Family Health

My first "real" patient ("real" meaning not another student!) during my internship has left lasting memories. I was in Atlanta that summer of 1991, and it was hot. Between being nervous from having the first patient ever of my new career gaze with desperation into my eyes, and the blue, polyester blend clinic jacket that covered my long-sleeve shirt and matching blue tie, the day felt even hotter! My patient was in extreme pain. My mind raced. I took deep breaths to stave off hyperventilation. Then the miracle happened. After weeks of chiropractic care, a welcomed surprise occurred in my first patient's life. The day ended with smiles. I survived. He survived... and he felt real relief!

PART 1

What happened to all the SEESAWS?  Was it the bruised knees, bleeding chins or sore behinds that brought their demise?  It must have been the lawyers fueled by angry parents with sobbing children.  This momentous removal was necessary to protect from playground injury.  On the downside, we lost a valuable educational tool when seesaws began to vanish from our neighborhoods!

Culinary adventures during the month of November typically involve turkey with all the fixings, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and apple pie. Here is a suggestion - how about exploring a more esoteric culinary delight – pomegranate!   November is National Pomegranate Month. Up until a few years ago pomegranates were an oddity of the produce department. The exotic fruit, which grows on small trees and resembles an apple with a “crown” at one end, generally did not make it into American shopping baskets unless it was commandeered by a person of Middle Eastern or Mediterranean descent. About five years ago an explosion of news emerged from scientific studies regarding the impressive health benefits of pomegranates. Suddenly, hundreds of new pomegranate products – pomegranate juice, salad dressing, fruit bars and even ice cream and candy hit store shelves. 

Chilly winter weather, blustery winds and fewer hours of daylight send many of us seeking warming comfort foods. Afternoon tea with a friend or relation helps us pass long winter afternoons and brightens a dreary day. As you sip and share stories with friends you may be unaware of the health promoting properties of tea.  Protection against Parkinson’s disease, high blood pressure, vascular disease, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer and heart attack and stroke are, in all probability, far from your mind. Yet, according to many studies conducted over the past decade, tea has profound health benefits.

The quest for the perfect Jack-O-Lantern is a cherished tradition that brings many families to the pumpkin patch each October. Children are delighted at the sight of row upon row of pumpkins, and the challenge of finding their own special pumpkin adds to the excitement. Back at the homestead, mom or dad carefully carves out the prize into a Jack-O-Lantern with a big toothy smile and a diamond shaped nose. But wait! Hold on a minute before you throw the pulp and seeds into the trash! Remember the old saying, waste not; want not. Pumpkin flesh and seeds have tremendous nutritional and health benefits. Perhaps Hippocrates thinking about pumpkin when he proclaimed, “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”