NEWCAREDOC

Flu Shots Available on Every Corner!

2011-11-01T17:09:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again. Media blitz of "Get Your Flu Shot!" Every pharmacy has a little station set up to quickly jab and go. Once again, I just shake my head in utter amazement. Especially this year.

For the first time in flu shot history, the same version of the previous season is being used. One has to wonder, if the shot actually works, why would one have to get it again this year?

A recent study out on Minnesota touted a whopping 60% effectiveness rate. But when you read the study, only 1.5 people out of 100 vaccinated will get the flu. Sounds great, until you read further and find out only 2.5 people out of 100 un-vaccinated will get the flu. In essence, for every 100 shots given out (at over $30 a shot) only one more person will be spared from the flu. (the 1.5/2.5 is where the 60% number comes from)

Some things to think about:

If the flu shot actually works, it would protect you from 3 specific strains of the flu, that's it. No protection from pneumonia, colds, flu-like illness or any other strain of flu.

While Vit D and healthy living habits will prevent all strains of the flu, pneumonia, colds and flu-like illnesses (with NO side-effects).

The choice is yours (make an informed one). Take your chance with a shot and hope you are the one in one hundred that gets spared the flu, or skip the shot and practice good healthy habits.

The Real Cost of Prescription Drugs

2011-05-31T06:58:00.000-07:00

++ Click to Enlarge Image ++

A Drug Recall.com

Why a Flu Adjustment is better than a Flu Shot

2010-10-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

If you follow my Face Book page, you probably have seen me recommend a "Flu Adjustment." So, what is a Flu Adjustment anyway and why should I do this instead of getting the flu shot?

As you will see below, flu shots are not very effective and have serious side effects. While a spinal adjustment boosts your immune system and has no harmful side effects.

To get a better understanding of how to prevent the flu, let's look at flu shots. Flu shots are a combination of 3 strains of seasonal flu, and this year the shot also includes the H1N1 (swine flu) virus. Now understand that the 3 seasonal flu strains are GUESSES! It takes 6 to 9 months to develop and manufacture a vaccine. Government and health agencies guess what the strains will be for the coming flu season. They haven't guessed right yet. Originally, only one strain was included. But, since they couldn't get it right, they boosted their odds by adding additional strains.

Now, for the flu shot to actually give you any benefit, you would have to 1) develop immunity from the shot, 2) be exposed to the specific strain. Then, and only then, will the shot have any beneficial effect.

This year, the H1N1 was added to the regular flu shot. Even though a Canadian study showed those that received the H1N1 shot last year were twice as likely to catch the seasonal flu!

The Flu Shot does NOT protect you from flu strains not included in the vaccine, does NOT protect you from 'Flu Like Illness', colds, intestinal flu, or pneumonia.

Side effects include seizures, fever, pain, convulsions, paralysis and death.

No Benefit, Lots of Risk

A "Flu Adjustment" boosts your immune system to fight off ALL strains of flu, 'flu like illness', colds, intestinal flu, pneumonia, and many other illnesses. Side effects include; improved joint motion, decreased pain, relaxed muscles, better circulation, more energy....

This really is a no-brainer! Add additional Vit D (4-5000 iu per day) and you will have a much healthier winter and beat the flu season.

Any questions, let me know. Please feel free to leave a comment below.

Get Your Golf Game Back

2010-06-29T18:56:00.000-07:00

The other day I took my wife to the driving range to hit a bucket of balls. It was an early Thursday afternoon, so we had the place pretty much to ourselves. As we are enjoying the conversation between swings, I hear a strange "VOOM, VOOOM, VOOM" sound. I turn to see a fellow swinging a hollow red plastic tube. Apparently this is some kind of warm-up tool. We finished our bucket and I decided to stick around and watch the other golfers take their hacks. And hack they did.

While I am certainly not a professional golfer, I have spent considerable time and training in evaluating the golf swing and identifying what is physically wrong. I was amazed at the number of swing faults, posture problems and resultant big sweeping slices. The guy who had the red plastic tube, while adequately warmed-up, still had rounded shoulders, bent at the waist and hit every shot to the right with a very nice sweeping slice to really push the ball even further to the right. Of course, I'm now imagining he has a whole closet full of "Training Aids" much like Renee Russo had in the movie Tin Cup.

Let me give you one piece of advice--Skip the training aids! As Paul Callaway, P.T. (first physical therapist on the PGA Tour) said, "The most important piece of equipment is your body."

Just by getting this guy to address the ball with a straight spine angle, bend at the hips (not the waist), his shots would have been a lot straighter.

As a Certified Golf Fitness Professional, I offer physical training programs to take 5-9 strokes off of your game in as little as 6 weeks. If you are interested in the Golf Doctor Programs, give me a call a the office (920) 730-0611. Mention you read this on my blog, and receive the initial swing evaluation for free (regular $145.00 value).

Enjoy the rest of the golf season! And if your game is not what you expected, give me a call.

Please feel free to leave a comment below.

Health Care Reform-What They Should Have Done

2010-03-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

Well, they went and did it-passed "Health Care Reform." This new law will increase costs and does absolutely nothing to improve health. What should have been done? Here is my proposal:

Using basic economic principles (supply and demand)and understanding that health insurance was never intended to pay for routine care; the following makes sense.

Every person in the U.S. is issued a Health Savings Card (HSC) with a $5000 value. People would contribute pre-tax dollars into their accounts. Lower income people would get govt. grants to fill their accounts (in lieu of tax credits)based on a sliding scale on ability to contribute. This money would be used for routine care and can be used for any health related expense. Any money not used by the end of the year would be transferred to a retirement savings account (interest bearing).

Health insurance would only be for catastrophic illness/injury and would have a $5000 deductible (covered by your HSC). Once you have used up your HSC, the insurance would kick in.

This simple plan reduces costs in several ways. People have control of their health care spending and an incentive to spend wisely. Since they are basically paying with cash, administrative costs for providers will go down. Getting paid at the time of service versus submitting a claim and hoping it gets paid is a no-brainer for doctors. They can lower their costs to the consumer.

By allowing all licensed health care providers to be paid by the HSC, you now have increased the number of providers (increased supply) which also increases competition for your health care dollars. More competition means lower cost.

Other side benefits of this plan include; supplementing retirement (Social Security), reduced health care student loan defaults, and better health education. Since people will have control over their own spending, they will become more educated on staying healthy (prevention) and not waste their own dollars on unnecessary or ineffective treatments.

If you have questions or want more details, leave a comment below.

Olympics-What Makes These Athletes Great

2010-02-17T15:41:00.000-08:00

The Winter Olympics are in full swing and the athletes competing are truly showing their incredible skills. How are these athletes able to do the things they do? And even more important, when the difference between a gold medal and 4th place can be less than a second; what separates the winners from the rest?

Like any other athlete; training, conditioning, and diet are vital. Mental preparation becomes an even bigger part of success at this level. But there is a secret weapon many athletes have discovered that allows them to train better, recover from injury better and perform better.

What's the secret? Chiropractic care!

Chiropractic has been officially involved with the Olympics since the 1980 Lake Placid games when Dr. George Goodheart, D.C. was selected as the Team USA's Chiropractor. Since then, every Olympics has had chiropractors on staff treating the Olympic athletes. In fact, this year's USOC medical director is a chiropractor!

How can chiropractic care help these athletes? The chiropractic adjustment basically restores normal joint motion and removes nerve interference. When the joints move normally, the athlete experiences greater flexibility and range of motion, and improved strength. Removing nerve interference improves reflexes, coordination and balance. This gives the athlete that little edge needed to perform at optimal levels.

A study done in the early 1990's showed a 14% improvement in athletic performance when chiropractic care was added to the training program for upper level collegiate athletes. Fourteen percent is a huge number!

A few weeks ago, the NFL announced the 2010 Hall of Fame inductees. Three of the finalists, Roger Craig, Jerry Rice and Emmitt Smith have credited chiropractic care for enabling them to play for as long as they did and as well as they did.

In 2008 I attended the Pro Football Chiropractor Association Seminar and had the opportunity to meet several of the chiropractors that work with the NFL teams. Every one stays very busy keeping their players on the field and performing their best.

I also see this in my practice. I serve as team doctor for the Fox Valley Force football team, the Fox Cityz Foxz and Paper Valley Roller Girls Women's Roller Derby Teams. The athletes I treat are the top performers.

Whether you are a weekend warrior or world class athlete, you can improve your performance and lengthen your career by adding chiropractic to your training program. For more information or if you have specific questions, let me know.

As always, please feel free to share this article and be sure to leave a comment below.

New Year's Resolution-How's It Going?

2010-01-20T17:37:00.000-08:00

Three weeks into the new year, are you on track with any resolutions? One of the more common resolutions is to lose weight. For various reasons, this is a great time to lose weight. Maybe you gained a few too many pounds over Thanksgiving or Christmas. Maybe you have a wedding or reunion coming up this summer and want to WOW everyone. Or maybe you want to look and feel better, or have health concerns about carrying extra pounds.

All are great reasons to lose weight. So, how are you doing?

Many people do great at the start. Watching portions, counting calories, exercising more and getting results. Usually 3-5 pounds the first week, 2-3 the second week, 1-2 pounds the third week. Then it hits. No more weight loss! You may have even gained a few pounds back. How did this happen?

If you get to a plateau, don't worry. This is very normal. As you read further, you will understand why this happened and how to move on.

Plateaus occur during weight loss because your body has become more efficient and you are carrying around a lot less weight. Less weight equals less work for the body. This is, after all the goal of weight loss, to let your body work less. Unfortunately, when you weigh less and work less, you burn fewer calories. Unless you further reduce calorie intake, you will stop losing weight and can put some back on. The other alternative is to increase calorie burning.

After losing 10 pounds, your body burns less calories throughout the day. By adding the weight back on, with a weighted vest or some other way, your body will continue to burn calories like it did 10 pounds ago. To further complicate this, regular exercise induces a training effect. Your body becomes much more efficient at movement. More efficiency equals less work. Less work means fewer calories burned. To combat the training effect, vary your exercise. Intensity, quantity or type of activity must be changed once in a while to reset your body. Doing the same exercise and diet will lead to failure. Not to mention getting very boring very quickly.

So, here is your weight loss tip for the week. Add the pounds you lost back on through external weight. Change your work-out routine intensity or type of exercise. Vary your foods. Much like the training effect of exercise, eating the same can cause your body to ignore the diet and go into a maintain mode. Changing foods will keep your body on a weight loss path.

If you have questions or need help, don't be afraid to ask. I am here to help you. And if I can't help you, I'll find someone who can.

For more information on weight loss, click on the BlogTalkRadio link to the left on Weight Loss. It is a 30 minute presentation on weight loss. Look for Part 2 to be coming in a week or so, as 30 minutes was not enough to cover all the topics of weight loss.

Feel free to e-mail me or call me at the office (920) 730-0611 if you need help losing weight. As always, please leave a comment below.

The Nightmare Begins-No Cure for Health Care

2009-12-22T10:52:00.000-08:00

It is truly amazing that 60 U.S. Senators could support a 2000+ page bill that the vast majority of the population does not want, and haven't even read. Pressure from their leaders and "Pay Backs" should not be the sole reason for passing any legislation.

Hopefully, when this bill goes to conference it will be killed or at least stalled until the November elections. The constitutionality of this bill will/should be tested and hopefully stricken down.

Why is this such a bad bill? As I posted previously, this Health Care Reform Bill does nothing to promote health, reduce costs or improve our system in any way.

The tax and "Mandatory" purchase of insurance will drive the economy even further into recession. Health care will become more expensive and harder to get. Demand will rise (30,000,000+ new consumers) and supply will decrease (up to 30% of current doctors will quit practice or retire early). We are currently in a primary care shortage. Adding 30 million new consumers alone will overrun the system. Over worked Primary Care Providers (PCP's) will be worked even harder to meet the demand. I don't know about you, but when it comes to my health care, I want a doctor that is fresh, well rested, happy and well paid!

Since there will most likely be a public option in this reform, expect insurance companies to go out of business, as they cannot compete against the government. Public plans will most likely be based on a Medicare model which means a drastic cut in doctor and hospital income. Working 60-80 hours per week for a wage less than most factory workers, with potential malpractice liability and student loans pushing $200,000; why would anyone do this?

If doctors can opt out of the program, i.e. not accept insurance and treat patients on a strictly cash basis, many of the top physicians will probably do this. But now you have a situation in which only the "rich" can afford quality care, leaving the poor and middle class depending on the over-worked, under-paid insurance doctors for care.

So, once again, in the infinite wisdom of our federal government, trying to help the poor and uninsured, we may in fact be making the problem worse and increasing costs at the same time.

If you have any questions or comments, please leave below or send me an e-mail directly newcaredoc@aol.com

Mammograms-New Guidelines

2009-11-24T14:05:00.000-08:00

A Federal Government Health Panel recently announced new guidelines for routine mammograms for women between age 40 and 50. The panel now no longer recommends annual screening for women in this age group, as research has not shown any benefit.

This announcement has come under fire by several groups including The American Cancer Society, radiologists, breast surgeons and oncologists (all profit from cancer detection and treatment). They claim routine mammograms save lives and we are "throwing women 40-50 under the bus."

Some pundits have even linked this announcement to the health care debate, here comes the rationing of care. While I am not a supporter of any national health care system, the link is coincidental.

I applaud the panels recommendation! It took a lot of guts to come out against conventional wisdom and finally base a recommendation on actual science. I have been telling my female patients for years in this age group to skip the mammograms until menopause.

Why would I do that?

Because research over the last 5-10 years is showing not only are mammograms for this age group ineffective for detecting cancer, it actually causes cancer in this age group! The National Cancer Institute reported that in younger women, mammograms cause 75 cancers for every 15 detected. Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) has risen 328% since mammogram screening began, and 200% is directly linked to the radiation exposure of the mammogram.

A 1992 Canadian National Breast Cancer Study showed mammograms had no positive effect on mortality for women age 40-50. In fact the study suggested women in this age group were more likely to die of breast cancer when screened regularly.

A 2008 study published in the AMA's Archives of Internal Medicine showed marked increases in cancer rates since the onset of regular screening. But even more astounding is they found many of the cancers detected by mammograms spontaneously regressed!

Mammograms done on pre-menopausal women have a very high incidence of false positive tests, which leads to unnecessary treatment, and stress. There is also a very high incidence of false negative results, meaning many cancers go undetected. For every cancer detected, 4 are missed.

This is a very emotional topic, and tempers can flare when discussing this issue. You will hear of women in their 40's that had their cancer detected by mammograms and claim their life was saved. But when you look at the statistics, yes she was saved, but four other women now have cancer because of the mammogram, three others had false negative tests and 70 women were told they have cancer when they didn't.

The women who survives, should be thankful, and at the same time keep the other 77 women whose lives were adversely affected by mammograms in their prayers.

Chronic Illness Running Rampant!

2009-11-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

With the main focus in the news lately on infectious disease, H1N1, seasonal flu, pneumonia....And of course Breast Cancer all last month, (and the national health care debate) one truly serious health issue keeps getting pushed aside. Chronic Illness!

Chronic Degenerative Illness including diabetes, obesity, arthritis, fibromyalgia, Celiac, Chron's, thyroid dysfunction, lupus, RA, Alzheimers, etc...... is the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer. And virtually all of these diseases are preventable.

In the next ten years, one in three will be diagnosed with Type II Diabetes, two of three will be obese....before age 20! We are slowly killing our children.

All of these chronic illnesses have one thing in common--Inflammation.

Inflammation that can lead to advanced aging, degeneration, allergies, pain, heart disease, cancer and death.

Causes of inflammation include; acute illness, injuries, vaccines, diet and stress. The simplest way to reduce and eliminate inflammation is with diet changes. The SAD (Standard American Diet) is the biggest culprit in the rapid decline in our health. High in sugar (simple carbs), Omega 6 fats (vegetable oils), low in fiber and essential nutrients. Sugars (sucrose, fructose, HFCS) inhibit immune response, over tax insulin production and cause inflammation. The ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 oils should be 1:1 or 1:2. The SAD ratio is 1:20! This unbalanced ratio of fat types increases inflammation.

The inflammation over time degrades the digestive tract as well. This leads to leaky gut and eventually allergies and of course more inflammation. Nasty Cycle!

To reduce inflammation follow these steps:

1)Start Moving! Simple exercise on a regular basis reduces inflammation

2)cut out-ELIMINATE- sugars, grains and starches from your diet (corn is a grain)

3)eat more fish 3-4 times per week and take a quality Omega 3 supplement

4)eat more fresh vegetables (a pound per day)

5)eat 5 colors of fruits and vegetables per day (cup of blueberries per day is a great start)

6)get adjusted! Adding motion to the spinal joints reduces pain and inflammation

7)reduce stress-meditate

If you suffer from chronic illness or have family members suffering, get checked by someone familiar with Functional Medicine. Many chronic illnesses can be detected years before symptoms appear. But you have to know where to look.

Any questions, give me a call. And as always, please leave a comment.

Top Athletes Embrace Chiropractic

2009-10-20T15:19:00.001-07:00

High Level Athletes
of All Ages
Embrace Chiropractic Care

Four time Olympic silver medalist doctor Terry Schroeder has just returned from the Water Polo World Championships in Rome, Italy. Their fourth place finish was the best finish by the USA Water Polo Team ever in the World championships and they have proven that their silver medal run in Beijing was no fluke. With Dr. Schroeder as their coach and the entire team under chiropractic care they are on target for a gold medal in 2012. High level athletes in nearly every sport have chosen to make chiropractic care a part of their training and a part of their lifestyle.

Dr. Jeff Spencer was the team chiropractor for the USA Cycling Team that won 7 Tour de France victories. Dr. Greg Kempf from Cleveland, Ohio has been providing chiropractic care for the Cleveland Browns since 1999 and the Cavaliers for the past five seasons. On game day it is not uncommon for Dr. Kempf to adjust 35 of the 55 members of the team prior to the game including their highest profile players.

The trend toward chiropractic care caught on widely at the Olympics. Athletes are more and more aware of the edge others were receiving and they flock to the care so as not to lose out on any natural advantage. Today a chiropractor is in charge of the medical unit.

The trickle down to youth sports programs is very exciting as more and more high level athletes of all ages are embracing chiropractic care. Ambush Elite Youth Soccer Team, a Georgia affiliate of West Ham United of the English Premier League whose under 17 soccer team

is currently ranked 8th in the nation, receives chiropractic care before every game. At one time they were ranked second. Their coach, David Eristavi, one of the premier your soccer coaches in the country, believes that all young athletes should have chiropractic care as a part of their training.

Youth sports programs around the country are making chiropractic care available to all of their athletes. It’s not just the guys, it’s the women as well. Kerry Walsh, the two time Olympic gold medalist in volleyball, told me in a recent interview for The 100 Year Lifestyle Workout book that the balance of these three elements of the ESS, Endurance, Strength and Structure, are an important factor in her training and her success. Her workouts on the court are cardiovascular and build her endurance. Off the court she does Pilates, plyometrics, and strength-training that gives her the added punch she needs for an overhead spike. She also takes care of her structure through chiropractic care and other holistic techniques to balance her spine and keep her muscles strong and flexible. Kerri considers the structural element of her fitness routine to be an important factor that separates her from the pack.

Jerry Rice, the spokesperson for the Foundation of Chiropractic Progress Campaign, “I did a lot of things to stay in the game but regular visits to my chiropractor were among the most important.”

If you are an athlete who wants the competitive edge, or who is injured and wants to recover quickly, chiropractic care can give you the edge you are seeking.

*From Dr. Eric Plasker, D.C.*

2009-10-07T10:06:00.001-07:00

New blog post on health care freedom. Please leave a comment. http://ping.fm/SD5MJ

Slippery Slope

2009-10-07T09:29:00.000-07:00

The long arm of government intrusion in our lives, especially health care, keeps getting longer. In New York, health care workers are REQUIRED to get the flu shot or lose their jobs. They have no choice, rights stripped away! Health officials now have authority to quarantine and force vaccination in case of an outbreak. There are no specific definitions of an "outbreak."

But what really bothers me is the recent conviction of a couple in the Wausau area for reckless homicide of their 11 year old daughter. The girl had undiagnosed diabetes and the parents chose to treat her with prayer. The girl died and the parents were prosecuted for neglecting their child.

Reports state the illness is very treatable, thus the dilemma.

While I do not agree the parents made the right choice in type of treatment, but who am I to dictate what treatment these parents must choose. Or anyone else (especially the government) for that matter. It is unfortunate that the child died, but should the parents have been prosecuted?

I say no. And here is why:

The parents in this case did not ignore their child. They chose to actively treat her with prayer. The treatment failed. Had these parents gone the conventional path and treated her with medicine, and the child had a reaction and died, would they be prosecuted as well? Of course not. But why the double standard? If a medical treatment causes a death, the provider can be sued for malpractice, but no one would charge the parent with reckless behavior.

The underlying problem is medical treatment is being sanctioned as the only treatment acceptable for illness. If you don't get treated medically, and death occurs, you will be prosecuted for not using "State Approved" care. (Minnesota boy with leukemia being forced to undergo chemotherapy)

While the death of this child is tragic, the loss of personal freedom to choose the type of health care best for you is more tragic. These parents chose poorly, but not criminally. What is criminal is forced vaccination, giving mercury laced flu shots to pregnant mothers, and preventing truthful information on natural and alternative treatments to be given to the public.

A one year old recently died following a flu shot. The child had seizures after getting the 6 month vaccines, and died after getting the flu shot. Are these parents going to be convicted of reckless homicide for killing their child? They knew the child had a poor reaction to vaccines in the past, yet their child was injected again (against their wishes) and died. Since it was a medical procedure that failed, it is just a tragedy. Besides, the official report will claim it was just a coincidence anyway.

Don't give up your rights! Support freedom of choice in health care. Remember, the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S. is not cancer or heart disease, it is medicine (errors, prescription drug interactions, surgery...). Medicine kills over 250,000 people every year!

The "Real" Problem with Health Care Reform

2009-09-09T13:01:00.000-07:00

In life, there are always problems that arise. To solve these problems, there are some specific steps that must be followed. Einstein is quoted (I believe it was Einstein), "You cannot solve a problem with the same level of thinking that caused the problem." Our current "Health Care" reform endeavor is trying to solve a problem. Let's look at the problem:

Not enough access to affordable health care.

The problem statement above seems to be an accurate description of what we are trying to fix. But let's take a deeper look at the above statement. There are many false premises that need to be clarified to truly define the problem. The above statement is not true.

First of all; medical care and health care are two separate entities, they are NOT the same! The above statement is based on the presumption that health care is too expensive for people to afford with out insurance. The truth is "Medical" care is too expensive. Health care is FREE! You don't need a doctor when you are healthy. They do come in handy when you are actually sick or injured, but healthy people don't need doctors, and therefore, don't need medical care.

Second of all; The Law of Supply and Demand is being ignored. We have too many people consuming medical care. If we increased the number of healthy people, this would reduce the demand for medical services and, according to the Law of Supply and Demand, the price will go down. Lower price = affordable.

Thirdly; our health as a nation is pathetic. We rank near the bottom in all health statistics and markers. Yet we spend more than any other developed country, and consume more prescription drugs. We also eat more processed food, and exercise less. So, clearly our "medical" care is not healthy.

Much like our current medical system, the proposals on the table to "Reform Health Care" are nothing more than doing something to cover up the apparent problem (symptom),create new problems (side effects) and do nothing to address the underlying cause of the problem. We are trying to solve a problem with the same level of thinking that got us into this mess!

The best solution is most often the simplest solution. To reduce health care costs, reduce the demand by keeping people healthy.

I have outlined several steps in previous posts. Please review those for more information. Please leave a comment or question.

Why Health Care Should Cost Money, and Lots

2009-09-02T19:31:00.000-07:00

This whole "Health Care" debate has really gotten off track. As I have stated before, the current bills do absolutely nothing to improve health or reduce costs. Several proponents of the plan have an idealistic view of the problem. They expect "Free" health care courtesy of the government. From personal and professional observation, Free health care would be the worst thing to happen to this great nation.

Allow me to illustrate the folly of Free health care with at little story:

Two kids in the neighborhood want new bikes. The first kid tells his parents, "I want a new bike." and the parents give him the brand new bike. The second kid knows better than to ask his struggling parents to give him a new bike, so all summer he mows lawns and does several odd jobs. He saves his money, doesn't go to the movies with his buddies or buy candy at the store. Finally, he has enough to purchase the bike himself.

Ask yourself this question, who's bike will be in better condition in a year?

You know the answer, most grade school kids know the answer. The kid who worked hard and sacrificed will take very good care of his bike, because it has value. The first kid won't care if he leaves it outside in the rain, or bangs it up. He doesn't care because it didn't cost him anything, it has no value. If it breaks, his parents will probably get him a new one.

It is pure human nature. If something has value it is taken care of and cherished. If it has no value,it is disposable. Free health care has No Value!

I have seen this first hand in my practice. People who do not pay for their care are less healthy. There is no incentive to get healthy because someone else is going to pay for all the care they need. My patients who do not have insurance, or have very high deductibles and/or co-pays are much healthier. They value their health. They protect and maintain it like a valuable asset.

Even assets of great value, when given away for free, have no value to the recipient. Just look at free housing in inner city "Projects" or the free government housing given to the Native Americans for example. Run down and unkempt because the "owner" did not value it.

The best way to bring down health care costs is to improve the health of the nation. To do that, health has to have value. It has to be important enough to actively be taken care of. Routine tests and screenings should cost money. If you think you can't afford them, then you need to decide what is of more value. Maybe you have to cut back on other expenses, especially unhealthy ones. Smoking, alcohol, processed foods, etc... and put the money spent on unhealthy items into your health savings account to pay for better health.

Insurance was never supposed to cover routine maintenance. It is supposed to protect your assets in case of catastrophe/major illness. This is why I have always supported high deductible catastrophic insurance coupled with a health savings account. When you see where your health care dollars (and how much) are spent, you begin to live a healthier lifestyle.

Please leave a comment or question. Thanks for reading!

Health Care Plan

2009-08-11T18:40:00.000-07:00

Wow, has it really been since June? Football and soccer are now done for a while, so I have a little more time now. On to the topic at hand!

The Health Care Plan

What a nightmare! Too many pages to actually read, at least 2 different proposals (House, Senate, White House...) and not one will make any difference whatsoever in the nations "Health." Every plan or version is nothing more than changing who is paying and how much for a failing "health care" system. Let's get one thing straight, we do not have a "health care" system in this country, we have a "disease/sick" care system. Mainstream medicine does absolutely nothing for disease prevention, wellness and health promotion/education. Mainstream medicine, as a business, only profits from the sick and injured. If you are healthy, you won't see a doctor. If you are healthy you don't need prescription medication, and you don't need surgery.

This is a very expensive and ineffective way to establish a healthy population. It has been argued that the U.S. has the best "Health Care" in the world. I would argue, we have the best "Emergency Care" in the world. If you are injured, suffer a heart attack or stroke, the best place in the world would be a U.S. hospital. But if you are well and are looking for ways to stay well and improve your health, this would be the last place to be.

In a recent e-mail from Sen. Herb Kohl, he quoted the following statistics: the U.S. spends $7290 on health care per person, yet the average cost among the 30 most developed countries is only $2960. The U.S. ranks 44th in infant mortality and 30th in life expectancy. Our "Health" care system is not working!

How do we fix this?

You must understand there are very powerful economic forces driving our current system. As an old friend said to me, "If you want to find out why certain things are done, just follow the money." Medicine and the pharmaceutical industry profit from you being sick. There is a strong financial motive to keep you sick. I know, most doctors do believe they are helping people. But remember, all of their training is funded and based on pharmaceuticals. Drug company reps. are constantly bombarding doctors with drug company research on the newest wonder drug. TV ads get the general public to "Ask if Deathinapill is right for you."

To fix the Health Care Crisis, here is what I suggest:
1) Ban all pharmaceutical ads to the general public.
2) Have all pharmaceutical companies pay into a "Research Fund" and have public universities do the drug trials in a blinded manner.
3) Equal insurance coverage for all licensed health care providers, including chiropractic, homeopathy, naturopathy, acupuncture, etc..
4) Set up Health Savings Accounts for everyone.
5) Ban artificial sweeteners, additives, flavorings (MSG) from food sources
6) Improve education in grade schools and up on wellness and disease prevention.

These are the main highlights to improving our system. If you would like details on any of the above, let me know. Just remember, health care is not a right, but a responsibility. Our country cannot survive if the population is ill. In order to not only succeed, but to survive, we must change our habits and improve our health. The internet is a great start, as information that was previously hidden by the powers that be, is now available for everyone. Public demand is making manufactures change their products for the better due to this information (stevia instead of aspartame). Of course, beware of the false claims and hype. If you have questions, let me know.

Please leave a comment or question, this could be a very good topic for discussion as I have planted a few seeds with this one.

The Joys of Being a Sports Doc

2009-06-09T09:16:00.000-07:00

Been a while since my last post, but when you are a Sports Doc with a family, life gets pretty hectic. Many of my friends, when they look at my schedule, wonder how I do it. I'm not really sure, I just do it.

May was a very good busy month, Roller Derby was winding down and football was just starting. Unfortunately, these overlapped which made life very interesting. The football team I play for and serve as team doctor, Fox Valley Force www.fvforce.com kicked off the season in Kimberly on May 9. The Paper Valley Roller Girls www.papervalleyrollergirls.com had their season finale on May 9. So, off to the football field at 2:00 to start taping players, get dressed and warmed up for the game, play the first half, check on any injuries, go to the locker room, shower and change, drive cross town to the roller rink and get set up for roller derby. Catch my breath!

Stretch and adjust a few skaters, evaluate some pretty good injuries (torn PCL, torn hamstring insertion), get text from football coach on final score, adjust a few more skaters, and finally pack up for the day. The hard part now is which after party to attend? Problem solved, attend both!

May 16, repeat the above with the Force and the Fox Cityz Foxz www.foxcityzfoxz.com !

Memorial weekend came at the right time!

Roller derby is done for me until the fall, football is now half over, and soccer season has just begun. I coach a 15 year old girls soccer team-Neenah Dragons.

What make it possible to do all this? I love it! Life would be pretty boring without all the adventure.

Leave a comment or question, love to hear your thoughts.

Ankle Sprains

2009-04-29T21:48:00.000-07:00

As a sports doctor, I see many injuries. The most common is the ankle sprain.

It never fails, if I'm covering an event, such as a soccer tournament, a kid will twist an ankle and some well meaning parent with some medical training will jump right in with the "Standard" advice. Don't take off the shoe, ice right away, don't walk on it, take some ibuprofen.....

While these steps have been firmly implanted into our heads; this approach actually slows the healing process and sets up an inferior repair that will lead to repeat ankle injuries.

The old RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) treatment is good for immediate pain relief, but does nothing to enhance or speed the healing process. Let me explain...

When an ankle or other joint is sprained, the ligaments that hold the bones together get stretched or torn. This can only happen if the bones get pulled apart. When you twist an ankle, one side gets opened up and stretches/tears the ligament. It is imperative that the bones get re-aligned immediately to start the repair process.

The first thing I do is evaluate the injury and see if the ligaments are intact, then traction the joint to re-align the boney structures. This usually brings great relief to the injured athlete. This must also be done before the swelling begins.

Conventional wisdom tells us that swelling and inflammation is bad. If it is bad, why does the body do it? Swelling and inflammation is vital to the repair process. The swelling floods the damaged area and cleans out the damaged tissue. This gives a foundation for the repair. Inflammation occurs when tissues are damaged. Histamines are released from the cells. This histamine release sets in motiion the repair process, as the body begins to deliver repair materials to the area. The pain and swelling helps to protect the joint durring this phase.

Taking NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs-ibuprofen) leads to fibrosis formation. This creates an inferior and weak repair, prone to reinjury. Natural anti-inflammatory remedies include tumeric, curcummin and the enzyme bromelain are effective.

Weight bearing, as soon as possible, will strengthen the repair and speed healing. Weight stresses the repair and the body will build a stronger repair along the stress zones.

Best advice... if you suffer a sprained ankle, have a trained sports chiropractor evaluate it and treat as needed. Within a week to 10 days, most ankle sprains are healed enough to resume normal activities. Any questions or comments would be welcome.

2009-04-15T20:20:00.001-07:00

Just signed up with Ping http://ping.fm

Office Decore

2009-04-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

My office has, of course, the standard "health care office" decorations. Magazine rack and educational posters in the reception room, diplomas on the wall, etc.... But in my Patient Education Room I have some very interesting "Props".

I have Silly Putty, several bent and rusty bolts and nuts, rubber bands, a bowling ball....But my favorite Prop is an actual tire from one of my cars!

Why on God's Green Earth would a doctor have an old worn out tire in his office (not to mention the rusty bolts, but that is a subject for a future post)? Remember, this is my patient education room. Any good teacher will tell you, if you can get your "Students" to ask questions, they learn better. I don't bring up the tire subject for everyone, and it is really fun to watch people look at the tire, wonder about it, then finally get up the nerve to ask about it.

"What's with the old tire?" Well, you will notice a distinct wear pattern, this is a symptom, much like a headache or back pain. If you treat the symptom by replacing the tire only, what would happen later? Of course, the new tire will quickly wear out like the old one. That is why we must address the underlying "Alignment" problem to fix this symptom. The lightbulb really pops on about now!

Understanding that just covering up a symptom with medication, does not actually fix anything and the symptom will return until the underlying alignment problem is fixed.

Got a symptom? Get your alignment checked!

Love to hear your comments or questions, leave a note!

Great Success Story From One of My Patients

2009-04-02T17:24:00.000-07:00

I just received this from a recent new patient. Oko has come along way already, and I greatly appreciate her sharing this with you.

"I'm pain free now! I had no knowledge about chiropractic, when my co-worker recomended me Dr. Fischer. I was skeptical, and a little bit nervous, but felt really comfortable right after my first visit. My headache was terrible, I had been suffered (sic) for 2 months with pain and was desperate. I'm lucky to have Dr. Fischer as my chiropractor. He knows the best, does the best, he is the best. Now after 7 visits so far, I ask myself why I didn't come earlier instead of suffering... Anyways, thank you Dr. Fischer and your staff are great too."

Oko Janssen,
Neenah WI

Life Energy

2009-03-29T20:49:00.000-07:00

One question I routinely get when I tell a new acquaintance I am a chiropractor is, "How does 'Cracking' someones back or neck treat their disease?"

First of all, I do not use the "C" word, it is an adjustment. Then I go on to explain how spinal misalignments can affect the flow of energy through the nerves. This is where I usually get the "Deer-in-the-Headlights" look.

Most people think of chiropractors as just someone who can fix bad backs, which we are the best at by the way. However, I think of myself as more of an electrician for the body than a "Bad Back Fixer."

You see, all healing arts, except western medicine, are based on proper flow of energy through the body for optimal health. Too much or too little energy flow is the cause of disease. For example, too much energy to the stomach--you get acid reflux and ulcers. Too little and you get indigestion, constipation or diarrhea.

The Chineese call this energy Chi, in religion it is the soul, and in chiropractic it is Innate Intellegence. The only difference between life and death is the flow of energy. A dead body is physically and chemically identical to a live one! The differece is energy.

In the human body, this energy is concentrated and travels through the nerves. The brain knows all and instructs each and every cell in your body what to do and when. If the communication between the brain and the cells is interferred with, the cells do not do what they are supposed to do--disease.

Since only 10% of nerve communicate pain, most of the time these conditions occur with out any notice whatsoever.

According to Quantum Physics, we are nothing but energy packets anyway, so correcting energy flow issues will promote optimal health.

So, as the "electrician", I look for improper flow of nerve energy and remove the cause (spinal misalignment). The body can then begin to work as it is intended-health.

In essence, the chiropractic adjustment improves energy flow, thus makes you more alive. And I can't imagine any better way to spend my life, then helping others be more alive!

I would really love to answer any questions or comments on this one. Please leave a comment, even if only to say Hi!

Renewal

2009-03-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

Those of you who follow me know I was in Mexico-Riviera Maya last week for vacation. While on the beach, Robin (wife) and I, to commemorate our 25th Wedding Anniversary (May 26) renewed our vows to each other. We brought our four daughters with us to celebrate.

Needless to say, we had a fantastic time (great to get out of the snow). Robin and I reconnected last week and I have noticed a change in our attitudes and demeanors, for the better. And when home life is better, career life seems to follow along as well. This week has been phenomenal at the office! Even the staff seems more energized.

Spring really is coming, dispite the current weather conditions. And Spring is a time for renewal. The death of Winter fades, tulips come up and the grass greens. Take some time and see what you can do to renew something important in your life. A relationship with a spouse or family member, a new focus in your career or maybe even a new career. Maybe even look back at those "Resolutions" you made three months ago and renew those.

Did you set any goals? How are you doing? Now would be a great time to review and renew those goals.

Love to see your comments and questions! Please leave a comment to let me know you were here-Thanks!

2009-02-25T18:34:00.000-08:00

Great Recommendation

2009-02-20T20:33:00.000-08:00

This is from a patient of mine I haven't seen for a couple of years. When you can make a difference in someones life, it makes doing what you do so much more worthwhile. Thank you Kristin!

Kristin Wick Paolantonio wrote at 4:54am on February 18th, 2009

Why NEWCARE is the best: 4 yrs later & I still miss my chiropractic care back in Menasha, WI...Been to 5 different chiropractors and can tell you NEWCARE is the best... these are the 3 things I look for:1. He doesn't have you return for adjustments just to get your money, (he has you return as is necessary) 2. He will take the time to explain what is going on so you understand, (I've had others that come in, do the adjustment, say see you next week, and go out to the next patient). 3. He makes sure you are relaxed before he adjusts (its bad when others do the adjustment and you weren't even ready for it! no need to be scared coming to Dr. Fischer).It is obvious he cares for his patients... I still receive educational NEWCARE emails that I enjoy... if you want new care, visit NEWCARE! =0)

Old Chevys and Being a Doc

2009-02-15T17:47:00.000-08:00

Part of my Blog description is fixing old Chevy's in addition to the health care info, sports and politics. I haven't posted anything on this topic yet, but looking at the past couple of weeks, now is the time.

My second oldest daughter (age 19) has had a slight string of bad fortune when it comes to cars. She recently purchased my wifes car (an Oldsmobile) and within 2 months of owning it, she blew the head gasket. So for the next couple weeks, she shared our '95 S Blazer with my wife and while driving home from work 2 weeks ago, red-lined the motor and blew that up as well. The Olds in in my garage, waiting for an engine transplant, the Blazer is parked beside my garage and will undergo an engine rebuild this spring.

This leaves only one car for three drivers, each needing to be somewhere at the same time. But there, parked behind the garage, a large black/grey/rusty, 1984 Chevy half ton pick-up truck, no tailgate, no muffler, couple bolts holding the bed to the frame and box full of garbage to be hauled to the dump; sits in wait. This is by far the best $300 investment I have ever made!

After several attempts to get it started, I replaced the battery (took it out of the Olds) and got it to run, a little. Took it to the dump, and actually brought it back! Empty, this time. But then we couldn't get it started again. I figured a good tune up might help. So, I replaced the plugs, cap and rotor. No help, it still wouldn't start-No spark!

After sleeping on the issue, I remembered I still had several parts from my old '86 Suburban. I dug through a box and found the distributor and swapped it into the pick up. One turn of the key and it started right up. But, of course, I wasn't satisfied. I knew the carburetor was in need of a rebuild,and I had just done the Suburban's a few years before, why not swap that as well? Due to changes in computer connections between '84 and '86, the swap did not work. So, I rebuilt the carb and put it back on the pick up. Runs much better, until this week. Wouldn't start again. This time a horrific grinding noise was made when trying to start it. Good news, this wasn't an engine noise! So I pulled the starter (did I mention I had to replace the starter in my Tahoe a month ago?) and it crumbled in my hands. Luckily I had a "Lifetime" warranty, and replaced the starter. It works sooooo much better now! Drove it all day today without any problems.

For now we have two working vehicles for three drivers.

How is it that a doctor knows so much about fixing cars? Well, when I was attending Northwestern College of Chiropractic, I worked part-time at a service station and learned a lot about fixing cars and fixing people. Funny thing is, both require the same skills to be successful.

Both the mechanic and doctor must take a history of the complaint (it hurts to do this/it makes a noise when I do this), do a thorough examination, do a differential diagnosis, do the treatment and test the result. And just like your mechanic telling you to bring it back in a couple of months for routine maintenance, I, as the doctor recommend coming back in a couple of months for routine maintenance. It is always much more expensive to fix/treat a problem, then it is to prevent a problem.

Love to hear your comments, please leave one!

Athletic Performance and Chiropractic

2009-02-05T17:39:00.000-08:00

In the mid 1990's a study was done to see if chiropractic care had any affect on athletic performance. Having worked with athletes and being an athlete myself, I already knew what the study was going to show. The study had a group of athletes, male and female, and divided them into two groups. One group trained, the second group trained as well, and also received chiropractic care. A baseline of athletic performance was established and each group began their training. At the end of six weeks, the baseline tests were again performed. While each group showed improvement, the chiropractic group showed a 14.7% increase in athletic performance over training alone!

It only makes sense that the group that got regular "tune-ups" would perform better. Chiropratic adjustments improve balance, coordination, flexibility, proprioception, strength and stamina. This is why so many top athletes (professional, Olympic, and collegiate) make chiropractic care part of their training program.

From personal experience, if not for regular chiropractic adjustments, there is no way I could physically continue to play semi-pro football at age 44.

Here is a small list of notable athletes that utilize chiropractic care: Tiger Woods, Evander Holyfield, Joe Montana, Emmitt Smith, Barry Bonds, US Women's National Soccer Team,..... And the list keeps growing and growing. Last winter, I had the opportunity to attend a sports seminar with the Pro-Football Chiropractic Association. I had a wonderful time working with the team chiropractors for the Ind. Colts, Det. Lions, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens. Most of these guys are busy non-stop adjusting their players on game day. Not for injury care, that's what the training staff is for, but for enhanced performance. Joe Montana was noted for saying his vision and anticipation improved after an adjustment.

The athletic groups I work with; The Fox Valley Force www.foxvalleyforce.com The Fox Cityz Foxz www.foxcityzfoxz.com and The Paper Valley Roller Girls www.papervalleyrollergirls.com have used me for mostly injury care. But a few are starting to see the improved performance benefits of care prior to matches or practice.

It is really fun to see someone utilize their full genetic potential on the athletic field, when athletes record a personal best or perform better than expected. If I can help athletes succeed, that is one of the greatest thrills I ever get.

Please post a comment, even if it is to just let me know you stopped by, Thanks!!!

Do I Have to Come Forever?

2009-01-23T09:20:00.000-08:00

One of the misconceptions of chiropractic care, is that once you start with chiropractic, you have to keep going for the rest of your life. Of course you don't have to, and many of my patients don't. They come in when they are in pain and I don't see them again until the pain returns.

You don't have to keep coming in for chiropractic care forever.....But what if you took the same attitude to other beneficial habits most of us take for granted....

You don't have to brush your teeth every day....You don't have to change the oil in your car every 3month/3000 miles.....You don't have to exercise after you lost the weight...You don't have to get a haircut anymore.....You don't have to change the batteries in your smoke detector...

Do you see a pattern?

Can you imagine the scene in a mechanic's shop:
Mechanic: Your oil change is done, you'll need to come back in 3 months and do it again.
Car Owner: But you just changed it, and my car runs fine now. How 'bout I call you if anything goes wrong.

Do you take better care of your car than you do of your body?

Think of chiropractic care as a healthy habit, an oil change and tune-up for your body. Of course if you are injured or in pain, we can help you. But the best way to utilize chiropractic is as preventive care.

Remember the old Framm Oil Filter commercial..."You can pay me now, or you can pay me later."

It's always more expensive and time consuming to "pay me later."

Love to hear your comments. Please, just let me know you stopped by and read the post.
Thank you!

Day In The Life Of a Roller Derby Doc

2009-01-19T20:54:00.000-08:00

I am fortunate to have the privilege of working with two Women's Flat Track Roller Derby Teams. The Fox Cityz Foxz http://www.foxcityzfoxz.com/ and the Paper Valley Roller Girls http://www.papervalleyrollergirls.com/

I get to attend each teams practice once a week and provide chiropractic adjustments, injury care, training advice and get to watch these great skaters up close and personal. Most of these "ladies" practice 3 times a week on skates, as well as, some off skate workouts. They take this sport very seriously. Even the scrimmages that take place in practice can get very spirited.

But the real fun is "Bout Night!"

I definitely get one of the best seats in the house for derby matches. Right next to the team bench, track side. I will adjust some of the skaters before the match, some at half time and the rest after the match. Sometimes I have to adjust the same skater more than once. They take a real beating sometimes and I can't imagine how sore they would be without the adjustment.

The Foxz consist of 3 club teams that skate against each other. Rivalries are starting to form as bragging rights are up for grab each month. The PV Roller Girls are a traveling team, taking on talent from throughout North America. Last weekend, the PVRG hosted a team from Toronto, CN Power. this team was an all-star team from the largest derby club in North America. If you missed this bout, you missed one heck of a show as the underdog, home team came away with a 9 point victory.

I've had the opportunity to work with several sports clubs, and Roller Derby is much like Rugby as far as sportsmanship is concerned. The host team provides food and parties with the guest team that night. Everyone has a great time, sharing stories and tactics. I even adjusted about 10 of the Toronto skaters after the match. They seemed very appreciative.

Both groups are very entertaining and if you want to see some Hard Hitting derby Action, visit the web sites above and get your tickets early as both clubs usually sell out quickly.

Love to hear your comments or questions, leave a note!

Ice, Snow and Cold

2009-01-16T18:57:00.000-08:00

This has been a pretty tough winter so far, and it is just starting. In some ways this has been bad, and in other ways has been very good.

First the bad, due to the cold, many of my elderly patients have not been able to come in as regularly as they would like to. But when it gets warmer, they will definitely will be in.

For the good, with the snow and ice I have seen a lot more auto accident cases, slips on the ice and low back strains from shoveling snow. I say this good, not for selfish-profit reasons, but because the people I have seen are getting the help they need. With the chiropractic care they are getting, they are getting stronger, improving their flexibility, and boosting their immune systems.

I have seen more people in the last two weeks who had never been to a chiropractor before. And without the injuries, due to the weather, they otherwise may have never thought of seeing one. Now these people are experiencing the wonder "Life" benefits of chiropractic care. Decreased pain, increased range of motion, improved strength, and enhanced immune system function.

While I am truly sorry that these people had to suffer an injury to begin the path of better health, I feel more sorry for those who are injured and have not decided to try chiropractic.

If you know of someone who has fallen, hurt themselves shoveling, sledding, skiing or been in an auto or snowmobile accident; have them give me or their local chiropractor a call. For information please visit our web site at http://www.newcaredoc.com

I encourage your comments. Be sure to let me know what you want to read or share your stories.

Titanic

2009-01-07T22:58:00.000-08:00

In my treatment rooms, I have a white board that has little sayings or phrases designed to stimulate conversation. This week, "Titanic" is the word on the board. What does the Titanic have to do with health care?

The question is, What sank the Titanic? Most normal people answer correctly with it hit an iceberg. But I have received some unusual responses this week, including a "Big Hole in the boat" and my favorite from an engineer, "It failed to weigh less than the water it displaced." While those answers are technically correct, the iceberg response is what I am looking for.

As far as the iceberg is concerned, which part sank the Titanic; the part you could see, or the part under water you couldn't see? Of course the answer is the hidden part under the water. Which like most health conditions, it is the part you don't see (no symptom) that sinks you.

Diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and others, do not have obviious symptoms, but can be very deadly. So be sure to get regular check-ups and do everything you can to stay healthy. Regular chiropractic adjustments, getting plenty of rest, exercise and good nutrition are vital to good health.

Enjoy the new year and have a healthy 2009.

The Wrestling Injury That Changed My Life

2009-01-01T12:51:00.001-08:00

I was quite an active athlete in high school (still am), ten letters in three sports. One of the sports I participated in was wrestling. My high school had a very strong wrestling program and benefited from great alumni support. Former wrestlers would actually come to our practices and work out with the current team. Being a heavyweight, I got to practice against all these alumni. Some included former state champions, Pan-Am Games medalist and other great wrestlers. These guys would "tag-team" me every practice. Getting your butt kicked every day really made a difference at match time.

My Junior year, we had a lot of alumi come to practices. During one of our take-down drills, I landed on the left side of my neck and shoulder. I felt an immediate "electric" shock go from my neck all the way down to my left hand and thumb. I had no strength and could not move or feel my arm. The feeling that did come back was an intense burning sensation. My coach suggested I see a chiropractor for this. I had never been to one before, but I remember my younger brother had seen the "Firecracker" for a neck injury from pulling off a ski mask.

The injury happend on a Tuesday, and I was able to see the chiropractor on Wednesday. I received an examination, x-rays were taken, and the doctor rubbed some "smelly" ointment on my neck, shoulder and upper back. He adjusted my neck, back, hand, elbow and shoulder. I felt immediate relief. I could move my arm, the numbness and tingling was almost gone. The only thing that remained was the tingling in the tip of my left thumb. I saw him again on Friday and the thumb tingling was gone.

Now that weekend, we were to wrestle in the Valley City Tournament. I had a slow start to the year, barely over .500 and was not expected to do very well in this tournament. Going in unseeded, I pinned my first opponent (first seed) and my second opponent to move to the finals. After leading 6-2 in the finals, I made a mistake and got turned and was pinned. My coach, team and I were surprised and excited at the turn around I had.

It was at this point, knowing I wanted to get into a health care field, that I decided to become a doctor of chiropractic. It had helped me and now I get the chance to help a lot of other people.

Healt Care Costs

2008-12-28T17:02:00.000-08:00

This is an article I wrote for the Appleton Post-Crescent a couple years ago. Not much has changed yet. Enjoy and please feel free to post a comment.

Rising Health Care Costs-
Real Solutions to the Problem

Rising health care costs is a complex issue that has brought several “Band-Aid” approaches to fix. The primary focus has been the high number of un-insured and programs to provide health insurance to these approximately 40 million un-insured. A national health care plan, association health plans and managed care have been tossed around for several years. None of these programs offer any solution to our health care “crisis.”

To truly understand the health care problem, we must analyze and evaluate our current system much the same way we evaluate any other product or service. Is the current service meeting the needs of the people, and is it cost effective? Upon review, our current health care system is a dismal failure!

Every year more than $6000 is spent on health care for every man, woman and child in America. More than twice as much as any other developed country in the world spends. But what are we getting for this hefty price? The United States ranks 22nd out of 23 industrialized nations (just ahead of the Czech Republic). According the World Health Organization, we rank 37th in health performance and 72nd in efficiency. In the words of Julian Whitaker, M.D., “We are paying the most to be the worst.”

Why is our system so expensive, yet poor in keeping people healthy? There are four main culprits for this situation. And unless all four of these are changed, our health care costs will continue to rise and we will become a sicker nation.

1) Multi-national Pharmaceutical Companies. These corporate giants are the number one cause of poor health and high costs. In his book, Overdosed America, John Abramson, M.D. points out the primary mission of the drug corporations is to make money on the latest drugs. These newly patented “wonder drugs” are pitched to doctors and the public as remarkable advancements. Every third commercial on TV is for a drug! The reality is, older, less expensive drugs are usually just as good. In fact, from 1995 to 2000, only 13 percent of the new wonder drugs contained new ingredients or were significantly better than the older drugs.

This explains the high cost, but even more disturbing is the adverse effect on health these new wonder drugs have. Side effects of these new drugs are fueling the need for even more expensive medications. For every one dollar spent on prescription drugs, we spend $1.30 taking care of the side effects. Some even believe drug companies develop drugs to cause problems that are treated with other drugs they manufacture. For example, the maker of Prozac is also the largest producer of diabetes drugs. Is it really just a coincidence that one of the main side effects of Prozac is pancreas damage (the pancreas produces insulin)? Or the fact most pain relievers for arthritis cause destruction of the cartilage between joint, making the arthritis worse.

What a great scam! These companies provide the “research,” advertise to the public, “You need to ask your doctor about…” and get respected doctors to prescribe their products; no questions asked! We, the gullible public, blindly follow this advice. After all, the TV ad said I needed this.

2) Multi-National Food Companies. We spend 90 percent of our food dollars on processed foods. Processed foods are devoid of nutritional value and deteriorate our health. For years, there has been a push to raise the RDA’s of vitamins and minerals to a more realistic amount. The current RDA’s are woefully inadequate for optimal health, but the food industry has blocked every attempt to raise the RDA’s. Of course if the RDA’s were to be raised, they couldn’t advertise their cereal as having 100 percent of the vitamins and minerals you need.

3) Government Agencies. The FDA and CDC are corrupt. Both agencies policy and decision makers have financial and/or employment ties to pharmaceutical companies. Is it any wonder, dangerous drugs are allowed on the market when evidence shows them to be very dangerous (Phen-Fen, Vioxx, HRT, Prozac….)? Who is looking out for you!

4) Lack of Personal Responsibility. If you eat processed food, don’t get enough sleep and exercise and blindly follow the advice of doctors, you are a problem in the rising cost of health care. If you live your life under the assumption you can abuse and destroy your body, and the white coated gods will give you a magic pill or miraculous surgery to restore your life, you are part of the problem! If you are not willing to make the effort to improve your health, you have absolutely no right to complain about rising health care costs.

In my 16 years of clinical practice, I have observed people without health insurance versus those with “good” insurance. I have found the un-insured were usually healthier. They knew they could not afford to get sick, so they did everything they could to improve their health. They ate more fresh, whole foods, exercised regularly, and followed my recommendations closer. With “good” insurance, there was no incentive to be healthy. Someone else will pay for my illness.

To fix the rising health care cost problem will not be easy and will not happen overnight. Major changes in policy and personal attitude will need to be implemented. A ban on direct marketing to consumers by drug companies is a must. A complete overhaul of the FDA and CDC is in order. No ties to drug companies can be allowed. Period! All research on drugs must be done in the public sector. Currently, in drug company research, poor results are not published, thus every study appears to show the drug is safe.

And finally, greater personal responsibility for our own health is imperative. Become involved in your health care. Don’t blindly follow the advice of your doctor. Doctors are human and make mistakes. Ask questions, are other, less expensive drugs an option. What about nutritional or other alternative therapies. Understand that you have a direct control of health care costs. Learn from the un-insured, if you can’t afford to get sick, you better do everything you can to get healthy.

######

Ronald Fischer, D.C., C.C.S.P., C.S.C.S. is the president and clinic director of NEWCARE Integrated Health Services, S.C. in Menasha. Dr. Fischer can be reached for comment via e-mail newcaredoc@aol.com

Let it snow, let it snow

2008-12-22T22:09:00.000-08:00

I like snow, but this is getting rediculous. Eight inches here, ten inches there and it is only December. I can't wait until the snowy season of February and March roll in.
Imagine that, we elect Barack Obama, and Global Warming has been solved!
Which brings me to the real topic of today's blog entry...The Global Warming Myth!
You read that right, Global Warming (GW) is one of the biggest hoaxes ever portrayed. The so-called Theory is at best, nothing more than someones guess. We have no way of knowing what the average temperature was 200 years ago, 500 years ago, 1000 years ago.... We do know that the earth did warm over the last 100 million years, otherwise we would still be under a 2 mile high sheet of ice. The earth warms and cools in natural cycles. There is no way human activity can have an effect on global temperatures.

I read a neat story this last summer ( I can't recall where I read it from) about a village in the Swiss mountains. They were concerned that GW was causing a glacier on one of the mountains to melt. When the glacier melted back, the villagers found a cave in the mountain. In the cave they found tools (picks, shovels,hammers...). It was a working silver mine dating back to the mid 1400's. Apparently, every spring the glacier would melt, opening up the cave and the villagers would mine all summer. Winter would come and close the cave with snow. One cold spring, and the glacier did not melt, until this year. Are we in the midst of a 600 year cycle?
While I do believe in conserving energy, recycling and reducing emissions; we must do them because it is the right thing to do. Not because if we don't the ice caps will melt and flood the earth. I've heard this story since the early 1970's. In grade school, I recall a text book with an artist rendering of New Yok by the year 2000. It depicted the Statue of Libery under water, with just the crown and torch above water. It's 2009 and Lady Liberty is high and dry.

Girls Soccer

2008-12-17T22:45:00.000-08:00

I just started a new project, I am writing an E-Book on coaching girls soccer. I have had the privilege of coaching my daughters for the last 11 years, and have learned a lot about the special needs one has to have to coach girls. I will be writing several chapters on physical training, dealing with emotional issues, playing time, special items to have handy in the coaches bag and other topics. I also plan to enlist the help of several local top women's coaches I have also had the privilege to work with, in guest writting a few chapters. I have given myself a May 1 deadline. I'll keep you posted on the progress.

Burning pain in the neck and shoulder

2008-12-14T22:13:00.000-08:00

Do you suffer from "Mouse Shoulder?"
We have all heard of Tennis Elbow, Jumpers Knee, etc..., but Mouse Shoulder?
This is a term I coined after noticing a very common trend of neck, shoulder and upper back pain (usually a burning pain) from people who use computers a lot at work and home. While using a keyboard can lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, I have found that using the mouse can lead to the above symptoms. Most cases involve female patients, but I do see some male patients with similar complaints. Mouse Shoulder usually develops when computer users have the mouse out in front too far, the right arm has to reach forward to use the mouse. This motion causes the shoulder to move forward in the socket and rotate inward. The pectoralis (large chest muscle that brings the arm across the body) is very powerful and will shorten with repetitive reaching forward. As the pectoralis shortens and the shouder moves forward, the muscles along the scapula (shoulder blade) become stressed, as do the muscles from the shoulder blade to the neck become stressed. Over time, these stressed muscled develop scar tissue adhesions (think gristle), which further stress these muscles and lead to the burning pain. Left uncorrected, this will lead to rotator cuff damage, arm weakness, numbness and arthritic changes.

What to do; first give me or your local chiropractor a call for an evaluation. Secondly, make sure your elbow stays next to your side while using your mouse, don't reach forward. Thirdly, take a break every 30-45 minutes and do some shoulder blade squeezing exercises (put hands behind head and pull elbows back while squeezing shoulder blades together). Ice at the end of the day and heating it up in the morning should help.

I am seeing more and more of this condition, so spread the word and keep your fellow co-workers healthy and happy.

Future Plans

2008-12-10T21:41:00.000-08:00

I've been neglecting this blog for too long now, and I will be taking time to post much more frequently. I plan on doing a case review of any special patients (names will be withheld as per HIPAA rules) and their outcomes. One of the greatest aspects of my profession is seeing a wide variety of health complaints. Some of my patients have seen multiple doctors/therapists/healers with no results, and come to see me as a last resort. I love these challenging cases. To see someone who has been in pain for years, get their life back after a few adjustments is the greatest reward any doctor/healer could ever ask for. I want to share some of the "Miracles" I have seen in my nearly 20 years of practice.

Stay tuned! I'll be posting 1-2 per week along with other thoughts and comments on events in my life.

Flu Shots

2008-11-20T20:03:00.000-08:00

Once again, as the weather starts to get a little colder, we are told by "authorities" we must dutifully get in line for our flu shot. Why?????

The flu shot has never been proven either effective, nor safe. Vaccine rates have gone from 15% to over 65% in the elderly population (the group supposedly that needs it the most) yet the death rate of flu has not changed. And speaking of the death rate of the flu, the CDC promotes numbers in the tens of thousands dieing of the flu. But when one digs a little deeper, those deaths also include pneumonia deaths. The flu alone kills fewer than 1000 every year. So if someone tells you, you need the shot or you could die from the flu, is either ignorant or flat out lying to you.

Why doesn't the shot work? It takes 6-9 months to develop a vaccine for any virus. By the time the current virus is identified, the flu season would be over before a vaccine could be made. So, vaccine manufacturers take last year's virus, mutate it in the lab into what they think this year's virus will be and make the vaccine. they haven't gotten it right yet! They have come close, and in those years when they thought they had it right, the best the flu shot could do was 40% effective. Health care workers know this, as less than 40% get the shot.

Plus you don't get the flu from a puncture wound. Injecting multiple viruses into the body causes your immune system to recognize the multiple viruses in puncture wounds. You get the flu through the mucous membranes. So if you do come in contact with the flu, by the time your body recognizes the virus, it has already begun to make you sick. This is why authorities say if you catch the flu it will be milder. And yes most people do get sick after receiving the shot. While it is true they didn't get the flu from the shot, while your body is busy developing a response to up to 3 different viruses, it does not have enough energy or resources to deal with a naturally occuring infection.

Flu shots are harmless, right? Not quite. Side effects are numerous and include a severe paralytic disorder called Guillian-Barre Syndrome. The flu shot contains aluminum, mercury, ethylene glycol (anti-freeze), anti-biotics and formaldehyde. Research has shown receiving 5 consective flu shots increases your risk of Alzheimers. The amount of mercury in a flu shot exceeds the EPA safe level for a 550 pound man. Because of this, giving a flu shot to a pregnant woman is not only insane, but should be considered a criminal act!

Instead of relying on an external substance to keep you healthy, understand that your immune system is more than capable of fighting off any disease that comes around. To keep your immune system healthy, eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, get some exercise, get plenty of rest, get 20 minutes of sunshine daily (or supplement with 2-5000 IU Vit D daily), avoid people who are sick, and of course wash your hands frequently.

The best treatment for the flu is prevention. But if you do come down with the flu, here is what to do: Rest!!!, get plenty of fluids, increase Vit D to 10-20,000 IU per day for 3-4 days, and get adjusted as soon as you can.

Feel free to post questions. Have a healthy "Flu" season.

Champions Again

2008-11-16T22:27:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday marked an end of an era, as the Fox Valley Force ( www.foxvalleyforce.com ) repeated as champions of the Wisconsin State Football League. The Force knocked off tthe Menomonie & Marinette Timber Jacks 38-9 to cap a 12-0 season. This is the first time in league history a team finised undefeated and won the championship.
It was a great night for football, cold with occasional snow flurries. I started the game and played the first half and the first series of the second half. By then we were up 18-3 and the back-ups started to fill in. Unlike last year, I walked away from this game with no injuries, in fact the knee felt the best it had all season.
It is an end of an era, as the Force will move to the Northern Elite Football League (NEFL) with games beginning in May 2009. I'm going to miss alot of the guys I've battled with over the last 3 years in the WSFL.

Force Win!!!!

2008-11-02T20:03:00.000-08:00

Saturday night was a great night for football, and the fans were treated to good one. In WSFL Semi-final Play-Off action, the Fox Valley Force hosted the West Bend Junk Yard Dogs. The Force scored on their first possession to take a 7-0 lead. But the dogs came back in the second quarter with 2 quick TD's of their own. They missed both point after attempts to take a 12-7 lead. With time winding down the Force drove deep into Dog territory and hit a field goal to get within 2. The Dark Side held the dogs to 3 and out with less than a minute left in the half. A long pass found its way into the end zone with :14 left on the clock to give the Force a 17-12 half time lead. The Force added one more TD following an interception deep in Dog territory to put the game out of reach and the final score 24-12.

The Force will attempt to defend their 2007 WSFL Title against the Marinette-Menomonie Timber Jacks this coming Saturday. (time and location to be determined) For more info visit www.foxvalleyforce.com

Why I'm Voting For ....

2008-11-02T19:37:00.000-08:00

When I talk to people about the coming election and get around to asking who they support, and why; I get some very interesting answers. Those that plan to vote for Obama for the most part are doing so because he will take us in a different direction than Bush. They can't tell me what direction that is. So, in other words, voting for Obama is not for Obama, but against anything related to the current administration.

When I talk to McCain supporters, they too are voting against the most liberal (Marxist) candiate in history. But they are also voting for something as well. National security, lower taxes, reducing government spending, etc... While many McCain supporters, myself included, are not particularily thrilled with McCain, he does offer a positive difference from Obama.

I will be casting my balot for McCain because I agree with his stance on taxes, spending, national security, judicial appointments and the fact he is a true leader that is capable of making the tough decision. There are issues I disagree with him on, including his health care/insurance plan. But I can live with those.

When I look at presidential candidates, one thing I look at is who is worthy to be included with the great ones. Who could you see carved on Mt. Rushmore or on a coin or bill, who has the integrity, morals and character to be mentioned in the same breath as Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Kennedy or Reagan? Would any of these great men have tolerated listening to Rev. Wright? Been a freind of Bill Ayers? Tony Rezko? or be endorsed by foreign terroist nations and groups (Hammas, Hugo Chavez, Iran...). While I belive the currency of the U.S. is not in jeopardy of being changed based on this election, between these two, I would prefer McCain over Obama on the $2.00 bill

History Repeats Itself

2008-10-27T21:49:00.000-07:00

You know there is an old saying, "Those who fail to learn from history are destined to repeat it." I don't recall who said this, but it is so true.

The following quote is a great example of what is needed in light of the current political and economic situations:

"SOME FERTILE FIELDS IN WHICH
"NEW LEADERSHIP" WILL BE REQUIRED
Before leaving this chapter, your attention is called to a few of the fertile fields in which there has been a
decline of leadership, and in which the new type of leader may find an abundance of OPPORTUNITY.

First. In the field of politics there is a most insistent demand for new leaders; a demand which indicates
nothing less than an emergency. The majority of politicians have, seemingly, become high-grade, legalized
racketeers. They have increased taxes and debauched the machinery of industry and business until the people
can no longer stand the burden.

Second. The banking business is undergoing a reform. The leaders in this field have almost entirely lost the
confidence of the public. Already the bankers have sensed the need of reform, and they have begun it.

Third. Industry calls for new leaders. The old type of leaders thought and moved in terms of dividends instead
of thinking and moving in terms of human equations! The future leader in industry, to endure, must regard
himself as a quasi-public official whose duty it is to manage his trust in such a way that it will work hardship
on no individual, or group of individuals. Exploitation of working men is a thing of the past. Let the man who
aspires to leadership in the field of business, industry, and labor remember this.

Fourth. The religious leader of the future will be forced to give more attention to the temporal needs of his
followers, in the solution of their economic and personal problems of the present, and less attention to the dead
past, and the yet unborn future.

Fifth. In the professions of law, medicine, and education, a new brand of leadership, and to some extent, new
leaders will become a necessity. This is especially true in the field of education. The leader in that field must,
in the future, find ways and means of teaching people HOW TO APPLY the knowledge they receive in school.
He must deal more with PRACTICE and less with THEORY.

Sixth. New leaders will be required in the field of Journalism. Newspapers of the future, to be conducted
successfully, must be divorced from "special privilege" and relieved from the subsidy of advertising. They
must cease to be organs of propaganda for the interests which patronize their advertising columns. The type of
newspaper which publishes scandal and lewd pictures will eventually go the way of all forces which debauch
the human mind."

Sounds like a great recipe for solving our current "Crisis." Yet this is a quote from Napolean Hill's book "Think and Grow Rich" published in 1938, writtend at the end of the Great Depression. The same evils that plagued society in the late 20's seems to be the same as today.

We had better learn from history, or we will repeat it!

Appleton Noon Optimists

2008-10-16T22:16:00.000-07:00

I want to send a special Thank You to the Appleton Noon Optimists for allowing me to give a brief talk on health and chiropractic. The lunch was very good (hope I didn't ruin it with the talk) and the audience reception was fantastic.

If you have a group/organization that is looking for a guest speaker, just let me know. I really enjoy doing small group presentations on various topics including: Golf, Sports Injuries/Training, Soccer, Football, Chiropractic, Health, Health Care Issues, Prescription Medication, Nutrition, Dealing With Chronic Pain and many other topics.

Busy Week

2008-10-16T21:58:00.000-07:00

What a busy week this has been for me. Plus I had some internet issues that kept me off-line for almost a week

Football- the Fox Valley Force continue to roll with another big win. Fourth straight game scoreing 40+ points to go 8-0 on the season. We had 2 guards missing, so our other center had to play guard, leaving me to start and play 80% of the offensive snaps for the first time this year. Needless to say, the knee has been more stiff and swollen this week, but should be ready for this weekends game at the West Bend Junk Yard Dogs. It was the last time I played against them when I hurt my knee in the championship game. So I am looking forward to playing this Sunday.

The Lab Rat Brew Team has been very busy this fall, we have brewed an Irish Stout, English Nut Brown Ale, and will be firing up the brew kettle on Friday for our Pumpkin Brown Ale-just in time for Thanksgiving.

I am now the team doctor for both Women's Flat Track Roller Derby Clubs in the Fox Valley-Paper Valley Roller Girls and the Fox Cityz Foxz have allowed me to sponsor and provide care t0 the teams.

This week was pretty hectic, but that is the way I like it, and next week looks even busier. Love to hear your comments, and feel free to ask questions!

Cancer Charities

2008-09-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

Part 2

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We will be inundated with Cancer Charities raising money to "Find a Cure."

While the cause is noble, the method is severely flawed. Some critics have said these charities do not want to find a cure. If a cure was found, they would be out of a very lucrative job. Less than half the money raised actually goes to research, the rest goes to "Administrative" costs (CEO salary).

I tend to agree with them on this. But what really keeps me from supporting these charities is their lack of funding for any treatment that is not "medical." Some have claimed that these charities are nothing more than a front for major pharmaceutical companies. And when you look at where all the funding goes, it is tough to argue. Every new breakthrough treatment is a DRUG! And every time a new drug is brought out, within 2-3 years it is shown to be ineffective and in some cases more dangerous than the disease it was meant to "Cure." "We cured the cancer, but the patient died."

Along with no money given to alternative health care research, the FDA and other government agencies routinely persecute (yes persecute) alternative treatment providers and clinics. It is seems to be illegal to treat cancer without chemotherapy and radiation. Yet in Europe, Asia, Canada, Mexico and Australia, cancer patients are being cured with non-drug, non-radiation, non-chemo treatments.

Just follow the money. If people in the U.S. were cured of cancer without drugs, radiation, or chemo, who would lose out? Who would be opposed to safe, inexpensive, effective treatments for cancer? Yet we continue to blindly follow the radiation and chemo death march for cancer treatment. Chemo kills more patients than the cancer does.

I will not support these charities until they begin to fund alternative treatment options.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2008-09-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We will be overwhelmed by "Pink" for the next 31 days. Cancer charities will be in full fund raising mode (more on these in Part 2) and women will be "educated" on cancer prevention, detection and treatment.

The big push will be for Mammograms. Conventional wisdom tells us that mammograms catch cancer early, thus save lives. Early detection = Early Treatment = Higher Rate of Survival. While this is good in theory, when actual scientific facts are looked at; Mammograms do not save lives. In fact routine mammograms can cause cancer!

Mammograms are an x-ray of the breast. X-rays are a significant source of damaging radiation exposure. Pre-menopausal breast tissue is very sensitive to radiation exposure. Do you see where I am going with this?

Mammograms have a high incidence of False Positive results. As many as 70% of positive (for tumor) mammograms, upon biopsy, show no presence of cancer. Mammograms also have a high incidence of False Negative results. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), mammograms miss 40% of malignant tumors in women age 40-49 and 10 % over age 50.

Pre-menopausal breast tissue is more dense (along with being more sensitive to radiation) so it is much more difficult to see a tumor. Based on the research, many doctors are opposed to routine (annual) mammograms for women under 50. According to the NCI, "among women under 35, mammography could cause 75 cases of breast cancer for every 15 it identifies."

Since rotine screening with mammograms was introduced, the incidence of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) has increased by 328%. Two hundred percent of this increase is due to mammogram radiation,

Mammograms can also spread cancer. By compressing the breasts, tumors and blood vessels can burst, releasing cancer cells throughout the rest of the body.

I professionally do not recommend mammograms as a screening tool, especially for any woman under age 50. Unless a tumor is suspected. An alternative to mammography is Thermography. Thermography uses no radiation, does not compress the breasts and has a higher specificity than mammograms.

The best way to treat cancer is prevention. Diet, exercise and nutrition play an important role. Vitamin D has been shown in research to prevent 77% of all cancers including breast cancer. Avoid smoking, refined sugars and grains, chemical exposure (cosmetics, perfumes, dyes, etc...) eat fresh fruits and vegetables, green tea, lycopene (tomatoes) and other anti-oxidant rich foods.

I encourange your questions and comments.

One Less!!!

2008-09-24T22:10:00.000-07:00

I just saw another one of those dopey Gardasil ads...One less yada yada. Here we have yet another experimental vaccine thrust upon us and the ads designed to make you feel guilty for not injecting your daughters with this poison. "They'll get cancer if they don't get this vaccine..."

Let's look at the facts: The safety study will not be complete until June 2009!!!! They don't know if this vaccine is safe, causes cancer or other long term illness. This is insane. Since the vaccine's introduction, 8864 adverse events have been filed with VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) including 38 cases of Guillian-Barre Syndrome and 18 deaths (11 within one week of vaccination). And, according to a report of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, Gardasil has a -44.6% effacacy rate (negative). This means you are 44.6% more likely to get the disease if you are vaccinated.

To Merck: let's make Gardasil "One Less" dangerous vaccine thrust upon us!

Busy Weekend

2008-09-22T21:27:00.000-07:00

The last weekend of the summer was sure a busy one for me. Friday night, the Lab Rat Brew Team fired up the ole brew pot for a batch of "Howling Bastard Pumpkin Ale." If first tastes of the wort is any indication, this will be a very good batch.

On to Saturday. The Force had a bye this week, so no football. Did some garage cleaning then went to Waverly Beach for Mixed Martial Arts fight. One of the main bouts was Bryan "House" Schultz (6' 11" 467lb) in his first fight, taking on another very large (6'10" 420lb) fighter coming in at 8-1. Guys this size don't do too many spinning kicks (at least not above the ankle). After a few punches, House got his opponent in a head lock and brought him to the ground and finished the fight in the first round.

Sunday morning brought the annual Fox Cities Marathon. I have been the Chiropractic Coordinator for the last 15 years. Treating the runners at the finish area with massage, stretching and adjustments. My fingers are still green from all the Bio-freeze I used. From the marathon to Dragon Soccer practice (U15 girls) to finish off the weekend.

Monday-football, Tuesday-bowling.....

Lipstick on a pig?

2008-09-10T21:37:00.000-07:00

Wow, has this topic got people talking. My take....While I'm no fan of Barry Obama, I do not believe he purposely intended the remark to be directed towards Gov. Palin. I do believe he made a terrible error in judgement. The reaction by the audience he was speaking to was a loud cheer at the "Lipstick" comment. This crowd believed he was talking about Gov. Palin. Sen. Obama should have known the crowd would believe as such. And if he didn't, he is out of touch with his own supporters.

Even though Sen. Obama may not have directed his comment towards Gov. Palin, he should not have said them in the first place. Once again, his own actions prove he is incapable of making a proper decision and shows poor judgement.

Health Care Is NOT a Right!

2008-08-28T22:29:00.000-07:00

In this political season, "Affordable Health Care For All" is a popular slogan. It sounds well and good, but should we ever get to the point where everyone is guaranteed insurance coverage at little to no cost, the already deteriorating health of this nation will turn for the worse.

The problem with universal coverage is, there is absolutely no incentive to stay healthy. "It won't cost me nothing to have that triple by-pass, so I don't have to eat right or exercise..." Health care should cost money, and a lot of money. Your health is the most valuable asset you have. To maintain any valuable asset, you have to spend considerable time, effort and money to keep it. There is an old saying, "If you can't afford to be sick, you better do all you can to stay healthy."

Health care costs in this country are so high because no one wants to take the responsibility to prevent illness. Our emergency medical system is so good, and advanced, we can bring you back from the dead. It's too hard to eat right, get plenty of rest, and exercise (whine).

I do not like either candidates position on health care. Both are wrong! The best solution is affordable, high deductible catastrophic insurance combined with a Health Savings Account (HSA). When people have to start paying out of pocket for their health care, they will be more careful on how it is spent and will look for ways to save.

Health care (insurance) is not a right anymore than food, water, shelter, etc.. are rights. These are your responsibilities. You are responsible for feeding, clothing, sheltering your family. You are also responsible for keeping yourself and your family healthy. Almost every disease and illness is preventable. If you choose to not actively prevent illness, don't expect the rest of us to pay for you irresponsibility.

I would love to hear your comments on this post.

Chemical Treatments for Physical Problems

2008-08-26T21:44:00.000-07:00

With the topic of the high cost of health care, we need to look at what is driving the rising costs. Some blame doctors and hospitals, others blame illegal aliens, or mandated insurance coverage, etc... The biggest expense in our health care system is prescription drugs. Not only do these drugs have a high cost, their side effects add to the cost. Reports have shown, for every dollar spent on prescription drugs, we spend $1.31 for treating the side effects. Proponents of prescrition drugs claim these are life saving medicines and thus justify the cost. Viagra is life saving? The fact is, no drug has ever cured anybody of anything. Antibiotics come close, but even they only knock bacteria down enough for the body to take over. Most meds only prolong illness or shift symptoms. How long do you need to take blood pressure meds?, Insulin? or any other medication? Meds don't cure you! If they did, you could stop taking them at some point.

The worst thing is, many health problems are "Physical" in nature. Aches, pains, chronic injuries, arthritis, and of course, spinal mis-alignments that affect the controlling nerves to various organs. Taking a pill cannot have any curative effect on a physical ailment. It would be like giving your car a tune up to correct a dented fender!

To bring down the high cost of health care, physical medicine must become a larger part of the treatment options, and perhaps the primary form of care. If a patient responds to physical treatments, there is no need for expensive, ineffective medication. However, if physical treatments fail, medication is still available to those who may actually benefit from chemical treatments. Unfortunately, pharmaceutical companies are much too powerful and have too much influence to allow this to happen. But if there is enough public demand for physical medicine, the demand cannot be ignored.

Many studies have shown, those patients that receive physical treatments (chiropractic care) take fewer medications and have higher health indexes.

So, before you seek chemical treatments for your ailment, seek physcial alternatives. Give your chiropractor, osteopath, accupuncturist or naturopath a call for evaluation. These doctors are highly trained professionals, and if they cannot help you, will know who may be able to help you.

Amber Ale now in the bottle

2008-08-26T21:41:00.000-07:00

Another fine home brew from the Lab Rat Brew Team has just been bottled. Our "Flat Tire Amber" came out fantastic and should be very drinkable in about 2-3 weeks. The Lab Rats have been brewing for 3 years now and we are getting pretty good at it. If you ask nicely, I may be able to share one with you.

Football-off injured reserve

2008-08-24T22:05:00.000-07:00

My knee injury has come a long way since ACL reconstruction in December. Now I am ready to return to the grid iron and help the Fox Valley Force defend their WSFL title. Our next game is Sept. 6 vs. the always tough Oostburg Rebels. I hope to play at least 50% of the snaps.

63 Impala

2008-08-24T21:49:00.000-07:00

I bought this car in 1980 as a Junior in high school for $250. Spent the next summer scrounging the local junk yard for parts, cleaning and fixing as much as I could. Had it painted just before senior pictures. That's me and my future wife in the picture. Being a North Dakota car, it was rust free (too cold to use salt on the roads). So, when I moved to Minneapolis to attend chiropractic college, I put her (the car, not my wife) into storage for teh next 5 years. Of couse not driving it for 5 years, seals dried up, mice ate up the interior, and it was time for a complete restoration.

Moving the car to Wisconsin went well, and the dismantling process began. Then came children 2,3, and 4, starting a business and life in general. this put the Impala project on hold. I did have time to customize an '86 Suburan (lowered suspension, engine, tranny, exhaust upgrades, shaved trim, mag wheels, phantom grille, roll pan with relocated tail lights, killer stereo, etc...). I could take cloverleafs posted at 35 doing 60 without a problem, and if I hit the accerator just right, I could chirp the tires when it shifted into 2nd gear. Put over 100,000 miles on it after I fixed it up with many family vacations. Due to rust and gas prices (12mpg, 40 gal tank), I had to junk it.

Now as the kids are getting older, the Impala will begin its restoration very soon. I'd love to take it back to a high school class reunion.

Measles Outbreak

2008-08-24T21:16:00.001-07:00

Recent news reports show an increase in the incidence of measles. the prevailing theme is to blame parents for not vaccinating their chidren due to an "unfounded" fear of autism. The interesting thing about these reports is they state, "nearly half of those infected were not vaccinated." Pretty scarry huh? But read that quote again...If nearly (less than) half were not vaccinated, then most (more than half) were fully vaccinated!

How is this possible? If the vaccine actually worked, then wouldn't the vast majority of measles cases occur in the un-vaccinated? The vaccine is supposed to keep you from getting measles isn't it? Yet most cases occured in the full vaccinated. Doctors try to blame the unvaccinated for bringing the disease from foreign countries and infecting the population here. Change the subject when you don't have an answer can be an effective technique.

As far as the unfounded fears of an autism link to the measles vaccine, there is no scientific proof linking the vaccine to autism, and there is also no scientific study that proves no link either. We do not have a definitive answer on this subject. However, the vast number of healthy, normal developing babies changing and showing signs and symptoms of autism shortly after receiving a dose of MMR cannot be ignored. The major problem with most vaccine studies, is the lack of a control group to compare reactiions to. A retrospective study comparing a vaccinated population to an unvaccinated population in similar environments for autism and other auto-immune disorder rates would be very simple to do. the big question is, why has this not been done.

I am not against vaccination, but I do oppose forced and mandatory vaccination. Forcing parents with scare tactics to inject a chemical soup that has no long term safety or efficacy studies done is just plain wrong! We must have the freedom to choose. The government must not have the right to force any medical procedure on any person.