March 10, 2016
Sometimes you encounter a story that feels eerily like a movie, with a plot that’s unfolding right before your eyes. This one involved a chance meeting in Addis Ababa, the Capital of Ethiopia, when Australian Chiropractor Dr Bronwyn McNamara dropped in to a local clinic while on a humanitarian trip. At the time the chiropractor was treating someone so Bronwyn left her card and left, thinking nothing more of it. But the phone rang that night, with Dr. Selam Aklilu on the other end of the line saying, “You should have interrupted me!” Two years later, that chance meeting has […]
March 10, 2016
Sleep matters. This statement alone will cause gasps of surprise from … absolutely no one. But the degree to which sleep matters has been a topic of intense study for years. A recent study turned up some rather concerning findings – that the total amount of sleep has shrunk to around seven hours per person, per night [1]. We are, year by year, traipsing further and further away from the brain’s primal instinct – to sleep when the sun goes down and wake when the sun comes up. Sure, this ideal is impossible for shift workers, new parents, insomniacs, students […]
March 10, 2016
Over the last decade or so, the world of genetics has undergone quite a paradigm shift. The new science of epigenetics has emerged, and with it our health realities have started to change. We were no longer doomed to the health pitfalls that lurked in our family tree. In fact, there are many things we could do to influence our health, wellness and genetic expression. This is all well and good. But often the question lies in the ‘how’. How do we change our health future? How do we target the hypertensive gene, or the diabetic gene? What specific actions […]
March 8, 2016
The British Journal of Sports Medicine recently released a paper on exploring the impacts of sedentary offices, highlighting the problem of sitting all day. The study urged employers to change the culture of their workplaces in order to increase the health and wellbeing of their employees. The findings put forth in the paper (titled The sedentary office: an expert statement on the growing case for change towards better health and productivity [1]) brought together current evidence including long-term epidemiological studies in order to present employers with guidance on the important issue. The crux of it is this: workers need to […]
March 3, 2016
Can you sit down on the floor and then get back up again without using your hands or other supports? It might seem like an odd question, but a study in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology has found that this simple exercise may predict longevity. The study took 2,000 respondents ranging in age from 51-80, observed their performance in the ‘sitting-rising test,’ and subtracted a point every time they used hands, knees or forearms as a support to help them stand again. The resulting score was able to predict longevity in many cases. “6.3 years later, 159 people died—the […]
March 3, 2016
Say the word “meditation” to practice members and you’ll get different reactions every time. Typical responses range from “I’m too busy for that” to “that religious nonsense? Not for me.” For generations, meditation’s strongest associations were with yoga, Buddhism and the like. However, research emerging over the last few years is showing that meditation has many positive impacts for health and longevity. Innovators in mind-body practices are increasingly finding ways to bring meditation out of the realm of the religious and into the realm of health and healing. It could be more important than we thought. Among the findings in […]
March 1, 2016
Autism diagnoses seem to have sky-rocketed in recent history. At present, autism is thought to affect four times more boys than girls and current statistics estimate that in Australia alone, 1% of people are on the autism spectrum [1]. To some this might sound like a low percentage but it represents some 230,000 Australians and amounts to a massive cost for families. Authorities on the disorder claim that it is a lifelong developmental condition. However, encouraging studies could place a question mark over the idea that, in all cases, it is lifelong. We are learning more and more about […]
March 1, 2016
We are excited to announce that another project that received funding from the Spinal Research Foundation has won international acclaim. The study, undertaken by Heidi Haavik, Kelly Holt, Bernadette Murphy and the amazing team from the New Zealand College of Chiropractic, took out first place in the Parker Las Vegas Research awards and will soon be published in the Journal of Neural Plasticity. The journal, which boasts an impact factor of 3.5, is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes on a range of neural plasticity related disciplines. These include basic neuroscience, behavioral neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, biological psychology, and biological psychiatry [1]. […]
February 25, 2016
Online learning for chiropractors has radically changed the way we develop ourselves and our practices. Podcasts, YouTube videos and online seminars mean that we can learn from home, in our underwear, what we used to have to go to seminars to learn. So why is it that thousands of people choose to travel to Las Vegas every year to attend Parker Las Vegas? Quite simply, because Parker is more than its content, it’s an immersive experience. It’s like the difference between listening to a CD of your favourite band and going to see them live. Sure, you could read the […]
February 25, 2016
Spinal Research Partnership enables breakthrough study. “Research shows that Chiropractic care can increase strength, decrease fatigue and improve the brain’s ability to drive muscles.” “What we can say based on this study is that when we adjust subluxations, we improve strength, we prevent fatigue and we change the way the brain drives our muscles. That’s pretty cool” said Heidi Haavik, one of the brains behind a recent study examining changes in H-reflexes and V-waves following spinal adjustments. Haavik isn’t referring to ‘subluxations’ in terms of the now out-dated bone out of place, squashing a nerve view. Instead, she is viewing […]
February 23, 2016
Most of us have heard of the term work-life balance. It’s a concept that gained popularity during the 1990’s before becoming very much embedded in the practice of today’s professional. It is commonplace for organisations to advise their workers to take their time-off-in-lieu, to ensure they have happy and healthy lifestyles outside the office, and of course to take their four weeks leave every year. These aspects of balance are backed by research that says those who take their leave are healthier, happier and more peaceful. “Personal benefits have been found to include: rest and recuperation from work; provision of new […]
February 23, 2016
At this point in time, we don’t know for sure what causes Rheumatoid Arthritis. Researchers believe there may be a familial link in the disorder, but they still search for reasons as to why the body has decided to attack its own joints. For sufferers of Rheumatoid Arthritis, often the first line of defence is the use of Corticosteroids, pain-relievers or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (or DMARDS). The role of the corticosteroid is to mimic adrenal hormones and assist in handling inflammation, whereas DMARDS are designed to stop the body from attacking and destroying its own tissue [1]. But is pharmacology […]
February 18, 2016
For many people, the first sign of pain sees them reaching for the medicine cabinet. Among the drugs that so often line these shelves are a class of medications known as ‘Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs’ or NSAIDS. Naproxen, Ibuprofen and Diclofenac are three common members of the NSAID family. Used to treat inflammation and other ailments such as migraines or period pain, these drugs have become a common fix for the pain problem. Inflammation is part of the body’s innate intelligence, a method by which damage is repaired. But when this gets painful, it can be difficult for some people […]
February 18, 2016
It’s been ten years since the first edition of Well Adjusted Babies (by Dr. Jennifer Barham-Floreani*) hit the shelves. This decade has seen a paradigm shift in the way parents consume information, and choose to nurture the little lives they have been entrusted with. “It’s an exciting time for chiropractic.” says Jennifer, who is enthusiastic about the increasing amount and research around chiropractic and holistic wellness. “What we offer is so unique in its ability to work holistically, to strengthen and rebalance health.” The previous generation may have grown up consuming food additives, gluten, and dairy without so much as […]
February 16, 2016
New studies have revealed a link between Magnesium deficiencies and migraines, prompting some researchers to recommend that magnesium be included in the treatment plan for all sufferers of the debilitating neurological condition. The reasons behind the link include the impact of magnesium on a number of brain structures and chemicals “suspected to be important in migraine [1].” The studies showed that magnesium levels impacted serotonin receptors, had an effect on nitric oxide synthesis as well as nitric oxide release, and affected NMDA receptors [2,3]. All of these are thought to be significant factors in the development and recurrence of migraine. […]
February 16, 2016
When most people hear the word “brand,” their minds instantly go to logos. They think branded pens, signs over doors and flashy business cards. In today’s gimmick heavy world, you can literally get anything branded. Exhibit A: There’s even talk of Richard Branson growing the Virgin Galactic brand to the moon via space hotels. Branding on the moon. Heaven help us. Pun intended. The fact is that branding is far more than a logo. For chiropractors and health practitioners, it’s the full patient experience, from when they first contact your business to when they walk out the door or need […]
February 11, 2016
A concerning trend has emerged over the last few years, and it’s one that should make us sit up and think. “Retractions for all reasons, from honest error to plagiarism to the outright faking of data, are on the rise [1].” Perhaps it’s the pull of the academic career path, the pressure to publicize or even lowered barriers to retraction that’s driving this change, but it presents us with some valid and valuable questions. What is good science? How do we insulate ourselves from the damage of retraction? It’s something Spinal Research takes seriously, because we have a cause to […]
February 11, 2016
“Many chiropractors feel like they are second class citizens in the world of health care and in the world of evidence. I’m showing up to make the argument that our evidence is robust, and its something we should be celebrating and promulgating not apologizing for,” says Patrick Gentempo of his visit to the Australia this month for Dynamic Growth Congress and his Think! Chiropractic Without a Doubt day seminars. Gentempo will be bringing the applied science of the adjustment, and a powerful message of the impact of philosophy when he treads the stage at DG 2016. “We are delivering this program on a […]