After maintaining this free WordPress.com blog for over a year and a half, I’ve finally made the jump to my own website.

DrMattSmith.com, you should go there now (waving-Jedi-mind-trick-fingers).

Right now, it looks just like this page with some new content. Soon though, it will look completely different.

It will also be the home for what I hope will catalyze a HUGE change in health & wellness in Alabama and beyond… well, that and my charming wit.

Hope to see you there!

This time last week, I was taking care of patients in the dark. A string of vicious straight-line winds that morning had taken out the power here at the office, but people were still coming in. By the end of the day, the 2nd deadliest outbreak of storms in our nation’s history would have carved its way through the middle of our state and continued on for hundreds of miles afterwards.

Devastating.

Even today, a week later, rescue workers continue to pull bodies from the rubble from communities who are just now receiving aid. People are receiving counseling from some of the sights they’ve seen. (Side note: Please help donate to disaster relief causes where you are able, and continue to remember these people in your prayers.)

It’s times like these that make all this talk of “wellness” seem pretty insignificant. Especially when — as I type this — there are people out there simply struggling to survive.

People from within the state as well as nationwide are rallying and the outpouring of support has been humbling. Selfless strangers are bringing water, food, clothes, gas, grills, batteries and countless other staples that were completely taken for granted last week.

I’m overwhelmed with stories of people who have lost everything they’ve owned. They’ve lost homes, cars, clothing, food, jewelry, family pictures… you get the idea.

What’s left?

The people themselves.

Just so you know, I’m not even going to try to spin this unthinkable tragedy into some post about getting yourself healthy. There have been some others who’ve tried and, if I’m being honest, to me it comes across as a bit tasteless.

But I saw something on my local news 2 nights ago that I’ve thought about a lot ever since: A middle aged-woman who survived the tornado was being interviewed about her loss. She clasps her hands in front of her chest and said, “I have my health, and that’s about it.”

Her health. That’s it. That was all she had going for her. Everything else… gone. Can you imagine? Would you even want to imagine that kind of loss?

Your health IS valuable. For some people, it’s all they have right now.

What if that kind lady didn’t have her health? What could she place her hopes in then?

Take some time today to reflect on what’s important to you. Be grateful for the little things, and the big things.

Until next time,

Dr. Matt

They’re the latest fitness craze and they’ve been advertised to increase muscle tone ”without ever setting foot in the gym.”

Shoe company research claims that wearing shoes that have an unstable surface provides a more intense workout than wearing traditional running shoes.

I thought I would share some real studies that investigate some of the claims of these shoe manufacturers.

I say real study because the so-called “studies” these shoe companies are using to promote their footwear were actually conducted by… the shoe companies themselves.

Is it any surprise their results came out favorable?

Real research is unbiased. Real research is valid and (unfortunately for the shoe companies) real research sees something completely different.

Every shoe company’s own studies claimed that they increased activation of the glutes, abdominals, hamstrings and calves.

Which muscle groups do the majority of these company’s target audience want to tone?

Glutes, abdominals, hamstrings and calves.

But is that really the case?

To keep the shoe companies honest, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) sponsored this independent study to put their claims to the test.

The results?

“Across the board, none of the toning shoes showed statistically significant increases in either exercise response or muscle activation during any of the treadmill trials. There is simply no evidence to support the claims that these shoes will help wearers exercise more intensely, burn more calories or improve muscle strength and tone.”

That’s “study-speak” for saying that the toning shoes burn no more calories nor activate any more muscles than regular running shoes.

That’s because it’s the exercise that gets your butt in shape, NOT the shoe!

The lead researcher even went so far to say “Don’t buy these shoes because of the claims that you’re going to tone your butt more or burn more calories. That’s absolutely wrong,”

Ouch! He didn’t have to say that… but he did.

According to this study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, they found “no evidence whatsoever that walking in fitness shoes had any positive effect on heart rate, oxygen consumption or caloric expenditure compared to walking in a traditional running shoe.”

More bad news: The independent study found no increase in muscle activation for participants wearing the fitness shoes.

In fact, they found greater muscle activation in the reference shoe (regular running shoe).

Mega-ouch.

For what it’s worth, a class-action lawsuit has been filed against one of these shoe companies for false advertisement.

Leonard Armato, president of Skechers Fitness Group, responds that ”Skechers has received 12,000 unsolicited positive reviews of Shape-ups, and many of these people insist that the benefits they have received have literally transformed their lives for the better.”

That may be the case, perhaps even for you. But it’s still more likely that it’s the increase in physical activity that has improved these peoples’ lives. And if it takes buying a bulky, ugly shoe to motivate you… well, so be it.

The ACE study authors sum it up best, so I’ll let them close out this post:

“Based upon the results of this study, wearing so-called ‘fitness shoes’ will have no beneficial effect on exercise intensity or caloric expenditure compared to wearing a regular running shoe. Additionally, there is no evidence that wearing shoes with an unstable sole design will improve muscle strength and tone more than wearing a regular running shoe.”

So there you go… you’re better off staying in your running shoes. You actually could be even better off by going barefoot, but that’s a post for another day.

Take care!

But I was speaking with a patient not too long ago who was talking about her family and that conversation fits in quite nicely with this “Luck o’ the Irish” theme we embrace every year on March 17th. She may not be Irish, but that’s pretty irrelevant to the moral of this story.

Aye... lucky indeed

One member of my patient’s family, she described, was about to have his 65th birthday and celebrate his retirement. Being in the profession I’m in, I naturally asked about his health.

“Healthy as a horse!”

While I’ve often thought it strange to use the equine species as a model of health for the human species, I got her point.

She went on to say that he never had any major health problems and emphatically noted that he was on no medication (yes people, we live in a world where it’s a shock when our elderly AREN’T on medications!).

I asked her what she thought was so special about him.

“Just lucky I guess, or maybe he’s just got good genes!“

I saw my opportunity to pounce. ”How active was he?”

She told me that he did some form of exercise every day, even “old-school Jack-LeLane calisthenics” that everyone else always thought were kind of silly.

My questions about his diet got me another expected response that basically boiled down to him eating a lot of meat, fruits & vegetables.

I went for the kill by asking her if all the other members of her family were as healthy as her uncle.

“Heaven’s no! The rest of them are in rough shape.”

For those of you paying attention… can you guess where I went with this next?

I asked her if the other members of her family were simply unlucky or if they somehow had different genes from their blood-relative?

[... Silence ...]

That’s because health has NOTHING to do with luck! Even crazier is the ever-growing body of scientific research that says that health has relatively little to do with your genetics either!

What’s left? Lifestyle.

That’s right. Your current state of health is the lump sum of every single choice you have ever made during the course of your life. It really is that simple.

Every day you make a conscious choice (numerous conscious choices for that matter) to move yourself in the direction of more life or in the direction of more death. You have the CHOICE to make yourself weaker, or make yourself stronger.

It might make you uncomfortable or it might make you laugh… but it’s the truth.

How do you want your family to talk about you when you turn 65? It’s pretty much your choice!

Odds are if you listen to the radio or watch a modest amount of TV, you’ve seen/heard about the hCG Diet being marketed by doctors offices, “wellness” centers, and medi-spas everywhere.

You may have even considered giving it a shot for yourself because of the dramatic results they show. If you have… I am about to do my best to persuade you otherwise.

Here’s what the “leading hCG information site” has to say:

“hCG stands for Human Choriogonadotropin, the hormone produced by pregnant women in the early stages of pregnancy. Research suggests a small, daily hCG  injection (approx. 125 IU to 200 IU) results in a weight loss of 1 to 2 lbs per day, and often more, when accompanied by a VLCD (very low calorie diet of approx 500 calories). We recommend you read Kevin Trudeau’s book, “The Weight Loss Cure They Don’t Want You to Know About”which contains vital information on using hCG injections for weight loss.”

First and foremost… there is NO such research that exists! You’ll see that in just a minute.

Second… are you a pregnant woman? If not, do you think you are supposed to have hCG in your body?

Third… what is your hurry? Your body is simply NOT designed to function on less than 1000 calories a day! Anything less triggers the stress response and sends your body into starvation-mode.

Fourth… yes, obesity is bad. I will NEVER argue against that because I have seen the statistics on mortality and costs of treatment. But to put your long-term health at risk for the sake of short-term results is absurd. You can lose just as much (or more) weight and keep it off forever by changing your lifestyle habits.

Finally… why in the world would you ever listen to anything Kevin Trudeau has to say?

Some “alternative medicine” practitioners love him for rebelling publicly against Big Pharma but that’s just short-sighted foolishness. Kevin Trudeau is a convicted felon dressed in a slick salesman’s suit who uses ex-Playboy Playmates to sell his medical and financial books because he has a court order prohibiting by law from promoting anything else.

He’s never had ANY medical training… alternative or otherwise.

He’s also never provided ONE reference to an actual scientific study that validates any of the claims he makes in his infomercials. This is mainly because they don’t exist. I also looked at over a dozen hCG-hawking websites while researching this post and NOT ONE mentions any potentially negative side effects.

Just for fun, I decided to give you some ACTUAL studies conducted on the hCG diet by authors who are scientists:

This study showed that the injection of hCG “has no additional effects that cannot be accounted for by [a 500 calorie] diet alone.” They also state that the Simeons (hCG) protocol “does not enhance the rate of weight loss, nor does it reduce hunger or change the ratings of hostility, anxiety or depression.” Their final point is that hCG is “no more effective than placebo and any effort to promote this diet are financially motivated.” Awesome. Sign me up!

This study notes that “the overwhelming majority of well-documented double-blind study authors largely reject hCG administration in dieting.“

This study showed that “there was no statistically significant difference between those receiving HCG vs placebo during any phase of this study.”

This study states “there is no statistically significant difference in the [average weight loss] of the two groups in number of injections received, weight loss, percent of weight loss, hip and waist circumference, weight loss per injections, or in hunger ratings. hCG does not appear to enhance the effectiveness of a rigidly imposed regimen for weight reduction.”

This study concluded that “there is no rationale for the use of hCG injections in the treatment of obesity.”

The American College of Bariatric Physicians released this position statement condemning hCG as a dietary aide. The AMA and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition released similar statements.

Are you picking up on my point here?

Now let’s look at some risks of a 500 calorie diet all by itself:

This study found that low-calorie, semi-starvation diets can “deplete protein stores of the gastrointestinal organs of digestion and absorption and contribute to decrease in body nitrogen stores, specifically cardiac muscle.” In other words… your body starts to eat itself. Super.

This study found that “long-term maintenance of weight lost with VLCDs is not very satisfactory and is no better than with other forms of obesity treatment.” In other words, there was no change in lifestyle. And this lifestyle is unsustainable for life in the first place.

When you severely restrict your caloric intake, your body stops burning glucose (sugar), which is what normally fuels the daily activity of your cells. Your brain and your red blood cells can ONLY burn glucose for energy, so your body starts conserving it like it’s 24-karat gold to keep your brain from shutting down.

Instead, your cells start burning fat stores and also start burning protein (things like your muscle, tissue & organs). Your metabolism plummets, anemia can develop, pH balance is disrupted, bone density is weakened, mood is altered and your immunity is compromised.

Ready to sign up yet?

When you go on these extreme diets you are only reducing a symptom of a greater problem (your lifestyle choices) at the expense of your overall health.

There is a much better, much easier, and permanent solution to better health.

Change your beliefs about what you eat, and why you eat it. When you do that, you will joyfully make better choices every day for the rest of your life.

You will inch closer to health every day — and yes, you will also lose weight.

How do you do that? Contact me and I’ll show you how.

Are you one of those people who gets frustrated trying to find that perfect gift for you “special someone” every time February 14th rolls around?

Are you one of those who can’t stand spending money on a supposedly “made-up holiday?”

Are you a hopeless romantic who is always looking for something extra to make this Valentine’s Day all the more special?

Are you just in need of some “me-time” to help you relax?

Regardless of your case… we’ve got you covered!

If you refer a family member, a friend, or a co-worker to our office between Feb 1 — Feb 14 you will get a gift certificate for a complimentary 30-minute massage!

How cool is that?

You can keep it for yourself, or you can give it away as the perfect V-Day gift (yes… getting the card is still up to you!).

Either way, you cannot lose!!

Don’t let the 14th pass you by without getting in on this! Whoever you know who can benefit from a great wellness chiropractor, have them contact our office TODAY and set up their appointment.

Just be sure that they mention your name so you can get your gift (I promise I’ll keep it between us!).

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Since 2011 rang in last week we have seen the deaths of 5000 birds & 100,000 fish in Arkansas, several hundred more birds in Louisiana & Kentucky, and a recent discovery of 2 million dead fish in Maryland. Similar cases are also being reported in Brazil, Sweden and other parts of Europe.

It's gotta be bad genes.

I’m not a “conspiracy-theorist” and I usually don’t freak out to quickly. That being said, I must admit that this does sound like the opening scene of some creepy zombie thriller.

But I also try to think through things logically. So, I looked to see what scientists were saying. I was disappointed.

Some scientists are attributing the mass kills to everything from blunt trauma, fireworks, disease and rapid climate change.

I can kind of buy each of those to a certain extent, but I’ll tell you one explanation you will NOT hear on your evening news:

Faulty genes.

Want to know why? Because genetic mutations severe enough to cause the deaths of thousands of animals at once do not (in fact, cannot) occur in an entire lifetime, let alone overnight!

Do you want to hear something REALLY crazy?

A very large sect of influential researchers actually believe that faulty genes are the cause of the mass incidences of chronic illness plaguing our society today. Maybe even in someone you know!

So, let me get this straight: according to these scientists it would be ridiculous to attribute massive die-offs of animals on faulty genes, but it’s perfectly reasonable to think that faulty genes cause massive deaths in humans? In fact, if you don’t agree that chronic illness in humans is because of bad genes you are labelled an unscientific quack!

Are we all genetically mutating ourselves into disease?

Do “bad family genes” doom us to a fate of illness?

Give me a break.

We are MADE to be healthy. It’s built-in to our very design.

Humans, or Homo sapiens to be precise, are an extremely intelligent mammal species perfected around 2.6  million years ago and whose DNA has changed about 0.02% in the past 50,000 years.1

Research estimates that over 75% of all deaths in this country are from “diseases of civilization” that have only come into prominence in the past 100 years or so.2 What are diseases of civilization? Heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune diseases, depression.

They are very common and very, very costly to treat.

If these diseases have only showed up en masse in the past 100 years — and our genes have barely changed in the past 50,000 years — how can we even consider faulty genes as a cause?

But I digress. There is obviously something happening in the environment of these birds and fish that are causing the mass deaths.

The same thing can be said for us.

It’s not just our external environment that plays a factor in our health. Our internal environment — that nutritious soup that our cells bathe in — is just as critical to our survival.

The foods we eat and the way we exercise (even the thoughts we think) all play a role in shaping our internal environment. They ultimately determine whether we express health & wellness… or whether WE will continue to die in mass quantities!

There is a scientifically-grounded, proven method to attain health and wellness. If you are interested in learning more, please contact me today.

1. Eaton SB & Konner M. Paleolithic Nutrition: A consideration of its nature and current implications. 1985. N Eng J Med. 312, 283-289.

2. Eaton SB, Konner M, and Shostak M. Stone Agers in the fast lane: Chronic degenerative diseases in evolutionary perspective. 1988; Am J Med. 84, 739-749.

The fall time change is usually welcomed because we “gain” an hour. But while that extra hour of sleep on Sunday morning is nice, it comes at a hefty price that lasts for months.

There’s a lot more sunshine during most people’s morning commute now, a time when very little outdoor activity takes place.

By contrast it now gets dark around 5:30 in the afternoon, when most people get home from work and actually could go do something outside.

Why do I care?

Because people who were not getting enough daily sunlight to begin with are now even MORE sunlight deficient!

Why is that a big deal? I gave you 8 great benefits of going outside right here.

The main reason is Vitamin D.

What’s Vitamin D? Basically, it’s converted sunshine!

That’s right. We humans are genetically designed to make all the Vitamin D we need directly from daily sunlight.

The first problem is that we can’t make it completely by ourselves; we can only get up to the final step. But when sunlight hits our skin, our bodies can finally convert it into its active form… Vitamin D3.

The second problem is that — over the past several 1000 years — we’ve gotten less and less sunlight. As such, most modern humans don’t get nearly enough direct sun exposure make sufficient amounts of Vitamin D3.

Why is that a big deal?

Vitamin D is an essential genetic requirement for human wellness and the prevention of disease. Hey, don’t just take my word for it…

“It has become increasingly apparent that Vitamin D sufficiency is required for optimal health.” Grant, WB and Holick, MF. Benefits and requirements of Vitamin D for optimal health: A review. Alternative Medicine Review, Volume 10, number 2. 2005.

If you or your family are not getting at least 30 minutes of direct sunlight exposure EVERY DAY, then supplementation with active Vitamin D3 is essential!

Dietary sources of vitamin D (dairy in particular) are inadequate because they are in the inactive form. Remember: we are not designed to get our Vitamin D from food; we are designed to make it from sunshine!

Vitamin D is necessary for cardiovascular health as well as bone growth & repair.

But Vitamin D’s most critical role is activating your immune system. People deficient in vitamin D have been shown to live shorter, more illness-plagued lives than people with sufficient Vitamin D levels.

“Abnormal levels of vitamin D are associated with a whole spectrum of diseases, including cancer,osteoporosis, and diabetes, as well as cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders.” Kremer et al. March 2010 J. of Clin. Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Also, according to this study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a vitamin D supplement is more effective at reducing the risk of flu infection than vaccines or antiviral drugs.

We all know that incidences of colds & flu go up during the winter months.

It’s NOT because the cold & flu germs suddenly started “going around.” We’re exposed to flu viruses and bacteria 365 days a year.

The dirty little secret is that the presence of viruses or bacteria DON’T determine if you get sick — it’s whether or not your immune system is equipped to keep them under control!

What activates the immune system? You guessed it… Vitamin D3.

If you’re not getting enough sunshine, you NEED a quality Vitamin D3 supplement. I have a great one, let me know if you want it.

And finally, a properly-functioning nervous system is vital in maintaining optimum body function.

What improves deficient nervous system communication and performance? The chiropractic adjustment.

Find a great chiropractor and supercharge YOUR body today!!

But I HATE McDonald’s. Hate it.

So when I heard that recently-passed legislation in San Francisco prevents the use of toys for the purposes of marketing unhealthy meals directly to children, you would think I’d be thrilled. But I’m not.

You see, as much as I hate McDonald’s, I love freedom all the more.

This law is the beginning of a slippery slope that could ultimately result in the loss of more of our basic freedoms.

A similar debate spread through the country a few years ago when the government came crashing down upon ol’ Joe Camel. The claim was that the cigarette company was using a cartoon image to entice kids to smoke their products. And smoking is bad, right kids?

You know what is killing more people, even more quickly than smoking? Obesity. Diabetes. Heart Disease. All from horrible dietary choices.

As such, I cannot stand the outrageous and unapologetic marketing of fat, salt and sugar to our kids in the forms of colorful cartoon characters and television heroes. It’s pitifully disgusting to me.

But those companies make the choice to compromise their ethics (and the health of their target audience) for increased sales.

It’s important to keep in mind that it’s also the parents’ choice to decide whether or not to feed this crap to their kids. It’s not up to me, or you, or our government.

The government already makes enough of our decisions for us, we don’t need them making any more.

Are happy meals are horrible for children? Yes.

Should parents feed their kids this crap? Absolutely not.

Do these parents know exactly what french fries or cheeseburgers do to their child’s physiology? I doubt it.

I’m fairly certain they know it’s not the healthiest choice, but if they knew just how bad this food was for their kids, they would not allow them to eat it.

Which is where the TRUE problem lies…

It’s an education issue, not a legislation issue.

The government will never be able to pass a law (or a long series of laws) that will enable the general public to make smarter lifestyle choices.

Our beliefs determine our behavior… not our laws.

It’s against the law to drive over the speed limit. But many people believe that if a police officer isn’t around, it’s OK for them to speed.

Similarly, if parents believe that eating that happy meal will not harm their kids, they will let them eat it every time — whether it comes with a toy or not.

Their beliefs about the consequences of their lifestyle choices have to change.

As a wellness doctor, that’s MY job.

I choose not to smoke. Others choose to smoke. That’s their choice to do what they want (as long as I can’t smell it). There are labeled warnings on cigarette packets outlining some basic hazards of smoking their contents.

If there were a similar label on a box of fries outlining the risk to their child’s insulin levels, blood lipid profile, or obesity risk, would the parents still give it to their kids? I could make the same argument against fruit juice or Chef Boyardee as I could for McNuggets.

Ultimately, I’d love to live in a world where no one smoked, no one made terrible food-drink choices and everyone lived long, healthy lives.

As of now, we the people still have the freedom to commit slow suicide through poor lifestyle choices.

It’s YOUR choice what you do with YOUR life. And that’s how it should be. Just make your choices wisely.

Then I saw it… I couldn’t believe it.

Christmas trees. Christmas lights. Elves and stockings and other Christmas decorations. Make no mistake, I love Christmas! But when it’s 90 degrees outside, it feels really weird and seasonally-inappropriate.

It’s just barely October, right? Soon they’ll be breaking out the holiday stuff in May. You know… to beat the summer rush.

You know what else is popping up everywhere? Flu Shot signs (these pictures were taken around town with my phone – everywhere from CVS to Target to my grocery store… I’m still waiting for Hope Depot and Waffle House to jump on board!).

Note: The following is just my opinion, supported by research I’ve done for myself and my family. Take it for whatever it’s worth to you, but I encourage you to do your own research before making a decision for yourself or your family.

People always ask me if I’m getting a flu shot (it’s the reason I’m doing this post).

My response is always, “why should I?”

There’s a lot of pressure to get vaccinated. Between vaccine propaganda released by vaccine manufacturers to the allopathic health model ingrained into our culture, we are made to believe that EVERYONE should get a flu shot every year.

But there is very, very little scientific evidence to support this opinion.

In fact, many (logical) M.D.s, Ph.Ds and epidemiologists argue that the flu shot should NEVER be required or recommended for individuals who are otherwise healthy, and should only be cautiously recommended for susceptible population groups.

So, are you getting a flu shot this year? If so, why?

There are a few legitimate reasons to get one, but the most common (and inaccurate) response is, “So I won’t get the flu!”

Conventional wisdom makes you believe that flu shots work — that if you get a flu shot, you’re protected from getting the flu.

I’m sorry to tell you this… but flu vaccines simply do not work! At least not the way they’re advertised to work.

The flu shot is shown to be effective for about 1% of its recipients according to a famous epidemiological study that evaluated multiple randomized controlled trials involving over 70,000 participants.

That means that for 99% of the people who subject themselves to the flu shot, the vaccine makes no difference whatsoever.

The entire study can be found here. It’s just one example of many.

Did you know there was never a single independent, randomized clinical trial conducted for last year’s heroic H1N1 vaccine? There hasn’t been one performed on this year’s flu vaccine either.

As such, there is no valid, scientific evidence to show that they are even safe… let alone effective in fighting the flu.

Another study published in the October 2008 issue of the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine showed that vaccinating young children against the flu had no impact on flu-related hospitalizations or doctor visits during two recent flu seasons.

Even the vaccine-promoting CDC states on its website that it’s still possible to get the flu despite getting the vaccine and that “the ability of flu vaccine to protect a person depends on two things: 1) the age and health status of the person getting vaccinated, and 2) the similarity or “match” between the virus strains in the vaccine and those circulating in the community.”

One problem with that statement is that the majority of the strains included in the vaccine rarely match the actual wild strains making the rounds during flu season. They are nothing more than guesses by scientists based on last year’s flu strains and the ones they think might cause trouble this season.

So what CAN you do to keep from getting the flu?

Simple answer: Vitamin D.

According to this study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a vitamin D supplement is more effective at reducing the risk of flu infection than vaccines or antiviral drugs.

Did you know your body makes its own Vitamin D with exposure to healthy amounts of sunshine? Vitamin D activates your immune system.

We’re exposed to flu viruses and bacteria 365 days a year. Psst… it’s NOT the presence of viruses or bacteria that determine whether we get sick — it’s whether or not our immune system can keep them under control!

Guess what most people do in the winter months when it gets cold? They stay inside.

There’s not a lot of sunshine inside.

What happens to Vitamin D levels during the winter? Yep… they plummet.

What happens when Vitamin D levels drop? Immunity drops with it and the odds of getting sick increase.

That’s the only reason why the flu seems to “show up” every winter.

Make sure you’re getting enough sunlight. If not, you need to find a good Vitamin D supplement.