Saratoga Chiropractic & Wellness Blog By Dr. Michael Quartararo

Keep on Moving!

2012-01-24T18:53:00Z

Recently I read a great blog on Physical Therapy and Chiropractic. A great point was made that needs to be repeated. Your body needs to keep moving! Your cardiovascular system needs movement for proper blood flow and heart health, your muscles need movement and stimulation to maintain development, and your joints need proper motion to ward off arthritis.

PT's are your source to learn proper motion and instruct you on exercises to maintain the muscular system. They are experts on muscle physiology and rehabilitation exercises.

Chiropractors are experts on spinal function as it relates to proper nerve system function. We specialize in detecting and correcting subluxations of the spine and how they interfere with proper nerve development. We utilize posture, X-rays, and the latest computer nerve tests to find spinal problems before they develop into postural issues and arthritis.

Use these two professions to help you and your family achieve optimal health and wellness. For more information on Physical Therapy, visit www.moveforwardpt.com

For more information on wellness chiropractic, visit www.aacfamilywellness.com

I hope this clears any confusion you may have with these two professions, and as always...Be Well!

The Dangers of Aspartame

2012-01-17T23:24:49Z

A major concern with aspartame is its interaction with other chemicals, like anti-depressants, heart medications, hormones, insulin, vaccines, and other sweeteners. This amplifies its neurotoxicity -- over the years, many reports have related aspartame to headaches, memory loss, seizures, blindness, coma, cancer and death, and it also seems to increase fibromyalgia, lupus, multiple sclerosis, ADD, diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, retardation, lymphoma, birth defects, chronic fatigue, and depression. This is ugly stuff, and this is only a partial list of its deleterious effects. Get informed before you continue consuming this chemical.

As always, Be Well!

Flouride...good for teeth???

2011-11-02T00:11:03Z

Fluoride, our front line defense in fighting tooth decay. So safe, we have been using it in toothpaste, mouthwash, adding it to our water supply, and even giving it in pill form to our children. Well research has been done over the past 10 years and the results may surprise you.
The studies are conclusive and report that fluoride damages your bones when ingested every day over long periods of time. Millions of Americans now suffer from skeletal fluorosis, a crippling bone disease caused by excessive fluoride. Nearly 40 percent of all children in the U.S. have dental fluorosis, while millions more have mild fluorosis. Of course, these conditions are mainly caused by high dose fluoride exposure but here's the problem, fluoride accumulates over time.
To fully understand your fluoride exposure risk, let's explore how fluoride is handled in your body. First, up to half of ingested fluoride accumulates in your bones, while the other half is excreted in the urine. Second, once fluoride enters your bones it is removed very slowly. The biological half-life of fluoride in bone (the time for half of it to be removed) is as long as 20 years. Third, most people have constant low level exposures to fluoride, and are taking more fluoride into their bones than is being removed. As a result, the fluoride level in bone increases steadily with time. We are slowly being over exposed to fluoride and are all at risk for fluorosis.
You may be wondering, why is fluoride being recommended in the first place? Fluoride increases the density of trabecular bone and has been shown to reduce dental cavities. A study from 1940 showed a 60 percent reduction of dental cavities in areas where water was treated with fluoride. However, recent studies don't show such a drastic difference between fluoridated areas and non-fluoridated areas. Mainly due to dental practices among individuals and eating habits. This new found evidence, and the overwhelming evidence that over exposure to fluoride carries risks such as fluorosis, cancer, and bone fracture, have sparked some controversy. In Canada, for instance, The Fluoride Action Network have made a major push to end water fluoridation all together. Currently 60 percent of Canada has stopped fluoridation and it seems the rest of the country will follow. Locally, New York city councilor Peter Vallone has introduced legislation "prohibiting the addition of fluoride to the water supply." If this legislation passes, it would spark the rest of our counrty to follow.
Despite the fact that 170 million Americans now drink fluoridated water every day, we continue to have little understanding on how the consequent contamination of our food and water with fluoride is affecting bone health. While we know that fluoride at high doses clearly harms bone, and while there are several worrying indications that similar harm is occurring at the lower levels that Americans regularly ingest, the absence of competent research by U.S. health authorities has enabled many basic, fundamental questions to remain unanswered. Until researchers feel free to report adverse findings on fluoride without fear of losing their funding, this situation is likely to persist, to the possible peril of millions of American's bone health.
One thing is certain, the risks of fluoride exposure outweighs the benefits. Inform yourself, check out www.mercola.com and our website at www.aacfamilywellness.com for more on fluoride and other current health issues. Stay up to date, join us on facebook at www.facebook.com/aacwellness and Twitter at www.twitter.com/aacwellness. We are committed to educate our community and bring health and wellness to you and your family! As always Be Well!

Flu shot...in the dark!

2011-10-30T20:47:52Z

The following is an excerpt from one of my current articles.

It's Flu season again and that means shots! Lots and lots of shots, approximately 180 million will be made at a cost of 3.69 billion, a lot of shots, a lot of waste. 80 million shots were thrown out last year. That's 1.6 billion in waste. Why? Well when you search the research, 2010 was also one of the highest refusal rates on record. 70% of people refused the flu shot last year! Surprisingly last year was one of the best flu seasons on record, with the lowest rate of flu deaths in years. This statistic alone has raised many eyebrows in the scientific field. One question is "should we look deeper into vaccination and its efficacy?"
Here some facts you'll find when investigating this question.
• There is no single virus that causes the flu. Influenza is a group of symptoms used to describe an illness that is caused by many viruses.
• Viruses constantly change or mutate everyday to survive detection and destruction by immune cells. This makes it almost impossible for the CDC to guess the right virus strain because it may not exist yet.
• In a single Year, the CDC identified 863 DIFFERENT influenza viruses.
• The flu shot is trivalent and contains only three attenuated viruses.
• The latest statistic from the National Institute of Health states "Giving young children flu shots appeared to have no impact on flu related doctor visits or hospitalizations" www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

Whats Your Health Philosophy?

2011-09-08T15:46:34Z

I guess the first place to start would be, "Do you have a philosophy of health?" I contend that we all have a very strong health care philosophy, however how much thought do we give it. How you choose to eat and feed your family, how or if you exercise, how often you take time for relaxation, do you take vitamins, drink alcohol, take multiple prescriptions drugs, or do you really even care about your health and give it any thought? These questions are all answered based on your invisible ideas of what keeps your body working well. And where did these ideas come from? Were your parents health conscious? Did you have a relative that became ill and that experience made you become health conscious? Perhaps, like many of my patients, you yourself had a life changing experience with your health and you decided to take charge of your health and well-being. Whatever experience you have had, your current philosophy needs some conscious attention. Instead of letting your health philosophy happen to you, create it based on current research and make it match how you want to live your life.
For instance, science has concluded that living a pro-active lifestyle has far greater returns on your quality of life then living a re-active lifestyle. That is to say, eating well, moving well, and thinking well allows our bodies to steer clear of illness and disease. Contrary, waiting for illness and disease to happen to us and then try and fight our way back to health with drugs and surgery has been shown to lower our quality of life as well as our lifespan. Therefore let's take a moment to examine some simple ways we can live a pro-active lifestyle in this re-active world of healthcare.
1. The most important aspect of being pro-active is having a health coach. Haven't heard of a health coach. It's not a new idea, coaching has always been around for those of us that want to perform at a higher level. That is what we are talking about, right? We want our bodies to function at its optimum all the time so we can achieve and maintain a healthy body. I have a health coach I consult with every week, my wellness doctor. A doctor who is educated in living a pro-active lifestyle, not a re-active (wait till I get sick) lifestyle.
2. Eat consciously. Sounds simple? Surprisingly it is. Read labels, look for preservatives, added sugar, trans fat, etc... Choose REAL food, not from a bag or a can. Thankfully we live in an area where we have access to fresh local foods. We have weekly farmers markets and local orchards that provide the best possible food at great prices.
3. Move everyday! Many of us have sedentary jobs where we drive to work, sit all day at work, and then get home and sit for dinner. Finally we end this exhausting day by sitting on the sofa to watch our favorite program and fall asleep to do it the next day. Our bodies aren't designed to be so inactive. This is one of the many reasons why we have more arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, and obesity problems then we have ever had in history. 20 minutes per day, take time to walk around the block, go to the gym, swim, and just move!
4. Be silent! Each day take some time in your hectic day to be quiet. Some of us meditate, pray, take naps, read, etc... Our brains need a break from the constant stimulation of everyday life. Stress hormones are released when we are stimulated, even with positive stimulation. Give your brain a rest and allow those hormones to level out. You will feel this right away and your stress level with be reduced allowing your body to heal itself more efficiently and avoid those common ills you suffer from.
Take some time this week to evaluate your current philosophy of health. Make it congruent with your goals of how you would like your future health to be. Do you want to be like the average person over 60 today who takes 6-9 different prescription medications per day? The patients that visit my office consult us so they don't end up like their parents, grandparents, etc... They want to live a full, active, life to the end of their years. Do you? Get a health coach today. Educate yourself! The resources are readily available. Start by joining us this month at our "Philosophy night" on the 27th at 7pm. We will explore the difference between sick care and health care and help you redefine your health care philosophy. I look forward to seeing you there! As always, Be Well. The wellness doc.

Getting drugged!

2011-08-12T17:30:00Z

Is it possible that we are getting drugged daily without our consent? The answer is an astounding YES! Each day we are practically forced to ingest a prescription only drug that has global neurological side effects. Immune system dysfunction, lowered IQ, arthritic symptoms, chronic fatigue, GI problems, and weakened bones. This is but a short list of what this drug has been linked to in small, consistent doses. Remember, YOU are being given this, unknowingly every day! Whats the drug...FLUORIDE! Yes, each day we drink fluoridated water, use it to shower with, cook with, etc and it's a known neuro-toxin. This is so well documented in the literature that this week is national fluoride awareness week. Check out the following link for more info and look for my full article in the Saratogian and eco-local. Inform yourself and as always, Be Well!

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/08/07/professional-perspectives-documentary.aspx?e_cid=20110807_SNL_Art_1

Purposely Healthy!

2011-06-07T02:32:42Z

I found my purpose in life at an early age. I was a very sick child and really can't remember a time that I didn't have an ear infection, strep throat, pink eye, or some other upper respiratory issue. I suffered the onslaught of allergies medications, shots every week for 9 years, and even our family relocating to the west to see if that would improve my condition. Those of you that have had these symptoms can understand how living this way is not living at all.

]]> When investigating what I wanted to go to college for I stumbled upon Chiropractic. I was 17 years old and never knew what a chiropractor did. My first experience with a chiropractor was life changing. During my initial examination, the doctor discovered I had a spinal misalignment (subluxation) in my upper neck. The doctor told me this condition affected the upper respiratory system and could be the cause of my chronic illness. I received my first chiropractic adjustment to correct the problem and what followed was amazing. My head and sinuses instantly cleared and drained. After years of never breathing through my nose, constant sinus pain from congestion, difficulty hearing, and never really tasting my food...I experienced relief. After my experience it was clear, my purpose in life was to share chiropractic wellness care to the world so no one would suffer as I did.
So how does purpose affect your health? Health defined by Dorland's Medical Dictionary is: physical, social, and mental well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. However purpose in life isn't the usual topic when discussing health and well-being. Topics such as exercise, nutrition, chiropractic care, and stress management are the most common. However, having a purpose in life is a pinnacle part of overall health and wellness. We all know that eating better and exercising help us attain health but without any direction what's it all for.
The research is clear; people with a well defined purpose live longer. You are less prone to heart disease, take less medication, and are more resistant to the common cold. How? When we have a clear, well defined purpose, we are less stressed. We know what our day, week, and year look like. We have direction each day, knowing why we woke up and why we want to continue to do so. When we are less stressed our bodies produce less harmful hormones and more of the chemicals that we need such as serum thiol, for example. Having more serum thiol lets us fight off infection, cancer, and heart disease more effectively. In essence when our bodies are under less stress they work more efficiently and move toward thriving instead of merely surviving.
Your purpose in life may be difficult to discover, but it warrants some deep investigation.
As Martin Luther King once said, "The person who has nothing in their life that they are willing to die for has nothing in their life really worth living for."
Find your purpose and watch your life, and your health flourish! Be Well!

More Drugs Equals Better Health?

2011-04-27T02:00:12Z

It seems each day we see another breakthrough medication released that will make us healthier, stronger, thinner, have better cholesterol, have less pain, and all around live healthier, more active lives. Do we really need more medications to be healthy? The commercials on television certainly tell us that. Before we run and get the new "wonder" drug, let's think logically about what our bodies need to move toward health and away from illness and disease.
Our bodies have certain needs that need to be met each and every day. We need to have proper movement, nutrition, and thoughts every day. Without these requirements we will not attain true health and well being. Seems logical, but do we really try to achieve this on a daily basis or do we choose alternative methods to meet this requirements. Let's look at an average person dealing with their current health situation.
Mrs. Jones isn't feeling well. She works each day and has children at home to attend to. Each day she wakes up at 7am, gets her kids to school, and rushes off to start her work day. When she gets done with her stressful day she returns home, cooks dinner, cleans up, and gets ready for the next day. She has no time to relax and decompress, it's on to the next day. Seems pretty average and I'm sure many of us can relate to this scenario. Now Mrs. Jones feels depressed, stressed, is overweight, tired all the time, gets headaches frequently, and gets back pain. She goes to the doctor and tells of her symptoms. The doctor proceeds to prescribe her blood pressure medication, cholesterol drugs, pain relievers, and anti-depressants. She now takes 3 different medications and "feels better". Is she really healthier? Is her body working better and moving toward health and well being? Will she live a longer, more active life because of the medication she is taking? Did the medications satisfy any of the daily requirements of moving, nutrition, or thoughts she needed? I contend they are not! Let's look at the same scenario with different recommendations.
Mrs. Jones isn't feeling well. She goes to her wellness doctor and tells of her symptoms, she's tired, depressed, gets headaches and pain. Looking from a wellness perspective, her doctor acknowledges the daily requirements her body needs each day and evaluates her current situation. He recommends she changes her diet. She needs to eat more real food (fresh fruits and vegetables), remove processed foods and sugars from her diet, and drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. He also recommends she walks each night when she returns from work, twice around the block stretching before and after. Finally she is given the recommendation to spend 15 minutes of alone time, no distractions. During this time she can choose to pray, meditate, or just be quiet. Will these recommendations move her body toward health and well being? Will her new lifestyle activities help her live a healthier more active life? The answer is an astounding YES! Her daily requirements are being met and her body can thrive instead of just survive.
When dealing with your health and the health of your family, always think of what your body needs. It never needs more medications or drugs to work better. Look at what you're not giving your body first. More often than not, you're not meeting your daily requirements of movement, nutrition, and thoughts. When your body is lacking what it needs it moves away from wellness and toward illness. Being healthy isn't more complicated than that. It may not be the easiest way, but it is the only way to truly be healthy.
Get a wellness doctor on your health care team. They can coach you to make better choices so you can learn how to satisfy your body's daily requirements. Then you can truly reach your optimum health potential. Be Well!

Depressed? Drugs won't help, they will make you mad!

2011-02-02T15:06:51Z

According to recently published medical statistics, about 230 million prescriptions for antidepressants are now filled each year, making them one of the most-prescribed drugs in the United States. But despite all of these prescription drugs being taken, more than one in 20 Americans are still depressed! Why? Almost all the prescription medications used to treat depression have serious side effects which actually do the opposite, make us angry and more depressed. Depression is a very real disorder and needs to be treated, but lets all look at the holistic approach and find the cause. Covering the symptom of depression will only lead to years of never finding the cause. There are several holistic approach to take into consideration. Consult your wellness doctor, and ask what is available to you. One thing is for sure, anti-depressants can have serious side effects, take a look at the top ten legal drugs linked to violent behavior.

Time Magazine lists the top ten offenders:

Varenicline (Chantix): The number one violence-inducing drug on the list, this anti-smoking medication is 18 times more likely to be linked with violence when compared to other drugs
Fluoxetine (Prozac): This drug was the first well-known SSRI antidepressant
Paroxetine (Paxil): Another SSRI antidepressant, Paxil is also linked with severe withdrawal symptoms and a risk of birth defects
Amphetamines: (Various): Used to treat ADHD
Mefoquine (Lariam): A treatment for malaria which is often linked with reports of strange behavior
Atomoxetine (Strattera): An ADHD drug that affects the neurotransmitter noradrenaline
Triazolam (Halcion): This potentially addictive drug is used to treat insomnia
Fluvoxamine (Luvox): Another SSRI antidepressant
Venlafaxine (Effexor): An antidepressant also used to treat anxiety disorders
Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq): An antidepressant which affects both serotonin and noradrenaline

The passing of a wellness hero

2011-02-02T01:37:34Z

Fitness legend Jack LaLanne passed away last week at the ripe young age of 96. He was best known for his feats of strength as a young body builder and later gained fame with his juicer, inspiring masses of health craved Americans to drink thier fruits and vegtables for maximm nutrition. What you may not have known about Jack is he was a Doctor of Chiropractic for most of his life. Yes, he was the original Wellness Doc! That being said, here are some facts that the current Wellness Doc wants everyone to know.

Exercise is important, but you can't gain strength if you have a weak nerve system.
A glass of carrot and beet juice contains tons of vitamins, but you can't absorb them with a weak nerve system.
Having the lifelong flexibility of Jack LaLanne is not possible with a subluxated spine.
Almost never being sick throughout his life was not possible without the regular chiropractic care he received to maintain his immune system.

The moral is, everything that Jack did to maintain his health started with proper spinal function! Yes Jack lived his 96 years by applying the principles of Chiropractic throughout his entire life. We all should learn something from this amazing man. I happily take the torch Jack, thank you for blazing the trail for wellness chiropractors. We will continue to educate our communities that proper spinal alignment and function, promotes optimal health and wellness! Rest in peace Jack!

Health Care Reform Made Easy

2011-01-28T18:42:01Z

Einstein said "...doing things over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity". There is some food for thought. With the latest realization in the USA that our health care system is broken, everyone wants to fix the problem. "Lets make health care more affordable, let's have socialized health care, let's make it easier to get medications and surgeries...". Is that really the problem? We don't get enough health care so our country is one of the sickest industrialized nations in the world!
According to a report the was released in the Journal of the American Medical Association here's how the United States rates among the top 13 wealthiest countries:

12 out of 13 in health care
LAST in low birth weight babies
LAST in infant mortality rate
12th out of 13 in life expectancy at 1yr
12th out of 13 in life expectancy at 15yrs

I contend for REAL health care reform, WE the public need to reform. Reform our current paradigm of health care and recognize there is HEALTH CARE and there is SICK CARE. Know the difference! Understand you need both in your life and your health is your responsibility, no one elses. Educate yourself on pro-active, natural, holistic health care that helps your body thrive not just survive.

The information is easily accessible.
   Visit our website at www.aacfamilywellness.com
   Join our Facebook at www.facebook.com/aacwellness
   Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aacwellness

Also everyone that follows my blog is invited to my lecture for the SIMEN project at the Saratoga Library on February 8th at 5:30 PM. The topic will be "Understanding True Health Care Reform" I look forward to seeing all of you. Until then Be Well!

Our Drugged Youth!!!

2011-01-14T14:10:09Z

According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal,

"... Children and teens are ... taking a wide variety of ... medications once considered only to be for adults, from statins to
diabetes pills and sleep drugs, according to figures provided to The
Wall Street Journal by IMS Health, a research firm.

Prescriptions for antihypertensives in people age 19 and younger could hit 5.5 million this year if the trend though September continues
... Unhealthy diets and lack of exercise among children ... fuel the
use of some treatments, such as those for hypertension."

This statement needs to be taken very seriously and corrected quickly! How did we get here? How did WE let our children become such a huge consumer of prescription medications?

The answer to this question is simple. We have totally bought into, as a society, that sick care is superior to health and wellness care. That is to say that when a symptom appears, we are solely focused on getting rid of that complaint instead of examining the body to see WHY that symptom or dysfunction exists! Until we have the understanding that Function=Health, our children will continue to fall victim of this over prescription problem. Please educate yourself about wellness care. Visit our website at www.aacfamilywellness.com We have the latest health and wellness news available. Become our friend on facebook. www.facebook.com/aacwellness Follow us on twitter. www.twitter.com/aacwellness The information is available, plug in! Change that one simple view, WHY DOES MY CHILD HAVE THE SYMPTOM! Find the cause and watch your children and you become healthier. Be Well!

New Year...a fresh start!

2011-01-10T18:32:55Z

I hope everyone had a great holiday season and your new year is starting off with passion and purpose! As most of you know, it's resolution time...again. It's no surprise that 2011's number one resolution is to lose weight. This year I would like to help everyone with some simple tips that will not only help you lose weight but even more importantly, eat healthier! ]]>

Seek true satisfaction. Enjoy genuine flavors, rather than fat, sugar, and salt added to mask the metallic taste of chemical additives.
Read labels wisely. You can find food with "real" ingredients in the supermarket if you read labels carefully.
Relish what's on your plate. Devote time solely to enjoying the pleasures of eating.
Wean yourself off excess salt, fat, and sugar. You can also cook with smaller amounts of these ingredients by using natural substitutes like strong spices.
Give your palate time to change. You'll gradually lose your taste for excessively sweet and salty foods.
Go for high-quality foods. Look for products that contain the least amount of processed ingredients.
Treat yourself well by not skipping meals. Try eating three meals a day at fairly regular times, plus a mid-afternoon snack.

One thing to remember when trying to eat healthy foods, REAL food is alive and DIES! Sounds odd but all real food is vibrant with life when fresh. Over time it wilts, spoils, sours, etc... That is because it was once alive. Real food will not last forever in a can, bag, box, or vacuumed sealed. Strive to add more real food in your diet while removing fake food. Do this and watch your weight go down and your health go up! Be well in 2011!

Signs of Wellness...in a can?

2010-10-18T23:52:45Z

We have all seen the recent trend for products being made without "high fructose corn syrup". We all have also seen the ads by the makers of high fructose corn syrup stating "...but it's made from corn". It's obvious that the makers are aware that their product is under attack and now they are back peddling to support the product. Without a long, drawn out explanation, the research is out and high fructose corn syrup is BAD! Your body responds very differently when you ingest high fructose corn syrup compared to regular raw sugar. Bottom line, stop using it! The great thing is many products are coming out that contain regular old sugar, a substance your body know how to respond to. Don't get me wrong, as part of a wellness diet I don't recommend sugar of any sort, however cane sugar is the best when you consume it.

That being said, I recently came across a GREAT new product that uses only cane sugar to sweeten their drinks. SNOW BEVERAGES Like most of my blog followers I don't drink soda very often, mostly due to the high fructose stuff. So I was a little apprehensive when I saw this product and tried it out. WOW, I was happily surprised after tasting the cranberry pomraz. Not only was it good, it was better than any other soda i've had. I urge all of you to try this product and make the switch from high fructose to good old cane sugar drinks, and SNOW drinks are the place to start. "Hats off" to SNOW for making a committment to give us healthier choices so we can lead healthier lifestyles. Be Well!!

Wellness, we're learning????

2010-10-18T18:17:14Z

I recently attended a wellness conference in Connecticut this past weekend. It was a great experience, with dozens of doctors in the wellness field presenting the latest science on health and healing. All the docs of AAC Family Wellness Centers attended and we learned new science that confirmed what we already knew. Your body, when given the proper environment, will strive for health...ALWAYS!! I think we all know that deep down, it's just that simple. Unfortunatly, what we also learned were some disturbing facts about what society is actually doing. So I would like to share some stats with you.

WARING!! Some of you may find the following information disturbing.

98,000 people per year die from medical errors

1975 we were the 3rd healthiest nation in the world 2010 we are 12th

50% of ALL americans take at least 1 drug every day

1 out of every 10 americans take 5 or more meds per day

60% of our CHILDREN take at least one drug per day

These stats should bother you! Educate yourself with wellness concepts, change your way of thinking about HEALT CARE. We all know that more drugs does not equal better health, and now we have the stats to show that. Visit www.aacfamilywellness.com and leatn more about wellness care.

Be Well!!