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DR. MICOZZIS INSIDERS CURES
human young are the most immature (pinched nerves). And on a chronic
Marc S. Micozzi, M.D., Ph.D., is a creatures in the universe, and require basis, they can cause the familiar
worldwide leader in nutritional and a prolonged period of dependency condition of sciatica.
complementary/alternative medicine. with implications for nuclear family,
He has had a distinguished career as a In the spine itself, the middle 12
extended family, and human social vertebra are held relatively rigid
researcher and physician executive at
the National Institutes of Health and
organization as a whole. by the ribs, but the seven cervical
Walter Reed National Military Medical Consider it a grand evolutionary vertebrae in the neck, and the five
Center in Washington, DC, and the biological compromise between lumbar vertebrae of the lower back
College of Physicians in Philadelphia upright posture, freeing the hands, have more degrees of freedom, and
PA. He has published over 30 medical and having bigger brains. less support. Which is why lower
and trade books, and founded and
edited the first scientific journal, and But theres another tremendous back pain is such a universal source
the first textbook, on complementary/ impact that walking upright has had of discomfort in humans.
alternative and nutritional medicine, on humans. One that millions of Of course, when there is a sudden
now going into a 5th edition (2014) and people struggle with every dayback rupture of a spinal disc (or cushion),
continuously in print since 1995. pain. or even a traumatic fracture of a
Dr. Micozzis Insiders Cures is published From discomfort to disability portion of a vertebra, there can be
monthly by OmniVista Health Media, L.L.C., The spine provides structure to the sudden debilitating pain.
702 Cathedral St., Baltimore, MD 21201 for entire body and helps protect the vital However, even without a sudden
$74 per year ($6.16 an issue). organs. It also provides the protective rupture or traumatic fracture, low
POSTMASTER: Send address changes conduit for the wiring that runs to back pain can be disabling. In fact,
to Insiders Cures, 702 Cathedral St., all the parts of the bodythe spinal its the most common cause of
Baltimore, MD 21201. cord and the spinal nerves. disability in working Americans
Author: Marc S. Micozzi, M.D., Ph.D. In animals that walk on all fours, (those who still have work).
Publisher: Katherine Wheeler
the natural design of the spine is like But regardless of the origin of your
Executive Editor: Amanda Angelini
a simple suspension bridge. But over pain, the treatments are the same.
All material in this publication is time (millions of years, probably),
provided for information only and may The best ways to beat lower back
humans began to stand erect. And the
not be construed as medical advice or pain, naturally
shape of the spine converted from
instruction. No action should be taken
a suspension bridge to a shallow While it may seem counter-
based solely on the contents of this intuitiveone of the most important
publication; readers should consult S-shaped (or sigmoid) curveto
provide balance, structural support, and simplest things to do when
appropriate health professionals on any
matter relating to their health and well- and some suspension as well as your back is sore is to actually keep
being. The information provided in this shock absorption. moving! Gentle exercising, such as
publication is believed to be accurate walking and swimming, are good
and sound, based on the best judgment
But as you can imagine, pounding for your lower back, provided you
available to the authors, but readers away against hard surfaces while have not developed a disabling
who fail to consult with appropriate walking not only affects the joints of condition. In fact, not moving
health authorities assume the risk of any the legs, but the shock waves work enough contributes to developing the
injuries. The opinions expressed here do their way up through the pelvis to discomfort in the first place.
not necessarily reflect the views of the the spinal column and the individual
publisher. The publisher is not responsible vertebrae. The result is degenerative And a new study conducted at the
for errors or omissions. arthritis, or osteoarthritis in the spine. University of Tel-Aviv in Israel shows
For questions regarding your subscription, that walking is as effective as clinic-
And just like in other joints,
please call reader services at 443-353-4398 run rehabilitation programs for back
osteoarthritis of the spinal vertebrae
(8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EDT Mon.-Fri.) pain.1 And it only takes as little as 20
can lead to stiffness. As well as
Copyright 2013 OmniVista Health minutes twice a week.
contribute to bony outgrowths that
Media, L.L.C., 702 Cathedral St., Baltimore, In addition to walking, acupuncture
can impact and irritate the spinal
MD 21201. Reproduction in whole or
nerves that branch out from the spinal (as featured in last months issue of
in part is prohibited without written
permission of the publisher. cord. These kinds of irritations are Insiders Cures) is another extremely
common in the arms and the legs successful treatment for relieving low
2 www.DrMicozzi.com
DR. MICOZZIS INSIDERS CURES
back pain. Sir William Osler, who was a chiropractor or osteopath wasnt all research tends to be that we still
a leading physician at the University just about getting effective physical need more research, the problem
of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins, and treatments. Opting for osteopathic of low back pain has continued to
then Oxford, during the late 19th and or chiropractic therapy saved people be studied. Long after the average
turn of the 20th century recommended from dangerous, unpleasant, and less doctor and patient should have had
acupuncture for the treatment of effective (or completely ineffective the results they needed to guide
lumbago (lower back pain) through and even toxic) regular medical sensible and safe treatment.
the 3rd edition of his classic textbook treatments. A good plan for our Even today, large hospitals are still
of medicine in 1910. (Unfortunately, present day as well. doing studies proving that patients
all mention of acupuncture Unfortunately, despite the with low back pain can be sent
disappeared in subsequent editions of evidence, the benefits of chiropractic directly for physical therapy the same
his textbook issued after his death.) therapy got overshadowed by the day for successful reliefwithout
But the No. 1, proven treatment supposed breakthrough of back even waiting to do an x-ray or MRI.
for relieving back pain and restoring surgery. Meantime, back surgeons got (See the news brief Back Pain?
function, based on decades of into a crisis of their own Skip the MRI! that appeared in the
indisputable science and data is December 2012 issue of Insiders
Dont wait until its too late
Cures for more details.)
Spinal manual therapyor About 10 years ago, the problem of
an adjustment carried out by a failed back surgery had become so Having to wait for more studies
chiropractor or a physical therapist. common that in some states, insurers just prolongs the agony.
The original bone setters were refusing to provide malpractice So if you suffer from low back
helped pave the way for insurance to doctors who perform pain, skip the expensive medical
drugless healing back surgery. tests and surgery. And stay as far
The problem of low back pain I attended Congressional field away from steroid injections as you
was primarily responsible for the hearings in Pennsylvania to can! (For more on this topic, refer
success of two entirely new medical determine whether or not patients back to the Daily Dispatch from
systems that arose in the American should be able to obtain back surgery May 10th, titled A shot in the dark.
in the state at all. Gov. Ed Rendell You can view it on my website,
mid-west during the late 19th century.
testified in these hearings. We had www.drmicozzi.com).
First osteopathic medicine and then
chiropractic medicine sprang up met before, when I opened the C. You can get rapid relief from
in regions where there were fewer Everett Koop Community Health a licensed chiropractor, physical
doctors practicing. Education Center in Philadelphia therapist, acupuncturist, or qualified
in 1996, and we spoke afterward. massage therapist. And if you can,
There had been a tradition in
He was quite open to the idea that keep moving. IC
both European and Asian societies
most patients with back pain do not Citations available online at www.DrMicozzi.com
(whose members emigrated to the
require surgery, and should not get
American west) of folk healers Three herbal pain
back surgery. If only the medical
and bone setters that offered
community was as open-minded. soothers worth a try
adjustments. So osteopaths and
chiropractors ability to lay on Of course, it wasnt a secret. In
While theyre not a substitute for
hands and physically manipulate the fact, it was known for a long time in
effective spinal manual therapies,
back and the body back into shape the U.S. that acupuncturists, massage
there are several herbs that can help
and healthwas a big attraction to therapists, spinal manual therapists
relieve pain. They include:
suffering patients. (chiropractors), and even herbalists
were helping people with back pain. Boswellia serratta extract (gum)
Another big attraction of these 400 -500 mg/day
hands-on healers was that they Granted, it was usually after a
patient had received an ineffective Curcuma longa (root)
promoted drugless healing. Which
medical therapy. At which point it (Tumeric)200 mg/day
allowed people to avoid taking the
drugs of the time. Some of which was often too late to be able to heal Withania somnifera (root extract)
contained toxic compounds like naturally. (Ashwaganda)500 mg/day
arsenic, lead, and mercury. So, seeing And since the interpretation of
Modern medicine botches a rheumatoid arthritis (RA). But, as is just a minute. First, its important to
lot of things. But the way it treats the case in many other auto-immune understand how it all ties together.
rheumatoid arthritis may be one of disorders, theres also a strong mind- Its all connected
the worst examples. body connection. And, more recently,
Ive talked a lot about the mind-
For centuries, rheumatoid arthritis yet another factor has come to light
body connection here in Insiders
the nervous system connection.
(RA) has largely been a mystery. A Cures. But I have tobecause
very painful one at that. Finding real relief from this western science separated the two
mysterious chronic condition long ago. And that wasand isa
The problem is, once again, that
requires treating all three aspects. huge mistake. Other ethno-medical
western medicine only focuses on
Unfortunately, most doctors simply traditions in Asia and around the
ONE aspect of the disease.
arent. world never separated them. This
Modern medicine has classified is one reason these other medical
That said, make no mistake: RA
RA as an auto-immune disease. Of traditions appear more wholistic to
is a dangerous systemic condition
course, when I was in training during us today.
that requires management by a
the 1970s, thats what the experts competent rheumatologist. And the But even based on modern science,
ended up calling a lot of diseases they good news is, more and more doctors growing evidence shows the mind
simply didnt understand. are recognizing that there are also and body are linkedor married.
Today, we know there is indeed complementary approaches that can For better or worse, in sickness and in
an immune component involved in help soothe RA. More on that in health.
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DR. MICOZZIS INSIDERS CURES
It boils down to three inter- But now theres a third piece RA is the result of your immune
connected components: being added to the puzzle system attacking the cartilage in
1. Psychothe mind/brain immunology. your joints. This confusion can
connection stem from a true bacterial infection,
Like neuro-peptides and nerves,
the immune system is also present like rheumatic fever (see sidebar
2. Neurothe nervous system on page 4). Or it can appear more
connection throughout the body. Immune
cells (white blood cells) travel mysteriously from a stress-related
3. Immunologythe immune throughout the blood. And there immune imbalancethis is the
system connection mind-body-immune connection.
are specialized concentrations of
In fact, today theres an entire these cells in the adenoids, tonsils, While there is accordingly a
field of medicine called psycho- spleen, appendix, and throughout mind-body component, caution
neuro-immunology. Which provides the gastrointestinal tract (without must be exercised with rheumatoid
a tangible scientific approach, a fully understanding their role, 20th arthritis. It causes real, physical
physiologic model, and a growing century surgeons considered them damage with serious complications
body of data proving the mind-body all to be expendable). They are also that require experienced medical
connections. concentrated in the thymus gland management. The best thing you
Heres how each component during childhood. can do is to consult a rheumatologist
works When you look at how each of who can help determine which of
For the psycho component, these three components impacts the drugs for RA appear to be safe,
we know that the mind-brain the body from head-to-toe on their effective, and appropriate for you.
is connected through thoughts, ownits not hard to see how And whether there older ones that
emotional feelings, and levels of they are all inter-related as well. are more reliable (as in the case with
consciousness to influence the body. The psycho-neuro-immunology- blood pressure medications).
But its not just a one-way street. The connection becomes quite apparent. That said, doctors and patients
biochemicals, called neuro-peptides, alike are realizing that there are also
that we associate as being in the So what causes rheumatoid
arthritis? natural approaches you can take to
brain, such as neurotransmitters, are help alleviate RA. Especially when
actually present throughout the body. One way the immune system
it comes to addressing the mind-
In fact, neurotransmitters are found in works is by making antibodies
body connection.
even greater quantities in the gut, for that match to antigens on invading
example, than they are in the nervous bacteria and viruses. Antigens are True complements to RA
system. foreign substances that stimulate treatment
the immune system. The antibodies A wide range of mind-body
Further, the production of specific
attack the antigens and then white approaches can reduce the stress that
hormones (which occurs throughout
blood cells can destroy the microbes. inevitably accompanies the pain with
the body in the thyroid, pancreas,
These microbial antigens are which RA patients struggle on a daily
adrenal glands, and ovaries or testes)
often made up of proteins and/ basis. For those best suited to your
is controlled by specific neuro-
or polysaccharides that are emotional type take the short quiz
peptides released by the pituitary
commonly found in nature. These featured on www.drmicozzi.com, or
gland of the brain. These hormones
are some of the same proteins and in my book with Michael Jawer Your
are released into the circulatory
system and carried to all parts of the polysaccharides that exist in normal, Emotional Type.
body in the blood. healthy biological substances as Gentle movementsas in
For the neuro part of the well. Unfortunately, when the traditional yoga or tai chican also
equation, the nervous system immune system can get out of synch, be helpful. Likewise, swimming
originates in the brain and spinal some of the antibodies it makes can provide just the right kind of
cord as well. Nerves also travel to against microbes get confused and low-stress movement and physical
all parts of the body, both sensing cross-react with certain normal exercise. Light massage, low-impact
and influencing all tissues at tissues. Thus, the immune system exercise, and just getting outdoors
both voluntary (conscious) and can attack our own bodiescausing
an auto immune disease. Continued on page 6...
involuntary (unconscious) levels.
NEWS BRIEF
6 www.DrMicozzi.com
DR. MICOZZIS INSIDERS CURES
saturated fats are not the villains they in heart disease and mortality is does have healthy effects on skin and
were once made out to be. questionable at best anyway. hair. In fact, lauric acid is already
But aside from its effects on an ingredient in many hair products.
Plus, it turns out, not all saturated
cholesterol, a number of additional It helps protect keratin, the protein
fats are created equal. Different types
health claims are being made for found in hair.
of saturated fats behave differently.
lauric acid. According to proponents, And applying coconut oil to the
The secret to coconut oils success its yet another wonder substance skin helps keep it moist, but doesnt
The main saturated fat in coconut with possible antibacterial, interfere with absorption of sunlight
oil is called lauric acid. Lauric acid antimicrobial, and antiviral for vitamin D.
does increase cholesterol levels in properties. Which could (they claim) The bottom line? Coconut oil
the blood. But it increases levels of combat H.I.V., clear up acne, and certainly isnt harmful (in moderation).
both good HDL, or high-density speed up your metabolism. However, And it does have some nice cosmetic
lipoprotein, and bad LDL, or low- most researchersmyself included benefits. But it remains uncertain
density lipoprotein. So it doesnt remain skeptical. whether coconut oil is actively
negatively affect the overall ratio of While debate continues about the beneficial in the way that olive oil, for
the two. And the role of cholesterol internal benefits of coconut oil, it example, is proven to be. IC
NEWS BRIEF
8 www.DrMicozzi.com