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

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

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.

Hello, I thought I would share that you can affect your health with diet and supplementation. Here is proof… I started seeing a patient about three months ago. Her cholesterol was in the 200′s, and she was concerned about it. She had been reading lots of books on nutrition and was confused by all of the differing viewpoints on diet and supplementation.

I started her on an individualized diet tailored for her using a combination of kinesiology, and common scientific nutritional knowlege. After years of reading about, (and trying ) many of the diets, I have found some common threads. Kinesiology in combination with these dietary commonalities can do wonders. The reason her cholesterol was lowered was due to a combination of her hard work of sticking to our plan, and kinesiology. The kinesiology testing individualized which foods and supplements were best for her. She did not need to take all of the cholesterol lowering diets and supplements recommended in all of the different books; she only took the few supplements and dietary changes that were best for her.

She recently came in to see me and was pleased that she could see the fruits of her hard work in her lab results after just a few months. I was also happy for her because she seemed to be feeling better in general, aside from the good results on the lipid lab tests.

There is so much information out there on nutrition. Kinesiology has helped many of my patients make the right changes for them, and only them. This is done without taking tons of supplements a day, which is lighter on your wallet, and easier on your stomach. This is the beauty of kinesiology; it goes beyond the masses and into each person’s situation of environment, genetics, and personality.

Hopefully, my patient has prevented disease in the future, because of her persistence today.

There are may types of craniosacral therapy. There are many names for similar types of work: cranial work, biodynamic craniosacral therapy, cranial osteopathy, sacro-occipital technique, they all stem from the work of Dr. Sutherland. You can read and hear more about the origins of cranial work by going to my website and downloading the mp3 or reading the articles I wrote. The hours one can spend training to be a cranial therapist are extremely varied. You don’t have to be an Osteopath to be a good cranial therapist; however it is necessary to put some time into a good training. A person can say they do craniosacral therapy after a weekend course. Biodynamic trainings are 700 hour trainings that are 2-3 years depending upon the structure of the course. To earn the letters R.C.S.T. you must graduate from a 700 hour training.

Check a persons training before considering seeing a practitioner. Find out the length of their training, did they graduate, and ask if they know who Dr. Sutherland is. Most trainings that are under 700 hours are limited in the level of skill  that the practitioner is taught to listen to the body; there is a whole symphony of instruments to hear not just the violin or trombone.

Franklyn Sills the author of Craniosacral Biodynamics states” craniosacral biodynamics approaches work within the somatics field in a unique way . Many foundation courses and books address a particular rhythm called the cranial rhythm, or cranial rhythmic impulse. This book (work) focuses  more on locating the deeper and slower tidal rhythms generated by the action of the breath of life within the human system. The breath of life is considered to be the fundamental organizing force within the natural world. Craniosacral biodynamics takes its lead from the later work of Dr. William Garner Sutherland, and Dr. Rollin Becker, in which the breath of life was perceived to be the organizing principle of the work.”

As there are many different forms of this work I thought it would be helpful to know some of the differences.  Franklyn will be coming to New York this fall and I will be taking his post graduate class. I look forward to studying with one of the leaders in this field, he is a genius who has brought together powerful concepts to concoct a delicious recipe of work. I got a chance to meet him at the cranial conference in London a few years back. I will tell you all about the class after I take it…

Hello and welcome to my blog! I intend to use this medium to share with you my thoughts on living a healthy and balanced life. Most of my patients know that I am committed to lifelong learning and that I use every opportunity to learn new concepts to bring back to my practice. I intend to share some of those learnings with you through my blog.

Come back soon to read my latest entries!

Be well.

Dr. Kate