More Drug Risks Exposed

(AP) Research from the current issue of the New England Journal of Medicine indicated that the diabetes drug Avandia is linked to a significantly higher risk of heart attack and possibly death. The maker of Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, states that the drug is safe and that other studies did not confirm a higher heart-attack risk. Most experts say the actual risk to any single patient does appear to be small but that more studies are needed. The notion of a greater heart attack risk is especially troubling, however, because two-thirds of diabetics die of heart related issues.
More than 6 million people worldwide have taken Avandia for Type II diabetes since it came on the market in 1999. Nearly one million diabetics take Avandia in the US where sales topped $2.2 billion last year.
However, the Food and Drug Administration knew nearly five years ago about the dangers associated with Avandia, an internal FDA memo shows. The 2002 memo showed that FDA scientists recommended that labels for Avandia and Actos, another widely prescribed diabetes drug, be amended to include an increased risk of heart failure among patients taking the drugs, yet nothing was done.

Dr. Zach's Comments:

• First Vioxx, then Celebrex; now Avandia and Actos. What's the next drug to be exposed for the health risk that it is? This proves two very important things folks: 1) Drugs fix nothing. They simply cover up the symptoms created by a very, very sick body. PLEASE, PLEASE REALIZE THAT SYMPTOMS ARE AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR BODY'S REGULATORY SYSTEM!! Symptoms tell us that something abnormal is happening, but also understand that the symptom itself is created by your body to restore normal.


• Examples: Fever is an abnormal body temperature created by your body to kill bacteria (who can only survive at a very specific temperature). Diarrhea is a normal body process designed to eliminate toxins and pathogens in the GI tract. If we prevent these normal processes from happening we actually prolong the manifestation of the disease organisms in our bodies. How about high blood pressure? Again, a normal response by the body. We should stop and ask why would my body create an increased blood pressure in the first place? Our blood has a pressure in order for our body to circulate oxygen and nutrients throughout the system. If the pressure is high, it tells us the body is having trouble pushing the blood through the system. Do we really want simply pop a pill to make our systolic and diastolic "numbers" look normal or would it be a better idea to investigate why the body is struggling to circulate nutrients.


• Why is our body increasing it's blood pressure? Why is our body creating too much cholesterol? Why is our body producing too little progesterone or too much estrogen? Why would our body let our blood sugar get too high? These thing don't "just happen". There is a very specific reason for these changes in body physiology and covering up the symptoms with a man made potion will only push the body further away from health. Case and point, an increased risk of heart failure with Avandia, Vioxx, and Celebrex.


• Start asking the right questions, and you'll start finding the right answers!

There is No Hierarchy in Wellness

Wellness Chiropractic Commentary


Dear Friends,

Today in America, a shift is happening, a paradigm shift, and with that paradigm shift division within our families, our community, and our society. No, I’m not talking about politics, or religion. The paradigm shift is happening in the arena of personal health and wellness. Millions of Americans are moving toward natural solutions to health and wellness and away from mainstream products, activities, and institutions. What are these Americans doing? They’re buying local and organic foods; they’re eliminating toxic chemicals from their houses, their food, and their lawns; they’re realizing the importance of physical activity and the deleterious effects of a sedentary lifestyle; they are realizing purpose in their lives and are seeking pathways of fulfillment; and finally more Americans than ever before are seeking complimentary and alternative methods of healthcare such as chiropractic care.

Why is this shift happening? The reason is obvious. Our current system is failing. Every year our healthcare costs are increasing, but our health is not increasing. In 2007 the average American can expect to spend over $7000 in healthcare costs. Yet, the United States ranks 37th in overall health care, along side remarkably less developed countries like Costa Rica (36) and Cuba (39). Our broken system also reveals itself in other health markers such as infant mortality rates and life expectancy rates. Where do we rank there; 36th and 28th respectively. In fact 4 of the top 5 causes of death for men in the US are heart disease, cancer, stroke, and COPD and each of them is a direct effect of the choices we make in life about our health (accidents is the only one not directly related to our lifestyle choices). The women’s list reads the same, except remove accidents and insert Alzheimer’s (also lifestyle related).

The concept of these diseases being avoidable consequences of the choices you make in life may be new to you. Let me help you understand it. You body is a miraculous creation, and it’s ability to adapt, heal, and grow is quite amazing if you consider what we put it through each day. Within it’s design, the human body can and will work perfectly if we give it the simple requirements it desires (adequate fuel and water, sufficient nutrients, a balance of activity and rest, and mental/ emotional/ spiritual peace) and avoid the things that make it malfunction (toxic foods and environment, a sedentary lifestyle, mental/emotional stress, and breakdowns in the body’s communication pathways). When your body gets those items it requires, it works perfectly; like a well rehearsed orchestra. When you expose your body to those negative items, it begins to break down (visualize half the orchestra playing another song entirely) and your body looses its ability to adapt, heal, and grow. The result is disease and eventual death.

You see, there is no hierarchy in wellness. Every aspect of your health requires equal attention. All the exercise and organic foods in the world can’t make up for a breakdown in your body’s communication pathway (we call one type of this vertebral subluxation in chiropractic). Therefore wellness oriented people are seeking out chiropractic care to maximize their potential by assuring their body’s communication pathways are free of interference. After all, that’s what chiropractors do is reconnect man the physical (your body) with man the metaphysical (your innate ability to be truly healthy), and likewise we can’t do our job of helping you heal as well if you lack an adequate diet, sufficient exercise, and a sense of spiritual well being.

Chiropractors have always been at the forefront of the wellness movement, and we at McCabe Family Chiropractic and McCabe Chiropractic and Wellness Center will continue in our quest to inspire you in choosing a complete wellness lifestyle through education, motivation, and outstanding chiropractic care. We offer a very affordable wellness care plan that compliments our conventional corrective care plans, and have recently added a second location in Roberts to serve you better. Furthermore, we have partnered with other local wellness oriented businesses and disciplines to provide you effortless guidance and simply choices in your healthcare and offer a free weekly e-newsletter on health related topics. Learn more about all of these at http://www.mccabechiropractic.com or call one of our offices to schedule an appointment to speak to one of our doctors about your wellness goals and health concerns.

Yours in Health,

Dr. Zach McCabe

Are You Sitting on Your Back Pain?

Wallet That Won’t Cause Back Pain


(UK) Have you ever wondered what could cause you to have back pain? Well a man called Michael Lyons visited a chiropractor with bad back pain and was told that the cause could have something to do with sitting on a solid inch of plastic, leather and paper over the years (his wallet). Mr Lyons took the doctors advice and looked for an alternative to the standard back pocket wallet. After a week the back pain had gone. He didn't like the products available, so instead, he created his own wallet. The Rogue Wallet will not cause you back pain because it is designed to fit into your front pocket.

Dr. Zach's Comments:

• The size of some men's wallets (and women's purses) often amazes me, and these items are often without question a huge physical stress and therefore the cause of many cases of vertebral subluxation and thus back pain. A front pocket wallet or money clip is something I suggest for many patients. They can be found at most department stores.
• As a chiropractor, my goal with patients who present with pain, is NOT to rid them of their pain. I know that may sound odd, but the reason is this: Chiropractic, contrary to popular belief, is not about back and neck pain. Chiropractic is about connection.
• Your pain is a very important part of your personal health process; it's a signal. What pain tells you is that damage is happening. Usually that damage is tissue injury, but there certainly can be other causes (emotional damage for example). Therefore, my goal is two fold. I want to 1) work with your body to help it heal by correcting the injured area (called vertebral subluxation) through chiropractic care, nutrition, and rehabilitation, and 2) find the reason your body was injured (subluxated) in the first place.
• Vertebral subluxation causes a "short circuit " in your nerve system, and thus prevents your body from healing effectively. Ineffective healing causes more inflammation and often more issues/ pain. Correcting vertebral subluxation restores the proper nerve connections and therefore allows your body to heal normally.
• There are three general categories when discussing causes of vertebral subluxation (tissue damage in the spine): physical stress (accidents, falls, etc.), chemical stress (diet/ environment), and mental stress (emotional/ self /situational). All play a role in your health, as your body can only handle certain amounts of stress each day. These stress can also have a cumulative effect on your body with each building upon the other, and therefore creating more of a problem than they would alone.