Hope or Hype….Health Care Breakthroughs!
Heart disease, diabetes, and obesity are chronic disorders that are interrelated and the presence of one will often lead over time to development of one or both of the others!
The good news is that, for the most part, these three entities occur as a result of lifestyle choices. This means, if we choose to live healthy, we can greatly reduce the likelihood of developing one or all of these conditions.
For instance, at present more than one-third of American children are overweight or obese. These kids are very likely to develop diabetes and, later on, heart disease. So, if you’re overweight or obese as a child, you can look forward to a lifetime of health problems.
Why do you think American kids have these problems? The answer is simple – they don’t exercise and they eat large amounts of junk food. The solutions are obvious and just as simple.
Developing lifelong habits of regular exercise and good nutrition begins at home. Parents who exercise regularly and provide healthy, balanced meals for their kids help their kids develop the habit of making healthful lifestyle choices, habits that will last a lifetime. Parents have to be role models for their children and help them make healthy choices with their actions! Health care breakthroughs are big business. We know this because such news is reported in the Business Section of newspapers and magazines. Discussions relate primarily to the potential impact on the company’s share price and revenues. Possible benefits to patients are a secondary concern compared to the amount of money involved.
Business coverage of these issues is yet another reminder of how far health care has moved away from its original and sole focus on treatment. Sadly, the bottom line has become the bottom line. And yet, there may be real breakthroughs on the horizon. Advances in DNA analysis and nanotechnology may bring us closer to a world of personalized treatment for cancer and other disorders.
For example, university researchers have been working for years on methods to deliver cancer drugs to the actual tumor.1 If possible, this would dramatically improve on current treatment which floods the patient’s entire body with highly toxic anti-cancer medication.
These new scientific methods – collectively termed targeted cancer therapy – involve the cancer drugs hitching a ride on very small particles – nanoparticles – which are programmed to seek out and attach to the malignant tumor.2 The toxic drug only interacts with the tumor cells, killing the tumor but not affecting any of the patient’s normal cells. If this research pans out, meaningful progress would be made.
Early detection of disease – cancers, hormonal disorders, inflammatory diseases – is often discussed as a critical factor in the success of treatment. Recently, in the last ten years, progress in the fields of nanotechnology and DNA and protein analysis has brought us closer to real-world early detection.
Researchers are gaining the ability to analyze very small amounts of biomarkers – specialized proteins that may indicate the presence of specific diseases – in both blood and individual cells3. A lot more work needs to be done to standardize these tests and understand which biomarkers are related to which diseases – but this seems to be merely a matter time. Within ten or fifteen years, such analysis will probably become readily available and routine. This would be a real breakthrough.
However, rather than placing our bets on diagnostic and treatment methods that may or may not become available, doesn’t it make more sense to take care of our physical health right now, today? The vast majority of diseases that affect Americans – heart disease, diabetes, and obesity – are, for the most part, lifestyle disorders. And, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that many cancers are also related to lifestyle.
Of course, lifestyle is a code word for several factors; good nutrition, regular exercise, sufficient rest, a positive mental attitude, and rewarding family and personal relationships. An important part of lifestyle is maintaining a body that works – and the best way to ensure good overall health is with periodic, regular chiropractic care.
Chiropractic treatment ensures your body is working at its optimum. Chiropractic treatment gives your body its best chance of functioning at a level of optimum health. Your chiropractor will be glad to help you learn how to achieve a healthy, vibrant lifestyle.
1Choi MR, et al: A Cellular Trojan Horse for Delivery of Therapeutic Nanoparticles into Tumors. Nano Letters 7(12):3759-3765, 2007 2Zahr AS, Pishko MV: Encapsulation of paclitaxel in macromolecular nanoshells. Biomacromolecules 8(6):2004-2010, 2007 3Favis R, et al: Universal DNA Microarray Analysisof p53 Mutations in Undissected Colorectal Tumors. Human Mutation 24:63-75, 2004
For online version of this article, please visit our website at http://lakestlouisdc.com Copyright 2009 Lake St. Louis Chiropractic, All Rights Reserved
Related Reading:
The 36-Hour Day, 4th edition: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease, Other Dementias, and Memory Loss in Later LifeThis highly acclaimed book is the comprehensive guide to the home care of those in all stages of progressive dementing illness.
The Others (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)Screen sensation Nicole Kidman (MOULIN ROUGE, EYES WIDE SHUT) delivers an utterly unforgettable performance in this scary and stylish suspense thriller. While awaiting her husband's return from war, Grace (Kidman) and her two young children live an unusually isolated existence behind the locked doors and drawn curtains of a secluded island mansion. Then, after three mysterious servants arrive and it becomes chillingly clear that there is far more to his house than can be seen, Grace finds herself in a harrying fight to save her children and keep her sanity. Acclaimed by critics everywhere, the unpredictable twists and turns of this compelling hit will keep you guessing as it keeps you riveted to the edge of your seat!
Applied Nutrition Green Mountain Oolong Tea Diet, 30 Liquid Soft-Gels PackagePotent Calorie Burning Fusion of 4 Tea Concentrates*Oolong Tea
Matcha Tea
Green Tea
White Tea
A Powerful Fat-Burning Fusion of 4 Potent Tea Extracts in Fast-Acting Liquid Soft-Gels*
One of the most important elements of Asian culture, tea is also a key component in Eastern healing and weight-loss techniques. Now Western science has discovered the antioxidant protection and health benefits of tea- and its potential for boosting metabolism and burning fat and calories.*
A Powerful Blend of Asian Teas & Herbs for Optimal Weight Loss Support*
Natural teas have long been prized throughout the Far East for their many health benefits- in fact, tea has been a key ingredient in traditional Eastern healing for over four millenniums. Now Western science is starting to discover its remarkable ability, along with other traditional Asian herbs, to help protect cells, boost metabolism and burn calories.*
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to drink enough tea- or enough different varieties- to get the full benefits. Oolong Tea Diet combines four distinct varieties of Asian teas, along with traditional healing herbs from the Far East, to provide the support to help you achieve a healthy weight and lifestyle.*
Powerful Blend of Asian Teas: A unique blend of four teas highly prized in Asian culture, each processed in different ways for maximum health benefits. Matcha Tea and Oolong tea contain natural polyphenols (powerful antioxidants that have been clinically studied for health benefits). White Tea and Green Tea are naturally concentrated with EGCG (clinically researched for its ability to help burn calories).*
Effective Thermogenic Support: Specially formulated to help boost metabolism and burn calories, along with ingredients clinically researched to help burn fat for optimum weight loss support when combined with a low calorie diet and exercise plan.*
Asian Botanical Blend: A proprietary blend of herbs traditionally used for overall healt
