Dr. Nana's Healthy Habits Update: 2022

12 November 2022

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21 October 2022

Chiropractic Can Improve Lymphatic Drainage

According to an in-depth review from 2020, "Environmental pollution of heavy metals is increasingly becoming a problem and has become of great concern due to the adverse effects it is causing around the world." Limiting your exposure to heavy metals is essential. Unfortunately, most pharmaceutical interventions contain heavy metals and are likely contributing to this toxicity. In fact, even many herbal medicines can contain heavy metals. Common deodorants also contain aluminium, which has been shown to be harmful.

It's important to note that heavy metals play a role in many neurological diseases. According to a review from 2016, "Damage caused by metal accumulation may result in permanent injuries, including severe neurological disorders. Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown a strong correlation between aberrant metal exposure and a number of neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, autism spectrum disorders, Guillain-Barre' disease, Gulf War syndrome, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and Wilson's disease."

Fortunately, your body has a means of detoxifying, with the lymphatic system playing a major role. While lymphatic vessels are not present in the brain, a groundbreaking study from 2015 finally revealed that the lymphatic system for the brain and spinal cord is contained in the meninges or connective tissue that surrounds the central nervous system. By improving the motion of the spine, chiropractic care also decreases meningeal tension, allowing these neuro-lymphatic vessels to drain more efficiently. Along with consistently staying physically active, sweating, and eating your greens, regular chiropractic adjustments can also help to improve the proper drainage of these neurotoxins to allow your whole nervous system to function even better.

by SJ NANA, DC, DrNana.co.za

Source: Neuron

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11 October 2022

Healthy Reading: "Beat Cancer Daily" by Chris Wark

The word "cancer" is probably the most dreaded word anyone could hear from a doctor. For most people, the word itself can set off a chain reaction in your body that can negatively affect well-being and longevity. The medical industry has shunned and downplayed the role that major lifestyle and mindset changes can achieve in preventing and even curing cancer, while mostly promoting toxic and ineffective options. The ineffectiveness of the pharmaceutical approach to cancer is also well-documented in the scientific literature, but continues to be pushed on frightened patients regardless.

It's vitally important for people to know that your nervous and immune systems are, in fact, a cancer fighting machine, as long as you are willing to make the right choices. The author of this book has interviewed over 60 patients so far, who have naturally healed themselves of even stage 3 and 4 cancers. He has also interviewed many health care providers that have been able to guide thousands of their patients to do the same. This book encapsulates much of what he's learned since 2003, when he was first diagnosed with cancer. The information in this book and his website could save someone's life and prevent long-term heartache and hardship for their family members and generations to follow.

by SJ NANA, DC, DrNana.co.za

For more information:

Please see my previous articles related to this topic:

Natural Infections Help To Prevent and Cure Cancer

The Ignored Efficiency of the Immune System

The Overlooked Benefits of Chiropractic

02 October 2022

Darebee.com: A Great Source For Exercise Routines

This is just one of the many examples of
exercise routines found at Darebee.com.
(click on image to enlarge)

According to Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist, Dr. Roger Sperry, "90% of the nutrition and stimulation to the brain is generated by movement of the spine." Chiropractic care improves the function of your nervous system by restoring proper motion of your spinal column. Keeping your body mindfully in motion is then up to you, and regular physical activity is the best way to do this. Studies have shown that regular exercise can reduce your risk of cancer by up to 50% and not exercising is worse for your health than smoking.

Along with regular walking, there are many simple ways to exercise that also don't require much time or equipment. One good example is body weight exercise and a great place to get simple routines for all skill levels is a website called Darebee.com. They have a database of over 1,900 exercise routines that can also be filtered and searched based on your needs, along with short video tutorials showing how to do the exercises. It's always best to get professional help with intensive exercise, but this is a good start for anyone to get your body in motion again. Also, try to change your exercise routine every 2 weeks or so, just to keep your mind and body in a more adaptive state. When you make time to function better, you can enjoy life even more.

by SJ NANA, DC, DrNana.co.za

For more information:

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28 September 2022

Lessons Learned From My First Broken Bone

Benjamin Franklin once said, "The things which hurt, instruct." After my traumatic fall in January 2022 when I fractured the distal end of my collar bone, many lessons were learned. The image on the right shows an X-ray of my shoulder, taken a week after the fall. Amazingly, it already showed that new bone was created to heal the fracture. For me personally and professionally, this injury educated me and reinforced many things I was taught long ago. These are four of the main lessons:

1) The Nervous System is also the Healing System. Healing from all injuries and trauma is initiated, controlled and coordinated by the Nervous System. This astounding healing begins immediately after the injury, as the nervous system sends a signal to blood cells in the circulatory system. As discovered by the orthopaedic surgeon and researcher, Dr. Robert Becker, and described in his book, The Body Electric, this healing process is initiated by a very low frequency electromagnetic signal from the nervous system. This message directs the red blood cells that rush to the injury site to essentially change and become cells of the torn or broken muscles, tendons, and even bones. In other words, the brain sends a "wireless" message to flood or "inflame" the injury site with blood cells to dedifferentiate (i.e. change) into bone cells. It's truly astounding, to say the least. I was only able to drive without severe pain 3 weeks later, when I was finally able to visit my chiropractor in Joburg. I was severely subluxated from the accompanying head injury that I also sustained from the fall, and those specific adjustments made by Dr Nicole Bernic had a profound effect on my overall well-being and definitely helped to hasten the recovery.

2) Fractures likely heal better without pharmaceutical drugs. After I received stitches on my eye brow, the doctor asked if I needed pain medication, as I was obviously in severe pain. The pain was only severe is certain positions and movements, so I declined his offer, saying, "The pain is keeping me honest." (To which he replied, "I like that!"). Through the entire healing process I simply avoided anything that made the pain feel worse. In fact, I even taught my brain to become proficient at using my left arm to adjust my patients, and even brushing my teeth and eating. I avoided all pain killers and anti-inflammatory drugs, so that my brain was more aware of the broken bone.

3) My diet is more than adequate for bone health. Most people believe that you need dairy for the health of your bones. I have not consumed any dairy products in 8 years, yet my fractured bone healed in about 5 weeks, less that the 6-8 weeks predicted by the orthopaedic surgeon, and my shoulder was nearly fully functional. Fortunately, calcium and the many other minerals needed for a healthy skeletal system comes from the ground and don't need to be filtered through an animal for us to benefit.

4) My simple fitness routine likely sped up the recovery. While I don't exercise as much as I should, I do at least walk regularly and perform simple body weight exercises and stretching daily. I am quite certain that the strength of my shoulder muscles also helped me to recover efficiently, and possibly made the injury less severe.

Considering that the fall was a hard one, the damage could have been much worse. While it was a massive inconvenience for me, my wife, and my patients, as I wasn't able to work at full capacity for over a month, the lessons learned are many. For this, I am grateful, but I am most grateful for our amazing innate healing capacity to allow us to heal, learn, and enjoy an even more meaningful life.

by SJ NANA, DrNana.co.za

06 July 2022

Chiropractic Can Help With Tremors

(Source: Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research)

One of the early signs of neurological disease are tremors, which is defined as "an involuntary, rhythmic muscle contraction leading to shaking movements in one of more parts of the body." While this most commonly affects the hands, it can also affect the arms, eye lids, vocal cords, torso and legs. We've seen many patients get positive results with many different types of tremors, with many resolving completely or lessening in severity. (See links below for published case studies). As specific chiropractic care improves the function of muscles, this effect is not surprising. This symptom is often treated with medication, which is rarely effective and can have long-term toxic effects. According to one review, "... medications rarely reduce the tremor to asymptomatic levels and they are often associated with troublesome side effects (eg., drowsiness, depression), so that many patients decide to discontinue them." Fortunately, we can also help with this often debilitating and life-altering problem. It's important to note that the nervous system takes longer to heal than any part of the body, so sustained improvement generally requires consistent care for at least 4-6 months. As neurological problems are rising worldwide, there is fortunately a non-toxic and likely more effective option, helping you to naturally regain control of your body and your life.

by SJ NANA, DC, DrNana.co.za

References:

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22 June 2022

Fear Creates Neurological Dysfunction & Disease

Few people are aware of the fact that in 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) changed the criteria for declaring a pandemic. According to Dr Joseph Mercola in his best-selling book, The Truth About Covid-19:

"The WHO's original definition of the term was: " ... when a new influenza virus appears against which the human population has no immunity, resulting in several, simultaneous epidemics worldwide with enormous numbers of deaths and illness."

The key portion of that definition is "enormous numbers of deaths and illness." This definition was changed in the month leading up to the 2009 swine flu pandemic. The change was a simple but substantial one: They merely removed the severity and high mortality criteria, leaving the definition of pandemic as "a worldwide epidemic of a disease."

The switch in definition allowed the WHO to declare swine flu a pandemic after a mere 144 people died from the infection, worldwide, and it's why COVID-19 is still promoted as a pandemic even though it has caused no excess mortality. We now have plenty of data showing that the lethality of COVID-19 is on par with the seasonal flu. It may be different in terms of symptoms and complications, but the lethality is about the same, and absolute risk is equivalent to the risk of dying in a car accident."

Why this was done is debatable, but by being able to declare a pandemic before a significant amount of fatalities simply makes people more fearful and more vulnerable. According to data from the CDC and published in their journal Preventing Chronic Disease, fear and anxiety (along with obesity and diabetes with complications) were, in fact, two of the major risk factors for severe COVID-19.

As fear directly affects the nervous system, the side effects on the rest of the body will eventually follow. The impact of fear is well-documented in the scientific literature, as it "weakens our immune system and can cause cardiovascular damage, gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome, and decreased fertility, accelerated ageing and even premature death." We've seen many patients become empowered and less fearful as their nervous systems function better, making healthy habits and specific chiropractic care essential for real and perceived dangers.

by SJ NANA, DC, DrNana.co.za

We've seen many patients regain control of their life,
allowing them to become more peaceful and calm.
Source: Choose Peace in ALL Circumstances

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01 June 2022

Do Microwave Ovens Make Food Unhealthy?

The plants in images D, E, & F were fed water
that was exposed to microwave frequencies
for just 1 hour and certainly did not fare well.
Source: Advances in Bioscience
and Biotechnology

I am often asked if microwaved food is unhealthy. Considering that overexposure to wireless radiation,
which uses microwave frequencies, has been proven to be harmful, it only makes logical sense that the cells of food would also be damaged by microwave ovens. While some studies say the nutrient value and chemical composition of foods that are heated in microwave ovens is quite similar to food cooked using other methods, others tell a different story. For instance, a study found that microwaving broccoli destroys 97% of an essential nutrient called flavonoids, while another found that microwaves damage protein. Few studies, however, are being done on the health effects of consuming something that has been exposed to microwave frequencies. While not easily found on most internet search engines, studies have been published more recently verifying that microwaved food, as well as water, is potentially harmful for both plants and animals.

In a 2020 study from Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology, researchers showed that pepper plants that are watered with water that sat next to a WiFi router for just one hour "exhibited marked decrease in health index" compared to unexposed water (see image above). It's important to note that WiFi uses the exact same frequency as microwave ovens, 2.45Ghz. Other studies on plants have also been published with similar startling effects, which I've linked below. One study even showed harmful effects to plants with water microwaved even for just one minute! This effect was also confirmed on animals, with a study on rats fed microwaved food showing changes in blood characteristics, including a decrease in red blood cells, white blood cells, less blood cell volume, and a lower hemoglobin concentration, as compared to rats fed food that was not microwaved. In a follow-up study, all the rats fed microwaved food had lower levels of antioxidant enzymes, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E in their blood, with the authors concluding "that consumption of microwaved foods resulted in a significant decrease in antioxidant protection and may be implicated in the pathogenesis of oxidative stress and degenerative diseases." In conclusion, it appears that microwaved foods can possibly accelerate the aging process, with microwave ovens likely turning healthy food into junk food and should be avoided. Also, to preserve the natural state of nutrients in food, try to consume as many raw fruits and vegetables as possible, as this is the foundation of healthy eating.

by SJ NANA, DC, DrNana.co.za

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25 May 2022

Sunshine Is Even More Essential During Shorter Days

This chart clearly shows that when vitamin D levels
are low, influenza rates are high.
Source: Influenza, solar radiation and vitamin D

When it comes to the importance of sunshine, the science is quite clear. Many people get ill during this time of the year mainly because the days are getting shorter, resulting in less sun exposure. This is why there's a consistent "wave" of viral infections every year at this time. Most people by now are aware of the importance of vitamin D for respiratory infections, including the flu and covid-19, but being exposed to the sun plays an important role in many physiological pathways and many different diseases in our bodies. A 13-year study from 2014 concluded that "vitamin D status is associated with a range of important health outcomes, including respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, fractures, and total mortality." Another study of pregnant woman also found reduced risk of cancer, autoimmune diseases, and complications of pregnancy. They also noted that the best time to absorb the essential ultraviolet B rays is "when the sun his high enough that one's shadow is shorter than one's height." Many studies have also clearly shown that low vitamin D levels play a strong role with those that develop severe flu or covid, with a recent review of 28 studies that "provide observational findings that vitamin D levels are related to the incidence, severity, and mortality rate of covid-19 infection." It's also important to note that the medical treatment of covid often includes cortisone (or corticosteroids), which depletes the body of vitamin D, along with many other side effects. Furthermore, sunshine plays a metabolic role in many other functions in the body beyond vitamin D. Regular exposure to the sun will even improve the function of the nervous system, with studies showing a reduced risk of Parkinson's disease, and will also likely help you to hold your adjustment more effectively. Make sure you get your daily dose of midday sunshine, so you can make winter work for you.

by SJ NANA, DC, DrNana.co.za

Source: Your Choice Primary Care

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08 May 2022

Chiropractic Improves Self-Awareness

Specific chiropractic care improves your
self-awareness, allowing you to relax
naturally, without a conscious reminder.

In order to function well and stay well, the brain's awareness of what's happening in the body is essential. Without proper feedback from the body, the central nervous system is not able to adapt and heal properly. This is one of the benefits of chiropractic that most people don't necessary feel. In fact, this is one of the reasons that when our new patients begin care, the sensitivity can increase, because the brain becomes more aware of problems in the rest of the body. These symptoms are actually part of the healing process and something that the nervous system needs to go through. The mainstream medical approach seeks to hide the symptoms, often making the problem persist in the background and even get worse. Being more aware of what is happening in your body helps you to adapt and heal more efficiently. Many people aren't aware that they are holding tension in their body and need to be reminded to relax. Specific chiropractic care fine-tunes the mind-body connection, improving your self-awareness, helping you to relax naturally, and allowing the nervous system to deal more efficiently with the challenges and joys of life.

by SJ NANA, DC, DrNana.co.za

Please see my previous articles related to this topic:

25 March 2022

Natural Infections Help To Prevent and Cure Cancer

Did you know that the immune system also targets and destroys cancer cells? Many studies have
shown that acute infectious diseases, especially when accompanied by a fever, appears to have a protective effect against cancer (see links below). In other words, being exposed to common infectious diseases, including measles, mumps, chicken pox, and the flu, appears to make the immune system more resilient and effective even when dealing with cancer cells. According to "Miller's Review of Critical Vaccine Studies:"

"Several diseases have oncolytic (anti-cancer) properties. For example, tumour remissions after measles infection are well-documented in the medical literature. Scientists have known for quite some time that infections in early life protect against various cancers later in life. Later born children have less cancer than their siblings. Children who go to daycare in early life are more protected against cancers for the same reason. Vaccinations denied babies opportunities to become naturally infected, and with this reduction in exposure to disease there was a trade-off - increased rates of cancer."

It is quite clear that acute infectious diseases, especially those that cause a fever, can serve an important purpose in detoxifying the body and boosting the immune system. This has been known for hundreds of years. Even Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, once said, "Give me the power to create a fever, and I shall cure any disease." It's also important to note that most, if not all, vaccines are not evaluated as a potential cause of cancer. Fortunately, we already have a power within us that heals us and initiates a fever timeously, and that is the body's nervous system, which is constantly working to keep us healthy and resilient. By improving the function of the nervous system, it's easy to see how chiropractic can indirectly also help to prevent and fight cancer.

by SJ NANA, DC, DrNana.co.za

(Click on image to enlarge.)

References:

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12 March 2022

Chiropractic Can Help Regulate Blood Pressure

As with many problems in the body, high blood pressure has a strong neurological component. The medical term used to diagnose this condition is hypertension and the drugs used to decrease blood pressure mostly target the nervous and endocrine systems. Did you know that about 30% of people are likely misdiagnosed with high blood pressure? Many people get tense and stressed when they have their blood pressure measured at a doctor's office, resulting in a higher reading, and being falsely diagnosed and medicated for high blood pressure. In fact, there's even a medical term for this, called White Coat Syndrome, as well as a diagnosis code.

While having high blood pressure is indeed dangerous, using drugs to reduce your blood pressure has a wide range of risks and side effects, depending on the type of medication used. About 10 years ago, one of my patients who was a retired medical doctor, told me that he refused to take high blood pressure medication, because it can weaken the heart muscles and lead to the necessity of a pacemaker. Fortunately, there are many ways of reducing your blood pressure naturally. In this video, Dr Adam Story demonstrates how to reduce your blood pressure naturally in just a few minutes, with simple deep-breathing exercises. While many doctors blame high blood pressure on genes, lifestyle habits play a much more significant role.

Specific, neurologically-based chiropractic adjustments have also been shown to reduce blood pressure, by improving the function of the nerves that control the muscles of the heart, lungs, and the blood vessels of the entire body. According to a study published in 2007, "50 individuals with a misaligned Atlas (C1) vertebra and high blood pressure, showed that after a one-time specialized chiropractic adjustment, blood pressure decreased significantly. The decrease was equal to taking two blood-pressure drugs at once." Regular care will likely have a longer-lasting effect. It's truly amazing what the nervous system and the body can do when it's functioning well.

by SJ NANA, DC, DrNana.co.za

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Please see my previous articles related to this topic:

02 March 2022

Are EMFs Contributing To Severe COVID-19?

(Click on image to enlarge)

While many neurological problems are being blamed on the covid virus, the evidence to support this theory is circumstantial at best, considering that the test used to diagnose an infection has been proven to be inaccurate. According to a paper published in 2020, "More than a third of cases displayed neurological involvement, and many severely ill patients developed multiple organ infection and injury. However, less than 1% of patients had a detectable level of SARS- CoV-2 in the blood, raising a question of how the virus spreads throughout the body." Considering that many people are now overexposed to wireless radiation, it is not far-fetched to see that this additional stress on the body can compromise health and even weaken the nervous and immune systems. In a paper published last year, the researchers "identified several mechanisms by which wireless communication radiation may have contributed to the COVID-19 pandemic as a toxic environmental cofactor." While the wireless industry and governments claim this radiation is safe, independent scientists that have been warning us for decades. I have also seen many patients report positive effects when they do limit their exposure. Unfortunately, most people today are unable to eliminate this radiation, but there are steps you can take to reduce your exposure (see infographic). Chiropractic care also reduces dysfunction in the nervous system, allowing your body to withstand this stress much more effectively.

by SJ NANA, DC, DrNana.co.za

References:

Please see my previous articles related to this topic:

23 February 2022

Healthy Reading: "Drug Muggers" by Suzy Cohen, RPh

Would you willingly consume a substance that can cause sickness or death when ingested or absorbed? Unfortunately, many people are treating one problem, while unknowingly slowly poisoning themselves. A poison is defined as "a substance that through its chemical action usually kills, injures, or impairs an organism." This book explains how the body is essentially depleted of nutrients in order to counteract the numerous toxic effects of pharmaceutical interventions. As the author states in her introduction:

"Drugs have an intended effect on the body, but in the process of helping you, they can put your body in a dangerous state by slowly depleting you of the very nutrients you need to maintain your health and to help you heal. This slow depletion can make you feel miserable. It can even hasten your death." For example, a simple drug such as aspirin, when used regularly can lead the deficiencies is Vitamins B3, B6, B9, C, & D, as well as the minerals zinc, potassium, calcium, and iron.

Some would argue that pharmaceutical drugs are essential for survival and treating disease. However, as the author states, "The fact is, you can't cure disease with drugs made of synthetic chemicals, especially when they often suppress your body's ability to produce or use natural, healthy nutrients."

Many free-thinking medical doctors have realized this major shortcoming in their education (see video linked below) and can help you to reduce your dependency on synthetics. This book can be a great guide if you are not able to find such a doctor that can aid you. She also provides lists of foods that will also effectively and safely help replenish lost nutrients. Another useful website is by the South African group called "Doctors Beyond Medicine" where they state that, "Physicians often tell their patients that symptoms arising from nutrient depletion are simply "part of the illness" or just signs that they're "getting older." To make matters worse, physicians frequently try to address the symptoms arising from drug-induced nutrient depletion by prescribing even more drugs, further compounding the problem."

With careful lifestyle modification and specific, neurogologically-based chiropractic care, many medications can be reduced or even eliminated once the body is able to function properly. In some cases, supplemention may be necessary, as we've created a toxic and polluted environment that is only getting worse. Fortunately, our bodies have the ability to cope and detoxify, as long as we make every attempt to live as close to nature as possible.

by SJ NANA, DC, DrNana.co.za

For more information:

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