In 2009, a very ambitious research team reviewed these studies. Here’s what they found: we could prevent 100,000 people from developing cancer every year, if we increased our vitamin D intake. They identified ten different ways that vitamin D fights cancer. What a productive little multitasker!

We need vitamin D to absorb calcium from our intestines. It regulates more than 200 unique human genes. When vitamin D isn’t preventing cancer, it’s helping our bodies build bones, prevent heart disease, and fight cold/flu bugs. Okay, now vitamin D is just being a show-off. We have two options for getting more D: cheap (less than $10/month) or free (sunlight).

If you like it cheap:  The U.S. RDA for vitamin D intake, 600 IU, is intended to build bone, not to prevent chronic illnesses. It is almost impossible to get enough vitamin D through fortified foods alone. For this reason, we may need to take at least 2000 IU per day of vitamin D3. It’s widely available in tablet or liquid form.

If you like it free: Sunlight produces vitamin D in unprotected skin at a phenomenally high rate. Get 10 minutes of unprotected sun exposure each day in the summer. In Minnesota, we need 20 minutes or more in the winter months, and most of us need to supplement with vitamin D3 (see above).

The most recent research indicates that 40-60 ng/mL is the optimal level of vitamin D in your blood. The blood test for vitamin D may require only a fingerprick and 5 minutes of your time.

About the author: Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP, is a wellness-certified family chiropractor at Vital Life Chiropractic in Eagan, Minnesota.


Do flu shots work? Reviews of medical studies

October 26, 2011 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Asthma, Babies, Children, Immune System, Medicine, Research, Wellness Leave a comment  

Do flu shots work? Here is what we learned from reviewing medical studies as a group.

Not in babies: In a review of more than 51 studies involving more than 294,000 children it was found there was “no evidence that injecting children 6-24 months of age with a flu shot was any more effective than placebo. In children over 2 years, it was only effective 33% of the time in preventing the flu. Reference: Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy children. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2 (2008).

Not in children with asthma: A study 800 children with asthma, where one half were vaccinated and the other half did not receive the influenza vaccine. The two groups were compared with respect to clinic visits, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations for asthma. CONCLUSION: This study failed to provide evidence that the influenza vaccine prevents pediatric asthma exacerbations.  Reference: Effectiveness of influenza vaccine for the prevention of asthma exacerbations. Christly, C. et al. Arch Dis Child. 2004 Aug; 89(8):734-5. “The inactivated flu vaccine, Flumist, does not prevent influenza-related hospitalizations in children, especially the ones with asthma…In fact, children who get the flu vaccine are more at risk for hospitalization than children who do not get the vaccine.” Reference: The American Thoracic Society’s 105th International Conference, May 15-20, 2009, San Diego.

Not in adults: In a review of 48 reports including more than 66,000 adults, “Vaccination of healthy adults only reduced risk of influenza by 6% and reduced the number of missed work days by 0.16 day. It did not change the number of people needing to go to hospital or take time off work.” Reference: Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 1 (2006).

Not in the Elderly: In a review of 64 studies in 98 flu seasons, for elderly living in nursing homes, flu shots were non-significant for preventing the flu. For elderly living in the community, vaccines were not significantly effective against influenza, influenza-like illness, or pneumonia. Reference: Vaccines for preventing influenza in the elderly. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 3(2006).

 

About the author: Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP, is a wellness-certified chiropractor at Vital Life Chiropractic in Eagan, Minnesota.

 


More ways to build a titanium immune system

October 12, 2011 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Children, Chiropractic, Immune System, Wellness Leave a comment  

Last week, we discussed ways to strengthen your immune system naturally. Aside from “self care” approaches including diet, exercise, and stress management, here are some advanced ideas for 21st-century “health care.”

  1. Have your vitamin D levels tested. The most recent research indicates that the level of 25(OH)-D in your blood should be 40-80 ng/mL. The U.S. RDA for vitamin D is intended to prevent rickets, not to strengthen the immune system. A blood level of 25-30 is insufficient if you want robust health.
  2. Supplement with vitamin D3. Unless we work outdoors in the southern U.S., most of us will need to take a high-quality vitamin D supplement during the winter to maintain protective levels of vitamin D in our blood. This should be, specifically, vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). In the northern U.S., we may need to take 2,000-5,000 IU of vitamin D3 per day.
  3. Take probiotics. Did you know that 80% of your immune system is in your intestinal tract? It is your primary line of defense against the outside world. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help us break down and absorb our food. They also keep harmful pathogens from entering our bodies. A 2009 clinical study in Pediatrics journal shows that children taking probiotics twice a day have a much lower risk of developing cold and flu symptoms.
  4. Get chiropractic care. Our current understanding of the body is that the immune system and nervous system are intimately linked. They developed from the same embryonic cells. They respond to the same hormones and neurotransmitters. Chiropractic care improved function of the nervous system so the body and brain can communicate more effectively. This makes the body more resistant to stress and illness because it is operating efficiently. Families who use chiropractic care very often report strengthened immune systems, for both parents and children. Care of the nervous system is part of a wellness lifestyle!

About the author: Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP, is a wellness-certified chiropractor at Vital Life Chiropractic in Eagan, Minnesota.


How to build a titanium immune system

October 5, 2011 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Balanced living, Healing, Immune System, Nutrition, Stress, Wellness Leave a comment  

Fall is here, so arm your body against colds and flu! Believe it or not, your body has the power to fend off illness. Natural ways to strengthen your immunity include:

  1. Cut back on sugar. Sugary foods break down quickly into simple sugars. Your body responds to this with a spike in insulin, which suppresses your immune system. Avoid foods like sodas, fruit juices, breads, pastas, and sweets, especially when you are feeling ill.
  2. Eat your fruits and veggies. The nutrients in fresh fruits and veggies support the function of your immune system, so it can ward off invaders. If you feel that you’re “coming down with something,” eat fresh oranges. Vitamin C is actually a complex of beneficial chemicals, and typical vitamin C supplements only contain one of these chemicals (ascorbic acid). Whole foods and whole food supplements are superior sources of nutrients.
  3. Manage your stress levels. When we are anxious or irritated, we release stress hormones to prepare for a “fight-or-flight” response. This suppresses the immune system, because the body can’t fight against external threats (even imaginary ones) and internal invaders at the same time.
  4. Exercise daily. Even if it’s just 10 minutes of jumping jacks, push-ups, and squats, get your heart rate up and break a sweat! Not only will this relieve stress, it improves your body’s circulation. It also gives you a reason to get outside.
  5. Get some sun every day. Sunshine helps to build vitamin D in our bodies. Many of us think sun exposure is not healthy, but humans evolved with daily sun exposure for thousands of years. Get 10 minutes of unprotected sun exposure each day in the summer. In Minnesota, we need 20 minutes or more in the winter months.

Next week, we’ll discuss advanced ways of strengthening your immune system. Today, we discussed “self care,” or what you can do on your own. Up next: health care to strengthen your immunity. Power up!

About the author: Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP, is a wellness-certified chiropractor at Vital Life Chiropractic in Eagan, Minnesota.


Childen: Healthy by Design

April 20, 2011 Dr. Barbara Kaiser, DC, CCWP Asthma, Brain, Children, Healing, Immune System, Stress, Wellness Leave a comment  

Last week in USA Today, a special series on children’s health reported:

The rate of chronic disease in kids … has doubled in the past two decades: 26% of children now suffer from a long-term health problem, says a 2010 study of more than 5,000 children ages 2 to 8 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. And more than half of children in that study have had some kind of chronic illness — one that limits their abilities or requires special medication, equipment or services for at least 12 months — sometime in the past six years, the study says.

Did you read that? We are talking about kids between the ages of 2 and 8! Unhealthy lifestyles are to blame for the recent doubling of chronic disease: food lacking in nutritional value and a lack of exercise. What if parents knew they could help to counteract the effects of modern living?

Through my postgraduate training in wellness, I studied four areas in depth: Eating well. Moving well. Thinking well. Maintaining a clear neurological connection between brain and body. When you achieve all four of these things at the same time, for a period of time, you move toward wellness. If one of these four aspects is neglected, you move toward chronic illness.

What do parents report about their kids under chiropractic care? From my client surveys, we see:

  • Decreased use of inhaler for asthma
  • Improved attention span and behavior
  • Faster recovery from colds and flu

Children were born to be healthy, not sick! In this imperfect world, we can reduce the effects of unhealthy lifestyle by maintaining a clear neurological connection between brain and body. What more could a parent want for their child than to see them grow up strong and healthy, with minimal use of medications or emergency room visits?

Make the decision to keep your child healthy by choice, not by chance!

www.vitallifechiropractic.com