ACA affordable care act: Affordable or Conundrum?

As I have recently received a letter from my health insurance provider so will many of you.  This letter states that due to the ACA there are 2 new fees associated w/ the ACA and your premiums are increasing as a result.
Yippie! and we are all excited for this new affordable entity.  
You get nothing in increased services, yetyou pay more.  I am still seeing this conundrum clearly!(sarcasm implied)
I decided to write President Obama and inform him of my dissatisfaction in the pseudo-affordability.
I believe we need to do something to make it affordable for all, but for some odd reason I feel like I was just penalized for having a policy in place.

drshawnie
918.249.1535
www.drshawnie.com

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Nutrition: "Super Fruit" Camu Camu

Camu Camu the super fruit
Below are the properties that make this a super fruit:

Vitamin C
Camu camu is chock full of vitamin C: 60 times more per serving than an orange! A teaspoon of camu camu powder has 1180 per cent of your recommended daily intake for vitamin C, which is important for gum health, among other functions in our body.

Valine
Valine is an amino acid found in camu camu. It's an essential amino acid, meaning that we must get it in food because our bodies can't produce it. Valine is used by thebody to prevent muscle breakdown and is important for nervous system and cognitive function.

Potassium
Our bodies need potassium for the proper functioning of the heart and kidneys. Camu camu is one way to get it: 71.1 milligrams are found in every 100 grams.

Leucine
This is another essential amino acid found in camu camu, one that our bodies need for muscle and bone tissue growth and recovery and the production of growth hormones.

Serine
Another amino acid! This one is key for digestion: serine helps to break down thebonds in proteins and polypeptides so they can be used by our bodies.

Flavonoids 
Camu camu has several different flavonoids, which are compounds that are found in plants and are part of what gives fruits and vegetables their awesome colours. They mostly function in the body as antioxidants, neutralizing harmful free radicals.

Gallic Acid 
Gallic acid is found in camu camu, which is good news because it appears to have anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. It also acts as an antioxidant.

Ellagic Acid
This is another acid with antioxidant properties, found in camu camu. It's been studied for anti-cancer effects, though research is still very early. Some research also indicates that ellagic acid has anti-diabetes effects.

Inflammation
In one study, 20 male smokers drank camu camu juice or took vitamin C tablets daily for a week. The group who took camu camu showed a decrease in some markers for antioxidants and oxidative stress at the end of the study, compared to no change for those who had vitamin C tablets.

How To Take It 
Camu camu berries are not exactly sold in your local North American supermarket, but you can include it in your diet in tablet or powder form. The powder can be used to flavor other foods, and camu-flavored ice creams and drinks are popular in Peru.

When You Should Avoid It 
There is some concern that camu camu can interfere with some chemotherapy medications—you should always let your doctor know about the supplements you are taking, but especially so if you are receiving chemo, for example.

www.drshawnie.com

918.249.1535

Chiro - Fitness inc. Newsletter - The New food Pyramid

Subject: Chiro - Fitness inc. newsletter The New Food Pyramid

Chiro-Fitness inc. newsletter Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Chiro - Fitness inc. Newsletter www.drshawnie.com 918.249.1535

The New Food Pyramid THE BULLETPROOF DIET is a concept developed by Dave Asprey. His premise is contrary to the FDA's food pyramid.  The new pyramid is structured with vegetables at the base of the triangle ascending the pyramid by healthy fats, animal protein, and last are fruits positioned at the tip of the pyramid.  Will this create disbelief in you?  Naturally yes it will because the FDA is to be the golden rule maker. http://www.bulletproofexec.com/the-complete-illustrated-one-page-bulletproof-diet/ VS. http://ww1.hdnux.com/photos/03/73/15/1028944/3/628x471.jpg  food pyramid jpg. I.  The FDA pyramid proposes bread, cereal,rice and pasta at the base of the pyramid.  Proposing 6-11 servings. This category of carbohydrates isn't located on the bulletproof pyramid. Why should we seriously consider this shift in types of food consumed has to do with the enormous epidemic of diabetes.  The U.S. is the most obese nation.  This is partially due to following the old food pyramid. II.  The FDA proposes using healthy fats sparingly, while The Bulletproof diet proposes 5-9 servings. The protein portions are also quite different.  The FDA proposes 2-3 servings while the Bulletproof diet proposes 4-6 servings. III. Lastly the Bulletproof diet proposes 6-11 servings of vegetables and 1-2 servings of fruit. So if you are blending smoothies shift to more vegetables and less fruits.  Frozen Spinach is a great source of vegetables. The FDA proposes 5-9 total servings of fruits and vegetables. The challenge is to shift what we are consuming.  Food and meals do not have to be bland or laborious to prepare.  Will you take the challenge? What Constitutes a healthy  fat?  Food sources rich in omega 3 fatty acids are healthy fat sources.  Do you like nuts?  Great, it's best to buy them raw and roast them in the oven yourself.  Processed nuts have bad fats added to them to increase shelf life of the nut.  Other sources are grass fed animals, avocados,  fish, and berries.  Oh and did I mention real butter is a healthier choice than margarine. Fat free diet is also a detriment.  So many have strived for fat free diets that we substituted good fats for sugar, and most have high cholesterol issues.  Fat free also restricted the good fats. What constitutes a healthy animal source of protein?  Grass fed is the key!  The longer an animal is fed grain the greater the decline in the quality of meat, therefore being unhealthy for you.  If you don't have access to grass fed then your next best option is to choose cuts of meat that are lean.  Marbling of red meat is due to high consumption of corn and other grains by the animal. I was raised in the farming community.  We raised and butchered our own beef and pork.  My Father would strive for greater marbling of a meat as it had a wonderful taste to him! The marbling is a bad source of fat. What constitutes a healthy day's portion of CHOs or sugars? A maximum of 75 grams CHO. How do you determine the total grams?  You have to become a label reader.  The label will list the total grams/serving. Just a tip to solidify a change you are about to implement.  Choose words and actions that align w/ your goal of deliberately living a whole, happy and healthy life.  We are in this for the journey and we can only maximize the way we take our journey.  As for some the way may be about maximizing the quality of life for the longevity. It is cliche to say but, "live long - live strong." My passion is to create an environment for you to live a whole, happy and healthy life. Enjoy, dr. Shawnie 918.249.1535

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Active Release Technique A.R.T.

What is Active Release Techniques (ART) to Individuals, Athletes, and Patients?

ART is a patented, state of the art soft tissue system/movement based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia and nerves. Headaches, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, knee problems, and tennis elbow are just a few of the many conditions that can be resolved quickly and permanently with ART. These conditions all have one important thing in common: they are often a result of overused muscles.

How do overuse conditions occur?

Over-used muscles (and other soft tissues) change in three important ways:

• acute conditions (pulls, tears, collisions, etc),
• accumulation of small tears (micro-trauma)
• not getting enough oxygen (hypoxia).

Each of these factors can cause your body to produce tough, dense scar tissue in the affected area. This scar tissue binds up and ties down tissues that need to move freely. As scar tissue builds up, muscles become shorter and weaker, tension on tendons causes tendonitis, and nerves can become trapped. This can cause reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and pain. If a nerve is trapped you may also feel tingling, numbness, and weakness.

What is an ART treatment like?

Every ART session is actually a combination of examination and treatment. The ART provider uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and movement of muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Abnormal tissues are treated by combining precisely directed tension with very specific patient movements.

These treatment protocols - over 500 specific moves - are unique to ART. They allow providers to identify and correct the specific problems that are affecting each individual patient. ART is not a cookie-cutter approach.

What is the history of Active Release Techniques?

ART has been developed, refined, and patented by P. Michael Leahy, DC, CCSP. Dr. Leahy noticed that his patients' symptoms seemed to be related to changes in their soft tissue that could be felt by hand. By observing how muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments and nerves responded to different types of work, Dr. Leahy was able to consistently resolve over 90% of his patients' problems. He now teaches and certifies health care providers all over the world to use ART.

Swim Stronger by Swimming to Recover, Tulsa sports injury chiropractor

Swim Stronger by Swimming to Recover, Says Laird Hamilton - How to Swim Stronger: Swim to Recover - MensJournal.com:
Be sure to click on the link above.
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Swimming is a great mode of exercise to recover from another sport.
It improves shoulder and arm flexibility.  The water acts as a compression suit to assist in filtering your blood and flushing lactic acid.  The pressure of the water also enhances blood flow which is important for any healing tissue.
It is also a great, no-impact workout.  When are you going to hit the pool?

In best of health,
Dr. Shawnie
www.drshawnie.com
918.249.1535

Sugar can hijack the same brain region that is hijacked by drug abuse. Dr. Shawnie, Tulsa chiropractor

Consumption of a meal that has a high glycemic index (GI) appears to stimulate key brain regions related to craving and reward, a finding that supports the controversial hypothesis of food addiction, new research suggests.

Investigators from Boston Children's Hospital in Massachusetts found that compared with consumption of a low-GI meal, a meal high in refined carbohydrates decreased plasma glucose, increased hunger, and selectively stimulated brain regions 4 hours after eating — a critical time point that influences eating behavior at the next meal.

"We think we have shown for the first time that refined carbohydrates' biological effects can provoke, independent of calories and tastiness, symptoms related to addiction in susceptible people — those who are overweight or obese," said the study's principal investigator, David Ludwig, MD, from Boston Children's Hospital.

Dr. Ludwig, director of the hospital's New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center, told Medscape Medical News that his team's preliminary findings support "the notion of food addiction [which] is very controversial because, unlike drugs of addiction, we have to eat to survive."

Craving Carbs

He said the randomized, blinded, crossover study in 12 overweight or obese men had several strengths over previous studies whose findings also suggested that certain tasty foods might be addictive.

"Prior studies, best described as observational, tended to compare vastly different foods, such as cheesecake and boiled vegetables," he said.

In the new study, participants aged 18 to 35 years consumed, in a randomized order on test days 2 to 8 weeks apart, 2 test milkshakes that had similar ingredients, calories (500 kcal), appearance, taste, and smell.

Participants were not aware which was the low-GI meal (37%) with slow-acting carbohydrate and which was the high-GI meal (84%) with fast-acting carbohydrate, and they reported no preference for either meal.

Additionally, the investigators monitored participants 4 hours after the meal, when the individuals likely would be considering what to eat at their next meal. At that time, participants underwent a final blood glucose test and neuroimaging, and rated their hunger levels.

After eating the high-GI meal, participants initially had a surge in blood glucose level that was 2.4-fold higher than after the low-GI meal, followed by a crash in blood glucose at 4 hours, the authors reported. They also reported excessive hunger 4 hours after the high-GI meal, Dr. Ludwig said.

Table. Effect of Low- vs High-Glycemic Index Meal on Patient Outcomes 4 Hours Later (n = 12)

Outcome (mean ± standard error)	Low Glycemic Index	High Glycemic Index	P-Value
Hunger rating, change from baseline, cm	-0.01 ± 0.92	1.65 ± 0.79	.04
Venous plasma blood glucose, mmol/L	5.30 ± 0.16	4.70 ± 0.14	.005

 

The investigators looked directly at participants' cerebral blood flow, as a measure of resting brain activity, using arterial spin labeling functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which allowed them to examine persistent effects of test meals.

Results showed an 8.2% relative difference in cerebral blood flow between the high- and low-GI meals at 4 hours (mean difference, 4.4 ± 0.56 mL ∙ 100 g⁻¹ ∙ min⁻¹).

After correction for the prespecified anatomic regions of interest, Dr. Ludwig said that the difference was strongly significant (P = .0006), with "less than 1 in 1000 likelihood that the results were due to chance."

"Every single subject showed intense activation in the nucleus accumbens, the area of the brain related to addiction," he said.

The results show that highly processed carbohydrates, such as white bread, potatoes, and concentrated sugar, "alter brain activity in ways that make us crave them even more," he said.

Clear Take-Home Message

Dr. Ludwig stated that the study must be repeated in larger numbers of persons, in a more diverse population, and before and after weight gain. Yet he said that the initial results send a clear take-home message: "Avoiding highly processed carbohydrates could help overweight people avoid overeating."

Mark Gold, MD, a longtime researcher in the area of food and addiction, from the McKnight Brain Institute of the University of Florida (UF), Gainesville, said it is important that clinical research tests the food addiction hypothesis first generated by laboratory researchers.

Asked by Medscape Medical News to comment on the findings, Dr. Gold, who was not involved with the study, said that the brain imaging test the researchers used "is exceptional and provides additional strong evidence that manufactured foods, sugar, and fats can interact with the brain and systems that [also] are hijacked by drugs of abuse."

"Hedonic overeating...makes more sense with clinical research like this," Dr. Gold, who is professor and chair of psychiatry at UF College of Medicine, concluded.

This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Research Resources, Bethesda, Maryland; the Pediatric Endocrine Society, McLean, Virginia; the Endocrine Fellows Foundation, Washington, DC; and the New Balance Foundation, Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Ludwig and Dr. Gold have reported no relevant financial relationships.

Am J Clin Nutr. Published online June 26, 2013. Abstract

The New HealthCare drshawnie Tulsa, Broken Arrow Chiropractor

Don't snooze as your opportunity to find affordable coverage is coming.
You can apply for insurance coverage Oct. 1, 2013.
You will need your W-2 and SSN to enroll.

As you search for the right plan for your needs be sure to verify there is coverage for Chiropractic.
Notably the deductible, copay, maximum visits or dollar amount allowed / year.

In fewer than 100 days, the new health care reform law takes an important step forward. On October 1, 2013, Health Insurance Marketplaces will open in every state, and millions of Americans will be eligible to apply for coverage. Between now and then, we're sure that lots of people will be looking for information about the upcoming changes.

That's why we revamped HealthCare.gov.

On the updated site, you'll be able to get a personalized list of coverage options, tailored to your situation, and a checklist to help prepare for October 1. You'll find a rich set of answers to frequently asked questions, powerful search features to help you find the specific information you need, and two great ways to talk to customer service representatives, 24/7: a new 1-800 number (1-800-318-2596) and online chat.

When open enrollment starts on October 1, 2013, you’ll be able to use the site to compare various health care plans side by side to find a plan that fits your life and your budget. You'll even be able to use HealthCare.gov to apply for coverage or be directed to your own state’s application portal.

We hope you'll use the site to get answers to your questions about the health care law -- and forward this email to your friends so they can do the same. 

Thanks!

Tara

Tara McGuinness
Senior Communications Advisor
The White House

P.S. -- Have questions about what else you can expect from health care reform? Click here for a timeline of the key features of the Affordable Care Act.

In best of health,

Dr. Shawnie
www.drshawnie.com
918.249.1535


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Food Supplement Linked to Lower PSA in Prostate Cancer, Tulsa / Broken Arrow Chiropractor, nutrition

Food Supplement Linked to Lower PSA in Prostate Cancer:CHICAGO, Illinois — A commercially available food supplement that contains pomegranate, broccoli, green tea, and turmeric significantly lowers prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, compared with placebo, in patients with prostate cancer, a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial has shown.

Pomi-T (nature Medical Products)

The study results, presented here at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO^®), made headlines around the world and caused the polyphenol-rich supplement, known asPomi-T (nature Medical Products), to sell out within hours.

This is a "promising new therapy," said Tomasz Beer, MD, professor of medicine and director of the prostate cancer research program at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, during a "highlights of the day" session.

"We have been staggered by the level of interest...from medical professionals and the public," Marcus Williams, owner and director of nature Medical Products, told Medscape Medical News. As soon as the results of this study were released, the company, based in Porthcawl, South Wales, United Kingdom, received a rush of orders from customers in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

"It's awesome," the study's lead investigator, Robert Thomas, MD, a consultant oncologist at Bedford Hospital and Addenbrooke's Hospital, in the United Kingdom, told Medscape Medical News.

"We didn't expect such a big response. People are seeing that this can change practice...because men and their doctors do look at their PSA as a deciding factor in whether to stop active management," he explained.

Significantly Different Than Placebo

The study involved 203 men (average age, 74 years) with a PSA relapse after radiotherapy or surgery for localized prostate cancer. The men, who were being managed with active surveillance, were randomized to receive the supplement 3 times a day for 6 months or placebo.

At 6-month follow-up, the median increase in PSA was 63.8% lower in the supplement groups than in the placebo group (14.7% vs 78.5; P =.0008). In addition, PSA levels were stable or lower than baseline more often in the supplement group (46% vs 14%; P = .00001).

Fewer men in the supplement group than in the placebo group went on to receive brachytherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, or androgen-deprivation therapy (7.4% vs 26.0%; P = 0.01).

At the end of the study, more men in the supplement group than in the placebo group continued on active surveillance (92.6% vs 74.0%). "This is an end point we feel is important: more men were choosing to stay on treatments with less toxicity," Dr. Thomas noted.

There were no differences between the supplement and placebo groups for baseline and serial measurements of cholesterol, blood pressure, serum glucose, C-reactive protein, or adverse events.

"Pomi-T was well tolerated," he said. "More men experienced nonsignificant bloating or diarrhea, but 15% of men reported beneficial effects, including better digestion and improvement of urinary symptoms."

Previous research has shown that the polyphenols and antioxidants in pomegranate, broccoli, green tea, and turmeric have individual anticancer properties, but "we believe there's a synergistic effect in the supplement," said Dr. Thomas.

In addition, the fact that each ingredient originates from a separate food category (fruit, vegetable, herb, and spice) might prevent potential adverse effects from the overconsumption of one particular type of polyphenol, he noted.

In the lab, polyphenols have been shown to have antiproliferative, antiangiogenic, proadhesion, antimetastatic, and proapoptotic properties, and notably, they have no phytoestrogenic or hormonal effects. "We specifically chose to steer away from anything that might have a hormonal effect."

Because of the supplement's effect is likely not hormonal, future trials will involve men with different stages of prostate cancer and those receiving androgen-deprivation therapy, he said. In addition, the researchers hope to look at the impact of the supplement on other slow-growing cancers and even on cancer prevention.

The study received no funding from the manufacturer of the supplement; however, the company worked very closely with the research team to develop the product, said Williams. "Unlike other nutritional supplement products, the manufacture of this supplement was significantly more time-consuming because Dr. Thomas and colleagues, for whom this was initially made, insisted on a great deal of quality assurance, over and above that normally required by the US Food and Drug Administration or European Commission, particularly in terms of purity and authenticity."

He said the study signals "a new era for the nutritional supplement industry, which has previously relied on advertising and marketing rather than evidence of benefit. Clearly, it's the latter that the public wants."

Dr. Beer noted that the product's significant effect on adherence to active surveillance is "potentially clinically meaningful... If this can be confirmed, this is really interesting," he said, although he added that "these patients were more severe than the sort of patients that we would follow [with active surveillance] here in the United States."

Prostate Cancer UK reacted more cautiously to the news, releasing a statment saying that "there is not yet enough evidence that Pomi-T food supplements have a significant impact."

Kate Holmes, MD, head of research at Prostate Cancer UK, said in a statement that "there is increasing evidence showing that men who have a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and regular exercise, have better prostate cancer outcomes than those who do not. At this stage, however, we simply do not have enough evidence to suggest that any particular foods or supplements have a significant impact and these should certainly not be substituted for conventional treatments."

"We would not encourage any man with prostate cancer to start taking Pomi-T food supplements on the basis of this research. Anyone with any concerns about prostate cancer should discuss them with their doctor or call Prostate Cancer UK's helpline," she added.

The authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

In best of health,

Dr. Shawnie
www.drshawnie.com
918.249.1535


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• Support Equal Copay for Patients of Chiropractic

• Support Equal Copay for Patients of Chiropractic


We need our patients' help!

Please encourage your patients who would benefit from equal copay for chiropractic treatment to utilize the following information (link) to ask your State Legislators to support SB 547.

Chiropractors did a terrific job in communication our patents' message which resulted in SB 547 getting passed out of the Oklahoma Senate Insurance Committee. Now that it's out of committee, the insurance companies are going to come out strong in opposition to your patients paying equal copay for similar treatments.

While the voice of our chiropractors is strong, we're going to need our patients to join you in letting Oklahoma's elected officials know how popular this is to their constituents. Hope my patients join in spreading this message.

The difference between PCP and Specialist co payments is great. For example, patients may pay $25 per visit to a PCP and $50 - $75 per visit to a specialist. Specialist’s, such as a surgeon, charges normally will be in excess of $200.00 per visit plus any additional charges. A co pay for a chiropractic visit between $50 and $75 leaves the total or most of the cost for the visit in the hands of the patient.
• This bill will simply say to the insurance provider that a chiropractic co pay cannot be greater than a PCP co pay.
• This bill does not set mandates or co pay amounts nor does it state what is or is not covered.
• Summary: No health insurer may impose any copayment or coinsurance amount on an insured for services rendered by a licensed chiropractic physician that is greater than the copayment or coinsurance amount

A Couple Thoughts On The Flu - drshawnie@gmail.com - Gmail

A Couple Thoughts On The Flu 
The power of knowledge and fight the flu!  Vit. D and colostrum are 2 ways to build a defense against the flu season!
20,000 IU/day Vit D.  and Numedica has an immune modulator product that contains antibodies from colostum that we carry in our clinic.
Click on the link below:
http://timpateonline.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=33da34f2e300700626c511a2f&id=81e8346ed9&e=7238804b0e

Dr Shawnie
918.249.1535
www.drshawnie.com
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Maintaining Your Body with Kelly Starrett | creativeLIVE

Maintaining Your Body with Kelly Starrett | creativeLIVE: 

Click on the link above. 

CL creative live offers an abundance of free webinars.  Sign up at CL and enroll for free.
Be well,  no actually function at your optimum level in 2013!

Dr shawnie
918.249.1535