I'm Not an Ophthalmologist, but ... Glaucoma

First of all, what's a Functional Medicine Chiropractor to do? I can't specialize in all things, but as word gets out that a bright generalist can often be of enormous help in understanding and resolving those stubborn symptoms and hopeless conditions, patients keep coming to me with; issues for which you might expect them to see a "specialist".

Any way, a new patient came in last week for treatment of diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and glaucoma. That's right; she did not come to me for treatment of neck pain nor back pain. The conversation that I would like to begin in this post is an inquiry into glaucoma.

As stated in the title of this post, I am not an ophthalmologist, so please don't take any of my comments as a prescription for you; be sure to consult your eye specialist.

But while on the subject of warnings and disclaimers, I would warn you to be cautious of doctors (of any kind) who do not bring to your attention the importance of giving thought to the causes of your ailments, particularly if they are of a serious nature and could result, for example, in the loss of your  eyesight.

So, as we talked about her health and numerous interconnected ailments, our attention turned to her glaucoma. I asked if she knew what caused her glaucoma, or what causes glaucoma in general. She did not. I said that I was curious about whether gluten sensitivity has ever been seen to be connected to the development of glaucoma. I told her that I would look into it since gluten sensitivity has been shown to be associated with so many otherwise unexplained symptoms and conditions. I told her that I would bet $50 that food sensitivities, even if not to gluten, play a role in the development of glaucoma.

When I found the time, I did a Google search using the terms "glaucoma" and "gluten sensitivity". The first page that came up was a page owned by the University of Maryland Medical Center. If the information on this page can be relied upon, I won the bet! Now, I am not going to try, in this one post, to comment on the enormous amount of information contained on this page that in one way or another can be utilized to further a rational, scientific discussion of glaucoma and its causes, but let me draw your attention to the section entitled "Who's Most At Risk?"

***  People with the following conditions or characteristics are at risk for glaucoma:
    Over 60 years of age
    Family history
    African American descent
    Diabetes
    Myopia (near sightedness)
    Taking certain drugs, such as antihistamines or blood pressure medications
    Food sensitivities
    Stress
    Sedentary lifestyle
    Hypothyroidism                                               ****

It makes sense that food sensitivities could contribute to glaucoma. They up-regulate the immune system, increase systemic inflammation, often damage specific body tissues, and consistently contribute to all manner of chronic degenerative diseases. Gluten sensitivity is, of course, a food sensitivity.

The overwhelming majority of hypothyroidism in America is Hashimoto's autoimmune hypothyroiditis. There is much evidence linking gluten sensitivity as a causative factor in Hashimoto's. If this is true, then it would appear that gluten sensitivity may be a causative factor in glaucoma.

There is a lot more to talk about regarding glaucoma and this UMMC webpage. For now, let us remember, that even if we are not ophthalmologists, we can commit ourselves to understanding the causes of our departures from healthful vitality.

Ventura Chiropractor

Weighing the Risks

Front page Ventura County Star - Sunday, June 17, 2012 by Tom Kisken

Great, needed article, and I am ready to weigh in.

But first, I want to be clear that it is not my intention to speak against, nor unkindly toward anyone; those with weight problems (health problems more accurately), those who have had or are considering bariatric surgery, not anyone. Rather, my comments are intended to bring light to the known risks, and to advise those who don't know that there is enormous evidence that there are better and safer ways for most people to lose weight and become healthy.

Risks to the individual are substantial. According to the Mayo Clinic, longer term risks and complications of weight-loss surgery vary depending on the type of surgery. They can include:
    Bowel obstruction
    Dumping syndrome, causing diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
    Gallstones
    Hernias
    Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
    Malnutrition
    Stomach perforation
    Ulcers
    Vomiting
    Death (rare)

Additionally there are risks to our culture both by the promotion of a fix that doesn't address the cause of obesity, and by the lack of attention to the lifestyle, nutritional, physiologic and emotional causes of obesity.

In my general practice, spanning almost 30 years, I have advised many patients that food allergies often cause weight gain. Removing dairy products from the diet often results in weight loss without counting calories or measuring portions. It is well known that removing gluten (the dominant protein in wheat) from the diet often results in weight loss. It is important to note that the removal of dairy and gluten don't just result in weight loss for many, but also clearly and consistently improve health, energy and mood.

A 32 year-old female patient of mine lost 65 pounds in 9 months when, as I advised, she took gluten completely out of her diet. She had struggled with her weight her entire life.

Most Americans are deficient in vitamin D; the sunshine vitamin. Turns out that low blood levels of vitamin D have been shown to correlate with difficulty shedding unhealthy pounds. 

There is no single magic bullet for weight loss (the real goal is getting well, excess fat loss follows), but I can tell you that patient after patient that I treat for weight issues, has never been previously advised that dairy products, gluten and low vitamin D can be powerful factors in weight gain. These are just 3 examples of factors that most obese and overweight individuals have never had the opportunity to consider or to experiment with for themselves.

My friend, Mark Hyman, MD is a world-renowned expert on weight loss through a Functional Medicine approach. His most recent New York Times bestseller is entitled The Blood Sugar Solution. If you want to really look at smart and doable ways to lose weight through becoming healthy, please read his book! Dr. Hyman helped President Clinton gain the amazing health that he has today, through this plan.

For me, this discussion of the obesity part of our disease epidemic, is not about who is wrong, bad, or to blame. It is about our mutual future, that calls for us to work together in friendship for our common good, our common health.


http://www.Ventura-Chiropractor.com

BREAKING NEWS!!! - Chiropractic Doesn't Work

Dr. Herbert Daly adjusts Dr. Young

Yes, it is strange that a chiropractor is breaking this news!

But, before you cancel your next appointment with your chiropractor, let's get beyond the sound-bite. First, let's look at the source of this story. In fact, there was no study done at any university that proved that chiropractic doesn't work. The news that I am reporting arose out of my own mental meanderings. It simply struck me this morning that chiropractic doesn't work.

As they do in "science", I will define my terms:

• BREAKING NEWS!!! - a story of the day
• Chiropractic - spinal manipulation, the central therapy of the chiropractic profession
• Doesn't Work - does not provide improvement in patients' symptoms nor function

Just to make this a bit more edgy, the other BREAKING NEWS!!! is that DRUGS DON'T WORK EITHER!!! But we can talk about that in a minute.

So this morning I was doing my yoga, taking my magnesium glycinate, having my gluten-free and diary-free breakfast, and thinking too much, when it popped into my mind that chiropractic spinal manipulation often does not work at resolving patients' pains, conditions, or diseases, when patients continue to live in the ways that caused the condition in the first place. I acknowledge that in some cases, usually for a limited time, symptoms can be resolved and function restored, with just spinal manipulation.

Now, back to those DRUGS.  You know that when an individual is diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure) or diabetes, that the first thing the average MD does is to prescribe a drug. And you may know that most patients are not adequately advised of the critical importance of lifestyle change to cure these conditions, so most of them take the drug and don't change their lives. Predictably, over time, the drug doesn't work and the MD has to increase the dose, change to another drug, or add a second or third drug. And, of course, we know that the DRUG DIDN'T WORK because as quickly as the patient stops the drug, the symptoms or functional imbalances return.

It is not BREAKING NEWS!!! that improved lifestyle --- exercise, more veggies, loving relationships, removing food allergens from the diet, ample sleep, meditation, vitamins --- improves everything and makes all treatments, drugs or chiropractic spinal manipulation work better.

CHIROPRACTIC SPINAL MANIPULATION actually WORKS GREAT WHEN DONE BY SKILLED INDIVIDUALS!!! - but it works even better when patients are actively, consciously, and knowledgeably engaged in improving the ways in which they live.

What is your LIFESTYLE? Please post below, one aspect of your lifestyle that you want to improve.

Lest there be any confusion, I love spinal manipulation for myself, my family and for my patients. It is a remarkable, powerful and extremely safe therapy. 30 years of adjusting thousands of spines has provided innumerable experiences of instant improvement and of relief from previously untreatable conditions.


Ventura Chiropractor

Bee Gees Gluten Sensitive?

We're the Bee Gees gluten sensitive?

Ventura Chiropractor

Political Health

Tonight, rather than a regular meeting of Community of Health Ventura, I will be working for a particular political campaign.

Some dislike "politics" and think that they can simply not participate. This would be analogous to disliking cancer and thinking that one could simply ignore cancer, and the factors that influence it, and somehow be insulated from it.

I feel at greater peace, and am therefore in a state of greater health, when our local and national governments are efficiently functioning for the greater good of all people. I am also at greater peace when I am directly contributing to the improvement of our governments.

Tonight I will be contributing to the health of our politics, our government, and to my own health.

If your view of the world in which we live, is similar to mine, I hope that you will make a contribution of time or money to a campaign that you feel will improve our lives; it will surely improve yours.

Tuesday, June 5th is our primary election here in the State of California.

Dr. Young

Bombshell Hopefully

As you see on the cover of her new book, Suzanne promises "MEDICAL SECRETS THAT WILL REDEFINE AGING". This is exciting, and I hope she delivers. (Please let me know what you think if you get to reading it before I do.)

But ... I would point out that there is general medical knowledge - no secrets - that already redefines aging.

Like ...eat more vegetables, get more exercise, get more sleep, meditate, develop loving relationships.

These knowns are not so sexy, but available to most of us. I would bet that some of those "MEDICAL SECRETS" cost an arm and a leg.

To health!

Kristofer Young, DC
Functional Medicine Chiropractor
http://Ventura-Chiropractor.com

Things Sneak Up On Us

photo by Mike Baird from Flickr

Not unlike rough seas, things can sneak up on us.

Things like heart attacks ... cancers ... dementia ... arthritis ... diabetes ... vision loss ... hearing loss ... dental caries ... divorce.

But do things have to sneak up on us? Is there nothing we can do?

Unlike rough seas, the illnesses and challenges that I have listed above, do not arise suddenly. They take years to develop. So, while it is true that it is risky being alive, we usually have time, and can massively reduce the risk of these things sneaking up on us by living healthfully.

First of all, don't try to do this on your own. A buddy system or a health support group are keys to success.

Begin to learn what foods are harming you, and get rid of them. Dairy? Gluten? Eggs? Corn? Nightshades? Beer? Sugar? Almonds?

Increase the quantity and variety of the organic vegetables that you eat.

Take a great mulitvitamin, some quality fish oil, and some magnesium glycinate.

Walk, yoga-stretch and meditate 5 times a week.

Have a blood test for your Vitamin D level.

Establish a relationship with a doctor who does more than just crack backs or prescribe drugs; one who will teach you, guide you and inspire you on your path to health.

Commit publicly to a life of health.

Wondering about the divorce part? Well, it does tend to sneak up on us like a heart attack. Better health makes for better mood and behavior, and therefore better conditions for marriage. But if I were you, I would also find a coach to teach you about Nonviolent Communication (developed by Marshall Rosenberg, PhD). The quality of our marriage directly affects our health.

Functional Medicine Looking Ahead

"Despite growing recognition of the inherent inability of the acute-care model to cope with the epidemic of chronic disease, the medical community has failed to identify and implement an effective new model."

This important quote is taken from the website of the Institute for Functional Medicine.
http://www.functionalmedicine.org/

Trend-Setting Doctor

It is usually not easy setting trends, so it felt great to get this note today, in the form of a Google review, from a thoughtful and loving patient.

"Dr. Kris is the most caring Dr. I have ever known. I do have to say he is a trend setter not a trend follower. I have known him for years and he was the only Dr. that never wanted to see me on a regular basis. He taught me stretching exercises to keep my back in order. I haven't seen him in many years but what he did for me is invaluable. Most recently, something he has been saying for years NO DAIRY landed on my doorstep when we almost lost a dear friend of ours. The short story.... A man of fifty ended up in the hospital for 21 days and walked out weak and with a pacemaker. The concern was if the pacemaker was rejected he would need a heart transplant. In a round about way through family members he was told to watch the documentary "Fork and Knife". This man, an avid hunter, a man's kinda of man is now totally Vegan. The most the doctor's expected was only 35% of heart working. In just a handful of months he is at 50% and looks great. Kevin is a walking miracle. I just heard this on Saturday and it brought tears to my eyes because Dr. Kristofer Young has been saying this for twenty years. He is an amazing man and I trust him with my life and Kevin's too."

Being a doctor who discuss with every patient the scientific reality of the enormity of the illness and disease caused by foods, is not an easy job. It is however, extremely rewarding. And while it doesn't necessarily put me in the same league with Dean Ornish, MD and Mark Hyman, MD, it does put me in their company.

If you are looking to set a trend in your own life, try 30 days off of ALL dairy products and ALL gluten. This experiment is not the answer to all ills, but most people will be shocked by the improvement in their lives.

Note: the photo above is of Functional Medicine doctors David Perlmutter, Wendy Warner, Mark Hyman, and Susan Blum , featured recently on the Dr. Oz Show - each of them discusses food with their patients.


Chiropractor in Ventura, CA

Label GMOs

http://www.labelgmos.org/

At 7:00 PM tonight I will be at a training meeting for signature gatherers for the ballot initiative this year to require labeling of foods that have been genetically modified. 

Tuesday, January 3, 7 PM at the Ojai Valley Grange Hall, 381 Cruzero Street, Ojai, CA 93023 

Please tell 3 friends, and come on down and help us make sure we know what we are eating. - Kris

http://www.rinconvitova.com/CA_label_GMO.htm