The Flu Season–is it really??

It’s that time of the year again — The Dreaded Flu Season!  But I ask you, what makes this time of the year “the flu season”?  Is it the simple transition of seasons that all of a sudden the flu strain begins to rear its ugly head or is it something more than that?  What immediately comes to my mind is the so called germ theory.  We are all familiar with this theory in one way or another.  It is the idea that diseases are due to specific microorganisms, which are capable of transmitting from body to body.  Most of us have fallen for this notion for it is so widely understood to be so.  It maybe time for us to think again.

A pandemic spread though European countries during the middle ages known as the Black Plague.  This pandemic was far worse than any pandemic that we have seen in this era and it took the lives of about 1/3 of the European population (approximately 25 million people).  But what I would like to make light of is not the fact that 1/3 of the population died, but to the fact that the other 2/3 of the population survived.  More often than not, those who survived lived underneath the same households as the victim, shared the same meals across the same family table.  I ask you, why didn’t they “catch” the disease? Why did they live? Maybe, they were just lucky?

Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that the disease itself did not exist; it is clearly well documented and is seen as one of the deadliest pandemics in human history.  But what I am arguing is the validity of the “germ theory of disease” itself, the overriding ideas in many people’s minds is that the exposure to a germ almost always equals disease, but realistically is that the case?  The germ, be it a virus or bacteria, might very well be the agent of disease, but the underlying cause is more complex than simply that.   If that was indeed the case, as chiropractic developer B.J. Palmer stated, “…there wouldn’t be anybody around to tell you about it!”  If our bodies can be kept whole and healthy, then the germs, which we come into contact with everyday, would have no consequence.

So I ask you, what would you think if the foundation on which the entire medical model stands is flawed?  What if the notion of the “germ theory” is not as black and white as we were once lead to believe?  When this theory was first proposed by famed scientist Louis Pasteur, it was highly controversial yet now it lies to be the cornerstone of modern medicine.  Funny, is the fact that the germ theory is not Pasteur’s last thoughts in regards to the idea of sickness and disease.

Through out the life of Pasteur there was on going debate about this theory between himself and one of his comtemporaries, Claude Bernard.  Bernard’s made claim that it is not the seed (the germ) that was the cause for disease but instead it was the soil (the human body).  Bernard believed that germs are nothing more than opportunistic organism, and if given a compromised environment they will thrive.  This ongoing debate persisted up until Pasteur’s deathbed, and at that time Pasteur finally conceded and admitted that Bernard was indeed right.  In the end, Pasteur came to realize that the germ was not the only element in determining who became sick and who remained well, that indeed the soil is everything and the seed is nothing!

There are many things that can contribute towards sickness and health.  Don’t allow yourself to simply accept the idea that sickness is inevitable–especially now, during the alleged cold and flu season–just because you are around sick people.  With chiropractic care, our goals is to have your body functioning at such a level that you don’t get sick very often–and when you do, your immune system, is stronger because of a more efficient body-brain communication – the nervous system, which allows your body to be able to fight off disease more readily, therefore letting your body recover more effectively and efficiently.

Adapted from the Pathways Issue 3 Fall 09 – A Chiropractic Look at the Germ Theory by Daniel A. Middleton, DC

Top 7 Tips for Pregnant Women

Studies have found that about half of all expectant mothers develop low-back pain at some point during their pregnancies. This is especially true during the third trimester when the baby’s body gains the most weight. Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy can relieve and even prevent the pain and discomfort frequently experienced in pregnancy, and creates an environment for an easier, safer delivery. It is one safe and effective way to help the spine and pelvis cope with the rapid increase in physical stress by restoring a state of balance. In fact, most women have found that chiropractic care helped them avoid the use of pain medications during their pregnancy, and studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments help to reduce time in labor. Your  chiropractor should be your partner for a healthy pregnancy. They can provide adjustments, as well as offer nutritional, ergonomic and exercise advice to help address your special needs.

1. Be sure to get adjusted regularly. Chiropractic care is important to help maintain a healthy skeletal structure and nervous system function throughout a pregnancy and childbirth.

2. Do some gentle exercise each day. Walking, swimming, or stationary cycling are relatively safe cardiovascular exercises for pregnant women. Avoid any activities that involve jerking or bouncing movements. Stop exercise immediately if you notice any unusual symptom, such as nausea, dizziness or weakness.

3. Wear flat shoes with arch supports. Your feet become more susceptible to injury during pregnancy, partially due to a rapidly increasing body weight, but also because the ligaments that support the feet become more lax.

4. When picking up children, bend from the knees, not the waist. Your low back is much more prone to injury during pregnancy.

5. When sleeping, lay on your side with a pillow between your knees to take pressure off your lower back. Full-length “body pillows” or “pregnancy wedges” are very popular and can be helpful.

6. Eat several small meals or snacks every few hours, rather than three large meals per day. This will help alleviate nausea, stabilize blood sugar and allow your body to extract the maximum amount of nutrients from the foods that you eat.

7. Take a prenatal vitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid every day; 800 micrograms is even better. Folic acid has been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of neural tube defects in a developing fetus. Be sure to check with your doctor before taking any vitamin or herbal supplement to make sure it’s safe for you and the baby.