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Frequently asked questions! What is Flexion Distraction Therapy? New treatment option! What about different Chiropractic Techniques ? Low Back Pain Help? Check out new treament option Click here Sciatic Help? Check out new treatment option Click here What is Spinal Arthritis? Check out new treatment option Click here How does your body heal itself? A recommended Multivitaminvitamin list !!!
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Dear Dr. Berkebile, I have been to many Chiropractic Doctors over the years, since I move quite frequently. I've noticed that they all have their own unique approach in reference to their diagnosis and how they treat. Could you explain what approach you use and what are some of the differences? Answer: There are many approaches used in chiropractic. They are referred to as Chiropractic Techniques. A Technique is a blending of different adjustments, how X-rays are analyzed, case management, and philosophies. Most Chiropractors adjust by hand only, while some utilize adjusting instruments. Some take X-rays and some do not. More commonly, chiropractors use a combination of adjusting with some form of therapy such as ultrasound, electric stimulation, heat or cold, acupressure, trigger point therapy, stretching, etc… Some only adjust the spine, while others adjust all the other moving joints in the body as well. A large percentage of Chiropractors also use nutrition, exercise, and herbs in their practice as well as educating their patients and public about those areas. No matter what the technique is, it may not work for all people. A very important point here is that if you've tried chiropractic and you did not get the results you were looking for, TRY ANOTHER CHIROPRACTOR!! Chiropractic works! Some have tried only one chiropractor and didn't get the results they wanted and gave up on chiropractic. However, if you go to a Medical Doctor and don't get good results, you can easily go and find another Medical Doctor - you don't give up on the MD's. In this office, a Diversified, Gonstead, and Thompson modified adjusting techniques are used as well as Activator (gentle adjusting). In addition acupressure (see below) is also utilized using NIMMO technique. Those 5 techniques each have a specific way of finding and correcting a joints loss of movement. If one technique doesn't work, most likely one of the others will! The Activator technique is a very gentle for those who are sensitive or have osteoporosis. It uses a piece of equipment for adjusting, instead of hands. Most new patient's coming to the office has a posture evaluation using the computer and a very thorough exam. Patients are sent for X-rays as needed. One of the first questions I like to know is what you want me to do for you (what your expectations and goals are from treatment). I then do a complete analysis of the posture, exam, and X-rays. In addition to all that, I research what other avenue's need to be chosen whether it's weight loss, nutrition, vitamin/mineral/herb supplements, homeopathy, and stress management (almost everyone needs that), aiding to a quicker recovery. This is all presented to the patient in a report of findings, usually done the next day. I also do a great deal of patient education at the office. One of the secrets I've found to helping people get better is by improving their posture and getting them to eat healthier. You may be asking. How do I improve my posture? Can this done by simply standing straighter? Posture is changed in a combination of 3 steps and requires teamwork. 1, helping the joints to move properly that's my job. 2, stretching of the areas that are tight that's our job. 3, simple exercises and stretching 3-5 minutes a day at home that's your job. Together we can make a difference. Teamwork I've found is a much better approach. The patients here get better quicker and have shorter recovery times than most offices. Some offices recovery time is a year to years. Most of mine are between 3 - 6 weeks depending on the severity. I look at posture, because usually it's the key to getting someone better. Poor posture puts additional stresses on your joints and muscles. You can address the joints and get them moving properly, but if you don't change their posture the problem comes back again. When posture is corrected patients feel and look better as well as have more energy. The second key to getting people better is improving eating habits so they get the nutrition they need to keep healthy. Once health has been restored then a maintenance shedule is recommended to keep the problem from coming back. In my office I also utilize NIMMO. It's an acupressure and trigger point combination technique that helps muscle spasms relax and gives an overall relaxing effect in the area being treated. Because the patient is the main focus and each is unique, the treatment frequency and duration is designed around their bodies needs! |
Dear Dr. Berkebile, I've been having headaches 1-2 times a week for a long time. Also I get migraines several times a month. I've tried almost every cure and seen many doctors. Can you help me? Answer: Yes Headaches are one of the most common problems affecting humanity, more commonly seen in women. Headaches are a symptom of an underlying cause and one of the most common problems treated in this office. There are many different types of headaches. Most are tension/postural/stress related. There are so many numerous types of headaches and so many causes of them that it would fill a book. For all intended purposes and to answer your question, I will be more specific. For those suffering from headaches that occur over and over again (1 - 3 times a week) it's very important to understand that that's not normal or ok. Headaches are an important warning sign that something is wrong. Remember the headache itself isn't the problem, although it may feel like it is. Most treat a headache by taking painkillers such as Tylenol or aspirin. Painkillers may offer temporary relief, but aren't the answer to repetitive type headaches. Too often, we make the mistake of relating good health to a lack of symptoms or pain, that's why heart attacks are one of the leading causes of death. We ignore the warning signs. For instance, if you were driving down the street in your car and the oil light came on. Would you cut the wire to the warning light? I hope not, yet that's what you're doing to your body when you take painkillers and or drugs. Migraines are one of the most painful headaches, often incapacitating the sufferer to bed. Most who suffer from migraines notice signs and symptoms before the headache hits. They include changes in vision, dizziness or vertigo, muscle spasm or contractions, nausea, etc. These headaches can last up to a few days. Once they hit, there are very few painkillers that will help. As for the chiropractic approach to headaches, especially to those who experience the repetitive type, the first step is a good history. After a case history and consultation, the patterns and possible causes are determined. For example a fall, car accident, and or other event that may have occurred before the headaches began. This would be followed by an exam, and appropriate X-rays to see what might be causing them. In the majority of cases, the problem is due to the spinal vertebra in the neck not moving right. These most of the time can be a result of poor posture. Poor posture can be the results of an accident in the past, poor job ergonomics, and or other structural changes. When a problem exists in the joints of the neck it can disrupt the nervous system and one of the most common symptoms is a headache. With many patients, this lack of movement in the spinal joints of the neck is so bad that things such as stress, extra tension, and or small traumas are enough to cause a chain of events leading to a headache. The scientific evidence supports that chiropractic care is essential for those suffering from headaches. Please remember a headache is a warning sign, the more frequent or severe the headache, the greater the warning sign. Taking painkillers may offer relief, but isn't the answer. Chiropractic can often be the answer to the problem especially those who have tried everything else. If you or someone you know suffers from headaches, please share this information with them. Berkebile Chiropractic could be the answer! |
Dear Dr. Berkebile, Recently I've been diagnosed with a disc problem in my low back. My medical doctor said that surgery is the only option. Can you help me? Answer: Yes Disc problems have received a lot of attention lately. The discs are part of the spine and act as shock absorbers. The term "herniated disc", "ruptured disc", "slipped disc", or "prolapsed disc" are terms most have heard. Most however, could use a better understanding of those terms. The term "slipped disc" is in layman terms. This however is not true, because a disc cannot slip and is actually held together by an interlacing of fibers into the vertebra above and below. The vertebra can slip or move and put pressure on a nerve leading to symptoms. When those fibers around the disc tear, pain can result. After the fibers completely tear and the disc material bulges out, that leads to a "Disc Herniation" and or "Ruptured Disk". If the disc bulges too much a separation may occur from the rest of the disc. This is referred to as a "Prolapsed Disc". A prolapsed disc is the most severe and usually results in severe pain. This disc as well as the vertebrae may then degenerate further. Most people in their 60's and 70's find out they've lost ½"- 2" in height. The majority of this loss of height is due to compression or shrinkage of the disc. This process actually occurs slowly as we age. Some factors such as injuries and poor posture speed this process. Medical treatment for a disc is often a combination of painkillers, muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatory, and physical therapy. When these fail to bring results, surgery may be suggested. The success of back surgery varies and improvements in procedures occur every year. Post surgery many patients are no better than before and most symptoms return within a year. A study of 7,391 operations 52% improved after surgery. The odds of a successful back surgery are almost the same as the meteorologist predicting the weather the next day. At this time there are approximately 600,000 back surgeries done each year and there is a 50% success rate. Chiropractic care offers a very good outcome based treatment success for disc sufferers. A study of 1,536 patients with low back spinal problems under chiropractic care, 96.4% had satisfactory results! Out of those seeking chiropractic care only 3.4% needed surgery. There are 2 things shown in this study. 1st chiropractic care is very effective for spinal disc problems and 2nd those who tried chiropractic as an alternative before surgery caused them no harm. If you or someone you know is considering back surgery consult with Berkebile Chiropractic first in regards to other options. If I can be of further assistance with any questions, please contact my office. |
Dear Dr. Berkebile, I've suffered from sciatica for that past few months and tried a number of different treatments, but nothing worked and the pain is getting worse. Can you help me? Answer: Yes Sciatica is very common and usually results in some type of leg pain. This most of the time is the result of an inflammation of the sciatic nerve or the surrounding tissues. The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest of all nerves in the body. It starts with 5 smaller nerves that leave the spinal cord in your low back that join together and then travel down the leg. As it travels down the leg it divides into smaller nerves that go to your thigh, knee, calf, ankle, foot and toes. Those suffering from sciatica can have a wide range of symptoms. Starting from a simple mild pain such as an ache and numbness in the upper part of the leg to more severe pain that goes down to the toes. Sciatic pain has many factors that influence it. Things like sitting for long periods of time or driving can increase the pain, as well as walking or climbing stairs. Twisting activities like tennis and golf can cause it to flare-up. Usually it affects only one leg, but can affect both. It can also change from side to side. Sometimes it starts as low back pain, before the sciatic pain begins. Since sciatica can start from a number of different areas. The first place to check is the low back, called the Lumbar Spine. When pressure is put on a nerve from one or more improperly positioned/moving vertebrae this can cause pain to shoot down the leg. The disc may also be involved. It's the pad that separate the vertebrae from one another and acts as a shock absorber. The disc may bulge to one side putting pressure on a nerve, known as a herniated disk. The sciatic nerve can also be irritated from degeneration and or arthritis. Trauma from falls or automobile accidents can also result in sciatica. Medical approaches vary. Things like painkillers, muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories, physical therapy, traction, and injections may be used. Surgery may be necessary in severe cases. The way chiropractors approach this condition varies also. In my office a detailed history is taken to see what may have started the problem and how long its been present. Next X-rays may be ordered and then a focused exam is performed. These test are studied and presented to the patient. Depending on the severity of the condition recommendations will be made. Most address the issue by adjusting the areas of spine affected allowing the pressure on the nerves to be reduced. In conjunction with that Ice and ultrasound works well. In my office, I use a NIMMO technique on acupressure points to reduce the pain related to muscle spasms. In addition to that I've found that a combination of physical therapy and the adjustments I do work well. There are also products available to speed up recovery. In very severe cases where we find a spinal fracture and or some type of tumor, you will be referred quickly to an appropriate specialist. Its important to remember that it's important to seek the advice of a medical professional like myself for treatment. Waiting for the symptoms to go away isn't the avenue to pursue. Predominately, its easier to treat a problem when it first is noticeable. Too many wait and want immediate relief to a problem they've had for a long time. If you don't receive positive results, don't hesitate to seek a second opinion. If I may be of further assistance, call my office. |
Dear Dr. Berkebile, Recently, my daughter was told, by the school nurse that she may have scoliosis. The nurse suggested seeing our doctor about treatment possibilities. How do you as a chiropractor address and treat scoliosis? In addition, what is the long-term outlook for conditions like these? Answer: The term scoliosis is from the Greek word that means crooked. Dorland's Medical Dictionary definition is "An appreciable lateral deviation in the normally straight vertical line of the spine." Scoliosis is only diagnosed when the curve is greater than 10° or more. The greater the degree and types of curves such as functional, structural, compensated, and or uncompensated aspects affect the overall prognosis. As for your daughters' condition, it's important to gain a better understanding of scoliosis. Following that we'll need to make a more specific diagnosis that is relative to her. The cause may be from many different factors and is more common in women. For some, heredity plays a major rule, especially between the mother and daughter. The most common time to watch for the formation of scoliosis is during hormonal and growth changes through the ages of 10-18. However, scoliosis can occur much earlier. It's very important during those ages to get them checked regularly for early signs of scoliosis. Its possible that a fairly normal spine can change very rapidly during this time, especially when there is a family history. Other causes of scoliosis are from things such as trauma, birth deformities, types of neuromuscular disease, and some are from an unknown cause (idiopathic). Medically approaching scoliosis usually involves the use of some type of brace that goes around the torso. These can be cumbersome and uncomfortable and are usually worn for up to 23 hours/day. Usually improvements from this type of treatment don't last long. The use of Electrical Stimulation has varying results. The most severe cases usually require surgery, in this procedure there are metal rods placed in the spine that hopefully stabilize it. I strongly recommend getting a second opinion from a chiropractor, before subjecting your daughter to surgery. As a chiropractor, determining the cause is the first goal. This is done through a history, exam (sometimes including postural analysis using the computer), and appropriate X-rays. After that a further understanding to the specifics of your daughters problem can be understood. In my experience the earlier we start, the better the results. My treatments for scoliosis consists of the following: regular adjustments which restores movement and reposition the vertebrae back toward normal, recommendations on stretching, exercising, nutritional support, and correcting any postural abnormalities could also be done. Depending on the case to monitor progress, the spine is checked every 12 visits and follow up X-rays are taken ordered if indicated. It's important to remember that the main goal is not always a "cure" or to "straighten out" the scoliosis, but to manage their care. By regular adjustments, exercises, and proper diet we'll be able to keep the spine working at its potential with minimal amount of pressure on the nervous system. This will allow the patient to live a more fulfilling life. In my experience chiropractic is an excellent treatment of choice for those diagnosed with scoliosis. However, it may not be the answer for all, because 10% require surgery. If you, or any one reading this would like further information on scoliosis, contact my office. Please have your children checked on a regular basis for the early signs of scoliosis. |
Dear Dr. Berkebile, I've been experiencing back pain for 3 months. Went to my M.D. and he took some back X-rays. He said that the reason I'm experiencing pain is because I have arthritis in my spine. He prescribed some medication, but it upset my stomach and didn't help with the pain. What can you do for me? Answer: I deal with spinal arthritis almost everyday. There are many forms of arthritis too. The most common form is degenerative joint disease (DJD) and or osteoarthritis (OA). DJD affects over 49 million Americans. If you're 50 years or older most likely you have some degree of it. Some may have symptoms while others do not, and in some the symptoms are severe. DJD overall is generally the results from past injuries and or postural changes, that lead to wear and tear or stress on the joints. The bony growths (lipping or spurring) that show up on X-rays are the defense mechanism of the body to try to strengthen the area. Research has shown that some of the affects of DJD can be slowed and even reversed by chiropractic care. This until recently was considered to be impossible. Traditionally drugs
are the choice for treating arthritic pain and stiffness. They
however, have side effects like: stomach irritation, ulcers,
damage to kidneys, and Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Approximately
10,000 arthritic sufferers die every year from the complications
arising in the GI as the result of various arthritic drugs. I first determine why the arthritis is in the spine and how long it may have been there and then the best avenue to remove the additional stresses affecting those joints. This way the problem is addressed and not the symptoms. If you don't remove the problem how do you expect to get rid of the symptoms! The most common events leading to DJD are from trauma and postural changes that have been present for years. Once the joints are
moving properly and the posture is corrected this lowers a great
deal of the stress on the joints, thus reducing symptoms and
causing less wear and tear on the spine in the future. One point
to remember, once bony arthritic changes occur they are permanent.
However, further progression can be slowed and stopped. Other factors that need to be addressed as well, such as: weight loss, exercise, supplements, herbs, healthier eating habits, smoking, and etc. In my office, In addition to chiropractic, there are certain products I've found to help regenerate new cartilage in the joint. One note to remember as long as there is still cartilage present and bone isn't rubbing on bone new cartilage can be made and laid down. If you want helped like thousands of people with similar problems call my office. The sooner you start care the better the outlook. If you need more information about arthritis, call my office. |
Dear Dr. Dave, Just last week I was involved in an auto accident. I hit the person in front of me. I didn't have any neck pain or headaches the first few days, just some stiffness. Now after a few day, I've developed headaches, neck pain, and the stiffness is worse. The person I hit experienced those symptoms almost immediately. I went to my M.D. and he said I had whiplash. He gave me some painkillers, a neck brace, muscle relaxers, and anti-inflammatories. He advised me if the pain wasn't gone in 2 weeks to check back. It's been over 2 weeks the pain is still there and I haven't felt any better. My question is I thought Whiplash only happened to those being hit from behind! Why do I have it? Why did it take so long to show up? What can you do for me? Answer: Whiplash in this country is one of the most common types of injuries in rear-end related auto accidents. The injury itself is the result from the head being thrown back then forward then back again, thus the term whiplash. You experienced what I like to refer to as reverse whiplash. In your case you were thrown forward, came back and then thrown forward again. When the head is rotated to either side, this complicates the injuries. Some of the worst injuries to the neck are from side impact auto accidents. Some other important aspects to consider are speed of vehicles involved, size of vehicles, seatbelt use, and headrest position. Traumas to the neck as the result of whiplash type injuries may be felt right away or take up to a several weeks to show up. Symptoms include pain in the neck and shoulder areas, headaches, stiffness, dizziness, etc. This is usually the result from inflammation. It's very important to understand that these symptoms should be taken seriously, it means something's wrong! In severe injuries there may be bone fractures, paralysis, and even death. When you are involved in a car accident it's important to make sure there are no life threatening injuries such as: excessive bleeding, broken bones, shock, and etc. These types of injuries should be treated by the EMT at the scene and ER specialists in the hospitals. We're very fortunate to live where the trauma specialists from the fire departments and hospitals are some of the best in the world. However, it's important that once released from the hospital the person involved in the accident have their spine checked for damage. Whiplash can cause the joints not to move properly and cause spinal nerve problems as well. This leads to the pulling, twisting, or pinching of a nerve or nerves. The muscles, disc, and ligaments are also affected. No matter how many painkillers, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers, or physical therapy is given it can't realign the vertebrae in the neck and relieve the pressure on the nervous system, like I'm trained to do. What is truly needed in addition to all that is the adjustments to restore normal movement in those affected areas. Many involved in auto accidents have no symptoms. They may not have symptoms now, but down the road 10-20 years degeneration starts and arthritis will set in. They'll wonder how and why they got arthritis at such a young age. So it's important to remember the sooner your spine is checked the quicker you'll get better. Recent evidence shows that you will recovery quickest under proper chiropractic care from the effects of whiplash. Furthermore the best way to manage cases from auto accidents is to be seen right away. If you know of a friend or loved one involved in a recent or past automobile accident, have them call my office. We are here to help! |
Dear Dr. Dave, Could you explain to me how chiropractic heals? A number of my friends go to chiropractors for various conditions and or problems. How does adjusting the spine cure anything? Answer: First of all Chiropractic doesn't cure anything! It helps the body to heal itself. Let me explain. In order to understand chiropractic and how it helps certain conditions, a better understanding of how the body works is needed. We already know that the brain communicates with the body through the nervous system. Through the nervous system this information is delivered to every cell in the body for normal functions such as: heart beat, breathing, digestion of food, metabolism, reproduction, walking, laughing, etc. All function of the body is carried out by messages sent through the nervous system. Science has yet to discover the intelligence that our bodies have and it's far beyond any doctors' understanding. Chiropractors refer to this intelligence as "innate intelligence." We all have it and it's not measured in IQ, we don't learn it, we're born with it. This innate intelligence helps to control the normal functions of your body: heart rate, functions of liver, pancreas, spleen, and etc… In addition the innate intelligence is what helped you to develop from just 2 cells into an adult made up of over 4 trillion cells. An example, how our bodies are so intelligent, you could take the brightest minds in science and put them in the most sophisticated state of the art laboratory and they still couldn't make one red blood cell. However, our bodies do that every day, but they make thousands of them and they make them from what we eat whether it's a tuna on rye, baked beans, or spinach. These may be unusual examples, but it's how far science is from truly understanding the body. We don't even fully understand the brain. Unfortunately today not much "healing" occurs at all. Most of it is in the form of emergency first aid like setting broken bones, stitching cuts up, taking out tumors, etc. We also take drugs to kill germs, numb our bodies to pain, or change the normal chemistry of the body in one way or another. This is not true healing; it is however healing symptoms. The cause of the problem is not being addressed. How does removing the tumor change the body that it made it in the first place? Antibiotics do they raise the immune system of those who are sick? Do people taking blood pressure medication have a change in the area of the body that caused high blood pressure to start? So many people are taken to the hospital everyday, get worse or even die, due to drug reactions. There are approximately 100,000 people a year that die from adverse reactions to drugs and another 1-2 million are debilitated every year. Chiropractic philosophy
is based on the fact that our bodies innate intelligence has
far more knowledge that any doctor or doctors. If this area is
not interfered with, it allows the body to function normally.
There are many conditions that arise in your spine that affect
the nervous system. When this occurs the bones in your spine
aren't moving properly, have shifted due to muscle pull, or have
slid to another position due trauma or extra stress on that area.
These problematic areas will not allow normal nerve function.
This means the brain can't communicate with the body, which in
time could cause various types of symptoms or conditions. Structure
has function, when the structure changes so does its function.
When function changes it leads to disease. When we suffer from
disease, our body's natural ability to heal itself is lowered,
that means our resistance is also lowered and we get sick. Remember
chiropractic doesn't cure or heal anything. Your body once the
communication is restored heals itself! I'm trained how to find
these problematic areas and correct them. These areas are corrected
by adjusting the spine. You cannot reach your full potential,
be truly healthy, or achieve your greatest healing ability if
you have problems with your nervous system. A number of factors also affect and influence the ability your body has to heal itself, such as: genetics, stress, age, diet, exercise, etc. In addition, if a condition or symptoms you have now hasn't responded to traditional or other conventional forms of treatments, remember they haven't been trying to get you better like chiropractic does. Even Hippocrates said, "look to the spine for the cause of disease." Keep in mind, the doctors job should always be to find the cause and treat it, not the symptoms so that the body can function normally again. There is a time and place for drugs and surgery. They shouldn't be the first line of treatment, but used as a last resort. |
Dear Dr. Dave, I've been told everyone needs supplements and that some aren't as good for you as others. Is this true? Answer: To answer the first part of the question, not everyone needs supplements! However, many Vitamin/Mineral companies would like you to think so. Also not everyone needs flu shots! Flu shots are simply the best guess at what the new strains of viruses might be. In addition a lot of people get sick from the shot, then still get the flu. The answer to the second
part of the question is yes, some supplements are better than
others. It's important to remember that the best way to get your
vitamins and minerals are from what you eat. That's why having
a healthy diet is best. Eating healthy consists primarily of
fresh fruits and vegetables uncooked or lightly steamed and drinking
plenty of distilled water (similar to what they eat in the Mediterranean
diet or even a more strict Dean Ornish's Diet). All other foods
should be eaten in moderation. Some of the junk and fast foods
should be avoided, but I won't go into detail at this point.
If you don't have a good diet and don't plan on changing your
eating habits then supplementing may be needed and necessary. Those who actually need supplements should show some signs of a deficiency or have a condition that justifies the taking of additional vitamins and minerals. Don't expect them to be magic pills. If you have a serious disease you should definitely seek the appropriate field of doctors for that disease. If after seeking the advice of the appropriate doctor, you want to try supplements in addition to care, go ahead. Some things we need to clear up first. Many believe that if something appears in print or on TV, it must be true. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case. Second, supplements aren't an easy solution or quick fix to your problems. Third, not all of our soils are depleted from nutrients we need. For instance, any farmlands that have been flooded within the past couple of years are very fertile, like those in Ohio. Flooding is very important, but unfortunately we try to stop flooding with dikes or levies, usually because of property damage. In Biblical times the land that was flooded every year by the Nile was very fertile and a great place to grow crops. Forest fires are another force of nature we try to stop. This is because they can cause mass destruction and death. The ironic thing is that many farmers know the value of having a controlled fire. When things burn everything is destroyed except for the Mineral components, which is known as ash or ashes. This actually makes the ground more fertile, because it's an immediate source of minerals for the plants to convert into a form that our bodies can use when we ingest the plants or their produce. Compost piles are also another way of helping, but takes longer than burning. Another point to make, plants make vitamins, but not minerals. With all our great scientific minds we should be making vegetables and fruits that have a higher concentration of vitamins and minerals instead of making them look more appealing and be stronger for packing and shipping purposes. As to answer the second
question, a better understanding in the area of chemistry "the
central science" is needed. When a substance is burned it
become oxidized (not good for human consumption). For instance,
when Magnesium (Mg) is burned it's converted into Magnesium Oxide
(MgO) [2mg(s) + O2(g) ® 2MgO(s)] that's its used form. It
was found that Magnesium is protected from many chemicals by
a thin surface of water-insoluble Magnesium Oxide (MgO). Oxidation
is the loss of electrons and usually energy is given off. Most
of the energy given off during burning is heat. That means the
energy levels of that substance is now less than it had been
before being burned. Plants are able to convert the substance
(low in energy) into a form that we then can use (high in energy).
Another example is plants are able to convert carbon dioxide
(what we Breath out) into oxygen (what we breath in). Iron (Fe)
is oxidized in air turning into Iron Oxide (rust), Iron if needed
should be taken separately from a multivitamin. Therefore, when
looking for a good multivitamin/mineral supplement look to see
if any of the minerals are oxides. If they are in their oxide
form they aren't of any nutritional value to you. Lets look at
a more common form of a calcium supplement called Calcium Carbonate
(CaCo3) also known as chalk. Calcium Carbonate breaks down into
Calcium Oxide (CaO) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the body. Here
the reaction CaCo3(s) « CaO(s) + CO2(g). We breath out
Carbon Dioxide as a waste product. Calcium Oxide the other end
product is in its used form very little is usable by the body
about 8-12% in those up to the age of 25 and 3-4% in those above
the age of 25. Calcium Carbonate is used by many companies, because
it's cheap and plentiful. If you want to get your Calcium from
chalk you might as well go out and buy chalk, it's cheaper and
you get more (however, it may be high in Lead). The supplement companies should put additional information about the Vitamins such as to what type they are, if they don't you may want to consider a different brand. I recommended the Ultrapreventative III, see the vitamin products page. |