It’s really quite funny who we choose to view as an authority figure, who we listen to and take advice from. There is a funny little incident that occurred a year or so ago that demonstrated this. I had a patient with Fibromyalgia (FMS). I related to her a study that found that taking a certain sugar 3-times per day provided significant relief in 66% of FMS patients in the study. A year or so later Dr. Oz said the same thing on his nationally syndicated TV program and she started taking the sugar after he reinforced my earlier recommendation. And then a couple of weeks ago Dr. Oz struck again. I have been promoting the virtues of a blood test called C - reactive protein for almost 10 years. Few doctors order it but to me it is the most vital test you can have done to evaluate your overall health. So a couple of weeks ago Dr. Oz said that c-reactive protein is the most important blood test you can have. Now it’s official. So what is this C - reactive protein test and why do most medical doctors not measure it and why does Dr. Oz now agree with me that it is so important?
The test is the most sensitive measure of inflammation in your body. Inflammation are chemicals that are carried everywhere in your body that are produced during an infection, an injury, or because of arthritis. If you have a cut or a sprain or an abscess, or a bladder infection or gum disease, or just plain old arthritis, these will cause your c-reactive protein to increase. The test is an easy way to get a reading on your inflammation. This is important because research is now concluding that increased levels of inflammation is perhaps the single largest predictor of a variety of diseases, including the two largest killers, heart disease and cancer. You will see more and more of this discussion in the coming years.
As a doctor of chiropractic I could order these tests but most chiropractic patients don’t want to go to a blood lab as part of their work-up. But it would be a good idea none-the-less. Most medical doctors don’t order it because there is no good drug to bring down your c-reactive protein if it is high. It is a lifestyle problem and most (but not all) M.D.’s don’t take the time to really discuss lifestyle that much. They write prescriptions.
Dr. Oz agrees that it is so important because he does talk about lifestyle on his program. To really lower your c-reactive protein you need to make sure you don’t have chronic infections, including gum disease, you need to maintain your weight, to exercise, to eat well, and to take supplements. These are things that I talk about, especially in my articles week after week.
But there’s a chiropractic twist to this C - reactive protein. Chiropractic adjustments over a period of time through Reconstructive Care lower the inflammation levels in your spine from 70-95% and spinal inflammation is probably the largest reservoir of inflammation in your body, inflammation that goes everywhere, that leads to disease. So to maximally lower your c-reactive protein, not only do you need to clean up your lifestyle, but you should be as subluxation free as possible.
Research tells us that folks with a c-reactive protein less than .5 rarely have heart attacks. A value of 1-3 is considered normal. My last test was .6. Not too bad. Have yours tested next time you talk to your M.D.
The test is the most sensitive measure of inflammation in your body. Inflammation are chemicals that are carried everywhere in your body that are produced during an infection, an injury, or because of arthritis. If you have a cut or a sprain or an abscess, or a bladder infection or gum disease, or just plain old arthritis, these will cause your c-reactive protein to increase. The test is an easy way to get a reading on your inflammation. This is important because research is now concluding that increased levels of inflammation is perhaps the single largest predictor of a variety of diseases, including the two largest killers, heart disease and cancer. You will see more and more of this discussion in the coming years.
As a doctor of chiropractic I could order these tests but most chiropractic patients don’t want to go to a blood lab as part of their work-up. But it would be a good idea none-the-less. Most medical doctors don’t order it because there is no good drug to bring down your c-reactive protein if it is high. It is a lifestyle problem and most (but not all) M.D.’s don’t take the time to really discuss lifestyle that much. They write prescriptions.
Dr. Oz agrees that it is so important because he does talk about lifestyle on his program. To really lower your c-reactive protein you need to make sure you don’t have chronic infections, including gum disease, you need to maintain your weight, to exercise, to eat well, and to take supplements. These are things that I talk about, especially in my articles week after week.
But there’s a chiropractic twist to this C - reactive protein. Chiropractic adjustments over a period of time through Reconstructive Care lower the inflammation levels in your spine from 70-95% and spinal inflammation is probably the largest reservoir of inflammation in your body, inflammation that goes everywhere, that leads to disease. So to maximally lower your c-reactive protein, not only do you need to clean up your lifestyle, but you should be as subluxation free as possible.
Research tells us that folks with a c-reactive protein less than .5 rarely have heart attacks. A value of 1-3 is considered normal. My last test was .6. Not too bad. Have yours tested next time you talk to your M.D.