Fieldhouse Wellness ™ was founded by Dr. Frank Brady and Dr. Vic Kalman. They were united by a common vision to create a center to promote health and wellness.

Dr. Brady has built thriving chiropractic practices throughout the Philadelphia area. He is currently the team chiropractor for the Philadelphia Eagles and Flyers. Dr. Kalman built his orthopedic surgery/sports medicine practice in Delaware serving as a sports medicine consultant to schools, universities and professional athletes.

Together they bring decades of experience and expertise with respect to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, sports medicine, nutrition, fitness and other wellness programs.

We are opening soon:

255 Great Valley Parkway, #140

Malvern, PA  19355

(610)-981-6400

WEBSITE

OUR MISSION

Our multi-disciplinary team is committed to improving people’s quality of life and longevity which in turn creates a healthier society.

To Your Health,

Dr. Frank Brady

Dr. Vic Kalman

Water has become very basic for us to the point that we may have overlooked it. Water is one of the most important factors that can determine health or illness. Simply put water is the foundation for life. Our bodies are 70% water and our blood is 94% water. Since water is responsible for transportation and absorption of nutrients it can be considered the most important source of energy that we have! Consider that one of the first symptoms of dehydration can be fatigue.

For many people Americans the majority of the diet consists of fast food, high in protein, fat, sugar and carbohydrates, this is very acidic. Soda is also a source of acidity with an acidic range around 2.5 pH. “pH” is a measure of acidity or alkalinity in which the pH of pure water is 7, with lower numbers indicating acidity and higher numbers indicating alkalinity. It apparently takes nearly 32 glasses of 7.0 pH water to eliminate the bad effects of 1 glass of soda according to some sources. Caffeine, sugar and smoking all create an acid environment in one's body, contributing to potential health problems.

Drinking alkaline water promotes optimal health and energy, particularly as acid water (less than pH 7) or the degree of acidity significantly affects the body's own ability to prevent illness and disease [including degenerative diseases].According to Dr. Mark Cochran, in his book The Secrets of pH Concerning Health and Disease, in order to avoid disease and premature aging, the body should remain in a slightly alkaline condition.

Alkaline water will hydrate your body optimally according to many sources. Alkaline water helps to neutralize acids and remove toxins from the body. As you hydrate your body properly, you’ll develop more of a thirst for water. It is interesting that food cravings are often the body’s plea for water. Get in the habit of drinking a glass of alkaline water when you get that “hunger pang” and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised of how you feel not to mention eating less. How is that for a simple but effective weight loss tip?

Dr. Dave Carpenter in his book Change Your Water Change Your Life recommends drinking half your body weight in ounces daily of alkaline water. He also recommends drinking it upon awakening and 15-20 minutes before meals to support digestion.

Dr. James Chappell is a noted author, internationally recognized medical consultant and a leading authority on natural healing concluded that “…anything that will increase alkalinity within a balanced limitation would therefore be a health benefit” in his article The Importance of Water to the Human Body.

There are several methods to improve the quality of your drinking water: home water distillers, water ionizers, reverse osmosis water filters, adding an alkalizing, pH boosting supplement to the water and something simple like squeezing fresh lemon or lime juice into the water. Each has advantages and disadvantages but all are better than tap or bottled water. Ideally the method you choose is inexpensive, accessible anywhere, easy to use and maintains stability (remains alkaline).

In summary, there are several reasons t drink ionized, alkaline water:

• 1) Optimal Cellular Hydration
• 2) Promotes Alkalinity In Your Body
• 3) Helps with Nutrient Delivery To Your Cells
• 4) Aids In Detoxification
• 5) Provide Negative Ions neutralize Free Radicals
• 6) Improves Taste

Water is the foundation for our bodies which consist of at least 70% water. It makes sense to drink alkaline water and use alkaline water based products that help improve your health. This also applies to foods as well. A diet that is at least 60% alkaline will keep you in better balance; some sources say 65-70%.

There are many things that we cannot control. We can control for the most part what we eat and drink. Make positive changes today that will result in a healthier life and quality of life.

Glutathione, Antioxidants and Memory

Glutathione, Antioxidants and Memory

What is the significance of the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) and memory?

What about antioxidants alpha lipoic acid and N-acetylcysteine (NAC)?

Well, scientific studies have proven that stress (environmental, physical from illness, injury) can lead to memory deficits and this provides evidence for the therapeutic role for antioxidants such as glutathione, alpha lipoic acid and n-acetylcysteine (NAC).

Your memory is the activity of your brain that recalls information you have learned or experienced. This complex process involves many different parts of the brain.

Believe it or not, you begin losing a few brain cells at a time in your 20’s. Your body also makes less of the chemical messengers that help make the connections. The normal aging process therefore affects memory by changing the way your brain handles information making it harder to recall.

What is normal: your short-term and remote memories aren't usually affected by aging. But your recent memory may be affected. For example, you may forget the name of someone you have recently met.

Areas that may cause concern:

• Forgetting things much more often than you used to;
• Forgetting how to do things you've done many times before;
• Trouble grasping new information;
  
• Repeating stories in the same conversation;
• Trouble making choices or handling money;
• Losing track of what happens each day.

Whenever there is any question see your doctor to be sure it is nothing more than the normal aging process.

Here are some strategies can you start NOW to help you keep your memory as sharp as possible so that you can have the quality of life that you deserve:

1. Exercise daily to increase the circulation to your brain. An active lifestyle can reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease which can lead to memory loss.
2. Stress management to control cortisol the hormone that can damage certain portions of your brain.
3. Get a good night's sleep, sometime easier said than done.
4. No smoking: constricts arteries that deliver oxygen to the brain.
5. B vitamins, especially B6, B12, and folic acid: Protects nerve cells. They’re also involved in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen. (Best sources: spinach and other dark leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, strawberries, melons, black beans and other legumes, citrus fruits, soybeans.)
6. Antioxidants like vitamins C and E, and beta carotene: Antioxidants also improve the flow of oxygen through the body and brain. (Best sources: blueberries and other berries, sweet potatoes, red tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, green tea, nuts and seeds, citrus fruits, liver.)
7. Omega-3 fatty acids: They count as “healthy” fats, as opposed to saturated fats and trans fats, protecting against inflammation and high cholesterol. (Best sources: cold-water fish such as salmon, herring, tuna, halibut, and mackerel; walnuts and walnut oil; flaxseed and flaxseed oil)
8. Glutathione, Alpa lipoic acid, NAC: Scientific studies have shown us that these antioxidants are vital to the thinking brain and provide evidence for a possible therapeutic role for these antioxidants.

Eat smart, sleep well, don’t smoke and get active. Your brain will appreciate it.

"Relationship Between Baseline Glycemic Control and Cognitive Function in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes and Other Risk Factors" was published in the Diabetes Care February 2009.

The study showed that higher blood sugar
levels are associated with more difficulty
with memory.

Not just restricted to those with diabetes,
having a high blood sugar level  can be dangerous
for anyone.

Three factors can help keep you more
sharp mentally:
•Exercise (both cardio and
resistance training)
•Nutrition and antioxidants
•Medication

Research from the University of North
Carolina Chapel Hill found that active
adults have more small blood vessels and
better blood flow.

For starters,see your physician to make sure it is safe to exercise.
You can begin slowly and gradually work up to 90 minutes of cardio
each week. It’s possible to get your
workout from brisk walks, dancing,
bicycling, swimming, skating and even
mowing your lawn.

The American Heart Association
recommends 60 minutes to anaerobic
workouts per week. Resistance training, a
form of strength training, is a good place
to begin. Start with a beginner class at  your local fitness center.
Some people work with a personal trainer. That is your choice.
Just do some research to be sure the trainer is certified.
Be sure to space out your resistance training
workouts since muscles need time to recover.

Don't take this the wrong way BUT I am asking you, no begging you to be
a little less sweeter.

A recent article was published in the March 27, 2009 epublication of PLoSONE:
Scientists at Emory University School of Medicine say that they have found a direct association between oxidative stress
and inflammatory signals in the blood.  This finding paved the way for preventing several diseases by including antioxidants in the diet, and for reducing the impact of inflammation.

Dr Dean P Jones, professor of medicine and director of the Clinical Biomarkers Laboratory at Emory University School of Medicine, said  that oxidative stress, a disruption of the body's ability to control reactive forms of oxygen, has been connected with heart disease, diabetes and several nervous system diseases.

The higher the level of oxidative stress outside the cell, the more oxidized cysteine there is.

Other indicators like glutathione are more important inside cells.

This suggests that one could target certain antioxidants to decrease the inflammation in the body to perhaps prevent degerative diseases.

On February 26, the FDA granted marketing approval for a longer-lasting formulation of
hylan G-F 20 (Synvisc-One; Genzyme Corp), allowing its use for the treatment of pain related
to osteoarthritis of the knee in patients in whom adequate response to conservative over the counter
medications and simple analgesics has failed.

The product contains the same material and total treatment volume as the company's
3-injection viscosupplement (Synvisc), providing the 6 mL of hylan G-F 20 in a
single intraarticular injection.

"In just one visit to the doctor's office, patients suffering from osteoarthritis may experience
clinically significant pain relief for up to six months and for some patients this pain relief could
potentially translate into a delay in the need for a total knee replacement," said Jack M. Bert, MD,
in a company news release. "This single injection regimen will provide greater physician and patient
convenience." Dr. Bert is president of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and adjunct
clinical professor at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine.

Adverse events most commonly reported with product use were transient, mild to moderate arthralgia,
arthritis, arthropathy, injection site pain, and joint effusion. Patients should be advised to avoid
strenuous or prolonged weight-bearing activities for approximately 48 hours after treatment.

“People who trained aerobically(cardio) lost abdominal fat, maintained muscle and became over 30 percent more insulin sensitive,” said Dr. Robert Ross, co-author of the study, which appeared in the January 26, 2009 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. In their “Effects of Exercise Modality on Insulin Resistance and Functional Limitation in Older Adults,” Dr. Ross and co-author Dr. Lance Davidson studied 136 participants over a five-year span to monitor the effects of resistance exercise, aerobic exercise and combined exercise on the body’s ability to reduce insulin resistance and functional limitation in previously sedentary, abdominally obese older adults.

According to the study, those who are abdominally obese can do two things to improve their overall health: exercise aerobically (cardio) and lift weights. Aerobic exercise reduces that metabolically toxic abdominal fat, helping the body become less insulin resistant. Weight lifting builds up body muscle, creating more mobility.

Doing both types of exercise is what helps your body the most.

Keypoints:

1.        N-acetylcysteine(NAC) is a precursor to the body’s synthesis of glutathione;

2.       Glutathione is a primary antioxidant and every cell has glutathione:

3.       Important for immune function and liver detoxification:

4.       Glutathione of interest to athletes as a result:

5.       NAC can help excess muscle catabolism:

(Modification of Max International Article)

Glutathione and Asthma Your Lung Health

 Breathe in………………..breathe out………………..breathe in………………..breathe out………………

You don’t even have to think about it! Every few seconds, your body automatically takes a breath of air which your heart sends on to every cell.

Your lungs are crucial to your survival. Only your heart would rank higher when you think of the most vital organs of the body. Heart and lungs: a true team that works together and is vitally dependent upon one another!

Health advisors and doctors are constantly telling us how to support good heart health. But when was the last time you heard anyone worry over lungs?

We think it’s time to focus a little attention and care on our hardworking and faithful lungs. And we hope this doesn’t come as a surprise: glutathione (GSH) is a vital antioxidant of the lungs.

Just think about it. Each breath you take exposes your lungs to pollution, allergens, smog, dust, first- or second-hand cigarette smoke—a lungful of dangerous airborne particles. If any area of the body is under a full-scale attack by free radicals and toxins, it is certainly the lungs.

We probably don’t realize the one-two punch our lungs take from this exposure to toxins and free radicals. Not only is there oxidant damage from free radical attacks, but the body’s response to cellular injury is inflammation. That’s all well and good but the inflammatory process, once triggered, often rages out of control. When that happens, a number of lung ailments and disorders arise.

Thankfully, the epithelial cells that line the lower respiratory tract have a protective screen of glutathione to protect against oxidant damage by free radicals. In fact, early research showed that total glutathione (both GSH and oxidized GSSG) of normal epithelial lining fluid was 140 times higher than the glutathione found in the blood of the same person!1

Irfan Rahman and William MacNee, researchers from the University of Edinburgh in the UK, stated that glutathione (GSH) “is emerging as one of the fundamental antioxidant defense mechanisms in oxidant-induced lung injury and inflammation.”2

Smokers: Are you aware of this?

Rahman and MacNee estimate that one single puff of cigarette smoke contains 1014 or 1,000,000,000,000,000  free radicals! They go on to say that “epidemiological evidence leaves no reasonable doubt that cigarette smoke is the major causative agent of COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], with atmospheric pollution as an additional contributory factor.”3

A free-radical attack of that enormity would be purely terrifying when you think of the damage that could be done to the lungs. But remember, there is protective glutathione already in place in the lungs. In another study, Rahman observed: “Glutathione (GSH) is a vital intra- and extracellular protective antioxidant in the lungs.”4

A highly damaging effect of cigarette smoke is that it depletes total glutathione in the airways. Components in smoke cause glutathione to oxidize but not to the normal oxidized form (called GSSG), which the body can recycle back to GSH. Instead, cigarette smoke creates “nonreducible glutathione-aldehyde forms,” depleting the total available glutathione pool.5

This depletion is reason enough to ensure that the body can create new glutathione to replace that lost by smoking. Researchers Rahman and MacNee validate this in the study mentioned previously. They also understand how to increase glutathione. “At present, GSH precursor amino acids are the best means of manipulating GSH biosynthesis intracellularly.”6

Several studies have also shown antioxidant imbalances in patients with asthma:

Nadeem and colleagues “summarized the scientific and epidemiological evidence linking asthma with oxidant-antioxidant imbalance and possible antioxidant strategies that can be used therapeutically for better management of asthma.”7

Smith and colleagues showed “reduced superoxide dismutase(SOD) activity in lung cells of patients with asthma suggests that diminished SOD activity serves as a marker of the inflammation characterizing asthma. Alternatively, it may play a role in the development or severity of the disease.”8

British Medical Journal Revealed  the Best Incentive for Quitting Smoking.9

It seems it doesn’t seem to do much good to tell smokers all the negative consequences of smoking. Surprisingly, what actually doubled the rate of quitting was a simple discussion of lung age! A study in the March 15, 2008 issue of the British Medical Journal told how showing smokers that smoking damages the lungs as if they were aging more rapidly than normal, doubled the rate of those who stopped smoking.

I hope this information inspires those who would like to quit smoking!

Remember the Good News!

You may not be able to control all the pollutants in the air you breathe.

You can be proactive in your health with Max GXL, a glutathione accelerator and Max N-Fuze (SOD and Catalase).

References

1. Cantin AM, et al., “Normal alveolar epithelial lining fluid contains high levels of glutathione,” J Appl Physiol. 1987 Jul;63(1):152-7.

2. Rahman I, MacNee W, “Lung glutathione and oxidative stress: implications in cigarette smoke-induced airway disease,” Am J Physiol. 1999 Dec;277(6 Pt 1):L1067-88.

3. Ibid

4. Rahman I, “Inflammation and the regulation of glutathione level in lung epithelial cells,” Antioxid Redox Signal. 1999 Winter;1(4):425-47.

5.  van der Toorn, et al., “Cigarette smoke irreversibly modifies glutathione in airway epithelial cells,” Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2007 Nov;293(5):L1156-62.

6. Rahman and MacNee, op. cit.

7.         Nadeem A, Masood A, Siddiqui N , “ Oxidant–antioxidant imbalance in asthma: scientific evidence, epidemiological data and possible therapeutic options,”  Ther Adv Respir Dis. 2008 Aug;2(4):215-35.

8.  Smith LJ, et al., “Reduced superoxide dismutase in lung cells of patients with asthma,” Free Radic Biol Med. 1997; 22(7):1301-7.

9. Parkes G, et al., “Effect on smoking quit rate of telling patients their lung age: the Step2quit randomised controlled trial,” BMJ. 2008 Mar 15;336(7644):567-8.

Fibromyalgia is a condition characterized by diffuse pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue.  Multiple tender points or “trigger points” are present throughout the body.  These are sensitive areas on your body where slight pressure causes pain to the individual.

Fibromyalgia occurs in approximately 2 percent of the population in the United States. It is more common in women versus men, and the risk of fibromyalgia increases with age. Fibromyalgia symptoms frequently begin after a physical or emotional trauma, but in many cases there is no triggering event.

Patients with fibromyalgia often describe pain as a constant dull ache, typically arising from multiple muscles. To be considered widespread, the pain must occur on both sides of your body and above and below your waist.

Fibromyalgia is characterized by additional pain when firm pressure is applied to specific areas of your body, called tender points or trigger points.  The American College of Rheumatology has established two criteria for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia:

1.      Widespread pain lasting at least three months

2.     At least 11 positive tender points — out of a total possible of 18

Tender point locations include:

§  Back of the head

§  Between shoulder blades

§  Top of shoulders

§  Front sides of neck

§  Upper chest

§  Outer elbows

§  Upper hips

§  Sides of hips

§  Inner knees

People with fibromyalgia are often fatigued, even though they may get enough sleep.  Some experts believe that these people rarely reach the deep stages of sleep. Sleep disorders linked to fibromyalgia include restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea.

Some patients with fibromyalgia have other associated conditions such as:  chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, lupus, osteoarthritis, post traumatic stress disorder and rheumatoid arthritis.

The diagnosis of fibromyalgia can be difficult to make initially especially in view of the multiple presenting symptoms.  See your physician for a complete physical examination, lab work to rule out other disease conditions and imaging studies as your clinical situation dictates.  This process is necessary but can be very frustrating for the patient.  Rest assured this is a real condition; do not worry about negative test results.  If you are not happy with the process it is OK to seek a second opinion, usually with a rheumatologist.

Strategies to manage your fibromyalgia:

1.      Reduce stress.   Develop a strategy to avoid/limit overexertion and emotional stress. Schedule times to relax each day.  That may mean learning how to say “no,” Try to maintain a daily active schedule.  Try stress management techniques, such as deep-breathing exercises or meditation.  Massage therapy may be beneficial.

2.     Get enough sleep.  Getting sufficient sleep is essential. In addition to allotting enough time for sleep, practice good sleep habits, such as going to bed and getting up at the same time each day.

3.     Exercise regularly.   At first, exercise may increase your pain, but exercising regularly often decreases symptoms. Appropriate exercises may include walking, swimming, biking and water aerobics. A physical therapist can help you develop a home exercise program. Stretching, good posture and relaxation exercises are helpful.

4.     Pace yourself.  Maintain a steady pace that allows you to follow a daily routine with the understanding that you will have good and bad days.  The right attitude will keep you more on the positive side.

5.     Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eat healthy foods. Limit your caffeine intake. Do something that you find enjoyable and fulfilling every day.

6.     Analgesic medications are frequently used in the management of pain with fibromyalgia patients.  While this may be necessary at times it is my opinion that more natural treatments may be just as beneficial without the side effects that accompany prescription medications.  I am not saying that prescription medications are unnecessary.  I do believe however that it is better to use the body’s own healing response if possible.

7.     Scientific Articles:

a.     Sendur and colleagues in the Rheumatology International Journal (2008 Oct 14) showed us that Serum glutathione and catalase levels were significantly lower in fibromyalgia patients than controls. They concluded, “These findings support other studies, we assume that these two antioxidants might have impact on the pathogenesis of fibromyalgia disease.

b.    Bagis and colleagues in the Rheumatology International Journal (Volume 25, April, 2005) reported that oxidant/antioxidant balances were changed in fibromyalgia. Increased free radical levels may be responsible for the development of fibromyalgia “These findings may support the hypothesis of fibromyalgia as an oxidative disorder.”

c.     Parcell in Alternative Medicine Review (2002 Feb;7(1):22-44) discussed the role of sulfur-containing amino acids including cysteine that can help increase the level of glutathione  which may be effective in the treatment of fibromyalgia and other disorders.

Recommendation:

Glutathione is an essential antioxidant necessary to fight free radicals.  Free radicals may indeed play a role in the pathogenesis of fibromyalgia.  Glutathione and catalase levels were significantly lower in fibromyalgia patients.  This information has led me to conclude that daily use of Max GXL, a glutathione accelerator and Max N-fuze should be considered in patients with fibromyalgia providing there is no contraindication.