Ingredients:

• Barramundi fillets (wild not farmed or imported)

• 2 Limes

• 4 Cloves of garlic

• Olive Oil

• Black Cracked Pepper

• Chopped parsley or coriander

• Basmati Rice (1/2 cup per person)

• Turmeric

• Light Soy Sauce

Method:

1. Slice Barramundi across fillet into portions of 4cm wide

2. Drizzle olive oil around the bottom of an oven proof dish leaving a small space between each serve.

3. Top with cracked pepper and a dollop of butter on each serve.

4. Cover with lid or foil and bake in a pre heated oven on 200oC for 20 minutes or until fish is white and tender.

5. Meanwhile cook basmati rice with a sprinkling of turmeric (enough to colour the rice)

6. Squeeze lime into a small dish, add crushed garlic, chopped parsley or coriander and when fish is cooked pour in the juices from the pan.

7. Place rice on each plate, add a little soy sauce over the rice and top with the fish portion.

8. Spoon the lime mixture and garnish with a sprig of parsley or coriander.

9. Serve with a tossed salad

Provided by our fabulous Chiropractic Educator, Jude.  This was the Signature dish for “Haley’s Restaurant” in Bloomfield, FNQ, Australia.

Did You Know

Virtually all prescriptions for blood pressure drugs come in one of four categories: diuretics, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers.  And remember, these drugs only mask the symptom of some unknown condition while having NO healing properties AND even the least toxic ones can have deadly side effects.

You might be asking, “What the heck does chiropractic have to do with high blood pressure?”  I’m glad you asked.  While some folks think chiropractic may be great for back pain, they rarely consider that what chiropractic adjustments really do is take pressure off either specific nerve roots or off the entire nerve system altogether, or both.

A March 2007 study, published in the Journal of Human Hypertension, detailed how patients who received a chiropractic adjustment saw an average 14 mm Hg greater drop in systolic blood pressure, and an average 8 mm Hg greater drop in diastolic blood pressure than those who received a placebo adjustment.  According to George Bakris, MD, the study leader, “this procedure has the effect of not one, but two blood pressure medications given in combination.  And it seems to be adverse-event free. We saw no side effects and no problems,” adds Bakris, director of the University of Chicago hypertension center.[1]

The Chiropractic Adjustment

So, how can chiropractic adjustments significantly lower high blood pressure?  At the base of the brain are two centers that control all the muscles of the body.  If you pinch the base of the brain, it doesn’t cause any pain but it upsets these centers.  Specific adjustments of the bone at the top of the neck, called the C-1 vertebrae, can help reduce stress on the brain stem.  Bakris notes that some researchers have suggested that injury to the Atlas vertebra can affect blood flow in the arteries at the base of the skull.  Others think the misaligned Atlas triggers release of signals that make the arteries contract.[2]

Located in the brain stem is the Vagus Nerve.  One of its jobs is to regulate your heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and many other functions.  In fact, the Vagus Nerve is kind of like the reset switch on your computer.  When things lock up, one of the first things you try is the reset button.  Most times, that resolves the problem.

Everyone’s heard of the body’s “fight or flight” mechanism where you gear up for a fight or to escape a life-threatening situation.  In our rushed and harried world, many of us stay in this “fight or flight” mode due to chronic stress.  Over time, this causes chronic high blood pressure.  Our diet and lack of exercise also contribute to the problem.  Yet, few doctors recommend stress reduction, diet, and exercise as a means of dealing with high blood pressure.[3]

Reducing stress on the brain stem can stimulate the Vagus Nerve, helping to slow down your heart rate and lower the blood pressure. In short, chiropractic adjustments of the upper cervical spine stimulate what’s called the parasympathetic nervous system, or the reset button for the “fight or flight” mechanism.”

And you just might realize other benefits from chiropractic adjustments, like better sleep, digestion and elimination.  Chiropractors have been claiming these kinds of results anecdotally for a hundred years, with none of the risks or dangers of drugs and other medical procedures.  It is refreshing to see that scientists, who are willing to look at the real feedback and data, are beginning to realize the power of the adjustment, and the possibilities that come along with chiropractic care.  While they may still interpret this discovery as a novel treatment for high blood pressure, it’s another step closer to having chiropractic embraced in the mainstream of health and wellness, because of all the good it can do.[4]

[2] http://www.webmd.com

[3] http://drtim.wordpress.com/2008/03/05/high-blood-pressure-and-chiropractic/

[4] http://drtim.wordpress.com

Did You Know if you suffer from headaches, a Chiropractic spinal checkup is one of the best things you can do?  Headaches have many causes: strong smells; intense lights; sinus trouble; TMJ disorder; low blood sugar; high blood pressure; dental problems; ear, eye, or vision conditions; fevers; infections; tumors; seizures; alcoholic drinks; drugs; accidents and many more.  Although headaches can be due to a wide variety of causes, the majority of recurrent headaches are of two types: tension headaches (also called cervicogenic headaches) and migraine headaches.

Tension Headaches/Cervicogenic Headaches
Headaches resulting from muscle tension or stress are the most common type.  Typically, a tension headache is described as a constant dull ache on one or both sides of the head, with a tight band of pain around the head or behind the eyes.  Tension headaches, which usually begin slowly and gradually, can last for minutes, days, or even months in chronic cases.  Although the pain can be severe, these headaches are typically not associated with other symptoms such as nausea or vomiting.

Subluxations, from stress or posture, in the upper back and neck are the most common cause of tension headaches. The rectus capitis posterior minor (RCPM) muscle, located in the upper neck, attaches to the dura mater, or protective covering, that covers the brain.  Although the brain cannot feel pain, the dura mater is very pain-sensitive.  Therefore, when a neck subluxation causes this muscle to go into spasm, it stresses the dura mater, causing a headache.

Migraine Headaches

Migraines are intense and throbbing headaches that are often associated with nausea, sensitivity to light or noise, and an aura. They can last from as little as a few hours to as long as a few days.  Migraine sufferers usually have their first attack before age 30 and they tend to run in families.

Migraine headaches are caused by a constriction of the blood vessels in the brain, followed by a dilation of blood vessels.  During the constriction of the blood vessels there is a decrease in blood flow, which is what leads to the visual symptoms that many people experience.  Once the blood vessels dilate, there is a rapid increase in blood pressure inside the head.  It is this increased pressure that leads to the pounding headache.  Each time the heart beats it sends another shock wave through the carotid arteries in the neck up into the brain.

No one really knows why the blood vessels constrict in the first place, but we do know there are a number of things that can trigger migraines, such as lack of sleep, stress, flickering lights, strong odors, changing weather patterns and several foods; especially foods that are high in an amino acid called ‘tyramine.’  Simply by making lifestyle changes, you can reduce the likelihood of migraine headaches.

Avoid Headache Triggers

Stress may be a trigger, but certain foods, odors, menstrual periods, and changes in weather are among many factors that may also trigger headache.  Emotional stresses such as depression, anxiety, frustration, letdown, and even pleasant excitement may be associated with developing a headache.  Keeping a headache diary will help you determine which factors have any relationship to your headache pattern.

Exposure to certain toxins can result in a dull, pounding headache.  Nitrite is found in such products as heart medicine and dynamite, but is also used as a chemical to preserve meat.  Hot dogs and other processed meats containing sodium nitrite can cause headaches.  Consuming MSG, a flavor enhancer found in soy sauce, meat tenderizer, and a variety of packaged foods, can result in headache.

Foods, such as ripened cheeses (cheddar, brie), chocolate, or pickled and fermented foods, which are high in the amino acid tyramine should be avoided also.

The Chiropractic Approach

Medication will treat the pain but you need to deal with the underlying cause.  Chiropractic is a safe, gentle, drugless method that has helped millions of headache sufferers over the years.  However, Chiropractic is not a headache treatment.  Chiropractors are experts in checking your spine for subluxations and misalignments, which interfere with the function of your nerve system and have the power to destroy your health.  Without subluxations your body works more efficiently and functions at its maximum potential.

Numerous research studies have shown that Chiropractic adjustments are very effective.  A 2001 report by Duke University found that Chiropractic adjustments “resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than commonly prescribed medications.”  These findings support an earlier study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics that found spinal manipulative therapy to be very effective for treating tension headaches.  This study also found that those who stopped Chiropractic treatment after four weeks continued to experience a sustained benefit without side effects, in contrast to those patients who received pain medication.

These studies confirm what most chiropractors and their patients have already known; Chiropractic is one of the most effective avenues of health for headache sufferers.  Millions are learning to turn to the natural Chiropractic approach to health to avoid side effects, correct the cause of their headaches, and most importantly, to benefit from a healthier nervous system.

Headache Trigger Points

Trigger point therapy for headaches tends to involve four muscles: the Splenius muscles, the Suboccipitals, the Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and the Trapezius.

The Splenius muscles are comprised of two individual muscles – the Splenius Capitis and the Splenius Cervicis. Both of these muscles run from the upper back to either the base of the skull (splenius capitis) or the upper cervical vertebrae (splenius cervicis). Trigger points in the Splenius muscles are a common cause of headache pain that travels through the head to the back of the eye, as well as to the top of the head.

The Suboccipitals are actually a group of four small muscles that are responsible for maintaining the proper movement and positioning between the first cervical vertebra and the base of the skull. Trigger points in these muscles will cause pain that feels like it’s inside the head, extending from the back of the head to the eye and forehead. Often times it will feel like the whole side of the head hurts, a pain pattern similar to that experienced with a migraine.

The Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle runs from the base of the skull, just behind the ear, down the side of the neck to attach to the top of the sternum (breastbone). Although most people are not aware of the SCM trigger points, their effects are widespread, including referred pain, balance problems and visual disturbances. Referred pain patterns tend to be deep eye pain, headaches over the eye and can even cause earaches. Another unusual characteristic of SCM trigger points is that they can cause dizziness, nausea and unbalance.

The trapezius muscle is the very large, flat muscle in the upper and mid back. A common trigger point located in the very top of the Trapezius muscle refers pain to the temple and back of the head and is sometimes responsible for headache pain. This trigger point is capable of producing satellite trigger points in the muscles in the temple or jaw, which can lead to jaw or tooth pain.

Did You Know

A research study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation (1991) indicated chiropractic care might improve athletic performance by as much as 16.7% over a two week period.  The report also concluded that subluxation-free athletes react faster, coordinate better, and execute fine movements with improved accuracy and precision, amounting to an overall better athlete.

Athletes have been benefitting from Chiropractic care for many years; however, it is only recently that it has been getting lots of attention.  At the 1996 Olympic Games, Chiropractors were a part of many of the medical teams that travelled with the athletes.  Weeks ahead of the Games, Chiropractors were caring for the athletes as they went through their final preparations.  Donovan Bailey publically thanked his Chiropractor for helping him perform at his best, further supporting the benefits of Chiropractic.[1]

Top professionals in every sport are under chiropractic care to increase health and performance. The following are just a few sports stars under chiropractic care.

Seven-time Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong, has been receiving chiropractic care since 1999.  With the help of Chiropractic keeping his body functioning optimally for the harsh demands of the Tour, Lance has commented that he could not have won without his Chiropractor’s help.

Actor, body builder, and Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has his own personal Chiropractor who adjusts him, his wife, and his kids.  “Everybody gets an adjustment.”  He states, “We always feel great after.  I always will be traveling around, all over the world, talking highly about the profession of Chiropractic.  Chiropractic doctors are really miracle workers.”

According to Decathlon Gold Medalist, Dan O’Brien, “If it were not for Chiropractic, I would not have won the gold medal.”  “You obviously can’t compete at your fullest if you’re not in alignment.  And your body can’t heal if you’re not in alignment.  Every track and field athlete that I have ever met has seen a chiropractor at one time or another. In track and field, it is absolutely essential.”

Champion boxer, Evander Holyfield, attributes his success and longevity to Chiropractic: “I have to have an adjustment before I go into the ring.  I do believe in chiropractic.  I found that going to a chiropractor three times a week helps my performance.  The majority of boxers go to get that edge.”

Arguably the best golfer of all-time, Tiger Woods, believes regular Chiropractic care has made him a better golfer. “Being a chiropractic patient has really helped me immensely.  I’ve been going to Chiropractors for as long as I can remember. It’s as important to my training as practicing my swing.” [2]

World-class athletes seek Chiropractic care because it is a drug-free way to better health and performance.  The average athlete and the weekend warrior can benefit from Chiropractic care.  Chiropractic adjustments can help speed recovery from injuries ranging from ankle sprains to separated shoulders, to the all-to-common lower back pain.  But more importantly, Chiropractic helps ensure that the body functions at 100% maximum possible potential.[3]

[2] http://mississaugachiro.com/chiropractic_for_athletes.php

[3] http://www.spinalhealth.net/athlete.html

Nightshade vegetables include many commonly used vegetables such as potatoes (excluding sweet potatoes), eggplants, tomatoes, tomatillos, pimentos, tobacco, and paprika.  It is believed that nightshade vegetables can exacerbate the symptoms of arthritis and fibromyalgia.

Nightshades contain solanine, a glycoalkaloid, which is toxic if consumed in large amounts. This compound may influence the enzymatic reactions which involves calcium. As a result, the bones and joints are weakened.  Solanine acts as an irritant which leads to inflammation at the nerve endings and joints.  If consumed in high doses it is toxic and can result in the weakening of the bones and joints.  The reaction to nightshades is not to be confused with a conventional “food allergy”; there’s not an actual allergic reaction to the toxin, just that it isn’t being filtered out like it should.  Solanine is found in the green parts of a nightshade vegetable so it is wise to remove the green parts before eating and ripe vegetables are a better choice.  Cooking does not destroy this toxin so always take care while eating nightshade vegetables.

Nightshades and Chronic Pain

In general, the human body is capable of managing the toxin levels present in fully ripe and well-chosen vegetables. But the body of a patient with chronic inflammation and pain is already stressed with high toxin levels. Once a patient with arthritis or fibromyalgia consumes nightshade vegetables, it will lead to an increase in the toxic level and stress. That’s why many patients complain about pain and inflammation in their joints after eating nightshade vegetables.

Determining Your Sensitivity to Nightshades

To find out if nightshade vegetables really affect you, eliminate them from your diet for one month. A relief from your joint pain during this period is a clear indicator of sensitivity. After one month, slowly introduce nightshade vegetables to your diet (one vegetable per week). Monitor your body for changes and if you find that the pain increases, you can identify the particular nightshade vegetable which exacerbates your symptoms.  Pay careful attention to processed foods that list “spices” as an ingredient because this non-specific ingredient commonly includes paprika.

Living with Sensitivity to Nightshade Vegetables

The effect of what food on inflammatory symptoms varies significantly for every individual. In the end, it is up to you to decide whether or not to avoid nightshade vegetables.  It is difficult to totally avoid nightshade vegetables but elimination is the simplest way to control your symptoms.  While consuming processed food, take care to check the labels.  And celebrate when your condition improves significantly.
Reference: www.articledoctor.com and www.noarthritis.com.

Did You Know

Chiropractic and ADHD

Sensory integration is “the ability to take in, process, organize and assimilate sensory information so that we feel comfortable and secure; we then can respond appropriately to given situations and demands”.[1] Learning, in every form, occurs through the process of sensory integration.  However, a disconnect between the brain and the body can create difficulty in processing sensory information.  If a child has a disorganized response to sensory input they may appear hyperactive, hyperverbal, distractible, and disorganized.  These children may seek out additional stimulation to increase their knowledge of where their body is in space or to reduce hypersensitivity to other sensations.  These children like to rock, bang their heads against the couch or chair, jump on beds, squeeze between furniture, and hide under blankets.  They are attempting to “self-regulate” their nervous system.[2]

In our bodies, sensory information is received from taste, touch, auditory, smell, visual, proprioceptive (sense of relative positioning), and vestibular (balance and sense of spatial orientation).  It is essential that the nervous centers receive appropriate information depicting the orientation of the head with respect to the body.  By far, the most important proprioceptive information needed for the maintenance of equilibrium is that derived from the receptors in the neck.[3] Chiropractic can directly influence the visual, proprioceptive and vestibular forms of receiving sensory information.

Chiropractic care improves the autonomic nervous system balance and functioning.  Therefore, it indirectly improves the ability to focus and self-regulate.  It can help induce a calmer, more organized state as well as clear restrictions that may actually be causing difficulties in arousal, modulation, and self-regulation.[4]

Chiropractic and Down Syndrome

Down Syndrome is a congenital condition and includes features of mental retardation, muscle weakness, short stature, cardiac anomalies, flat facial profile, short and low set ears, protruding broad and furrowing tongue, and several other unique characteristics.

Chiropractic care benefit a person with Down Syndrome by slowing the progression of many attributes related to the quality of life, such as lax ligaments promoting precocious spine degeneration; degenerative scoliosis; slippage of vertebrae; abnormalities of the shoulder, hip, and patella; postural and weight bearing problems; overuse syndromes; nerve entrapments; and nerve compressions.  Most importantly Chiropractic care removes interference of the nervous system, allowing everyone to express his or her full potential.[1]

Chiropractic and Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is a motor condition that causes physical disability in human development.  A child with Cerebral Palsy can present with failing to meet expected developmental milestones.  Abnormal muscle tone is the most frequently observed symptom.  Children with Cerebral Palsy may have an early period of muscle weakness followed by abnormal tightness in muscle tone and a decreased ability in muscles to stretch.

Realistic changes with Chiropractic care can include reduced spasticity of the entire body.  Removal of nerve interference can create a more optimum relationship between the nervous system and body.  Activities of daily living improve, minimizing overuse syndromes, improving sleeping, and relaxing hypertonic muscles.  Children who drool excessively may benefit from adjustments to the jaw muscles.  Muscle work in common areas of contracture (paraspinals, lateral thighs, lower extremity adductors, Achilles tendon, and wrist extensors) may be useful to decrease the severity of spinal distortion and aid in stabilization of gait patterns and function.[1]

Chiropractic and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism is defined by three main attributes, such as social abnormalities, language abnormalities with limited development of language, and rigid stereotyped repetitive patterns of unusual behavior.

There are many cases of favorable outcomes for a child with Autism and Chiropractic care.  The positive benefits resulting from Chiropractic care can be linked to improvements in immune function, digestive disorders, management of Chron’s Disease, seizure disorders, behavioral changes, and a more lively and responsive interaction with the surrounding environment.[2]

Chiropractic and Muscular Dystrophy

Muscular dystrophies are genetic disorders characterized by progressive muscle wasting and weakness that begin with microscopic changes in the muscle.  As muscles degenerate over time, muscle strength declines.

The removal of nerve interference and restoring proper nerve communication through specific Chiropractic care assists in managing scoliosis, relieving overuse syndromes, improving activities of daily living, and allowing a child to function at their full potential.[3]

Chiropractic and Vitality

By removing neurological disturbances (called subluxations) and allowing the free flow of nerve communication from the brain, through the spinal column, to all parts of the human body, children will have a better opportunity to be as healthy as possible.   Regardless of a child’s behavioral, developmental, and health challenges, the Chiropractic approach to health is natural and does not try to stimulate or inhibit normal body function.  By minimizing nerve interference through chiropractic adjustments, the natural strengths of the child’s body are maximized, increasing the body’s capacity to heal itself so that normal body function may take place.

[2] Mullin, D.C., F.I.C.P.A, F.G.C.S.S.

[3] Mullin, D.C., F.I.C.P.A, F.G.C.S.S.

[2] Buerger, DC. Neurosensory Integration. ICPA Seminar Notes, 2008

[3] Guyton, MD. Textbook of Medical Physiology. WB Saunders 1996: 711

[4] Buerger, DC.

Bed-wetting can have a significant impact on a child and his or her family.  The social pressures of bed-wetting can create emotions of embarrassment and frustration for the child and parental involvement and support is paramount.  If a parent is not educated or understanding, the child might incorrectly be labeled as lazy or disobedient for something he or she has no control over.  The problem of bed-wetting is not in the child’s conscious control and disciplining, restricting fluids, and waking the child does not generally help and can possibly delay resolution.

Rather than focusing on plastic-covered mattresses, pull-up diapers, alarms, and medications which can become part of the nightly bedtime ritual,  it’s time to look at the cause.  The bed-wetting is only one symptom of something not working properly in the child’s body; it’s not the problem.  Correcting the problem, rather than disciplining for the symptom will make for happier sleepovers and less embarrassing nights for the child.

The brain tells us what to do and when to do it by sending and receiving messages through the nervous system.  Look at the spine as the main telegraph line between the brain and all the organs, muscles, and nerves in the body.  What happens if there is interference in that telegraph line?  This creates nerve system stress, preventing the right messages from the brain to and from the bladder.   It’s not that your child is lazy or disobedient, in fact, nerve stress (called a subluxation) is interfering with the function of their telegraph line.

So what causes nerve system stress?  It can be caused by physical, chemical and/or emotional stress.   Subluxations are common in young children for a number of reasons, and they happen everyday.  Physical stress can occur as early as in the womb, with the baby lying in a distorted manner.  And spinal nerve stress is common in newborns today.  Great stress to the infant’s skull, spinal column and pelvis can be caused by a traumatic or difficult birth.  Throughout childhood, the normal childhood traumas every child experiences can be a source of spinal and cranial trauma.  Young children fall down several times a day.  Vertebrae can move out of their natural alignment from contact in sports activities.  Most of the time, the pain from the initial injury “goes away” however the damage incurred continues to affect the future function of the child’s nerve system.

Since the nervous system controls all functions of the body, any interference to it can have wide-ranging effects.  Subluxations may lead to problems with growth and internal function, including bladder control.  This may be why bed-wetting is so common in young children. However, the commonality of this symptom doesn’t make the incident any less embarrassing.  Have your child regularly checked by your local Chiropractor and restore the telegraph line back to a healthy body, a happier body, and a happier child.

—————————-

Ref: Dr. Peter Fysh, DC

Ref: Dr. Jeanne Ohm, DC

There are many changes that occur during your pregnancy and your body is doing it’s best to adapt, but why not help it out? Pre-existing unnoticed imbalances in your spine and pelvis become overtaxed during these times. The added stresses lead to discomfort and difficulty while performing routine, daily activities. Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy can relieve and even prevent the common discomforts experienced in pregnancy. Specific adjustments eliminate these stresses in your spine, restore balance to your pelvis and result in greater comfort and lifestyle improvements.

Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy restores balance to your pelvic muscles and ligaments and therefore leads to safer and easier deliveries for you and your baby. Additionally, the chiropractic adjustment removes interference to the nervous system allowing your uterus to function at its maximum potential.

Chiropractic can also help prepare your body for a safer birth. Published studies have indicated that chiropractic care does in fact reduce labor time. Any baby position even slightly off during birth will slow down labor, and add pain to both the mother and baby. Many women have been told that their babies were too big, or labor “just slowed down” when it was really the baby’s presentation interfering with the normal process and progression. Avoidable interventions are implemented turning a natural process into an operative one. Doctors of Chiropractic work specifically with your pelvis throughout pregnancy restoring a state of balance and creating an environment for an easier safer delivery.

This pregnancy, offer you and your baby the best! Include the many benefits chiropractic offers in your prenatal care choices. Give yourself the opportunity for a more comfortable pregnancy and a safer, easier birth!

Inspired by: http://icpa4kids.com/research/