Get in the spirit this holiday season! Tie jingle bells to your shoes, dress in a festive costume, and run or walk in the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis with me!

I am forming a team of patients, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members to participate in the Jingle Bell Run/Walk in an effort to fight arthritis. Not only will we have a great time at the event, but we’ll raise money to help prevent, control and cure arthritis.

Please visit my Web page to learn more, join my team or make a secure, online contribution to help our team reach our goal. Together, we can make a difference for the 46 million Americans with arthritis.

So, lace up those sneakers, and join me!

Yours in Health,

Dr. David Mason

Follow This Link to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support Arthritis Foundation, Tennessee Chapter

Let’s talk Diet. You’ve all probably been on one, and let’s face it, many of you may be on one right now. Nobody enjoys being on a diet, yet millions of people constantly look for new ones to try every day. Whether it is a well know diet or an obscure “cabbage only” diet, people deprive themselves of food that they enjoy in order to achieve a desired weight. 

The truth is………. Diets do NOT work! 

Regardless of what kind of results you may have had in the past or the amazing transformation that your friend or coworker experienced on a particular diet, chances are neither of you have maintained that change especially if you are no longer on the diet. 

How do I know diets don’t work………..? 

Because despite the thousands of diets out there and the millions of people on them, Web MD states that: 

58 million people are overweight!

40 million people are obese!

3 million people are morbidly obese! 

Have you ever looked at the first 3 letters of the word DIET? 

Not very appealing is it? This is appropriate to point out since essentially when you go on a diet your body thinks that you are trying to kill it. (Now, diets can be used for medical situations and emergencies (pre surgery, etc.) but the average person should not go on one.) 

“But wait”, you tell me. “I have found a diet that actually works and it is healthy for me.” If this is you, I challenge you to ask three questions before you start…… 

1. How many calories should I consume a day?

- If they answer with a number walk away or hang up. The reality is that a specific number cannot be determined for you at the onset of a diet. Many diets are overly concerned with limiting calories and many of them are way too low. In fact, the body cannot tell the difference between a diet of less than 1000 calories and starvation!

2. How many pounds of fat can I loose on your program in 7 days?

- Research show that 3.3 lbs is the most that the human body can metabolize in 7 days (including a miracle!) So, any claim of more than 3 lbs is a LIE!

- Realistically you will only loose 1-2 lbs. of fat per week. Any weight over this amount is water weight and protein. In fact, during the first 2-3 weeks 90-95% of the weight that you will lose is from water and protein.

3. Do you have something for Cellulose?

- If the answer is YES, RUN AWAY! There is no such thing as cellulose.  It is called FAT!

Because despite the thousands of diets out there and the millions of people on them, Web MD states that: 

58 million people are overweight!

40 million people are obese!

3 million people are morbidly obese! 

The reality is that extreme weight loss with a diet is NEVER a good idea. 

As I mentioned before, anything over 3.3 lbs of weight loss in a single week is NOT fat but water and protein. “So what,” you say…….

The problem with losing protein and muscle is that eventually you WILL have to replace it. Diets NEVER last forever and when you resume eating “normally” again, your body will attempt to repair itself.

Because the body requires the protein and muscle that you lost, it will replace that first. When the body repairs muscle it must retain 1 1/2 times the amount of water it originally had to repair itself.

So what does that mean………..? 

It means, not only do regain your original weight, but now you weigh a little more than you did originally! You loose 10 lbs only to regain 15 lbs! 

Sound familiar? Instead of dieting, you should commit to a lifestyle change. Learn about your nutritional type and what foods work for you. Not until you can make consistently good choices in nutrition will lasting results occur. By educating yourself on how to properly eat, you will not only be healthier longer but happier as well. 

Chiropractic for Athletes

Athletes have special needs and our office understands the specific nature and requirements needed to help you perform optimally.

Whether it's during the season or in the off-season, Chiropractic care is becoming the competitive advantage that many athletes are now seeking.

When your body is in better alignment, your nervous system is finely tuned, all piston's are firing!!!! This leads to better performance, fewer injuries and quicker recovery.

A research study conducted by Drs. Anthony Lauro and Brian Mouch, published in the journal of Chiropractic research and Clinical Investigation, 1991, indicated chiropractic care might improve athletic performance by as much as 16.7% over a two week period. The report also concluded that subluxation-free athletes react faster, coordinate better, execute fine movements with improved accuracy and precision, amounting to an overall better athlete.

Top professionals in every sport are under chiropractic care to increase health and performance. The following are just a few sports stars under chiropractic care.

Lance Armstrong

Seven Time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has been receiving chiropractic care since January of 1999, helping him to keep his body together for the harsh demands of the Tour de France. After last year's Tour de France, Lance said that he could not have won without his chiropractor's help.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

"I am very fortunate to have, so-to-speak, my in-house chiropractor, Dr. Franco Colombu, as my own personal chiropractor. So, I visit Franco regularly, and he comes over to my house. He adjusts my wife, my kids, me, everybody gets an adjustment. And we feel always great when Franco leaves. Even when I have athletic injuries he's always there for me, and helps me. So it's really terrific, and I know that first hand. That's why I always will be traveling around, all over the world, talking highly about the profession of chiropractic. You chiropractic doctors are really miracle workers, and that's why it's really great to have you here, part of the Arnold Classic. Because, like I said, the Arnold Classic and Fitness Weekend are about health and about fitness and preventive care."

Dan O'Brien

Decathlon Gold Medallist "If it were not for Chiropractic, I would not have won the gold medal."

"You obviously can't compete at your fullest if you're not in alignment. And your body can't heal if your back is not in alignment. It was the holistic idea that I liked about chiropractic and that is what track and field is about. Every track and field athlete that I have ever met has seen a chiropractor at one time or another. In track and field, it is absolutely essential. Chiropractic care is one of the things I think that no one has denied or refuted."

Joe Montana

"Chiropractic care works for me."

One of the most recognizable celebrity/athletes, holder of four Superbowl rings, three Superbowl MVP's and Player of the Year in 1990 has just agreed to become the spokesperson for Chiropractic in the State of California.

Emmitt Smith Credits Chiropractic for Rushing Record

"Playing in a football game is like being in 30-40 car accidents."

An article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram explains it all started after the 1994 season when Smith endured a lot of hamstring problems and he began to ask himself some tough questions. "Do I need to get more rest? Do I need to eat better? Do I need a little more training? How can I take care of my body better? Do I need to find a chiropractor? It was time for me to invest in me," Smith said. "I found a specialist that's really good in balancing out my body to make sure my hips are rotated right, and my body is functioning properly. I remember somebody telling me that what I put myself in during the games is like having a car wreck every Sunday. It's against the norm. You can find yourself in awkward positions. That stuff takes its toll. But if you take advantage of the health care, balance your body back out, put it back where it's supposed to be, you function better, and you recover faster."

Evander Holyfield

"I have to have an adjustment before I go into the ring. I do believe in chiropractic. I found that going to a chiropractor three times a week helps my performance. The majority of boxers go to get that edge."

Tick season is here, and apparently in full effect this season. I was told by a patient yesterday that she knows of at least five cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever that have been diagnosed this week. Here is some info about the disease contracted from a tick bite:

Rickettsia rickettsii (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever)

1. Epidemiology

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is the most common rickettsial disease in the United States with 400 - 700 cases occurring annually.

While the disease was originally described in the Rocky Mountain states, it is now most common in the South Central states, including South Carolina. 

The organism is transmitted by the bite of an infected tick with most infections occurring from April through September because of more frequent human contact with ticks at this time of the year. The Rickettsia in the tick are in a dormant state and must be activated by the warm blood meal. They are then released into the saliva of the tick. Thus, prolonged exposure (24 - 48 hrs) to an infected tick must occur before the organisms can infect the human host. The principal reservoir for R. rickettsii is the ixodid (hard) tick in which transovarian passage occurs. Wild rodents can become infected and act as a reservoir for the bacteria but they are not considered to be the main reservoir.

2. Clinical syndromes

Rocky Mountain spotted fever begins with the abrupt onset of fever, chills headache and myalgia usually 2 - 12 days after the tick bite. Patients may not recall being bitten by a tick. Rash usually (90% of cases) appears 2 - 3 days later. The rash begins on the hands and feet and spreads centripetally towards the trunk. Rash on the palms and soles is common. Initially, the rash is maculopapular but in the later stages may become petechial and hemorrhagic

Complications from widespread vasculitis can include gastrointestinal symptoms, respiratory failure, seizures, coma and acute renal failure. Complications occur most frequently in cases in which the rash does not develop, since treatment is usually delayed. Mortality rate in untreated patients is 20%.

3. Laboratory diagnosis

Initial diagnosis should be made on clinical grounds and treatment should not be delayed until laboratory confirmation is obtained. A fluorescent antibody test to detect antigen in skin punch biopsies is the fastest way to confirm a diagnosis. However, this test is available only in reference laboratories. PCR based methods are also available but limited to reference laboratories. The Weil-Felix test, which is an agglutination test to detect antibodies that cross react with Proteus vulgaris, is no longer recommended. The primary laboratory diagnostic tool is serology. Indirect fluorescent antibody tests and latex agglutination tests are available for serological diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

4. Treatment, prevention and control

R. rickettsii is susceptible to tetracyclines and chloramphenicol. Prompt treatment is necessary since morbidity and mortality increases if treatment is delayed. No vaccine is available. Prevention of tick bites (protective clothing, insect repellents, etc.) and prompt removal of ticks are the best preventative measures. It is not feasible to attempt to control the tick reservoir

If someone I knew contracted RMSF, I would highly recommend a consistent dosage of Silver Shield.

-Dr. Mason

 

Here is a little tidbit on state nicknames. And yes, I am still proud to say I am a Hoosier! GO IU!