Injury as a Wake-Up Call As chiropractors, we often see patients with acute pain issues. People are so busy these days that most don't pay attention to their bodies until pain forces them to stop and do so. Perhaps the pain is related to a sports injury or maybe a personal injury case. I always try to focus on the whole person, as I'm sure all of my colleagues reading this article do. In this article. I'd like to present how chronic inflammation can set in. as well as nutritional and homeopathic assistance for your patients. When someone presents with a sprain, strain, or personal injury, do you consider his or her diet? Evidence is mounting that nutrition and lifestyle contribute to a low- or even high-level chronic inflammatory response, which sets up all the parameters for the cascading result: a painful injury. Do you quiz your patient about old injuries? Old injuries can lead to chronic inflammatory responses. The pattern can begin cither way: inflammation leading to injury, or injuries leading to chronic inflammation. The Inflammation Connection We all know the phrase, "the straw that broke the camel's back." We have seen the patient who bent down to pick up the newspaper and his or her back "went out." The patient didn't experience tliat result because the newspaper was too heavy! I believe that type of patient had an underlying condition of chronic inflammation. Do you ask this type of patient (after relieving the pain, of course!) about how healthy his or her gums arc? Gingivitis may be related. How high is tliat person's stress level? Worn raises acidity in the body. Any allergies? Inflammatory response. Does he or she cat fresh foods or mostly those microwaved. canned, or packaged? How about sweets (including beer and alcohol), ice cream, white flour products, margarine, and soft drinks? All of these foods cause inflammation, which sets the stage for all sorts of diseases, including painful injuries. Recent research in the field of inflammatory responses has exploded, revealing a plethora of diseases connected by the link of inflammation. For example, as Jack Challcm. author of The Inflammation Syndrome} explains, health disorders that once seemed to have nothing in common, such as Alzheimer's. arthritis, atherosclerosis, and allergic rhinitis, may all stem from chronic inflammation. Whafs more, the world's most serious health problems (heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity), are all connected to inflammation as well. Challem recommends having patients take the high-sensitivity C-rcactivc protein (hs-CRP) test. This test measures subtle, low-grade inflammation. He asserts that a high level of C-rcactive protein is the most accurate predictor of whether a person will suffer a heart attack—more so than cholesterol, triglyceride. or blood sugar levels. When your patients sec the results in a tangible test score, it may help them stick to healthy changes in order to sec their score improve, especially when they realize what serious consequences can arise from chronic inflammation. Nutrition Can Help Many foods that arc "S.A.D.ly" part of the standard American diet cause inflammation. Some mentioned earlier, such as sweets and most dairy products, notably also happen to be some of the favorite foods of the ycast-likc fungus. ("andida albicans. While the hs-CRP test is one helpful tool, mam' of us also use some form of muscle response testing to uncover hidden dietary culprits. Using that time-tested method. I found that peanuts contributed to one of my patients stubborn cc/cma-likc rash (inflammation). After she eliminated peanuts from her diet, her rash disappeared. Supplements that can help reduce inflammation include omcga-3 fish oils, flaxsced oil. vitamins C. E. and D. and an anti-inflammatory plant oil called gamma-linolcic acid (GL A). Curcumin is a powerful anti-inflammatory herb that can be added as a supplement. Other dietary changes arc obvious, though harder for most to accomplish: stop eating the inflammatory foods and eat more health-promoting ones. This takes some delicate persuasion because people generally are addicted to the very foods and drinks that cause main of their problems. Substitution of healthier alternatives may help. For example, you could counsel them to add a small amount of good quality, cold-pressed olive oil to their meal for flavor after cooking, to maintain the benefits of the good fat. while they give up unhealthy fats, such as "com. safllower. or soybean oil." 2 Homeopathy Is Unique As we know, everything is connected to everything else. Of all physicians, naturopaths and chiropractors historically have had the most intcgrativc viewpoint. Interestingly, the rest of the medical field is now sprinting along trying to catch up with us as the public wakes up to the dangers of most Pharmaceuticals. I say "most pharmaccuticals" because there is one type of pharmaceutical I strongly favor. It is a pharmaceutical that has been used for more than 200 years worldwide safely and effectively: homeopathic medicine. It carries no known negative side effects, and no contraindications: even vitamins and herbal products cannot be recommended without first checking for potential interactions with other medications. Unlike herbal and nutritional supplements, the FDA considers homeopathic medicine to be a pharmaceutical dnig product—it is in a class of its own. In fact, herbal and nutritional supplements legally cannot state health claims on the label, but homeopathic medicine can. and it's a natural dnig product that chiropractors can offer their patients. So what docs homeopathic medicine offer for inflammation and injuries? Plenty, but I want to begin by explaining first what homeopathic medicine is. Homeopathy is based on the well-known "law of similars." often summarized as "like cures like." This is the same pharmacological principle used today with viruses in vaccines and allergens in allergy' desensitization therapy. The same symptoms caused when a healthy person takes a natural substance from the plant, animal, and mineral kingdom, after being prepared homco-pathically. will cure someone ill with those symptoms. For example. Xatnim carhoniciim. or "carbonate of sodium." as a homeopathic medicine will relieve symptoms quickly and safely that arc associated with old sprains and easy dislocation of the ankles. Another remedy. Allium cepa. which is red onion, can help relieve seasonal allergies (related to inflammation), such as watery eyes and sneezing. As we all know from experience, chopping onions often causes a similar symptom, so once again, "like cures like." Arnica montcma is a homeopathic rcm-cdv well known for its anti-inilammatorv properties, and many homeopathic companies offer it in oral and topical forms. It can be one of the most powerful tools in your kit to safely help those suffering from inflammatory conditions with acute swelling, bruising, and pain. It helps in any situation where inflammation, pain, and swelling are symptoms, from injuries to gout. Unlike NSAIDs. though, homcopatln works without negative side effects and without complications from other health conditions or pharmaceutical dnigs. By adding nutrition and homeopathy to your tool kit. along with your chiropractic skills, you will be a highly sought-after doctor who can "divide and conquer" pain and inflammation. References: Jack Challcm. The Inflammation Syndrome. John Wiley & Sons. 2010 Ibid Dr. Frank King, nationally recognized researcher, author, and lecturer, is the founder and president of king Bio. an FDA-registered homeopathic manufacturing company. Dr. king is dedicated to completing chiropractic destiny with homeopathy. Attend The Healing Revolution Summit, July 18-20, 2014, inAsheville, X.C., and learn how to easily incorporate Contemporary Homeopathy into your practice. Learn more: www.SafeCareRx.com. call 866-298-2740. ore-mail: procsr'axafecarerx.com.
