Author Archives: Dr. Amie Gregory

Is Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) the most common skin cancer?

July 25, 2010

Yes. It is responsible for 90% of the skin cancer in the united states. Good news: They don’t normally spread to other parts of the body. Bad news: it can damage the tissue around the cancer.

Reasons for developing BCC:

People with fair skin, sun exposure, age. Most of the time the cancer occurs in the area exposed to the sun but in rare cases (20%), they can happen in areas we wouldn’t think (chest, back, scalp). However, the majority BCC occurs on the face.

  • Sun Exposure: According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main reason most individuals get skin cancer. Obviously, the more you are in the sun, the increase of skin cancer rises. Tanning booths also increase the chance of BCC.

    Note* Some individuals believe that if you have small doses of sun each day without sunblock it can decrease the chance of cancer if your body begins to slowly tolerate the UV. This reasoning comes from the notion that people do not sun tan during most of the year, then spend hours at a time tanning. The skin needs to build up a “tolerance” to UV rays but if done slowly it will not produce a cancer cell.

  • Age: Your risk increases after the age of 50. Protection from the sun should be practiced from childhood to adulthood.
  • If receiving radiation for cancer, you may also be at risk.

What does a BCC look like?

There are tons of pictures online so you may want to check them out. It usually begins small with a dome shape bump. Blood vessels can be seen. It appears to be shiny or “pearly”, but at times it may look dark. Sometimes it may seem like a mole so it may be necessary to get a biopsy to determine if it is BCC. The texture of such a spot is often shiny and translucent, sometimes referred to as “pearly.”

They grow at a slow pace (months or years).

Treatment:

Good News: There is a very high success rate (90% or more). Removal of the carcinoma is necessary and in most cases there is very little scarring.

Tips on how to decrease your risk:

  • limiting sun exposure and tanning beds
  • avoiding unprotected exposure to the sun during peak radiation times (noon)
  • Hat protection
  • Waterproof or water resistant sunscreen with UVA protection and SPF 30 or higher
  • Visiting a dermatologist if you have a skin discoloration that changes shape or color

With the hot weather approaching, be careful and take care of yourself. Drink lots of water too!

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Dehydration signs and symptoms

July 23, 2010

Dehydration:

Dehydration happens when we excrete more fluids than we take in.  We lose fluids by sweating, urinating, defecating, vomiting.

Most of the time dehydration happens because of diarrhea, vomiting, flu/fever.   It is recommended to drink approximately 8 ounces of fluid before any exercise.   Not drinking water before a workout and after can produce dehydration and also create a headache.

It can happen to anyone at any age, but older adults and individuals with illnesses are more at risk.  Anyone may become dehydrated, but young children, older adults and people with chronic illnesses are most at risk.   Always make sure you drink at least 8 ounces of water per day and if you are athletic or ill, add another 8 ounces or more.

What are the symptoms of Dehydration:

  1. Dry mouth
  2. Fatigue
  3. Thirst
  4. Yellow urine (also decreased frequency of urination)
  5. Decrease in tear production
  6. Weakness of musculature
  7. Headaches
  8. Dizziness/vertigo

For individuals experiencing severe dehydration, these are some of the symptoms: (this can become a medical emergency)

  1. Extreme thirst
  2. Irritability and confusion
  3. Extreme dry mouth, skin and mucous membranes
  4. No sweating
  5. Very little urination
  6. Eyes are sunken
  7. Skin that does not bounce back when pinched/pulled lightly
  8. Low blood pressure
  9. Rapid heartbeat
  10. Fever
  11. Delirious behavior
  12. Unconsciousness
  13. In infants, sunken fontanels (baby “soft spot”)

(See a medical doctor if symptoms are severe, if you vomit for more than 8 hours or have severe diarrhea for more than 3 days)

*Always add electrolytes (sodium, potassium and calcium) to water if vomiting or having extreme diarrhea.

Water has zero calories and is essential to human function.  An average adult sweats, breathes and secretes up to 2.5 liters of water a day.  This needs to be replenished in order to transport and absorb nutrients.

In most cases, simply adding fluids and electrolytes will slowly bring energy and nutrients to the surface.  If you body is not responding, then it may be necessary to see a medical doctor for further testing.

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Bell’s Palsy, what is it? What can be done?

July 21, 2010

Bell’s palsy happens suddenly.  You may awake with one part of your face drooping.  The 7th cranial nerve is responsible for this problem.   The 7th cranial nerve passes through an opening in the temporal bone located on the side of your head.  If irritated, stretched or impinged it will lose its ability to innervate the facial muscles of your face. You may be unable to raise your eyebrows, pucker your lips, blink or smile.  Basically, you have lost the ability to produce a facial expression.

Symptoms:

Pain around the ear can often happen before the facial nerve shows signs of paresis or paralysis.  The front of one side of the face usually feels heavy or numb.  often precedes facial paresis. Paresis, often with complete paralysis, develops within hours and is usually maximal within 48 to 72 h. Patients may complain of a numb or heavy feeling in the face.

After the examiner notices a drooping face on one side, general cranial nerve testing is administered and if positive, safe chiropractic care can be started.   If treatment is unsuccessful, then you may want to get checked and cleared for:

  1. Herpes
  2. Ear infections
  3. Sarcoidosis
  4. Lyme disease
  5. Skull fractures
  6. Carcinomatous
  7. Meningitis
  8. Tumors

Treatment:

Medical doctors like to administer corticosteroids which can only be given a limited amount of times and actually has been shown to decrease healing time for tissues in the body.  Chiropractors can adjust the first bone (Atlas) in your neck which can free up the fascial nerve.  C1 or Atlas is located near the brain stem and can affect the whole body.

Before ingesting drugs which can produce harmful affects on the liver, kidneys, pancreas and other organs, try chiropractic, you may be surprised by the results!

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How much water do I drink?

July 13, 2010

I am often asked how much water is enough? Well, that depends on each individual and what their lifestyle is. If you are an athlete, then more water is needed to re-hydrate yourself. If you do not work out, then the amount is lower.

Did you know that water accounts for over 60% of your body weight? Every organ and system in our body relies on water to survive. Lack of water leads to dehydration which can give you headaches and less energy.

Every person loses water when we breathe, perspire, urinate or defecate. We should replenish water frequently so our body can function and move properly.

So, how much water do we need? Most medical journals say 8-9 cups of water per day. This is a very vague rule and does not work for everyone. Lets review some other ideas for water consumption.

  1. Replenish: an average person normally urinates 6.3 cups a day. We also lose about 4 cups per day while breathing, sweating and defecation. Food accounts for about 20% of liquid per day so if you drink a little more than 8 cups a day along with a healthy diet, you can replenish any fluids lost.
  2. The 8×8 Rule: drink 8 ounces of water per day.
  3. Check your urine color: It should be clear or slightly yellow. If it is dark yellow, then this means you need to consume more water.

What factors lead to drinking more water per day?

  • If you exercise add 1.5 to 2.5 cups of water per day. You will notice that you body will crave the additional water anyway after a workout. If you are a marathon runner or exercise excessively, it is recommended to add salt to the water because of the salt lost with sweat.Weather: Hot or humid weather can promote sweat and lose valuable fluid. Heat provided in the winter will dry out the skin and high altitudes (higher than 8,200 feet) can trigger rapid breathing and increased urination. More water should be added to you diet.
  • If you are sick with the flu or have intestinal issues you may vomit, have diarrhea which will rapidly deplete water in the body. You may want to add electrolytes to the water to make sure you have energy after being sick.
  • Breast feeding and Pregnancy: It is recommended to drink about 13 cups of water if you are breast feeding. Babies take a lot of fluid out of your system. If you are pregnant, it is recommended to drink 10 glasses of water per day.

Drink water…it is great for your body and mind!

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Weight lifting technique, lets do it the right way!

July 11, 2010

When I am at the gym, I see numerous people working out incorrectly and have no idea that it is going to cause a problem eventually.   Improper posture, lifting too much weight and rushing through the workout can cause long term issues.

Here are some ways of lifting weights at the gym the right way:

1. Lift the proper amount of weight. If you can comfortably lift a weight 12 to 15 times, it is the proper weight for you. As you get stronger, increase the weight while still maintaining the 12 to 15 drill.

2. Use the proper technique. If you have a problem maintaining your posture then try lighter weights and less repetitions. It really makes a difference. Your knees should be slightly bent, shoulders pulled back and back should be relatively straight

3. Breathe out as you lift the weight and in as you lower the weight. For more of a workout, keep a bit of tension on the way back down. This will work the muscle more and you get so much more out of your workout.

4. If you do weights with the front muscles of the body, do them in the back. Most people work on their quadriceps but neglect the hamstrings in the back. What is really popular is working the calf muscles in the back leg but not working the muscles in the front and side of the leg. You want balance in the body and not over work some muscles while under working others.

5. Exercise different muscles each day. Don’t do biceps and quadriceps two days in a row. Switch to triceps and hamstrings. Resting muscles after a workout allows them to regenerate and get ready for the next set of repetitions.

Here are the Don’ts:

  1. Don’t skip your warm up. Remember, we are shortening muscles with a workout. That means they should be stretched before and after. Shortening a muscle that is already short will provoke an injury. Each stretch should last 25-30 seconds.
  2. Don’t rush your workouts. This will make you lose your form and won’t work the muscle as much as you would like.
  3. Don’t overdo it. I quite frequently hear people saying they are so sore they can’t move the next day. Working the muscle to fatigue is really all you need. Becoming so sore that you can’t move will not motivate you to get back into the gym. I recommend going about 70% in the beginning and working your way up. This way, you won’t be at risk of hurting yourself and you will be motivated to keep doing your workout.
  4. No pain, no gain theory is not a good way of working out. If it hurts to do an exercise, stop! This is your body telling you that something isn’t right. You may need to alter your weight or check your body posture.

Now that you know the proper way to work out, you can avoid hurting yourself and have the workouts you desire.

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Tips for preventing bicycling injuries

July 10, 2010

Sometimes people who come into my office complaining of neck, low back, knee pain or hand/foot numbness don’t take notice that their posture at work, home or school may be having negative effects on their nerves. Often times they are oblivious to the fact that the sport they do to stay in shape may have bad effects too.

Neck, low back, knee or hand/foot pain during or after biking may mean you don’t have proper bike ergonomics. Buying the right bike for you is imperative. Here are some tips to avoid injuries and keep riding.

The proper saddle:

Your seat should be at a level that supports the full weight of your body while allowing you to re-adjust your position. If the front of your seat is tilted up, you will slide backward and it will be hard to reach the peddles and force you to push your back forward adding stress to the low back. If the seat is tilted downward, you slide forward putting more pressure on your arms, wrists, hands and knees.

To make sure your seat is the right height. Wear the appropriate biking shoes and put your heels on the pedals. Start to pedal backwards and make sure your knees fully extend without reaching. If you notice that you have to move your hips from side to side to pedal, then your seat is too high. Now when it is time to start pedaling forward you will notice that the balls of your feet are over the pedal and a slight bend in the knees occur with each push.

Proper handlebar height:

Miscalculation of handle bar height can lead to neck, shoulder back, hand/wrist pain.
Proper ergonomics of the handlebars will allow you to bend your elbows while using all of the positions of the handlebars and gears.

Knee pain occurs when the seat is too high or low or tilted improperly. Also, the improper bike shoe position can cause knee problems: Here are some cause and effects of improper seat or pedal ergonomics.

  1. Seat too high will result in pain in the back of the knee or hip pain.
  2. A low seat or forward seat will cause pain in the front of the knee.
  3. Improper foot position will cause pain on the outside of your knee.

Differences in leg length may lead to twisting on the bike, stretching of one leg which pulls on the hips. Shoe orthotics and hip adjustments to keep the hips even can alleviate this problem.

Neck Pain:

Neck pain happens commonly with cycling. Usually this is a problem of having the handlebars too low or having a bike that is too long for the cyclist. Not stretching the hamstrings or muscles in the front of the thigh can cause neck problems because it will force the spine to arch which will force your head to extend backward while riding.

Foot numbness or pain:

Wearing the proper shoe is necessary with someone who bikes regularly. Bike shoes are made to evenly distribute the pressure on each pedal. Also, if you are riding in a gear that is too high for you, it will put more pressure on the feet causing a disruption of the nerves and tissues of the feet.

Hand Pain or Numbness:

Wear padded gloves while riding to provide a cushion and not push on the median nerve. Allow the shock of the ground to be put on the elbows which can bounce and absorb the pressure from the bumps during the ride.

Remember to always stretch and relax before and after riding. This will prevent tightness and reduce the chance of pulling a muscle.

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Bisphosphonates or natural foods?

July 8, 2010

What are Bisphosphonates?

Bisphosphonates are drugs used to try and prevent bone loss.  Cancer patients are put on this because drugs they take to treat pain associated with cancer can lead to bone loss.  It is also used with patients with Osteoporosis.

Drugs prescribed for this problem are:

Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, Aledndronate, Ibandronate and Risedronate.

Health Concerns:

With every drug there is a side effect.  Some of the side effects with using Biphosphonates are abdominal pain, dyspepsia (upset stomach), nausea, constipation or diarrhea, flatulence, vomiting, dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), gastritis, muscle and joint pain, headaches, dizziness just to name a few.

So, if you can avoid taking drugs for the problem, here are some food and vitamin suggestions that can help keep your bones healthy.  Calcium, vitamin D and phosphorous are key to bones health.  Eating dairy products, salmon, sardines, almonds, and green leafy vegetables are great to keep your bones strong.

Whole grains, shell fish, lean meats, beans along with fruits and vegetables (especially brussel spouts) are filled with zinc, boron and copper which is needed as well.

With every problem we encounter in health, there are most often natural methods of relief.  It just takes a bit of an effort and research to find out what they are!

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Bed Wetting in Adults and Children

July 7, 2010

Bed wetting is sometimes called ” nocturnal enuresis”.  It can be embarrassing and a nuisance.  Lets talk about how chiropractic can help with this problem without drugs or surgery.

First lets find out how bed wetting occurs. If you have seen a doctor and it has been proven that the occurrences are not because of emotional stress than it is a physical problem.  Drinking less water before bed is recommended but in many cases, this isn’t enough. One treatment people rarely think of with this problem is chiropractic.

So what do our nerves have to do with this problem?

We have a reflex in our body that keeps our smooth muscles preventing ourselves from urinating in our sleep to stay contracted. It is called a phrenic reflex. If is not working properly the smooth muscles relax and release any fluid inside the bladder is released causing you or your child to wet the bed.

So what can a chiropractor do about the reflex?

Often times the reflex is just obstructed by a vertebral misalignment known as subluxation. A subluxation means the bone is out of place causing the nerves around the area to become dysfunctional. So, if the nerves affecting the phrenic reflex are not working properly because of being impaired, we need to get the bone and nerve back to where they need to be in order for the body to function properly.

We allow the bone to move back into the joint and the body can now function the way it should.

Does this Really Work?

Yes it does! Check out these study results:

1. The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, examined 171 children who had bed wetting every single night. Chiropractic care was administered to each child.

After receiving treatment, the average “wet” nights for the entire group decreased from 7 to 4 nights per week. Also, 25% had a 50 percent reduction in bed-wetting nights. 15% had no more occurrences after treatment.

2. A control group of 46 bed-wetting children. Some were not treated with chiropractic care and others were. 31 children receiving treatment showed an almost 18% reduction in wet nights, the untreated group showed no improvement at all.

So while we may not always completely alleviate the problem, we can help decrease the amount of bed-wetting significantly.

Dr. Amie B. Gregory

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25 Tips To Avoid Insomnia

June 27, 2010

If you have problems sleeping, try some of these methods!

1. Listen to relaxing music. White noise and nature sounds can be quite relaxing and serve as meditation before going to sleep.

2. Avoid snacks right before bed especially grains and sugars. Raises in blood sugar can inhibit your sleep. Then when your sugar level drops, it may wake you up and give you difficulty in falling back asleep.

3. Try to sleep in complete darkness if possible. Light can disrupt your pineal gland which produces melatonin and seratonin.

4. If you wake up at night to go to the bathroom, make sure there is as little light as possible. It will keep melatonin levels at the right levels and get you back to sleep. Wearing eye covers helps too!

5. If possible, take the television out of the bedroom and if you do have television, refrain from watching it an hour before bed. Television stimulates the brain and it will take longer to fall asleep.

6. Since the feet have less circulation than the rest of the body, wear socks to bed. Studies have shown that if your feet are cold, it disturbs your sleep.

7. Read a relaxing book before bed. No thrillers or high drama novels.

8. Alarm clocks should be somewhat soothing but still wake you up. Having a loud sound wake you up is stressful to your body. There are alarms that mimick the sunset and the light increases gradually waking you up smoothly. If that is not your style, then how about a CD or radio station that plays classical music, jazz or blues. These tend to be soothing yet stimulating enough to wake you up.

9. Writing your ideas down on paper to get them out of your system. Writing down your thoughts allows you to relax and get back to sleep.

10. Get to bed as early as possible. Did you knoe that our systems, particularly the adrenals, recharge and recover during the hours of 11 p.m. and 1 a.m? The gallbladder dumps toxins during this time as well.

11. Check the EMFs (electro-magnetic fields) in your room. High levels caused by radios, cell phones and electronics can interupt the pineal gland which has a direct effect on melatonin and seratonin. There are gauss meters that check the levels. Keep unnecessary electronics off or out of the bedroom if possible.

12. Don’t have your heat on above 70 degrees. If you are too hot, it will wake you up and be difficult to fall asleep.

13. Eating a high protein treat before a few hours before bed raises melatonin and serotonin levels.

14. Try to keep prescription medication at low levels. Many drugs have insomnia as a side effect.

15. Avoid caffeine.

16. Avoid alcohol. Alcohol prevents deep stages of sleep so it may cause you to wake up easily.

17. Stay fit. Being overweight increases your chances for sleep apnea.

18. Avoid foods that may cause you to become congested or cause gas.

19. Avoid drinking beverages within 2 hours of bedtime. Drinking fluids right before bed will cause you to get up and go to the bathroom and disrupt your sleep. Also make sure to go to the bathroom right before bed. This decreases your chances of waking up in the middle of the night.

20. Take a hot bath or sit in a sauna before going to bed.

21. Keep the alarm clock away from your view. If it is pointing toward you and you are a light sleeper, you will look at it and disrupt your sleep.

22. If you are menopausal or perimenopausal, hormonal changes may cause problems. You may need to consult a nutritionalist to help you eat foods to regulate your hormones or seek out a endocrinologist who specializes in women’s health.

23. Stay consistent with your bedtime. It keeps your body in a rhythm and it becomes routine and easy.

24. Exercising for 30 minutes regularly. However, don’t exercise too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake. Studies show exercising in the morning is the best if you are a morning person.

25. If you have tried all of these tips but still have problems, you may want to get your adrenals checked by your medical doctor. Adrenal stress causes insomnia.

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4 Great Ice Cream Tips

June 24, 2010

Warm weather is here and that means ICE CREAM!  I love ice cream just as much as everyone else so I wanted to give a few tips to watch calories if you want to indulge:

Tip 1:
Pick frozen yogurt instead of ice cream!  You still get the ice cream taste but with less calories.

Tip 2:
Avoid additional toppings. These add calories to your ice treat.  If you have to have a topping, pick sprinkles instead of peanut butter cups, cookies, brownies.

Tip 3:
Order fruit options like sorbet or sherbert.  These still have a high calorie content but lower fat.

Tip 4:
Order a cup of ice cream over a cone.  The cone is added calories and every calorie counts!

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