- Patty O.-

I see people in my office every day in pain.  Some have a simple solution while others are far more complex.  In this article, I have put together three things that can help in pain reduction.  The best thing about them is that you can do it yourself!

1. Omega III Fatty Acids (fish oil)  There are many studies showing the benefits of fish oil.  It is known that this helps fight inflammation, help prevent inflammatory diseases such as heart attacks and arthritis.  What many don’t know is that is also essential to the brain and can impact behavior and cognitive function.  Other benefits are:

• Improves artery health by reducing plaque
• Lowers cholesterol and triglycerides
• Improves bone health
• Improves skin health
• Improves menstrual health
• Helps reduce cancer

How much do you need to take?  Most studies say someone should take between 2000-3000 mg/day.

1. 2.        Vitamin D    Mayo Clinic research shows a correlation between low vitamin D levels and pain.  The  study found that patients who had low vitamin D levels needed twice the pain medication as those who had normal levels.  Other benefits of vitamin D are:

• Immune system regulator
• Beneficial for auto immune conditions (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s, etc)
• Helps maintain normal body weight
• Helps lower cancer risk
• Low levels of vitamin D may increase heart attack risk

How much vitamin D do you need to take?  I would first recommend to have  your levels checked.  Someone who is deficient will need more than one who is not.  As more and more scientific evidence emerges, confirming that currently recommended daily allowances (RDA) of vitamin D are grossly insufficient for young and old alike.  I like to see levels in the 40-100 range.  If you are in this range,    2000 IU/day.  If it is lower than this, more is needed.  I also prefer emulsified D.

1. 3.       Anti Inflammatory Diet  We eat a lot of foods that cause inflammation in our body.  If we are consistently feeding our body things that are inflammatory to it,  cause constant, chronic pain.  One of the easiest and least expensive things someone can do to reduce their pain is an anti inflammatory diet.  There are many of them out there to choose from.  The one I like is an elimination diet to isolate the food or foods that are inflammatory to the individual.  Just know that any food can be inflammatory to any individual and what may be inflammatory for one may not be for another.  This is why I feel an elimination diet is good.  Another option that I like is the paleo diet.

If you suffer from pain, try these things.  You may be pleasantly surprised.

Insomnia Relief

Please click the link to review more information on Insomnia

My name is Dr. Tim Lind and I am a Chiropractic Physician.  I have been in private practice in Bend Oregon since 1991. I consult with over 500 doctors (www.lifechangingcare.com around the country on chronic health conditions).

• Are you tired of running from doctor to doctor only to play “Russian Roulette” with different medications? “Here try this drug, that didn’t work? Try this one!”
• Are you tired of taking drugs that don’t fix the problem?
• Do you continue to struggle with restless or sleepless nights?
• Do you wake up every night at 2 am or 3 am and you cannot get back to sleep?
• Are you unable to fall asleep?

I am here to tell you that there is NEW HOPE!

If you’re tired of dealing with this problem and you are worried about it getting worse, watch the revolutionary, ground breaking video to learn how your insomnia can be helped.

PATIENT TESTIMONIALS: To view testimonials from Dr. Lind and other doctors, go towww.lifechangingcare

Are you Tired of the Pain?  Visit the link to find out more on Fibromyalgia/Chronic Pain, What our Patients Say, and What it is that we do Differently.

So I have fibromyalgia…………now what??

It is estimated that 3 to 6 million people suffer from fibromyalgia with that number increasing every year.  It is also more prevalent in women.  Fibromyalgia is a very broad and general term used to describe pain throughout the body, joint pain and in other soft tissues.  Nearly every person that I have treated with fibromyalgia has seen multiple doctors and clinicians with little if any relief.

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?

The answer to this question is rather simple.  We approach it in a completely different way.  That is….. we treat the person NOT the diagnosis.  You see, there can be many different causes for your pain and other symptoms and if you don’t find out what the exact cause is, it will never go away.

The only way to help someone is to identify the cause.

HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THE CAUSE?

This is where many doctors and clinicians get stuck.  They cant seem to identify the cause.  The only way to identify the cause is to:

• ask the right questions and
• run the right tests

Ask yourself these questions:

• How has your chronic health condition affected your job, relationships, finances, family, or other activities?
• What has it cost you in time, money, happiness, sleep?
• Where do you picture yourself in the next one to three years if this problem is not taken care of soon?
• What is it worth to you if we could improve your condition?

If you’re really serious about the possibility that there could be an alternative treatment for you or your loved one, call our office at 541-389-3072 and tell the staff person that you are interested in setting up a case review with Dr. Tim Lind, D.C.

Why do I still have thyroid symptoms when my lab tests are normal?

It can be frustrating. You have a thyroid condition, are taking thyroid medication and doing everything that you are supposed to but still suffer with inability to lose weight, depression, bloating or constipation, dry skin, hair loss, constant fatigue, or insomnia. The list goes on and on. You are not alone. Upwards of 90% of people who take thyroid hormone still have low thyroid symptoms and will continue to suffer even though their lab tests are normal.

But…even though an underactive thyroid is common and ruins the lives of millions of women…the standard medical care does not work well for a surprising number of women. Why is this? To answer this question, you need to know that the primary cause of thyroid in the United States is really not a thyroid condition at all. It is an immune system condition and is called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. This is why someone who is only taking thyroid hormone rarely if ever gets rid of their horrible symptoms!

To complicate matters even more, there are 6 other thyroid patterns that are either overlooked or ignored completely. Doesn’t it make sense to find out which one (or ones) you have?

The answer to that question is the key to the puzzle of why you still feel awful. The answer to that question “Why?” will determine whether you ever feel good again, or whether you will continue to feel terrible even though you’re taking the medication and your labs looks “normal.”

If you are tired of feeling hopeless, tired of constantly adjusting your thyroid hormone hoping it will make a difference, tired of not having enough energy to get you through the day, tired of inability to lose weight……there is hope for you.

Our approach is unique. We will look to find out WHY your body is not working right. We will then set out a specific, individualized plan for YOU. No two people are alike and no two people should be treated the same.

Thyroid Symptoms/Treatment

10 to 1 you know someone who has a thyroid problem! Thyroid problems are often misdiagnosed and mis-treated…and women are often affected the most.

Does this sound familiar? Your labs come back “Normal” and yet you still feel tired, achy, cold, depressed and mentally sluggish. I can’t tell you how many people have been told…”go home, get some rest, your blood work looks normal, you are probably just over worked.”

Or even worse, you are put on thyroid hormone replacement and you still have all the symptoms of hypothyroidism but your lab tests show that your thyroid levels are good. And worst of all it’s difficult to get anyone to listen to you. So now what do you do?

Here are some common symptoms:

• Feeling Tired
• Mentally fatigued/sluggish
• Can’t lose weight even with exercise
• Feel cold—hands, feet, or all over
• Require excessive amounts of sleep to function properly
• Increase in weight gain even with low-calorie diet
• Gain weight easily
• Difficult, infrequent bowel movements
• Depression, lack of motivation
• Morning headaches that wear off as the day progresses
• Outer third of eyebrow thins
• Thinning of hair on scalp, face or genitals or hair loss
• Dryness of skin and/or scalp
• Nervousness and emotional
• Insomnia
• Night sweats

It doesn’t have to be that way. I have found that most will have only two tests done (TSH and T4) to determine if they have a thyroid problem. While these tests may offer a simple screening for thyroid function they don’t offer the complete picture! Did you know there are well over 20+ ways that your thyroid can go bad? And, only one of those ways will respond to typical replacement therapy. Not everyone fits into the replacement model of treatment. Modern approaches allow us to dial in to your specific needs.

There is a delicate dance that goes on with all the hormone systems and the thyroid plays a key role in your metabolism and energy.

Do not go on feeling frustrated. We will listen to your concerns and chart a course to get you back on track. Comprehensive blood work and functional analysis will help us determine the shortest path to getting you better.

If you would like to reserve an initial consultation with Dr. Tim Lind, D.C., Chiropractic Physician, to discuss potential thyroid issues please call our office 541-389-3072. Please remember to brings copies of all current lab tests. www.bendthyroidcenter.com

Natural Thyroid Treatment Methods

It really shouldn’t be a surprise that more and more people with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, as well as other hypothyroid conditions, are turning to natural treatment methods. While millions of people continue to take some form of medication and on a daily basis, people are simply getting sick of taking pills to manage their symptoms. Obviously in some cases this is necessary. On the other hand, many people with a low functioning thyroid still are suffering with multiple symptoms. Symptoms that include: Inability to lose weight, bloating and digestive trouble, fatigue, low libido, brain fog or mental sluggishness, gain weight easily, dry skin, thinning hair, insomnia, cold hands and feet.

Lets face it. In most cases, the symptoms seem worse than the problem! Many people have gone in to get their thyroid evaluated and this is what they hear. “Things look great! Your thyroid is where we want it to be. Continue with your meds.” The only problem is that even though the labs may look good, why do I still have all these symptoms? The answer may be that you may not have a “thyroid” problem. You may have an immune systemproblem.

Studies now tell us that an upwards of 90% of people with a thyroid condition actually have an immune system condition. It is called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. It is where one’s immune system is attacking and killing the thyroid. Not a good thing.

I’m sure you have noticed that people in general are slowly becoming more aware of their health, and are making strides towards improving it through diet, exercise, and nutritional supplementation. While the drug industry is still booming, the same can be said for alternative healthcare. In addition of taking better care of their health, more and more people are seeing alternative doctors such as holistic medical doctors, chiropractors, naturopaths, acupuncturists, and other holistic healthcare practitioners.

The reason why natural treatment methods work so well with many people who have Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is because these treatment methods try to address the actual cause of this autoimmune thyroid disorder, rather than just manage the symptoms. Of course some natural doctors will simply use natural methods to manage the symptoms, such as natural thyroid hormone. But what many competent natural doctors are finding out is that while the thyroid gland is of course being affected in these people, it often times is not the primary cause of the condition.

Many people with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis can successfully manage their symptoms by taking synthetic or natural thyroid hormone for the rest of their lives. But if they want to try to restore their health back to normal, then the immune system component of the disorder must be addressed. As you may have guessed, this involves strengthening the immune system, which is a big challenge. Some people think that simply taking an immune system support formula and/or antioxidants from their local health food store is enough to strengthen their immune system. Unfortunately it is usually not this easy.

And what can make this even more complex is that in order to strengthen the immune system, you need to find out what weakened it in the first place. For example, many people have chronic stress, which often times will cause problems with the adrenal glands, and over time this can actually weaken the immune system. So in this example, one would have to not only address the weakened immune system, but the actual cause of the weak immune system, which in this case is the adrenals. Sometimes other issues can lead to a weakened immune system, such as problems with digestion and the gastrointestinal tract. Other times it might be due to hormone issues.

This is why it is not recommended that people with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis self-treat their condition naturally. Sure, it might save you some money in the short term, but the odds of you receiving optimal results by treating it on your own are very slim. The problem is that everyone is different, and as a result, most will need a different natural treatment protocol. And as I mentioned earlier, some people can’t have their health completely restored to normal.

So if you have been diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and are not sure whether natural treatment methods are for you, think about how it would benefit your health to actually get to the underlying cause of the condition. While the thyroid hormone you’re currently taking might be doing a good job of managing your symptoms (although in some cases it doesn’t do a good job in managing the symptoms), having a compromised immune system and possibly other weakened areas of your body will most likely result in the development of other conditions in the future.

So what is the real problem posed by sugar?

1. Increased cardiovascular disease
2. Increase Obesity.  In the US alone 60+ million overweight, 8/10 people over 25 are overweight, 78% do not meet the basic activity level recommendations
3. Increased Diabetes
4. Increased Nutrient Deficiencies-especially B vitamins
5. Increased Dysfunctions associated with blood sugar dysregulation
   1. Hypoglycemia
   2. Cardiovascular disease
   3. Strokes
   4. Diabetes
   5. Oxidative stress-The activity in your body which ages you!
   6. Metabolic syndrome
   7. Insulin Resistance
   8. Adrenal Dysfunction-causes belly fat, insomnia and a host of other things.
   9. Pancreatic Dysfunction

Physical Signs Associated with Blood Sugar Issues

1. Increasing Blood Pressure
2. Ear Lobe Crease
3. Skin Tags
4. Adult Acne
5. Slow Wound Healing
6. Tinea-skin or Hair
7. White Patches on Inside of Cheek
8. Cataracts
9. Chronic Bladder Infections

Blood Sugar Dysregulation- The Road to Diabetes!

The road to diabetes is a long one. You just don’t wake up one day and have diabetes. It is a long slow process that begins with a number of factors:

1. Genetics
2. Environmental influences
3. Lifestyle choices like exercise and lack of them
4. Diet-most important

One of the good things is that we have incredible tools to assess you at any stage of this journey and the tools to halt and even reverse this progression

Do you eat these harmful foods that AGE you faster?  Some are even deceptively marketed to you as “healthy” by giant food corporations.  Avoid or minimize these and look 5-10 years YOUNGER than your real age.

Due to biochemical reactions in your body that occur with every type of food you eat on a daily basis, some foods age you FASTER than your real age, while other foods help to FIGHT aging.

Eat the wrong foods regularly, and you can look and feel 10 or more years OLDER than your real age (not fun!) … but eat the right foods, and over time, you can start to look 5-10 years YOUNGER than your real age.

Three of the processes that go on inside your body that have a MAJOR impact on your rate of aging are called “glycation”, “inflammation”, and “oxidation”.  When we talk about aging, we’re not just talking about wrinkles on your skin or how thick your hair is… we’re also talking about factors that you can’t see, such as how well your organs function, and whether your joints are degrading.

I’m sure you’ll agree that this is much more important than just how you look superficially (although I will show you how to improve BOTH!)

So here we go…….

Food #1 that ages you faster

Wheat and wheat products

Before I tell you why wheat can actually speed up the aging process in your body, let’s clarify some simple biochemistry in your body…

This deals with “glycation” in your body, and substances called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs).  These compounds called AGEs speed up the aging process in your body including damage over time to your organs, your joints, and of course, wrinkled skin.

So with that said, what is one of the biggest factors that increase production of AGEs inside your body?  This may surprise you, but high blood sugar levels over time dramatically increase age-accelerating AGEs in your body.  This is why type 2 diabetics many times appear that they have not aged well and look older than their real age.  But this age-increasing effect is not just limited to diabetics.

So, let’s get back to how “whole wheat” relates to this…

Here is a little-known fact that’s not known by most people.   Wheat, even whole wheat contains a very unique type of carbohydrate called Amylopectin-A, which has been found in some tests to spike your blood sugar higher than even pure table sugar.

In fact, amylopectin-A (from wheat) raises your blood sugar more than almost any other carbohydrate source on earth based on blood sugar response testing.

This means that wheat-based foods such as breads, bagels, cereals, muffins, and other baked goods often cause much higher blood sugar levels than most other carbohydrate sources.  The higher your average blood sugar levels are over time, the more AGEs are formed inside your body, which makes you age FASTER.

Most have heard about the potential health-damaging effects of gluten  but this blood sugar aspect we just covered is not talked about that often, and is yet another reason to reduce or eliminate wheat-based foods in your diet.  Your body will thank you by aging slower and looking YOUNGER!

Another problem with wheat-based foods and aging…

As it turns out, baked wheat products contain carcinogenic chemicals called acrylamides that form in the browned portion of breads, cereals, muffins, etc.  These carcinogenic acrylamides have been linked in studies to possible increased risk of cancer and accelerated aging.  Note that acrylamides are also found in high levels in other browned carbohydrate sources such as french fries or any other browned starchy foods.

Food #2 that ages you faster

Corn-based foods, corn syrup, corn cereal, corn chips, corn oil

This is quite a variety of stuff that you might eat every day… we’re talking corn chips, corn cereals, corn oil, and also the biggest health-damaging villain that gets most of the media attention, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).

We already talked in detail in the last section about wheat regarding the blood sugar process and it’s relation to age-accelerating formation of nasty “AGEs” in your body.

Corn-based starchy foods such as corn cereals, corn chips, etc also have a big impact on blood sugar levels and therefore can increase AGEs in your body and accelerate aging.

But here’s another nail in the coffin for corn… it turns out that scientists have found out that the fructose in HFCS causes 10x more formation of AGEs in your body than glucose!  That means the HFCS you consume daily in sweetened drinks, and most other processed foods (even salad dressings and ketchup) contribute to faster aging in your body… as if you needed yet another reason to avoid or minimize HFCS!

Another major issue with corn-based foods and corn oils is that these foods contribute excessive amounts of omega-6 fatty acids to your diet, which causes an imbalance in your omega-3 to omega-6 ratio and leads to inflammation and oxidation within your body.

My advice:  Avoid or reduce corn-based foods like corn chips and corn cereal as much as possible. These aren’t as bad as wheat in relation to blood sugar, and they don’t contain gut-damaging gluten like wheat does, but they are still are not the best for you.  When it comes to corn syrup or corn oil, avoid as much as you can if you want to stay lean and young looking.

 Food #3 that ages you faster

Sugar, sugary foods, certain starchy foods

Again, we get back to the relationship between your average blood sugar levels and blood sugar spikes over time, and how that can increase those age-accelerating compounds called AGEs in your body.

Sugar is an obvious one to avoid.  You already know about how it can cause diabetes but now you also understand the aging effect of sugar.

Instead of sugar, consider using a natural non-caloric sweetener like Stevia in your daily coffee, tea, in baking, or other sweetening needs.  This dramatically helps you control your blood sugar response and thereby help slow aging.

So this also means to think twice about sugary desserts, sugary cereals, candy, and other sweets that are contributing to aging you faster.

My personal trick to satisfy my sweet tooth is to only have 1-2 squares of dark chocolate after dinner instead of a normal full dessert that most people choose.  You only get about 2 grams of sugar in 1-2 squares of dark chocolate as opposed to 40-80 grams of age-accelerating sugar in a typical cake, ice cream, or brownie type of dessert.

Keep in mind that some starchy foods like white rice, oatmeal, and white potatoes can also have significant impacts on your blood sugar and thereby can increase formation of AGEs in your body.  These foods are best kept in small portions if you decide to eat them, and balanced with healthy fats and protein to slow the blood sugar response.

Food #4 that ages you faster

Soybean oil, canola oil, or other “vegetable oils”

I know these have been marketed to you over the years by giant food companies as “healthy”, but if you understand a little biochemistry about how these highly-processed oils react inside your body, you would quickly see how false that is.

First, anything labeled soybean oil, canola oil, corn oil, vegetable oil, or cottonseed oil (these are in a LOT of processed foods you probably eat) most times have undergone a refining process under extremely high heat and use of chemical solvents such as hexane.

This leaves you with an oil where the polyunsaturated fats have undergone a lot of oxidation and are therefore VERY inflammatory inside your body, producing free radicals, damaging your cell membranes, contributing to faster aging, heart disease, and other possible health problems.

If you want to avoid the health-damaging effects of soybean, canola, corn and other “vegetable oils”, make sure to avoid them as much as you can, and instead opt for truly healthy oils and fats such as extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, virgin coconut oil (a healthy source of MCT fats), and grass-fed butter (a great source of healthy CLA fats).

Modern life is full of deadlines, frustrations, and demands. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. If you are constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price. You can protect yourself by recognizing the signs and symptoms of stress and taking steps to reduce its harmful effects.

Determine Your Stress Level Check all events that apply to you, that have occurred over the past twelve months.

100___Death of a Spouse

73____Divorce

65____Marital Separation

63____Jail Term

63____Death of close family member

50____Marriage

53____Personal Injury or illness

47____Fired at work

45____Marital reconciliation

45____Retirement

44____Change in health of family member

40____Pregnancy

39____Sex difficulties

39____Gain of new family member

39____Business Readjustment

38____Change in financial state

37____Death of a close friend

36____Change to different kind of work

35____Change in number of arguments with spouse

31____Mortgage over $10,000

30____Foreclosure of mortgage or loan

29____Change in responsibilities at work

29____Son or daughter leaving home

29____Trouble with in-laws

28____Outstanding personal achievement

26____Spouse begins or stops work

26____Begin or end school

25____Change in living conditions

24____Revision of personal habits

23____Trouble with boss

20____Change in work hours or conditions

20____Change in residence

20____Change in schools

19____Change in recreation

18____Change in church activities

18____Change in social activities

17____Mortgage or loan less than $10,000

16____Change in sleeping habits

15____Change in number of family gatherings

15____Change in eating habits

13____Vacation

12____Christmas

11____Minor violations of law

Scoring Your Test _____________Your Total Score

If you are stressed out taking this test, add 10 points to your score.

Note: If there are events which took place in your life during the past year which are not listed, select a value from an event listed which approximates your experience closely.

Notice that ‘positive’ events (outstanding personal achievement, vacation, Christmas) can be as stressful as ‘negative’ ones.

Add up your Stress Scale points for the past twelve months. If it is above 250, you should be keenly alert for the early signs of OVERSTRESS. Even a level of 150 will OVERSTRESS ten percent of persons. For this reason, it is best to aim for a continuing stress load of below 150 on the Stress Scale.

Adapted from the “Social Readjustment Rating Scale” by Thomas Holmes and Richard Rahe. This scale was first published in the “Journal of Psychosomatic Research”, vol.II p. 214.