A recent story in the news has my head buzzing. Did you know there is a shortage of ADHD drugs out there. The problem is not a manufacturing issue, it is supply and demand. We as a society are demanding more and more of these mind altering drugs to function in our lives. Is anyone other than me disturbed about this fact? The mainstream media is not.

The United States buys and uses 90 percent of the world’s Ritalin!

I have been scouring the web looking for someone to wave a flag that says “WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!”  I have seen noone do that. Plenty of concern for those poor children yet where are the bigger questions? Below I am reprinting an article from 1999 that talks about the long term affects of these drugs on our children.

Did you know that the spree of school shootings were done by children that were prescribed these psychotropic drugs? Both the shooters at Columbine were on drugs.

All I am saying is someone needs to be asking bigger questions than …”Where are my drugs?!”  Enjoy!  Dr. Stephanie

Though shocked by bizarre shootings in schools”, default”, few Americans have noticed how many shooters were among the 8 million kids now on psychotropic drugs.

INSIGHT Magazine

June 28,1999 Kelly Patricia O’Meara

Though shocked by bizarre shootings in schools, few Americans have noticed how many shooters were among the 6 million kids now on psychotropic drugs.

Just three weeks after Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on their April 20 killing spree at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., President Clinton hosted a White House conference on youth violence. The president declared it a strategy session to seek “the best ideas from people who can really make a difference: parents and young people, teachers and religious leaders, law enforcement, gun manufacturers, representatives of the entertainment industry and those of us here in government.”

. . . . There was, however, complete silence from the president when it came to including representatives from the mental-health community, whom many believe can provide important insight about the possible connection between the otherwise seemingly senseless acts of violence being committed by school-age children and prescription psychotropic drugs such as Ritalin, Luvox and Prozac.

. . . . There are nearly 6 million children in the United States between the ages of 6 and 18 taking mind-altering drugs prescribed for alleged mental illnesses that increasing numbers of mental-health professionals are questioning.

. . . . Although the list of school-age children who have gone on violent rampages is growing at a disturbing rate — and the shootings at Columbine became a national wake-up call — few in the mental-health community have been willing to talk about the possibility that the heavily prescribed drugs and violence may be linked. Those who try to investigate quickly learn that virtually all data concerning violence and psychotropic drugs are protected by the confidentiality provided minors. But in the highly publicized shootings this spring, information has been made available to the public.

–April 16: Shawn Cooper, a 15-year-old sophomore at Notus Junior-Senior High School in Notus, Idaho, was taking Ritalin, the most commonly prescribed stimulant, for bipolar disorder when he fired two shotgun rounds, narrowly missing students and school staff.

–April 20: Harris, an 18-year-old senior at Columbine High School, killed a dozen students and a teacher before taking his own life. Prior to the shooting rampage, he had been under the influence of Luvox, one of the new selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI, antidepressants approved in 1997 by the Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, for children up to the age of 17 for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD.

–May 20: T.J. Solomon, a 15-year-old at Heritage High School in Conyers, Ga., was being treated with Ritalin for

depression when he opened fire on and wounded six classmates.

. . . . Two other high-profile cases from last year show a similar pattern:

–May 21, 1998: Kip Kinkel, a 15-year-old at Thurston High School in Springfield, Ore., murdered his parents and then proceeded to school where he opened fire on students in the cafeteria, killing two and wounding 22. Kinkel had been prescribed both Ritalin and Prozac. Although widely used among adults, Prozac has not been approved by the FDA for pediatric use.

–March 24, 1998: Mitchell Johnson, 13, and Andrew Golden, 11, opened fire on their classmates at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Ark. Johnson had been receiving psychiatric counseling and, although information about the psychotropic drugs that may have been prescribed for him has not been made public, his attorney, Val Price, responded when asked about it: “I think that is confidential information, and I don’t want to reveal that.”

. . . . A great deal has been written about all of these cases. There have, however, been no indications that all of these children watched the same TV programs or listened to the same music. Nor has it been established that they all used illegal drugs, suffered from alcohol abuse or had common difficulties with their families or peers. They did not share identical home lives, dress alike or participate in similar extracurricular activities. But all of the above were labeled as suffering from a mental illness and were being treated with psychotropic drugs that for years have been known to cause serious adverse effects when given to children.

. . . . At the top of the list of so-called “mental illnesses” among children is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, which is diagnosed when a child meets six of the 18 criteria described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM-IV, published by the American Psychiatric Association, or APA.

. . . . ADHD was determined by a vote of APA psychiatrists to be a “mental” illness and added to the DSM-IIIR in 1987. By definition, children with ADHD exhibit behaviors such as not paying attention in school, not listening when spoken to directly, failing to follow directions, losing things, being easily distracted and forgetful, fidgeting with hands or feet, talking excessively, blurting out answers or having difficulty awaiting turn. The most common ADHD remedy among pediatricians and representatives of the mental-health community is, as noted, Ritalin.

. . . . First approved by the FDA in 1955, Ritalin (methylphenidate) had become widely used for behavioral control by the mid-1960s. It is produced by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA, the United States buys and uses 90 percent of the world’s Ritalin. A U.N. agency known as the International Narcotics Control Board, or INCB, reported in 1995 that “10 to 12 percent of all boys between the ages of 6 and 14 in the U.S. have been diagnosed as having ADD [attention-deficit disorder, now referred to as ADHD] and are being treated with methylphenidate.”

. . . . But opponents are concerned about evidence they say confirms a close relationship between use of prescribed psychotropic drugs and subsequent use of illegal drugs, including cocaine and heroin. While the United States has spent more than $70 billion on the war on drugs, says Bruce Wiseman, president of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, a California-based organization that investigates violations of human rights by mental-health practitioners, “if you think the Colombian drug cartel is the biggest drug dealer in the world, think again. It’s your neighborhood psychiatrist … putting our kids on the highest level of addictive drugs.”

. . . . This complaint is not new and there is a lengthy list of government agencies connecting the prescribed psychotropic drugs to use of illegal substances.

. . . . Twenty-eight years ago the World Health Organization, or WHO, concluded that Ritalin was pharmacologically similar to cocaine in its pattern of abuse and cited Ritalin as a Schedule II drug — the most addictive in medical usage. The Department of Justice followed the WHO by citing Ritalin in Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act as having a very high potential for abuse. As a Schedule II drug, Ritalin joins morphine, opium, cocaine and the heroin substitute methadone.

. . . . According to a report in the 1995 Archives of General Psychiatry, “Cocaine is one of the most reinforcing and addicting of the abused drugs and has pharmacological actions that are very similar to those of Ritalin.” In the same year the DEA also made the Ritalin/cocaine connection, saying, “It is clear that Ritalin substitutes for cocaine and d-amphetamine in a number of behavioral paradigms,” expressing concern that “one in every 30 Americans between 5 and 19 years old has a prescription for the drug.”

. . . . Despite decades of warnings about the potential for abuse of Ritalin, experts continue to argue that the benefits far outweigh the consequences. Yet the INCB has reported that “Methylphenidate’s [Ritalin] pharmacological effects are essentially the same as those of amphetamine and methamphetamine. The abuse of methylphenidate [Ritalin] can lead to tolerance and severe psychological dependence. Psychotic episodes [and] violent and bizarre behavior have been reported.”

. . . . These are, in fact, some of the same symptoms exhibited by Eric Harris.

. . . . David Fassler, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and chairman of the APA group on Children, Adolescents and Their Families, says he is unaware of any research to suggest a correlation between the recent cases of violent behavior in school-age children and the widespread prescription of psychotropic drugs. Fassler argues that the number of school-age children suffering from mental illnesses such as depression is “more than earlier believed and it is important that there be a comprehensive evaluation by a mental-health clinician trained in this area.” He stresses that “treatment should be multimodal — not left to medications alone.”

. . . . Mike Faenza, president and chief executive officer of the National Mental Health Association, the country’s oldest and largest mental-health group, notes that “there is little known about how the drugs affect brain function.” Faenza adds that “we do know that a hell of a lot of kids commit suicide because they aren’t getting the help they need. It’s irresponsible not to give them the help just because we don’t know what causes the mental illness.”

. . . . Opponents are quick to capitalize on this admission. “There is no such thing as ADHD,” declares Wiseman. “It’s not a deficiency of ‘speed’ that makes a kid act out. If you look at the criteria listed in the DSM-IV for ADHD, you’ll see that they are taking normal childhood behavior and literally voting it a mental illness. This is a pseudoscience, entirely subjective. Unlike medical conditions that are proved scientifically, with these mental illnesses the only way you know you’re better is if the psychiatrist says you’re better. That’s not science.”

. . . . Pediatric neurologist Fred Baughman not only agrees that there is no such illness as ADHD, but says: “This is a contrived epidemic, where all 5 million to 6 million children on these drugs are normal. The country’s been led to believe that all painful emotions are a mental illness and the leadership of the APA knows very well that they are representing it as a disease when there is no scientific data to confirm any mental illness.”

. . . . Peter Breggin, a psychiatrist and director of the International Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology and author of Talking Back to Prozac, Toxic Psychiatry and Talking Back to Ritalin, for years has waged a war with the APA about what he regards as its cavalier diagnoses of mental illnesses. “Psychiatry has never been driven by science. They have no biological or genetic basis for these illnesses and the National Institutes of Mental Health are totally committed to the pharmacological line.” He is concerned that “there is a great deal of scientific evidence that stimulants cause brain damage with long-term use, yet there is no evidence that these mental illnesses, such as ADHD, exist.”

. . . . Breggin points out that the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, admitted as much at their 1998 Consensus Development Conference on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Thirty-one individuals were selected by NIH to make scientific presentations to the panel on ADHD and its treatment. The panel made the following observations and conclusions: “We don’t have an independent, valid test for ADHD; there are no data to indicate that ADHD is due to a brain malfunction; existing studies come to conflicting conclusions as to whether use of psychostimulants increases or de-creases the risk of abuse, and finally after years of clinical research and experience with ADHD, our knowledge about the cause or causes of ADHD remains speculative.”

. . . . If so, there is little evidence to support a scientific basis for classifying ADHD as a mental illness. On the other hand, there is an abundance of evidence that stimulants such as Ritalin can produce symptoms such as mania, insomnia, hallucinations, hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention. And the DEA’s list of potential adverse effects of Ritalin includes psychosis, depression, dizziness, insomnia, nervousness, irritability and attacks of Tourette’s or other tic syndromes.

. . . . While Ritalin is the drug of choice for treating ADHD, other mental illnesses such as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, from which Columbine shooter Harris suffered, are being treated with new SSRI antidepressants. Harris’ autopsy revealed that he had used Luvox (Fluvoxomine), an SSRI, prior to the shooting spree. And days earlier he had been rejected by the Marine Corps because he was taking the psychotropic drug.

. . . . Luvox, a cousin of Prozac, has been approved by the FDA for pediatric use, although research shows that a small percentage of patients experience adverse effects such as mania, bouts of irritability, aggression and hostility. But many physicians still prescribe it to children.

. . . . More disturbing to those who believe sufficient evidence exists that prescription psychotropic drugs may play a role in the violence being carried out by school-age children is the response of physicians to the issue. Rather than erring on the side of caution by reducing the number of kids on mind-altering drugs, physicians instead are prescribing psychotropic drugs even to infants and toddlers. The warning label states that “Ritalin should not be used in children under 6 years, since safety and efficacy for this age group has not been established” and “sufficient data on safety and efficacy of long-term use of Ritalin in children are not yet available.”

. . . . A report in the July 1998 issue of the Clinical Psychiatric News revealed that in Michigan’s Medicaid program, 223 children 3 years old or younger were diagnosed with ADHD as of December 1996. Amazingly, 57 percent of these children, many of whom are not yet capable of putting together a complete sentence, were treated with one or more psychotropic drugs including Ritalin, Prozac, Dexedrine, Aventyl and Syban. Thirty-three percent were medicated with two or more of these drugs.

. . . . But it is Ritalin that is being prescribed to 6 million American children. Children’s Hospital in Washington has been running television advertisements expressing concern. According to its spokeswoman, Lynn Cantwell, the ads were part of a series covering many medical issues. “We wanted to advocate that children get a comprehensive evaluation because we are finding that children were coming in who were taking Ritalin who actually did not have ADHD.”

. . . . Wiseman has suggested that the only way to gain control of the situation is to expose widespread “fraudulent diagnoses” of psychiatrists. “Without the diagnoses, you can’t get the drugs,” he says. Baughman’s answer isn’t too far from Wiseman’s. He says, “A big-time class-action lawsuit needs to be filed.”

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net

Enjoy an article about me written in 2010 that is equally as relevant today!

PRLog (Press Release) – Jan 12, 2010 -

Chicago – New Year’s resolutions, love them or hate them, bring new energy to people’s yearning to improve their health. In her book, You Can Be Well, Dr. Stephanie Maj focuses on helping people with these changes to aid them in recapturing the health and vitality that has slowly been eroding away people’s lives.

“I have always used New Years to help my patients set health goals.” Dr. Maj said. “It amazes me that people are so unhealthy that on all the Top 10 Resolution lists, health related items account for over half the resolutions.”

This general lack of health in our society is one of the reasons she wrote the book; to help people find the critical steps necessary for success. There are thousands of books on wellness yet Dr. Maj has found all these books are missing the most vital step of all.

“It is the elimination of nerve interference that NO ONE is talking about and I feel can no longer be ignored. As a chiropractor, I focus on removing the interference in the nervous system, the master controller of all the organ systems of body. Without removing this nerve interference, no other steps will get the patient to their desired health goal.”

“I find that people misunderstand what health and wellness really are to them. Most people want to be healthier yet have no idea what health really is and exactly how to go about achieving it.” In her book, Dr. Maj talks about the 5 critical steps to wellness, four of which are action steps that every self-help health book talks about: Eating right, stress relief, exercise and eliminating toxins.

Dr. Maj has noticed that others are out there speaking and writing about wellness and what it means and yet fail to address the interference in the nerve system that Chiropractic corrects. The reason this is so important is that the body is a self-healing organism and the nerve system is what controls that healing. When there is interference in the nerves, there is interference in the body’s ability to heal properly or fight disease (like cancers and viruses). Chiropractic removes interference in the nerves so the body’s own natural defense systems can be restored.

Research shows that when you have interference in the nerve’s function at the spinal level, this leads to a cascade of harmful results. Some of those results include: Increased blood pressure, increased cholesterol, increased triglycerides, insulin resistance (pre-diabetes), increased stress hormones, decreased immunity (cancer & infections), decreased sense of well being and a decrease in complex learning abilities.

“I understand that achieving health and wellness is not as simple as only getting a Chiropractic adjustment. I address other steps in my book, “You Can Be Well.” Eating right, exercising, combating stress and eliminating toxins are needed as well.”

Dr. Maj states, “The mission at Community Chiropractic is to check as many people as possible for hidden health problems and to save them from a life of drugs and surgery. We do this in Chicago everyday yet if you aren’t in my practice; there is no way of knowing these vital steps.”

The biggest promise I have for people is that You Can Be Well, too!

Dr. Stephanie Maj is the clinic director for Community Chiropractic, a full service wellness center offering family health care, acupuncture, massage, orthotics and nutritional counseling. Dr. Maj has been practicing in the Lakeview area for 14 years. Her book You Can Be Well, can be purchased on Amazon.com or on her website, youcanbewell.net.

A new study adds more reason to why our bodies employ fevers as a defense against sickness.

Researchers from Roswell Park Cancer Institute found that a higher body temperature can help our immune systems to work better and harder against infected cells. The finding was published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology.

“Having a fever might be uncomfortable, … but this research report and several others are showing that having a fever is part of an effective immune response,” John Wherry, Ph.D., deputy editor of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, said in a statement.

Before, researchers thought that fevers worked by hindering dangerous microbes from multiplying, Wherry said.

But “this new work also suggests that the immune system might be temporarily enhanced functionally when our temperatures rise with fever,” he said in the statement, though he noted that the finding should only prompt people to reconsider how they treat mild fevers, and not fevers that are dangerously high.

The secret is in a kind of immune cell, or lymphocyte, called a CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell. This kind of lymphocyte is able to destroy cells infected with viruses and even tumor cells, researchers said. Researchers found that a higher body temperature (like one achieved in a fever) raises the number of these CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells, which means a greater body response against infection.

To find this, researchers injected mice with an antigen and saw how the CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells activated to react to the antigen. Then, they raised the body temperatures of half the mice by 2 degrees centigrade, while leaving the temperatures of the other = mice alone. They found that the mice whose body temperatures were raised had more of the CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells than the mice without raised body temps.

The rise in mouse’s body temperature is “similar to that that happens in fever,” study researcher Elizabeth Repasky told the Toronto Star.

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center clinical associate professor Dr. Amesh A. Adalja, who wasn’t involved with the study, told MSNBC that the finding shouldn’t mean a fever should never be treated because too-high fevers can lead to brain cell damage. Parents should still take care to lower fevers in children, particularly if the fever is above 102 degrees Fahrenheit, since high fever can lead to seizures, Adalja told MSNBC.

Adalja also warns it”s also not worth the risk to your own health if you have heart disease, have suffered a stroke or endure other medical complications. “This is not a blanket recommendation,” he says. “Secondary consequences to the fever can cause other conditions in the patient to occur or worsen. If someone has a persistent fever of 104, it’s a sign of infection, and it”s not just some viral thing you are going to get over.”

This is certainly not the first research to suggest that fevers ramp up our body’s immune responses. Discover magazine reported in 2007 on another Roswell Park Cancer Institute mouse study, which showed that mice that were heated up produced more immune cells to fight disease than mice that weren’t heated.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/03/fever-immune-system-cells_n_1074445.html

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net

Ever year my patients ask me to re-post my letter on the Flu Shot so here it is:

Hello Everyone!  I hope you all have had a wonderful summer season.  It is flu season approaching and I have been compelled to write my flu shot letter to all of my patients.  The news recently said that new recommendations came out telling parents to have their children, from ages 6 to 23 months, to get a flu shot.  They are then recommending that they have one each year for the rest of their life.

The calls and questions are beginning to start – “Should my child get a flu shot?  Should I get one too?” I wanted to write a letter addressing these questions.

Your medical doctor will tell you that flu shots are 100% safe.  This is absolutely false! And as to the effectiveness of flu shots, that is another question altogether.  The truth is that flu shots are notoriously ineffective and can actually be dangerous.  They cause untold cases of flu each year and last year, the CDC (Center for Disease Control) came out and admitted that the flu shot being given had NONE of the strains that were actually erupting all over the country.

Perhaps the most insidious of all problems with flu shots is their mercury content (it’s also called thimerosal).  An average flu shot contains 25 microns of mercury.  And one micron is considered toxic.  Mercury is a brain toxin already indicated as a causative agent in autism, dementia and Alzheimer’s.  Statistics show that if you have had 5 consecutive flu shots, that you have ten times the odds of getting Alzheimer’s as compared to a person who has had 2 flu shots or less.  This information is according to Hugh Fudenberg, MD, one of the world’s leading immunogeneticist – with 850 papers published in peer-reviewed journals.  Did your doctor mention the chances that you or your child might get the flu, be crippled, or even lose your mind from consecutive flu shots?  I doubt it.

Mercury-free flu shots are loaded with another harmful metal -ALUMINUM- which is shown to be an equally dangerous neurotoxin!

Our state has an act which strictly limits the amount of mercury in children’s vaccines.  The act states that shots made with mercury are a danger to your children.  Some manufacturers are starting to supply flu shots without thimerosal but these are not readily available and not given unless requested.   Remember also that the other ingredients aren’t much better:  aluminum, formaldehyde, ethylene glycol (antifreeze), phenol, benzethonium, methylparaben.

There is a better way!  So, my answer is, “AVOID THE FLU SHOTS LIKE THE PLAGUE!”  These flues affect only the immune compromised.  There are many ways to boost your immune system without subjecting yourself to these harmful shots, like:

1. Eat whole fruits and vegetables.  Limit sugar and processed foods.
2. Get exercise and fresh air.
3. Drink pure water – 2 quarts a day.
4. Quit smoking.
5. Get enough rest.
6. Take a potent multivitamin (we also have immune support supplements in the office).
7. Take hot salt baths.

And, finally, GET ADJUSTED! As you know, my ‘immune buster’ adjustment focuses on the areas in charge of your immune system.  Yes, your spinal nerves control immune function!  The healthier your nervous system, the healthier your immune system will be.  So, a stressed nervous system equals a stressed immune system.  Make Chiropractic part of your health and wellness choices this “flu season” for your family.

Have you had your kid’s spines checked? Building healthy immune system habits when kids are young will lead to healthier bodies throughout their lives.  My techniques are gentle, safe, and effective in keeping healthy kids healthy without drugs or harmful antibiotics.

I know this letter is direct.  The truth is that I care about the health of your kids and you.  My goal is to make you informed about the choices you are making, to give you options that are more holistic, and to work with your body to make you stronger.  So please call the office and make an appointment for you and your family to get your spines checked.  You will be happy you did.

Yours in Health!

Dr. Steph

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago since 1996. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net

Family Health Week is THIS WEEK – August 8th – 13th. Bring family in for check-ups and scoliosis screenings on us!  Below is a story about the importance of scoliosis screenings for kids.  Over 75% of my patients have a scoliosis when we x-ray them. These curves start when they are young. Prevention and early detection is key!

“Bend over and touch your toes” are the directions given to adolescents during a scoliosis screening. Unfortunately, this is usually the ONLY spinal exam most children have and has been shown to be ineffective in the best medical journal on the subject, “Spine!” What is equally upsetting is that over 75% of adult patients that come to our clinic have some form of abnormal spinal curvature that developed in childhood.

This toe touching screening test (Adams Test) is inadequate to detect abnormal spinal curves and is only as good as the examiner. In these school screenings, once a child is suspected of having scoliosis, further diagnosis is needed.   Most children are referred to an orthopedist. Unfortunately, lack of compliance, false-positive and  false negative tests, lack of conservative treatment options; all lead to the ineffectiveness of school spinal screenings for improving the outcomes of children with idiopathic scoliosis.

Over 75% of adult patients that come to our clinic have some form of abnormal spinal curvature that developed in childhood.

Scoliosis is the most common bony abnormality in the body, and is present in approximately 50% of the population in varying degrees (obviously higher with Chiropractic issues). Scoliosis is known to run in families.

Children-especially daughters-of women who have scoliosis are at increased risk for having scoliosis.

Girls are seven times more likely than boys to have a significant curve that requires treatment. Also, those that have spinal alignment issues and/or a short leg are also at increased risk.

Some of the more obvious signs of a significant scoliotic curve in the spine include; unevenness of shoulders and/or hip height, visible “crookedness” of the spine when viewed from behind, and a noticeable hump in the rib cage on one side. The complications from scoliosis, when advanced, include heart and lung disorders, degenerative spinal arthritis, muscular fatigue and joint dysfunction syndrome. The adolescent growth spurt (12-16 years) is the period when the curvature has a greater tendency to deform more rapidly.  Once a child has started their growth spurt, little can be done to arrest or reverse the development of scoliosis.  This is why early detection (BEFORE THE SPINE CURVES) and treatment is essential!

The Chiropractor is the only health practitioner qualified to handle the early diagnosis and prevention of scoliosis. A specific spinal exam, performed by a doctor of chiropractic, along with a safe and efficient surface EMG scan, is a better predictor of a child’s spinal health.  The surface EMG detects  abnormalities in the nerve system that can cause  imbalances in the pulling of the musculature, PRIOR to the spinal curvature.  X-ray is used in a limited basis to assess the initial curvature(or if the curve is even present) as well as a computerized postural assessment.

If our spines were visible from the outside, like our teeth, we would attend our spine regularly like we do our teeth. Unfortunately, some choose to ignore the parts of their body they can’t see. However, if we took better care of our spine, with regular chiropractic checkups, we would be in better health as we age!

Dr. Stephanie Maj is the author of the book, You Can Be Well! How to Improve Your Quality of Life Through a Healthier Lifestyle. She has been coaching families to a healthier lifestyle for over 16 years. Dr. Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Check out her blog at www.drmaj.com.

I was asked to contribute to this blog on my experience with Chiropractic and boosting energy. I hope you enjoy!  Dr. Steph

Looking for ways to boost your energy during the hot summer months? Read our latest, helpful blog article.

Feeling tired all too often? You’re not alone. Blazing hot temperatures and humid weather can really zap your energy, especially if you work in a concrete jungle. Looking for ways to increase your stamina, energy, and brain power through the summer?

• Start the day with the marvelous energy inducer – exercise. The old adage, you have to give to get is true when it relates to exercise and energy.
• Stay hydrated. Drink water before and after exercising to promote endurance and prevent fatigue.
• Get on your feet every hour, stretch and do at least 2 exercises before sitting down again.
• Walk, dance or exercise to music to motivate you, boosting your mood, and energy level. Make exercise something you look forward to.
• Do what you love, whether it’s swimming, ballet, basketball, Taekwondo, jogging, walking your dog, dancing, strolling in a park or taking a lap around the mall while window shopping.

• Getting less than 8 hours of sleep compromises your immune system, increases your chances of illness, reduces your ability to concentrate, and depletes your energy. A good night’s sleep is necessary to keep your body charged and your brain functioning well.
• Beverages containing caffeine and alcohol can dehydrate the body and increase chances of fatigue. Avoid drinking stimulating beverages close to bedtime. Studies show that when more than one alcoholic beverage is consumed, it stimulates the body, increases your heart rate and causes stress on your circulatory system.
• Getting in and out of a hot car is sure to zap your energy level. Save running errands for when the sun starts to set, when possible.
• If you exercise during your lunch break, avoid exercising outdoors in bright, open areas consisting largely of asphalt or concrete. Instead, exercise indoors or in a shaded area.
• Avoid these energy zappers: hot showers and baths or sitting in a hot tub or sauna.
• Don’t skip meals when you’re tired. Refrain from eating energy robbing foods: sugar, refined white flour products, highly processed foods and unhealthy fats. Consuming these foods also promotes unhealthy weight-gain, another huge energy robber.
• Avoid sitting for long periods of time. Get up and move every hour.

• Eat plenty of fresh fruits rich in water such as watermelon and vegetable or salad based meals instead of heavy red meat entrees.
• Consume these energy producing foods: green beans, grapes, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, almonds and pumpkin seeds, black beans, white fish, brown rice and unrefined, whole grains. Drink a healthy green drink daily. Wheatgrass is especially noted for increasing energy.
• These nutritional supplements fight fatigue and increase energy levels: MSM, bee pollen, magnesium and calcium, Brewer’s yeast, vitamin C, vitamin B Complex and ginseng. Consult your health practitioner before starting a supplement regimen, especially if you are taking medications, have allergies, or an existing health condition.
• Take a cold, refreshing shower or bath to rejuvenate energy levels before and after working outdoors, when you’re feeling hot or tired. Soaking your feet in cold water helps too. (If you have a heart condition or circulatory problem, check with your doctor before trying cold water treatments.)
• Practice good posture when sitting, standing or walking. Correct, strong posture allows you to breathe deeply and enhances your overall wellbeing. Ask your chiropractor to show you posture strengthening exercises.
• Fresh air and sunshine is invigorating, healthy and a mood enhancer. Spend 15 to 30 minutes outside daily for a healthy dose of vitamin D, as weather permits.

Note: Fatigue is a symptom of most illnesses. If fatigue is chronic, consult a health professional to determine if you need to adjust your diet, have a vitamin or mineral deficiency or other health condition.

By Dr. Stephanie Maj

Meet this week’s Chiropractic Care contributor: Dr. Stephanie Maj is the author of the book, You Can Be Well! How to Improve Your Quality of Life Through a Healthier Lifestyle. She has been coaching families to a healthier lifestyle for over 16 years. Dr. Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Check out her blog at www.drmaj.com.

You cannot have Wellness without Chiropractic!

• The flow of energy in the body travels through the body’s wiring system – the nervous system. That flow travels in a looping cycle over your brain and spinal cord, through the nerves and back to the spinal cord and then back to your brain. Chiropractic adjustments remove interference to this nerve flow and allow your energy to be balanced, your immune system to be strong and your resistance to stress, high.
• Chiropractors look for interferences in that natural flow of energy. Because your nerves come through every level of the spine, an unbalanced spine can create blockages that may cause physical and emotional fatigue.
• Understand that chiropractic adjustments “Turn your body’s power ON!” By removing the interference in the flow of the nerves, the body is able to achieve optimal function in all areas, thus unlocking the flow of energy and supercharging the body.

Finding a daily routine to include yoga in your life isn’t always easy and excuses can sometimes prevent you from creating a healthy and habitual yoga routine. This article focuses on the ways to ensure that yoga becomes a daily routine for you that is both enjoyable and beneficial, and in particular, that fits in with your life rather than feeling like an enormous burden.

Short and simple should be your focus instead of not at all…

1

Set aside a regular time for yoga. Once you make a decision to do something, you’re telling yourself that it is going to happen. If you’re new to yoga, it may not be a practical idea to practice yoga daily, especially while you’re getting used to yoga in your life. Instead, aim for at least one practice a week outside your regular class (if you attend a class), and gradually increase the days you’re practicing until it becomes daily without you finding this a hurdle. As you become more aware of the philosophy behind yoga and find yourself more attuned to it, daily practice will soon become part of who you are; there is no point rushing this natural realization – as yoga instructor Christina Brown says: “First, it becomes habit; then it becomes a lifestyle; then it becomes who you are.”

Some people find that keeping to a routine of the same time and same place each day is most beneficial. Your mind and your body will associate that time and place with yoga sessions, which can serve as great internal motivation. Be sure to pick a time when you know there will be no interruptions or distractions, such as early in the morning or late at night. The best times to practice yoga are considered to be sunrise and sunset.

2

Be kind to yourself when you practice yoga. Go slowly, especially in the beginning, and listen to your body. It knows what it can do. If it says “stop,” then stop. Don’t push it. Yoga is not a competitive sport; indeed, if you feel that way about it, you will not progress. If you push too hard, you probably won’t enjoy it, and you may hurt yourself.

Whenever possible, work with a teacher, and use books, videos and websites to supplement your classroom instruction. Most of all, stick with it. If you practice, you will improve.

Choose routines that work for you now. If you try to do yoga positions before you’re ready or keen to do them, it’s likely that you’ll set yourself up for a fall. Keep in mind that a little done often is always best for you and your body and giving 15 minutes of your time a day soon adds up over a week. Eventually you’ll be able to do more difficult routines as time goes on.

3

Be regular, not rigorous. It is far better to practice a little on a regular basis than to push yourself into a long practice on an irregular basis. It doesn’t matter if you can’t do certain poses for now. Do the ones you can do; better still, do the poses you enjoy. Perfect those before moving on to the ones you experience more difficulty with. Remind yourself that it is better that you’re doing some yoga than none at all.

Avoid adopting a negative mindset in which you tell yourself you “can’t” do certain poses. You can, it just may take some time and you may need to practice a great deal on the build-up poses that lead in to the more difficult ones. Practice does help!

4

Prepare well for each yoga session. Part of the comfort factor of yoga will be derived from how you prepare for it. Ensure that you have comfortable clothing that allows for freedom of movement and leaves the abdominal area and ribcage free to expand; avoid tight clothing. Make the area where you are practicing comfortable as well. Lay down a sticky yoga mat or a folded blanket and have a cushion handy to support your neck if needed. Ensure that the practice space is warm and quiet but well ventilated.

Practice yoga on an empty stomach. This is the best time for yoga practice, and it is a good idea to allow the digestion of a meal to be done before practicing yoga, so leave 2-4 hours between your meal and yoga practice.[3][4] Yoga before breakfast is an ideal option.

If you feel hungry prior to a yoga practice, drink a little diluted fruit juice or warm milk with honey.[5]

If you feel the cold easily, have a blanket to cover yourself for the relaxation phase of your practice.

5

Study each posture. The practice of yoga exercises or Asanas can improve your health, increase your resistance strength, and develop your mental awareness. Doing the yoga poses requires you to study each pose and to execute it slowly as you control your body and your mind. Read widely online and in yoga books so that you can understand both the mechanics behind the poses and the philosophical underpinnings of yoga.

Maintain full awareness when practicing poses. It is far better to stay aware and take it slowly during a pose than to hurriedly proceed through a whole group of them without pausing to reflect.

When you’re starting out in yoga, choose the easier exercises indicated by your yoga book, DVD, or teacher. Find the ones that fit with your physique naturally and perfect the basic instructions before moving on to the more challenging ones.

6

Decide on your best starting position. This may change over time depending on what you’re most comfortable with but it is important to have a starting position that grounds you and prepares you for the rest of the yoga session. A starting position is best when it helps you to focus awareness on breathing and the body, helps strengthen your lower back and opens the groin and hips. Here’s an example:

Sit cross-legged with hands on knees. Focus on your breath. Keep your spine straight and push the sit bones down into the floor. Allow the knees to gently lower. If the knees rise above your hips, sit on a cushion or block. This will help support your back and hips. Take 5 to 10 slow, deep breaths. On the next inhale, raise your arms over your head. Exhale and bring your arms down slowly. Repeat 5-7 times.

7

Rest between poses. Again, nothing should be rushed in yoga, and resting in between poses gives you time for reflection and your body a chance to take a break. Keep all movements slow and breathe calmly.

8

Fit yoga into your daily life. As well as dedicated yoga time, practice small elements of yoga throughout the day where possible. There are yoga moves you can practice using your office chair, simply standing, or while waiting. Practice inhalation and exhalation exercises anywhere at anytime. Close your eyes and do a few minutes quiet reflection amid the busyness of everything else going on around you.

9

Expect gradual improvement, not miracles. Daily practice will start to flow through in evident changes in your life but it won’t happen immediately and sometimes you might feel things are not happening at all. Give it time and suddenly you will realize that your daily practice is beneficial and is having a positive impact on the rest of your day. The body is happiest with regular practice and will respond well to your daily efforts.

10

Balance your routine. As you get more used to yoga and you’re into the swing of daily practice, aim for a balance of yoga exercises. Yoga expert Christina Brown recommends including at least one exercise from each of the following categories:[6]

• A flowing activity that increases your awareness of breathing
• A standing posture
• A side stretch
• A forward bend
• A backbend
• A twist
• An abdominal strengthener
• A balance
• An inversion
• Another forward bend

Final relaxation (Pranayama and meditation). You can choose to spend as long as you like in this final step.

11

Remember that time is always on your side in yoga. The more you practice, the better you will get but at your pace, not any pace set by a training manual or coach. Yoga is a journey, not competition or expectation of achievement. The great thing about yoga is that you continue to improve through life, and age has nothing to do with ability in yoga. Indeed, practicing yoga daily into your senior years is a goal to aspire to as it will keep you fit, confident, strong, flexible, mentally and physically balanced, and self-disciplined.

Don’t make a huge issue out of missing a day here and there. It happens, just pick up from where you left off. Body memory is powerful, so let your body ease back into it without allowing your mind to infect it with anxiety over missed practices!

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net