April 2015 Health Newsletter for Poway chiropractor Dr. Rode of Rode Chiropractic in Poway CA 92064 located on Poway Rd.

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“Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value.” ~ Albert Einstein
New Research Claims
Treating Back Pain
Quickly and Effectively
May Help Reduce
Future Pain, Suffering,
and Even Disability.
Also this month:
! Does eating organic make a difference? A new study compared insecticide exposure among
organic and non-organic produce consumers. The results might surprise you.
! Another study shows meditation helps brain function: Brain function starts to decrease in
individuals in their mid-to-late 20s... meditation may dramatically slow this aging process.
! Man Walks 21 Miles Every Day to and from Work for 12 Years… But What Happened Next Is
the Best Part of the Story!
oway - If you have ever had low back pain,
then you will find this information very
useful… especially if you do not want your
back pain to come back!
New research published in the Journal of Pain (a
peer-reviewed publication of the American Pain
Society) indicates that pain severity during an episode
of back pain is correlated with future pain and
disability.
The authors of the study write, “After six months,
the results showed that baseline pain intensity was
associated with a 12 percent higher risk for
developing chronic low back pain and patient beliefs
that pain would persist conveyed a 4 percent risk
increase. After five years, baseline pain intensity
yielded a 9 percent increased risk for chronic pain,
while believing that pain would persist had increased
the risk by 6 percent.”
According to Science Daily: “The authors noted
that their research confirms previous studies
concluding that baseline pain intensity is a key
predictor of future pain and disability.
“Clinically, the study confirms that effective pain
relief in the initial management of low-back pain has
implications for long-term improvement.”
Based on this research, it is clear that all back
pain should be taken seriously and treated
appropriately because treating back pain quickly and
effectively may help reduce future pain, suffering,
and even disability.
P
VOLUME 15 ISSUE 4
In Good HandsIn Good Hands
A Free Monthly Newsletter for the Friends and Patients of:A Free Monthly Newsletter for the Friends and Patients of: Dr. Kip RodeDr. Kip Rode

2. Presented by Rode Chiropractich13248 Poway Rd Ste B Poway, CA 92064h(858) 391-1372
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What About Preventing Back Pain?
If you want to prevent low back pain, then you
must first understand its cause. A 2008 study found
that the majority of low back pain (97%) is
mechanical in nature. Mechanical low back pain is
the general term that refers to any type of back pain
caused by injury to the spinal structures (bones,
ligaments, and disks, for example).
In other words, if you have low back pain, the
odds are the cause is NOT a tumor or anything life-
threatening. But... and this is a very big BUT... every
case of low back pain should be evaluated by an
appropriate physician to rule out non-mechanical
causes. This is why chiropractors are trained in
differential diagnosis to determine when low back
pain is mechanical and when it is something more
serious.
What Treatments Help
Mechanical Low Back Pain?
Chiropractic has been shown to be both safe and
effective for the treatment of mechanical low back
pain. For example, a study published back in 1990 in
the British Medical Journal (BMJ) compared
Chiropractic care to hospital outpatient treatment and
found: “Chiropractic treatment was more effective
than hospital outpatient management, mainly for
patients with chronic or severe back pain. A benefit
of about 7% points on the Oswestry scale was seen at
two years. The benefit of chiropractic treatment
became more evident throughout the follow-up
period. Secondary outcome measures also showed
that chiropractic was more beneficial.”
The study concluded, “For patients with low
back pain in whom manipulation is not
contraindicated, chiropractic almost certainly
confers worthwhile, long-term benefit in comparison
with hospital outpatient management. The benefit is
seen mainly in those with chronic or severe pain.”
It is great that Chiropractic care can help low
back pain, but the main goal of any treatment should
be to get you out of pain AND prevent your pain
from coming back.
New research published in Arthritis Care &
Research, the journal of the American College of
Rheumatology, shows that being engaged in manual
tasks involving awkward positions can increase an
individual's risk for a low back injury by up to 800%.
Researchers also found that those who are distracted
or fatigued while performing physical tasks are also
at significantly higher risk for a low back injury.
What’s the Take-Home Message Here?
First, the majority of low back pain is mechanical
and can be treated with chiropractic care. Second,
many cases of low back pain can be prevented in the
first place by avoiding awkward positions,
distractions, and fatigue while performing physical
activities.
Learning proper posture while sitting can help
prevent the abnormal stress and strain that lead to low
back pain over time. If you develop low back pain,
seek the proper treatment, one that has a proven track
record. Getting the best care to get out of pain as
fast as possible is extremely important. Also, make
sure your treatment plan includes information on how
you can prevent your low back pain from coming
back (such as learning proper lifting technique)
because relapses are often worse than the original
injury.
Study Shows Meditation Helps Brain Function!
A new study by UCLA researchers found that
meditation appears to help preserve the brain’s gray
matter, the tissue that contains neurons. This is
extremely important because at some time in the mid-
to-late 20s, the brain begins to decrease in size and
can often lose some function.
According to the study, the effects of meditation
were greater than expected. Study co-author Dr.
Florian Kurth writes, “We expected rather small and
distinct effects located in some of the regions that had
previously been associated with meditating… Instead,
what we actually observed was a widespread effect of
meditation that encompassed regions throughout the
entire brain.”
Dr. Kurth warns that this study does not “prove”
meditation preserved gray matter in the brain. There
are many other factors such as lifestyle and genetics
that can have an effect, but the results are promising
and hopefully more research will give more definitive
answers.
Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or
concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us
with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t
enjoy anything more than participating in providing
you natural pain relief.

3. Presented by Rode Chiropractich13248 Poway Rd Ste B Poway, CA 92064h(858) 391-1372
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Inspirational Story Of The Month
(Names And Details May Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)
Man Walks 21 Miles Every Day
to and from Work for 12 Years!
But What Happened Next Is the Best Part of the Story...
James Robertson is a 56-year-old man who ran into a little problem twelve years ago when his 1988 Honda
Accord stopped working. He lived 23 miles from the factory he worked at and could not afford another car.
For most people, this would be enough for them to quit, roll over, and play dead, but not James Robertson.
He decided to do whatever it took to get to work and "whatever it took" turned out to be quite shocking.
Every workday, Robertson would walk most of an astounding 21-mile round trip from home to work and
back to home.
Here is another amazing fact about this: Robertson made this journey every day for a $10.55 an hour job.
Since this is barely enough to pay for rent and food, he continued this for twelve years because he was unable to
buy another car.
What does Robertson’s boss have to say about him? “I set our attendance standard by this man,” says
Todd Wilson, Plant Manager at Schain Mold & Engineering. “I say, if this man can get here, walking all those
miles through snow and rain, well I’ll tell you, I have people in Pontiac 10 minutes away and they say they
can’t get here – bull!”
Wilson also said that Robertson comes in his office every morning to talk sports, and Wilson’s wife makes
dinner for Robertson every night.
Here’s where the story gets good… One day, a banker by the name of Blake Pollock saw Robertson
making his daily journey and offered him a ride. The two traveled together for work for a few months until
Pollock shared Robertson’s amazing story with the Free Press. Then, Robertson's story went viral. That’s
when a 19-year-old college student, Evan Leedy, changed the 56-year-old factory worker's life forever.
Leedy started a GoFundMe drive for Robertson that raised over $300,000 from 11,400 donors in just four
days! At the time of this writing, the campaign has raised over $350,000! So much for living in a cruel world
filled with people who only care about themselves!
But it gets even better… A local car dealership, Suburban Ford of Sterling Heights, gave Robertson a fully
loaded 2015 Ford Taurus.
According to USA Today, the dealership's manager, Jim Elder, said getting his own employees to work on
time is often difficult, and they live in the same town as the dealership. Then there’s Robertson, who lives
miles from work and hasn’t been late in a decade.
While Robertson's dedication to his job and the work of Leedy and Pollock to help him could cause one to
label them as heroes, so are the 11,400 people who donated money to a man they have never met. Here is
something to think about: 11,400 people donated to reach $300,000. That means the average donation was just
$26.32. It’s amazing how a seemingly insignificant act and amount of money can have such a massive impact
on someone’s life.
Just imagine what kind of impact we could make on the world if everyone gave just a little time, energy, or
money to help someone they didn't know each and every day!
We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and
getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger!
Don’t be a stranger. You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!

4. Presented by Rode Chiropractich13248 Poway Rd Ste B Poway, CA 92064h(858) 391-1372
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Did You Know?...
5 Ways Exercise Can Enhance Your Brainpower and Mood!
1. Exercise reverses the detrimental effects of stress. Exercise boosts levels of soothing brain chemicals
like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. On a cellular level, exercise may even reverse some of the
damage caused by stress that can accelerate the aging process.
2. Exercise lifts depression. Sustained, sweat-inducing activity can reduce symptoms of depression about as
effectively as antidepressants, according to a recent study.
3. Exercise improves learning. Exercise increases the level of the chemicals in the brain -- called growth
factors -- that help make new brain cells.
4. Exercise builds self-esteem and improves body image. Even simply seeing fitness improvements, like
running a faster mile or lifting more weight, can improve your self-esteem and body image.
5. Exercise leaves you feeling euphoric. High-intensity exercise can leave you with a feeling of euphoria.
Try running, biking, or swimming as fast as you can for 30 to 40 seconds and then reduce your speed to a
gentle pace for five minutes before sprinting again.
Tip Of The Month
Does Eating Organic Food Make a Difference?
Eating organic food is a very hot topic. It seems like everyone is talking about it, and everyone has a
strong opinion one way or the other. Some swear by it and say you are poisoning yourself if you do not eat
organic foods. Others say eating organic is nothing more than a waste of money. Is there really a benefit to
eating organic food over non-organic food in regards to actual pesticide levels in the body?
A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives analyzed the dietary exposure of nearly 4,500
people from six cities across the United States to organophosphates (OPs), the most common insecticides used
on conventionally grown produce in the country. OPs are linked to a number of detrimental health effects,
particularly among agricultural workers who are regularly exposed to this class of chemicals. The results of the
study showed that among individuals eating similar amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who reported eating
organic produce had significantly lower OP pesticide exposures than those consuming conventionally grown
produce. In addition, consuming conventionally grown foods typically treated with greater amounts of
pesticides during production (such as apples, nectarines, and peaches) was associated with significantly higher
levels of exposure.
Lead author Dr. Cynthia Curl adds, “For most Americans, diet is the primary source of OP pesticide
exposure… The study suggests that by eating organically grown versions of those foods highest in pesticide
residues, we can make a measurable difference in the levels of pesticides in our bodies.”
According to this research, it seems like eating organic fruits and vegetables is not a waste of money. As
always, more research needs to be done to determine how much OP exposure may be bad for you and if there
are ways to mitigate exposure if you do purchase non-organic produce. But, when in doubt, organic might be
the way to go, at least when it comes to apples, nectarines, and peaches.
Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal
and maintain the pain free body you deserve.
This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and
actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.