Archive for May, 2008
Parasites – more common than you might think.
30 May 2008Things to be aware of when throwing yourself into the lake, frolicking in the pool or dancing around at the campsite, if you find yourself coming home with a bad bout of tummy-troubles or other more subtle symptoms its possible you may have an unwelcome passenger on board. Parasites are not just a tropical vacation hazard, parasites are very common here in the USA too.
Transmitted in drinking water, lake water and swimming pools, three of the most widespread parasites are Giardia, Blastocystis Hominis, and Cryptosporidium. All three of these parasites are very common in America, and each of them carry different challenges when dealing not only with the infestation of the parasite but also when trying to eradicate it from your system.
Giardia (Giardiasis) is a diarrheal illness caused by a microscopic parasite Giardia intestinalis (aka Giardia lamblia). Once infected by this parasite it will live in the intestines and get passed out through the stool. This parasite has an outer shell for protection and can live outside the body for long periods as time. Giardia has been characterized as one of the most common causes of waterborne diseases in humans in the United States as it is found in drinking and recreational waters both worldwide and within the US. Some of the symptoms Giardia can cause are diarrhea, gas, greasy or tarry stools that float, stomach cramps, upset stomach and nausea, although many people will not experience all of these symptoms.
No one is immune to this parasite, if you have a child in day care (especially diapered children) be aware of the possibility for ingestion, if the child becomes infected the chances that the child-care employees and the children’s parents will also follow right behind, swimmers who accidently ingest water from any large or small body of water are also at risk as this parasite is transmitted via animal and human fecal matter and can live outside the body for extended periods.
The CDC has more information on Giardia.
The Mayo Clinic has this to say about Blastocystis Hominis “Blastocystis hominis (B. hominis) is a microscopic parasite sometimes found in the stools of people who have diarrhea, abdominal pain or other gastrointestinal signs and symptoms. … The signs and symptoms that might be associated with blastocystosis include: Diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramps, bloating, excessive gas (flatulence), anal itching, and fatigue. Many types of protozoa get into the intestinal tract through oral-fecal contact, such as occurs when a person who doesn’t wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet prepares food. No one knows for certain how B. hominis is transmitted, but experts suspect it’s through oral-fecal contact. Experts do know that the incidence of blastocystosis increases in places with inadequate sanitation and poor personal hygiene. … Blastocystosis is common, and anyone can get the infection. You may be at higher risk if you travel where sanitation is inadequate or where the water may not be safe.”
Although the jury is still out at the Mayo Clinic and the CDC there is plenty of documented evidence that Blastocystis is more of an issue than anyone first realized, although even the CDC is beginning to recognize that this is a possibility. Personal experiences found posted at Bad Bugs, document how this little parasite has brought many people to their knees, in more ways than one. It is also a parasite often found in children with autism, my son included. There are many personal experiences to be found at the Bad Bugs site as well as research about the nasty little bug, including this: “”The clinical consequences of B. hominis infection are mainly diarrhea and abdominal pain as well as nonspecific gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, anorexia, vomiting, weight loss, lassitude, dizziness, and flatulence. Case reports and series have suggested a pathogenic role of B. hominis in causing intestinal inflammation. Also some studies have suggested that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are associated with B. hominis infection. The investigators indicate that the stools of all patients presenting with IBD or IBS should be examined, and culture methods for B. hominis carried out. Invasion and mucosal inflammation of the intestine with B. hominis have been observed in studies of gnotobiotic guinea pigs.” Blastocystis hominis and bowel diseases. Turkiye Parazitol Derg. 2006;30(1):72-76”
And finally Cryptosporidium: This is another parasite spread commonly thorugh recreational and drinking water, and like Giardia its hard shell allows it to live a long time outside of the human body. Try not to accidently swallow water while swimming, see the CDC’s guide to healthy swimming, and certainly do not drink untreated water from shallow wells, lakes, rivers, springs or other recreational water. Avoid ice or drinking water when traveling to other countries where the water supply might be unsafe. If you suspect a parasite you might be experiencing watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, low-grade fever, fever, dehydration and weight loss. Thankfully intense symptoms usually dissipate about a week after an infection. People with healthy immune systems are usually ill with cryptosporidiosis for several days but rarely more than two weeks. Some infected individuals may not even get sick. Some people with cryptosporidiosis seem to recover, then get worse again and you should be aware you may shed oocysts in the stools for months, even after no longer appearing to be ill.
You can minimize the chances of getting infected with Cryptosporidium (and numerous other pathogens) by always practicing good hygiene, especially after possible exposure to sources of infection. People with compromised immune systems must consistently take precautions to avoid exposure to parasites. Always, always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water (and supervise children’s hand washing) after using the toilet or changing diapers, especially in public restrooms, we use the happy birthday song for kids to ensure the hands are adequately washed for an appropriate amount of time. If its your job to pooper-scoop or clean the litter box, pay close attention to hand washing immediately after those jobs. Take the same precautions after working in dirt or the garden including paying attention to objects such as shoes that may have been contaminated with fecal matter. Always wash your hands prior to food preparation or eating. Avoid ingesting (even accidently) untreated water from lakes, streams, and other surface water bodies. It’s always advisable to carefully rinse and wash any fruits or vegetables because of possible contamination with manure. Take extra care in selecting food and drink when traveling to places with poor sanitation but follow similar precautions here in America too. Follow any water advisories issued by local health departments, state authorities, or the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you are in a situation where you just have to deal with the water you have treat it before drinking by bringing it to a rolling boil for at least one minute to kill oocysts or remove them with a filter with an absolute pore size of one micron or smaller.
Watery diarrhea is a symptom of many intestinal diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. If Cryptosporidium, Blastocystis or Giardia is the suspected cause of an intestinal illness, the doctor should request a specific diagnostic test. The diagnostic tests for Crypto and for Giardia are slightly better and more specific than the test available for B. Hominis. There is currently no drug that can cure cryptosporidiosis or B. Hominis but Flagyl has proved effective with Giardia and a combination of drugs has the potential to work with Blastocystis, however it is notoriously hard to eradicate both the oocytes and bacteria associated with these parasites. If you suspect a parasitic infection seek assistance as soon as possible as the longer this parasite lives in your gut the harder it will be to eradicate it completely. Often in the case of crypto, people with competent immune systems will recover on their own and appear to develop some immunity to subsequent infections. Also remember with the parasites there is often a residual effect of increased bacteria and yeast in the stomach and this has to be addressed in addition to the parasite. Anti-diarrheal medicines or activated charcoal may ease some of the immediate symptoms. You can treat the parasitic infection with a combination of black walnut, golden seal and cinnamon, available at every good health food store. In addition you can try an anti-fungal prescription to treat the yeast issues, or simply add grapeseed extract to your daily regime. Anyone with diarrhea should drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
More information is available on these three parasites and other oocytes that you may come into contact with around your recreational activities:
Contact your state or local health department and the water utility serving your area.
Contact the Cooperative Extension office in your county.
Call the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
Call the CDC AIDS Hotline at 1-800-342-AIDS.
For a listing of drinking water treatment units that meet NSF standards, go to the NSF alone.
The Great Plains Laboratory is one of the many labs that can test for yeast, parasites, bacteria and other problems associated with those conditions.
Make an adjustment, Stay Healthy ~ Be Happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at Fontana Chiropractic, Evergreen CO. 303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com
What to expect at your Chiropractic appointment.
26 May 2008What should I expect when getting a chiropractic adjustment?
What is an adjustment? Your chiropractor refers to the process of gently manipulating your spine back to optimum health as an adjustment. Typically you will describe your pain or general state of health and your chiropractic doctor will use their expertise and many years of training to decide where and what type of adjustment you will need. No need to be nervous during this appointment; your doctor will want you to feel both relaxed and calm during the visit. Although you may be asked to remove certain pieces of jewelry, remove hair clips, not chew gum etc. you will remain fully clothed during the whole process. Depending on the extent of you condition your initial visit may be quite lengthy and might even include x-rays, however once in a regular adjustment schedule your appointments typically only take about 15 minutes.
How does it work? After a brief examination your chiropractor will ask and assist you to move in different positions, i.e. seated, lying face down or on your back, or even sideways on an adjustable table so he or she is able to perform the adjustment. The table is similar to a masseuse table but is an apparatus specifically designed for chiropractic offices and, unlike the masseuse table, it has parts that drop and move that help to keep you as comfortable as possible during your appointment. Your chiropractor uses many diagnostic methods and techniques to make sure you are treated to the highest standard of care. Patient care and assesment can involve x-rays, laboratory tests, orthopedic and neurological examinations in addition to observational and tactile assessments. Your doctor will ensure your best treatment with manual therapies and spinal adjustments, exercises you can do at home and educating you, the patient, on further techniques you can use to resolve your problem. Chiropractic doctors believe in conservative management of neuromusculoskeletal system without the use of medicine and surgery.
Is it safe? The World Health Organization states “In some countries, e.g. the United States of America, Canada and some European countries, chiropractic has been legally recognized and formal university degrees have been established. In these countries, the profession is regulated and the prescribed educational qualifications are generally consistent, satisfying the requirements of the respective accrediting agencies. … When employed skilfully and appropriately, chiropractic care is safe and effective for the prevention and management of a number of health problems.”
Will it hurt? Most techniques emphasize using minimal force and gentle pressure, after all your chiropractor is trying to help you heal not trying to cause you more pain or scare you. It is reported that only a few patients feel anything they can describe as a slight discomfort in the process of the adjustment. More often patients will comment that they hear a popping sound with each maneuver, but there really is no need for concern. The popping noises you might hear are just tiny pockets of gas releasing, and when that happens you will hear a pop, which is completely normal. Your adjustment should be completely pain free (even if the little popping sounds make you jump at first). It is important to try to be as relaxed as possible and allow your chiropractor freedom to make the adjustments. Patients who are tense or who stiffen every time the chiropractor attempts the manipulation can resist the adjustment and make it hard for the doctor to work the area they need to; its best to learn to just relax during your appointment as this will give you the best chance at healing. Your doctor will be happy to talk you through a particular adjustment before making it, to ease any anxiety you might have about that movement. Remaining relaxed will pay off as almost all patients, even when they do or don’t hear the little popping noises, find great relief when normal flexibility is returned to the affected vertebrae.
How many treatments will I need? It really depends on the nature of your problem. Long term or chronic problems may need to be adjusted many times before the muscle memory is re-programmed to settle the bone back into its proper alignment. Unfortunately, the muscles connected to subluxated vertebrae get used to their positions and have a tendency to pull the bone back out of place. Having regular adjustments will make the likelihood of your vertebrae staying in place much more likely. However, falling off a bike, cross country ski-ing, or even non-vigorous activities can put a bone out of misalignment at any time. If this happens to you, ice at 20 minutes intervals and try to rest the area as much as possible, make an appointment for an evaluation as soon as you can. The sooner the misalignment is adjusted the faster the area will heal. Always try to remember to stretch and warm up before doing any energetic sport or past time as this will help to keep everything where it should be. Remember a chiropractors goal is one of keeping you in optimum health at all times so feel free to ask for simple exercises you can also do at home in between your appointments.
Make an adjustment, stay healthy ~ be happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at Fontana Family Chiropractic, Evergreen Colorado. 303.674.1500 or email
Dogs Dinner
23 May 2008NO, MY DOG WOULDN’T LIKE A PIECE OF CHOCOLATE!
This is a great topic of conversation around our house of late, my children ages 3 and 4, are just getting really acquainted with our two long haired Chihuahua’s. For the past few years they have lived an existence of mere cohabitation, ignoring each other save for the thrown food off the table in the dogs general direction and the missing noses off my daughters favorite beanie-babies. My older dog loves to eat the little plastic noses off soft toys; after all prior to the kids being here, all the toys belonged to them.
So now when they get the chance the kids love to play fetch with the dogs, they run around screaming and laughing and throwing toys for the dogs to retrieve back to them, one of the dogs delights in the chase, happily careening around the garden or the living room with both kids trying to grab her tail or catch the toy. However, the other one, placid and cute but very overweight, will sit out the games of catch and chase, in favor of her observation hideaway under the TV armoire. From there she watches and waits until one of the kids heads into the kitchen, only then does she venture out from under her hidey spot and positions herself alongside the table where the kids sit to eat. This is where the trouble starts; often my daughter eats lopsided on her chair, hanging half on and half off, precariously balancing while drinking apple juice or wolfing down a banana or usually something far sweeter and wrapped in pastry. Oh how my little Dolly dog loves to eat; sweets, pastry, meat, veggies, dust, anything really that drops from those little tiny hands or mouths, is going down Dolly’s gullet without pause.
I have asked them, begged them to stop feeding the dogs, but the dogs are so tiny and cute it seems my children are captivated by them and simply find it just too hard to resist.
So with the old adage “if you can’t beat em join em” rattling around my head, I set about finding out what I need to watch for and what I can just raise an eyebrow to and pass by. I really don’t want to have to rush my furry pals to the puppy ER because they ingested something yummy but poisonous. Here is what I found:
- Avocados contain a toxin called persin, which to animals is known to cause heart, lung and other tissue damage.
- Beer (don’t worry my dogs will never drink beer dropped from my children, not for at least another 18 or so years anyway) but apparently beer can have the same effect on a dog’s liver and brain as they do to a human! As animals tend to be smaller than us the effects can be deadly, even a small amount of alcohol can cause vomiting and liver damage.
- Nuts are known to cause effects from vomiting to paralysis or death. About 12 hours after eating nuts pets can develop the inability to stand or walk, vomiting, hyperthermia, weakness and elevated heart rate. Walnuts and macadamia are the most toxic and even worse, if eaten with chocolate it can lead to death.
- Chocolate and Candy are both extremely dangerous to your pet, chocolate contains therobromine, which can kill you pet when eaten in large amounts. The dark and unsweetened baking chocolates are the worst. Any candy or chocolate containing Xylitol can lead to a rapid blood sugar drop, coordination problems and seizures, again the animal can die from this.
- Caffeine isn’t necessarily going to kill your pet (unless a large quantity is consumed) but it can lead to heart palpitations and restlessness much like in humans who consume too much caffeine.
- Grapes and Raisins can lead to kidney failure in dogs. Who knew that? A very small amount of raisins can be fatal, all this time (over 20 years) I have been a pet owner and yet I had no idea. The effects of raisins and grapes are cumulative on your pet, do not let them get into them on a regular basis; it will build up in their system.
- Onions are strangely highly toxic to animals; they destroy red blood cells and lead to anemia, weakness and breathing problems. Like the raisins and grapes, the onion’s effect is cumulative over time.
- Hide all your people medicine, accidental ingestion is the most common cause of pet poisoning, but even more troublesome is that people will give their dogs Tylenol or Advil when they think they are in pain, this can be super toxic to your pet, check with your vet and make sure you have the pet equivalent of a pain remedy. Other poisonous items your pet might ingest.
So what can my dogs have when they stare longingly at me with those big brown eyes, trying to convince me they are starving to death in front of me?
Lean meats should be fine, as are most fruits and vegetables such as carrots, green beans, cucumber, orange slices, bananas, and even watermelon is ok. They can eat a little baked potato, plain bread, rice or pasta and apparently still all will be fine. The key is not to offer too much of the people food and to keep it as bland as possible. The best source of food for you pet is a high quality grain and meat based dry food. It is formulated to work with your pets sensitive gastrointestinal tract, but a treat every once in a while shouldn’t cause too much distress as long as it’s not the wrong kind of treat.
In case of an emergency contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888.426.4435 or call your local vet.
Make an adjustment, Stay Healthy ~ Be Happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan for your next chiropractic care appointment Fontana Chiropractic Evergreen Colorado – 303.674.1500 or email
Where have all the bees gone?
19 May 2008Honeybees are disappearing.
How can this be? Where are they going and what happened to make them leave in the first place?
This article written by Hannah Nordhaus (a Boulder-based freelance writer. Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Financial Times, Outside, and other publications.) and published in the High Country News is both informative and fascinating. It offers an explanation for the dwindling bee population. Not only is it a fascinating in-depth look into bee-keeping but it also explains what is or might be happening to the bee colonies across America. Read the full article at the High Country News. “Thirty years ago, there were nearly 4 million bee colonies in the U.S. Today, fewer than 2.5 million remain, thanks to a reddish-brown parasite so tiny it could stand on the head of a pin, and to a malady so new no one is sure of its origin. … The beekeeper’s biggest enemy in recent years, however, has been a miniature, blood-red arachnid called the varroa mite. A remarkably adaptive, ticklike creature, the mite burrows into unborn brood and adults alike, feeding, as a tick does, on the bee’s body fluids. It is, said Miller, a “sinister predation” that slowly saps the strength and vigor from a hive, either killing the brood outright or causing deformities that weaken adult bees and make them more susceptible to viruses. And this mite is — besides labor, pasture, honey prices, pollination prices, bacteria, fungi, unpleasant neighbors and other invading insects — what beekeepers think most about these days. “This is going to be the challenge of my career, there is no question about that. My grandfather never heard of it; my dad was barely aware of it; it occupies much of my problem-solving time. This varroa mite,” said Miller, “swaggers like a colossus across beekeeping in North America.” … The parasite, which is endemic to Asia, first arrived on U.S. shores in 1987, most likely smuggled in some eager apiarist’s luggage. … Apiculturists are looking at a number of potential culprits, from bad weather to bad corn syrup to genetically modified corn to pesticides to miticides, and many suspect the problem is compounded by the presence of the varroa mite, which weakens colonies so that invading pathogens pack a particularly destructive punch. (Scientists suspect the 2005 die-off was exacerbated by a viral event.)” Hannah Nordhaus
What will happen if the mite races ahead and kills off the European honey bee population? We all know what happened in the “BEE Movie” the bees didn’t pollinate the crops and flowers so they all died, leaving a barren wasteland behind. Is this a possibility? It seems it might be. According to Burts Bees every third bite of food depends on the bees for pollination. So just what can we do to help keep bees happy? Simple things such as replacing part of your lawn or grass with flower beds, try to have native plant species that are well suited to local bee populations. You can even get a free pollinator wheel from Pollinator.org in addition to learning more about the importance of the honey bee and other bugs that are essential for plant reproduction. This an excellent site to read about garden techniques that will attract the right critters, and how to help save the bees on a global scale.
Try to reduce or eliminate pesticides in your garden when possible, look on the web for some great organic solutions. At Arbico Organics you can even purchase live ladybugs for pest control purposes.
When planting your flower beds, choose plants and flowers that provide a continuous growing cycle instead of just spring blooms, try to select plants that will rotate their blooming season.
And finally visit Burts Bees, they not only sell organic bee based skin care products but they will also send you a free packet of bee-friendly flower seeds. Watch the videos and read information on the decreasing bee population and how you can help.
Save the Bees!
Make an adjustment, Stay Healthy ~ ‘Bee’ Happy! Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan for all your health concerns.
Fontana Chiropractic, Evergreen Colorado 303.674.1500 or email to schedule your next appointment.
Subluxations and other chiropractor speak.
16 May 2008Subluxations and other chiropractor speak.
Bad back? Pain in your hips? Sciatica, or some other unexplained pain in your wrist, ankle or another part of your body. It could be a subluxation! But what is a subluxation? It isn’t catching or contagious that’s for sure. A simple explanation is that a subluxation is when one or more of the bones of your spine (vertebrae) move out of position and create pressure on, or irritate, spinal nerves. Because of pressure and irritation the nerves don’t work properly and the end result it that the signal traveling along those nerves is interrupted. As your nervous system is responsible for all the functions in your body having a malfunctioning nerve signal is going to have a domino effect on the rest of your body. It’s fairly obvious that if parts if your body are not getting the correct nerve messages the result is that some part of your body will not be working as it should. Your chiropractor is an expert at locating these subluxations to reduce or correct the problem, this is done with regular chiropractic adjustments specifically designed to correct the vertebral subluxations in the spine. Your chiropractor has undergone years of training to be an expert in recognizing and correcting subluxations.
When your spine is out of alignment, your central nervous system reacts. People who have regular chiropractic adjustments do so to both maintain their good health and also because keeping the spine nice and straight reduces or eliminates all kinds of chronic symptoms. Chiropractic care can help provide seasonal allergy relief, alleviate sinus problems, eradicate sleep problems, ease back pain, reduce sciatica and clear ear infections. Those are just a small number of ailments that having regular adjustments can help improve. It’s important to understand that chiropractic isn’t curing these illnesses, once the Chiropractor finds and adjusts the subluxation the normal energy flow throughout the body is restored, this enables the body to then take care of its own healing. The Chiropractor is removing the obstruction, allowing the bodies own healing power to take effect.
YouTube has an amazing video about pregnancy and infant care using chiropractic techniques. It is also an interesting video to watch if you have never had chiropractic care, you will see that the whole adjustment and care process is painless, fast and really quite gentle.
So the next time you are feeling under the weather, or you have that nagging pain in your leg or back, or that you are just not sleeping well, take a visit to your chiropractor and regain the ability to help your body heal itself.
Make an adjustment, Stay Healthy ~ Be Happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan Fontana Chiropractic in Evergreen Colorado, at 303.674.1500 to schedule your next appointment or email
Myths, Lies and Old Wives Tales
12 May 2008I painted his leg with nail varnish at my friends urging. “No really” she said “it could be chiggers, they burrow into the skin and unless you paint the leg with nail polish – (clear) – they will stay there burrowing around, making his leg itch and swell”. Really I said, well that’s just nasty, and where do their little bug corpses go once I have suffocated them with the aforementioned polish? These are apparently almost invisible bugs. This bug is so tiny I can’t even see it running around in the little bumps on his leg, it gives me the shivers. So anyway, on her urging I painted his leg with (clear) nail polish, to suffocate the bugs and cause their demise, hoping my son’s leg would stop swelling. This, despite the fact that I had already taken him to Urgent Care where the Doctor had diagnosed hives, which fit more inline with the fact that his eye was also swollen, (the way it swells when the pollen is super high). And that both of these things have happened before, i.e. the leg and eye swelling, never at the same time mind you, but still we have a history. But no, I really wanted to believe that the anti-histamine was futile (I really try to avoid medication when possible) and that the nail polish would of course do the trick. My son squirmed as I painted his leg, I tried to relate, after all he had scratched his leg because it itched and when I put the nail polish on it was bound to make it smart, like someone rubbing iodine into an open wound, ouch.
But still the swelling remained, so my husband jumped on the all-knowing oracle, better known to you and I as Web MD. Anyway it turns out that chiggers don’t burrow into your skin after all, they are little mites that just run around on your skin releasing an enzyme to make little bits of your skin dissolve so they can have their lunch, yeah still pretty yucky but certainly not as bad as imagining that little bugs are holding fiestas under you skin… The treatment can be as simple as a triple bacteria cream with lidocaine, available over the counter from any drug store. The antibacterial cream helps the scratched area not get infected and the lidocaine numbs it to get it to stop itching. Quite simple really, and much better for both of us, than coating the area with my expensive nail varnish.
So that got me thinking, what else is an old wives tale, a true remedy, something passed along from generation to generation to keep us from say, sitting on that cold concrete so we don’t get hemorrhoids. This one is a myth by the way, according to hemaron.com “… hemorrhoids caused by sitting on a cold concrete sidewalk is quite popular in Asian communities. However, there is no truth to it – sitting on the sidewalk will not cause hemorrhoids.” Good to know, right?
Chewing gum cautions and tales from parents have caused many a panicked child to spit out their bubblelicious in fright, but is it really true that chewing gum takes 7 years to leave your digestive tract? Apparently not, although indigestible – gum leaves your body in the same amount of time, albeit less digested than any of the other foods we eat.
How about a bar of soap between the sheets to stop leg cramps! Well we are not sure about this one, I would be more inclined to make sure I went to bed sufficiently hydrated than rely on a bar of soap to ensure a crampless night.
There are thousands of cures or remedies that get passed down from generation to generation, and sometimes we get desperate enough to try one or two of them. For sure I know that chicken soup helps when I have a cold, is it a miracle cure or just a comfort food? According to an article in the St. Petersburg Times it really is a cure for our battered immune systems “researchers at the University of Nebraska found that homemade chicken soup really does make you feel better when you’re sick. It reduces congestion and inflammation by limiting the movement of white blood cells that produce infection-related mucus. The result? Fewer sniffles.” There, I knew I could rely on my Grandmother’s advice for something.
When all else fails, but before you try ‘that’ remedy, maybe hit the web and do some research, it can be a wealth of both information and misinformation, so be careful. We really like this article at ABC News that explains, ‘the Urine and Jelly Fish story’ made famous a few years back in a very memorable Friends episode. You might be happy to know that this is one old wives tale that you CAN avoid. Thank goodness!
When all was said and done, I followed the Doctor’s suggestion to give our son Benadryl every 6 hours to reduce the swelling and stop the itching, and it turns out that it worked. The swelling has been going down slowly and his pediatrician thought it looked ok this morning. So it seems it really was just a case of hives. It was very windy here yesterday and that stirred the pollen, my son’s body was just reacting to the barrage of histamine coursing through his body. Although had it been chiggers I am sure they would have looked awful pretty wearing my high-gloss nail varnish as they scurried around the bumps and crevices of my son’s little leg.
Make an adjustment, stay healthy ~ be happy, call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at 303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com
Pediatric cough and cold medicines.
9 May 2008The efforts of manufacturers to make medicine appealing to children may have another down side.
In January the journal of Pediatrics published their findings on the adverse effects of cough and cold medications in children. More than half of the admissions to emergency rooms for children ages 2 to 5 were the result the child consuming cough and cold medicine without adult supervision.
Pediatric cough medicine is no more effective than a placebo, and an old fashioned remedy is even better.
Earlier research at the Penn State Children’s Hospital showed that the two active ingredients found in most over-the-counter medicines were no more effective than a syrup without them. The ingredients are dextromethorphan (DM), and diphenhydramine (an antihistamine). Actually, the placebo syrup proved to be more effective.
More recently, the Penn State team, headed by Ian Paul MD, found that a small dose of buckwheat honey given before bedtime was more effective than medicine in quieting children’s nighttime coughs. Their study was published in the December issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. (Honey is not recommended for children under one year of age.)
Reprinted from Pure Facts, the newsletter of the Feingold Association of the United States, www.feingold.org
If your child is having a hard time with coughing while they sleep, try rubbing a little vapor-rub on the soles of their feet and putting cotton socks over them to keep the ointment on. This remedy has been shown to be very effective in quieting a night-time cough. When your child has a cold you can also use the vapor-rub remedy but instead place cold wet socks over the feet and then a dry pair on top. Allow you child to wear the socks overnight and the result should be that you will see night-time stuffiness clear up – adults can benefit from both of these remedies too.
When your child is suffering from a cold often the best remedy is the oldest, try a little chicken soup, plenty of liquids especially warm lemon/honey drinks (unless your child is younger than 12 months old) and rest. If a fever or body ache is making it difficult for them to settle, try having them take a warm (tepid) bath as this will often soothe and reduce the achy feelings. Remember if your child has a fever of 105 that you are unable to bring down with either pediatric pain medication, cool wet wash-clothes or other attempts to bring the fever down, a trip to the emergency room is in order.
Make an adjustment, stay healthy – be happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at 303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com
Mothers Day – a celebration or heartache.
5 May 2008Sunday May 11th 2008, is Mothers Day.
So here we are again, another year flying by and lo and behold, May has snuck up on us, past Valentines day, and Presidents day and whoosh Mother’s day arrives. What to buy, what to do, making plans to enjoy a beautiful celebration of Parenthood, and yes it repeated all over again when Father’s get their chance to be honored in June. This day is meant as a celebration and rightly so, parenting can be hard and frustrating but also exhilarating and rewarding, to celebrate Mother’s and Father’s on one special day a year is to stop and celebrate what an amazing job parents do with their kids.
But as we know in life for every Ying there must be a Yang!
What of the parentless couples all around us who struggle to get pregnant or stay pregnant? How many people do you know in your circle of friends that have gone through the painful and often invasive process of fertility problems?
Couples are incorrectly labeled by their Doctor’s and themselves as “Infertile” but what they are really experiencing is a fertility problem. A slight but very important difference in terminology. To be infertile is to NEVER be able to achieve the act of pregnancy, as opposed to a fertility problem, which merely suggets that this couple will be able to achieve pregnancy (and childbirth) as soon as the fertility issue is recognized and resolved. For most couples pregnancy is possible, not easy to achieve, but possible. Right now a couple may be unable to achieve a viable pregnancy because something is not working correctly, because something in the process fails, this should not be labeled infertility, it should be deemed a medical mystery. It should be defined from the get-go as a problem with a solution, and if not a solution then at least a reason why the process is broken. Once we choose our label it sticks, it becomes what we know and who we are. So first let’s take away the label, call it what it really is, a fertility problem. Problems can often be solved! An inability to conceive is a medical issue. Conception involves an egg joining together with a sperm, and then the fertilized egg moves on to the implantation part of the process. Understanding the process is key; conception itself is such a miraculous event that when successful our uterus should sound a triumphant chorus of epic proportions; the egg and the sperm have to meet just at the right time, (around just five measly days each 28 day cycle), then the sperm has to penetrate the outer shell of that precious egg, if the egg and the sperm manage to join together and fall triumphantly into the uterus, the soon to be embryo has to continue duplicating and splitting and following its genetic coding, all the time completing the ultimate goal of implantation. This is where our future girl guide or eagle scout has to find a comfy little spot in the uterine wall and burrow down, where the resulting baby will be situated for maximum growth potential over the next nine months. All this happens because we are genetically wired to make it happen; it’s really not surprising that for many the process fails due to complications or faulty wiring. Not surprising, but truly devastating none-the-less.
It is thought that one in seven couples, struggle with the art of pregnancy. The American Pregnancy Association suggests the following: “Fertility issues affect one in seven couples in the United States and the total number of people with difficulty conceiving is estimated to be more than 6 million nationwide. While men and women are about equally likely to have factors contributing to their difficulty conceiving, in approximately 30 percent of cases both partners have contributing fertility issues. Because of this it is essential to test both partners. With fertility problems attributed to a number of factors and affecting couples of varying ages, early detection of fertility issues can significantly increase a couple’s chances of becoming pregnant.”
Again, its not surprising that failure is high, but when it happens to you, it’s not surprising it’s simply devastating. Unexplained Fertility is a very common diagnosis, but really it’s no diagnosis at all. There can be so many reasons why this process fails, immune problems, previous medical issues, fibroids, heart shaped uterus, sperm problems, nutrition problems, even general health and lifestyle choices, that often Doctors are at a loss to pinpoint the exact reason. Doctor’s merely diagnose these couples as “unexplained” knowing that if they choose to go forward with an ART procedure (Assisted Reproductive Technique, including IVF etc.) the outcome for success is low. The CDC discusses ART guidelines and success at their website.
Regardless of why, how or what happens to disrupt the process, the process is disrupted. For the millions of couples who want children but are unable to conceive or the couples who can conceive yet suffer the heartbreak of one miscarriage after another, Mother’s day can be especially difficult to the psyche. It seems everywhere you turn starting in April, the green shamrocks are getting torn down, the Easter bunnies are being relegated to the back room for yet another year and instead the pastel colored balloons and streamers declare Mothers Day as the upcoming holiday to celebrate. Items totally unrelated to parenting are everywhere being touted as the perfect Mother’s Day gift, there are Mother’s day displays at the grocery store, at the mall, even at the gas station, as everyone plies their wares toward making us feel it necessary to celebrate the special day with flowers, chocolate and gift certificates for hair removal!
So as you celebrate, and as the folks you know who are going through this struggle put on a brave face and celebrate with you, spare a thought, give a hug, try to understand the pain they are going through. For those of you struggling with this problem, help is available. There are so many people living through this issue that the stories of hope and success are also out there, there are blogs to read and forums where you can talk with others about realizing the impossible dream.
Some great places to start are RESOLVE, a National Organization dedicated to providing information to make your family dreams possible. If you have tried multiple times to conceive with or without ART procedures or you fall into the “unexplained” category, a great book to read is “Is your Body Baby Friendly” by Dr. Alan Beer. The immune system can deter your body from maintaining, recognizing or holding a pregnancy, and this information can often be a neglected piece of the puzzle that has been causing misery and fertility problems for many, many couples. Including a possible reason as to why many do not find success even in IVF procedures.
All over the web you will find forums dedicated to the process of getting pregnant and staying pregnant. Reach out; find other couples in this process who you can talk too. Consider joining a help group in your area so you can talk to other couples with the same problem. Remember that most problems have a solution, the inability to conceive or stay pregnant can be more than just heartbreaking it can consume your every waking moment and rudely invade you dreams, the ever increasing desire, the feelings of trying to find a missing piece of your puzzle, the heartbreak every time one more person in your circle manages your impossible dream, the heart wrenching pain of being invited to yet another baby shower, listening to tales regaled of the “surprise” unwanted pregnancy, and worse the person who gets pregnant by just looking at her husband, the impossible dream can seem just that, an impossible dream for so many couples.
If you are not the person(s) experiencing this, try to be understanding, you can’t offer advice unless you have been there, the only words of wisdom these couples can hear without dyeing inside (and secretly wanting to poke you in eye by the way) is “I am so sorry”. Unless you understand, don’t tell someone you do, unless you have experienced this don’t pretend you can relate, you really can’t! But you can be a shoulder, a soft place to fall, an ear to listen every time they need to talk. That itself goes a long way to healing. Remember, fertility is a arduous process for most couples especially when they don’t or can’t experience the joy of pregnancy, or when they finally get pregnant the fear can be so great that they fall apart at every pinch, pull, or tug.
There are options, many options to have the family you desire, speak to others, get out there, and join people who know what you are going though. We wish you all a Happy Mother’s Day, both to those who are already parents and also to those with the desire to be parents.
Make an adjustment, Be happy ~ Stay Healthy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at 303.674.1500 or email office@fontanachiro.com
One More – or One Less? HPV Vaccine – you decide.
2 May 2008HPV Vaccine – harm or help?
One Less – you bet, I am going to be one less parent that subjects their child to the HPV (GARDASIL) vaccine.
I watch the advertising on the television and it makes me sad; the final 2 seconds listing the adverse reactions are mediocre to say the least. As I searched the internet I found a list of over 5000 reactions that have been reported (including 3 deaths from the vaccine) it seems dizziness and passing out might be the most common symptom. It appears there are so many children reporting this particular side-effect that doctor’s giving the shot are instructed to watch the patient for at least 20 minutes after they administer the vaccine. Ok, anything that makes my daughter pass out or get dizzy just doesn’t sound good? What is it in the vaccine that causes this reaction? What is in this vaccine that would cause a child to pass out up to 20 minutes after they get the shot? Few parents are aware of the clinical trials full details and it appears that the FDA allowed MERCK to market this drug, after only around 1200 girls under 16 were included in the trials, although the vaccine is recommended to begin with girls as young as 11. Twenty-eight states including the District of Columbia have passed regulations to say that girls as young as 11 should have this vaccine, this in addition to the other multiple doses of vaccines that are already required of our young children before the age of 12. “The U.S. Centers for Disease Control panel that recommended routine HPV vaccination told Merck that it opposed making Gardasil mandatory, the Washington Times reported.” Corpwatch. has an excellent article about Merck and the Guardasil vaccine.
According to a press release on the HPV vaccine at 909shot, when administered with other vaccinations the results can be catastrophic as evidenced in parts of the following article, (to read the complete article) Washington, August 15, 2007 – The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) today issued a new report on HPV vaccine (Gardasil®) safety analyzing adverse event reports to the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). The analysis gives evidence for a reported association in VAERS between Gardasil and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), with a statistically significant increased risk of GBS and other serious adverse event reports when Gardasil is co-administered with other vaccines, especially meningococcal vaccine (Menactra®). … GBS is a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system, and can cause total paralysis. …A total of 1,930 reported Gardasil adverse events involved administration of Gardasil alone, and 135 adverse events involved co-administration of Gardasil with Menactra. NVIC’s comparative analysis of those two categories of VAERS reports indicates that when Gardasil was given simultaneously with Menactra rather than alone, there was a statistically significant increased risk of reported adverse events:
• respiratory problem reports increased by 114 percent;
• cardiac problems reports increased by 118 percent;
• neuromuscular and coordination problem reports increased by 234 percent;
• convulsions and central nervous system problem reports increased by 301 percent;
• reports of injuries from falls after unconsciousness increased by 674 percent; and
• GBS reports increased by 1,130 percent”
There are many parents protesting the vaccine being mandated for young girls. Some parents say that even the CDC is concerned as this vaccine only covers 2 of the 13 HPV viruses that cause cervical cancer, they don’t want girls lulled into a false sense of security after they have this vaccination. Its estimated that $4billion will be spent on giving this vaccination, when that money might be far better spent understanding what these vaccinations are doing to our children. The more you dig the more you hear the same rumor, only a few hundred young girls were studied for this vaccine, most of the participants were aged over 16, the three shot course of Gardasil only covers limited types of HPV and the side-effects of the shots can be catastrophic if not fatal. Its not just the results of this study that was painfully inadequate, MERCK chose (and was allowed by the FDA) to use an aluminum based placebo for their trials instead of a safer saline based placebo, animal and human studies have previously shown that aluminum can cause nerve cell death. It is NVIC’s position that this vaccine has not been tested adequately for the population that will be getting it.
The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) has compiled reports of 5758 events with vaccine HPV4. All are reports sent to the VAERS {Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System}; scroll through to read dates of vaccine administration and side-effects reported.
In addition to the other stories posted at 909Shot, the National Vaccine Information Center conducted a small survey (January, 2007) … of private pediatrician offices in the Washington, D.C. area. Four pediatric practices in the Northern Virginia area were contacted to determine the total cost of the HPV three-dose series, administration fees and office visit charges. The cost for GARDASIL vaccine and administration fees ranged from $420 to $825 for a three-dose series plus additional charges for each office visit to receive the shot.
Dr Mercola answers to the financial ties also in an article posted at his website: “Who is Dr. Paul Offit?” … I personally didn’t recognize the name but perhaps I should. Dr. Mercola goes on to say, “…he is a fairly frequent commentator for the pro-vaccination camp. But what do you know about Dr. Offit? Dr. Offit, a.k.a. Paul “For Profit” Offit, by some vaccination opponents, is not just a doctor who believes that vaccinations save lives. Dr. Offit is also one of the patent holders of the rotavirus vaccine (Patent Application number 353547), and the recipient of a $350,000 grant from Merck for its development. Additionally, he is a consultant to Merck Pharmaceuticals. Talk about conflict of interest. Jeesh! But that’s not all. And if that doesn’t scare you silly go ahead and read this account detailing Jenny McCarthy’s son’s struggle with autism and how she believes environmental factors, including vaccinations contributed to his autism.
If you are curious about the vaccination schedule your child needs to adhere to, the CDC has a list of required vaccines with their individual fact sheet: Here you will find the CDC’s list regarding the current vaccination requirements and side-effects.
The debate comes down to this for me, I have a 3 year old daughter so I am confident that by the time she reaches 11 years old this country will have woken up and have done research into the damage vaccinations cause. I am not anti-vaccine, I think virus prevention is a great idea, but I think we need to be more cognizant of the ingredients and their effects on developing brains and bodies, and I think we need to pay attention to who is pushing through new vaccine legislation. After all there are so many drugs hailed as a cure to whatever it is that ails you, and then ultimately the drug ends up being removed from the market and the families or the injured party if they are lucky and don’t die, end up in a class-action lawsuit. Remember Fen-Phen, Baycol , Vioxx , Bextra (Celebrex warning), Rezulin and Zelnorm to name just a few.
If the FDA decides that a drug’s benefits outweigh its risks, the agency approves the drug for marketing. That doesn’t mean the drug is safe or has no damaging side effects, it just means that overall the treatment is effective and safe for most people, or the evidence at that time suggests that is the case. My son was given Prilosec when he was approximately 8 months old, I took one look at the side effects and threw the packets away, some of the side effects listed were bloody or cloudy urine, changes in vision, infrequent or frequent urge to urinate, mild skin rash or itching, and more severe : signs of liver damage, redness, tenderness, itching, burning, or peeling of skin signs of an allergic reaction (such as difficulty breathing, hives, swelling of the face or throat) signs of bleeding (such as easy bruising, bleeding gums, nosebleeds, vomiting blood, blood in the urine, dark tarry stools), this to a baby? I understand that the really negative effects only occur in approximately 1% of cases, but if you or your babies are part of the 1% it can be more than devastating. Pay attention, get the facts and work on staying healthy, medication should always be the last resort.
Make an adjustment, stay healthy ~ be happy: Call Dr. Paul or Dr. Susan at 303.674.1500 or email