Three Myths About Your Health

We would like to share three myths that we hear from our patients that we hope to dispel.

"Your genes control your health"

This is one of the most commonly believed myths about health care today. Sure there is an influence of your genetic make-up of your general health. But do genes really control your health? Why is it then that twins will die up to 10 years apart? Everything gets blamed on genes these days. Cancer, heart disease, dementia, you name it. We like to think people have some influence over their own life instead of being victims to bad circumstance. What influence does exercise, rest, what you eat, drink and think have on your health? Some people would have you believe that our current cholesterol issues are due to genetic factors. Have you seen what most people eat or the position most people are in all day? We feel these lifestlye factors have much more influence on your health than merely the blueprints you were born with. Check out the field of epigenetics to learn more about this topic.

"The doctor said I have arthritis."

This is something we hear everyday. Let's break down the word arthritis. "Arth" means joint and "itis" means inflammation. However, this is not always what the doctors are implying when they look at degenerative changes on x-ray. We have seen many people with degenerative changes leading normal, healthy lives. There may be some permanent changes that may limit the ability of the body, but for the most part they could do all the things they want to do. What people are often told is that they have a condition that very little can be done about and that they have to live with whatever discomfort and pain comes their way. We disagree in that there are many things that can help. Structurally speaking, this is often where Chiropractic is so useful in maintaining normal joint movement and alignment. Both proper joint motion and alignment will slow the process of aging and can help keep people moving well in their later years. Chiropractic often gets to the root cause of the degenrative changes in the first place. There are also nutritional products (i.e. Glucosamine, Omega 3 oils, etc.) which have shown promise in alleviating some of the symptoms related to aging. In addition, it is important to discuss with your natural health team some ways to decrease inflammation in the body by eating an "anti-inflammatory" diet. Some simple changes to the way you are eating can reap big benefits when it comes to decreasing the cellular inflammation in the body. The bottom line is that we think people should investigate all means possible when dealing with degenerative joints.

"Drinking milk makes your bones strong."

This is something we have been lead to believe for many years. Unfortunately there are a few problems with commercialized dairy products. I used to drink milk. In fact I used to drink a lot of milk so I know that it's difficult to have your belief system challenged. Once I learned things like we are the only mammals that drink another species milk and that there are so many antibiotics used in commercial milk production I started to shy away from it. Then I read about the pasteurization process and how that denatures the enzymes in the milk that would naturally help with digestion. Then I learned how different foods will break down into an acidic or alkaline state and that milk "ash" or residue is acidic. What this means is that the body then has to use its alkaline reserves from the bones and muscles to balance out the blood pH. The body essentially leaches the calcium from the bones to neutralize the acidity in the body. Yes milk and other dairy products have calcium, there is no arguing this. But why in places like Asia, where there is little to no dairy consumption would they have less incidence of hip fracture then a place that consumes copious amounts of dairy (North America). Most experts believe this has to do with the overall acid/alkaline balance (or pH) in the body and that because the Asian diet includes more alkaline forming foods, they retain more calcium in the bones thus improving bone density. So what can you do to get your body more alkaline? Eat more fruits and vegetables!! These break down into an alkaline environment and help keep calcium where it belongs. Cows eat grass and that's how they can provide so much calcium in their milk.

So we want you to know that you ultimately have the control over your own health and that you can assume some responsibility for it. Read more in the field of epigenetics and you will understand why your lifestyle is so important in the preservation of your health. There are many alternatives to battling degenerative changes in the body. The best way to do this is by PREVENTION. Get your alignment checked to ensure you're doing everything possible to slow the aging process. Try some alternatives to milk like rice or almond beverages and include more fruits and veggies in your diet. A "greens" drink may also help in this department. Lastly, take care of yourself. There's nobody more important than you!!

Dr. Jason Plotsky