Part of the wondrous world of studying the human body and how it works is learning that we can indeed take an active role in helping to prevent our own diseases.  I have written recently about how toxins are partially responsible for the enormous increase in cancer rates in the United States in recent years.  When we take responsibility for our health and enable ourselves to rid our bodies of those toxins, we make room for healthier tissues to flourish and create an internal environment in which chronic diseases do not feel encouraged to take hold.  Another way that we can be proactive in disease prevention is through consuming enough substances called antioxidants.  We all have seen the ads in the produce aisle in the grocery store encouraging us to get at least 5 servings of fresh antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables for good health.  What are antioxidants anyway, and how do they affect us?

In order to address the antioxidant issue you’ll have to bear with me and allow a little bit of high school chemistry to come through.  Beware that this is a ridiculously oversimplified explanation of what actually goes on in our bodies, but I think you will get the idea.  Antioxidants are substances which scavenge free radicals from our bodies.  Free radicals are substances which are formed when weak molecules break apart in one of the thousands of biochemical reactions that happen in us every minute.  Normal metabolism creates chemical reactions in which one substance is turned into another to perform some very important function in the operation of our systems. Molecules are filled with electrically charged particles which strive to bond with each other in an effort to become stable.  Weak molecular bonds break and allow unstable particles called free radicals to form.  The free radicals search for electrical particles called electrons on the outer surfaces of other molecules and they steal them in an attempt to stabilize.  This then forms another free radical searching for another molecule from which to steal electrons and a chain reaction begins.  Free radicals continue to form and on and on it goes.  Out of control, free radicals will damage our living cells and alter their ability to perform as they should. Metabolism creates free radicals that our bodies’ antioxidant supplies should take care of, but environmental factors such as pesticides, cigarette smoke and radiation create additional free radicals that are sometimes too many for our own systems to handle.  If too many free radicals are in our bodies, the cellular damage they cause leads to serious illnesses such as cancer and heart disease.

Antioxidants are substances which are electron-rich and they neutralize free radicals by donating electrons to make them stable.  Antioxidants have been called free radical scavengers.  They clean up the free radicals and help to prevent the cellular damage that ultimately comes from them. Vitamins A, C and E are all antioxidants.  While they are present in our bodies and in foods we consume, many people supplement their diets with these.  A word of caution, though, is that vitamins A and E are fat-soluble, which means that excess amounts of them are stored in the liver and fatty tissues.  This can create toxicity.  Vitamin C is water-soluble and can be excreted easily if excess amounts of it are consumed.  Many foods are great sources of antioxidants.  That is why the fruits and vegetables aisles in the stores remind us to get 5 to 8 servings of them every day. 

As we age the damage from free radicals is exponential.  It is urgent that we make certain our intake of fresh fruits and vegetables is adequate and that we supplement if we feel it is not.  I personally supplement and eat fresh produce every day.  I know that our over-farmed soil is not as nutrient-rich as it once was, and if you eat at the restaurants around here the nutrients are often cooked out of the vegetables anyway.  Southern cooking (thank God for it) often renders vegetables deliciously overcooked so that the nutritional values are diluted.  Most value is found in raw or only partially cooked produce. 

Hopefully this clears up the matter of free radicals and the relationship between them and antioxidants.  Free radicals cause cellular damage that ultimately results in serious illness.  Antioxidants act as little Pac-Men and get rid of the free radicals.  Get lots of antioxidants.  We humans must do the best we can to keep ourselves healthy and let nature take its course otherwise.  Treat your body well.

A young man came to our office two weeks ago bent over in pain and unable to straighten his posture.  At first glance, we thought it was another classic case of an aggravated bulging disc.  We would have treated it as such until we took x-rays of his spine and discovered a very different situation and an often missed diagnosis.  I know this information might be a great candidate for the bank of useless knowledge for many, but no knowledge is useless and I feel compelled to share some information with you about a condition known as Ankylosing Spondylitis. 

Ankylosing Spondylitis, or AS, is one of several conditions which have a tendency to cause inflammation of the spine and are collectively called spondyloarthropathies.  These include psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, and arthritis associated with Chrohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.  AS is a form of spinal and sacroiliac joint inflammation.  The sacroiliac joints are two small joints at the base of the spine which are key in weight-bearing and become very painful when they are inflamed.  The condition causes substantial pain at times, stiffness in and around the spine, and left unchecked will result in permanent fusion or “cementing” together of the joints involved.  “Ankylosing” refers to the process of the fusing together of the spinal bones and “spondylitis” refers to chronic spinal inflammation.  The process of ankylosing eventually results in the complete loss of spinal mobility.

The symptoms most often experienced by those with AS include back pain or sacroiliac joint pain which is worse at night or after long periods of activity.  Often people with AS adopt a forward-leaning posture which naturally relieves the pain associated with the condition.  AS makes standing erect very painful, so curving forward eases this discomfort.  Curving forward, however, tends to compress the lungs and makes breathing sometimes difficult.

Ankylosing Spondylitis is thought to be inherited.  Nearly 90% of those with AS are born with the HLA-B27 gene.  Sophisticated blood tests have been developed to detect the marker for this gene, but it does not definitely predict that a person will develop AS.  The gene is not specific for the disorder.  For example, in the United States, 7% of the population has the HLA-B27 gene but only 1% of the population actually has AS.  Research is active in this area, and it is said that a negative HLA-B27 test is more useful in ruling out AS than a positive one is in predicting it.  X-ray is the gold standard for the diagnosis of AS since the spinal abnormalities it causes are very distinct and can be very easily seen on plain films.  This is one of the very reasons that x-ray is necessary in the treatment of people in a chiropractic practice.  If the aforementioned patient had been treated without x-ray, he would have been treated for a condition he doesn’t have and this diagnosis would have been missed.

Many people with AS are under the care of a medical doctor as well as under treatment with a chiropractor.  Medicines are used to control inflammation but, of course, come with their side effects.  A chiropractor can keep spinal mobility and flexibility for as long as possible and help to create better posture.  Gentle flexion/distraction techniques are available and are very helpful in treating this disorder.  Physical therapy and exercise are also helpful since AS tends to cause a forward posture.  Curving forward results in lung compression, so it is essential that extension exercises and those that expand the lung capacity are prescribed and practiced daily.  Stretching exercises help to improve overall flexibility.  Swimming might be described as the perfect exercise for those with AS and many other conditions because it avoids the jarring impact to the spine that many other forms of exercise create.  Of course, nutrition is also of utmost importance when trying to manage this and any other condition.  One specific area of focus nutritionally has been on leaky gut syndrome, or the inability to digest and absorb foods properly.  Information is available on the proper supplements to use in order to increase absorption of nutrients.  Some very beneficial ones are those that promote healthy bacterial flora and those that aid in digestion, specifically acidophilus and bromelain.  Any time the body is not using the food it is supplied with properly, any of a host of conditions might occur, and AS is one of these.

AS is not necessarily crippling or debilitating.  The main piece of advice for those who suffer from it is to become actively involved in your treatment.  Do all that you can to keep your body active, limber, and in good condition.  Work with a team of healthcare providers, and don’t limit yourself to just taking medications that might or might not be beneficial.  Keep a positive attitude, and treat your body well.

Those of you who know me can attest to the fact that I am not a paranoid person.  I do not feel that the world is out to get me, and I am not suffering from terribly low self-esteem.  I without reserve can say that I adore my calling.  I cannot imagine doing anything else.  If I won the lottery I would still be a chiropractor.  I also make every effort not to judge others until they prove to me that there is a reason to do so.  I give everyone the benefit of the doubt.  In a Utopia, others would offer me the same courtesies.  Let me tell you that this is not Utopia.  I have had to endure the sneers of medical doctors whose patients I see time after time but only when I worked in Savannah did any of them acknowledge the good that was done for patients by chiropractors.  Physical therapists seem to feel a need to knock what we do also.  Do not judge so quickly.

In a recent article published be the American Academy of Spine Physicians, a positive patient outcome was reported and a chiropractor forged a friendship with the medical doctor of one of his patients.  I have chosen to share this article with the hope of opening some eyes.  It is entitled “Good Results Speak Loudly”.

“A 51-year-old male had developed low back pain with radiation down his left leg…Initially the pain was intermittent but then became constant.  The patient’s family doctor placed him on muscle relaxants and analgesics (pain medication).  This helped but did not alleviate his condition.  The doctor ordered lumbar spine x-rays, which showed degenerative changes…The patient was referred to a neurosurgeon who found no weakness or sensory deficit.  He placed the patient on two weeks of bed rest, which resulted in little improvement.  When the neurosurgeon saw the patient at follow-up, he recommended more bed rest.  Because the patient had not benefited much from the previous course of bed rest, he asked the neurosurgeon for a referral to a chiropractic physician.  The neurosurgeon was upset.  He said he knew nothing about chiropractors and chiropractic treatment, and recommended that the patient not go to a chiropractor.  Several years prior, a friend of the patient had a similar problem treated successfully by a chiropractor and the patient got the name of his friend’s chiropractor.  He then made an appointment and requested his x-rays from the neurosurgeon.  The neurosurgeon would not give him his x-rays “to take to a chiropractor”.  The patient went anyway.  The chiropractor examined him, repeated the lumbar x-rays, and began therapy.  Within two weeks, the radiating leg pain was gone; by the end of the month, the patient had no lower back pain.  Enthusiastic about his result, the patient returned to the neurosurgeon who was impressed with what the chiropractor was able to do.  He contacted the chiropractor and the two met to discuss chiropractic manipulative therapy.  One week later, the neurosurgeon visited the chiropractor’s office to observe various types of treatment. From that time on, the two doctors referred patients to each other and enjoyed the results of cooperative spine care.  They both benefited as did their patients.”

There is no reason in this world that this cannot be the case here.  I hereby extend an open invitation to any physician or physical therapist in this town who would be willing to come in to our office and observe what we do.  Make your judgments based on your own education and not based on hearsay.  Find out for yourself, first hand, why and how chiropractic works.  I am not seeking acceptance per se, but I am offering a chance to teach other doctors and health professionals what we do and why it works.  I would love nothing more than to have doctors who would work in cooperation with us in offering the best possible options for our patients.  I personally believe that if I cannot provide what my patients are in need of I will go to any extreme necessary in order to find it for them.  I do and have.  Many of my patients have gone to Columbus, Macon, and Atlanta to find physicians who are willing to accept referrals from a caring, responsible, and informed chiropractor.  I chose to be a chiropractor for a reason, and that reason has nothing to do with having a hostile relationship with any other professional.  From the standpoint of consumer, if my doctor would not be open-minded enough to explore all of the possible options that might benefit me I think I would run, not walk, in the direction of one who would.  Keep your focus on what matters most.  Treat your body well.

As promised, this week’s column is a continuation of some work I have done in the interest of women’s health.  My last column discussed the perils of pre-menopause and menopause for women and the need for hormonal balance.  We also explored the Women’s Health Initiative, a landmark study that was cancelled last summer due to the health risks associated with HRT (hormone replacement therapy).  Being blessed with early menopausal symptoms myself, I have a vested interest in finding the healthiest ways to get my body in shape for the rest of my life and maybe you too can benefit from my curiosity.

For obvious reasons, women everywhere are drawn to studying natural alternatives to HRT.  There are several viable alternatives, but why don’t we hear about them without doing a lot of digging?  Why don’t our mainstream medical professionals tell us about the natural alternatives?  I do not particularly subscribe to conspiracy theories and generally furrow my brows when I hear them; however, just a little bit of common sense will make you think about this issue.  Mainstream medicine remains skeptical about natural alternatives to HRT because there is very little published data available to doctors about the efficacy of intrinsic natural hormones like progesterone, for example.  There is little data because there are very few clinical trials.  There are few clinical trials because there is no funding.  There is no funding because most funding for clinical trials is done by pharmaceutical giants with the hope and promise of billions of dollars in return from patents owned by them on the drugs being studied.  Natural hormones cannot be ‘owned’ under a patent, so the injection of millions of research dollars by the pharmaceutical companies simply will not happen.  Synthetic HRT is extremely profitable to the pharmaceutical companies, so they push doctors to prescribe the drugs manufactured by the sponsoring companies.

Without the clinical data available, women are forced to come upon information about natural alternatives as best they can.  There are very few double-blind, randomized studies on alternative therapies.  This negates their promise in allopathic physicians’ minds in many cases.  Having made that disclaimer, here is some information on what have been for me very beneficial alternatives to HRT.  Many women have used these therapies for many years very effectively, and I suggest that you explore them for yourself and discover what works best for you.

In 30 clinical trials that they performed, researchers from George Washington University and Columbia University found that black cohosh and foods that contain phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) are effective in reducing hot flashes and night sweats.  Black cohosh is an herb traditionally used by Native Americans to treat a variety of gynecological disorders.  Other sources for phytoestrogens are flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, soy, clover, and alfalfa.  Phytoestrogens contain among other things chemicals called isoflavones which act like weak estrogens in the body.  They are used primarily to reduce cholesterol, protect against heart disease risk, help prevent osteoporosis, and decrease anxiety, according to nutrition expert Ann Louise Gettleman.  Black cohosh has been used widely in Germany for over 50 years in the treatment of hot flashes.  Studies were performed there in the 1980’s to prove its effectiveness.

One of the components of HRT is progesterone.  The problem with it in HRT is the form that is present.  As stated above, naturally-occurring substances cannot be patented, so synthetic forms of hormones were developed to make the cash register ring.  Progesterone in a natural form is very beneficial to the body, and should be investigated by every pre-menopausal and menopausal woman.  Find Dr. John Lee’s books, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause and What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Pre-Menopause.  These books give detailed and sometimes quite technical information about natural progesterone.  Natural progesterone starts with a plant extract and through several steps is converted to a substance that has the same molecular structure and properties as the progesterone produced by the body. It is used in a cream form which is applied to the body usually in the throat and face area for maximum absorption.  According to the Health Science Research Institute, some of the benefits of natural progesterone are that it helps use fat for energy, facilitates thyroid hormone action, is a natural antidepressant, is a natural diuretic, normalizes blood sugar levels, restores libido, helps prevent endometrial cancer, and helps protect against breast cancer.

It is much easier sometimes for someone to give us a magic pill and take away our personal responsibility for our own good health.  The maze of alternative therapies can sometimes be staggering, but at the end of the maze is a healthy, wholesome life that is uncomplicated by synthetic chemicals that do us harm.  There is no magic pill and the responsibility for your health lies with you.  Do some extra work and discover what is going on in the realm of natural alternatives to HRT.  Treat your body well.

In the late 1980’s I worked as a real estate sales director for a firm in Helen, Georgia, and I was the understudy of one Mr. Richard “Dick” Etherton.  He was in his late 70’s, very chauvinistic, and a member of the “Old School.”  I never really figured out just what the Old School was, but I was certain that a young, ambitious, and energetic female was not ever invited to be a part of it.  Dick was angry at the world that he was on his way out professionally and that he, by the order of the owner of the firm for which we both worked, had to train me to take his place.  He was hard on me.  He had a particular penchant for pointing out every little thing I did wrong.  I now understand some of his predicament, but then I thought he was just a grumpy fellow who needed to retire.  Every morning my cheerful greetings were met with his moans and groans about all of his physical ailments as he walked across the floor with an exaggerated limp.  I thought he was making half of it up, but now I know that was far from the truth.  Dick always complained that his gout was getting the best of him.  This was the perfect reason for me to do all of the grunt work around the office and, I thought, a huge excuse for him to have a legal slave.  I did not understand the absolute torture that people with gout actually experience until I started to deal with it clinically.

Gout is a name for a form of joint inflammation (arthritis) that affects primarily the big toe.  The type of pain it causes is inexplicable.  Some compare it to the feeling that the toe is on fire.  Most often the attacks of gout come in the middle of the night with no warning whatsoever and even the weight of a bed sheet on the toe is unbearable.  The affected joint becomes excruciatingly painful, hot, and the skin around it might even turn red and shiny to show the outward signs of the inflammation that is occurring inside.  Gout has been referred to as the rich man’s disease since it is exacerbated by eating rich foods and drinking excessive alcohol, but in recent years it has been recognized to be a complicated and widespread disorder that can affect anyone.  While gout affects mostly men, women are more susceptible to it after menopause.

Gouty arthritis is caused by the deposits in the joints of tiny sharp crystals formed by excessive uric acid in the bloodstream.  Uric acid is formed naturally by the metabolism of purines.  Purines are substances found in certain foods and in alcohol, especially beer and wine.  As the purines are broken down by the body, uric acid develops and in most cases is excreted naturally.  In some cases, though, an excessive amount of the uric acid builds up in the bloodstream and is deposited in joints in the form of tiny needle-like crystals which get into the joints themselves or the tissue surrounding the joints and cause pain, inflammation, and swelling.  The intense pain from gout usually lasts from 5 to 10 days per episode, and there really is no way to prevent attacks once they begin.  Sometimes it can be weeks, months, or even years between attacks at first, but as the condition progresses the attacks get closer and closer together.  Gout can ultimately bring about more intense pain and even joint destruction.  Treatment consists of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and in some cases steroids to control the acute nature of the attacks.  Most doctors suggest a preventative strategy to reduce the amount of uric acid in the bloodstream and, hopefully, squelch the intensity of future attacks. 

Foods which are high in purines and should be restricted or avoided altogether include organ meats, shellfish, red meats, peas, lentils, and beans.  Excessive alcohol intake should also be avoided, especially beer and wine.  No more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women is a safe bet for those who suffer from gout.  Certain blood pressure medications can cause an increase in uric acid levels in the blood.  If gout becomes an issue and you are taking blood pressure medication, check with your doctor to make sure that the medications you are on are not increasing the likelihood of an attack of gout.  It is also a good idea to increase your water intake if you suffer from gout.  Increased intake of water can dilute the uric acid in your body and ultimately decrease the amount that is in your bloodstream.

For the time that I worked with Dick Etherton, I felt that he was a huge cross for me to bear.  His attacks of gout were intensified by his absolute defiance to do anything other than eat three or more portions of red meat every day, smoke multitudes of Winston cigarettes and drink copious amounts of Miller High Life.  I did not realize at that time, though, how much pain he was in more often than not.  I look back and am grateful that he was hard on me, as that helped build my work ethic and character, but I often regret that I was so hard on him, as that just added one more pain to an area of his anatomy that was pain-free before I came into his life.  Treat your body well.

Few issues present more embarrassment for children and more frustration for parents than nocturnal enuresis, or night-time bedwetting.  For children it becomes quite a social burden when they are old enough to be invited to sleepover parties only to dodge the invitation due to possible bed-wetting problems.  Some children even go so far as to stay up all night in such situations just to avoid the possibility of embarrassment.  Friends can’t be invited over without lengthy explanations of all the preparations for bed, and no adolescent wants his or her friends to know that they have to wear pull-up diapers every night.  It is a real issue for them. 

Parents are left feeling frustrated by the turmoil the problem of nocturnal enuresis causes at home, too.  Extra loads of laundry have to be done, plastic sheets have to be arranged to avoid ruining mattresses, extra expense of pull-up diapers must be borne, alarms must be set in the middle of the night to wake up their children to get them to the bathroom, and the list goes on.  Add to this list the worry about what might be causing the problem in the first place, and the frustration mounts.  Parents have to be very patient, balance their irritation with their concern, and be careful not to scold children for something that is completely beyond their control.  If you are one of these parents, you are not alone.  According to Claudia Anrig, D.C., author of a textbook on chiropractic pediatrics, approximately 2-3 million children in the U.S. are afflicted with this disorder.  About 10 to 15 percent of 5 year olds and 5 percent of 10 year olds suffer.  The cause is largely unknown, although there is a hereditary component in some cases.

First handling for nocturnal enuresis should always be ruling out organic causes for the problem.  Your child’s pediatrician will know where to turn to make sure there is no urological or neurological cause.  Once these systems have been cleared as being the primary cause of night-time bedwetting, doctors often will prescribe medications for the problem.  Sometimes the medications are temporarily effective, but are not without their side effects and often the problem returns when the medication stops.  So there is no long-term effectiveness against which to weigh the down-sides of medications.  Night-time alarms are also used in the treatment of bed-wetting, but they don’t do anything to stop the problem.  They warn many times only when it is too late.  Often nocturnal enuresis is a self-limiting problem, or one which a child seems just to “grow out of”.  The questions are, however, “When will the child grow out of it?’ and “How much more of this can I take?” 

There is some evidence both clinical and published that chiropractic treatment might help those with nocturnal enuresis.  In the peer-reviewed Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, a study was published that was performed at the Palmer Institute of Graduate Studies and Research in Davenport, Iowa.  The study included a group of enuretic children who received a series of chiropractic treatments and a control group which received no chiropractic adjustments, and showed a 50 percent decrease in bedwetting episodes- measured by frequency of wet nights as reported by parents. Other studies report similar findings, while still others report a smaller decrease but a decrease nonetheless.  Most often the area of spinal manipulation that has shown to be the most effective in aiding those with nocturnal enuresis is the lumbar, or lower back, region of the spine.  The nerves in the lumbar spine supply the kidneys and bladder, so if there is a spinal misalignment in that area which is putting pressure on the lumbar nerve roots which supply those organs, the interference could cause them to malfunction.  It is the job of your chiropractor to locate the areas of misalignment and make the necessary corrections in order to restore the proper nerve flow to the body.  Proper nerve function helps us rest assured that our body’s self-healing, self-regulating properties are at work the way nature intended for them to be.

Getting adjusted can cause a number of positive effects on the body’s nervous system, and helping to decrease the episodes of bedwetting is one of those possibilities.  Ask your chiropractor about the many wonders of correcting interferences in your child’s nervous system.  You will be glad you did.  Treat your body well.

“Get amazing abs in just minutes a day while you rest!”
“Fabulous abs can be yours while you watch TV from your easy chair!”
“Get that 6-pack of ab muscles you’ve always wanted without breaking a sweat!”

The claims are pretty incredible.  Imagine being able to build impressive muscles while you solve the day’s crossword puzzle.  I use muscle stimulation in my practice, and often patients ask if the muscle stimulation that we use is similar to those machines advertised to build muscles without any active effort.  The answer to that question is that muscle stimulation which is used therapeutically is similar to the type that is available from the companies that advertise super abs in minutes a day.  The other answer, of course, is that those machines do not build abdominal muscles while you vegetate on the sofa.  In reality, the amount of muscle stimulation that would actually build the elusive six pack would be unbearably painful.  I had knee surgery in 1989 from a snow skiing accident, and during physical therapy my quadriceps muscle would not contract properly after atrophy from several months in a cast.  My physical therapist had to use a mode of stimulation to teach the muscle to contract again, and let me tell you it was no picnic regenerating the tone in my leg.  The therapy was excruciatingly painful, but it did work.

There is simply no shortcut to muscle tone.  Period.  Get used to it.  You must put in the time and effort to eat properly and get appropriate amounts of exercise in order to tone your body.  There is no magic pill or potion or machine which will do it for you.  Unfortunately we live in a very busy world and people are searching for shortcuts to everything.  Marketing companies will capitalize on the desires for us to take the easy way out, but there is no shortcut to fitness.  If you want great abs, put in the work to get them.  Find a personal trainer who will lay out a program for you to follow or buy a video tape which will outline the proper exercises to build abdominal muscles.  The key is that you must do the work.  No trainer or video or muscle stimulation machine will do for you what must be done. 

The same principles apply to reaching true health.  Without your participation, no one can make you healthy.  The cornerstones of health must all be strong.  You must get the proper amounts of rest, eat a balanced diet that is not full of fat and sugar, get some type of exercise on a regular basis, and make sure that you remove any obstacles to reaching your goals for health and happiness.  You will want to keep your nervous system clear of interference, and make sure you manage the stresses that come your way.  There is a lot you can do to keep yourself healthy, but you must first make a conscious decision to do those things.  Ask for help if you need it.  Form a group of like-minded people to keep you motivated, and set concrete goals that are easy to reach.  Then raise the bar a little bit.

If you happen to be one of the people who bought the ab stimulator machines, don’t just throw it away.  It can be used therapeutically to assist in pain management and muscle spasm relief.  Ask your health care provider how to use it to your benefit.  Your chiropractor or physical therapist should be able to tell you where you can acquire additional electrodes so that you can use them in the future.

Life is very much like a huge smorgasbord.  Anything and everything you could possibly want is out there and is available to you, but if you wait around  for someone to bring it to you, you will be left out.  You have to get up and get it yourself.  Treat yourself well.

As I was placing a loaf of Irish Soda Bread in the oven this past weekend, I realized that the delicate balance of health is very similar to a good recipe in that it should have a firm foundation with a few basic ingredients and the flexibility to allow a bit of trial-and-error substitution for variety.  There have been times in my life when I was struggling to find the right mix for myself, and finally I have found the recipe that works for me.  Perhaps some of these suggestions will spark an interest in finding the right things for you.  Of course, the facets of health that must be balanced include nutrition, stress management, exercise, and communication with your personal health care team.  This column will focus on nutrition and its part in the game.

The most annoying four-letter word for many people is diet.  The truth is that diet is lifestyle.  I remember as a child eating wonderful foods that all Southerners love and thinking it was normal to eat like that every day.  Fried everything along with vegetables seasoned with cured meat and biscuits or cornbread on the side was perfectly acceptable fare, or so I thought.  It was good for the people who worked hard in the fields all day, but that sort of work is out of the picture for most of us.  Eating like a field hand won’t work if you do it every day, but once in a while it is all right.  On other days, however, some rules must apply.  First, eat sensibly.  Moderate portion sizes are essential to any healthy diet.  Once around the table with the platters is enough.  Avoid getting seconds.

 Anything that is white should be avoided as a general rule.  White flour, white sugar, and white rice all are heavily processed and processed foods put heavy strains on the digestive system.  When a diet is high in whole grains, digestive health is better.   There are many choices widely available for bread, pasta, and rice.  Be careful to look for whole wheat bread or stone ground whole wheat bread and not just plain wheat bread.  There is a major difference in the degree to which each of these is processed.

 Next, supplement.  Since our soil is depleted in many cases of the nutrients that our bodies need to remain healthy, supplementation has become vital.  There are many different types of multi-vitamin and mineral supplements, herbs, and tonics on the market now.  It can become confusing trying to decide which ones you need, so the best route in my estimation is to make sure you first have a whole-food source (as opposed to a synthetic source) multi-vitamin every day.  The whole-food source vitamins and minerals can actually be used by your body and absorbed properly.  Synthetic versions are often merely expensive contents of septic tanks.  If they pass right through your digestive system without being absorbed, they are no good to you.  Anything else you need can be added as time goes on and you gain more knowledge about the different choices available.  Most of the vitamins on the shelves of the local stores are synthetic, so read labels carefully.  There are websites and other sources of good supplementation advice out there, so take your time and be well-informed.

Finally, there is no way around drinking plenty of good clean water.  I emphasize clean water because our tap water is chlorinated heavily to kill bacteria and other things that might be floating in it.  I don’t know about you, but drinking chlorinated water is not very appetizing to me.  Ingesting chlorine is not pro-health.  Distilled or reverse-osmosis filtered water is best, but carbon filtration is needed minimally in order to eliminate chlorine.  Many illnesses can be avoided by simply drinking enough water.  A good rule of thumb to determine how much water is enough for you is half your body weight in ounces.  For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should consume at least 75 ounces of water per day.  It will make a difference in your life.

Hopefully this will be some good starter advice for you in getting on the road to good health.  If I can be of service or assistance, please let me know.   The Irish Soda Bread recipe is delicious, and it can be consumed as part of a healthy diet.  Treat your body well.