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Dr.
Dan Kopelman
Welcome
to Kopelman Family Chiropractic in Acton, MA.
We
are proud to announce that Dr. Kopelman has been accepted as our
keynote speaker and local educational expert for The American
Consumer Education Foundation. As such, Dr. Kopelman will now
be able to provide educational programs to community groups,
corporations, schools, medical facilities and membership organizations.
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You
can have more energy...Feel incredibly healthy...Boost your immune
system, and take control of your families health with chiropractic
care. Try CHIROPRACTIC - It's the healthiest thing you can do for
your body!
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Chiropractic Video

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Does Exercise Make Kids Smarter?
In the midst of reports of schools cutting recess
and physical
education in order to provide additional time for
standardized test preparation,new research reveals
that limiting physical activity may reduce cognitive
function in youngsters.
The research team from the University of Illinois
presented their findings this week at the annual
meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological
Research in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
"We have found a strong relationship between
academic achievement and fitness scores,"
elucidates study co-author Darla Castelli. "Those
who scored well in academics also did well in
physical fitness. We're not suggesting that if we
run more laps it will make us smarter, but there
does appear to be a correlation."
Along with researchers Charles Hillman and Sarah
Buck, Castelli analyzed about 500 third-, fourth-
and fifth-graders. They compared the subjects'
aerobic capacity, flexibility, muscle fitness and
cognitive function (as determined by standard achievement
tests and neuroelectric and behavioral responses to
stimulus discrimination tasks).
"We found that fit children allocated more
resources towards identifying stimuli, and also
processed stimuli faster," Hillman pronounced.
"Behaviorally, these effects showed up in that
these fit children made fewer errors than sedentary
ones."
"Despite increased incidence of childhood obesity
and type II diabetes mellitus, physical education
time is being reduced to address academic issues
related to federal 'No Child Left Behind' legislation,"
adds Castelli. "If evidence existed that physical
education contributed to intellectual development,
it may gain credibility and instructional time."
Source: Society for Psychophysiological Research -
October 20, 2004. http://sprweb.org/
SOFT DRINK CONSUMPTION SKYROCKETING
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill have calculated that calorie intake from
soft drinks in the United States rose 135% between
1977 and 2001. Over the same span milk intake plummeted
38%.
"There has been considerable controversy about
the promotion of soft drinks in schools and
elsewhere," notes study author Dr. Barry M.
Popkin. "Extensive research on all age groups
has shown that consuming these soft drinks and
fruit drinks increases weight gain in children and
adults."
Source: Journal of Preventive Health - October 2004
CHRONIC BACK PAIN EATS AWAY
AT BRAIN
Scientists in Chicago have discovered
new clues into
what role the brain plays in chronic back pain (CBP).
The investigators used magnetic resonance imaging
brain scans to compare the morphology of 26
individuals with CBP with 26 pain-free control
subjects.
According to the report "patients with CBP showed
5-11% less neocortical gray matter volume than
control subjects. The magnitude of this decrease is
equivalent to the gray matter volume lost in 10-20
years of normal aging. The decreased volume was
related to pain duration, indicating a 1.3 cm(3) loss
of gray matter for every year of chronic pain."
The study also showed that CBP patients had
decreased gray matter density.
"Our results imply that CBP is accompanied by
brain atrophy and suggest that the pathophysiology
of
chronic pain includes thalamocortical processes,"
conclude the authors.
Source: Journal of Neuroscience - November 2004;24:10410-5.
http://www.jneurosci.org/
EARLY RECOVERY FROM LOWER
BACK PAIN PREDICTS LONG-TERM OUTCOME
What demographic factors affect a chiropractic
patient's recovery from chronic low-back pain (LBP).
To find out, 115 chiropractors in Norway pooled
data on 875 patients. All patients had suffered LBP
for at least 2 weeks at the time of their initial
chiropractic consultation and a minimum of 30 days
altogether during the preceding year.
According to the report, gender, social benefit,
severity of pain, duration of continuous pain at first
consultation and additional neck pain all influenced
outcome at the fourth visit and at 3 months.
Early recovery was identified as a strong predictor
of long-term outcome. Specifically, being free of
back pain at the fourth visit was associated with
triple the odds of remaining pain-free at 3 and 12
months.
Source: JMPT - October 2004;27:494-502.
http://www.mosby.com/jmpt
MAINTENANCE CHIROPRACTIC
CARE
PREVENTS RELAPSE IN DISABILITY, STUDY SUGGESTS
Maintenance care appears to accomplish exactly
what chiropractors have long claimed it does.
According to a new study, maintenance care
prevents chronic disability in patients with low-back
pain (LBP).
Investigators tracked 2 groups of 15 patients with
chronic nonspecific LBP. Both groups underwent
intensive chiropractic care for a 1-month period.
One group received no maintenance care while the other
received adjustments every 3 weeks. Nine months later
both groups were reevaluated.
The study's authors write that "for both groups,
the
pain and disability levels decreased after the
intensive phase of treatments. Both groups maintained
their pain scores at levels similar to the post-intensive
treatments throughout the follow-up period. For the
disability scores, however, only the group that was
given spinal manipulations during
the follow-up period maintained their post-intensive
treatment scores. The disability scores of the other
group went back to their pretreatment levels."
"This experiment suggests that maintenance spinal
manipulations after intensive manipulative care may
be beneficial to patients to maintain subjective post-intensive
treatment disability levels. Future studies, however,
are needed to confirm the finding in a
larger group of patients with chronic low-back pain."
Source: JMPT - October 2004;27:509.
www.mosby.com/jmpt
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Latest
Research
CHRONIC PAIN
"Vast majorities of people suffering from chronic
pain are actually the result of unnecessary back surgery.
In one study, I demonstrated that at least 80% of
those who had lumbar surgery for a presumed ruptured
disc had not had a ruptured disc before their first
surgery. (Shealy CN. Percutaneous radiofrequency denervation
of spinal facets.
Treatment for chronic back pain and sciatica.
J of Neurosurgery.1975;43:448-451.) By the time
they had between 5 and 7 unsuccessful back
operations they certainly were invalids....In
selective patients with back pain, we have found
two significant problems: locked or degenerative
facet joints or a sacral shear."
Source: C. Norman Shealy, MD Ph.D.
Chronic Pain Management.in the.Townsend Letter
for Doctors and Patients. Jan. 2005.
PP 22-23
CHRONIC
BACK PAIN IMPAIRS DECISION MAKING
Scientific evidence supports the hypothesis
that
chronic pain impairs an individual's decision-making
capability
As part of one study, investigators compared 26
healthy people with 26 patients with chronic back
pain (CBP) and 12 patients with a condition called
chronic complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).
CRPS is a chronic nerve disorder typically afflicting
the arms or legs, which usually onsets following an
injury.
The study participants were asked to perform a test
researchers use to assess emotional decision-
making. The test, called the Iowa Gambling Task,
is a gambling card game.
Subjects with CBP performed 41% worse than did
pain-free individuals. Those with CRPS performed
even poorer.
The study's authors conclude that "our evidence
indicates that chronic pain is associated with a specific
cognitive deficit, which may impact every
day behavior especially in risky, emotionally laden,
situations."
"Other cognitive abilities, such as attention,
short-
term memory, and general intelligence tested
normal in the chronic pain patients."
Source: Pain - March 2004;108:129-36.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/
OPTIMISTS LIVE LONGER
A sunny disposition may be the key to long life, finds
a study suggesting that optimists live longer than
their less positive peers.
According to a 9-year inquiry of 941 adults in the
Netherlands between the ages of 65 and 85 years,
the most optimistic participants were 29% less likely
to die during the study period than the most
pessimistic of subjects.
Subjects who had an upbeat take on life were 77%
less likely to die of cardiovascular disease than
were pessimists. These findings were not influenced
after researchers controlled for confounding issues
such
as age and lifestyle factors.
Source: Archives of General Psychiatry - November
2004; 2004;61:1126-35.
http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/
COMMON SUBLUXATION PATTERN
IDENTIFIED
IN 96% OF CHILDREN
A new study examines a subluxation pattern common
in children called the Pelvic Distortion Subluxation
Complex (PDSC). The study's researchers believe
that PDSC "is responsible, partially or fully,
for a
number of adaptive neurological patterns and kinesiopathological
reflexes that can propagate a
myriad of conditions."
To test their hypothesis, 6 chiropractors with
pediatric certification from the International
Chiropractic Pediatric Association examined 327
boys and 323 girls.
The study's authors explain that "the preponderance
of PDSC is to present with a left pelvic fixation
and a corresponding right hypermobility. We have found
that 96% of all children seem to possess, and be subjected
to the effects of the Pelvic Distortion Subluxation
Complex. The PDSC was a common denominator in complaints
plaguing our sample of children. These are summarized
into a percentage
of the total sample and the most common complaints
of children in our study are mainly of a somatic nature
with some visceral and immune components."
"Our study revealed a pattern of pelvic dysfunction
correlated with numerous somatic, visceral and
immune complaints. These dysfunction's should be discovered
as early as possible in a child's
development to effect a correction and the
relationship between these dysfunction's and ill
health should be further studied."
Source: JVSR - October 18, 2004.
http://www.jvsr.com
According to Dr. Guylaine Lanctot,
MD:
The bottom line is that the
medical systems are
controlled by financiers in order to serve financiers.
Since you cannot serve people unless they get sick,
the whole medical system is designed to make people
sicker and sicker.
"It is now evident that
the American medical system is the leading cause of
death and injury in the US."
Dr. Joseph Mercola
This fully referenced report
shows the number of
people having in-hospital, adverse reactions to prescribed
drugs to be 2.2 million per year. The
number of unnecessary antibiotics prescribed
annually for viral infections is 20 million per year.
The number of unnecessary medical and surgical procedures
performed annually is 7.5 million per
year. The number of people exposed to unnecessary
hospitalization annually is 8.9 million per year.
The most stunning statistic, however, is that the
total number of deaths caused by conventional
medicine is an astounding 783,936 per year.
Source: From Death by Medicine by By Gary Null,
PhD; Carolyn Dean MD, ND; Martin Feldman, MD;
Debora Rasio, MD; and Dorothy Smith, Ph.D.
783,936 people each year die
because of
conventional medicine. That's the equivalent to
three jumbo-jet crashes every two days. Would
you fly if you knew that statistic?
Energy blocks or imbalances
can cause illness, depression, distort our perceptions,
and dampen
our feelings. Removing the blocks restores the
natural energy flow resulting in feelings of peace
and harmony.
- Win Hampton
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ANNUAL PHYSICAL AND ECONOMIC COST OF MEDICAL INTERVENTION
Condition |
Deaths |
Cost |
Author |
Adverse
Drug Reactions |
106,000 |
$12
billion |
Lazarou
Suh |
Medical
Error |
98,000 |
$2
billion |
IOM |
Bedsores |
115,000 |
$55
billion |
Xakellis
Barczak |
Infection |
88,000 |
$5
billion |
Weinstein
MMWR |
Malnutrition |
108,800 |
-------- |
Nurses
Coalition |
Outpatients |
199,000 |
$77
billion |
Starfield
Weingart |
Unnecessarily
Procedures |
37,136 |
$122,000 |
HCUP |
Surgery-Related |
32,000 |
$9
billion |
AHRQ |
TOTAL
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783,936 |
$282
billion |
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Stress Ups Skin
Cancer Risk
A study in mice underscores
the connection between stress and disease.
The analysis shows that stressed mice are
at an elevated
risk of skin cancer.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins exposed mice to
cancer-
causing UV light. Mice who were also subjected
to
stressful conditions developed skin cancers
in less than
half the time it took the non-stressed mice
to grow
tumors.
"There's a lot of evidence pointing to
the negative
effects of chronic stress, which dampens our
immune system and impacts various aspects
of our
health," says study director Francisco
Tausk, MD.
"Stress reduction programs usually are
a good
option for many people, but we think they
may be
more important for individuals at high-risk
for skin
cancer," he adds.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
- December 2004;51:919-22.
http://www.eblue.org/
Food
Irradiation will be used to
MaskFilthy Slaughtering and Food Processing
Practices
Food irradiation dose
limit would be removed, health and safety
regulations discarded
under new plan, substandard food could be
"treated"
with high-dose radiation in unlicensed and
dirty facilities.You are what you eat. Take
a proactive
approach when it comes to feeding your family.
Click
here to find out more
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Medicating
Kids For Convenience
Investigators in Australia are concerned over
the use of
over-the-counter (OTC)
medications in children.
In-depth interviews with
40 parents of children
under 5 years of age showed that "there
were 3
striking and readily apparent themes in the
use of
OTC medications among children. One was the
administration of OTC medications as a form
of
'social medication,' to give parents control
over
children's behavior that they perceived as
fractious and irritating. A related theme was
the
use of OTC medications to reduce the
inconvenience to the parents of having a sick
child, again giving parents greater control
and better
time-management abilities. Finally, acetaminophen
was considered by many parents to have almost
miraculous properties in calming, sedating and
lifting the mood of children."
"The use of OTC medications
for the treatment
of minor ailments among children is widespread,
despite the lack of evidence of efficacy of
the most commonly used medications and the potential
for toxicity," conclude the scientists.
"With the
increasing propensity to look to medication
as
a means of supporting changing lifestyles, there
is an urgent need to review the prevalence and
effects of social medication."
Source: Pediatrics - September
2004;114:e378-83.
http://www.pediatrics.org/
"The person who takes medicine must recover
twice,
once from the disease and once from the medicine."
William Osler, M.D.
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Modern Crops
Show Decline In Nutrients
A recent study of 43 garden crops led
by a University of Texas at Austin biochemist
suggests that their nutrient value has
declined in recent decades.
The researchers chose garden crops, mostly
vegetables, but also melons and strawberries,
for which nutritional data were available
from both 1950 and 1999.
"Considered as a group, we found
that six out of 13 nutrients showed apparently
reliable declines between 1950 and 1999"
says Dr. Donald Davis.
These nutrients included protein, calcium,
phosphorus, iron, riboflavin and ascorbic
acid. The declines, which ranged from
6% for protein to 38% for riboflavin,
raise significant questions about how
modern agriculture practices are affecting
food crops.
Source: Journal of the American College
of Nutrition - December 2004;23:5.
http://www.jacn.org/
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Spinal
Manipulation Is Most Cost Effective For
Lower Back Pain
A new study
examines the cost effectiveness of adding
spinal manipulation, exercise classes, or
a combination of both to standard treatment
for low-back pain (LBP) delivered by general
practitioners. (A chiropractor, osteopath
or physical therapist performed the spinal
manipulation.)
The inquiry tracked 1,287 individuals with
LBP from across the United Kingdom. Results
revealed that adding spinal manipulation,
exercise, or both significantly cut costs
and boosted quality of living. The researchers
also determined that "manipulation
alone probably gives better value for money
than manipulation followed by exercise."
Source: BMJ - November 29; doi:10.1136.
http://www.bmj.com/
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NSAID's
Not Recommended For OA Pain
Oral non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including
cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitors, are
commonly used by patients with osteoarthritis
(OA). However, a
new analysis reveals that long-term
use of these drugs is not recommended,
and the "advantage
of oral NSAIDs over placebo for
short term pain relief is small and probably
clinically insignificant."
The study pooled data from 23 trials involving
NSAID use in a total of
10,845 patients with knee OA.
Source: BMJ Online First -
November 23, 2004.
http://www.bmj.com/
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