Is This New Sugar Substitute Really "Natural?"

One of my ongoing goals is to educate my patients to question topics regarding their own health and the choices they make.  Here is a glaring example of how a person may be tricked into believing he or she is choosing the healthy option simply by trusting its source....in this case the Harrisburg Patriot News. 

This is an article recently written in the Body/Mind section of the Patriot News regarding their ongoing series on sugar substitutes. 

Upon reading this seemingly trustful advice, I noticed several misleading statements and even an outright untruthful statement.  The new artificial sweetener on the market known as Truvia is NOT Stevia.  However, the author of the Patriot News article falsely uses the name Truvia and Stevia together as if they are one and the same.  They are clearly not. In response, here is the letter I wrote to the editor of the Patriot News:

The word "natural", by definition, means "existing in or formed by nature."  The article in the Sunday July 29, 2012 Your Health section on Stevia Sweeteners is extremely misleading to consumers interested in maintaining a healthy, natural lifestyle.  Stevia is a natural substance safely used for centuries as a sweetener.  Natural substances cannot be patented.  Rebaudioside A, on the other hand, is an isolated chemical derived from the Stevia plant using multiple steps and multiple chemicals such as acetone, methanol, and acetonitrile.  Since Rebaudioside A is a man-made chemical, it can be, and has been patented.  Multiple times throughout the article the words "stevia", "natural", and "rebaudioside A" are falsely used interchangeably.  Since Stevia and Rebaudioside A are functionally two different compounds, they are metabolized differently in your body.  What are the long term effects of consuming unnatural Rebaudioside A?  Nobody knows.  It was never consumed by a human prior to 5 years ago.   I believe it is not only misleading, but grossly irresponsible to be using the words "natural" and "Rebaudioside A" together.

Dr. Michael Bennese, DC
Clinical Director, Synchrony ChiroCare and BStrong4Life of Enola

So where can you find the real, all natural sugar substitute known as Stevia?  You can still find it at your local grocery store.  It is not located in the Sweetener aisle.  Real Stevia can be found in the area where nutritional supplements are sold.  It can also be purchased at area Health Food stores.   

For more information on Nutritional Counseling, visit our website www.synchronychirocare.com or email us at info@synchronychirocare.com

My Personal Father's Day Health Tip

How many guys out there sit with your wallet in your back pocket? How many of the ladies out there see their men carry their wallet in their back pocket?

 I was about 17 years old when I first was treated by a Chiropractor. I went because of a jaw problem which caused me to have big headaches (but that's another newsletter). One of the first things he told me to do was put my wallet in my front pocket instead of my rear pocket. I thought that was a rather strange thing to tell me since I was seeing him for jaw problems, but I did what I was told. To this day I always carry my wallet in my front pocket. It would feel very weird to carry it in my back pocket. I was always thankful to my first Chiropractor for telling me that. I have passed that important information on to my younger patients just like he did for me. For the guys out there who have been carrying your wallet in your back pocket for years, you may have to train yourself, but it can be done.

 Give yourself the Father's Day gift of a healthier future spine: Remove that wallet from your back pocket prior to sitting. I see many men coming in with crooked spines that could have been prevented by doing just this one thing.

 If you are guilty of carrying your wallet in your back pocket, and you are afraid it may be the cause of your ongoing back, hip,or leg problem, have no fear: Email or call us and we can evaluate your spine with state-of-the-art digital radiographic analyis to determine if wearing that wallet for years caused any structural distortion. We are trained to restore and rebuild your spine to a stronger, more stable, healthier position.

Lack of Referral: A Potential Danger

I do not hear this quote too much anymore, but when I do, I feel the need to share my thoughts.  The statement is "Chiropractic can be potentially dangerous by delaying proper treatment."  And guess what?   I agree.  Actually, I contend ANY profession can be potentially dangerous by delaying proper treatment. 

And do you know what?  Medicine can be potentially dangerous by delaying proper Chiropractic care.  Let me give you but one example: 

Compression of certain nerves, like the sciatic nerve, can cause permanent irreversible damage if not treated in time.  Dr. Bourdillon, an internationally prominent British Orthopedic Surgeon, stated that muscle wasting of the wrist or hand will occur if a patient is delayed proper neck and upper back spinal adjustments.  He added that in 15 years in a busy practice, he did not see ANY secondary muscle wasting EXCEPT among the patients medically treated elsewhere, where the syndrome was allowed to develop before the neck was properly treated.  Muscle wasting means the muscle starts withering away due to a lack of proper nerve supply.

Often, I see patients after they have exhausted every other possibe treatment, including surgery for their conditions.  This is a perfect example of why Chiroractic Care should never be a "last resort".  It is not a luxury....it is a necessity.  Rest assured, as your doctor, if your condition is out of my realm and proper treatment would be best administered elsewhere, you will be the first to hear it from me.

Do You Have a Diagnosis That Ends In "-ITIS"?

For most diagnoses all that is needed is an ounce of knowledge, and ounce of intelligence, and a pound of thoroughness -- Arabic proverb.



It is the "thoroughness" factor that is most blatantly absent in today's healthcare. How many of you have been diagnosed with Bursitis, Tendinitis, Plantar Fasciitis or anything else with an "-itis"? Those are what we call Garbage Can Diagnoses....."catch-alls" that really are the result of a structure or posture problem that creates overuse, friction, and abnormal load....hence the "-itis".  These diagnoses only scratch the surface of the real underlying problem(s) that are causing the said Bursitis, Tendinitis or Plantar Fasciitis. Yes, it requires a little more time, expertise, and work to diagnose properly, but when a doctor is alloted 5 minutes for an exam, do you really think he or she will be thorough in REALLY getting to the bottom of your problem? Or will you just end up with a Garbage Can Diagnosis with an "-ITIS" at the end?

Before You Become Pro-Vaccine or Against-Vaccine, Become Pro-Education

The January 8th, 2012 edition of the Harrisburg Patriot-News published a commentary by columnist Anne McGraw Reeves entitled "Protect herd immunity:  Get kids vaccinated" 

I submitted an editorial in response to this column the following day which was accepted to be published and appeared in the Thursday January 12th newspaper as well as online. 

Personally, I have my own beliefs about the vaccine debate, but that is not the point of this discussion.  Professionally, I am neither Pro-Vaccine nor am I Against Vaccine.  I consider myself professionally as Pro-Education. 

It has been my experience in 10 years of private practice that 99% of my patients, when challenged to discuss the topic of vaccines, are woefully ignorant on the subject.  If you fall in this category I do not consider this your fault. 

This strongly suggests that 99% of the public is also woefully ignorant, as evidenced by some of the comments to my editorial online.  Aside from the personal attacks you will read from the commentors of my editorial,  you will notice that I respond simply by discrediting their statements via the current peer-reviewed literature on the subject.  

You have been given a lopsided, one dimensional view of what vaccines are, what they do, and how they are good for humankind.  Who supplies you this data?  The multinational multibillion dollar vaccine industry does. of course through the liaison known as "your doctor". 

Do you see how that is a problem?

One of my professional goals is to create a more educated population; a more savvy group of people who wil not be cornered and forced to accept one side or another.  Rather, have the understanding to make truly informed decisions for themselves.  The only way to accomplish this is to become transparent, and allow yourself to understand both sides of the vaccine argument.  This involves some work though.  Some of you may be lazy.  You don't have time to do this research.  You will simply decide that your doctor knows best;  you will trust their "good judgment." 

For the others, I strongly recommend beginning your endeavour by visiting the National Vaccine Informational Center http://www.nvic.org/  The NVIC is an educational non-profit organization advocationg vaccine safety and informed consent protections in the public health system. 

Aspartame and Glutamate: Chronic Pain

"Removing Aspartame and Glutamate from the Diet for 4 Months Can Eliminate Chronic Pain Symptoms." (Annals of Pharmacology)

I contend that most chronic pain patterns stem from an underlying structural and/or postural problem. Therefore, that particular structural problem requires a structural solution.....a solution we handle in our office with a highly technical skill.

However, even with wonderful structural and posture rebuilding, lingering pain may persist. That pain may be due to the repetitive intake of food and drink which contain the chemicals known as Aspartame and /or Glutamate. Aspartame and Glutamate are two nasty chemicals that are found in foods, drinks, and/or chewing gum. Aspartame is an artificial sweetener. Glutamate is a food flavor enhancer. Food and Drink manufacturers add these substances to sweeten foods/drinks as well as stimulate your brain to "like" a food better (therefore increasing your chances of eating more and more and more).

If you have a chronic pain pattern (and even if you do not), I suggest beginning to read the nutrition label of the foods, drinks, and chewing gums while you are at the grocery store. Avoid the products which contain the words aspartame and/or glutamate. 

Chronic Pain Evaluation: Includes updated Structural Assessment, Digital Radiographic Analysis, and Presentation of Findings to layout a battle plan to rebuild the problem area. $49. Expires 12/31/11

More than 200,000 microdiscectomies (a type of back surgery) are performed annually in the United States, at a direct cost of $5 billion or $25,000 per procedure.

60% of patients with Sciatica (low back pain that radiates down the leg) who had failed other medical management benefitted from spinal adjustments to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention.

In a recent study, consenting participants were chosen randomly to receive either an average of 21 chiropractic sessions over a year or a single microdiscectomy.

If cost is assumed at $100 per chiropractic visit, there is a direct, total savings of $22,900 per adjustment patient. System-wide, this could save $2.75 billion dollars annually.

This research supports spinal adjustments performed by a doctor of chiropractic is a valuable and safe treatment option for those experiencing symptomatic lumbar disc pain.