If you could only do one thing to be healthier..... choose walking

If you only had the time to add one thing to your day to make yourself feel better and live longer, that one thing should be walking regularly. Adding just 200 minutes of exercise a week to your schedule can make long lasting changes to your body.

Many people find that doing things for their health is one of the hardest things to fit into their daily lives. Constantly running around and taking kids to ball games, and other social commitments leaves little time for many people to think about themselves. I recommend that you add daily exercise to your schedule so that you are sure to make time for it. It is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.

In a study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1989, 13,000 men and women were studied for eight years. The data showed that an unfit man could reduce his risk of death from all diseases by nearly 37 percent by becoming fit, and an unfit woman could reduce her risk by about 48 percent. *

Walking is so beneficial to your health and well being. Many studies have been done over the last several decades proving that walking is important to the mind and body. What are some of the benefits ?

• Lowered blood pressure - whether you walk 30 minutes several times a week or 10 minutes several times a day, regular walking has been proven to lower blood pressure by about 5 points. A 40 minute walk can reduce blood pressure for 7 hours!


• Lowered blood sugar - regular walking can lower blood glucose levels. Get that 200 minutes in every week to prevent type 2 diabetes and reduce the symptoms!


• Lower cholesterol - Walking can improve HDL (good cholesterol) which in-turn helps to lower bad (LDL) cholesterol.


• Improved circulation - Getting the heart pumping forces blood into the tiny capillaries and increases oxygen distribution to the tissues.


• Decreased risk of heart disease - According to The New England Journal of Medicine, August 26, 1999 Walking 3-4 hours a week can reduce female heart disease risk by 30-40%. Walking is a known benefit for cardiovascular health!


• Reduced inflammation - Getting that oxygen to all parts of your body with increased circulation also helps reduce inflammation. The blood carries O2 and nutrients out to the capillaries and brings the trash back to the liver and kidneys to be cleaned out.


• Reduction of stress - walking reduces stress. It gets you away from constant stressors and if you get outdoors, into the fresh air. A little sun adds some vitamin D which is also known to aid with depression or mood enhancement.


• Improved mood/reduced depression - If you are depressed, get outside and go for a walk. Moving around and getting some sunshine and fresh air can do a lot for your mental state. Getting away from television and constant noise can also help. Listen to the birds, smell some flowers and enjoy the outdoors.


• Reduced cancer risk - Studies show that not only does walking reduce the risk factors for heart disease but people in those same studies also show that they have a lower risk of getting cancer.


• Bone Building / reduces risk of Osteoporosis - Walking is very beneficial to your muscles, tendons, cartilage and bones. You have heard that old saying " if you don't use it you lose it"? well that is definitely true when it comes to bones, muscles, tendons and cartilage.


• Weight Management - Walking about 2.5 miles an hour for 40 minutes burns about 175 calories. That equals out to about a mile every 16 minutes. Do that 3 times a week and you have burned 525 calories.


• Better sleep - More oxygen, using your muscles, better mood and circulation all add to a better nights sleep.


• Improved energy - the more you walk the better you feel, which in turn gives you more energy. Get up and move around to give yourself more energy.


• Improved immunity - helps clear lymphatic system. Walking helps the immune system by clearing out the lymphatic system. Keep your system cleaner and healthier by walking.


• Brain health - walking improves circulation which in turn benefits the brain. You should also challenge your brain by doing things that require thinking every day. Read, do crossword puzzles or put together puzzles.

As you can see... walking has many benefits and if there was only one thing you could do to make yourself feel better, have more energy, live longer and be more mobile, it should be the thing you do.

Of course there are lots of other things you can do to increase your odds of living a fuller, healthier life. Eating right, which means increasing your vegetable and fruit intake and eating a variety of healthful foods. Avoiding inflammatory foods such as cow's milk, pork, chocolate, soda, diet drinks and fried foods. Supplementing your diet with additional nutrition when it's necessary is also very important. As we age, we lose the ability to build and to process some of the nutrients we need to be as healthy as possible. Supplementation is required in these instances to make sure we have what we need to build strong bones and new healthy cells.

CoQ10 is a good example of a supplement that we have a harder time making as we age. Calcium is a good example of a nutrient that we have more trouble breaking down and using, as we get older, because our stomach acid is not as strong as it was when we were young. For more information on supplementation, please come visit us at the office. We would love to help you get more information on your individual needs.

Have a good week and get out there and do some walking this week!

*(from all-about-lowering-cholesterol.com)

Alternatives to Dangerous Drugs by Terry Lemerond

One of the greatest frustrations for anyone working in natural health is the prejudice that somehow prescription drugs are better, more powerful and safer than natural medicines simply because they are prescription drugs. The word “prescription” is like a halo that confers implied benefits such as “Ordered by a doctor” and “Clean” and “Powerful.” It is the slickest, most effective marketing campaign I have ever seen. Over the last 70 to 80 years, synthetic medication has pushed out natural remedies that have been used successfully for centuries. And the drug manufacturers have been going out of their way ever since to undermine the credibility and effectiveness of natural medicine. After all, you can’t make billions in profits from a simple herb. And what does it do to your bottom line if the simple herb turns out to be better than your heavily-invested drug? To what lengths would you go to protect those profits and investments? Obviously, some would go so far as to cause death and injury to innocent, unsuspecting patients, eager for a cure, but unaware of the toll the drug may take. Unaware they have other, safer options.

In this issue of Terry Talks Nutrition, we are going to look at some of these dangerous drugs, their adverse effects and which natural medicines are safer . . . and more effective, too.

Are Prescription Drugs ALWAYS Bad?

Am I against all prescription medications? No. There are a few that are great life-savers. But I am against blindly accepting all foreign chemical substances as “helpful” simply because they bear the “prescription” or “over-the-counter” drug moniker. In too many instances to count, these synthetic chemicals have done grievous damage when a natural intervention may well have yielded superior and far safer effects. A common drug like ibuprofen can cause the deaths of over 15,000 people a year—yes, I said 15,000 human beings a year—but if one person has an unusual or allergic reaction to an herb and dies, how long do you think that herb will remain on the market? The media goes into a feeding frenzy with “scary” sensationalized herbal stories, yet awful statistics about death and injury caused by prescription drugs are treated as an anomaly and the stories quickly fade.

Every day about 300 people die from an adverse reaction to a drug that was supposed to help them. More than 2 million people a year have to seek treatment at a hospital for an adverse reaction to a prescribed medication. An adverse reaction can be something relatively mild - itching or an upset stomach – or something as serious as breathing problems or an irregular heartbeat.

There are a myriad of effective, natural ways to address illness and injury without putting a person’s life at risk. Let’s look at some examples of natural products that have been proven equal or superior to pharmaceutical drugs.

The Best-Selling Drugs in America: Reducing Cholesterol
Brand names: Lipitor (atorvastatin), Crestor (rosuvastatin), Zocor (Simvastatin)
Adverse effects: headaches; muscle aches and debilitating muscle pain syndromes; weakness; dizziness; abdominal cramps; memory loss; “brain fog;” increased cancer risk; increased Parkinson’s disease risk; interferes with natural CoQ10 production, which leads to heart muscle weakness; interferes with hormone production; linked to depression and congestive heart failure, as well as hormonal disruption.

Remember that high cholesterol is not the problem. Low HDL cholesterol is a problem, along with inflammation in the blood vessels and oxidation of circulating cholesterol. So a better idea is to raise HDLs, reduce oxidation in the body and eliminate inflammation in the blood vessels. Did you know that for every 1% you raise HDLs, you get a corresponding 2-3% decrease in heart disease risk? And if your HDLs are high enough, you will not get heart disease, regardless of the total cholesterol number.

Raise HDLs and balance cholesterol using clinically-proven Indian Gooseberry (Emblica officianalis). Published scientific studies show it reduces plaque in the arteries, impacts cholesterol synthesis, protects cells from oxidation, and in a human trial, increased HDLs 14% while lowering LDLs 21% for a much healthier cholesterol balance.

At the same time, reduce oxidation and inflammation with a highly bioavailable curcumin extract. Inflammation on the interior of the blood vessel is the first step in plaque development, and curcumin will greatly inhibit this process. However, not just any curcumin will do. Curcumin is hard to absorb. In order to get therapeutic levels of curcumin in the blood stream, it should have clinically-proven enhanced absorption. I prefer curcumin extracts complexed with essential turmeric oils and naturally occurring plant phospholipids. I never recommend those blended with piperine for absorption, because piperine (extract of black pepper) is hard on the liver, and interacts with the majority of drugs on the market, including anti-seizure, blood pressure, heart rhythm, and cancer drugs.

Omega 3 fatty acids are crucial for cholesterol balance and heart disease prevention/treatment. They balance cholesterol by reducing LDL while increasing HDL cholesterol, and reduce triglycerides. Omega 3s also have a great impact on systemic inflammation. But omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil are very poorly absorbed, and are bound to triglycerides. The better way to increase omega 3 fatty acids is to use salmon extracts utilizing Vectorization. This process yields a natural whole food omega 3 complex that has 50 times the absorption of fish oil with no rancidity or GI upset.

And last, greatly increase fiber in your diet. Why? Because fiber soaks up and transports cholesterol your body is trying to eliminate. Less fiber means more cholesterol is reabsorbed during the elimination process, and more fiber means it is effectively carried out of your body. Try for a total of 25 or more grams a day of dietary fiber from food, and add supplements if you cannot reach or exceed this total with diet alone.

These steps will be much more effective at balancing cholesterol (shifting away from LDL and towards HDL) and preventing heart disease than any statin drug, and all without damaging or life-threatening adverse effects.

Reprinted from http://www.terrytalksnutrition.com/weekly-articles/2010/06-11/

TerryLemerond

I finished my HCG... Now What?

WOW! is all I can say about the success we have seen with the new homeopathic HCG drops. We have patients and friends who are anywhere from 60 to 100 pounds lighter than they were before the start of the HCG program. They are also excited about the benefits of this weight loss, such as; more energy, renewed self esteem, lower blood glucose levels and a great reason to go shopping for more clothes!

If you wish to learn more about the diet you can visit our website to view the program and how it works. What I wish to discuss in this message is "Now that I have lost this weight, how do I keep it off?"

As with any weight loss program, once the weight is off, you must follow a healthy diet and exercise in order to maintain your new shape. HCG is a safe and fast weight loss solution for those who have had problems losing weight in the past, and most do not gain the weight back. With a few lifestyle modifications and committing yourself to a regular exercise plan, you can manage your weight and keep it off! Part of the reason many people do not gain the weight back is metabolic. The body has re-learned to burn fat for energy and it is no longer storing fat for an emergency hunger situation. Humans should be fat burning machines.

The Standard American Diet (SAD) is high in processed foods and sugar. Often the body is provided too much of these types of foods and not enough lean protein, or vegetables (healthy carbs). This type of eating trains the body to burn sugar and non-complex carbs for energy, and when the body is provided this type of diet it forgets how to burn fat. These types of food also encourage over eating because they burn off so fast that you are hungry again shortly after eating them. For example, eating a piece of buttered toast would cause your body to burn off the toast and store the fat, and 20 minutes later you would want more to eat.

Now to the Meat and Potatoes of this discussion...

These are the things you want to do.

• Exercise 200+ minutes a week (aerobic exercise is important for the whole body).


• Drink lots of clean filtered water, free of chlorine other chemicals (reverse osmosis is best)


• Avoid bottled beverages - no flavored waters, no soda or diet drinks, no carbonated beverages - I know it's no fun but... let's be realistic!


• Eat healthy fats - nuts, olive oil, avocado, tuna, sardines


• Focus on lean proteins - farm raised eggs and chicken, fish, turkey, free range lean beef etc...


• Eat more vegetables - 8 out of 10 bites of food should be veggies and fruit.


• Variety is key - eat lots of different colors of vegetables and fruits --antioxidants come in many colors!

For a really good list of foods to eat abundantly, moderately and to avoid go to our website and download leptin resistance. This plan explains why some of us burn fat better than others and has a very comprehensive list of foods.

Some things to avoid

• cow's milk


• ice cream


• corn oil


• lard


• sugars (anything that ends in "ose" is a sugar)


• high sugar fruit - such as; bananas, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapes and dried fruits


• fried foods


• juices - especially ones made from concentrate. The best part of a fruit is the whole fruit, the juice is just the sugar part!

For more information on how to make sure your body continues to burn fat for energy click here and print out the leptin diet.

Natural Heart Health

Are you looking for a way to care for your heart and cardiovascular system naturally? There are natural means of reducing blood pressure, maintaining healthy arteries and lowering LDL cholesterol. Speaking with your naturopathic and chiropractic physician should be your first step in learning how to help manage these things without drugs, but we will discuss some of the alternative methods here.


Blood Pressure - the number one addition to your natural health care regimen should be to get 200 minutes of aerobic exercise a week. Walking, swimming and other blood pumping activities are a great way to help lower blood pressure, and help the body deal with daily stress.

Secondly, stress should be dealt with and managed. There are many kinds of stress and some stressors are healthy, but emotional stress can have a negative effect on your health.

In addition to regular exercise and the reduction of stress there are several herbs and foods which can help reduce blood pressure, and stress; such as, Hawthorne, Garlic and Resveratrol.


Cholesterol - Eating fatty foods, particularly fried foods, can thicken the blood which increases the risk of cardiovascular concerns such as heart attack and stroke. This is compounded by plaque in the arteries, which narrows the arteries and restricts blood flow. You can see how these two things together can increase your chances of having a heart related problem. Again, diet and exercise play a role in lowering cholesterol. It is also a good idea to evaluate liver health when considering cholesterol levels, since the liver makes most of the cholesterol in our body.

When considering whether your cholesterol levels are within a healthy range you can use this formula. Take your total Cholesterol number and divide it by the HDL number, for example if your total cholesterol is 240 and your HDL cholesterol is 60 then your coronary risk factor is 4. We prefer to see a risk factor of 4 or less in our patients.

Good additions to your diet and nutritional regimen should be Garlic and Onions, along with Bromelain and Hawthorne to help reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.


Hawthorne has been used since the 17th century for heart health, and may be beneficial not only for the heart but for the kidneys as well. Hawthorne can increase the blood flow to the heart, increase the pumping action and reduce the workload of the heart muscle itself. Resulting in a steady heartbeat, increased performance and increased resistance to oxygen deficiency, such as during times of stress. It also may be used in cases of congestive heart failure. Many people use Hawthorne to relieve chest pain, and it may also help remove plaque buildup in the arteries which can lead to heart attack and stroke.


Garlic and Onions are both known to help the liver eliminate fats and cholesterol through the bile. Adding these two things to your diet can help the body naturally reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood. These foods may also help reduce blood pressure. Garlic and Onions are best eaten raw or added to the recipe in the last couple minutes to add some flavor, but should stay as raw as possible. In order for Garlic to help it needs to be a regular part of the diet. You may also take a supplement if you do not like the flavor.


Bromelain is an anti-inflammatory, mucous reducer and a digestive enzyme. When taken with meals it helps to digest food. If taken away from meals it is beneficial to the flow of blood through the arteries and reduces inflammation in the body. Bromelain works like a blood thinner, but it does not thin the blood. It actually helps the blood flow better, by keeping it from sticking together. We recommend 2000 mg per day of this supplement when using it for cardiovascular health. It has no side effects and is safe for people of all ages. It is natural and made from pineapples. If you have an allergy to pineapple you should not use it. Essential fatty acids, such as fish oils and flax seed oil are also very effective and anti-inflammatory agents, as is vitamin C.


Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant which has been shown to increase the health of the arteries. It has been said to slow down the ageing process, to reverse hardening of the arteries, increase energy, aid the body in processing high fat foods, and reduced blood sugar. Resveratrol supplements need to be processed carefully by a lab so be careful where you purchase it from. We have a product which we use for heart health that contains resveratrol and several other heart healthy nutrients. If you are interested please stop by our office for more information. Its name is Vasculosirt.


CoQ Enzyme 10 is another vital nutrient for heart and artery health. As we age, our bodies lose the ability to make our own CoQ 10. Supplementation is necessary to replace what we are lacking. If you are over 40 this is something you should consider adding to your daily nutrition. Co Q 10 may help with several other conditions such as diabetes and inflammation as well as adding a boost to your immune system.


There are other nutrients and foods that may help with heart health, these are just a few. Please stop by our office for more information on your particular concern. Because each person is different, there is no one size fits all approach to cardiac health.

Gout, Kidney Stones and Uric Acid

Do you suffer from bouts with Gout or Kidney Stones?

These symptoms are caused mainly by an excess of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid can crystallize and form painful deposits in the joints or in the kidneys. Anyone who has suffered from this will tell you that it can be excruciating.

Often diet can be used to combat excess uric acid, but frequently nutrient supplementation is needed to alleviate symptoms and prevent future attacks. Food allergies can contribute to symptoms, and being overweight is a known factor in people who suffer from gout. Dieting, because of certain dietary changes can also trigger a gout attack. These are things which can be controlled, but in some cases a change in the weather or barometric pressure or stress can also trigger an attack of gout. Lets focus on what we can control.

Managing uric acid levels

Potassium is a key nutrient for helping the body balance uric acid levels. Fasting, diuretics and surgery are all known to deplete blood levels of potassium. Below are some foods that are high in potassium.

• Baked Potatoes with the skin on. (Baked potatoes are not recommended for people who are watching their weight)


• Sweet Potatoes


• Avocado


• Cantaloupe


• Bananas


• Orange Juice


• Kidney Beans


• Broccoli


• Beets


• Almonds


• Walnuts

Depleted Vitamin B5 is also a concern for uric acid levels. You may take a supplement of Pantothenic acid (B5), or eat canned cherries to help fight off an attack of gout. You can also eat foods high in vitamin B5 to help prevent future attacks such as; Strawberries, Broccoli, Boiled Eggs, Sunflower Seeds or Winter Squash. Keep in mind that B5 does need other B vitamins to be utilized properly by the body, which is why getting it from food sources in addition to supplementation is the best plan. Vitamin C also helps the body with B vitamins. Quercetin has also been found to be beneficial. It is a potent antioxidant!

Uric acid is an ash left from protein metabolism. If the liver can not rid the body of this ash it accumulates, leading to gout. Some prescription drugs can cause uric acid to rise along with causing nutrient depletion of key nutrients like potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium.

If your kidneys are not functioning properly it can also cause a build up of uric acid. Drinking soda, alcohol, caffeinated beverages and eating large amounts of protein will also add to uric acid production.

Foods to avoid

• Organ Meats


• Veal


• Bacon


• Sweetbreads, Baked Goods, Beer


• Gravies


• Broths and Bouillon


• Turkey and Goose


• Salmon, Mackerel, Trout, Cod, Herring, Sardines Crab and Shrimp


• Peas, Beans, Lentils, Asparagus, Mushrooms, Cooked Spinach, Rhubarb and Cauliflower


• Alcohol


• Coffee - Caffeine impairs kidney function


• Soda and simple sugars such as simple carbohydrates and saturated fats


• Oatmeal

Some more great foods to include in your diet are:

• Grapes (aid in elimination of uric acid)


• Cherries ( Fresh is best, eat 6-8 between meals)


• Garlic (minced and added to black cherry juice is useful)


• Parsley (natural diuretic)


• Strawberries (they neutralize uric acid)


• Blueberries ( eases pain for gout)


• Lemon Juice (fresh squeezed lemon juice is great for reducing uric acid also) Drinking the juice of one lemon in lukewarm water neutralizes acid.

For kidney stone relief you can drink lemon juice as the first option. Magnesium is also important for these attacks.

For a severe gout attack we recommend that you eat a can of cherries as soon as you feel it coming, but not marachino cherries. They have too much sugar! Cherries are high in vitamin B5 which helps to bring uric acid levels back to normal quickly.

We also have B5 available in supplement form at our office, which is beneficial for kidney stones and gout.

HBOT and Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy and HBO Therapy (from Hbot today)

More than 500,000 Americans have cerebral palsy (CP). There are more than 4,500 new cases of CP each year. The term cerebral palsy is not a diagnosis; it is a loose descriptive term that is used to describe a group of chronic disorders—specifically, motor disorders—which impair the control of movement. These disorders usually appear in the first few years of life.

Cerebral refers to the brain's two hemispheres, or halves that contain the higher nerve centers. Palsy refers to any condition marked by tremor or any disorder that impairs control of body movement. CP is not describing disorders in the muscles or in the nerves. The impairment stems from damage to the motor areas of the brain, which in turn cause the brain to poorly control movement of the body's muscles.

What is the Cause of CP?

Although it was once believed that birth complications were the most frequent cause of cerebral palsy, we now know that such complications account for just a fraction of the cases. A study by the Federal Government's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) in the 1980s confirmed that birth complications accounted for probably less than 10 percent of the total cases of CP. This drastically altered medical theories about cerebral palsy. The NINDS study also confirmed that in most cases, no direct cause for CP could be found.

Types of Cerebral Palsy

There are four broad categories of cerebral palsy: spastic, athetoid, ataxic, and mixed forms that are defined by the type of movement disturbance disorder in each case. Spastic cerebral palsy affects 70 to 80 percent of patients. Patients who suffer from spastic cerebral palsy have muscles that are stiffly and permanently contracted. Doctors often describe the type of spastic cerebral palsy a patient has based on which limbs are affected.

Medical Disorders

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  There are other medical disorders associated with cerebral palsy. These include:
  Seizures or epilepsy. Up to half of all children with CP experience one form of seizure or another.


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  Mental impairment. Although about one-third of children with CP are not intellectually impaired, one-third are mildly impaired, and the remaining third are moderately to severely impaired.


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  Vision and hearing problems. A large number of children with CP have a condition called "strabismus," characterized by the eyes failing to properly align because of differences in the left and right eye muscles.


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  Growth problems. A syndrome called failure to thrive is common in children with moderate to severe cerebral palsy. Failure to thrive is a term that is used to describe growth and development that does not meet realistic expectations in infants and children.


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  Sensation and perception problems. The ability to feel certain sensations, such as touch and pain, can be impaired in some children with CP. These children may also have stereognosia, a condition characterized by difficulty identifying objects using the sense of touch.

Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) Therapy

HBO therapy is a medical treatment that uses the administration of 100 percent oxygen at controlled pressure (greater than sea level) for a prescribed amount of time—usually 60 to 90 minutes. HBO therapy is commonly used to treat conditions such as burns and difficult healing wounds. HBO therapy facilitates healing in these conditions by increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood by up to 2000 percent, depending on the treatment depth. This in turn dramatically increases the amount of oxygen at the cellular level.

In the case of cerebral palsy in children, HBO therapy is administered at 1.5 ATA or equivalent to a depth of 16.5 feet below sea level. Some research has been completed using treatment depths up to 1.75 ATA, or 25 feet below sea level, with positive results. Each treatment lasts one hour and one or two treatments are prescribed each day, five or six days per week. The total number of treatments given in each case varies. It is common to administer 40 treatments in the first phase of treatment. The question of further HBO therapy is then resolved by the medical team involved in each case and is dependent upon a number of factors. However, many believe that if improvement is observed in the first phase of treatment, then a break of one to four weeks should be taken, followed by another 40 HBO treatments.

At the Chico Hyperbaric Center we use a multiplace chamber, which allows a parent to be in the chamber with their child during treatment. Also, no patient at the Chico Hyperbaric Center undergoes treatment without a health care professional in attendance during treatment.

Promising Therapy

Why does HBO therapy show promise in helping cerebral palsy patients? First, let's confirm some previously mentioned facts. Cerebral palsy is the result of damage to motor areas in the brain. This in turn disrupts the brain's ability to properly control the movement of the body's muscles.

What causes this damage?

A National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) study found that in most cases of CP, no direct cause for the damage could be found. In other words, cerebral palsy is a result of the brain not properly communicating with the muscles because the brain has been damaged for one reason or another. Documentation now exists that clearly shows that HBO therapy can dramatically improve some CP symptoms. For example, a study in Brazil1 revealed a 50 percent reduction in spasticity of 94 percent (218 patients) of the patients involved in the study. Improvements have also been seen with vision, hearing, and speech. However, one should understand that improvement, if any, will vary from patient to patient. (Also see the CP section of our Patient's Feedback page for one parent's view of how HBO therapy at the Chico Hyperbaric Center positively affected her child.)

Dormant Areas

Back to our question, "Why does HBO therapy show promise in helping cerebral palsy patients?" In order to answer this question we need to look at one of the terms that we use to describe the type of brain injury involved in cerebral palsy. The term is traumatic brain injury.Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a condition in which certain nerve cells in the brain may be permanently destroyed. Conditions such as stroke and cerebral palsy are forms of TBI. It is important to note that although some of the brain may be permanently damaged when TBI occurs, a much larger area surrounding the permanently damaged area may also be affected. This larger area may be in a dormant state because the amount of oxygen it receives has been reduced due to a decrease in blood flow. Swelling and a change in cell physiology can cause reduced blood flow.

Reduced blood flow—and the resulting decrease in oxygen levels at the cellular level—as well as the swelling of brain tissue are of particular importance when attempting to understand traumatic brain injury and cerebral palsy in children. This is because some researchers believe that the lack of oxygen and swelling of brain tissue plays a part in the inability of the myelin sheaths to develop.

Myelination

Myelin sheaths are coverings that protect nerve fibers in the brain. These nerve fibers connect the brain to the spinal cord and they play an important role in impulse transmission. The process of myelination—that is, the action of the delicate myelin sheath cells as they envelop the brain's nerve fibers—begins a month prior to birth and continues until about two years of age. If myelination does not properly occur, the nerve fibers are left exposed and they slowly deteriorate. This disrupts communication between the controlling nerve cells in the brain and the muscles. The result may be spasticity. Given the presence of just a small amount of oxygen, the cells in the dormant area may remain in this suspended animation state for many years. The dormant area is often referred to as "not dead but sleeping." This is where HBO therapy shows such promise. It is believed that the high oxygen levels that are attained in the body's cells during HBO therapy cause a physiological change to the cells of this dormant area—effectively waking them up—thus, increasing the capacity for recovery. It is also believed that HBO therapy reduces swelling in the brain by constricting blood vessels, and provides an ideal internal environment for the growth of new brain tissue.It should be remembered that HBO therapy is not a cure, but a method of ensuring that the most complete recovery possible takes place. The degree of improvement will vary from patient to patient because the amount and type of damage to the brain varies with each patient.

The SPECT Scan

Modern technology has been a positive factor in the treatment of cerebral palsy and other forms of traumatic brain injury. Specifically, SPECT imaging, or what is commonly termed the SPECT scan, is helping to identify those parts of the brain that are in a dormant state due to a lack of oxygen. As Dr. Philip James of the Wolfson Hyperbaric Medicine Unit at the University of Dundee in Scotland has stated, "Loss of function in the brain can be either due to tissue swelling, which is reversible, or tissue destruction, which is not."2 When we combine what Dr. James said with what the SPECT scan can do, it is clear that the SPECT scan can help us identify those parts of the brain that stand a chance of being revived.

SPECT stands for Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography. The SPECT scan can give a clear picture of which parts of the brain are awake and working, which parts are dormant and sleeping, and which parts are lifeless and permanently damaged. This is of particular significance when considering HBO therapy because, to be blunt, the SPECT scan has the ability to indicate if HBO therapy is working or not by monitoring the change in brain tissue blood flow.

Let's Sum Up

Some brain cells become dormant due to a lack of oxygen, which can be caused by reduced blood flow. Swelling can cause reduced blood flow. HBO therapy has been shown to reduce the swelling of brain tissue by constricting blood vessels. Also, HBO therapy dramatically increases the amount of oxygen at the cellular level, which, it is believed, may revive dormant, oxygen starved areas of the brain. The ability to perform a SPECT scan before and after a course of HBO therapy can help identify those parts of the brain affected by the therapy. The SPECT scan will identify those areas of the brain that have reacted in a positive manner to an increase in oxygen, indicating the potential for recovery.

Timing Is Important

Obviously, the earlier that HBO therapy can be administered, the better the opportunity for recovery. However, HBO therapy has been shown to resolve tissue swelling even after the lapse of years. It is hoped that HBO therapy will also help revive the secondary, dormant areas of the brain that are not permanently damaged. This appears to be true for stroke patients and there are encouraging results indicating that this may also be true for cerebral palsy patients as well.

Risks?

HBO therapy is a medical procedure, and like any other medical procedure there can be risks. However, when HBO therapy is administered by trained health care individuals these risks are minimal. (As with any medical procedure, the evaluation and understanding of the current health status of the patient is of prime importance.) Minor ear discomfort is the most common complaint related to HBO therapy. This may present a greater concern with young children who cannot verbalize this discomfort. It is helpful to remember that the initial stage of each HBO treatment session is similar to sitting in an aircraft while it descends. Like the airline passenger, the patient's ears have to adjust to a change in air pressure. The hyperbaric health care professional works with the patient or parent and teaches them various techniques on how to equalize pressure in the ears, such as swallowing.If one cannot equalize the pressure in the ears, damage can occur to the eardrum. However, this is very rare. Some individuals who experience discomfort with their ears may require a procedure called a Myringotomy, or what is commonly called placing tubes in the ears. An ear, nose and throat specialist usually performs this outpatient procedure right in the doctor's office.Other complications can occur if a patient has lung abnormalities such as emphysema. However, with proper evaluation prior to HBO treatment any concerns can be eliminated. There is no evidence that other potential problems associated with much deeper depths are a concern at the relatively low pressures attained during HBO therapy for cerebral palsy patients (1.5 ATA or equivalent to a depth of 16.5 feet below sea level).

Research

The benefits of treating cerebral palsy with HBO therapy appear to be very positive. Several research studies have been completed, including studies at the University of Texas Medical Center (UTMC) and McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Some controversy exists with respect to the McGill study as results indicated the placebo group, treated with ambient air at 1.3 ATA, showed improvement similar to the group treated with HBO. Most experts agree that the methodology for evaluation in the McGill study was not optimal. Other research continues and more recently Dr. Maurine Packard of NY Presbyterian Hospital studied the effects of HBO in children ages 1-5 with moderate to severe CP. These studies and additional research will add to our knowledge and understanding of CP and HBO therapy. For the complete text of these studies, and others, please visit the Research Studies section of this site or click on the following link: http://hbotoday.com/treatment/clinical/researchstudies.

References:

1. 
   
   Jose Jorge Machado, Clinically Observed Reduction of Spasticity in Patients with Neurological Diseases and in Children with Cerebral Palsy from Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. Machado is Neurological Advisor of "Centro Brasileiro de Medicina Hyperbarica" - Rua Bento de Andrade, 70, Sao Paulo, Brazil.


2. 
   
   James, Phillip. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Cerebral Palsy Children.


3. 
   
   Paleg, Ginny. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Individuals with Neurological Dysfunction.


4. 
   
   Ocean Hyperbaric Center. New Hope for the Neurologic Damaged Child, Cerebral Palsy, Anoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy and Traumatic Brain Injury


5. 
   
   Southern Medical Journal, September 1994, Vol. 87, No. 9; An Investigation of the Treatment of Cerebral Palsy Children with Hyperbaric Oxygenation Using Spect Imaging.


6. 
   
   National Foundation for Brain Research, Cerebral Palsy, 1996

This article is Copyright © 1999 by the Chico Hyperbaric Center (HBOToday.com). Permission is given to reproduce it, in its entirety, and including this notice.

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