The Healing Power of Touch

Babytouch

What effect do intent, touch, and thoughts have on healing?  Stories have abounded over the years about terminal cancer patients surviving through the power of prayer.  One well recorded incident of this was Norman Cousins, a journalist, author and professor. Upon receiving a diagnosis of a life threatening and painful illness, he literally laughed himself well by watching Marx Brothers movies.

But what is the medical evidence of this supposed healing effect?

In a study on "healing with intent", appearing in a 1999 edition of the Journal of Scientific Exploration, the enzyme pepsin was used to break down egg protein.  This was done in 20 separate trials to reduce the chance of placebo effect.  For those petri dishes that were "healed with intent", there was a statistically significant increase in enzyme activity.

In a 2000 study that appeared in the Journal of Scientific Exploration, the researchers used "laying on of hands" as a treatment methodology for mice with breast cancer.  Five mice were obtained with breast cancer, a disease with a 100% fatality rate within 14 - 27 days.  "Laying on of hands" was used for 1 hour per day for one month.  The results?  The tumors of the five mice blackened, ulcerated, imploded, and then closed.  All five mice lived their normal life spans.  Control mice, left untreated and sent to another city, died within the predicted time span. 

The study was repeated 3 separate times using skeptical volunteer "healers" and 33 mice in two different locations.  Overall, they boasted an 87.9% cure rate!  What's more, when the mice were re-injected with cancer cells, the mice remained in remission. 

In a 2000 study that appeared in the journal Alternative Therapies, the researchers wanted to find out if laughter had an effect on immune function.  Fifty-two healthy men had blood drawn before, during and after a one hour humerous video.  The authors' conclusions?  "Modulation of neuroimmune parameters during and following the humor-associated eustress [pleasant or curative stress] of laughter may provide beneficial health effects for wellness..."

So what does it all mean?

The way in which we touch and what we are thinking makes a difference in the lives of the people we encounter.  Do you pray for those you love?  When you hug your children or your spouse, what are you thinking about? Do you laugh regularly?  Are you focusing on the challenges of your life or do you emphasize the positive?  Are you encouraging to those around you (and to yourself)? 

You could be making a bigger impact on their health than you realized!


 

The New Killers

Developing_country
This is a great article from our friends at Forbes called Pharma Be Aware:  The Next Killers.  The next killers are diseases that, in the opinion of the author, are not getting enough attention on the world stage.  For instance, there are 32 million people in the world today inflicted with HIV/AIDS, but over 300 million suffer from diabetes.  Diabetes, heart disease and cancer are predicted to account for 73% of all deaths by the year 2020 and 19% of deaths in the developing world over the next five years.  The World Economic Forum has determined that these diseases are one of the top four global risks.  Whats more, as processing and centralization of food spreads to other countries, there are a growing number of cases of diabetes in the developing world.

The author implies that it is important that the pharmacological companies take note of the new market for their drugs - that you can live well with diabetes if you receive the right treatment.  He is right - it is important to control diabetes using insulin and other medications as needed.

But at the same time, he has missed the point - the growing epidemic in developing countries can be PREVENTED if the countries in question return to their traditional diets.  Modern diets that are rich in sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and genetically modified foods in combination with a sedentary lifestyle lead to the most common form of diabetes (type II).  As our friends in developing countries prosper, they are adopting some of our nasty habits...and acquiring some of our diseases as a result.

Returning to a traditional diet includes naturally grown, non pesticided, unprocessed, free range, organic foods.  For more information on how to eat a traditional diet please visit the Westin A. Price Foundation website.

If You Have a Headache, You Have to Read This

Headache
Nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches.  Some have them occassionally, some are frequent - even occurring daily.  Headaches are debilitating.  They can cause a loss of concentration, throbbing, pounding, nausea, moodiness, inability to work, and a diminishment in quality of life.  Most Americans use over the counter pain medication in the form of aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or a variety of muscle relaxors to combat a headache.  The problem is that this only covers up the symptom and the headaches will return.  There are also side effects from use of over the counter pain medication listed above including ulcers, liver damage, and kidney failure.  

However, research from Duke University shows that spinal manipulation - the primary form of care provided by doctors of chiropractic is an effective treatment option for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck.  This 2001 study found that spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headaches than commonly prescribed medication. 

Clinically, at Holt Chiropractic and Massage, we have seen great results as well:

“After two-and-a-half weeks of treatments, the daily headaches and hip pain I suffered from for over 20 years are now almost gone. I awoke without headaches five days in a row last week. On three of those days, I had no headaches at all!”

– A 45-year-old female physical science technician

With the addition of cranial adjusting, our results have continued to improve - with faster and more complete resolution.  If you have not tried chiropractic care for headaches, go to our website and give us a call.  Holt Chiropractic and Massage

The Dangers of Soy

Soy
Soy products are becoming more common everyday.  Their popularity is mostly due to their properties as a low fat protein and also some evidence of a decrease in some cancers with a diet rich in soy.  Soy is found in tofu, soy nuts, soy milk and soy butter.  However, soy has some major drawbacks as well.

  • High levels of phytic acid in soy reduce assimilation of calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc. Phytic acid in soy is not neutralized by ordinary preparation methods such as soaking, sprouting and long, slow cooking. High phytate diets have caused growth problems in children.
  • Trypsin inhibitors in soy interfere with protein digestion and may cause pancreatic disorders. In test animals soy containing trypsin inhibitors caused stunted growth.
  • Soy phytoestrogens disrupt endocrine function and have the potential to cause infertility and to promote breast cancer in adult women.
  • Soy phytoestrogens are potent antithyroid agents that cause hypothyroidism and may cause thyroid cancer. In infants, consumption of soy formula has been linked to autoimmune thyroid disease.
  • Vitamin B12 analogs in soy are not absorbed and actually increase the body's requirement for B12.
  • Soy foods increase the body's requirement for vitamin D.
  • Fragile proteins are denatured during high temperature processing to make soy protein isolate and textured vegetable protein.
  • Processing of soy protein results in the formation of toxic lysinoalanine and highly carcinogenic nitrosamines.
  • Free glutamic acid or MSG, a potent neurotoxin, is formed during soy food processing and additional amounts are added to many soy foods.
  • Soy foods contain high levels of aluminum which is toxic to the nervous system and the kidneys(*). 

Beware of soy and soy products.  Mothers be especially careful of soy infant formulas.  Soy foods contain trypsin inhibitors that inhibit protein digestion and affect pancreatic function. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors led to stunted growth and pancreatic disorders. Soy foods increase the body's requirement for vitamin D, needed for strong bones and normal growth. Phytic acid in soy foods results in reduced bioavailabilty of iron and zinc which are required for the health and development of the brain and nervous system. Soy also lacks cholesterol, likewise essential for the development of the brain and nervous system. Megadoses of phytoestrogens in soy formula have been implicated in the current trend toward increasingly premature sexual development in girls and delayed or retarded sexual development in boys(*). 

* Information acquired from www.westinaprice.org

 

Dr. Tom

The Magic of Cranial Adjusting

Cranium
For years, I have taught about the importance of maintaining a healthy spine and nerve system.  Having proper communication between the brain (the master computer) and the body is essential to health and well being.  What would life be like without a healthy spine and nerve system?  Our best example sadly, is the tragic case of Christopher Reeve.  After falling from his horse in 1995, the former Superman, was suddenly crippled from the neck down.  His spinal cord had been severed and his skull was no longer attached to his spine.  He was kept alive by medical intervention but would never move a significant muscle again.  Nine years after his accident, he died from complications of an infection.

 

When we are subluxated (spinal misalignment with nerve interference), we are like Christopher Reeve, only our function is at a different level.  While Mr. Reeve's nerve interference (and corresponding dysfunction) was blatant and obvious, subluxation is subtle and mostly goes unnoticed.  It causes you spine to grow wrong (arthritis) and the corresponding neurological damage builds with time. 

 

For over 110 years, chiropractors have been experts at removing subluxation and helping minimize the corresponding damage that occurs with time.  Recently, through studying an intense 48 hour course, I have added cranial adjustments to further the healing to the nerve system.  Cranial adjusting removes subluxation that occurs with the bones of the skull - this helps the cerebro-spinal fluid to circulate freely which then helps the brain (master computer) to send healthy signals to body and increases your health and well being.  In our practice so far, this has helped headaches, neck pain, double vision, tooth pain, shooting pains in the arms and legs, pain in the feet, and low energy levels.  If you suffer from any of these, please give us a call, or click HERE for more help. (360)874-0232.

 

Dr. Tom

Welcome Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce!

Holt Chiropractic and Massage located at 1800 Mile Hill Dr. Ste 150, Port Orchard, would like to welcome the Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce for our "Chamber After Hours" event on January 20th from 5-7 pm.  We hope you enjoy the latest in technological advances we have implemented in our contemporary, up to date, chiropractic clinic.  If you have never had a spinal exam, please take advantage of our free spinal screening using our state of the art Insight Subluxation Station (it is painless and non-invasive).  Relax as our massage therapists treat you to a free chair massage.  Enjoy hors d' oevours, libations, and take a tour of our state of the art facility.  See you this Thursday, January 20th, from 5-7 pm!

(download)