Dr. Kate’s Blog

Our government is missing the mark; prevention and education are essential to drive down costs of health care. As is common knowledge: “many costly and disabling conditions - cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases - are linked with common preventable risk factors (World Health Organization).” Tired of asking myself, friends and loved ones the rhetorical question: Why isn’t prevention a key point of the current health care reform debate? I looked for some possible solutions to the problem.

Apparently the time is right and the market is ready for real innovation and personal empowerment in medicine. This is a window of opportunity for social entrepreneurs and educators to help Americans take our lives and bodies out of the hands of big businesses and make money in the process.

The Problem:
There are two sides of health care: Preventative Care (which is based on lifestyle choices, education, and preventative medicine), and Disease Management and Acute Care (including testing, diagnosing, symptom relief, and addressing pressing patient concerns). The primary focus of both American Health Care institutions and health insurance providers is disease management and acute care. This forces us to view our bodies through the lens of fear; focused on the notion ‘what if I get sick.’

The WHO suggests:

• Support a paradigm shift toward integrated, preventative care

• Promote financing systems and policies that support prevention in health care

• Equip patients with information, motivation and skills in prevention and self-care

• Make prevention an element of health care interactions

Possible Solutions & Opportunities

1) Care Centers and Clinics
Urgent care centers and clinics are filling the role of primary care physicians for many Americans. This is a growing industry. According to the Urgent Care Association of America the number of urgent care centers is increasing by about 100 per year in the US. This is vital because “according to one study published last year in The Journal of the American Medical Association, as few as 2 percent of medical students are choosing to pursue general internal medicine” (New York Times ‘Primary Care’s Image Problem’).

2) Billing and Payment
“Thirty one percent of every health care dollar is consumed by private insurance bureaucracy and paperwork,” according to Physicians for a National Health Plan. “Streamlining payment through a single nonprofit payer would save more than $400 billion per year.” A recent study published by Criterion Ventures entitled, The Cash Market, highlights that in the current system people are not accessing needed care because of confusing pricing systems and cost barriers. This often leads to more costly interventions down the road. Creating effective and clear billing and payment systems would drive down costs from multiple angles.

3) Competition
Senator Russ Feingold, (D-Wisc.) was quoted by the New York Times, saying, “We need to have some competition for the insurance industry to keep rates down and save taxpayer dollars.” Additionally, we need competition in medicine. With so many health issues including: diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and depression attributed to lifestyle and an abundance of trained nutritionists, exercise physiologists and physical therapists poised to serve, the time is right for a shift in the way we look at preventative care and its place in the mainstream. With doctor’s visits limited to around 10 minutes-per-patient by insurance companies, opportunities to educate are missed. This necessitates educational projects and clinics to teach and facilitate practices like managing stress, healthy eating, and exercise.

History
This could have been settled in 1774, when Dr. Benjamin Rush, the only physician to sign the Declaration of Independence, reportedly argued unsuccessfully: “Unless we put Medical Freedom into the Constitution, the time will come when medicine will organize into an undercover dictatorship…” Less than 100 years later, the Popular Health Movement, gathered momentum in the 1830s. Popular Health clinics sprung up as a way to care for the lower class. Similar to “alternative heath practices” of today, these clinics focused on nutrition and herbal treatments. They were so efficient that members of the growing middle and upper classes began to use them. By 1850, the newly established American Medical Association launched a campaign that labeled the Popular Health Practitioners “quacks” and put them out of business.

And here we are, in 2009, with a broken, singularly focused, elitist system. Possibilities are plentiful in the reformation of health care. Needs continue to grow and our government is proving unwilling to truly tackle health care in America. It is up to us to explore this issue and change health care for the better.

Please see Jennifer’s Website: www.jened.com

DR. KATE COMMENTS:  I am glad that we are starting to ask these questions.  I do think that we are constantly inundated with the acute care/ already in a diseased state/ insurance coverage treatment only approach to our health.  On television as I am working out at the gym, I see so many advertisements by drug companies.  As a Chiropractor my patient’s insurance  covers medically necessary services only.

Luckily patients are starting to take things into their own hands, and pay out of pocket for what they see to be most beneficial to them.  It seems that the theme these days is to take more responsibility for ourselves as adults in health, finances, and in relationships.  Regardless of what the government, insurance companies, and drug companies say, we need to start a grassroots movement to get informed about wellness,  and  see practitioners that know about wellness.  Seeing a medical doctor for wellness is   like seeing a dentist for foot pain. They are not trained in wellness, they study disease and pathology. Traditional Medical wellness is about vaccinations.  Unless they train outside of traditional medical school.  Why does the insurance, and government keep asking medical doctors about wellness?  We need to understand that wellness is not their strength.  I know that my strength as a wellness/ holistic Chiropractor is not in treating  a full blown disease. I suggest that my patients see Medical Doctors all the time. It is slowly changing, but medical doctors do not send patients to get more wellness care and education.  All of the Doctors on the government panel that were asked about wellness were Medical Doctors; Dr. Oz, Dr. Weil etc… Thank god for them in getting more education outside of the medical paradigm and spreading the word. However they are the exception to the rule.  Why were’nt there Naturopaths, Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, and  Mind-Body experts on the panel? This is a huge flaw, where our government once again turns to Medical Doctors only for wellness advice.

I urge you  to continue to find resources to educate yourselves about wellness.  This website and blog is my attempt to support  wellness education. Do not rely on your insurance company or your Medical Doctor for this. If they do have wellness knowledge  be grateful.  Widen your perceptual field and include all of the resources that are at your fingertips.

Happy Holidays!

Dr. Kate

 John Hopkins Update
 
 AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (’TRY’, BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.
 
 Cancer Update from Johns   Hopkins :
 
 1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion.
 
 
  When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.
 
 2. Cancer cells occur between six to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.
 
 3  When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.
 
 4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
 
 5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
 
 6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
 
 7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
 
 8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

 9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
 
 10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy.Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.
 
 11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

 *CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

 a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes likeNutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful . A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts.
 
  Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos or sea salt.
 
 b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells  are being starved..
 
 c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork.
 
   Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.
 
 d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans.
 

  Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells, drink fresh vegetable juice(most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
 
 e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties.
 
  Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

 12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.
 
 13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
 
 14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.
  Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.
 
 15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit.. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor.
  Anger, lack of forgiveness, and bitterness, put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.
 
 16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level.
  Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.
 
 1. No plastic containers in micro.

 2. No water bottles in freezer..

 3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

 Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well.
  Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don’t freeze yourplastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.
  Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.
  Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn’t bad but you don’t know what is in the paper. It’s just safer to use tempered glass,   Corning Ware, etc.
  He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.
  This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life.
 

My comments: I am so happy to hear this from mainstream medicine. As a wellness practitioner we have been speaking of this for years.  Our message is getting through!  Having lost two friends to cancer in their 40’s that waited on the western medicine treatments, I still think those options should be done first, along with what this article recommends. Both modalities/perspectives need to work together. Please take the advice given here. Cancer is about toxicity, and the immune system. Those are the primary root causes.  We can make a difference in our own health! 
 

I moved to New York City full time this month.  Twenty years ago this month I started my practice in Northampton Massachusetts.  Now I begin a new chapter in New York.  After all these years I still love my work.

I get to walk to work everyday. Being outdoors is one thing I like to do each day, even for a small amount of time. I intend to get back on my roller-blades,  and  start going down the west side bike path.  As I settle into city living I am discovering new ways to stay resourced. You have to go out of your way to do that here, it does not come naturally. There is a meditation center in the 20’s I plan to go to. I went to my first opera, and loved it.  I am beginning a Pilate’s weekly routine. There are some fabulous teachers here at Kinected Studio.  I have met some  wonderful people here.

My work is being received very well.  New Yorkers  certainly are in need of wellness care.  It feels good to be helpful. The big challenge for most people is finding the time to get here.

I like that this city is so walkable. It is also warmer than Massachusetts,  which I like.

I just wanted to give you an update on the changes.

Be Well, Dr. Kate

heartmath pdf/article

Yes you can!!! …  influence your brain with supplements, diet, and stress management. Elderly people are especially vulnerable to brain issues. Over time nutritional deficiencies can cause health problems in the brain.

Your brain requires a lot of oxygen and glucose (sugar) to function. When either of these needs are compromised symptoms arise. These include mood changes for no apparent reason, memory loss, and disordered cognition/mental confusion.

Controlling large fluctuations/high blood glucose levels, food allergies,  candida , detoxification , exercise, healthy weight, mental attitude, stress, digestion, cholesterol, and inflammation will positively influence your brain health.

HIGH BLOOD SUGAR

Extreme ups and downs of one’s blood sugar is very stressful on your brain and body.  After we eat something very sugary; insulin is released into our blood. Insulin is a hormone that has multiple global affects on the body, including helping sugar get transported from the bloodstream into our cells. When insulin is released  in high doses chronically; the cells start to ignore its “knocking on their door”. High amounts of sugar begin to stay longer in the blood stream,  and then you start having the global affects of diabetes.  The most profoundly negative affect that insulin, and high blood sugar have on the body is inflammation. Extreme blood sugar highs and lows create  metabolic hormonal  extreme ups and downs. This equates as stress in the body. Stress equates to inflammation. Most diseases in our western culture are related to inflammation, these include: cancer, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer’s, the list is much longer…

Over the years of reading about all types of diets the one common denominator to controlling inflammation is avoiding sugar, white flour, and foods that did not exist 100 years ago,( foods without lots of chemicals in them). Other dietary factors that lessen inflammation include eating whole foods, lots of fruits and vegetables, organic foods, and protein. Protein stimulates a hormone called glucagon which is an anti-inflammatory hormone. It is the opposite of insulin. It helps lower and stabilize our blood sugar. I recommend the Zone type diet for people who are sensitive to sugar. Sugar sensitive  people are: hypoglycemic, or have a familial history of diabetes and/or alcoholism. Tests show  high levels of fasting blood glucose on lab.  The Zone diet purports a 30% protein,  30% good fat,  and  40% good carbohydrate diet. Fats are also good because they slow down absorption, and make you feel more satiated.  To learn what “good” fats, carbohydrates, and proteins are go to the Zone diet/ Barry Sears website.  I would not recommend someone with sugar sensitivity to be vegan because of the lack of protein to help balance the blood sugar, and lots of other reasons too numerous to mention. Another diet that is anti-inflammatory is the Mediterranean diet. This diet avoids red meat and dairy which have saturated fats. It is oriented around eating good fats such as monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated, as well as lots of vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and fruits.

FOOD SENSITIVITIES

Not all foods work for all people. The blood type diet is all about this fact. Some foods universally agitate the immune system in lots of people. Symptoms of the brain being affected by food sensitivities within a 24 hour period are: mood swings, fatigue, depression, memory loss, headaches; and allergy like symptoms such as  runny nose, asthma, sore throat,and itchy eyes. Over time chronic eating of allergenic foods can damage the intestinal wall and creating a leaky gut wall. The name for this is dysbiosis. This can cause  eczema, arthritis, fibromyalgia, hashimotos thyroiditis, Alzheimer’s, and many more conditions. Agitating the immune system can turn on genes for diseases.

The most common food sensitivities are: Wheat= 64% of the population, Corn 51%, Pasteurized Cow’s Milk 50%. Other popular ones are soy, gluten, preservatives (MSG, sulfites…), and many others. You can find your own food sensitivities by testing with kinesiology or getting a blood test that measures levels of IgE and IgG4 through Meridian Valley Labs.

TOXICITY

Our food, water, air, and soil can be toxic. Other ways of exposure to toxins can be from medications, cooking with certain types of pots and pans, smoking, hydrocarbons,  mercury/silver dental fillings,  pesticides, and cleaning chemicals. Toxins  often act like a key that fits the lock but does not work.  It blocks the cell’s receptor site, which ultimately damages cellular function. Heavy metals have become a large health issue with the industrial revolution. The good news is that there are foods that support detoxification in the liver and  kidneys.  These foods are proteins, water soluble fiber, vegetables, and fruits. Fruits and vegetables that are strong anti-oxidants that are especially good. Sometimes specific supplements are needed to support detoxification. These include: chlorella, cilantro, glutathione, cysteine, methionine, vitamin C, garlic, lipoic acid, lutein, lycopene, magnesium, manganese, selenium, zinc, milk thistle, alpha lipoic acid, vitamin E, quercitin, rutin, PABA, and NAC to name a few.

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID DEFICIENCY

Omega  3 fatty acids (DHA & EPA) affect brain function by supporting proper serotonin levels in the brain, they also act as an anti-inflammatory, and help build healthy cell walls for brain cells. All of your cell walls are made up partially of fat. That is why these “good” fats serve as building blocks for cells. The brain also conducts electricity through the fat that serves as  an insulator for the brain wiring. Much of the white matter in the brain is fat. Hydrogenated fats provide lousy building blocks for cells, and affect the cells negatively by increasing cellular inflammation. Good fats also help build healthy neurotransmitters that help neurons wire and fire together. Neurotransmitters influence mood, and cognitive speed/memory.

VITAMIN AND MINERAL DEFICIENCIES AND YOUR BRAIN

Deficiencies are not only caused by diet, but poor digestion/ absorption issues.   This is common in elderly people,  those on medications,   people who eat lots of foods they are sensitive to, and chronic stress. Get your digestive system back into functional balance with a functional medicine doctor such as: a  Chiropractic nutritionist, Naturopath, or holistic/functional medicine M.D..

B12 deficiencies can cause moodiness, depression, memory loss, dizziness, and dementia. Zinc, manganese, and magnesium deficiencies can cause anxiety, fear, hallucinations, and weakness. B3, B6, and B12 are integral to brain function. They are co-factors for making neurotransmitters. Neurotranmitters affect cognitive function, mood, and memory. It is important to think pro-actively when considering brain health rather than relying on  western medicine tests. These tests only show when a disease has literally changed the cellular structure; and there is a lot one can do before then.  Kinesiology can help clarify which supplements are best at what time.  This keeps patients from taking everything under the sun, and taking things they may not need.

Supplements also protect the body and brain by being great anti-oxidants. The vitamins that fit into this category are vitamins: A,C,E, & D.

After you have seen your medical doctor and had tests specifically diagnosing a brain condition; or none of the tests are positive but you want to start a health wellness/prevention plan come see me.

GENERAL BRAIN HEALTH NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES

Food choices

• Always try to eat organic, or at least low pesticide, and low chemically fertilized food.

• Eat a diet that is high in vegetables  especially:  cruciferous vegetables: arugula, broccoli, brussel sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, and turnips.
• Eat a diet that includes lots of fruits especially:  blueberries, pomegranates (if you cannot get fresh frozen is better than canned), blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, red grapes, oranges, plums, and  prunes.
• drink 2 cups of green tea per day
• Eat  halibut, mackerel, salmon, trout, sardines, tuna, eggs, and poultry( especially turkey)
• limit red meats to no more than once per week
• avoid all dairy
• drink 4 ounces of red wine per day (no more)
• Avoid sugar, white flour, and food sensitivities
• Avoid tobacco, no more than 2 cups a day of a caffeinated beverage
• control stress with lifestyle choices, mind-body exercises like thai chi, chi gong, yoga, meditation,heartmath, craniosacral therapy, etc…

• use olive oil, do not cook using any oils with high heat

Risk Factors for Alzheimer’s

• old age: 65y.o. = 5% have it, 70 y.o.= 10% have it, 75y.o.= 15% , 80y.o.=20%, 85y.o.= 35-40% have it
• High levels of Homocysteine ( have your M.D. test levels)
• Low Thyroid (have M.D. check levels)
• Diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol
•  obesity
• family history, female
• positive genetic test= APOLIPOPROTEIN E (APO-E), E4 is the highest risk marker =www.athenadiagnostics.com
• depression, PTSD
• smoking, apnea
• toxin exposure
• head injury
• television increases risk by 20% (especially dumb television)

  Supplements for general prevention/ and if you have a family member with it= higher risk factor

• Take a B complex supplement with 1000 micrograms of B12, and 800 micrograms of  folic acid/B6, make sure it includes B1,B2, B3, and B5 also.  I like Thorne Labs B12 complex
• Take an Omega 3 fatty acid that has at least 1000 milligrams of DHA in it ( make sure the source has taken out pollutants from the fish used to make it) ( If you are on blood thinners, or have had a stroke talk to your M.D. first)
• Take 500 milligrams of Vitamin C (rose hips/natural form only)
• Take 400 International Units of Vitamin E (natural form only/not synthetic)
• Take 120 milligrams of Gingko Gold ( standardized only, and  check with your M.D. if you are taking medications)
• Take 400 milligrams of Turmeric  ( if you are taking any medications check with your M.D. about compatibility)
• Take 200 micrograms of  Huperzine A ( this is natural and helps make more acetylycholine, check with M.D. if on medications; especiallyAlzheimer’s medications)
• Take 200 micrograms of Quercitin ( a great anti-inflammatory from natural sources)

Exercise; body, mind, and heart

• 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per day: brisk walking, biking, eliptical, swimming,dancing, etc… gym machines for cardio are ok, pilates, and yoga are also good for coordination and proprioception.
• exercise your brain by reading, using the computer, playing games, learning a new language, writing, playing an instrument, crafts that take some skill, making art, taking adult education
• exercise your social skill by joining clubs, having friends over, being in a choir, etc…
• choose to stay positive and keep an open heart

Lastly… there is so much you can do to have a healthy brain. It is never too late to start making changes. Every step you take towards health makes a difference. There are many more supplements that can help, so come in and we will test which one’s are best for you. The one’s that I listed are the best known in research. Remember there are lots of tests that will not be positive for a long time in conventional medicine, so if you are noticing  brain health issues, or have a family history now is a good time to come see me.

Next issue will be about the plasticity of our brains, how aour thoughts, activities, and emotions can shape our brain…

This is a very personal blog because my Mom recently was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. My Mom has a doctorate in education that she earned after we lost our father. She has been a wonderful role model and inspiration for me.  As a grant writer she wrote million dollar grants for community colleges all over the country. She was the president of a local chapter of the United Way. She was a Dean at Mount Wachusett Community College. She was the valedictorian of her class at Gloucester High School.  Needless to say I am quite proud to be her daughter, and I am doing everything I can to support her brain health. I used to call her while in Chiropractic school which is a very grueling program of study; and she would   say remember this: “obstacles are what you see when you take your eye off the goal”. After I got off the phone, (I was in my early twenties, and all of my friends were going out doing fun things), I would hit the books and push on. In a way she was helping me re-frame my experience and re-wire my brain. In those times neuroplasticity was not well understood yet, but she was already using it.

My Mom endured a lot, she had six children that were all born within a ten year spread. My Dad had earned his doctorate at Harvard and had big ideas to change the world. He wanted to apply all of the things he learned and researched in his program. In doing so he ran into quite a lot of opposition. He wanted to support eliminating racism with busing, he wanted to implement regional schools so that kids had more access to art, sports, and music. He tried to change the way kids were taught. Because of  this he was perceived as a threat; and was fired every three years.  My Mom stood by his side and supported him. He would have loved Barack Obama. Mom learned a lot about the politics of our school systems by listening to my Dad when he came home from school committee meetings. My Dad had grown tired of jobs that did not allow him to fulfill his visionary dreams.  He became headmaster at American International School in New Delhi India. All eight of us moved there; the oldest kid being 17, and the youngest (myself) being 7. We adapted well, and Dad began to settle, and slow down;  his spirit began healing from all of the job trauma he had gone through. On June 9th,  37  years ago, he was suddenly killed from a car accident. Needless to say we all moved back to the states overnight. My mom managed to keep it together as best she could, amidst our whole family being in shock and grief. We had no community to support us, since we had moved to a new place: Amherst Massachusetts. We moved there so that Mom could start her doctoral program. Today I think; ” how did she do that? Wow!”

Soon after my fathers death a University of  Massachusetts professor that taught a class my Mom was in; started an affair with my very vulnerable Mom. He was still married to another woman at the time and had three kids. He had none of the boundaries or integrity that my father had. Under the guise of helping our family; (in such a vulnerable state) he took the opportunity manipulate us. My Mother was blinded by his narcissism and her own vulnerability; and they married shortly after they met. After a few years he began having an affair with my Mom’s boss and good “friend “who was quite a bit younger. This woman was also a single mother. He soon left my Mom for this person. Gladly I have not seen him since. I watched my Mom get crushed again by loss, and this time betrayal.  My stepfather was  a pedophile, he reasoned his inappropriate behavior with his over-intellectualizing; which negatively affected  my family.   To this day he continues to have no remorse for the pain and suffering he has caused my  family. I needed to say this because my voice was never heard publicly about this. His career, and social standing were never influenced by his damaging actions.  I think it is important to bring these dark facts into the light.

Needless to say my Mom suffered a lot of trauma. I think this has influenced her brain today. I have been reading: The Brain that changes itself; a book written by Dr. Doige. It talks about the neuroplasticity of the brain and how neurons that fire together wire together. The brain changes from its environment. This can be good and this can be bad. We can change our brains with our thought patterns, but we cannot erase what happened. Trauma has a high impact on our brain, especially when we are younger and our brains are more “plastic”.  So, to circle back around, I think what my family endured imprinted all of us for life. However, those imprints have been re-wired by those of us who chose  to work with the trauma. Some of the positive tools and resources my family has incorporated knowingly or unknowingly are: sports, art, studying healing arts, pets, and higher education, understanding the neurophysiology of trauma, and seeing helpful practitioners. Others in my family have resorted to more negative tools such as: drugs, alcohol,emotional shut down, and denial. These negative imprints have been perpetuated in my life in some relationships. I did not always know when a person was  trustworthy or not.   I am learning day by day to re-wire myself in each moment.  Each moment we can choose how to be with what is. That is empowering!  This is what changes your brain. Re-wiring ourselves is possible.  My next blog will cover nutritional information about brain health.

Did you know that I provide gentle non-invasive treatment for health issues such as disk herniation, stenosis of the spine, facet syndrome, sciatica, leg pain, whiplash, headache, arm pain, and neck pain? Twenty years ago in Chiropractic College I learned a technique that uses a special traction table; then after graduation I took a seminar with Jim Cox, D.C. the man who developed flexion-distraction. This table is different from other traction tables because it works very specifically in the area of spinal involvement. As the practitioner I apply gentle pressure on the joint above the area of spinal causation and push down the end of the table tractioning  the specific segment. This treatment is safe for all ages, including people that are osteoporotic. It  is one of the most well researched chiropractic techniques. Studies have shown that flexion-distraction allows a decrease in disc pressure; it also has been shown to increase in disc height, and in increase in the space between the vertebrae where the nerve exits the spine by 28%. Research also compared flexion-distraction to physical therapy; the results showed that  flexion-distraction  did significantly better for low back conditions that were: chronic/severe, chronic/acute ; and patients with radiating nerve pain stemming from the spine. The goal of treatments is of course reduction of pain, but also to restore  function of the spine.

The other good news is that if my patients do not get 50% better within 4 weeks  I refer them to a Physiatrist, Orthopedist, or Neurologist. I do not treat beyond 12 visits if my patients are not 50% better. If there is no improvement then we start to take the next steps and change the treatment plan. The patients treatment plan is constantly being adjusted to their response in function and pain changes.

Once my patients have stabilized I then recommend  core strengthening work and refer to Pilates instructors, Physical Therapists, and other practitioners who use the Swiss Ball exercises.

I have a new table arriving in my New York location in the next couple of weeks, so come on in and give it a try. The motion is passive on your part and great for your spinal health! 

Hi New Yorkers and New Englanders, I wanted to alert you that I will be assisting  Franklyn Sills this month from November 18th- November 23rd.  Franklyn is one of the leading authors and teachers in the field of biodynamic craniosacral therapy.  This is an opportunity  to deepen my practice as a healer. I understand that not being available is an inconvenience; however the final outcome is is positive for you.  When I return from assisting a training I have heightened awareness, and sharpened skills.  This is an great time to see new patients.  I appreciate your patience and understanding of my time away.  It makes my practice more alive, and current, and ultimately you benefit from that.

Best,  Dr. Kate

Tinnitus has many causes . Traditional EENT allopathic doctors are looking for pathology. When they don’t find anything and your ears are still ringing there are other options. The good news is that you do not have a pathology and it is treatable. In most cases non- disease related tinnitus is caused by a somatic dysfunction. They call this somaosensory tinnitus.  Your body is a continuous kinetic chain. Places as far away as the sacroiliac joint can affect the ears. These complex relationships in the body are considered when patients come in to see me. Areas of the body that are pertinent  include the cranium, temporo-mandibular joint, spine, pelvis, and the bite. Issues in all of these areas can cause tinnitus; some more directly then others. Oftentimes these relationships of structure are coupled with a stress response that manifests as a involuntary tension in the nervous system. By working with the body through chiropractic, cranial work, and body-mind awareness; one can diminish if not eliminate tinnitus. Here are some of the causes related to tinnitus that can be addressed with conservative care:

1) History of orthodontics/ braces

2) Grinding and/or clenching the teeth

3) Poor bite alignment

4) Poor posture; particularly forward head bending

5) Multiple sites of muscle tension in the head and neck

6) Stress, anxiety, depression, and anger….grrrrrr

7) Whiplash; recently or a long time ago that did not recover well

Large chronic doses of antibiotics and some other medications

9) Joint dysfunction of the jaw, spine, and sacroiliac joints

10) Cranial bone imbalances; particularly relating to the temporal bone which contains the inner ear.

How does I treat this?

Sometimes having a dentist check the teeth for wear and tear, and grinding at night and treating with a mouth guard really helps. In most cases this is only one piece of the puzzle. Another thing to check is the bite. Now this can actually change with cranial  work , and adjustments.  The bite is off for many  different reasons; and by all means do not have your teeth ground down as the first option of treatment! This should be the last resort if done at all.  Patients often have more than one issue that brought the tinnitus on.  By approaching the body holistically I can help bring the system back into balance.  Holistically  means looking at structure, stress awareness, nutrition, and energetics of the body. Treatments may include muscle work, gentle manipulation, and cranial work. It may take some time for the symptoms to subside because usually people have had tinnitus for months even years  before getting help, because they do not know their treatment options.  Their first stop is with medical doctors who did not find pathology,  and did not know other treatment options to recommend.

When stress, and trauma occur we have a choice about  how to work with it. Not many people know this, and feel victimized by stress. Learning to resource oneself through cranial work can help bring us  to understanding these options. Focusing on health instead of always focusing on the problem is the path to take. When we learn to listen to our body, it responds in amazing ways; ways we could not imagine. The body has a wisdom deeper than any doctor you will know.

Craniosacral teaches the body to relax from the inside out. One gets a sense of calm and centeredness with craniosacral therapy. This work can be taken into your daily life, noticing your body, and acknowledging its signals of stress. When someone comes to see me for treatment I do not “fix” them. We work as a team, both treating the condition. The patient with body and stress awareness, and me with imbalances that present themselves.

Adjustments and muscle work help lessen the “noise” in the central nervous system. they also help restore mobility and lessen muscle tension.

Oddly enough in applied kinesiology and Chinese medicine the hearing is related to the kidneys. These are organs that are taxed when we get stressed. Supporting these organs by referring to an acupuncturist,  making dietary changes, and taking supplements is very important sometimes. The body will show where it needs support, and there is nothing wrong with getting support through health  issues. It is most important to be patient with tinnitus. It can take some time, and getting stressed about how long it is taking only feeds the stress. Feed the health not the stress.

Have you noticed people have started drinking their water on the go out of glass and stainless steel containers. Well I thought I would get us all up to date on what these folks are up to.

Actually it was discovered accidentally in 1998 when scientists were conducting a study on mice for aneuploidy; a cell division problem in which chromosomes do not split as a cell divides, leaving two resulting cells with more or fewer chromosomes than normal. One of the lab workers washed the mouse water dish with a harsh detergent, the mice drank water out of this dish. Afterwards scientists noticed an 8 fold increase in this aneuploidy/chromosome defect. The scientists eventually found that BPA (also known as Biphenol-A ) was leaching from the plastic water dish into their water. They began studying BPA and its affects on the mice.

Various more recent studies proved that BPA is leached from new, and old plastic bottles at room temperature; with no detergent usage beforehand. The take home is: it doesn’t seem to matter; just don’t ingest things from plastic…

BPA has been found to be an estrogen mimicking toxin. It has been linked to reproductive health issues such as: breast, ovarian, and uterine cancer; uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, prostate cancer, lowered sperm counts, and possible increased fat production. Studies have not been done on humans as of yet. However 95% of the people tested have levels of BPA that scientists think could be harmful.

People with the highest risk are women of childbearing age, pregnant women, infants, and small children. It would be wise to assume that BPA has similar affects on humans as it does to mice. Why take the risk?

Here are some tips on how to avoid further exposure:

1) Cook food from scratch using fresh foods.

2) Cook in large quantities and freeze the food in glass Pyrex containers.

3) Avoid microwaving, cooking, and storing foods in in plastic containers. Use glass, stainless steel, and pyrex.

4) Purchase water in glass containers. If you want clean water for your home install a filter for your tap water and store it in glass. Do not drink from plastic water bottle dispensers.

5) Use KleenKanteen stainless steel water bottles (www.kleenkanteen.com), or glass jars to bring water with you.

6) Avoid using plastic wrap, and do not cook with it.

7) Avoid food and drink #7 containers; these are known to have BPA.
If you have no other choice other than plastic use #1,#2, and #4 plastics. ( they do not contain BPA)

all plastics should be in question for toxicity; the verdict is not out yet on other possible toxins.

9) Stop using plastic dishes, utensils, and cups.

10) Ask your dentist if there is BPA in their sealer before they apply it.

There is no reason to wait for plastic that contains BPA to be banned to avoid it. It is in our best interest to make better choices for ourselves and our children now. It seems as time passes, it is best to go back to the basics before the 1900’s; before we began living in these industrial chemical times. Good old glass, ceramic, and steel is what is best. Cooking food that is fresh and alive, and non-toxic. It seems that the conveniences of these modern times, and their full ill health affects on future generations to come has not been thought through by our scientists, corporations, and inventors. We are beginning to see the negative health affects of convenience in hind sight. Hopefully we can all start now in the present to make large and small changes for our future. Now is the time in each and every moment to make the choice towards health.