It seems like a simple solution.  Have a pain, take a pill, pain goes away.  What could be wrong with that? Does it really cause harm?  Millions of people take non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) without much thought, other than this pill will make the pain go away. But even when the pain does goes away, it's just temporary isn't it?  Sooner or later, it returns. 

Remember, pain is not the real problem - it's a warning.  Pain tells us that our body has exceeded some physical, chemical or emotional limit, and it can no longer adapt.  Do you really want to cover up your body’s warning signal and fool your body into believing everything's "OK", when it isn't?

A recent article in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that the adverse side effects for NSAIDS (Motrin, Advil, Aleve, Ibuprofen just to name a few) can include stomach bleeding, ulcers and even death.  In many cases, up to 50%, of the ulcers and bleeding occur without symptoms. Of those 50% who develop serious bleeding from taking NSAIDs and require hospitalization, 10-15% will die.  And this doesn’t even take into account the number of people who develop kidney damage.  In fact, just one ibuprofen taken every 4 days increases the risk of kidney disease 8.8 times. And 20% of the individuals on dialysis today, are on dialysis due to the use of NSAIDs.

Now, I know that pain can be debilitating, irritating or at the very least, just annoying. However, whether you are in constant pain, or the pain seems to come and go, it’s never a good idea to ignore it.  "Covering up" the pain with drugs, and going about your day, as if nothing were wrong, now that the pain is gone, is ignoring your body's warning system. Remember, the pain you feel is not the real problem - it's only a warning, and the real solution is to discover what is causing your pain. 
 
In our clinic, our goal is, and has always been, to correct the cause of the pain or problem.  Of course, we always want to make our patients feel comfortable, and get relief from their pain, however, our ultimate goal is to find and correct the cause of their pain. 

Yours should be too.
 
Marla Roberds
Wellness Consultant & Cleansing Director
Roberds Wellness and Pain Relief Center
4r038 Remington Dr., Suite 3
Fayetteville, AR 72703
582-1444 www.roberdschiropractic.com 

Besides the obvious differences between boys and girls are they really that much different or has society’s rules made them that way?

As a mother of three, 2 girls and a boy, (all now grown), I can say without hesitation that they truly are different.  Watching each child develop into an adult has really proven the fact.  Even with the same social settings, both at home and school, their nature’s are truly unique.

And aside from the obvious differences between the sexes there are other biological differences and it’s these differences that separate the nature of the sexes from the nurture.

We all know that each human being has 23 sets of chromosomes in every cell.  22 of these are identical in both boys and girls. They are XX.  It’s the 23rd   that separates the two from each other.  In boys the 23rd chromosome is paired as an XY.  So, from the moment of conception, boys are already different from girls.

Boys have larger brains than women.  This doesn’t necessarily make them smarter! Girls have more neurons,(which are cells that processs and transmit information), in certain areas of the brain.  They are more sensitive to visual clues and hidden meanings in communication than boys. And when it comes to problem solving, girls use both brain hemispheres while boys use one.  Perhaps this is why boys, as the mature, seem to excel in analytical math skills.  Both sexes have about the same skill set when it comes to computational math skills though.

As infants, boys are interested in objects and girls have a greater response to human voices. Girls experience earlier development of verbal memory, fluency, spelling and grammar.  I found this especially true.  Although all my kids did well in school, both my girls exceeded their brother in English class, reading and spelling at the same ages.  I was constantly reminded by my son’s elementary school teachers to be patient – that boys take a bit longer to comprehend these subjects than the girls did.  And maybe that’s why men speak an average of 12,500 words a day and women about 25,000!  We have more to say and we’re going to say it!

Girls have a longer life expectancy then boys.  They have less upper body strength then boys and the higher levels of testosterone in boys, makes them more aggressive than girls.

Even though these are generalizations, the facts are that boys and girls are different.

Given good and healthy values and nurturing they should turn out well in the end.

Marla Roberds
Wellness Consultant & Cleansing Director
Roberds Wellness and Pain Relief Center
4038 Remington Dr., Suite 3
Fayetteville, AR 72703
479-582-1444

A lot of women experience painful once-a-month cramps, which can often leave them doubled over in pain and calling in sick to work. It is estimated that more than 100 million employee work hours are lost each year in the US due to menstrual cramps. This translates to a loss of more than one billion dollars annually to employers.

Many women who experience painful menstrual cramps are also likely to suffer from spinal problems, and back pain. This suggests a causal relationship between subluxations (nerve interferences) in the low back, and specific gynecological problems such as cramps. This would certainly explain why many women who see their chiropractor for lower back pain relief, also report a lessening in the severity of their menstrual cramps. Remember menstrual cramps are a symptom that something else is amiss.

Although standard over-the-counter drug treatments (analgesics) are effective in relieving the symptoms associated with menstrual cramps, you are right to be concerned about the side effects of NSAIDS like ibuprofen.  Stomach ulcers, abdominal pain and kidney failure all pose health hazards far worse than the pain of once-a-month menstrual cramps.

The good news is that in addition to relieving your menstrual cramps, chiropractic care can also relieve other symptoms, and more serious health conditions, that you might not have even associated with a "back problem”. For example, urinary tract problems, irregular periods, menopausal problems, miscarriage, difficult births, as well as hip, leg and knee pain are all associated with the kind of low back (“lumbar” region of the spine. See chart below) problems that chiropractors have been treating successfully and naturally for decades, without drugs or surgery. 
 
Marla Roberds
Wellness Consultant & Cleansing Director
Roberds Wellness and Pain Relief Center
4r038 Remington Dr., Suite 3
Fayetteville, AR 72703
582-1444 www.roberdschiropractic.com 

With greater technology comes greater responsibility.  That means making appropriate choices for your children (and yourself) regarding which conveniences to use, and what the long term effects will be.  We know that sitting too close to a TV, or watching too much television, can increase radiation exposure, and one of the side effects is an increase in obesity.  Exposure to x-rays, and microwave ovens can cause health problems too.

New studies reveal that cell phone exposure may be the worst culprit of all.  A 10 year study on cell phone safety has revealed that heavy cell phone use (over a 10 year period) increases the risk of developing brain tumors later in life; by as much as 40%, in certain types of brain tumors.  When a cell phone is held against the ear, the electromagnetic radiation that develops when the cell phone connects with the cell phone tower, penetrates the brain.  This penetration is particularly intense in small children.  Look below at the illustrations showing the absorption rates in the brains of a 5 year old child, a 10 year old, and an adult. Can you see how the electromagnetic radiation penetrates almost completely through the brain of the 5 year old?

In a study of over 13,000 children, whose mothers used a cell phone frequently during pregnancy, all were reported to have more behavioral problems than children whose mothers did not.  And when the same children, now use a cell phone, the risks are reported to be even higher.  The study reports that there is an 80% higher risk of emotional and conduct problems, hyperactivity and problems with their peers. 

Cell phone use (and portable phones) by our children, needs to be monitored.  I have an eleven year old niece who has been using her own cell phone for over a year.  And my neighbor's 9 year old son, was outside riding his bike, this past week-end, and talking on his cell phone. If these kids are anything like I was growing up, phone time can run into hours every day!  And since many families have done away with their land line, and use only a cell phone, the radiation exposure is multiplied.  Every phone contact for them, is a contact with electromagnetic radiation. 

So what’s the solution?  Limit your child’s cell phone time (and yours) to quick calls.  If your child needs to maintain contact with you, or needs an emergency contact, that’s acceptable cell phone time.  But, don’t let them ramble on for long periods of time with friends. Hands free systems, and good old fashioned land lines are still available.  Use them.

Marla Roberds
Wellness Consultant & Cleansing Director
Roberds Wellness and Pain Relief Center
4038 Remington Dr., Suite 3
Fayetteville, AR 72703
479-582-1444

We all know warning signs of poor health.  We’re surrounded by advertisements for them every day: headaches, pain, numbness, sleeping problems, hormone problems, depression, obesity, indigestion, arthritis, dizziness, fibromyalgia and more.  In fact you can turn on the TV just about any time of the day or night, and see a commercial for a drug to “fix” any of these problems.

But has anyone ever shared the “warning” signs of good health?  And I don’t mean just being out of pain for the moment. Or “headache-free” today.  I mean in Good Health.  I thought that if people knew what good health was supposed to be, then they would know when they had it.  So I have sent  you:

The 10 Warning Signs of Good Health
Persistent sense of humor
Chronic positive expectations
Tendency to frame everything in a constructive light
Episodic outbreaks of joyful, happy experiences
Sense of spiritual involvement
Tendency to adapt well to changing conditions
Rapid response to and recovery from stress and repeated challenges
Increased appetite for physical activity
Tendency to identify and communicate feelings
Repeated episodes of gratitude and generosity
Continuing presence of support networks

If this describes you, then congratulations!  But if you sound more like the list in the first paragraph, maybe it’s time to do something different.  Maybe it’s time to incorporate a real health plan in your life. One that addresses the causes of your health problems rather than just hiding the symptoms with a drug,  so you don’t know how unhealthy you are becoming, yet.  I mean a natural approach to your health.  Natural, organic foods, clean water, a properly functioning  nervous system.  Ask your healthy friends about their natural health care provider, and go yourself!

We keep a copy of The 10 Warning Signs of Good Health posted in our clinic.  Patients often ask for copies.  It’s a good reminder of how we are supposed to be, and how life is supposed to be.  Make a copy and read it daily.  It will change your life.

Marla Roberds, Wellness Consultant
The Foundation for Wellness Professionals
Cleansing Director
The Roberds Clinic
4038 Remington Dr., Suite 3
Fayetteville, AR 72703
479-582-1444