Natural Health Options in Disability

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Natural Health Options in Disability

• Dr WAYNE GARD
• CHIROPRACTOR ? ACUPUNCTURIST ? NATUROPATH
• 1 Secant St Liverpool (Near Westfields)
• 96009593
• gardchiropractic_at_people.net.au
• www.gardchiropracticclinic.com.au

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Who Am I and Why Should You Listen To Me?

• Wayne Gard is a qualified Chiropractor,
  Naturopath, and Acupuncturist
• He has been serving Liverpool residents for 23
  years.
• Served as a Sports Chiropractor at the 2009 World
  Masters Games.
• Examiner and Tutor at Macquarie University
• He is a keen amateur athlete, enjoys swimming,
  running and bike riding.

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1. Health is a Sliding Scale

• Strength
• Flexibility
• Fitness
• Positive Mental Attitude
• Posture
• Immunity
• Digestion
• Sleep
• Pain Free
• Good Skin and Hair
• Fertility
• Energetic
• Ease of breathing
• All tests normal

• Loss of Strength
• Loss of Flexibility
• Loss of Fitness
• Negative Mental Attitude
• Poor Posture
• Lowered Immunity
• Decreased Digestion
• Sleep Problems
• Frequent pain
• Skin hair problems
• Fertility problems
• Fatigue
• Poor breathing
• Chiropractic/Naturopathic tests positive
• Medical tests normal

• Arthritis
• Bulging Spinal Discs
• Pinched Nerves
• Depression Anxiety
• Cancer, Colds Flus
• Reflux. Ulcers, constipation
• Insomnia
• Pain
• Heart Disease
• Eczema, Psoriasis
• Infertility
• Asthma
• Chiropractic/Naturopathic/ Medical tests all
  positive

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What is required to live a healthy life?

• 3 THINGS
• 1. A healthy nervous system your nervous system
  controls every part of how your body works.
• If you are out of alignment your nervous
  system does not work properly and so your health
  gradually worsens
• 2. Oxygen it is crucial to breath correctly.
• This ensures enough oxygen is absorbed.
• To breath properly we need 2 things
• Correct body alignment so that your rib cage is
  able to expand far enough
• Regular exercise to train our lungs to
  breath deeply
• 3. Correct Nutrition Food and Supplements
• Food Diet Carbohydrates 60 (fruit and
  veges), Protein 30 (meat, beans, nuts and
  seeds), Fat 10 (healthy fats), and Water (2
  litres a day)
• Supplements Nutrients that are too low in our
  diet

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• What is Natural Healing?
• Concepts!
• Your body is self-healing and self-regulating.
• Self-Healing Your body will try to heal itself
  from trauma and injury.
• Self-Regulating Things like temperature, blood
  pressure, sweating and breathing are all
  regulated automatically.
• Given the right natural treatments and lifestyle
  modifications your body will be able to enjoy
  optimal health.

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Chiropractic CareManagement of Spine Related
Disorders
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Your Spine Controls Your Body
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• Did you know that your Brain and Spine control
  every other part of the body?
• Nerve signals Brain gt Spine gt Organs gt Spine gt
  Brain.
• Its a never ending, constant process
• SO if your spine is misaligned then your body
  cant work properly!
• This includes controlling your Pain, Strength,
  Balance,
• Co-ordination, Flexibility, and Energy
  levels!
• Your Spine is easily misaligned from birth
  trauma, falls, injuries, bumps, poor posture,
  incorrect sporting technique, car accidents etc.
• 60 of spinal disorders are genetic inherited
  from your family!
• Most spinal problems do not cause pain - waiting
  for pain is waiting too long!!!
• We only feel 10 of our misalignments.

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The Brain
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Brain Based Chiropractic

• Chiropractic neurology combines the best of
  neurological science and traditional
  chiropractic. It is well accepted that
  chiropractic adjustments of the spine affect the
  function of the nervous system.
• Since the 1990s, research continues to explain
  the complexity of the nervous system and the
  effects of manipulation and other non-drug
  related therapies.
• Throughout life the brain is constantly changing
  (Plasticity) as a consequence of our experiences,
  physical activity, and environment.
• Most people develop one part of the brain more so
  than another.
• This is why some people are more artistic (right
  brain) than analytical (left brain) and visa
  versa.
• When the processing of neurological signals
  decreases to a critical level, brain asymmetry
  develops decreasing human potential leading to
  dysfunction and disease.
• Sometimes this faulty processing can cause
  internal dysfunction that you were not aware was
  a neurological problem associated with the brain
  and nervous system.
• Chiropractic neurology is brain-based
  chiropractic.

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• Brain AnatomyThe brain can be simply
  divided up into the brain stem, the cerebellum,
  the limbic system, and the cerebrum.Brain
  StemThe brain stem is continuous with the top of
  the spinal cord. It contains the vital centres
  controlling reflexes for breathing, along those
  for cardiovascular, visceral and organ
  tone.These centres are described as vital
  because they control functions essential for
  life. Each and every chiropractic treatment of
  the spine fires off centres within the brain
  stem. This affects both visceral and organ
  function and background muscle tone, -improving
  response.CerebellumThe cerebellum is that part
  of the brain at the back of the brain stem and
  tucked under the cerebrum at the back. It was
  originally thought to simply control only
  co-ordination of movement. Recently however, it
  has been found to be responsible for one's
  ability to reflexly think and problem solve as
  well as one's ability to be emotionally
  stable.The cerebellum processes the information
  from the spine regarding its mechanics, function,
  alignment and ability to move. This is hugely
  important for chiropractic because input from
  chiropractic adjustments go through the
  cerebellum and so everything affected by the
  cerebellum is affected, in turn, by the spinal
  adjustment.

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• Limbic SystemThe limbic system is the
  portion of the nervous system responsible for a
  state of well being and emotion. In mediating
  well being and emotion, the limbic system effects
  autonomic, hormonal and behavioural
  functions.The limbic system includes the
  amygdala, the hypothalamus, and the dorsal roots
  of the spinal cord at each vertebral level (our
  spine is involved in our emotions!). In this
  regard a direct connection at every level of the
  spine to the limbic system has been established.
  Consequently, the ability of the limbic system to
  function and express itself without interference
  requires a correctly aligned spine.CerebrumThe
  cerebrum is the largest part of the brain. It is
  covered by a six-layer cortex, which is unique to
  humans and is what essentially makes us human.
  The cerebrum controls consciousness,
  intelligence, reasoning, memory, personality and
  awareness. Cerebral function depends upon the
  quality of the function and information from all
  other areas of the brain and spinal
  cord.Improved input leads to improved output.
  Chiropractic adjustments improve the function of
  the spinal neural system. The result is improved
  function of the brain stem, the cerebellum, the
  limbic system, the cerebrum and the cortex.

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Brain Treatment Key Concepts

• The Brain is Plastic able to change, modify and
  indeed grow/shrink
• The Brain is essentially a sensory organ that
  relies upon sensory input to grow, or indeed to
  survive eg sight, touch, smell, hearing, taste,
  movement, and spinal alignment
• The sensory organs are controlled by Cranial
  Nerves, which come from the upper neck.
• Blood supply to the brain is controlled by spinal
  nerves.
• If Spinal Alignment is poor then the brain will
  not function as it should
• Eg recent studies have shown that a degenerated
  spine results in a 10 reduction in brain size!

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Naturopathy

• Is the use of Natural Nutritional and Herbal
  Medicines
• As part of the overall Nutrition of the Body
• Nutrition is 3 primary things
• Choosing the right food or supplement
• Eat fresh, eat quality, variety, cook minimally
• Digesting the food or supplement
• Small mouthfuls, chew slowly, eat smaller meals
  more regularly, food combining
• Eliminating waste products of foods or
  supplements
• Through Bowel, Bladder, and Skin
• Bowel and bladder function must be regular 1-2
  bowel movements per day
• Poor elimination gt toxin accumulation gt
  multi-system health problems

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Natural Medicine Care Health Problem Solving
For The Disabled

• Obesity
• increase nerve flow to digestive organs
  increases digestion of food
• Altered neural pathways in brain associated with
  hunger reduce appetite, reduce desire for sugar
  and fat
• Improved muscle tone and joint function
  increased ability and desire to exercise
• Nutritional products to increase metabolism of
  sugar and fats
• Over Reliance on Medications
• Eg Anti-Seizure, Anti-Psychotic, Pain and
  Inflammation, Hormonal
• medications can be essential to control various
  biochemical pathways in the body
• But they have some problems
• dose too strong eg drowsiness, fatigue,
  confusion, constipation gt lower quality of life -
  interaction with others
• - unwanted side effects cause other health
  problems, dependence/addiction
• - are not disease Modifying if drug is stopped
  the patients underlying condition is unaltered
  or even worsened (drug was masking disease
  progression)
• Natural therapies can be used to reduce pain and
  inflammation, improve mood and behaviour, relax
  CNS excitability, help regulate hormonal function
  neurologically and biochemically
• Reduced Mobility
• can be due to restricted joint/muscle movements,
  poor co-ordination and balance
• Gait disorders weak muscles, contracted muscles
  more than physiotherapy
• Natural therapies can improve range of motion,
  strength, and balance

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• Poor Diet
• poor neurological development associated with
  increased desire for salt, fat, sugar
• Linked to fatigue/lethargy/low energy gt craving
  stimulants caffeine (coffee, tea, soft drinks)
  gt short term hit long term addiction and health
  problems.
• Treatment aimed at increasing brain function gt
  choosing higher nutritional value foods
• ie complex carbohydrates, high quality protein,
  EFAs
• fish oil DHA? strong link to brain function
• Behavioural Issues
• Eg Aggression, Violence, Self Harm, Oppositional
  Defiance Disorder
• treatment aimed at behavioural control areas of
  the brain
• Next slide
• Lack Of Exercise
• Motivation just dont want to exercise. Can be
  brain based.
• Consequences neurological deficits, circulation
  deficits (skin ulcers, pressure sores), reduced
  strength and balance, constipation, increased
  urinary tract infection, haemorrhoids etc
• Learning Disorders
• treatment aimed at improving learning areas of
  the brain
• Next slide

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• Ageing Population
• Chronic Diseases and Consequent Disabilities
• - Arthritis goals - improve mobility, increase
  strength, better balance (reduced falls are a
  major source of injury)
• - Cancer improve immunity NKC enhancement
• - Heart Disease Hypertension neurological
  upper cervical vagus Nerve, Baroreceptors
  neck alignment, Elevated Cholesterol there are
  nutritional and dietary management strategies
• - Diabetes mostly type 2 25 of ageing
  population
• Nutritional options, insulin resistance
• - Dementia type 3 diabetes?
• Obvious link to spine/brain connection
• There are natural health care options for all of
  these chronic disease processes.
• Mostly as Complimentary treatments as opposed
  to Alternative treatments
• These treatments aim to Modify the disease
  process and the effects of the disease process
• Concept Epigenetics science emerging that
  genes can be changed thru treatment.
• E.g. Telomeres DNA short reduced health,
  longer improved disease resistance
• Nutrional remedies shown to be able to increase
  Telomere length !!!

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Patient Examples

• Our clinic has helped many people with
  disabilities sometimes being able to reduce or
  stop medications, and prevent surgery. Mostly
  aimed at improving the quality of life.
• Chiropractic Treatment is suitable for all ages
  and disabilities modern care is gentle and safe
• Treatment is aimed at each individuals
  neurological need, not their condition (Sliding
  Health Concept)
• However specific conditions often have similar
  neurological needs
• Autism
• Often have an oversensitivity to sensory input
  light, touch, smell etc
• Treatment aimed at dampening down the brains
  reactions to stimuli
• Patient stopped Ritalin
• Cerebral Palsy
• Often have hypertonic muscle contraction and
  therefore stiff joints
• Treatment aimed at relaxing agonists and toning
  antagonist muscles
• Patient avoided surgery to lengthen leg length
  imbalance
• Downs Syndrome
• Often have hypermobile peripheral joints
• Treatment aimed at spinal joint mobility
  especially upper cervicals, cranials
• Weak neck muscles directly linked to
  flexor/extensor muscle motor output brain
• Higher incidence of Alzheimer's heavy metal
  toxins from food, medications, environment?
• Patient chronic bowel obstructions often
  related to pelvic alignment previous multiple
  surgeries
• Profound Disability

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Specific Conditions We Treat

• Learning Disorders
• Auditory Processing Delay - a disorder in the way
  auditory information is processed in the brain.
  It is not a sensory (inner ear) hearing
  impairment individuals with APD usually have
  normal peripheral hearing ability.  
• Dyscalculia - a specific learning disability due
  to a defect in the brain's processing of graphic
  symbols. Dyscalculia is a learning disability
  that alters the way the brain processes numbers
  and mathematic skills. 
• Dyslexia - a specific reading disability due to a
  defect in the brain's processing of graphic
  symbols. Dyslexia is a learning disability that
  alters the way the brain processes written
  material.
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• Behavioural Disorders
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) /
  Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) - refers to a
  pattern of ongoing, chronic behaviour disorders
  that have three core symptoms hyperactivity,
  impulsivity, and inattention 
• Autism - characterized by deficits in social
  interaction and communication, and unusual and
  repetitive behaviour 

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• Aspergers Syndrome - similar to autism, however
  patients with Aspergers have average or above
  average intelligence, and develop normally in the
  areas of language and cognition 
• Pervasive Development Disorder (PDD) - a group of
  conditions that involve delays in the development
  of many basic skills, most notably the ability to
  socialize with others, to communicate and to use
  imagination 
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) -
  characterized by obsessive thoughts and
  compulsive actions, such as cleaning, checking,
  counting, touching or hoarding. OCD is a
  potentially disabling condition that can persist
  throughout a person's life 
• Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) - as many as
  one-third to one-half of all disabled people have
  oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). These people
  are often disobedient and have outbursts of
  temper. 
• Tourette's Syndrome - a tic disorder
  characterized by the presence of chronic vocal
  and motor tics, and is somewhat more common in
  people with ADHD, OCD, or an autistic spectrum
  disorder than in the general population

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Symptoms, Behaviours and Historical Markers of
Developmental Disorders

• These are some of signs to look for if there is a
  concern about a behavioural or learning disorder
• Poor attention or difficulty focusing
• Difficulty understanding auditory instructions
• Sitting still
• Upright posture
• Motor coordination (gross or fine) 
• Processing information (decision making ability)
• Left/right handedness
• Things to look for when concerned about delays in
  any of the classic development milestones -
  Delayed crawling or walking, or skipping
  crawling
• Extremely fussy infants
• Isolated play dont tend to show a lot of
  emotion or make eye contact
• Dont seem to be bonding as well as other
  siblings may
• Lack of non-verbal communication (social
  isolation)

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• Five common historical markers to look for
  include
• Difficult labour
• Early ear infections
• Colic
• Delayed milestones in motor development of some
  sort (non-specific)
• Delayed language

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Non-Drug Treatments for Neurologic-Based
Behavioural Disorders

• Studies have shown that these disorders are less
  behavioural and more neurologic in nature and are
  related to the structural development of the
  pre-frontal cortex of the brain main stimulus
  for increased growth are through the the motor
  system.
• Our treatments target on increasing stimulation
  through the motor system to increase the
  development and function of the brain.

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Chiropractic Neurology Treatments

• Chiropractic Adjustments Activator, Table
  Assisted, Manual
• Mobilisation
• Upper Cervical Adjustments
• Organ Adjusting
• Cranial Adjustments Craniosacral Rhythm (Heart
  Beat, Respiration)
• - the bones of the skull can become
  fixated/jammed and can be gently released
• Exercise Prescription
• Nutritional and Herbal Prescribing
• Acupuncture

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• Chiropractic Assessment
• It is a great idea to have your spine checked by
  a chiropractor.
• Chiropractors use
• Posture
• X-rays
• Computer scanning,
• Physical examination to find nerve pressure

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Posture Check
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Spinal X-Ray Analysis
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Computerised Spinal Scans

• At Gard Chiropractic we use the latest technology
  for the objective assessment of nerve function in
  the paraspinal tissues.
• Computerized Paraspinal Surface EMG and
  Thermography Scanning enables a better analysis
  of spinal function and more accurate monitoring
  of the changes and progress occurring as a result
  of your chiropractic care.
• These are completely non invasive examinations
  performed within our office.

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The EMG scan measures the amount of electrical
activity generated from nerve stimulation of your
paraspinal muscles. It also assesses the symmetry
or balance of paraspinal postural muscle tone.
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• Thermography is used as an indicator of the
  balance of your Autonomic Nervous System, which
  controls and co-ordinates the glands, organs and
  blood vessels of the body. An essential component
  of good health.

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• Summary
• Natural Therapy treatments are safe, gentle and
  effective
• They can be used with significant benefit in the
  disabled patient
• Current usage is very low which is a shame
• Chiropractic care is part of the Allied Health
  Care Professions
• Covered by (and regulated by)the same government
  assistance as say physiotherapy Medicare EPC,
  WorkCover, Motor Accident Authority, Veteran
  Affairs, and private health funds.
• Dr Wayne Gard is currently caring for many
  patients with a wide range of disabilities

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Whats the Next Step

• Goal is to create awareness of Chiropractic and
  Natural Therapies in the management of disabled
  people
• Goal is to encourage disabled persons (their
  decision makers) to attend our centre for an
  assessment
• Dr Wayne Gard can be contacted by phone or email
  to discuss any specific cases.