Drinking Soda Pop can Ruin Your Bone and Joint Health
In my San Diego Chiropractic office we see many people for neck pain, back pain, headaches and various other types of pain. In the summer time it is not uncommon to see many of those people walk into my office with a Big Gulp from the 7 Eleven across the street.
Sometimes I like to depart from the obvious when discussing the health of your spine. There are probably many of you who are reading this article while enjoying a tall glass of soda over ice.
This article should make you second guess EVER reaching for soda again.
Did you know that the average American drinks an estimated 56 gallons of soft drinks each year? Next time you are craving a soda, consider this: one can of soda has 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, 30 to 55 mg of caffeine, and is loaded with artificial food colors and sulphites.
Soda has absolutely no nutritional value. Studies have linked soda to osteoporosis, obesity, tooth decay and heart disease. Despite the long list of negative health effects, soda accounts for more than one-quarter of all drinks consumed in the United States, and its consumption is becoming more prevalent. In the last 10 years, soft drink consumption among children has almost doubled in the United States. It is estimated that teenage boys drink three or more cans of soda per day, and 10 percent drink seven or more cans a day. The average soda consumption for teenage girls is two cans per day, and 10 percent drink more than five cans a day.
Let’s take a look at the major ingredients in a can of soda:
• Phosphoric Acid: May interfere with the body's ability to absorb calcium, which leads to osteoporosis of the teeth and bones. Phosphoric acid neutralizes hydrochloric acid in your stomach, which interferes with digestion, making it difficult to utilize the nutrients from the healthy foods that we eat.
• Sugar: Soda manufacturers are the largest single user of refined sugar in the United States. Sugar consumption increases insulin levels, which lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, premature aging and many other undesirable side effects. Most sodas include over 100 percent of the RDA for sugar. Think of the average teenage boy who has 3 cans per day!
• Aspartame: This chemical is used as a sugar substitute in diet soda. There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption including brain tumors, digestive problems, birth defects, diabetes, emotional disorders and epilepsy/seizures. When aspartame is stored for long periods of time or kept in warm areas it changes to methanol that converts to formaldehyde and formic acid. Both are known carcinogens. Formaldehyde is the stuff they preserve the dead with!
• Caffeine: Caffeinated drinks cause anxiety, insomnia, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, elevated blood cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral depletion, breast lumps, birth defects, and perhaps some forms of cancer.
If you are still drinking soda, stopping the habit is an easy way to improve your health. Pure, filtered water is a much better choice. If you must drink a carbonated beverage, try sparkling mineral water.
From a chiropractors stand point, bone weakening is a major concern. As a chiropractor, I spend my days helping my patients improve the biomechanics of their joints. If the patients are consuming soda and engaging in other detrimental practices, our efforts become less likely to have desirable results.
Animal studies demonstrate that phosphorus depletes bones of calcium and two recent human studies found that girls who drink more soda are more prone to broken bones. Phosphorus appears to weaken bones by promoting the loss of calcium. With less calcium available, the bones become more porous and more brittle.
As long ago as a 1994 Harvard study of bone fractures in teenage athletes found a strong association between cola beverage consumption and bone fractures in 14-year-old girls. The girls who drank cola were about five times more likely to suffer bone fractures than girls who didn't consume soda. All of this is due to phosphorus consumption.
The potential damage of bone loss is compounded by the growing numbers of obese people in the United States. The combination of weakened bones with increasing body weight can certainly undermine our future health.
Trying to stop drinking soda is difficult. Both sugar and caffeine make soda an addicting substance. It is best to stop drinking soda by going “cold turkey”. Remember if you slip up to keep trying to quit.
Stop drinking soda today. Your body will be much healthier without it.
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
Dec 28, 2009
Dec 18, 2009
Breathing with the diaphragm will unload the neck muscles
Breathing with the diaphragm will unload the neck muscles. Place one hand on your chest and one on your abdomen. With inhalation, make the belly push the hand outwards, and don’t move the chest hand at all. Inhaling through the nostrils and exhaling through the mouth will help you when practicing this exercise. Soon enough, you will do this naturally. This process is repeated over the course of five minutes, gradually working into deeper abdominal breathing without breathing into the chest at all.
This is a method of breathing that many singing coaches and people who teach meditation also offer their students. It can be practiced at home to start, and eventually you can do it in your workplace without attracting attention. Start and end each day with this exercise to afford more relaxation during the day and a more restful sleep. Once you get it down, you can use it to release tension at the office, in your car or even during a heated discussion. The hands will disappear, and this self-care skill you have learned will become a vital part of your day.
Another way to release tension from the neck is through slow neck rolls. In practicing this exercise, the rolling should be coordinated with the breathing so as not to carry your head back too far. The ear should never go behind the shoulder.
To start, sit comfortably in a chair with feet flat on the floor. Take a deep breath, and let your head fall forward toward your chest as you exhale. Slowly roll your head to the right as you inhale again, and exhale as you bring your head back to center. Now inhale as you roll your head to the left. Exhale as you come back to center again. Remember that this is a slow exercise. Breathing should be timed so that the ear is above the shoulder as full inhalation is reached. Again, do this for five minutes. You will be amazed at how the stress and tension drift away.
Sitting for long periods of time at a poor workstation causes the head to fall forward and out of alignment. This causes the muscles at the base of your skull to get tighter and tighter. This is one way that tension headaches begin. To get relief, all you need do is to let your head fall slowly toward your chest until tension is felt at the base of the skull. At this point, pull on the back of your head gently with one hand. Then look up into your eyebrows and take a deep breath. Hold the breath and hold the gaze for as long as is comfortable.
Then exhale and unfocus your eyes, letting the weight of your hand pull the head further downward as the muscles relax. As the tension increases at the back of your neck, repeat the motions again with looking up and inhaling. It is suggested that this exercise be repeated five to eight times whenever tension builds up at the base of your skull.
There is one more exercise that will help relax and strengthen your neck muscles. Let your head fall forward toward your chest until all the curve has been taken out of your neck. At this point, place one hand behind your head and push gently forward. Using your neck muscles, push the hand backward as the head is brought back and the chest brought up and forward. Pause for a second, and then slowly relax your neck and let the hand push the head forward again. Repeat this 10 to 12 times. Your neck muscles will get stronger over a period of time.
Don't forget to breathe!
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
This is a method of breathing that many singing coaches and people who teach meditation also offer their students. It can be practiced at home to start, and eventually you can do it in your workplace without attracting attention. Start and end each day with this exercise to afford more relaxation during the day and a more restful sleep. Once you get it down, you can use it to release tension at the office, in your car or even during a heated discussion. The hands will disappear, and this self-care skill you have learned will become a vital part of your day.
Another way to release tension from the neck is through slow neck rolls. In practicing this exercise, the rolling should be coordinated with the breathing so as not to carry your head back too far. The ear should never go behind the shoulder.
To start, sit comfortably in a chair with feet flat on the floor. Take a deep breath, and let your head fall forward toward your chest as you exhale. Slowly roll your head to the right as you inhale again, and exhale as you bring your head back to center. Now inhale as you roll your head to the left. Exhale as you come back to center again. Remember that this is a slow exercise. Breathing should be timed so that the ear is above the shoulder as full inhalation is reached. Again, do this for five minutes. You will be amazed at how the stress and tension drift away.
Sitting for long periods of time at a poor workstation causes the head to fall forward and out of alignment. This causes the muscles at the base of your skull to get tighter and tighter. This is one way that tension headaches begin. To get relief, all you need do is to let your head fall slowly toward your chest until tension is felt at the base of the skull. At this point, pull on the back of your head gently with one hand. Then look up into your eyebrows and take a deep breath. Hold the breath and hold the gaze for as long as is comfortable.
Then exhale and unfocus your eyes, letting the weight of your hand pull the head further downward as the muscles relax. As the tension increases at the back of your neck, repeat the motions again with looking up and inhaling. It is suggested that this exercise be repeated five to eight times whenever tension builds up at the base of your skull.
There is one more exercise that will help relax and strengthen your neck muscles. Let your head fall forward toward your chest until all the curve has been taken out of your neck. At this point, place one hand behind your head and push gently forward. Using your neck muscles, push the hand backward as the head is brought back and the chest brought up and forward. Pause for a second, and then slowly relax your neck and let the hand push the head forward again. Repeat this 10 to 12 times. Your neck muscles will get stronger over a period of time.
Don't forget to breathe!
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
Dec 8, 2009
Can Chiropractic Care Save Our Students
Can Chiropractic Care Save Our Students
Computer work gives me a pain in the neck! It probably gives you a pain in the neck too.
I graduated in 1991 and at the time I can say that I made it through school without ever owning a computer. I bought my first computer in 1995 and didn’t really start spending more than a few hours on it daily until maybe 2003. In this relatively short period of computer use, I have developed postural stress issues despite my efforts to keep it at bay.
I began practicing chiropractic in San Diego in 1993 and at that time my practice consisted of patients suffering from typical complaints. It was unusual to get patients that complained of neck pain, back pain, headaches or sciatica that wasn’t a result of some specific injury, auto accident or work injury.
Now my chiropractic patients are different. I still practice in San Diego and my patients still complain of neck pain, back pain, headaches and sciatica but these symptoms begin with a different type of injury.
And it is scary!
Most of the injuries that I see today are due to sedentary tasks. Most of these tasks involve computer use and postural stress. The scary thing about these injuries is that I hear from my patients with kids that their kids are using computers both at home and in school.
I know how computer work has affected me with less than 5 years of moderate use. Students of all ages are using computers for everything.
By the time today’s’ kids are in their 30s or 40s, they will have had over 20 years of exposure to the postural stresses associated with computer use. Considering the frequency with which I see computer related stress syndromes now, it is hard to imagine how much of these disorders will be seen in another 20 years.
The health of tomorrows computer users will rely on ergonomically designed work stations combined with stretching, exercise and chiropractic therapy to help relieve the effects of computer related postural stress.
Computer work gives me a pain in the neck! It probably gives you a pain in the neck too.
I graduated in 1991 and at the time I can say that I made it through school without ever owning a computer. I bought my first computer in 1995 and didn’t really start spending more than a few hours on it daily until maybe 2003. In this relatively short period of computer use, I have developed postural stress issues despite my efforts to keep it at bay.
I began practicing chiropractic in San Diego in 1993 and at that time my practice consisted of patients suffering from typical complaints. It was unusual to get patients that complained of neck pain, back pain, headaches or sciatica that wasn’t a result of some specific injury, auto accident or work injury.
Now my chiropractic patients are different. I still practice in San Diego and my patients still complain of neck pain, back pain, headaches and sciatica but these symptoms begin with a different type of injury.
And it is scary!
Most of the injuries that I see today are due to sedentary tasks. Most of these tasks involve computer use and postural stress. The scary thing about these injuries is that I hear from my patients with kids that their kids are using computers both at home and in school.
I know how computer work has affected me with less than 5 years of moderate use. Students of all ages are using computers for everything.
By the time today’s’ kids are in their 30s or 40s, they will have had over 20 years of exposure to the postural stresses associated with computer use. Considering the frequency with which I see computer related stress syndromes now, it is hard to imagine how much of these disorders will be seen in another 20 years.
The health of tomorrows computer users will rely on ergonomically designed work stations combined with stretching, exercise and chiropractic therapy to help relieve the effects of computer related postural stress.
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
Nov 18, 2009
Back Pain and Arthritis
Back Pain and Arthritis
Arthritis is a scary word to most people.
In my San Diego Chiropractic clinic, I see people each day who suffer from the effects of arthritis. Besides the fact the in general arthritis slows you down and limits your physical abilities, it also causes pain. Neck pain, back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain and even headaches (secondary to the neck pain) are common complaints from people with arthritis.
Most of the patients that we provide chiropractic treatment for are suffering from a type of arthritis know as osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease, degenerative arthritis and wear & tear arthritis. The term osteoarthritis does describe a type of arthritis that occurs because of a wearing down of the joint.
In some cases, osteoarthritis is the result of some injury to the joint that resulted in unnatural or awkward movements of that joint. In the medical community we refer to these abnormal movements as “biomechanical abnormalities” In many cases, a joint has to be exposed to biomechanical abnormalities for years before the joint becomes laden with arthritis.
In my chiropractic office, we treat many patients for automobile accidents. I always tell these patients that while I am not trying to minimize the pain that they are currently suffering from, the most important aspect of their entire treatment program is to help restore normal biomechanics of the spine. This is because eliminating the pain associated with car accident injuries is important but the initial pain that comes with a car accident is only a fraction of the long-term discomfort that comes with biomechanical abnormalities.
Of course I am referring to a process that involves whiplash of a joint leading to scar tissue formation causing abnormal biomechanics that results in arthritic joints.
We do provide effective treatment for the PAIN of arthritis but there is no treatment that CURES it.
The bottom line is this: If you have neck pain or back pain now, get treatment for it becomes an incurable disorder like arthritis.
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
Arthritis is a scary word to most people.
In my San Diego Chiropractic clinic, I see people each day who suffer from the effects of arthritis. Besides the fact the in general arthritis slows you down and limits your physical abilities, it also causes pain. Neck pain, back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain and even headaches (secondary to the neck pain) are common complaints from people with arthritis.
Most of the patients that we provide chiropractic treatment for are suffering from a type of arthritis know as osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease, degenerative arthritis and wear & tear arthritis. The term osteoarthritis does describe a type of arthritis that occurs because of a wearing down of the joint.
In some cases, osteoarthritis is the result of some injury to the joint that resulted in unnatural or awkward movements of that joint. In the medical community we refer to these abnormal movements as “biomechanical abnormalities” In many cases, a joint has to be exposed to biomechanical abnormalities for years before the joint becomes laden with arthritis.
In my chiropractic office, we treat many patients for automobile accidents. I always tell these patients that while I am not trying to minimize the pain that they are currently suffering from, the most important aspect of their entire treatment program is to help restore normal biomechanics of the spine. This is because eliminating the pain associated with car accident injuries is important but the initial pain that comes with a car accident is only a fraction of the long-term discomfort that comes with biomechanical abnormalities.
Of course I am referring to a process that involves whiplash of a joint leading to scar tissue formation causing abnormal biomechanics that results in arthritic joints.
We do provide effective treatment for the PAIN of arthritis but there is no treatment that CURES it.
The bottom line is this: If you have neck pain or back pain now, get treatment for it becomes an incurable disorder like arthritis.
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
Nov 8, 2009
Better Health through Diet and Chiropractic
Better Health through Diet and Chiropractic
A lack of symptoms or sickness does not make you well.
Every patient in my San Diego Chiropractic practice wants to be healthy. The question is, however, what is health? And, how do we “get” healthy?
In my San Diego chiropractic clinic, I always try to encourage health maintenance beyond the treatment of neck pain, back pain and headaches that represent the bulk of my patients’ concerns. Many of my current patients entertain the idea of making lifestyle changes for the sake of improving their overall health picture. That being said, some want nothing to do with it. This is a shortsighted view of your health.
I always explain to my patients that with the exception of some catastrophic injury, most cases of neck pain and back pain begin as a mild irritation that we are totally unaware of. With time and additional stresses, these slight irritations can become magnified to the point where they become symptomatic.
Our diets act the same way. A few poor meal choices won’t destroy your health by themselves, but frequent poor meal choices over longer periods of time can have a significant negative impact on your health. You only have to look at a McDonalds or Burger King drive-through to see the long lines of people making poor food choices. These people who make frequent poor food choices (fast foods in this example) probably won’t suffer anything more than a little indigestion as a result of each meal. However, the accumulation of the effects of all of these poor food choices will do damage down the road.
Unfortunately, this all becomes more apparent as we age. We pay for our poor eating habits as we age for a couple of reasons. First of all, poor eating choices become habitual. Like any bad habit, changing poor eating habits is difficult. Secondly, with normal aging, our metabolism slows making our poor eating habits more detrimental than they were when we were younger and more active.
Regaining your health takes work on several fronts. Some of these things you can accomplish yourself and other things you need help with.
Patients that come to my chiropractic office for treatment for their neck pain or back pain often find this task one of the easy parts of getting healthy. In order to get help with pain, all the patients have to do is come to the office for their treatment.
The difficult part of restoring your health is dealing with the bad habits that result in ill health. Unhealthy diets, smoking, drinking and the like are major culprits that can easily derail any efforts that we make with exercise and conservative chiropractic treatment. Overcoming bad habits takes an exceptionally motivated person. Thank goodness that San Diego is such a perfect setting for complimenting healthy lifestyles. Focus and you can overcome them and have a healthier body to show for it.
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
A lack of symptoms or sickness does not make you well.
Every patient in my San Diego Chiropractic practice wants to be healthy. The question is, however, what is health? And, how do we “get” healthy?
In my San Diego chiropractic clinic, I always try to encourage health maintenance beyond the treatment of neck pain, back pain and headaches that represent the bulk of my patients’ concerns. Many of my current patients entertain the idea of making lifestyle changes for the sake of improving their overall health picture. That being said, some want nothing to do with it. This is a shortsighted view of your health.
I always explain to my patients that with the exception of some catastrophic injury, most cases of neck pain and back pain begin as a mild irritation that we are totally unaware of. With time and additional stresses, these slight irritations can become magnified to the point where they become symptomatic.
Our diets act the same way. A few poor meal choices won’t destroy your health by themselves, but frequent poor meal choices over longer periods of time can have a significant negative impact on your health. You only have to look at a McDonalds or Burger King drive-through to see the long lines of people making poor food choices. These people who make frequent poor food choices (fast foods in this example) probably won’t suffer anything more than a little indigestion as a result of each meal. However, the accumulation of the effects of all of these poor food choices will do damage down the road.
Unfortunately, this all becomes more apparent as we age. We pay for our poor eating habits as we age for a couple of reasons. First of all, poor eating choices become habitual. Like any bad habit, changing poor eating habits is difficult. Secondly, with normal aging, our metabolism slows making our poor eating habits more detrimental than they were when we were younger and more active.
Regaining your health takes work on several fronts. Some of these things you can accomplish yourself and other things you need help with.
Patients that come to my chiropractic office for treatment for their neck pain or back pain often find this task one of the easy parts of getting healthy. In order to get help with pain, all the patients have to do is come to the office for their treatment.
The difficult part of restoring your health is dealing with the bad habits that result in ill health. Unhealthy diets, smoking, drinking and the like are major culprits that can easily derail any efforts that we make with exercise and conservative chiropractic treatment. Overcoming bad habits takes an exceptionally motivated person. Thank goodness that San Diego is such a perfect setting for complimenting healthy lifestyles. Focus and you can overcome them and have a healthier body to show for it.
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
Oct 30, 2009
Aspartame the most dangerous substance on the market
Aspartame is, by far, the most dangerous substance on the market that is added to foods.
Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. It was discovered by accident in 1965 when James Schlatter, a chemist of G.D. Searle Company, was testing an anti-ulcer drug.
Aspartame was approved for dry goods in 1981 and for carbonated beverages in 1983. It was originally approved for dry goods on July 26, 1974, but objections filed by neuroscience researcher Dr John W. Olney and Consumer attorney James Turner in August 1974 as well as investigations of G.D. Searle's research practices caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to put approval of aspartame on hold (December 5, 1974). In 1985, Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle and made Searle Pharmaceuticals and The NutraSweet Company separate subsidiaries.
Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death.(1) A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.
According to researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame, the following chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened by ingesting of aspartame:(2) Brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, parkinson's disease, alzheimer's, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.
Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. The book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," by James and Phyllis Balch, lists aspartame under the category of "chemical poison." As you shall see, that is exactly what it is.
What Is Aspartame Made Of?
Aspartic Acid (40 percent of aspartame)
Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of Mississippi, recently published a book thoroughly detailing the damage that is caused by the ingestion of excessive aspartic acid from aspartame. Blaylock makes use of almost 500 scientific references to show how excess free excitatory amino acids such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid (about 99 percent of monosodium glutamate (MSG) is glutamic acid) in our food supply are causing serious chronic neurological disorders and a myriad of other acute symptoms.(3)
How Aspartate (and Glutamate) Cause Damage
Aspartate and glutamate act as neurotransmitters in the brain by facilitating the transmission of information from neuron to neuron. Too much aspartate or glutamate in the brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill the cells. The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartate and glutamate is why they are referred to as "excitotoxins." They "excite" or stimulate the neural cells to death.
Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Taken in its free form (unbound to proteins) it significantly raises the blood plasma level of aspartate and glutamate. The excess aspartate and glutamate in the blood plasma shortly after ingesting aspartame or products with free glutamic acid (glutamate precursor) leads to a high level of those neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain.
The blood brain barrier (BBB), which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins, 1) is not fully developed during childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.
The excess glutamate and aspartate slowly begin to destroy neurons. The large majority (75 percent or more) of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. A few of the many chronic illnesses that have been shown to be contributed to by long-term exposure to excitatory amino acid damage include:
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• ALS
• Memory loss
• Hormonal problems
• Hearing loss
• Epilepsy
• Alzheimer's disease
• Parkinson's disease
• Hypoglycemia
• AIDS
• Dementia
• Brain lesions
• Neuroendocrine disorders
The risk to infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and persons with certain chronic health problems from excitotoxins are great. Even the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), which usually understates problems and mimics the FDA party-line, recently stated in a review that:
"It is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of L-glutamic acid by pregnant women, infants, and children. The existence of evidence of potential endocrine responses, i.e., elevated cortisol and prolactin, and differential responses between males and females, would also suggest a neuroendocrine link and that supplemental L-glutamic acid should be avoided by women of childbearing age and individuals with affective disorders."(4)
Aspartic acid from aspartame has the same deleterious effects on the body as glutamic acid.
The exact mechanism of acute reactions to excess free glutamate and aspartate is currently being debated. As reported to the FDA, those reactions include:(5)
• Headaches/migraines
• Nausea
• Abdominal pains
• Fatigue (blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain)
• Sleep problems
• Vision problems
• Anxiety attacks
• Depression
• Asthma/chest tightness.
One common complaint of persons suffering from the effect of aspartame is memory loss. Ironically, in 1987, G.D. Searle, the manufacturer of aspartame, undertook a search for a drug to combat memory loss caused by excitatory amino acid damage. Blaylock is one of many scientists and physicians who are concerned about excitatory amino acid damage caused by ingestion of aspartame and MSG.
A few of the many experts who have spoken out against the damage being caused by aspartate and glutamate include Adrienne Samuels, Ph.D., an experimental psychologist specializing in research design. Another is Olney, a professor in the department of psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University, a neuroscientist and researcher, and one of the world's foremost authorities on excitotoxins. (He informed Searle in 1971 that aspartic acid caused holes in the brains of mice.)
Phenylalanine (50 percent of aspartame)
Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Persons with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine. This leads to dangerously high levels of phenylalanine in the brain (sometimes lethal). It has been shown that ingesting aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates, can lead to excess levels of phenylalanine in the brain even in persons who do not have PKU.
This is not just a theory, as many people who have eaten large amounts of aspartame over a long period of time and do not have PKU have been shown to have excessive levels of phenylalanine in the blood. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of seratonin in the brain to decrease, leading to emotional disorders such as depression. It was shown in human testing that phenylalanine levels of the blood were increased significantly in human subjects who chronically used aspartame.(6)
Even a single use of aspartame raised the blood phenylalanine levels. In his testimony before the U.S. Congress, Dr. Louis J. Elsas showed that high blood phenylalanine can be concentrated in parts of the brain and is especially dangerous for infants and fetuses. He also showed that phenylalanine is metabolised much more effeciently by rodents than by humans.(7)
One account of a case of extremely high phenylalanine levels caused by aspartame was recently published the "Wednesday Journal" in an article titled "An Aspartame Nightmare." John Cook began drinking six to eight diet drinks every day. His symptoms started out as memory loss and frequent headaches. He began to crave more aspartame-sweetened drinks. His condition deteriorated so much that he experienced wide mood swings and violent rages. Even though he did not suffer from PKU, a blood test revealed a phenylalanine level of 80 mg/dl. He also showed abnormal brain function and brain damage. After he kicked his aspartame habit, his symptoms improved dramatically.(8)
As Blaylock points out in his book, early studies measuring phenylalanine buildup in the brain were flawed. Investigators who measured specific brain regions and not the average throughout the brain notice significant rises in phenylalanine levels. Specifically the hypothalamus, medulla oblongata, and corpus striatum areas of the brain had the largest increases in phenylalanine. Blaylock goes on to point out that excessive buildup of phenylalanine in the brain can cause schizophrenia or make one more susceptible to seizures.
Therefore, long-term, excessive use of aspartame may provid a boost to sales of seratonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac and drugs to control schizophrenia and seizures.
Methanol (aka wood alcohol/poison) (10 percent of aspartame)
Methanol/wood alcohol is a deadly poison. Some people may remember methanol as the poison that has caused some "skid row" alcoholics to end up blind or dead. Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame encounter the enzyme chymotrypsin.
The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade). This would occur when aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is heated (e.g., as part of a "food" product such as Jello).
Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol "is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic." They recommend a limit of consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.(9)
Symptoms from methanol poisoning include headaches, ear buzzing, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, vertigo, chills, memory lapses, numbness and shooting pains in the extremities, behavioral disturbances, and neuritis. The most well known problems from methanol poisoning are vision problems including misty vision, progressive contraction of visual fields, blurring of vision, obscuration of vision, retinal damage, and blindness. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, causes retinal damage, interferes with DNA replication and causes birth defects.(10)
Due to the lack of a couple of key enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol than animals. Therefore, tests of aspartame or methanol on animals do not accurately reflect the danger for humans. As pointed out by Dr. Woodrow C. Monte, director of the food science and nutrition laboratory at Arizona State University, "There are no human or mammalian studies to evaluate the possible mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic effects of chronic administration of methyl alcohol."(11)
He was so concerned about the unresolved safety issues that he filed suit with the FDA requesting a hearing to address these issues. He asked the FDA to "slow down on this soft drink issue long enough to answer some of the important questions. It's not fair that you are leaving the full burden of proof on the few of us who are concerned and have such limited resources. You must remember that you are the American public's last defense. Once you allow usage (of aspartame) there is literally nothing I or my colleagues can do to reverse the course. Aspartame will then join saccharin, the sulfiting agents, and God knows how many other questionable compounds enjoined to insult the human constitution with governmental approval."(10) Shortly thereafter, the Commissioner of the FDA, Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverages, he then left for a position with G.D. Searle's public relations firm.(11)
It has been pointed out that some fruit juices and alcoholic beverages contain small amounts of methanol. It is important to remember, however, that methanol never appears alone. In every case, ethanol is present, usually in much higher amounts. Ethanol is an antidote for methanol toxicity in humans.(9) The troops of Desert Storm were "treated" to large amounts of aspartame-sweetened beverages, which had been heated to over 86 degrees F in the Saudi Arabian sun. Many of them returned home with numerous disorders similar to what has been seen in persons who have been chemically poisoned by formaldehyde. The free methanol in the beverages may have been a contributing factor in these illnesses. Other breakdown products of aspartame such as DKP (discussed below) may also have been a factor.
In a 1993 act that can only be described as "unconscionable," the FDA approved aspartame as an ingredient in numerous food items that would always be heated to above 86 degree F (30 degree C).
Diketopiperazine (DKP)
DKP is a byproduct of aspartame metabolism. DKP has been implicated in the occurrence of brain tumors. Olney noticed that DKP, when nitrosated in the gut, produced a compound that was similar to N-nitrosourea, a powerful brain tumor causing chemical. Some authors have said that DKP is produced after aspartame ingestion. I am not sure if that is correct. It is definitely true that DKP is formed in liquid aspartame-containing products during prolonged storage.
G.D. Searle conducted animal experiments on the safety of DKP. The FDA found numerous experimental errors occurred, including "clerical errors, mixed-up animals, animals not getting drugs they were supposed to get, pathological specimens lost because of improper handling," and many other errors.(12) These sloppy laboratory procedures may explain why both the test and control animals had sixteen times more brain tumors than would be expected in experiments of this length.
In an ironic twist, shortly after these experimental errors were discovered, the FDA used guidelines recommended by G.D. Searle to develop the industry-wide FDA standards for good laboratory practices.(11)
DKP has also been implicated as a cause of uterine polyps and changes in blood cholesterol by FDA Toxicologist Dr. Jacqueline Verrett in her testimony before the U.S. Senate.(13)
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. It was discovered by accident in 1965 when James Schlatter, a chemist of G.D. Searle Company, was testing an anti-ulcer drug.
Aspartame was approved for dry goods in 1981 and for carbonated beverages in 1983. It was originally approved for dry goods on July 26, 1974, but objections filed by neuroscience researcher Dr John W. Olney and Consumer attorney James Turner in August 1974 as well as investigations of G.D. Searle's research practices caused the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to put approval of aspartame on hold (December 5, 1974). In 1985, Monsanto purchased G.D. Searle and made Searle Pharmaceuticals and The NutraSweet Company separate subsidiaries.
Aspartame accounts for over 75 percent of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death.(1) A few of the 90 different documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include: Headaches/migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, memory loss, and joint pain.
According to researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame, the following chronic illnesses can be triggered or worsened by ingesting of aspartame:(2) Brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, parkinson's disease, alzheimer's, mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, fibromyalgia, and diabetes.
Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. The book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," by James and Phyllis Balch, lists aspartame under the category of "chemical poison." As you shall see, that is exactly what it is.
What Is Aspartame Made Of?
Aspartic Acid (40 percent of aspartame)
Dr. Russell L. Blaylock, a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of Mississippi, recently published a book thoroughly detailing the damage that is caused by the ingestion of excessive aspartic acid from aspartame. Blaylock makes use of almost 500 scientific references to show how excess free excitatory amino acids such as aspartic acid and glutamic acid (about 99 percent of monosodium glutamate (MSG) is glutamic acid) in our food supply are causing serious chronic neurological disorders and a myriad of other acute symptoms.(3)
How Aspartate (and Glutamate) Cause Damage
Aspartate and glutamate act as neurotransmitters in the brain by facilitating the transmission of information from neuron to neuron. Too much aspartate or glutamate in the brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill the cells. The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartate and glutamate is why they are referred to as "excitotoxins." They "excite" or stimulate the neural cells to death.
Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Taken in its free form (unbound to proteins) it significantly raises the blood plasma level of aspartate and glutamate. The excess aspartate and glutamate in the blood plasma shortly after ingesting aspartame or products with free glutamic acid (glutamate precursor) leads to a high level of those neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain.
The blood brain barrier (BBB), which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins, 1) is not fully developed during childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.
The excess glutamate and aspartate slowly begin to destroy neurons. The large majority (75 percent or more) of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. A few of the many chronic illnesses that have been shown to be contributed to by long-term exposure to excitatory amino acid damage include:
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• ALS
• Memory loss
• Hormonal problems
• Hearing loss
• Epilepsy
• Alzheimer's disease
• Parkinson's disease
• Hypoglycemia
• AIDS
• Dementia
• Brain lesions
• Neuroendocrine disorders
The risk to infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and persons with certain chronic health problems from excitotoxins are great. Even the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), which usually understates problems and mimics the FDA party-line, recently stated in a review that:
"It is prudent to avoid the use of dietary supplements of L-glutamic acid by pregnant women, infants, and children. The existence of evidence of potential endocrine responses, i.e., elevated cortisol and prolactin, and differential responses between males and females, would also suggest a neuroendocrine link and that supplemental L-glutamic acid should be avoided by women of childbearing age and individuals with affective disorders."(4)
Aspartic acid from aspartame has the same deleterious effects on the body as glutamic acid.
The exact mechanism of acute reactions to excess free glutamate and aspartate is currently being debated. As reported to the FDA, those reactions include:(5)
• Headaches/migraines
• Nausea
• Abdominal pains
• Fatigue (blocks sufficient glucose entry into brain)
• Sleep problems
• Vision problems
• Anxiety attacks
• Depression
• Asthma/chest tightness.
One common complaint of persons suffering from the effect of aspartame is memory loss. Ironically, in 1987, G.D. Searle, the manufacturer of aspartame, undertook a search for a drug to combat memory loss caused by excitatory amino acid damage. Blaylock is one of many scientists and physicians who are concerned about excitatory amino acid damage caused by ingestion of aspartame and MSG.
A few of the many experts who have spoken out against the damage being caused by aspartate and glutamate include Adrienne Samuels, Ph.D., an experimental psychologist specializing in research design. Another is Olney, a professor in the department of psychiatry, School of Medicine, Washington University, a neuroscientist and researcher, and one of the world's foremost authorities on excitotoxins. (He informed Searle in 1971 that aspartic acid caused holes in the brains of mice.)
Phenylalanine (50 percent of aspartame)
Phenylalanine is an amino acid normally found in the brain. Persons with the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) cannot metabolize phenylalanine. This leads to dangerously high levels of phenylalanine in the brain (sometimes lethal). It has been shown that ingesting aspartame, especially along with carbohydrates, can lead to excess levels of phenylalanine in the brain even in persons who do not have PKU.
This is not just a theory, as many people who have eaten large amounts of aspartame over a long period of time and do not have PKU have been shown to have excessive levels of phenylalanine in the blood. Excessive levels of phenylalanine in the brain can cause the levels of seratonin in the brain to decrease, leading to emotional disorders such as depression. It was shown in human testing that phenylalanine levels of the blood were increased significantly in human subjects who chronically used aspartame.(6)
Even a single use of aspartame raised the blood phenylalanine levels. In his testimony before the U.S. Congress, Dr. Louis J. Elsas showed that high blood phenylalanine can be concentrated in parts of the brain and is especially dangerous for infants and fetuses. He also showed that phenylalanine is metabolised much more effeciently by rodents than by humans.(7)
One account of a case of extremely high phenylalanine levels caused by aspartame was recently published the "Wednesday Journal" in an article titled "An Aspartame Nightmare." John Cook began drinking six to eight diet drinks every day. His symptoms started out as memory loss and frequent headaches. He began to crave more aspartame-sweetened drinks. His condition deteriorated so much that he experienced wide mood swings and violent rages. Even though he did not suffer from PKU, a blood test revealed a phenylalanine level of 80 mg/dl. He also showed abnormal brain function and brain damage. After he kicked his aspartame habit, his symptoms improved dramatically.(8)
As Blaylock points out in his book, early studies measuring phenylalanine buildup in the brain were flawed. Investigators who measured specific brain regions and not the average throughout the brain notice significant rises in phenylalanine levels. Specifically the hypothalamus, medulla oblongata, and corpus striatum areas of the brain had the largest increases in phenylalanine. Blaylock goes on to point out that excessive buildup of phenylalanine in the brain can cause schizophrenia or make one more susceptible to seizures.
Therefore, long-term, excessive use of aspartame may provid a boost to sales of seratonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac and drugs to control schizophrenia and seizures.
Methanol (aka wood alcohol/poison) (10 percent of aspartame)
Methanol/wood alcohol is a deadly poison. Some people may remember methanol as the poison that has caused some "skid row" alcoholics to end up blind or dead. Methanol is gradually released in the small intestine when the methyl group of aspartame encounter the enzyme chymotrypsin.
The absorption of methanol into the body is sped up considerably when free methanol is ingested. Free methanol is created from aspartame when it is heated to above 86 Fahrenheit (30 Centigrade). This would occur when aspartame-containing product is improperly stored or when it is heated (e.g., as part of a "food" product such as Jello).
Methanol breaks down into formic acid and formaldehyde in the body. Formaldehyde is a deadly neurotoxin. An EPA assessment of methanol states that methanol "is considered a cumulative poison due to the low rate of excretion once it is absorbed. In the body, methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde and formic acid; both of these metabolites are toxic." They recommend a limit of consumption of 7.8 mg/day. A one-liter (approx. 1 quart) aspartame-sweetened beverage contains about 56 mg of methanol. Heavy users of aspartame-containing products consume as much as 250 mg of methanol daily or 32 times the EPA limit.(9)
Symptoms from methanol poisoning include headaches, ear buzzing, dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, weakness, vertigo, chills, memory lapses, numbness and shooting pains in the extremities, behavioral disturbances, and neuritis. The most well known problems from methanol poisoning are vision problems including misty vision, progressive contraction of visual fields, blurring of vision, obscuration of vision, retinal damage, and blindness. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen, causes retinal damage, interferes with DNA replication and causes birth defects.(10)
Due to the lack of a couple of key enzymes, humans are many times more sensitive to the toxic effects of methanol than animals. Therefore, tests of aspartame or methanol on animals do not accurately reflect the danger for humans. As pointed out by Dr. Woodrow C. Monte, director of the food science and nutrition laboratory at Arizona State University, "There are no human or mammalian studies to evaluate the possible mutagenic, teratogenic or carcinogenic effects of chronic administration of methyl alcohol."(11)
He was so concerned about the unresolved safety issues that he filed suit with the FDA requesting a hearing to address these issues. He asked the FDA to "slow down on this soft drink issue long enough to answer some of the important questions. It's not fair that you are leaving the full burden of proof on the few of us who are concerned and have such limited resources. You must remember that you are the American public's last defense. Once you allow usage (of aspartame) there is literally nothing I or my colleagues can do to reverse the course. Aspartame will then join saccharin, the sulfiting agents, and God knows how many other questionable compounds enjoined to insult the human constitution with governmental approval."(10) Shortly thereafter, the Commissioner of the FDA, Arthur Hull Hayes, Jr., approved the use of aspartame in carbonated beverages, he then left for a position with G.D. Searle's public relations firm.(11)
It has been pointed out that some fruit juices and alcoholic beverages contain small amounts of methanol. It is important to remember, however, that methanol never appears alone. In every case, ethanol is present, usually in much higher amounts. Ethanol is an antidote for methanol toxicity in humans.(9) The troops of Desert Storm were "treated" to large amounts of aspartame-sweetened beverages, which had been heated to over 86 degrees F in the Saudi Arabian sun. Many of them returned home with numerous disorders similar to what has been seen in persons who have been chemically poisoned by formaldehyde. The free methanol in the beverages may have been a contributing factor in these illnesses. Other breakdown products of aspartame such as DKP (discussed below) may also have been a factor.
In a 1993 act that can only be described as "unconscionable," the FDA approved aspartame as an ingredient in numerous food items that would always be heated to above 86 degree F (30 degree C).
Diketopiperazine (DKP)
DKP is a byproduct of aspartame metabolism. DKP has been implicated in the occurrence of brain tumors. Olney noticed that DKP, when nitrosated in the gut, produced a compound that was similar to N-nitrosourea, a powerful brain tumor causing chemical. Some authors have said that DKP is produced after aspartame ingestion. I am not sure if that is correct. It is definitely true that DKP is formed in liquid aspartame-containing products during prolonged storage.
G.D. Searle conducted animal experiments on the safety of DKP. The FDA found numerous experimental errors occurred, including "clerical errors, mixed-up animals, animals not getting drugs they were supposed to get, pathological specimens lost because of improper handling," and many other errors.(12) These sloppy laboratory procedures may explain why both the test and control animals had sixteen times more brain tumors than would be expected in experiments of this length.
In an ironic twist, shortly after these experimental errors were discovered, the FDA used guidelines recommended by G.D. Searle to develop the industry-wide FDA standards for good laboratory practices.(11)
DKP has also been implicated as a cause of uterine polyps and changes in blood cholesterol by FDA Toxicologist Dr. Jacqueline Verrett in her testimony before the U.S. Senate.(13)
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
Oct 24, 2009
Whiplash Time is Upon Us
A Dangerous Time of Year: Whiplash Time is Upon Us
When the rains begin to fall, we know to expect calls from our regular patients and new referrals to address pain stemming from car accident injuries. When roads are slick and slippery, it is around 4 to 5 times more likely for an accident to occur when compared to calm weather. In the last decade and a half, my Chiropractic office in San Diego has seen hundreds of car accident and personal injury victims.
Whiplash is the classic neck injury that is most commonly caused by automobile accidents.
When the head is pulled forward and yanked backwards as in an auto accident, the immense stress affects the neck causing whiplash. The weight of the head is considerable compared to the size of the muscles used to control it. When the head is suddenly whipped in a violent manner, the muscles of the neck are inadequate to support the movement associated with the gravitational g-force pull. Some of the typical results of a whiplash injury are ligament damage, pinched nerves, muscle tearing, spasms and back problems.
Whiplash can become a painful, chronic problem if not treated. A lot of people make the error of judging the type of injury to their body, based on the impact force or the total amount of car damage. This isn't good thinking. There are a myriad of variables that determine whether someone experiences pain with just a small fender-bender, while someone else feels absolutely none after having their car totaled by a vehicle traveling at 65 mph. Some of the considerations as to whether a person sustains an injury during an accident include angle and speed of impact, use of safety belts, and head position.
It is a common myth that whiplash and other injuries can only occur as a result of high speed auto accidents; in reality, many people experience symptoms after minor accidents. Symptoms of whiplash may occur at the time, or they may occur days, weeks or even many months later.
Whiplash can cause many problems including painful headaches, muscle spasms, pain in the shoulders, dizziness, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), arm pain and tingling, insomnia, and the most common, neck pain. The chronic pain of whiplash can destroy a patient’s quality of life, resulting in the chance of depression.
Misaligned vertebrae in the neck is a common problem associated with whiplash. If treatment is not obtained, these vertebrae will remain misaligned, which will cause chronic neck pain, loss of motion, headaches and arthritis in the future.
A study done in Canada, published in 1998, looked at approximately 10,000 people with neck injuries; the conclusion from the study was that remedies in addition to chiropractic treatment are necessary for recovery from whiplash. The study also determined that "accepted" treatments like muscle relaxers, neck collars, immobilization, and all the rest were not helpful for a whiplash victim.
When the rains begin to fall, we know to expect calls from our regular patients and new referrals to address pain stemming from car accident injuries. When roads are slick and slippery, it is around 4 to 5 times more likely for an accident to occur when compared to calm weather. In the last decade and a half, my Chiropractic office in San Diego has seen hundreds of car accident and personal injury victims.
Whiplash is the classic neck injury that is most commonly caused by automobile accidents.
When the head is pulled forward and yanked backwards as in an auto accident, the immense stress affects the neck causing whiplash. The weight of the head is considerable compared to the size of the muscles used to control it. When the head is suddenly whipped in a violent manner, the muscles of the neck are inadequate to support the movement associated with the gravitational g-force pull. Some of the typical results of a whiplash injury are ligament damage, pinched nerves, muscle tearing, spasms and back problems.
Whiplash can become a painful, chronic problem if not treated. A lot of people make the error of judging the type of injury to their body, based on the impact force or the total amount of car damage. This isn't good thinking. There are a myriad of variables that determine whether someone experiences pain with just a small fender-bender, while someone else feels absolutely none after having their car totaled by a vehicle traveling at 65 mph. Some of the considerations as to whether a person sustains an injury during an accident include angle and speed of impact, use of safety belts, and head position.
It is a common myth that whiplash and other injuries can only occur as a result of high speed auto accidents; in reality, many people experience symptoms after minor accidents. Symptoms of whiplash may occur at the time, or they may occur days, weeks or even many months later.
Whiplash can cause many problems including painful headaches, muscle spasms, pain in the shoulders, dizziness, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), arm pain and tingling, insomnia, and the most common, neck pain. The chronic pain of whiplash can destroy a patient’s quality of life, resulting in the chance of depression.
Misaligned vertebrae in the neck is a common problem associated with whiplash. If treatment is not obtained, these vertebrae will remain misaligned, which will cause chronic neck pain, loss of motion, headaches and arthritis in the future.
A study done in Canada, published in 1998, looked at approximately 10,000 people with neck injuries; the conclusion from the study was that remedies in addition to chiropractic treatment are necessary for recovery from whiplash. The study also determined that "accepted" treatments like muscle relaxers, neck collars, immobilization, and all the rest were not helpful for a whiplash victim.
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
Oct 18, 2009
Diet and Chiropractic for Better Health
Diet and Chiropractic for Better Health
I believe we all want to be healthy. The question is, however, what is health? And, how do we “get” healthy?
In my San Diego chiropractic office, I always try to encourage health beyond the obvious treatment for neck pain, back pain and headaches that represent the bulk of my patients concerns. Most of my patients at least entertain the idea of making lifestyle changes for the sake of better health. Some want nothing to do with it. In their mindset, being out of pain is good enough for them.
I always explain to my patients that in the absence of some catastrophic injury, most cases of neck pain and back pain begin as a slight irritation that we are totally unaware of. With time and additional stresses, these slight irritations can become magnified to the point where they become symptomatic.
Our diets act the same way. A few poor meal choices won’t destroy your health by themselves, but frequent poor meal choices over longer periods of time can have a significant negative impact on your health. You only have to look at a McDonalds or Burger King drive-through to see the long lines of people making poor food choices. These people who make frequent poor food choices (fast foods in this example) probably won’t suffer anything more than a little indigestion as a result of each meal. However, the accumulation of the effects of all of these poor food choices will do damage down the road.
Unfortunately, this all becomes more apparent as we age. We pay for our poor eating habits as we age for a couple of reasons. First of all, poor eating choices become habitual. Like any bad habit, changing poor eating habits is difficult. Secondly, with normal aging, our metabolism slows making our poor eating habits more detrimental than they were when we were younger and more active.
Regaining your health takes work on several fronts. Some of these things you can accomplish yourself and other things you need help with.
Patients that come to my San Diego chiropractic office for treatment for their neck pain or back pain often find this task one of the easy parts of getting healthy. In order to get help with pain, all the patients have to do is come to the office for their treatment.
Part of restoring health is complicated with the bad habits that result in unhealthy diets, smoking, drinking and the like. Overcoming bad habits takes an exceptionally motivated person. Focus and you can overcome them and have a healthier body to show for it.
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
I believe we all want to be healthy. The question is, however, what is health? And, how do we “get” healthy?
In my San Diego chiropractic office, I always try to encourage health beyond the obvious treatment for neck pain, back pain and headaches that represent the bulk of my patients concerns. Most of my patients at least entertain the idea of making lifestyle changes for the sake of better health. Some want nothing to do with it. In their mindset, being out of pain is good enough for them.
I always explain to my patients that in the absence of some catastrophic injury, most cases of neck pain and back pain begin as a slight irritation that we are totally unaware of. With time and additional stresses, these slight irritations can become magnified to the point where they become symptomatic.
Our diets act the same way. A few poor meal choices won’t destroy your health by themselves, but frequent poor meal choices over longer periods of time can have a significant negative impact on your health. You only have to look at a McDonalds or Burger King drive-through to see the long lines of people making poor food choices. These people who make frequent poor food choices (fast foods in this example) probably won’t suffer anything more than a little indigestion as a result of each meal. However, the accumulation of the effects of all of these poor food choices will do damage down the road.
Unfortunately, this all becomes more apparent as we age. We pay for our poor eating habits as we age for a couple of reasons. First of all, poor eating choices become habitual. Like any bad habit, changing poor eating habits is difficult. Secondly, with normal aging, our metabolism slows making our poor eating habits more detrimental than they were when we were younger and more active.
Regaining your health takes work on several fronts. Some of these things you can accomplish yourself and other things you need help with.
Patients that come to my San Diego chiropractic office for treatment for their neck pain or back pain often find this task one of the easy parts of getting healthy. In order to get help with pain, all the patients have to do is come to the office for their treatment.
Part of restoring health is complicated with the bad habits that result in unhealthy diets, smoking, drinking and the like. Overcoming bad habits takes an exceptionally motivated person. Focus and you can overcome them and have a healthier body to show for it.
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
Oct 16, 2009
What Sort of Headache?
Kinds of Headaches
In my San Diego chiropractic office, one of the most typical ailments that new customers have are headaches. This ailment might seem trivial to people who don't experience painful and severe headaches. But, they have serious effects on the person that is suffering and on people in general. Headaches were the reason for more than 10 million doctor visits in America in 2007 and are one of the most typical reasons why people take time off from their businesses and studies.
A general practitioner can give medicine to relieve the ailment briefly, but this doesn't do anything to fix the reason for the pain. Chiropractic care, nevertheless, is intended to fix the reason for many kinds of headaches. This article will explain the five general kinds of headaches - tension, toxic, sinus, cluster as well as migraine - so you can have a better understanding of what kind of headache you have.
Tension Headaches
The most common type of headache, by far, is tension headaches. Roughly 4 out of 5 people are subject to tension headaches from time to time, while five percent are subject to tension headaches every day. Tension headaches affect women twice as much as men.
The duration of anywhere from 30 minutes to several days is average for tension headaches. Band-like pain, pressure, or throbbing of the head are the most common symptoms related to this type of headache.
There can be a significant increase in severity with the frequency of the headaches. Emotional stress, depression, not enough rest, poor posture, and/or chiropractic subluxation causing pressure on the nerves are some of the multiple causes for tension headaches. More frequently than otherwise, this kind of headache normally happens due to a mixture of the above mentioned causes.
Toxic Headaches
Toxic headaches are the type the medical community has the most trouble recognizing. It may, however, be the easiest headache to diagnose if the patient has direct exposure to a toxic substance.
Sinus Headaches
Sinus headaches are not unusual, and the pain is localized to sinus cavities around the forehead, eyes, nose, and cheeks. Rather than relieving sinus headaches long term, many medications used for this purpose ironically may exacerbate and prolong sinus conditions.
Cluster Headaches
Cluster headaches typically occur on one side and are thought to be the worst kind of headaches. The good news is, however, they are rare and less than one out of 1,000 people have them. They usually begin before someone is 30 years old and happen in time periods that range from two weeks to three months.
The headaches usually happen one to three times daily for the duration of 30 to 90 minutes. They typically wake people up after one or two hours after going to sleep. Following the cluster period, the headaches might stop happening for months or years, but they might come back in the future. The attacks seem to be connected to the circadian rhythms that pertain to the pineal gland and hypothalamus, which control sleeping and waking patterns. These headaches are also connected with the changes of the spring season or autumn season.
Migraine Headaches
Migraine headaches relate to swelling and contracting arteries inside and around a patient’s head. An estimated 28 million Americans suffer from migraines, and about 13 million haven't even been diagnosed. Females experience greater numbers of migraines. Out of diagnosed migraine patients, two of every five suffer one or fewer attacks each month; 35 percent experience more frequent attacks, up to four per month, and up to a quarter of patients report four or more attacks every month. It is normal for migraines to endure for four hours to three days.
There is a hereditary trait in their families for four out of five migraine sufferers. If you suffer from migraines, your children have a 50 percent chance of also experiencing migraines; if you and your partner both experience migraines, your children have a 75 percent probability they will too.
There are numerous possible migraine triggers, such as: stress, chemicals, caffeine, weather conditions, hormonal cycles, fatigue, poor sleep patterns, and skipping meals. The physical symptoms of a migraine include nausea, sometimes leading to vomiting; depressed appetite; stomach pains; and a sensitivity to lighting, loud noises, or odors. Children with migraines might have a pale appearance, feel lightheaded, experience blurry sight, or a high temperature and/or upset stomach.
Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones
Ergonomic Office Supplies
San Diego Chiropractor
In my San Diego chiropractic office, one of the most typical ailments that new customers have are headaches. This ailment might seem trivial to people who don't experience painful and severe headaches. But, they have serious effects on the person that is suffering and on people in general. Headaches were the reason for more than 10 million doctor visits in America in 2007 and are one of the most typical reasons why people take time off from their businesses and studies.
A general practitioner can give medicine to relieve the ailment briefly, but this doesn't do anything to fix the reason for the pain. Chiropractic care, nevertheless, is intended to fix the reason for many kinds of headaches. This article will explain the five general kinds of headaches - tension, toxic, sinus, cluster as well as migraine - so you can have a better understanding of what kind of headache you have.
Tension Headaches
The most common type of headache, by far, is tension headaches. Roughly 4 out of 5 people are subject to tension headaches from time to time, while five percent are subject to tension headaches every day. Tension headaches affect women twice as much as men.
The duration of anywhere from 30 minutes to several days is average for tension headaches. Band-like pain, pressure, or throbbing of the head are the most common symptoms related to this type of headache.
There can be a significant increase in severity with the frequency of the headaches. Emotional stress, depression, not enough rest, poor posture, and/or chiropractic subluxation causing pressure on the nerves are some of the multiple causes for tension headaches. More frequently than otherwise, this kind of headache normally happens due to a mixture of the above mentioned causes.
Toxic Headaches
Toxic headaches are the type the medical community has the most trouble recognizing. It may, however, be the easiest headache to diagnose if the patient has direct exposure to a toxic substance.
Sinus Headaches
Sinus headaches are not unusual, and the pain is localized to sinus cavities around the forehead, eyes, nose, and cheeks. Rather than relieving sinus headaches long term, many medications used for this purpose ironically may exacerbate and prolong sinus conditions.
Cluster Headaches
Cluster headaches typically occur on one side and are thought to be the worst kind of headaches. The good news is, however, they are rare and less than one out of 1,000 people have them. They usually begin before someone is 30 years old and happen in time periods that range from two weeks to three months.
The headaches usually happen one to three times daily for the duration of 30 to 90 minutes. They typically wake people up after one or two hours after going to sleep. Following the cluster period, the headaches might stop happening for months or years, but they might come back in the future. The attacks seem to be connected to the circadian rhythms that pertain to the pineal gland and hypothalamus, which control sleeping and waking patterns. These headaches are also connected with the changes of the spring season or autumn season.
Migraine Headaches
Migraine headaches relate to swelling and contracting arteries inside and around a patient’s head. An estimated 28 million Americans suffer from migraines, and about 13 million haven't even been diagnosed. Females experience greater numbers of migraines. Out of diagnosed migraine patients, two of every five suffer one or fewer attacks each month; 35 percent experience more frequent attacks, up to four per month, and up to a quarter of patients report four or more attacks every month. It is normal for migraines to endure for four hours to three days.
There is a hereditary trait in their families for four out of five migraine sufferers. If you suffer from migraines, your children have a 50 percent chance of also experiencing migraines; if you and your partner both experience migraines, your children have a 75 percent probability they will too.
There are numerous possible migraine triggers, such as: stress, chemicals, caffeine, weather conditions, hormonal cycles, fatigue, poor sleep patterns, and skipping meals. The physical symptoms of a migraine include nausea, sometimes leading to vomiting; depressed appetite; stomach pains; and a sensitivity to lighting, loud noises, or odors. Children with migraines might have a pale appearance, feel lightheaded, experience blurry sight, or a high temperature and/or upset stomach.
Yours Ergonomically,
Steve Jones
Ergonomic Office Supplies
San Diego Chiropractor
Oct 1, 2009
Exercise to Build a Healthy Spine
Using Chiropractic and Exercise to Build a Healthy Spine
In my San Diego Chiropractic clinic, I provide treatment for many types of injuries. Typical injuries that result in neck pain, back pain, chronic headaches, sciatica etc., include auto accidents, work related injuries, injuries caused by domestic chores and sometimes things as simple as sleeping in an awkward position.
Of these patients suffering from neck pain, back pain and other injuries, I would say that at least 50% of them ask, “what can I do for myself to make sure that this doesn’t happen again?” This question served as the inspiration for this article and I will address in this post.
To begin with, neck pain and back pain are great motivators.
When people are in pain they take a proactive approach to their health. People often inquire about what kind of stretch or exercising that they can start right away. Unfortunately, the best thing that you can do while your injury is new is to apply ice packs to the injured area and rest.
Over my 15 plus years in practice I have seen a large percentage of enthusiastic patients ignore this advice and end up giving their conditions a major set back. The time to start exercising and stretching your back for most of us is when it is out of its acute stage of pain.
My biggest struggles in practice have been dealing with my patients exercise and diet habits. Exercise is one of the few things that a patient can do at home, outside of chiropractic care, to help prevent or diminish the chances of developing back pain.
After an injury, you should approach exercise cautiously – almost to a point where the exercise that you are performing feels like it is doing nothing. If you can get through a few low intensity exercise sessions like this without aggravating your condition, you should slowly add resistance, allowing you to build confidence and strength at the same time.
You have to remember to incorporate a sensible approach to exercising after a back injury. Be sure to exercise and stretch under the advise of a health care professional. Strong and flexible muscles add strength and support to your spine and will provide much needed stability.
I have always tried to help the patients of my San Diego Chiropractic office with their neck pain and back with stretches and exercises. The combination of chiropractic care with stretches and exercise allows for quicker, more complete healing.
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
In my San Diego Chiropractic clinic, I provide treatment for many types of injuries. Typical injuries that result in neck pain, back pain, chronic headaches, sciatica etc., include auto accidents, work related injuries, injuries caused by domestic chores and sometimes things as simple as sleeping in an awkward position.
Of these patients suffering from neck pain, back pain and other injuries, I would say that at least 50% of them ask, “what can I do for myself to make sure that this doesn’t happen again?” This question served as the inspiration for this article and I will address in this post.
To begin with, neck pain and back pain are great motivators.
When people are in pain they take a proactive approach to their health. People often inquire about what kind of stretch or exercising that they can start right away. Unfortunately, the best thing that you can do while your injury is new is to apply ice packs to the injured area and rest.
Over my 15 plus years in practice I have seen a large percentage of enthusiastic patients ignore this advice and end up giving their conditions a major set back. The time to start exercising and stretching your back for most of us is when it is out of its acute stage of pain.
My biggest struggles in practice have been dealing with my patients exercise and diet habits. Exercise is one of the few things that a patient can do at home, outside of chiropractic care, to help prevent or diminish the chances of developing back pain.
After an injury, you should approach exercise cautiously – almost to a point where the exercise that you are performing feels like it is doing nothing. If you can get through a few low intensity exercise sessions like this without aggravating your condition, you should slowly add resistance, allowing you to build confidence and strength at the same time.
You have to remember to incorporate a sensible approach to exercising after a back injury. Be sure to exercise and stretch under the advise of a health care professional. Strong and flexible muscles add strength and support to your spine and will provide much needed stability.
I have always tried to help the patients of my San Diego Chiropractic office with their neck pain and back with stretches and exercises. The combination of chiropractic care with stretches and exercise allows for quicker, more complete healing.
Writers Bio
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice.
Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs.
Call Steve Jones at
(619) 280 0554
San Diego Chiropractic
ADJUSTABLE MOUSE PLATFORM Website to learn more about or Buy Ergo Nav
Chiropractic San Diego Website to make an appointment
Better Health Steve Jones
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