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Functional Neurology / Brain Based Therapy: BBT

This page will introduce you to brain based therapy for chronic pain, provide you with information on oxygen treatment in relation to the brain and nervous system, balance disorders and glutathione treatments.

BBT is a revolutionary treatment based on the work by the countries leading Chiropractic Neurologist Dr. Fredrick Carrick.  The therapy is neurologically based and the treatments have been clinically proven to help patients with chronic pain and dizziness.

                                   Enhanced Air (Oxygen)

The Brain and Nervous system?

Your brain and nervous system need two things to survive: fuel and activation. Fuel comes in the form of glucose and oxygen. You get the glucose from the food you eat BUT as you age, your ability to utilize oxygen decreases. We are giving you oxygen to help you heal faster. We want to get you better as fast as possible.

PLUS…….The cerebellum is in the back part of your brain and it controls ALL of your spinal musculature as well as your balance and coordinated movement. When the cerebellum is not firing correctly, the muscles will spasm, the vertebra lock up and the disc will lose fluid and degenerate. When we get the cerebellum firing better, the spinal muscles will no longer be in spasm, the vertebra will move better and your disc will re-generate.

Do you remember those tests that we did to check your cerebellum (finger to nose, standing with eyes closed and feet close together, playing piano, touching your finger that is over your head, etc.)? The cerebellum is the most DEPENDENT area of the body when it comes to oxygen. So that is why we are giving you oxygen, to get you better faster by allowing your cerebellum to work better!

Is oxygen essential for brain activity?

The brain demands at least 20% of the body’s oxygen supply, when it doesn’t get this supply it can lead to issues such as sleep apnoea, poor concentration, forgetfulness, mood swings, restlessness, depressive thoughts and low drive.

Brain activity – Dr. Andrew Scholey, Division of Psychology, University of Northumbria: "Extra oxygen has been shown to enhance mental performance and memory recall in healthy active adults in several clinical studies". Ref. Pmid: 10604851 (pubmed - indexed for medline)

Other Benefits:

STAY STRONG.

Fatigue has been reported by several studies as one of the most common symptoms experienced by people worldwide*.

*"Boosting Your Energy" A Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, Harvard Health Publications, 2006

Every breath you take converts to energy. Human cells use nutrients from food and oxygen to create adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy source that fuels cell function. If your cells receive too little oxygen, they produce less energy. If your cells need more energy, they use more oxygen. That's why your breathing rate increases when you exercise.

STAY ALERT.

Unlike muscles, your brain cannot store energy. It needs a steady flow of nutrients and oxygen to function normally. Oxygen deficiency can decrease your alertness, memory and judgment. Conditions that can reduce blood oxygen levels include:

  • air pollution
  • traveling to a higher elevation
  • breathing stale air that has less than the normal 20-21% oxygen.

"Insufficient oxygen means insufficient biological energy that can result in anything from mild fatigue to life threatening disease. The link between insufficient oxygen and disease has now been firmly established." Dr. W. Spencer Way, journal of the American association of physicians

What are the main benefits of using oxygen?

Studies have shown that oxygen helps:

  • Stimulate brain activity
  • Increase memory capacity
  • Boost concentration
  • Develop stronger alertness
  • Raise energy levels
  • Improve strength
  • Build endurance
  • Detox your blood
  • Reduce stress
  • Calm anxiety
  • Alleviate tension headaches
  • Remedy irregular sleeping patterns
  • Help with cardiovascular activity
  • Prevent lactic acid build up
  • Strengthen the immune system

Medical Thoughts on Oxygen

"Extra oxygen enables you to recover more quickly from exertion. It allows someone to train and then exercise again." – Dr. John Brewer, head of sports science at Lilleshall Human Performance Centre: Health and Fitness 1999.

"Oxygen can clear your head, help eliminate toxins, and give you a mind high" – Andy Davison exercise physiologist Cosmopolitan 2000.

"If you use oxygen for 20 minutes, muscles become loosened; headaches and stress seem to disappear. There is a renewed energy and a feeling of relaxation. I am confident oxygen works." –  Dr. Richard de Andrea Sunday Herald.

"Increases alertness, improves the body’s ability to burn fat and enhances physical performance." – Howard Robbins D.P.M, for The Journal.

"Dr. Parris Kidd stated that 'oxygen plays a pivotal role in the proper functioning of the immune system; i.e. Resistance to disease, bacteria and viruses.' Dr. Stephen Levine stated that 'we can look at oxygen deficiency as the single greatest cause of disease.' thus the development of a shortage of oxygen in the blood could very well be the starting point for the loss of the immune system and the beginning of feared health problems such as Cancer, Leukemia, AIDS, Candida, seizures, and nerve deterioration." B. Goulet - The Magic of Aerobic Oxygen - Focus on Nutrition.

"In all serious disease states we find a concomitant low oxygen state...low oxygen in the body tissues is a sure indicator for disease... Hypoxia, or lack of oxygen in the tissues, is the fundamental cause for all degenerative disease." Dr. Stephen Levine, renowned molecular biologist author, Oxygen Deficiency: A concomitant to all degenerative illness.

"I have ME and Fabro-Myalgia and have suffered with this debilitating condition for more than twelve years. I saw an oxygen bar at a health event and needed to sit down and by chance tried the oxygen. After this for four days I felt so active, had no pain, no fatigue, and no exhaustion and even managed to clean my house out. I made frequent trips in my car to the tip and charity shop of which I am normally unable do. I even went out for a meal and went shopping which I’ve never been able to do." Carol Mason from Patmoor, Staffordshire.

Exercise with Oxygen Therapy

Basically, the body's ability to transfer oxygen from the lungs to the cells is perhaps the most significant factor in whether you live a healthy life or not. This transfer mechanism becomes damaged with age, and then susceptibility to illness increases. However, EWOT aids the body in repairing this vital mechanism.

The scientific aspect of EWOT is a little complex, but here is a basic explanation. Oxygen comprises 20% of the atmosphere. Atmospheric pressure is 760 mm and thus the partial pressure of oxygen entering the body's lungs is about 150 mm. However, oxygen in the lungs is diluted considerably with carbon dioxide. As the environment becomes increasingly polluted, the oxygen we intake is more and more diluted by carbon dioxide leaving the body and in the atmosphere. After oxygen is diluted, its pressure is reduced to 100-110 mm. This pressure drives the oxygen from the lungs into the blood and via the arteries to the capillaries in the extremities of the body. The capillaries then release some of the oxygen to support individual cells.

Ideally, the pressure of the oxygen in the arteries will almost equal the pressure in the lungs. However, aging causes the arterial pressure to decrease to approximately 70 mm as opposed to 95 mm.

In order for the oxygen to reach the cells from the capillaries, it must dissolve into the water of the body. Unlike carbon dioxide, though, oxygen does not dissolve easily into liquid. The significance is this: Oxygen's solubility is heavily dependent on the pressure driving it.

Dr. Rowen of Second Opinion explains Oxygen is extracted in the capillaries and when the blood comes out the venous end of he capillary, the average pressure of oxygen in the veins is about 40 mm early in life and drops to 35 mm by age 70. The difference in the pressure of oxygen between the arterial and venous sides reflects how well the oxygen is delivered and consumed.

In your 30s, the amount of oxygen released to the cells is significantly higher than in your 70s: a 30 year-old will release 55 mm (95-40) while a 70 year-old will release 35 mm (70-35). That's a huge drop in the amount of pressure of oxygen your cells receive.

The problem is that when you age, the oxygen pressure falls. Thus, while the volume of oxygen may stay the same and it may appear you are getting enough, your may be oxygen deficient because there isn't enough pressure to make use of the volume of oxygen.

The breakthrough of EWOT is that it raises the arterial pressure to youthful levels; it only involves breathing high levels of oxygen while exercising. Exercise increases the circulation, creating a greater pressure to drive oxygen into the capillaries. The increase in pressure facilitates the repair of the transfer mechanism. EWOT is effective for every conceivable condition because it improves the delivery of the most essential substance in tissue life and repair.

EWOT

Exercise with Oxygen Therapy


The Benefits of Oxygen

The three basic nutrients without which planet earth could not exist as a home for living things are light, water, and oxygen. Everybody knows that walking in fresh air does you good. It promotes the capacity of thinking and improves efficiency. A deep breath raises our energy levels within a short time. Even after physical exercises we feel more active and fresh although a lot of energy has been used up.

One major reason for aging is the failure of enzymatic systems that are responsible for our bodie's uptake and utilization of oxygen. When our cells don't get enough oxygen, they degenerate and die. Lack of mobility, infections and toxins make our oxygen

status worse and this worsening produces illness. This degeneration is connected with a noticeable reduction of physical and mental powers, especially in old age. Lack of oxygen causes a critical decrease of the cardiac output; less oxygen is transported through the body. For example, the oxygen supply of 80 year-old person can go down as far as 66% of the maximum amount. Human beings can take a lot of punishment, mentally and physically, so these frequent drops in our ability to utilize oxygen efficiently are not going to kill anyone immediately. But each level of oxygen deprivation takes its toll, and if a few cells die here and there due to constant external (or internal) stress, it begins to add up. The end result is premature aging. So if a simple system can be used that constantly provides the body with additional oxygen, these stress factors can be, to a certain extent, neutralized. With EWOT that

system is easily available. EWOT (pronounced ee-watt) stands for Exercise With Oxygen Therapy. This method of prolonging your life is so simple that it's hard to believe it could work, but it does.

Exercise With Oxygen Therapy (EWOT)

EWOT was invented by Manfred von Ardenne, physicist, researcher and inventor, state award winner of the USSR, national award winner of the GDR. He had about 600 national and international patents, first already with 16 years. Von Ardenne was one of the pioneers of the television developing the broadband amplifier and the electron ray tube in its modern form. At the Radio Exhibition of 1931 Ardenne presented the first worldwide television set. Professor von Ardennes was also the inventor of the raster electron microscope. Later in life he turned to the medicine, and developed two classic EWOT techniques (‘Oxygen Multi-step Therapy’ and ‘Systemic Cancer Multi-Step Therapy.’)

Manfred von Ardenne

1907-1997

Von Ardenne found that stress of any type can cause a decrease in the ability to absorb oxygen into the blood, which can result in decreased oxygen to the tissues. EWOT can help reverse this by increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood and plasma, and also in the tissues. This increased level of tissue oxygen has several beneficial effects. It has been used successfully for a multitude of conditions, including:

* Heart failure

* Cardiomegaly (enlarged heart)

* High blood pressure

* Cancer

* Wellness and anti-aging

* Emphysema

* Stress of all types

How and Why EWOTWorks

Exercising while breathing oxygen, dramatically increases the amount of oxygen in the blood plasma (the portion of the blood outside the red and white cells). The oxygen content of plasma fluid can be dramatically increased and oxygen pushed into the body's cells without the aid of the red cells. It's called the Law of Mass Action. If the concentration of a certain component in a

chemical mixture is high enough, chemical combining will take place with other elements of the mixture that ordinarily wouldn't happen.

After even 15 minutes of EWOT, there is a dramatic ‘pinking up’ of a patient's skin. This can be seen easily by simple observation, and illustrates that the tiny capillaries (vessels tinier than a strand of hair) are carrying extra oxygen to cells of the body. Presumably every organ is being bathed in these extra amounts of life-sustaining oxygen.

EWOT technique is very simple to employ. You should wear light, comfortable clothing with EWOT. Your doctor will first determine your level of physical fitness. If you are quite fit, you might begin by exercising on an upper body ergometer (UBE) which is like a bicycle for the arms, or on an elliptical exerciser for 15 minutes while breathing oxygen from an oxygen concentrator. If you are less conditioned, you may have to work up to using the UBE or elliptical exerciser, very often by beginning EWOT with vibration instead. Before and after treatment we will monitor your heart rate, oxygen concentration, and blood pressure.

For the prescribed period of time, you simply perfom your exercise, all the while breathing in 90-95% oxygen from an oxygen concentrator.

After EWOT, you’ll find yourself invigorated, renewed, and clear-headed. EWOT can be used therapeutically via multiple sessions over a short period of time for acute therapy, or employed periodically over a longer period of time to treat chronic stress, injury or illness.

FAMOUS PEOPLE ABOUT OXYGEN "Oxygen plays a pivotal role in the proper functioning of the immune system. We can look at oxygen deficiency as the single greatest cause of all diseases."

--Stephen Levine, a respected molecular biologist and geneticist, and Dr. Paris M. Kidd, Ph.D., Antioxidant Adaptation

"Deep breathing techniques which increase oxygen to the cell are the most important factors in living a disease free and energetic life. . . . Remember. Where cells get enough oxygen, cancer will not, cannot occur."

--Dr. Otto Warburg, President, Institute of Cell Physiology, Nobel Prize Winner

"According to scientists, extra oxygen along with a cleansing diet can return balance to the body."

--Elizabeth Baker, The Unmedical Miracle: Oxygen. Drelwood Communications, p.80.

"Breathing correctly is the key to better fitness, muscle strength, stamina, and athletic endurance."

--Dr. Michael Yessis, Phd., President Sports Training Institute, Fitness Writer - Muscle and Fitness Magazine

"Oxygenation through deep breathing boosts the immune system and can rid the body of chronic illnesses."

--Dr. Sheldon Hendler, MD, Medical Researcher Cell Oxygenation, Author "The Oxygen Breakthrough"

"When you breathe and take in oxygen, the fat molecules are combined with the additional oxygen atoms causing oxidation. The products are carbon dioxide and water."

--A. Carlson, et.al. The Machinery of the Body, University of Chicago Press, p. 361

FAMOUS PEOPLE ABOUT OXYGEN

"When the body is totally deprived of food, the metabolism slows and life can be sustained for several weeks. However, when the body is totally deprived of oxygen, metabolism comes to a halt immediately and life can only be sustained for a few minutes. Does it not make common sense that the way we breathe day-to-day has the most dramatic effect on our body's health and metabolism than any other single process?"

--Jill R. Johnson, Author "The Oxycise! System"

"All body functions are breathing related. Proper oxygen delivery to all parts of your body is crucial to health and well-being. Aerobic exercise increases the body’s available oxygen and therefore promotes wellness. Delivering oxygen to the body is the responsibility of the respiratory system. Breathing is the process by which air enters the bloodstream, via the lungs. Thus, proper breathing, and correcting common breathing disorders, is the ultimate form of aerobics."

--Dr. Robert Fried, Breath Connection, Insight Books, 1990, p. 52

"Oxygen tension in tissues enhances the action of some antibiotics — notably amino-glycosides — and the immune system, and stimulates cellular metabolism."

--Linda Collison, Hyperbarics: when pressuring patients helps, Health Index

"Deep diaphragmatic breathing stimulates the cleansing of the lymph system by creating a vacuum effect which pulls the lymph through the bloodstream. This increases the rate of toxic elimination by as much as 15 times the normal rate."

--Dr. J.W. Shields, MD, Lymph, lymph glands, and homeostasis. Lymphology, v25, n4, Dec. 1992, p. 147

Oxygen Therapy for Headache Pain

Safe and Natural Solution for Stubborn, Painful, Chronic Headaches

Michael Bennett, MB, BS, MD University of New South Wales Alexander Mauskop State University of New York in Brooklyn December 11, 2008 Special from Bottom Line's Daily Health News

F or the nearly one million Americans who suffer from cluster headaches, relief may be just a breath... of pure oxygen... away. Cluster headaches are acutely painful headaches that come in waves... with several short headaches a day over a period of weeks or months. It's not known what causes them nor what might cure them... but a recent review of research suggests that oxygen therapy, in particular what's known as "normobaric" (normal pressure) oxygen therapy (NBOT), can effectively relieve the pain. This is good news for sufferers of cluster headaches, as NBOT is an easy and natural alternative -- and, perhaps most importantly, it works really fast.

RESEARCH FINDINGS

The lead author of the meta-analysis, Michael Bennett, MD, associate professor of medicine at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, explored the effectiveness of two kinds of oxygen therapy for prevention and treatment of headaches -- NBOT, which involves breathing 100% oxygen from a portable oxygen tank with a mask... and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), which involves breathing oxygen at higher than normal atmospheric pressure in a sealed chamber. Dr. Bennett reviewed nine small clinical trials involving 201 participants, noting that 76% of patients experienced relief when treated with NBOT for their cluster headaches and not much from HBOT. He also found evidence, though nowhere near as strong or compelling, that HBOT relieves migraine headaches. While NBOT is "cheap and easy to apply" as a therapy for cluster headache patients, Dr. Bennett expressed caution about the use of HBOT for migraines, given its "high cost, poor availability and inconvenience," saying more research needs to be done. The study was published July 16, 2008, in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Alexander Mauskop, MD, a board-certified neurologist and director of the New York Headache Center, who uses oxygen therapy in his practice, explained why this treatment is helpful to people who suffer from these very particular headaches. (Note: Oxygen therapy is not currently recommended for relief from any other kind of headache and should never be attempted on your own.)

OXYGEN USE

According to Dr. Mauskop, up to 70% of cluster headache patients can attain relief within five to 10 minutes of breathing in 100% oxygen. For oxygen therapy to work, the oxygen must be inhaled through a mask at high flow (between 8 to 10 liters per minute). It is believed that oxygen helps by offsetting metabolic changes that cause pain and vasospasms due to oxygen depletion.

Effective as it is for cluster headaches, Dr. Mauskop notes that this therapy probably will not be helpful in alleviating any other kind of headache pain. Visit a neurologist for a headache evaluation if you think you may have cluster headaches and might benefit from NBOT. And by the way, it should be noted that NBOT is distinct from other oxygen therapies that are available in spas and at trendy oxygen bars. In those, the concentration of oxygen is likely to be much lower than 100% -- in fact, those "oxygen treatments" are typically just a few percent points more than the usual 21% we breathe in the air.

Michael Bennett, MB, BS, MD, is an associate professor in the faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. Dr. Bennett is an experienced clinician and researcher in both Anesthesia and Diving/Hyperbaric Medicine. Alexander Mauskop, MD, is the director and founder of the New York Headache Center. He is a board-certified neurologist and has published numerous articles in scientific journals. Dr. Mauskop is author of The Headache Alternative: A Neurologist's Guide to Drug-Free Relief (Dell) and What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Migraines (Warner). Copyright © 2008 by Boardroom Inc.

The Most Important Molecule You Have Never Heard Of.

If you have chronic problems you should review this....

1 Glutathione

From Wikipedia:

Glutathione (GSH) is a tripeptide. It contains an unusual peptide linkage between the amine group of cysteine and the carboxyl group of the glutamate side chain. Glutathione, an antioxidant, protects cells from toxins such as free radicals.[2]

Your body can’t live without Glutathione… The World's Most Powerful Antioxidant

Have you have been feeling more tired, run down, coming down with colds or the flu, have a lack of energy, increased aches and pains that weren't there a couple of years ago, or you’re unable to recuperate as quickly from exercise and physical activity as you once were?

How would you like to get your hands on a naturally occurring substance that acts as a powerful antioxidant, an immune system booster, and a detoxifier? A substance that can help your body repair damage caused by stress, pollution, radiation, infection, drugs, poor diet, aging, injury, trauma, and burns? It’s called Glutathione.

What is Glutathione? Also called GSH, Glutathione is the most powerful, prevalent antioxidant in your body. The most well known antioxidants are vitamins C and E. Glutathione is a tripeptide molecule composed of the amino acids glutamic acid, cysteine and glycine, which exists in almost every cell of our body. Our glutathione level actually indicates our state of health and can predict longevity. Scientific evidence has found that glutathione is needed by the body to enhance the immune system response. There are more than 60,000 published papers on the beneficial effects of glutathione replacement, unfortunately, it is still largely ignored by mainstream medicine. Normal glutathione levels are important for good health because they neutralize free radicals, which can build up in cells and cause damage.

The Bad News.... Your body's cellular supply of glutathione begins to decline 10% to 15% per decade beginning with the age of 20. If you are over age 20, you have a glutathione shortage! Lower levels of glutathione can result in chronic illness such as… lower energy or fatigue, a weakened immune system, cellular damage, accelerated aging, and higher cellular inflammation, which results in increased muscle and joint aches and pains. Free radicals constantly are attacking our cells, which is why antioxidants are so vital to protecting our health. Glutathione has been called the World's Most Powerful Antioxidant, and is found in every cell in the body, but, most people need some help.

The Good News!.... Research shows that increasing your Glutathione levels has the following benefits:

- Increase Your Energy - Slow Down the Aging Process

- Detoxify Your Body and Improve Liver Function - Reduce the Risk of Cancer

- Strengthen Your Immune System - Improve Mental Function and Clarity

- Fight Inflammation of Organs and Muscles - Improve Heart and Lung Function 

Uncontrolled inflammation is a root cause of most major health issues ranging from heart conditions to joint and muscular conditions. Abundant glutathione levels will off-set the effects of this inflammation at the cellular level. Because glutathione is in every cell, it can regulate inflammation through out the body.

Adding antioxidants to your diet is a tremendous help, but it is Glutathione.... the world's most powerful natural antioxidant - that is Most Important for Protecting Healthy Cells.

==> So what exactly is glutathione?

Glutathione is a very simple molecule that is produced naturally all the time in your body.

It is a combination of three simple building blocks of protein or amino acids -- cysteine, glycine, and glutamine.

The secret of its power is the sulfur (SH) chemical groups it contains. Sulfur is a sticky, smelly molecule. It acts like fly paper and all the bad things in the body stick onto it, including free radicals and toxins like mercury and other heavy metals.

Normally glutathione is recycled in the body -- except when the toxic load becomes too great. And that explains why we are in such trouble.

In my practice, I test the genes involved in glutathione metabolism. These are the genes involved in producing enzymes that allow the body to create and recycle glutathione in the body.

These genes have many names, such as GSTM1, GSTP1, and more.

So why are these genes impaired in some people?

Well, humans evolved in a time before the 80,000 toxic industrial chemicals of today were introduced into our world, before electromagnetic radiation was everywhere, and before we polluted our skies, lakes, rivers, oceans, and teeth with mercury and lead.

That is why most people survived with just the basic version of the genetic detoxification software encoded in our DNA, which is mediocre at ridding the body of toxins.

We just didn't need more.

Who knew we would be poisoning ourselves and eating a processed, nutrient-depleted diet?

Because of this, almost of half of the population now has a limited capacity to get rid of toxins -- they are missing GSTM1 function.

Nearly all my very sick patients (including me, which is why I became mercury poisoned and suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome) are missing this function. This is the one-third of our population that suffers from chronic disease.

==> So why is glutathione so important?

Glutathione recycles antioxidants.

You see, dealing with free radicals is like handing off a hot potato. They get passed around from vitamin C to vitamin E to lipoic acid and then finally to glutathione which cools off the free radicals and recycles the other antioxidants.

Then the body can "reduce" or regenerate another protective glutathione molecule. And we are back in business.

The problem occurs when we are overwhelmed with too much oxidative stress or too many toxins.

Then the glutathione becomes depleted, leading us toward illness.

We can no longer protect ourselves against free radicals, infections, or cancer and we can't get rid of toxins, leading to further sickness.

But that's not all.

Glutathione is also critical in helping your immune system do its job of fighting infections and preventing cancer. That's why studies show that it can help in the treatment of AIDS.

Glutathione is also the most critical and integral part of your detoxification system. All the toxins stick onto glutathione, which then carries them into the bile and the stool -- and out of your body.

And lastly, it also helps us reach peak mental and physical function. Research has shown that raised glutathione levels decrease muscle damage, reduce recovery time, increase strength and endurance, and shift metabolism from fat production to muscle development.

If you are sick or old or are just not in peak shape, you likely have glutathione deficiency.

In fact, the top British medical journal, "The Lancet," found the highest glutathione levels in healthy young people, lower levels in healthy elderly, lower still in sick elderly, and the lowest of all in the hospitalized elderly. (i)

Keeping yourself healthy, boosting your performance, preventing disease and aging well depends on keeping your glutathione levels high.

I'll say it again.

Glutathione is so important because it is responsible for keeping so many of the keys to UltraWellness optimized.

It is critical for immune function and controlling inflammation. It is the master detoxifier and the body's main antioxidant, protecting our cells and making our energy metabolism run well.

Now, the good news.

==> You can do many things to increase this natural and critical molecule in your body.

You can eat glutathione-boosting foods.

16

You can exercise.

You can take glutathione-boosting supplements.

FOODS

* Sulfur-rich foods. The main ones in the diet are garlic, onions, and the cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, collards, cabbage, cauliflower, watercress, etc.).

* Bioactive whey protein. This is great source of cysteine and the amino acid building blocks for glutathione synthesis. As you know I am not a big fan of dairy. But this is an exception -- with a few warnings. The whey protein MUST be bioactive and made from non-denatured proteins (denatured means the breakdown of the normal protein structure). Choose non-pasteurized and industrially produced milk that contains no pesticides, hormones, or antibiotics. Immunocal is a prescription bioactive non-denatured whey protein that is even listed in the Physician's Desk Reference.

EXERCISE

* Exercise boosts your glutathione levels and thereby helps boost your immune system, improve detoxification, and enhance your body's own antioxidant defenses. Start slow and build up to 30 minutes a day of vigorous aerobic exercise like walking or jogging, or play various sports. Strength training for 20 minutes 3 times a week is also helpful.

SUPPLEMENTS

It would be easy just to take glutathione as a pill. But the body digests protein -- and you don't get the benefits. The production and recycling of glutathione in the body also requires many different nutrients.

Here are the main supplements that need to be taken consistently to boost glutathione.

(In fact, besides taking a multivitamin and fish oil, supporting my glutathione levels is the most important thing I do every day for my health.)

* N-acetyl-cysteine. This has been used for years to help treat asthma and lung disease and to treat people with life-threatening liver failure from Tylenol overdose. In fact, I first learned about it in medical school and while working in the emergency room. It is even given now to prevent kidney damage from dyes used during x-ray studies.

* Alpha lipoic acid. This is a close second to glutathione in importance in our cells and is involved in energy production, blood sugar control, brain health, and detoxification. The body usually makes it, but given all the stresses we are under, we often become depleted.

* Methylation nutrients (folate, vitamins B6 and B12). These are perhaps the most critical to keep the body producing glutathione. Methylation and the production and recycling of  

glutathione are the two most important biochemical functions in your body (see my blogs on methylation for more details). Take folate (especially in the active form of 5 methyltetrahydrofolate), B6 (in active form of P5P), and B12 (in the active form of methylcobalamin).

* Selenium. This important mineral helps the body recycle and produce more glutathione.

* A family of antioxidants including vitamins C and E (in the formed of mixed tocopherols), work together to recycle glutathione.

* Milk thistle (silymarin) has long been used in liver disease and helps boost glutathione levels.

So follow this plan, and see how it works for you.

To your good health,

Mark Hyman, M.D.

(1) Nuttall S, Martin U, Sinclair A, Kendall M. 1998. Glutathione: in sickness and in health.? The Lancet 351(9103):645-646


The Los Angeles Times
April 3, 2005

Study Links Free Radicals to the Spectrum of Autism
A metabolic flaw may account partly for the range in severity shown in
children with the developmental disorder, scientists report.

By Robert Lee Hotz
Times Staff Writer


Many autistic children share a chronic flaw in the body's natural
defenses against oxygen free radicals - corrosive molecules in the body
that can severely damage developing brain cells, scientists said
Saturday in San Diego.

The molecular havoc caused by free radicals - natural byproducts of
metabolism - is believed to be a major factor in the cell damage that
underlies aging.

Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little
Rock found that a single breakdown in the body's metabolism might
underlie many of the puzzling symptoms of autism, a complex
developmental disability with a spectrum of behaviors.

"This is a very promising thing to look at because it gets at the actual
metabolic processes in the brain," said UCLA neurologist George
Bartzokis, who did not participate in the research. "The brain is
especially vulnerable to damage from free radicals."


Those with autism typically have difficulty communicating and
interacting with other people. It strikes some in infancy. Other
children may develop normally for several years before falling into a
private world where normal social interaction and behavior becomes
impossible.

The new findings also may help shed light on the condition's range in
severity because maturing neurons and synapses are especially vulnerable
to this biomolecular bombardment. Autism could therefore cause different
symptoms and degrees of severity in children depending on when the
disorder is triggered.

Normally, the body shields itself from such damage with a chemical
produced by every cell called glutathione, which neutralizes oxygen free
radicals. It binds to them, altering their electron balance and sees
them safely expelled from the body.

By analyzing blood samples from 95 autistic children and 75 healthy
ones, researchers led by biochemist S. Jill James at the University of
Arkansas determined that levels of this protective antioxidant were
abnormally low in many autistic children.

They presented their work at the Experimental Biology 2005 conference in
San Diego.

The finding is suggestive, several experts said, because glutathione
also is crucial for neutralizing toxic heavy metals such as mercury,
which is found in food, the air and, at one time, a vaccine preservative
called thimerosal.

"When glutathione is less available, then it is easier for things to get
out of balance and the free radicals can cause more damage," James said.
"One interpretation of this finding is that children with autism would
be less able to detoxify and eliminate these heavy metals."

The researchers cautioned that they do not know whether this metabolic
flaw precedes the disorder or is one of its symptoms. Indeed, no one
knows what causes autism, which has increased in prevalence 10-fold
during the last 15 years. So far, there is no medical test that can
identify it reliably.

Most experts agree that autism most probably involves the interaction of
many genes that together predispose a child to the condition, combined
with some outside factor that triggers the disorder. No one has
identified any genes for autism, nor is there any consensus on what
environmental factor is involved.

"We have added now the fact that there may also be a metabolic component
that reflects both the underlying genetics and the environment," James said.

 

 

INFORMATION ON BALANCE PROBLEMS, FEAR OF FALLING, LIGHTHEADEDNESS, WALL AND FURNITURE WALKING, DISEQUILIBRIIM, AND DIZZINESS

Keep reading this special report to find out about the natural methods to ending your misery that even your own doctor may not know about! Inside this report you'll discover:

-- Why going to your doctor IS a good idea to rule out a pathological cause of BALANCE DISORDERS (caused by a tumor or stroke) BUT when your BALANCE DISORDER is NOT caused by a pathology and you are NOT responding to medications or exercises……IT IS TIME TO LOOK ELSEWHERE!

-- Why 90% of inner ear surgeries are unnecessary and unsuccessful!

-- What you don't know about using medications CAN hurt you! (watch for side effects!)

-- The most successful treatment of chronic balance disorders doesn't involve any drugs or surgery!

-- What to do right now if you suffer from ANY type of balance disorder! And much more!

WARNING: Chronic, long, lasting balance disorders, lightheadedness, disequilibrium and dizziness/vertigo (a.k.a. BPPV) is an oft-mistreated and potentially disabling disorder that affects the lives of millions of Americans each year. That's the bad news. The GOOD NEWS is that you may not have to continue suffering! Keep reading this report to find out the well-hidden truth you won't find anywhere else!

Balance disorders can be defined as a fear of falling, dizziness/vertigo, disequilibrium, wall or furniture walking, lightheadedness, room or head spinning, or stumbling.

What we're going to reveal inside this report may show you how to finally rid yourself of balance disorders without drugs or surgery! Be sure to read everything – it may be the most important thing you've read in a long time!

Before we get started, do you ever find yourself asking any or all of these questions:

Why do I have a balance disorder?

Why doesn't it simply go away?

Why can't I just be like normal people?

How bad can this balance disorder get?

Will I eventually be confined to a wheelchair or my bed?

Will I ever be able to live the life I used to?

A balance disorder that's always there when you stand up, sit down, lie down, or bend over. A balance disorder that's always rearing its head, no matter how hard you try to ignore it.

It's natural for people to try to tough it out and get on with their lives. 'If I ignore it long enough, it will go away..." Unfortunately, this isn't the case. Ignoring your balance disorder will only make it worse over time. What was only a mild balance disorder a month ago may become a chronic, crippling balance disorder years down the road.

See, the bad thing about any balance disorder is that it sneaks up on you. The real cause of the balance disorder that you're feeling right now may have happened years ago. It may have been such a small injury you may not have noticed it. Or maybe you felt a slight light-headedness, but it went away after a day or week so you didn't think anything of it.

And slowly, over the years, as you continued to do your normal activities, that problem has secretly gotten worse and worse without you being aware of it. After a time, the straws slowly built up until one day they broke the camel's back. Maybe what finally put you over the edge was that heavy chair you tried to lift, or that time you bent over too quick, or any one of a hundred things.

Whatever it was,

The Fact Is You Are Suffering From A Balance Disorder And You Don't Have To Suffer Anymore!

So what do you do? What choices do you have?  We know you may have already tried getting some relief from over-the-counter drugs, or you may have met with your private doctor and he prescribed meclizine.

Let me share with you the story of a woman named Emily.

Emily is a thirty-year-old mother of two who works as a project manager with a local corporation. For the past few years, Emily has suffered from a mild lightheadedness that would flare up from time to time. Since it had always gone away after a day or so, she knew that if she toughed it out, she would be okay.

One day, in a rush to get the kids to daycare before work, Emily tried to pick up her 4-year old the same way she's always done it. But this time was different. She felt like the world was spinning – something she had never felt before.

Emily felt dizzy all day. She tossed and turned all night, but no matter how she laid down, the dizzy feeling would not go away. Finally, at 2 AM, she sent her husband to the store to find a medication that would help her sleep.

Right away she felt better, but she'd have to take another couple pills every few hours because the dizziness would come right back as soon as the pills wore off. After a couple weeks, she was taking more pills more often just to keep the dizzy feeling away so she could get on with her life.

After two months of taking the drugs, Emily realized that she was no better off and that she just didn't feel like the same pleasant person she'd always been. Out of desperation, Emily went to the family doctor she had been seeing since she was ten. He had to know how to get rid of her dizziness once and for all!

After a brief conversation in the exam room, Dr. Olson told Emily she had an inner ear problem. He gave her a pat on the head and a prescription for meclizine. "Take a couple days off,” he said. "Relax, stay in bed. You'll be back to yourself in no time. If it gets worse, come back in and we 'II try something else."

Emily stayed in bed for two days, taking more and more pills just as her doctor instructed. But things didn't get better. In fact, they only got worse.

Most doctors will treat YOUR balance disorder with medications or exercises, and if those treatments don’t work, they will probably tell you to…“LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT!”

What Emily didn't know was that her doctor was never trained to detect or diagnose the real cause of her vertigo. In fact, most doctors have no idea how to treat someone with balance disorders. It's just not their specialty. And since they have no background in this area, they make improper diagnoses and deliver improper treatments that just don't work.

You see, your medical doctor may have diagnosed your condition as an “inner ear problem,” which it could be. However, a large cause of dizziness is due to a decreased firing of the cerebellum and not simply “an inner ear problem.” The cerebellum is the back part of the brain which controls your balance and movement. When there are decreased impulses in the cerebellum, you will experience a balance disorder. Please understand that the inner ear AND the cerebellum are CONNECTED by the vestibular branch of the 8th cranial nerve and…

Unless The REAL Cause Of Your Balance Disorder (i.e. the Cerebellum) Is Treated, You'll Never Get Better!

Emily didn't know about any of this, just like you may not have. But because you now have this knowledge in your hands, you won't have to suffer like Emily did.

Soon enough, Emily was back in Dr. Olson's office feeling worse than ever. She and her husband seemed to be fighting all the time, and her relationships with her kids were no better. Her four-year-old now referred to her as “mean mommy.” If Dr. Olson couldn't help her, she didn't know what she would do.

Dr. Olson told her that physical therapy would be the answer. He told her he knew a great therapist, and before she knew it, her life would be back to normal.

Don't get me wrong. Sometimes physical therapy can help tremendously. Head exercises or Epley’s maneuver does work, and I even use it in my office with certain balance disorder patients. In some instances, I've even sent some of my own patients to a physical therapist when I thought it was necessary. Unfortunately, when it comes to most cases of balance disorders, medications or exercises simply don’t work!

In Mathematical Terms:

Wrong Diagnosis + Wrong Treatment = YOU WITH A BALNCE DISORDER!

You see, the reason behind this goes all the way back to your doctor's ability to diagnose the true cause of your balance disorder. If your doctor cannot clearly identify what's causing your balance disorder, then the instructions he gives to the physical therapist don't stand a chance of working. It's like trying to bake a cake with the recipe for chocolate chip cookies.

Most medical treatments for balance disorders only focus on removing symptoms. For instance, medications may make you feel better for a short time, but the balance disorder will still be there when they wear off. Also, you are left open to potentially dangerous side effects. Other treatments, such as head or eye exercises, are ineffective because they stem from a misdiagnosis. That is to say, your doctor could be treating the wrong side of you r body.

After two months, Emily returned to her doctor in tears. Her life was a wreck. She was a mere shadow of the woman she once was. She could no longer sit straight in her chair without feeling dizzy. Sometimes the dizziness made her feel sick to her stomach.

Dr. Olson sat down beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Emily, I've done all I can. I'm going to refer you to Dr. Smith. He's a surgeon who's worked with cases like yours before. He's had some success stories you may find interesting, although I can't promise that he'll be able to cure you. You may just have to learn to live with some dizziness for the rest of your life…”

Believe it or not, these words are spoken all around the country every day. Maybe they've even been spoken to you. To have a surgeon cut you open is a pretty drastic decision. You know you don't want this option. There are too many questions: What if they're wrong? What if my problem doesn't go away? What if it gets worse?

These things happen all the time. In fact,

Inner Ear Surgery Is Often The Most Ineffective

Form Of Treatment for Balance Disorders!

And to top it all off, each time you go under the knife, you need to face the small but potential risk of going under anesthesia and getting an infection!

Listen! You may not have to live with this! You DO have other options! You may not have to be on sleep-inducing drugs to keep the balance disorder under control! You may not have to get used to feeling like you are a drunken sailor. You should not have to alter your lifestyle because of your disorder!

There is a better option! And luckily for Emily and YOU, it's about to be revealed. You're about to...

Discover One of The Safest, Quickest, And Most Successful Treatments Of Balance Disorders To Date...

This is the most advanced, scientifically correct treatment there is. You see, this method doesn't just sweep balance disorders under the rug, it treats the REAL cause of your condition. Because the source of your balance disorder is being taken away, you'll quickly be out of the woods, possibly permanently! Like any truly advanced form of healing, this method works with your body's own natural healing powers (that's right, with some help your body can take care of itself!) to put you back to where you were before you were ever dizzy!

Isn't that how healthcare should be delivered in the first place? Don't you agree?

BALANCE DISORDERS!

Two days before her surgery was scheduled, Emily bumped into an old friend from high school while shopping for groceries. It wasn't long before she was crying on her friend's shoulder explaining everything that she'd been through with her dizziness, her kids, her job, and her husband.

Concerned, her friend Jessica explained that I had treated her husband a year before, and soon enough he was as good as new. I sat down with Emily and listened to her story. I explained a little about the same method I'm telling you about. Immediately her eyes lit up and she was eager for me to do an on-the-spot exam to find out what was really wrong with her. After a quick and painless Electro-nystagraphy Test, I spotted a couple problems with her eye movements, and from there we designed a Recommended Action Plan to get her out of pain quickly and safely without drugs or surgery.

I'm happy to tell you that now Emily has her life back. She's been free of vertigo for six months now and she reports that she's feeling fantastic!

We're not going to make you feel like there's something weird or wrong with you. You're not going to have to feel like you have to be guarded or cautious when you explain your ailments to us. We WANT you to unload your feelings, concerns, and fears so we can help you get better! WE UNDERSTAND.

We will never claim to be something we're not. But if you want to get the right diagnosis, the correct evaluation, and the proper treatment for your balance disorder, then we are the experts to help you!

In this day and age of specialization, you need to always work with the right professionals who specialize in the area you need help in. Being "familiar" or "knowledgeable" about vertigo isn't even close to being enough.

You need to get advice and help from people who have devoted their lives to eliminating balance disorders once and for all!

 Epley's Maneuver Demonstrated.  This maneuver does not work for Cerebellar problems.  This is for demonstration purposes only.  Treatments should only occur when the correct diagnosis is determined. 


Occular Light Therapy

Eyelight therapy has been shown to target the weaker functioning hemisphere of the brain via the non-dominant eye.  Research has shown that light projections into the eye can have a profound effect on the hormonal system, emotions, stress levels, sleep, brain function and the patient's biochemistry.  One study showed a remarkable change in the concentration of neurotransmitters in the cerebro-spinal fluid.  I utilize eyelights to treat learning disorders in children and different neurological conditions.

Ocular light therapy is a method of therapeutically sending light through the eyes in order to stimulate brain function. Light through the eyes enables us to open up neurological pathways into specific brain structures, significantly affecting the brain and every cell of the body. Although we live on air, water, and food as nourishment, we are energy and light, and we are affected and nourished by light. Light is the second most important environmental input, after food, in controlling bodily functions. Studies have shown that application of light can affect the entire blood stream through circulation and elimination of toxins.

Research suggests that our nervous system, like our vascular system, may have two functions. It not only puts out and receives nerve impulses, but also may be a channel for the streaming of energy. Light ignites cellular metabolism. It enters the eye and goes to the body's power distribution center, the hypothalamus, where it is converted into electro-chemical impulses that are sent to important endocrine glands such as the pituitary and the pineal. These glands, in turn, distribute the hormonal messages via the body's nervous system to virtually every cell in the body.[1]

Interactive Metronome (IM)

A Revolution in Neurological and Motor Rehabilitation

What is the IM?

The interactive metronome (IM) is a computerized brain-based rehabilitation assessment and training program developed to directly improve the processing abilities that effect attention, motor planning, and sequencing. This in turn strengthens motor skills, including mobility and gross motor function, and many fundamental cognitive capacities such as planning, organizing, and language. The IM literally re-programs your brain.

How Does the IM Work?

The IM program provides a structured, goal-oriented training process that challenges the patient to precisely match a computer generated beat. Participants are instructed to synchronize various hand and foot exercises to a reference tone heard through head phones. The patient attempts to match the rhythmic beat with repetitive motor actions such as tapping his/her toes on a floor sensor mat or hand clapping while wearing an IM glove with palm trigger. A patented audio or audio and visual guidance system provides immediate feedback. The difference between the patient’s performance and the computer generated beat is measured in milliseconds. The score provided indicates timing accuracy.

Benefits

More than a decade of clinical research and case studies on IM demonstrates that gains in motor planning, rhythm city, timing and sequencing lead to improvements in…

Attention and concentration

Language Processing

Behavior ( Aggression & Impulsivity )

Fine/ Gross Motor Skills

Balance & Gait

Strength & Endurance

Coordination

Motor skills for independent living

Independence with Prosthetic limbs

Who can Benefit?

Individuals with motor planning and sequencing problems, speech and language delays, motor and sensory disorders, learning disabilities, and various cognitive and physical deficits may benefit from the IM program. Adult and pediatric patients who have benefited from IM include those with:

#1: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

#2: Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA or Stroke)

#3: Balance Disorders

#4: Parkinson’s Disease

#5: Multiple Sclerosis

#6: Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury

#7: Decline in Function

#8: Developmental Disorders

#9: Chronic pain syndromes

#10: Epilepsy

#11: Limb Amputation

Why Use the IM?

We are applying IM in conjunction with traditional multidisciplinary treatment to inpatient and outpatient adults and children. IM training has expedited our clients’ transition from intensive inpatient therapy to a less intensive outpatient program. We have seen significant improvements in gait and coordination as well as attention and mental processing.”

Cheryl Miller-Scott, OTR/L, National Director of clinical services, HealthSouth Hospitals

“ I was particularly interested in IM because, like some of the other intensive modalities with which I work, IM can help to drive changes in the brain. The result is that children can make excellent progress in short periods of time.”

Aditi Silverstein, M.A., CCC-SLP, President of Center for Rehabilitation and Development, Inc., Roanoke,VA

I have found Interactive Metronome to be a useful modality to improve bilateral integration skills and to increase single limb stance time. The patients displayed increased tolerance to engage in tasks which were longer in duration and more complex.”

Tracy Cueli-Dutil, DPT, Miami Children’s Hospital/ Dan Marino Center, Miami, FL

Clinical Results

Spinal Cord Injury

A 32-year-old male with paraparesis underwent IM rehabilitation training after demonstrating significant impairments with hip and ankle equilibrium reactions. Prior to IM, his heels were not able to touch the floor during ambulation and he could only tolerate the treadmill for 2 minutes at 0.5 mph. A total of 19 IM training sessions were conducted. After training, he was able to sit, then stand independently, walk on a treadmill for over 30 minutes at 1.2 mph, and ambulate 130 feet with only minimal contact guard assistance.

Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA)

A 46 year-old mortgage manager sustained a Cerebral Vascular Accident and presented with a vestibular disorder. He suffered from severe dizziness with head and eye movement, mild problem solving difficulties, pronounced ataxic gait, poor coordination, jumping difficulties, and loss balance. After 11 sessions with the Interactive Metronome, the man performed all advanced balance skills with improved coordination. He could jump and perform jumping jacks without loss of balance, and dizziness decreased to 20% of the time. He was independent with executive level problem solving skills.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

D.S. suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a motor vehicle accident when he was 19 years old. Before IM, D.S. displayed very jerky motions, an unstable waddle-like gait, and a severe speech stutter. In the years following his injury, he had been able to regain primary gross motor and speech functions. D.S. was 38 years old when he underwent IM training. By the time D.S. had completed his 6th IM therapy session, he had significantly improved precise gross motor control of his arms. Upon completing IM training, D.S. demonstrated symmetrical gait and improved speech.

About Interactive Metronome, Inc

Interactive metronome was developed in the early 1990s and immediately proved of great benefit to children diagnosed with learning and developmental disorders. Backed by years of clinical research and supported by prominent medical leaders in the industry, IM soon gained national attention as a breakthrough intervention to help those patients increase attention & concentration, motor control & coordination, language processing and control of impulsivity.

In recent years, innovative therapists have discovered the positive effects that IM can have on patients with acquired neurological and motor deficits. Rehabilitation hospitals and clinics now use IM in much the same way as their learning and developmental colleagues, to care for patients diagnosed with Stroke, Brain injury, Balance Disorders, Chronic pain syndromes, and Parkinson’s.

Interactive Metronome’s application is so broad because it measures and improves motor planning and sequencing, a critical part of the central nervous system. IM’s Rehabilitation Technologies Division (RTD) was formed to enhance traditional approaches to rehabilitation.

Today, there are more than 2,500 certified IM providers in over 1,700 clinics, hospitals and universities throughout the United States and Canada. Each day our community of providers continues to grow. IM has received an abundance of media recognition including the CBS Early Show, CNN News and World Report, as well as various segments that have aired on hundreds of TV affiliates, radio stations and national publications.

WWW.INTERACTIVEMETRONOME.COM

The Cerebellum and Central Dysdiadokokinesia

By Edgar Romero, DC, DACNB

One of the more interesting things I have learned during my practice and application of chiropractic neurology is the neurophysiological basis for spinal stability. The intrinsic spinal muscles, unlike other muscles associated with the striated voluntary muscle groups, are involuntary in nature.

Proper treatment to promote spinal stability, therefore, must be cerebellar in nature for the patient who happens to be in chronic, unremitting pain secondary to instability.

The cerebellum; where do I start? The cerebellum may very well be one of the most misunderstood areas of a very misunderstood brain. It is at once one of the oldest areas of the brain (fish have a vestibulo-cerebellar cortex that allows them to swim in a balanced manner), and one of the more complex and "new" areas of the human brain. Some researchers feel, in fact, that it is the development of the cerebellum that is responsible for the growth spurt of the rest of the brain; in essence, that it was the cerebellum which made us human.

The cerebellum is made up of a whole host of different neuronal cells: purkinje cells, granular cells, molecular cells, etc. It also has many major nerve centers within it that control a good many functions, such as balance and motor control. It is a very neuron-dense area, such that it is estimated there are more synaptic connections in the cerebellum than there are stars in the universe! Just like any electrical output generator, it can be understood that the cerebellum can be a great generator of "electricity," and electricity is what makes all our engines run.

Because of its concentrated neuronal density, however, the cerebellum is also very blood-dependent, meaning that any loss of oxygenation will affect the cerebellum profoundly, and any toxins taken into the bloodstream will have a high probability of producing a cerebellar consequence. The reasons for these changes into the cerebellum can be numerous.

One way to make sense of its sensitivity is this: When one has had a few too many drinks at the bar and is dumb enough to drive (a dumbed-down cerebellum means a dumbed-down frontal cortex, which will most likely lead to dumb decisions), the state trooper will put you through a series of sobriety tests. These tests are actually called cerebellar tests. Finger to nose, walking in a straight line, standing on one leg; these are all things controlled by the cerebellum. When alcohol has shut down the cerebellum, one cannot perform these functions properly. Take it a step further, and you may very well see those same symptoms in someone with vertigo, muscle weakness or a visual disorder. And thus, of course, it would make sense that the cerebellum is involved in each of these (and more).

A correlate to this thought process, then, is that stress, sickness and toxins in the body can all have central manifestations, such that we may present with cerebellar dysfunction and thus, increased likelihood of low back pain.

The cerebellum has two lobes, with the left cerebellum stimulating the right cortex and the right cerebellum stimulating the left cortex. The cerebellum has nuclei within it that control a number of functions related to balance, motor function and visual controls. Hence, a dysfunctional cerebellum is linked to many chronic pain syndromes and disorders such as vertigo, Parkinson's disease/dystonia (reflexogenic muscle contractions), and major muscle weaknesses. Most recently, the cerebellum has been linked to sensory functions, such that we now realize it is the cerebellum that senses where we are in our environment on a constant basis and guides our control of movements through feedback mechanisms.

Regardless, the nuclei in the cerebellum fire into the area acoustica in the pons. As the name might imply, this is also the area that receives direct stimulation from the ear pathways that are so integrally involved in our balance state. The vestibular nuclei fire into the ascending and descending medial longitudinal fasciculus; the ascending portion fires into the motor eye centers, which is why our eyes are so integral to balance, and the descending portion fires into the ventral spinal cord, where we see a reflexogenic spinal muscle response to whatever movements we have made. In essence, the cerebellum senses movement through vestibular and muscle-related reflexogenic afferents, and then sends an efferent response to our eyes and muscles to make sure we maintain balance and do not fall over. This is a much-oversimplified explanation for the moment, but it is all we really need to get where we want to go with this discussion.

Dysdiadokokinesia, is the ratchety movement associated with a misfiring motor system, specifically a misfiring cerebellum. The traditional board question involved running the heel of the foot from the knee to the shin, and we needed to observe a breakdown in movement that would signify some central cerebellar disorder. This is, in fact, a valuable test that I often use to differentiate areas of cerebellar involvement.

Central dysdiadokokinesia occurs when we see this same breakdown in movement in the intrinsic spinal muscles. Think of it: The same motor systems that show instability with a misfiring cerebellum will likely produce spinal dysfunction. This being the case, you can see how spinal treatment for low back pain that does not enhance spinal stabilizing mechanisms is more likely to fail.

If the patient lacks spinal stability as evidenced by this positive finding, the likelihood of their holding an adjustment is significantly decreased due to the simple fact that they have no reflexogenic muscle control. This patient may very well re-subluxate by just walking around the office. These patients often become (or are) chronic, and they tend to feel relief for a day or two after a good adjustment, and then are right back where they were again.

The ability to increase spinal stability and help these patients hold their adjustment must be a "central-based" treatment, or a cerebellar specific approach to their care. The interesting thing here is that the cerebellum receives many, many afferents from the spinal joints. Thus, a good adjustment will increase the frequency of firing of the cerebellar integrative state and increase the likelihood that the patient will do well.

Remember, the eyes and ears are also involved in this area for stability of spinal muscles. What I do many times in the office is integrate eye movement with the preferential side of needed adjustment, assuming that the patient's neurological state can support the treatment. For example, if their left cerebellum is weak, I may have them look to the right at the same time as I adjust their left cervical spine in a coupled movement, thus increasing the integration of the descending medial longitudinal fasciculus and increasing the likelihood that the adjustment will have greater motor stabilizing effects. I may have them listen to music or a metronome at the time of the adjustment to maximize central effects. I then immediately re-check for the signs related to the instability.

If there is an immediate stability change seen, then I know we are on the right track and it becomes an individual approach as to how long it will take to bring the patient to full stability and function. Some will respond in one adjustment, and some chronic patients may take up to six weeks to allow for muscle firing and strengthening to occur.


Dr. Edgar Romero practices in Miami. He is a diplomate of the American Chiropractic Neurology Board.

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Dr. Atencio is Certified Full Body in addition to Long Tract Nerve Entrapment.  He has 12 years experience with Active Release Technique

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