TC Online -- Volume 1, Issue 72 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONTENTS ‚ Tuesday, September 4, 2001 ** INTRODUCTION ** SITE OF THE WEEK ** HOT NEWS - The latest health-care news ** UPDATE - Chiropractic news ** RESEARCH - Research and other interesting findings ** THE OTHER SIDE - Medical sites and other sources _______________________________________ INTRODUCTION Welcome to the 72nd issue of TC Online, a weekly E-newsletter for those interested in chiropractic and alternative health care news. As always, please distribute this to friends, discussion lists and other groups as long as the entire issue is included. Best Regards, Pattie Stechschulte Associate Editor/Webmaster _______________________________________ SITE OF THE WEEK GLUTEN FREE CASEIN FREE DIET A site dedicated to informing patients and parents about removing gluten and casein from their children¼s diet especially those diagnosed as special needs. It offers a great database on ingredients in everyday grocery items including „mystery¾ items. Also, it has success stories while offering resources to visitors. ______________________________________ HOT NEWS CHIROPRACTIC ON TELEVISION AND RADIO WEBSITES Dynamic Chiropractic and Ultimate You Team to Bring Chiropractic Services and Information to Millions via ABC, NBC and Other Major Media. In a recently signed agreement, Dynamic Chiropractic will provide the chiropractic content for the websites of ABC and NBC television stations, and for the ABC, Citadel and Clear Channel radio station websites. According to the agreement, Dynamic Chiropractic will provide important news and information about all aspects of chiropractic and wellness to an estimated seven million "unique" visitors each month. HMOS EXPECTED TO DROP MORE MEDICARE PATIENTS The head of the federal agency that runs Medicare predicted yesterday that "several hundred thousand" elderly Americans will be dropped from private health plans this winter, despite the Bush administration's efforts to lighten the regulatory burdens on HMOs and coax them to keep taking Medicare patients. As a mid-September deadline approaches for managed-care plans to decide whether to stay in the program for the coming year, Thomas A. Scully, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said: "We have done everything but the kitchen sink to keep them in." Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the number of health plans accepting Medicare patients almost certainly will plunge for the fourth year in a row. FAST FOOD, LITTLE EXERCISE TAKES WIDENING TOLL ON CHILDREN Forget West Nile virus, E. coli bacteria or any of the other disease- of-the-month scares. When it comes to our children's long-term health, the hands-down biggest threat comes from our own parental efforts to indulge and protect them. Two new books and a fleet of research sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lead to an inescapable conclusion: The American lifestyle is supersizing our kids, and at an alarming, escalating rate. _______________________________________ UPDATE RESEARCH SHOWS EVEN MINOR PRESSURE ON NERVES CAUSES PROBLEMS Chiropractors have historically maintained that even small amounts of pressure on the nerves that exit the spine can cause health problems. They have even stated that such pressure can go undetected for years and lead to long-term difficulties. A review of literature published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR) adds further evidence to this contention. The study, "The Effects of Mild Compression on Spinal Nerve Roots With Implications for Models of Vertebral Subluxation and the Clinical Effects of Chiropractic Adjustment: A Review of the Literature," was authored by Scott Alderson D.C., a private practitioner and George Muhs, D.C., Assistant Professor of Clinical Services at the University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic. ICA PLANNING SYMPOSIUM IN ROME NEXT SPRING Following the extraordinarily successful Lisbon 2000 symposium, ICA was gratified to receive invitations from many countries offering to host ICA's next symposium. After doctors and students at the Lisbon event expressed their interest in a Europe destination, ICA accepted the kind invitation of Dr. Eddy Pellissier, president of the Associazione Italiana Chiropratici to hold the symposium in Italy. Rome was the natural choice. VACCINE INJURY ALLIANCE FORMED The Williams Bailey Law Firm, L.L.P., has assembled a strategic alliance of the leading law firms in the country to make people aware of the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) and vigorously prosecute vaccine injury claims on a number of different fronts" according to John Eddie Williams, Jr., Managing Partner. _______________________________________ RESEARCH HAPPINESS EXPLAINED: NEW SCIENCE SHOWS HOW TO INJECT REAL JOY INTO YOUR LIFE For most of the 20th century, happiness was largely viewed as denial or delusion. Psychologists were busy healing sick minds, not bettering healthy ones. Today, however, a growing body of psychologists is taking the mystery out of happiness and the search for the good life. Three years ago, psychologist Martin Seligman, then president of the American Psychological Association, rallied colleagues to what he dubbed "positive psychology." The movement focuses on humanity's strengths, rather than its weaknesses, and seeks to help people move up in the continuum of happiness and fulfillment. Now, with millions of dollars in funding and over 60 scientists involved, the movement is showing real results. Far from being the sole product of genes, luck, delusions, or ignorance, happiness can be learned and cultivated, researchers are finding. STUDY: VACCINES LINKED TO SEIZURES Two widely used childhood vaccines occasionally trigger seizures but do not appear to cause any long-term disabilities, such as epilepsy or retardation, according to the biggest study of the subject. The study looked at children who had received the DTP vaccine to prevent diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis and the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella. Both vaccines can cause fever, and fever in turn can lead to seizures. DOCTORS SAY A CHOCOLATE A DAY KEEPS THEM AWAY Good news for chocoholics. The treat favored by millions may also be good for you, US researchers said Monday. Chocolate contains compounds called flavonoids that can help maintain a healthy heart and good circulation and reduce blood clotting--which can lead to heart attacks and stroke. Antioxidants are substances that help reduce the effects of cell-damaging free radicals in the body. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains are high in antioxidant vitamins such as C and E. STUDY: LEAN DIET MAY MEAN LONG LIFE It's never too late to cut back on the calories to prolong life, even in your later years, a study involving mice and low-calorie diets indicates. In a study published Monday, researchers from the University of California, Riverside, said mice they put on a low- calorie regimen -- even creatures put on the diet for a short period - - exhibited characteristics of slowed aging. ______________________________________ THE OTHER SIDE STUDY SUGGESTS DRUGS--NOT SURGERY--BEST GERD TREATMENT Considering surgery for severe heartburn, so you can stop popping antacids and prescription drugs? You may want to think again. A new study shows that even after an operation, you may still be taking medicine for acid reflux years or even decades down the road. More than 60 million Americans are thought to sometimes get the heartburn linked to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is an unpleasant condition where acid washes back up from the stomach into the esophagus because of a faulty muscular valve that connects the two. Most sufferers spell quick relief by taking over- the-counter acid neutralizers (Mylanta, Maalox, Tums) or acid- production blockers (Pepcid AC, Tagamet, Zantac, Axid). PFIZER SUED BY FAMILIES OF NIGERIAN CHILDREN Drug giant Pfizer Inc. was sued on Wednesday by families who claim that about 30 Nigerian children either died or suffered serious injury after unwittingly participating in a study of an experimental meningitis drug. The suit, filed in Manhattan federal court, alleges that Pfizer violated international law by failing to obtain informed consent from the children or their parents before giving injections of the drug Trovan. Plaintiffs include the families of seven children who died. AMA WARNS DOCS ON ETHICS OF DRUG COMPANY GIFTS The American Medical Association (AMA) is spending about $650,000--with about $600,000 of the money coming from the pharmaceutical industry--to remind doctors that it is unethical to take gifts valued at more than $100 from drug companies. In addition to the $50,000 paid by the AMA to fund the campaign, it also donated staff time totaling an in-kind contribution of $400,000. Ever since 1990, the AMA's Code of Ethics has specifically stated it is unethical for physicians to accept expensive gifts, trips, lavish meals or special perks such as tickets to sporting events. SOARING PREMIUMS FORCE DOCTORS TO CLOSE PRACTICE As medical liability insurance rates escalate in some states, here's how one West Virginia general surgery group was pinched out of the market. In hindsight, the $130,000 medical liability insurance bill that a three-physician practice in West Virginia paid last year was a bargain. This year, when the general surgeons shopped around, they couldn't find a company in the standard market that would underwrite them because the practice had a few malpractice cases filed against it in the past five years. The cost for insurance in the nonstandard market -- the only place they could get it: $75,000 to $100,000 per doctor.