Stop Drinking Diet Soda and Save yourself a lot of heart ache...literally!

Two new studies have linked diet soda to poorer health.

In one study, people who drank two or more diet sodas a day experienced waist size increases that were six times greater than those of people who didn't drink diet soda. A second study that found that aspartame (NutraSweet) raised blood sugar levels in diabetes-prone mice.

According to The Week:

"... [R]esearchers speculate that the artificial sweeteners warp appetite, leaving diet soda drinkers hungry for unhealthy treats ... The results were the same for all diet soda drinkers, even after factors such as exercise, social class, education, and smoking were taken into account."

Diet soda is easily one of the biggest health scams preying on well-meaning dieters looking for a sweet calorie-free beverage. Nearly 927 million cases of Diet Coke, and another 892 million cases of Diet Pepsi, were sold in 2010. If you bought one or more of those millions, please realize you would be better off flushing that money down the toilet, as at least then you would not be harming your health.

Diet Soda Drinkers Get a Whopping 70-500 Percent Greater Increase in Waist Size

A study by researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, presented at a recent meeting of the American Diabetes Association, has added to growing research that diet soda is not a "guilt-free" treat at all. Instead, after following 474 diet soda drinkers for nearly 10 years, they found that their waists grew 70 percent more than the waists of non-diet soda drinkers. Further, those who drank two or more diet sodas a day had a 500 percent greater increase in waist size!

As you may know, your waist size is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also a powerful indicator of a build-up of visceral fat, a dangerous type of fat around your internal organs that is strongly linked with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Your waist size is a far more accurate predictor of your heart risks than even your body mass index (BMI), so any habit that has the potential to increase your waist size by 500 percent more than someone who does not have that habit is one worth breaking.

A second study by some of the same researchers also revealed that mice eating food laced with the artificial sweetener aspartame had higher blood sugar levels than mice eating food without it, which suggests it may increase your risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. In a statement, the researchers noted:

"These results are consistent with data from community-based epidemiologic studies in which the consumption of diet sodas was shown to be associated with increased incidence of metabolic syndrome and diabetes. They suggest that aspartame exposure may in fact directly contribute to increased blood glucose levels, and thus may contribute to the associations observed between diet soda consumption and the risk of diabetes in humans."

You May be Fooled by Diet Soda … but Your Brain Isn't

Clearly, if you are still opting for diet soda because you believe it is healthier than regular soda, you are doing yourself a great disservice. Regular soda is by no means a healthy choice either … but please don't fall into the trap of believing that diet soda is "healthy" just because it's calorie-free. As Professor Helen Hazuda, an author of the above studies, told the Daily Mail:

"They may be free of calories but not of consequences."

Indeed, it was six years ago now that research by Sharon P. Fowler, MPH, who was also involved in the new studies noted above, and colleagues found that your risk of obesity increases by 41 percent for each can of diet soda you drink in a day.

So what is going on?

Substances like Splenda and aspartame may have zero calories, but your body isn't fooled. When it gets a "sweet" taste, it expects calories to follow, and when this doesn't occur it leads to distortions in your biochemistry that may actually lead to weight gain.

As far as "sweetness satisfaction" in your brain is concerned, it can tell the difference between a real sugar and an artificial one, even if your conscious mind cannot. Artificial sweeteners tend to trigger more communication in the brain's pleasure center, yet at the same time provide less actual satisfaction. So when you consume artificial sweeteners, your body craves more, as well as real sugar, because your brain is not satisfied at a cellular level by the sugar imposter. There is even research suggesting that artificial sweetener use may ruin your body's ability to control calories, thus boosting your inclination to overindulge.

Diet Soda is Not a "Healthier" Alternative

There are other reasons aside from weight gain to think twice before drinking diet soft drinks. In fact, there are already hundreds of published studies linking artificial sweeteners like aspartame, which is widely used in diet soda, to serious health complications. Cori Brackett's documentary film Sweet Misery is an excellent summary of the problems with aspartame.

You can also view my interview with Victoria Innes-Brown, who over a 2.5-year period performed a set of meticulous and detailed animal experiments, documenting the effects of using aspartame liquid comparable to diet soda. This included not only large tumors but also neurological effects, paralysis, skin disorders and symptoms of cerebral palsy.

Recent research has also linked diet soda consumption to higher rates of strokes, heart attacks and other lethal vascular events as well as metabolic syndrome.

There is literally enough evidence showing the dangers of consuming artificial sweeteners to fill an entire book -- which is exactly why I wrote Sweet Deception. If you or your loved ones drink diet beverages or eat diet foods, this book will explain how you've been deceived about the truth behind artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose

Are You Addicted to Diet Soda?

It's very possible to become addicted to diet soda, and this likely has to do with the blurring of your brain's ability to respond to both real and artificial sugars. According to Harold C. Urschel, an addiction psychiatrist in Dallas, in a CNN article:

"You think, 'Oh, I can drink another one [diet soda] because I'm not getting more calories. Psychologically, you're giving yourself permission."

Yet the satisfaction your brain receives from the artificial sweetener doesn't measure up to the satisfaction provided by real sugar. According to Martin P. Paulus, MD on CNN:

"Your senses tell you there's something sweet that you're tasting, but your brain tells you, 'Actually, it's not as much of a reward as I expected.' The consequence might be that the brain says, 'Well, I'll have more of this."

"Artificial sweeteners have positive reinforcing effects -- meaning humans will work for it, like for other foods, alcohol, and even drugs of abuse. Whenever you have that, there is a potential that a subgroup of people ... will have a chance of getting addicted."

If you're finding it difficult to ditch diet soda, your emotional connection to cravings might be an important factor for you. One of the most profound methods I know of for diminishing the effects of food cravings is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), and particularlyTurbo Tapping, which is a refinement of EFT that allows you to resolve emotional aspects of an addictive problem in a short period of time. I strongly recommend giving this technique a try if you can't kick your diet soda habit.

Once you have broken your addiction, you may be able to introduce the natural sweetener Stevia, which can be used to make your own drinks and food dishes. My favorites are the liquid stevias that come in flavors like English Toffee and French Vanilla, which you can even add to seltzer water to make a far healthier soda alternative.

 

Pain Relief without the Side Effects

by Ellen Blomerth, D.C.

"They've taken away my pain medication," George, an elderly patient worried. "Now my arthritis pain is returning. What am I going to do? I hurt so much, but the side effects could kill me". What can people like George do?

George, like millions of other arthritis sufferers, is rightly concerned about the safety of a number of anti-inflammatories called Cox-2-Inhibitors. A warning is out about the popular arthritis drug Celebrex, as it increased heart attacks in a recent study. This is the same class of drugs that contains Vioxx, which was pulled from the market due to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and Bextra, which had a heart warning added to its label this year. George and people like him are searching for safe pain relief. Fortunately there are natural alternatives that are safe, and without the life-threatening side effects.

First among these is chiropractic care. Chiropractic is the largest drug-free, natural healing profession in the United States. It has been around for over 100 years. Modern doctors of Chiropractic are highly trained health care providers. What can a chiropractor do for arthritis and other muscle and joint type pains? Quite a lot actually.

Even for people with chronic pain, research has shown a benefit with chiropractic care. The type of care that chiropractors are so highly trained to provide, has been shown to improve spinal function and reduce pain. A recent study comparing the Cox-2 iIhibitors Vioxx/Celebrex/Bextra to chiropractic spinal adjusting for the treatment of chronic spinal pain was published in July 2003 in Spine. Spine is the world's number one orthopedic journal. It was proven that chiropractic spinal adjusting was better than 5 times more effective in treating chronic spinal pain than were the Cox-2 Inhibitors. In addition, the drugs resulted in more patients experiencing adverse reactions, side effects, than pain relief during the study period. Chiropractic spinal adjusting resulted in far superior results with no adverse reactions.

Modern chiropractic has evolved over the years to include many ways to safely treat elderly patients, even frail elders. Other methods some chiropractors use also include nutritional advice as some foods encourage the inflammation that causes pain. Other foods encourage our bodies to produce their own anti-inflammatory hormones. There are safe nutrients now available that further enhance our body's production of these innate anti-inflammatories. And because our body makes the anti-inflammatory itself, there are no side effects.

Prevention is always worth a pound of cure. Chiropractic care has now been shown to reduce the effects of aging on the spine. Exciting new research proves that spinal manipulation prevents the loss of joint function and the arthritic changes that accompany it as we age.

"The benefits of spinal manipulation are well documented in the scientific literature and research continues to establish the efficacy of chiropractic care", notes Dr. Howard Ewert, Research Chair for the Massachusetts Chiropractic Society. "However, unfortunately, the media does not adequately inform the public about the safety and effectiveness of chiropractic." Dr. Ewert led a dedicated team of chiropractors in compiling supporting research studies for chiropractic care. The MassChiro.org Research library is now a clearinghouse for the health care consumer. It was also created to inform and educate the allied health professional, the legislator and the Third Party Pay (insurance company) official in making more informed decisions about including chiropractic in a team approach to health.

Help your family and friends learn more about what chiropractic can do for them.

Sleep Ergonomics

"Sleep ergonomics" refers to our postures and positions during sleep. They either help us rest in safe mechanical positions for joints or they stress joints to the point that we wake up with more aches and pains than we fell asleep with. Sleeping position matters. Poor-quality sleep is proven to negatively affect overall health.

Sleeping Positions to Reduce Back Pain

It is possible and desirable to take strain off your back by making simple changes in sleeping posture. The healthiest sleeping position is on your side. If that's how you sleep, draw your legs up slightly toward your chest and put a pillow between your legs. Some people even use a full-length body pillow to help maintain balance. Try not to put weight on your arms. This causes circulatory problems and a related pins-and needles sensation. Instead, try crossing them in a braced position. If you sleep on your back, it is best to place a pillow under your knees to help maintain the normal lowerback curvature. You might try placing a small rolled towel under the small of the back for more support. Be aware that sleeping on your stomach is generally bad for your back. In this position, the cervical spine undergoes considerable strain, which can cause nerve compression, muscular imbalance and muscle pain. If you can't sleep any other way, reduce the strain on your back by placing a pillow under your pelvis and lower abdomen. Also place a pillow under your head if it doesn't cause back strain. Otherwise, try sleeping without a head pillow.

Sleeping Babies

Parents sleep better when babies sleep well. The experts recommend against bed-sharing as it can increase the infant's risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The most important measure you can take to help protect your infant from SIDS is this: Place your baby on his or her back to sleep in the crib. The prevalence of SIDS has decreased, due in part to educational campaigns. However, SIDS remains the leading cause of death for infants in the first year of life in developed countries.1 At highest risk are babies who are suddenly switched to stomach sleeping after getting used to sleeping on their backs.

Mattresses and Pillows

Your mattress and pillow should support your body in its natural position, allowing it to rest and recover from the day's activities. The best mattresses are designed to conform to the spine's natural curves and keep the spine in alignment. Some sleep experts recommend supportive memory-foam mattresses for this purpose. A recent study investigated how spine support affects sleep in healthy subjects. It found that the relationship between bedding and sleep quality is affected by individual physical features, dimensions, and sleep posture.2In particular, results indicated that a sagging sleep system negatively affects sleep quality. Maintain your mattress. Remember to turn your mattress over every few months. If possible, replace the mattress after five to seven years of regular use. If you feel springs or bumps beneath the surface when you're lying on the bed, or you and your partner unintentioanlly roll toward the middle of the bed, it's time to go shopping for a new mattress. A wornout mattress can reduce the quality of sleep and make back problems worse. You may also find that the mattress is to blame for insomnia if you notice yourself sleeping better in another bed—in a hotel, for example. Pillows matter. An ergonomic pillow is designed to accommodate the user's sleeping position and to minimize any associated tension that may result from prolonged time spent in one position. Ergonomic pillows are shaped differently from regular pillows. They are often made of foam or similar form-retaining material that offers greater support. Most ergonomic pillows are used for sleep, although some are used for lower back support while sitting. They vary in size from small neck pillows used for long car trips or flights to very large full-body pillows meant to cradle the entire body during sleep. A healthful pillow is designed to keep the spine in natural alignment, which minimizes stress on the body. Most people do not maintain neutral positions while they sleep. This creates tension at problem spots like the neck and the lower back, resulting in pain in either or both of these areas. An ergonomic pillow can often correct such problems. A pillow of the wrong size can cause or aggravate neck and shoulder problems. When you sleep on your side, the pillow should fill the space between the head and mattress so that the cervical spine is in line with, and an extension of, the spine. The pillow should support the head, neck and shoulders and adapt to the contours of these areas. This will optimize your sleeping position throughout the night. A pillow also should be hypo-allergenic.

Sleeping Positions When Pregnant

Pregnant women should avoid sleeping on their backs as this can lead to backaches, as well as problems with breathing, the digestive system, hemorrhoids, low blood pressure, and a decrease in circulation to the heart and baby.3 This is a result of the abdomen resting on the intestines and major blood vessels (e.g., the aorta and vena cava). Pregnant women also should avoid sleeping on the stomach, especially when further along in pregnancy, because of physical changes to the abdomen. Several ergonomic products are designed to help pregnant women sleep more comfortably. For example, a cradle sleeping pillow is engineered to help pregnant women relax and get comfortable enough to fall asleep. These pillows are made of various densities and heights and provide extra support to the shoulders, neck, and arms. A sleeping bean is a full-length pillow designed to help a pregnant woman sleep on her side with adequate support.

References:

1. 1. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
2. 2.Verhaert et al. Ergonomics in bed design: theeffect of spinal alignment on sleep parameters. Ergonomics. 2011 54(2):169-78.
3. 3. www.pregnancy.org/article/sleeping-positionsduring-pregnancy.>

Lori Burkhart, Writer

This patient information page is a public service of the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association. The information and recommendations appearing on this page are appropriate in most instances, but they are not a substitute for a diagnosis by a specialist. For specific information concerning your health condition, consult your doctor of chiropractic.

iPods, Blackberries, Cell Phones - a literal pain in the neck!

Cell phones, Blackberries, I-Pods and handheld games have Americans spending a lot of time peering down at their laps. While the gadgets are a source of entertainment and help keep people connected to friends and coworkers, handheld devices are also a source of muscle pain and injury.

"I have seen a dramatic increase in the number of people complaining of pain as a result of their handheld devices," said Dr. Keith Overland, a chiropractor from Norwalk, Conn. Dr. Overland says most of his patients don't realize how much looking down at a gadget can worsen neck, back and shoulder problems.

"We actually ask patients to hold the device in their hands and then take a look at the way they're holding their body," Dr. Overland noted. "We can see almost immediately the cause of their pain – poor posture and overused muscles."

To help lessen muscle soreness caused by popular handheld devices, Dr. Overland and the American Chiropractic Association suggest the following:

• Practice good posture when using any handheld device. Sit in a chair that provides solid back support and keep feet comfortably on the floor.
• Spend 10 minutes or less with your head tilted down looking at the device, and when possible hold the gadget at eye level.
• When at home or in the office, connect the device to your keyboard or computer.
• Take frequent breaks and alternate activities that use different muscle groups.
• Watch for warning signs of overuse such as headaches, fatigue or muscle pain.

If you continue to feel soreness, pain or muscle strain after following these tips, it may be time to visit Bridge Chiropractic.

Build a Natural Defense Against Cold and Flu This Winter

With cold weather knocking on the door, many are concerned about falling victim to colds and flu. Flu vaccine—the most effective way to prevent the flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—remains a controversial subject. First, most flu vaccines still contain thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative. Second, because of the unpredictability of upcoming flu strains, the available vaccine often doesn't match the strain of flu that hits the population.

But even if the vaccine corresponds with the circulating flu strain, it is not that effective. A recent study found that the overall effectiveness of vaccines against flu-like illness in the elderly was 23 percent when vaccine matching was good, and "not significantly different from no vaccination when matching was poor or unknown." Well-matched vaccine, however, may effectively prevent pneumonia and decrease hospitalization rates due to pneumonia or flu, according to the study.

Some believe that the best protection from flu is flu itself. Recent research shows that the theory may actually have validity. In the past 20 years, deaths from flu in the elderly—the group most vulnerable to flu consequences—have decreased. At the same time, flu vaccination has increased by 45 to 50%. Researchers concluded, however, that flu vaccine didn't help decrease deaths from flu—people simply acquired natural immunity to the emerging strain of flu, which resulted in fewer flu-related deaths.

With flu vaccine effectiveness unclear, many are looking into natural ammunition against winter viruses.

Garlic
Garlic has been used as a health food for more than 5,000 years and touted for its antibiotic properties and effect on allergies, cancer and general immunity. Research shows that it improves cardiovascular health and inhibits carcinogenic activity. In addition, a recent study found that a group of people treated with an allicin-containing garlic supplement for a period of 12 weeks between November and February had significantly fewer colds than the group that took a placebo (24 colds vs. 65) and recovered faster if infected.

In the group treated with the garlic supplement, 24 people came down with the common cold, which lasted for 1.52 days, compared with 65 people in the no-treatment group who had colds that lasted 5 days on average.

Garlic therapy should be discontinued at least two weeks prior to surgery to prevent excessive bleeding. People on anticoagulants should consult their physicians.

Vitamin C
The role of vitamin C in the prevention and treatment of respiratory infections has been widely researched. The verdict, however, is not in yet. Some studies suggest that vitamin C can affect the duration or severity of symptoms. Others have shown no effect on the symptoms, but suggested that vitamin C can reduce susceptibility to colds.

A recent study compared 29 clinical trials in which participants received 200 mg or more of vitamin C daily. The researchers found that vitamin C prevented flu or colds in people who were exposed to "brief periods of severe physical exercise and/or cold environments." In those who regularly take vitamin C, they concluded that vitamin C plays some role in their defense mechanisms, helping them to recover from their colds faster and reducing the severity of symptoms. People with kidneys disease should not use vitamin C.

Echinacea
Echinacea has been widely used to prevent and treat colds. Research on the plant, however, has produced conflicting results. A recent study that focused on 3 preparations from echinacea root found no clinically significant effects on the common cold. The critics of the study believe, however, that the dose of 900 mg per day was too low.

Echinacea treatment may lead to minor and uncommon abdominal upset, nausea and dizziness. It may be contraindicated in people with autoimmune conditions or HIV.

Tea
Green and black teas have been studied for their effects on the cardiovascular system and cancer. Both show promising results. A recent Harvard study looked at tea's role in boosting the immunity system. Participants who drank five cups of black tea a day for 2 to 4 weeks increased their levels of interferon, an important immune defense hormone—up to 4 times normal levels. Drinking the same amount of coffee for 12 weeks produced no such effects. The researchers suggest that the key was in L-theanine, a substance in tea that increases immune response in fighting bacteria, infection, viruses and fungi. Excessive doses may cause insomnia, headache, dizziness, and diarrhea.

Zinc Lozenges
Zinc lozenges are another home remedy for fighting winter viruses. Although research on this remedy is conflicting, a recent study on zinc gluconate glycine lozenges in school-aged children showed shorter cold duration and fewer colds with the therapy. Zinc lozenges, however, come in different formulations, and more research is needed to assess their effectiveness. In addition, long-term use of zinc lozenges may lead to problems, including impairing the body's immune responses. Excessive zinc in the diet can lead to copper deficiency and may also decrease the levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol in the blood.

Stress Reduction
Because research on natural remedies' role in fighting respiratory infections shows conflicting results, scientists turn to another powerful factor that influences health—stress. Here's what research shows:

• Chronic stress, such as unemployment or interpersonal difficulties with family and friends that last a month or longer, may substantially increase the risk of catching cold
• Children with a history of recurrent colds and flu have higher rates of exposure to stressful experiences, stress-prone personality traits, and signs of emotional disturbance than healthy children
• Stress management reduces the duration of flu and colds

Acupuncture may be effective against preventing and curing the common cold, as well.

Many chiropractors have also noticed that chiropractic adjustments have helped prevent or reduce the duration of their patients' colds. Preliminary results of an ongoing chiropractic study show that chiropractic may increase immunoglobulin A levels and that it decreases the levels of glucocorticoid cortisol, a major component of stress. Chiropractic may affect the common cold through stress reduction; however, more research is needed to confirm this.

Proper Preparation for Winter Outdoor Fun to Prevent Injuries

When snow, ice and frigid weather blast into town, watch out, says the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). Winter recreational activities and chores can pose problems for the outdoor enthusiast whose body is not in condition. Winter sports like skating, skiing and sledding can cause painful muscle spasms, strains or tears if you're not in shape. Even shoveling snow the wrong way, clambering awkwardly over snow banks, slipping on sidewalks and wearing the wrong kinds of clothing can all pose the potential for spasms, strains and sprains.

Simply walking outside in the freezing weather without layers of warm clothing can intensify older joint problems and cause a great deal of pain. As muscles and blood vessels contract to conserve the body's heat, the blood supply to extremities is reduced. This lowers the functional capacity of many muscles, particularly among the physically unfit. Preparation for an outdoor winter activity, including conditioning the areas of the body that are most vulnerable,

can help avoid injury and costly health care bills.

"Simply put, warming up is essential," says Olympic speedskating gold and silver medalist Derek Parra. "In fact, when pressed for time, it's better to shorten the length of your workout and keep a good warm-up than to skip the warm-up and dive right into the workout. Skipping your warm-up is the best way to get hurt." Parra, who took both the gold and silver medals during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, UT, adds that, "You can complete a good warm-up in 15-20 minutes. And believe me, it will make your workout more pleasant and safe."

Derek Parra and the ACA suggest that you start with some light aerobic activity (jogging, biking, fast walking) for about 7-10 minutes. Then follow these tips to help you fight back the winter weather:

• Skiing - do 10 to 15 squats. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart, knees aligned over your feet. Slowly lower your buttocks as you bend your knees over your feet. Stand up straight again.
• Skating - do several lunges. Take a moderately advanced step with one foot. Let your back knee come down to the floor while keeping your shoulders in position over your hips. Repeat the process with your other foot.
• Sledding/tobogganing - do knee-to-chest stretches to fight compression injuries caused by repetitive bouncing over the snow. Either sitting or lying on your back, pull your knees to your chest and hold for up to 30 seconds.
• Don't forget cool-down stretching for all of these sports - At the bottom of the sledding hill, for instance, before trudging back up, do some more knees-to-chest stretches, or repetitive squatting movements to restore flexibility.

After any of these activities, if you are sore, apply an ice bag to the affected area for 20 minutes, then take it off for a couple of hours. Repeat a couple of times each day over the next day or two.

If you continue to feel soreness, pain or strain after following these tips, it may be time to visit a doctor of chiropractic. "I've always believed in chiropractic care," says Parra. "I've used a lot of other treatments for injuries and pain, but the problem doesn't get fixed until I go to a doctor of chiropractic."

When is it time for a child's first spinal exam?

When is it time for a child's first spinal examination?

Should we wait until children complain of back pain before taking them to the chiropractor?

These are two questions which parents frequently ask of their chiropractor.

Throughout most communities, it is a generally well-accepted fact that children should have regular dental check-ups to identify problems at the earliest possible time. In this way, dentists attempt to identify early tooth decay and alignment problems of the teeth, because they know that the earlier the problem is detected, the easier it will be to fix.

Well, what about the potential for children to develop spinal problems? Should children be examined at regular intervals during their growing years to identify spinal problems which may progress to become serious, permanent problems. Unfortunately, the generally accepted view in most communities is that one visits a chiropractor for backache or neck pain, and in the absence of these symptoms, it can be assumed that the spine is doing okay.

When evaluating the spines of adult patients, chiropractors frequently encounter degenerative changes in discs and vertebral joint structures which have been ongoing for many years, without any evidence of symptoms. In many cases, it is only when the spinal degeneration reaches an advanced stage that symptoms of pain and stiffness occur. If the spinal problem causing these symptoms could have been detected at an early age, and the problem had been corrected, then a lifetime of misery due to chronic back pain could have been avoided.

Many of the worst spinal problems, which chiropractors detect on x-ray, show evidence of having been present for many years and can be identified, by the degree of degeneration, as having started during childhood. For this reason, it is recommended that childrens' first spinal evaluation should be early in life when the spine is growing and developing at the fastest rate. Orthopedists have identified that the time when the spine is most likely to develop problems, or for existing problems to worsen, is during periods of rapid growth.

Examination of the growth patterns of a child's spine shows that the time of fastest spinal growth is during the first year of life, when the average length of the spine grows from 24 to 36 cm. This is a 50 percent increase in one year, a rate which is unmatched in any other phase of a child's growth and development. The next fastest growth rate occurs between the ages one and five years when the spinal length increases from 36 to 51 cm, a 42 percent growth rate. Between the ages of 5 and 10, we see the slowest period of growth, 10 cm in five years, or a 20 percent growth rate. The adolescent growth phase is most noticeable for its growth spurts, when a teenager may grow three to four inches in less than a year. the average total growth for the adolescent period is 20 cm in males and 15 cm in females. This represents a growth rate of 25 percent in the females and 33 percent in males.

Now, taking all that into consideration, it can be seen that the period of fastest growth, the first year of life, is also a period of considerable trauma when the child is learning to walk. This phase of a child's development is also the period when the secondary spinal curves are forming in the child's neck and low back. Because the first year of life is such an important one for spinal development, and because the potential for trauma is high, it is recommended that a child's first spinal evaluations should be performed during this period.

Beyond the first year, the child needs regular checkups to ensure that the microtrauma of a child's daily living, such as "rough house" play and falls from bicycles, etc., are not causing spinal problems. Problems which might otherwise go unnoticed, simply because the child does not complain of symptoms.

Spinal growth and development continues right through until the mid-30s, when development of the vertebrae in the lumbar spine is finally completed.

When we plant a tree in the garden, we stake and tie it to ensure that it grows straight during its early years. If we don't do this, and the tree is allowed to bend with the wind for 10 to 15 years, it is then impossible to straighten.

Don't let your childrens' spine develop like an unstaked tree: You don't wait until your children complain of toothache before taking them to the dentist, so why wait until they complain of backache before having their spine checked?