Austin Family Chiropractic

FREE COLD LASER THERAPY SESSION in June 2011

2011-05-31T20:41:00.000-07:00

The staff at Austin Family Chiropractic is pleased to announce the 1-year anniversary of the purchase of their newest Cold Laser Therapy machine, the TQ Solo. They are excited to offer this type of state-of-the-art therapy to the residents of Virden, Girard and the surrounding communities.

The staff at Austin Family Chiropractic in Virden, IL believes that Cold Laser Therapy can produce amazing results. They should know, since their clinic has been serving North Macoupin County with Cold Laser Therapy services since July of 2005 when the clinic purchased it’s first three Cold Laser Therapy machines. This month they are offering ONE FREE LASER THERAPY SESSION to anyone with an indicated condition.

Dr. Austin found out about the TQ Solo at a seminar at Logan College of Chiropractic in St. Louis, MO one year ago this month. It turns out that this machine is the very same laser device that the Chicago Blackhawks team trainers use. It’s actually the same laser that helped Jonathan Toews lead the Blackhawks to their first Stanley Cup championship in 49 years (in 2010) and earn himself the Conn Smythe trophy as the playoff MVP on June 9, 2010.

You see, Toews was struggling with a shoulder injury before the 2010 playoffs began. Thanks to this highly portable Cold Laser Therapy device which was always able to make road trips with the team, Toews not only played in all 22 playoff games, but excelled as well with 7 goals and 22 assists for a total of 29 points! Dr. Austin then realized that he needed to add this TQ Solo laser to his clinic’s arsenal of Cold Laser Therapy machines. Austin Family Chiropractic’s TQ Solo arrived during the last week of June 2010.

How does Laser Therapy work? Cold Laser Therapy increases circulation within minutes. It increases range of motion and quickly decreases inflammation too. It inhibits bad prostaglandins, which cause inflammation. It increases serotonin, which decreases pain. In addition, it increases endorphins which make us feel good. And the thing that Dr. Todd Austin gets most excited about is the fact that Cold Laser Therapy actually causes cellular regeneration, which speeds up the healing process.

What are the indicated conditions or applications for Laser Therapy? Laser therapy has a wide spectrum of indicated conditions, to include such things as: Arthritis, Intervertebral Disc Disease (to include a herniated disc in the back or neck), Sprains or Strains, Tendonitis, Bursitis, wound healing, burns, bruises, both pre and post operative, post-fracture repair and post-orthopedic surgery rehabilitation. They have seen excellent response to Cold Laser Therapy in tendonitis (shoulders, elbows), bursitis (shoulders, hips), herniated disc disease in necks and backs, and lots of foot, ankle and knee complaints already in the 1 year that they’ve had their new TQ Solo laser machine.

Laser therapy has shown significant benefit in both acute and chronic conditions, so if you hurt for any reason, we highly recommend you try Cold Laser Therapy.
More importantly, Cold Laser Therapy provides relief and the potential to reduce the use of anti-inflammatory pain medications. This is extremely important for people who have kidney or liver problems and offers an alternative therapy that may allow you to live a longer and more pain free life.

The staff at Austin Family Chiropractic knows that Cold Laser Therapy can produce amazing results. Therefore, this month they are offering ONE FREE LASER THERAPY SESSION to anyone with an indicated condition that Dr. Austin believes it could benefit. If you like the results of the Cold Laser Therapy and feel you can benefit from this therapy, then you can purchase a package of six sessions and they will give you an extra session for free. To qualify, this purchase must be made within three business days of your initial free therapy session.

To facilitate this promotion, they have reserved slots in their appointment schedule just for you. Please call Dr. Todd or Eugena today at (217) 965-3100 to schedule your FREE LASER THERAPY SESSION. Your body will thank you!

Austin Family Chiropractic appreciates your continued business. We wish you a happy, healthy and fun summer.
217-965-3100
www.AFCvirden.com

Helping 'Statin' Sufferers!

2011-04-12T20:27:00.000-07:00

As a holistic-minded Chiropractic Physician, part of my job in the year 2011 is also to be a better detective than many Medical Doctors are. This also entails cleaning up some of the drug-induced messes that they create. Take STATIN drugs for example.

We had a patient several months back who had been on a statin (per his M.D.) for 5 weeks. This fellow was a once per month chiropractic maintenance patient in great musculoskeletal health. I should know since I've been caring for his spine for over a decade. So he now presented to my office with his right arm being almost totally useless. In fact, this muscular guy in his early 40's who normally chops firewood and hand delivers calves for fun, and who had no recent traumas could not even use his right arm to drive home from his workplace! My exam revealed nothing out of the ordinary. No musculoskeletal pain or tenderness at all! Hmmmm?

When I found out that he was taking a statin, I told him all of the things his M.D. hadn't told him. I then recommended he take CoQ10, a special kind of Vitamin E & Omega 3 fatty acids. He called the office less than 48 hours later to report that he had followed through on all of my suggestions & his arm was now 80% better.

Score: Nutrition 1, Statins 0

Then 2 months ago, a long-time chiropractic maintenance patient in his 50's told me about a new complaint, which was in the area of left elbow tendonitis. Once again, a lack of pain or tenderness on exam led me to suspect his statin drug, which he had now been on for years. I gave him my same exact recommendations (see above). 1 month ago, his elbow was just as painful. It's a good thing that he stuck with my recommendations though, because when I last saw him, he reported that after 6 weeks of saying bye-bye to his statin drug along with taking Omega 3, Vit E & CoQ10 his left elbow was now 80% improved.

Score: Nutrition 2, Statins 0

I could go on & on, but you're probably getting the idea by now. Statins do usually lower cholesterol by up to 50 points within a 6-month period. Other than that, in my professional opinion they are totally worthless to you as a patient. Of course they are definitely not worthless to Big Medicine & Big Pharma, since they make billions per year for these industries and are responsible for building entirely new cardiac wings on many a hospital.

We carry a book at Austin Family Chiropractic by Dr. Rodger Murphree. It's called "Heart Disease: What Your Doctor Won't Tell You". It's a $15.00 Must Read if you are one of those unfortunate souls who now finds yourself taking a daily statin drug.

BTW, all of the nutritional supplements that I mentioned are available at Austin Family Chiropractic in Virden, IL.

Yours in health,

Dr. Todd

Many thanks to other area D.C.'s for allowing us to help your patients too (with lasers & auriculotherapy).

2011-02-18T10:26:00.000-08:00

At Austin Family Chiropractic, we are very appreciative of the many wonderful patients that we've met & served over the years who were referred to our clinic by other area Doctors of Chiropractic. Yes, you did read the previous sentence correctly!

The truth is that it's fairly common these days for us to get referrals from other area D.C.'s from Carlinville to Springfield for the purpose of Cold Laser Therapy (for tough shoulder & knee cases) and Auriculotherapy (ie, our quit smoking program) as well.

I know that some more closed-minded D.C.'s would never refer to other D.C.'s due to the 'competition factor'. But rest assured that if your D.C. refers you to our office for either laser treatments or to quit smoking, we will do our best to assist him in his efforts to restore your health. We will then gladly refer you back to your primary D.C. for your regular chiropractic care.

This is because many D.C.'s don't have cold lasers like Austin Family Chiropractic does. And most of those that do only have one laser device. Please see my previous blog entry about 'all lasers not being created equal' for more info here. We've spent a lot of time (doing our homework) and money (thousands of dollars purchasing our clinic's full arsenal of laser therapy devices) dating back to the spring of 2005. Treating tough cases with low level laser therapy (LLLT) is truly a passion of ours, and is thus an ongoing process.

The same can be said of our quit smoking program, which for $100/person, currently boasts a 72% success rate. Dr. Todd has studied under 18 auriculotherapy pioneers from 5 different countries dating back to 2006. Helping folks to quit the nicotine habit is also a labor of love for us here at Austin Family Chiropractic in Virden, IL.

The truth is that all Doctors of Chiropractic are here to serve their patients and to improve the health of their respective communities. Collectively, it is our goal to make the world a better place through optimizing the health of our patients, one treatment at a time.

Austin Family Chiropractic now offering Cold Laser Therapy.

2010-12-26T20:42:00.000-08:00

*The following article is being reprinted from page 7 of the 8-3-2005 issue of the Virden Recorder.

Laser therapy, which has been around since the 1960's in Europe, is used for all aspects of physical medicine, wound healing and rehabilitation. It has become a locker room staple for European sports teams and during the past five years has slowly been working its way into chiropractic offices in the United States, mainly on the east and west coasts. A Macoupin County Chiropractic Physician, Dr. Todd Austin of Virden, IL is now using this amazing technology in his office. Some of the results are quite staggering!

Austin was first introduced to this laser technology in the summer of 2004 at a chiropractic seminar. He then attended a weekend seminar devoted entirely to laser therapy in March 2005. "I was especially intrigued by the extent of serious shoulder injuries (rotator cuff, frozen shoulder, bursitis, etc.) that I witnessed responding to laser therapy at that seminar." says Austin. "I decided to devote the next few months to learn all that I could about lasers, to find the right laser equipment for my practice, and to save up the money to purchase this technology." And now Dr. Austin has done just that.

His laser equipment which arrived on July 16, 2005, actually consists of three individual laser devices. The first is suited for relaxing any kind of soft tissue injury, as well as promoting lymphatic drainage, while the second is specific for hard tissue problems like bones, joints and nerves (including conditions like sciatica and carpal tunnel syndrome). The third laser device is used for relaxing muscles as well as performing trigger point therapy and can also be used to perform acupuncture without needles.

Austin has been practicing needle acupuncture since 1993 and sees this 3rd laser as quite a breakthrough. "I love acupuncture, and have performed it for a variety of conditions. But I limit myself to doing three needle acupuncture treatments per day, since it is so time intensive. With laser acupuncture, I can treat each point (usually about 10 acu-points per patient) for just 30 seconds at each acu-point and get the same results."

And here's the kicker... most insurance companies won't pay for needle acupuncture which they consider "experimental", but will cover laser acupuncture which is usually included under the patient's therapy benefits.

"I see this as an awesome opportunity to introduce the benefits of acupuncture to more people throughout central Illinois," Austin explains, "and they won't even have to get stuck with needles."

The lasers that Austin uses are commonly called "cold lasers" or low-level laser therapy (LLLT) because they do not increase the temperature of the tissues that they contact, as compared to much more powerful "hot lasers" which are used for surgical applications in which the objective is to cut or cauterize tissue.

Photo caption: Dr. Todd Austin gave a laser demonstration speech at a local Toastmasters meeting. The speech was called "Lighting up Macoupin County".

Cold laser therapy directs a specialized beam of light to the injury site. On a cellular level this increases local circulation, improves tissue oxygenation and stimulates the production of ATP (the cell's energy blocks), allowing tissue to be more responsive and to heal faster. On a larger scale, cold laser therapy quickly decreases pain, increases range of motion and increases the tissue's ability to heal and handle stress.

Cold laser therapy is exciting for the results it delivers to both doctors and patients. These benefits include:

*Easy to use. Simply turn the laser on and move it over the area of complaint. Research has shown that this protocol alone increases healing time by up to 30 percent, although there are much more advanced protocols for conditions like shoulder injuries.

*Time saving. Patients often feel better within 30 seconds to 3 minutes.

*'Body saver'. The laser prepares the patient for the chiropractic adjustment. It quickly softens tissue and increases range of motion, so the Chiropractic Physician doesn't need to work as hard.

Photo caption: Dr. Todd Austin performing cold laser therapy on a patient.

"In the two short weeks we've been using the lasers so far at our clinic, we have treated over two dozen patients with this technology" said Austin. "Most patients are quite impressed with the results. We've had several patients who are low back pain sufferers who reported that when they got up off the treatment table after their laser treatment, their pain was totally gone."

The first lady that used Dr. Austin's lasers for a chronic shoulder problem hadn't had normal right shoulder range of motion in over a year. She reported that her shoulder was pain-free when she got off the treatment table. Two days later, just before her second laser treatment, she informed the doctor that her range of motion not only had returned to normal, but that she had abused her shoulder at work all day with no ill effects whatsoever!

Lasers speak for themselves -- through patients who have experienced their healing effects. For more info on cold laser therapy or to schedule an appointment call Dr. Austin's office at (217) 965-3100 or send e-mail to draustin@royell.net .

For more information from an independent resource on cold laser therapy, including more than 200 research abstracts, go to http://www.laser.nu , the Web site sponsored by the Swedish Medical Society. More information can also be found on Dr. Austin's website at: http"//www.AFCvirden.com .

Dr. Todd Austin speaks about "Healthy Sleep" on December 2010 LifePath DVD.

2010-12-05T18:14:00.000-08:00

Dr. Todd Austin from Austin Family Chiropractic in Virden, IL was the first of five featured experts on the December 2010's monthly LifePath DVD. Dr. Austin, who has been serving the health and wellness needs of North Macoupin County, IL residents since 1996, spoke about "Healthy Sleep".

"Did you know that the position that you sleep in can determine not only how rested you feel in the morning, but can affect your overall health as well?" states Dr. Austin.

In his segment, Austin covered both proper and improper sleeping positions along with a few other tips as well.

Other featured speakers on the December LifePath DVD were Shihan Nico about a breathing technique known as "Centering"; Dr. Dan Pompa, D.C. speaking on "Flu Facts"; Dr. Harlan Sparer, D.C. showing that although nuts are a wonderful snack, they are much healthier when soaked first; and Dr. Jennifer Buonano, D.C. giving some great holiday shopping tips.

LifePath Productions is a chiropractic-friendly video production company from Carefree, Arizona. They produce monthly DVD's that hundreds of Doctors of Chiropractic now show to patients in their waiting rooms. Many D.C.'s also purchase extra DVD's every month to give out to patients and prospective patients, sort of like a video business card. LifePath Productions can be contacted at 1-888-787-8808.

Dr. Austin will be showing the December LifePath DVD off and on during normal business hours this month in Austin Family Chiropractic's reception room. The clinic also has extra copies to give to patients. For more information, Dr. Austin can be contacted at (217) 965-3100.

Dr. Austin to be featured on December 2010 LifePath DVD.

2010-11-23T17:51:00.000-08:00

Photo caption: (From Left) Vera Almann, Dr. Todd Austin and Robert Smith.

Back in June 2010, at the Logan College of Chiropractic 75th annual homecoming seminar, I met Robert Smith & Vera Almann who are the co-owners of a chiropractic-friendly production company called "LifePath Productions". They produce professional-quality reception room DVD's for Doctors of Chiropractic. This made perfect sense to me, so I immediately signed up for their service.

I also bounced some ideas off of Bob & Vera, regarding some of the things that I'm truly passionate about, as it pertains to helping myself, my family and my patients to lead healthier and more productive lives. And as a veteran member of Toastmasters, I even completed an Advanced Toastmasters Communication manual a few years ago that was called "Communicating on TV".

Then in mid-September 2010 Bob contacted me, as they were planning to be in my neck of the woods in early October 2010 to film some chiropractic-related segments at Austin Family Chiropractic in Virden, IL.

I thought this was very cool, since they came all the way from Carefree, Arizona!

From my plethora of passionate chiropractic-related interests, Robert narrowed it down to "Proper Sleeping Habits to Maximize your Spinal Health" and "Holistic Tips for Sinus Health". So we shot those two 8 to 10 minute segments when they showed up at my office in North Macoupin County on Thursday October 7, 2010.

Each monthly DVD that LifePath Productions produces for Chiropractic Physicians and their patients consists of five 8 to 10 minute segments as follows:
- three relate to chiropractic
- one relates to some form of stretching or exercise
- one relates to healthy eating

Starting with November 2010, I now purchase extra LifePath DVD's to give out to my patients. Many patients have told me that they enjoy watching them and have already learned alot about different recipes, stretching, yoga, etc.

I just found out 2 days ago that I will be one of the five featured speakers on the December 2010 LifePath DVD. Woo Hoo! For a free copy of the DVD, please contact me at (217) 965-3100 or at draustin@royell.net .

Very truly yours in health,

Todd W. Austin, D.C.

OMG! I think the folks at Foot Levelers have lost their minds!!!

2010-10-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, our friends at FOOT LEVELERS are offering a rock-bottom sweetheart of a deal for the entire month of OCTOBER 2010.

It's true ... I just got off of the phone with Roger at FOOT LEVELERS. ALL custom orthotics are on sale this month! NO exclusions!!! The folks at Foot Levelers must have lost all their marbles. I'm excited to get to pass on a great deal to my patients.

Our patients that have not ordered before can save up to $73. Even if you aren't a patient of ours, you can get in on the same deal.

Those of you who HAVE ordered FOOT LEVELERS before, within the past 24 months can save up to a whopping $90.

Either stop in, call, e-mail, tweet or facebook message us for more details.

These custom orthotics (actually called SPINAL PELVIC STABILIZERS) by FOOT LEVELERS are the best in the industry. They allow your chiropractic adjustments (of the low back, pelvis, knees, ankles, heels & feet) to hold longer & better.

Yours in health,

Todd W. Austin, D.C.
(217) 965-3100
AFCvirden on Twitter
draustin@royell.net
www.facebook.com/AustinFamilyChiro.AFCvirden

My thoughts on Pro Adjuster. Is it even chiropractic?

2010-10-03T19:11:00.000-07:00

First off, I'm a Chiropractic Physician who has been adjusting my patients with both MY HANDS as well as HANDHELD TOOLS for 17 years. In the past couple of years, I've attended a couple of seminars where I practically got bonked over the head with the "Pro Adjuster" sales pitch.

Then I even got persuaded into having a fellow DC (who also is a Pro Adjuster sales guy as well as a Pro Adjuster technique teacher at a Chiropractic College) give me a Pro Adjuster treatment. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed.

This doc said that his exam revealed that T4 (my 4th thoracic vertebrae) was in need of a "Pro Adjuster adjustment". Then he supposedly adjusted it. I have a real issue with the way that this went down.

As I said previously, I've been practicing since 1993. If I need to find the 4th thoracic vertebrae on a patient, I was taught to find T1 (which is a prominent landmark). Then I was taught to use my fingers to palpate (feel) each vertabrae until I got from point A to point B (ie, T2, T3 & finally T4 in this case). This doc did no such thing, which is to say that he guessed where my T4 vertebrae is. Shame on him! I can honestly say that in seventeen years of practice, I've never ever GUESSED where a specific vertebrae was on a patient. Even when my patients get adjusted with a hand held Activator instrument, I count the vertebrae with my fingers the same way. My patients deserve nothing less!

Which brings us to what diferentiates CHIROPRACTIC from OSTEOPATHY in the first place. Chiropractic adjustments are specific! If my analysis (consultation, exam, xrays) determined that the patient has a vertebral subluxation (pinched nerve) at T4, then I need to adjust T4! I don't need to adjust T3 or T5!!!

Osteopathic manipulation on the other hand, is much more general than chiropractic. With osteopathic manipulation, as long as something moves, both doctor & patient should be happy. Of course, we may never really know if it was T3, T4 or T5 that 'moved' when using these non-specific (non-chiropractic) methods!

Therefore, based on my lone experience with a Pro Adjustor 'adjustment', I would say that it was more like osteopathic manipulations that I've had in the past than any of the chiropractic adjustments that I've been blessed to have been on the receiving end of over the past two decades!

My next beef with Pro Adjuster is that Dr. M, the lead sales guy of the company that sells them, is in my opinion a professional salesman first and a Chiropractor second. I've read in Chiropractic Journals that at least a handful of docs that fell for the sales pitch, paid $100,000 or more for the Pro Adjustor equipment bundled with Dr. M's 'practice building' system, and then tried to get their money back got totally screwed by Dr. M & his company. These DC's had to go out of business & file for bankruptcy. That's a shame! Yet Dr. M. claims that he's all about advancing the profession known as 'Chiropractic'! Hmmm?

Dr. M also claims that he invented the Pro Adjuster. But he didn't. Another company invented the instrument. Dr. M just sells it (after he marks the price up considerably, by tens of thousands of dollars) along with his marketing / practice building system.

These Chiro journals also mention several lawsuits pending against Dr. M. and his company. It definitely doesn't sound like a company that I'd ever want to do business with.

My third and final complaint with the Pro Adjuster is that several Pro Adjuster DC's market it something like this "No popping, no cracking, no hurting". OK, here's the deal. There are over 200 different chiropractic techniques. Many of them involve no popping or cracking noises, which I refer to as "audible clicks". I perform two such techniques in my office, without the need for an overpriced $100,000 osteopathic toy!

The truth is that any competent Doctor of Chiropractic knows how to adapt his adjusting techniques to suit the individual needs of each patient. For example:

"Is the patient pregnant?"

"Does she have osteoporosis?", etc.

Their Pro Adjuster marketing also implies that if a Doctor of Chiropractic adjusts you without a Pro Adjuster, you will both feel pain and get hurt. That, my friends, is ludicrous and is what I like to refer to as a huge load of bull shit!

Putting my personal criticisms aside, there are over 200 chiropractic adjusting techniques. Some are osseous (where the patient may hear joints making noises), other are not osseous (no joint noise) and still others make use of instruments such as Activator or Pro-Adjuster. From what I understand, virtually every chiropractic technique has an 80+% success rate. So with that being said, I'm sure that Pro-Adjuster technique is successful in helping it's share of chiropractic patients.

But in my opinion, the type of marketing done by some Pro-Adjustor trained doctors (see above comments) sets the chiropractic profession back. It definitely doesn't advance our profession in the eyes of potential patients! Of course it may advance the profession in YOUR EYES if YOU happen to be a DC who just took the plunge and recently financed your Pro Adjustor purchase, since you now need to make $100,000 to pay off Dr. M. and his company!

Thank You for joining the Austin Family Chiropractic Email Club!

2010-09-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

Thank you for joining the Austin Family Chiropractic Email Club. We look forward to sharing special savings offers with you, as well as health & wellness tips & much more!

Yours in health,

Todd W. Austin, D.C.
Eugena B. Austin, L.M.T.

PS. Please feel free to follow our Austin Family Chiropractic blog as well.

Introducing www.SpecificAminoAcidTherapy.com

2010-09-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

My latest URL is entitled: http://www.SpecificAminoAcidTherapy.com . It contains a wealth of information about treating conditions such as anxiety, ADHD, depression and fibromyalgia NATURALLY with (yes, you guessed it) 'Specific Amino Acid Therapy'.

September 2010 FOOT LEVELERS Specials!!!!

2010-09-03T15:32:00.001-07:00

SEPTEMBER 2010 Foot Levelers Spinal Pelvic Stabilizers special!

Happy September 2010!

FOOT LEVELERS orthotics (SPINAL PELVIC STABILIZERS) are on sale during the entire MONTH OF SEPTEMBER. For first time orderers, any pair of stabilizers (for lace up shoes, loafers, or 1-2" heels) would be just $194 + tax ($206.13).

For reorders (anyone who has been scanned by our clinic's Associate Platinum Foot Scanner within the past 24 months and has ordered previously), the price this month is only $171 + tax ($181.69).

That's a savings of up to $49 for new orders and up to $77 for re-orders!

Dr. Austin Receives 'Advanced Clinical Nutrition' Certification.

2010-08-29T15:02:00.001-07:00

PHOTO CAPTION:
Virden’s Dr. Todd Austin recently attended a seminar given by Clinical Nutrition pioneer, Dr. Rodger Murphree. The seminar covered natural management of many common medical conditions. Here, Dr. Austin (left) is presented his Advanced Clinical Nutrition Certification by Dr. Murphree.

*************

Dr. Todd W. Austin of Virden recently attended a weekend seminar at Logan College of Chiropractic in Chesterfield, Missouri on Advanced Clinical Nutrition. The seminar was presented by Dr. Rodger Murphree, DC, CNS. Dr. Murphree is the author of five health-related books. Murphree also writes for several leading health publications. Dr. Murphree was also the past clinical director of a large multi-disciplinary integrated medical practice where he worked side by side with a handful of medical physicians.
Dr. Murphree is recognized as a true pioneer in the growing field of orthomolecular medicine, a system where more emphasis is placed on vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids and herbs, than on the commonly prescribed pharmaceutical medicines.
This third seminar led to Dr. Austin receiving his ‘Advanced Clinical Nutrition’ certification from the Logan College of Chiropractic post-graduate department. This third nutrition seminar covered clinically proven nutritional options for the treatment of infectious diseases (including sinusitis, yeast overgrowth & chronic infections), urological diseases (such as urinary tract infections & benign prostatic hypertrophy) and neurological diseases (which included Bell’s palsy, migraines, tension headaches & Parkinson’s disease).
Dr. Murphree has had over a decade of excellent results treating many medical conditions with natural therapies. Austin has had many great results too, in the seven short months that he has been using Murphree’s protocols. Austin Family Chiropractic now stocks Dr. Murphree’s line of nutritional supplements, as well as his three best-selling books on “Heart Disease”, “Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia” and “Treating and Beating Anxiety & Depression”.
Dr. Austin is a 1993 graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic. His office is located at Austin Family Chiropractic on the West Side of the Virden Square. Austin has been a practicing Chiropractic Physician for 17 years. For more information about chiropractic or clinical nutrition or to schedule a free consultation call (217) 965-3100, e-mail draustin@royell.net or visit the clinic’s website at www.AFCvirden.com .

All LOW LEVEL LASERS are not EQUAL!!!

2010-08-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

All LOW LEVEL (or COLD) LASER devices are not created equal. Translation = No one LASER device can cure every condition under the sun. In fact, a few months back while at a post-graduate seminar, I stumbled upon a deal on a great affordably priced LASER device. I was downright giddy about paying almost $2,000 for this Super-pulsed 905 nanometer LASER.

A few minutes later, I was talking to another Chiropractor. I excitedly told him that I was getting ready to plunk down $2,000 for a new LASER. A vendor within earshot spoke up, saying that she had a LASER that her company carried that she would gladly sell me for $2,000. After she explained which LASER she was peddling, a couldn't help but chuckle. It was an ML 830. A veritable toy compared to the LASER devices that I already own. I politely replied "Thanks, but no thanks."

Fast forward to today. I found an ad in a local Macoupin County newspaper advertising how another local DC can cure 'almost everything under the sun' with his new ML 830 LASER. Needless to say, I chuckled again! While it's true that his device will definitely help some people, there will no doubt be a lot of folks that don't respond at all, as an ML 830 just doesn't penetrate deep enough to treat a herniated disc, for example. Wouldn't you know that of the 14 conditions he lists in his ad that this ML 830 will fix, the herniated disc is the first item. Whoops!

The truth is that 5 years ago, when I purchased my first 3 LASER devices, the ML 830 sold for $8,000. After doing my homework for three months, I purchased three lasers that combined cost less than that price. One of which for just $1,800, runs rings around the ML 830.

For example my 808 nanometer LASER can do in 5 minutes (at a possible penetration of 3 centimeters) what the ML 830 would take a nearly 30 minutes to do (depth of penetration of 2 centimeters, but much fewer photons will reach the target tissue in 5 minutes). Of course most Docs don't have time to shine the LASER on the patient for over a half hour, and most patients don't have the time to lay there that long either (especially with a hot low back).

If the target tissue is the Carpal Tunnel, the ML 830 would do a fine job (over time). It wouldn't need to get more than 2 cm deep. If on the other hand, I'm wanting to treat a 350-pound patient which a bulging disc in her lower back, I'll need much more penetration power than the relatively low-powered ML 830 could muster!
This is where my new super-pulsed LASER (with a deeper penetration of 5 cm) comes in super handy.

At Austin Family Chiropractic, what sets our clinic apart from the local LASER competition, is that each patient who receives COLD LASER THERAPY at AFCvirden, is treated with NOT ONE LASER, but rather with the THREE BEST LASERS for his or her particular condition. Thus we're utilizing both:

* continuous & super-pulsed,
* visible red & infrared,
* superficial & deeper penetrating,
* lower (more subtle energy) power & higher power,
* resonating lasers & stimulating lasers.

In other words, (sometimes stubborn) damaged cells and tissues are more apt to respond to AFC's approach!

The Austin Family Chiropractic approach is definitely NOT one-size-fits-all LASER THERAPY!!!

BTW, The cost of the ML 830 has continued to drift downward over the past 5 years. It now retails for $2,000.

In summary, one laser device is much better than zero laser devices. But several LASER devices with many different wavelengths (of light) and power levels to choose from allows for a much more individualized approach to each patients' specific condition.

Our laser treatments are also very affordable as well. In fact, we've helped hundreds of people with them since July of 2005.

Please give us a call at (217) 965-3100 for your free LOW LEVEL LASER THERAPY demonstration & consultation. You'll be glad that you did.

FindaColdLaserTherapist ILLINOIS directory

More on alternate treatments for Fibromyalgia.

2010-08-18T04:32:00.000-07:00

Treating Fibromyalgia With Chiropractic

Chiropractic care is essential for those who suffer from fibromyalgia in order to keep both the spine and muscles from losing too much movement. Because fibromyalgia causes the muscles to tighten up and lose some of their natural flexibility, it results in a global loss of movement in the spine. The loss of movement in the spine results in a neurological reflex that causes the muscles to tighten even further. This vicious cycle will continue over time, eventually leading to increased pain, increased muscle tightness, a loss of movement, even more difficulty sleeping and the development of a veritable plethora of trigger points.

The only option is to continually adjust the spine and keep it moving. It is not uncommon for those with fibromyalgia to be adjusted two to four times per month to keep everything mobile and relaxed. The biggest concern when it comes to treating people with fibromyalgia is that their muscles have a diminished healing ability. For this reason, chiropractic adjustments are usually modified slightly to be more gentle than normal. This helps to decrease the stress on all of the small supporting muscles of the spine, which can be easily injured. It is important when seeking chiropractic care, to make sure that the doctor is familiar with the muscular changes that occur with fibromyalgia so that they can adjust their treatment protocols accordingly.

Treating Fibromyalgia with Cold Laser Therapy

Since poor healing of muscle tissue and chronic pain are characteristic traits of fibromyalgia, laser therapy is an important part of any treatment plan. Two of the major benefits of cold laser therapy are stimulation of tissue healing and decreased sensations of pain.

A 1997 study of 846 people with fibromyalgia reported in the Journal of Clinical Laser Medicine and Surgery demonstrated that two-thirds of the patients experienced improved pain and mobility with cold laser therapy. Another study published in Rheumatology International in 2002, showed that those who received laser therapy had a significant improvement in pain, fatigue and morning stiffness.

According to some FMS experts, the connective and soft tissues of Fibromyalgia patients have less ATP (the energy units that cells utilize) than those of folks that don't suffer from FMS. One of the great things about Cold Laser Therapy, is that the laser light photons cause an increase in ATP at the cellular level. Thus, one more reason that FMS sufferers should be receiving Cold Laser Therapy treatments.

Self-Care for Fibromyalgia

Your day to day lifestyle choices have a tremendous impact on how much impact fibromyalgia will have on your life. The difference between those who take care of themselves and those who do not is tremendous. Those who make lifestyle changes to help their fibromyalgia suffer much less pain, are able to remain more active and have a much higher quality of life than those who do not. If you have fibromyalgia, here are some of the main things that you can do on a daily basis to help your body:

Getting enough good sleep

Getting enough sleep and the right kind of sleep can help ease the pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia, but is something that can be hard to get. Many people with fibromyalgia have problems such as pain, restless legs syndrome and brain-wave irregularities that interfere with restful sleep. Insomnia is very common. Although alcohol may help you to relax, it is not recommended before bed as it has been shown to interfere with restful sleep. Some of those with fibromyalgia have found 5-HTP very helpful. It is virtually impossible to heal FMS without enough sleep!

Exercising
Improved fitness through exercise is recommended. Studies have shown that fibromyalgia symptoms can be relieved by aerobic exercise. Though pain and fatigue may make exercise and daily activities difficult, it's crucial to be as physically active as possible. The best way to begin a fitness program is to start with low impact exercises, like walking or swimming. Starting slowly helps stretch and mobilize tight, sore muscles. High-impact aerobics and weight lifting could cause increased discomfort, so listen to your body. The more you can exercise, the better off you will be.

Making changes at work
Many people with fibromyalgia are able to continue working, but they may have to make big changes to do so. It may be necessary to reduce the number of hours at work, find a job that will allow you to have a flexible schedule, or switch to a less physically demanding job. Many people with fibromyalgia require specially designed office chairs, adjustable desks or other adaptations in order to continue working. If you face obstacles at work, such as an uncomfortable desk chair that leaves your back aching or difficulty lifting heavy boxes or files, hopefully your employer will make adaptations that will enable you to keep your job.

Eating well
Foods, just like anything else, have the ability to either stress your body or to help your body heal. Foods that tend to be stressful on the body include: dairy, wheat, corn, as well as anything with monosodium glutamate (MSG), nitrates or nitrites (as are found in processed foods). Several environmental toxins may also contribute to the overall physical stress on your body, therefore large amounts of fish should be avoided as well. It is important that you eat as much clean, organically grown fresh foods as possible. Base your diet around whole foods such as: brown rice, legumes, oats, spelt, rice milk, soy, hormone-free chicken or turkey, roots, nuts and berries.

We hope that the about info is helpful in your search for answers to Fibromyalgia. If we can be of service, please contact us today at (217) 965-3100!

AUGUST 2010 Foot Levelers Spinal Pelvic Stabilizers special!

2010-08-05T08:49:00.001-07:00

Happy August 2010 & more great news!

FOOT LEVELERS orthotics (SPINAL PELVIC STABILIZERS) are on sale during the entire MONTH OF AUGUST. For first time orderers, any pair of stabilizers (for lace up shoes, loafers, or 1-2" heels) would be just $199 + tax ($211.44).

For reorders (anyone who has been scanned by our clinic's Associate Platinum Foot Scanner within the past 24 months and has ordered previously), the price this month is only $169 + tax ($179.56).

That's a savings of up to $47 for new orders and up to $79 for re-orders!

Holistic Tips for Sinus Sufferers

2010-07-29T19:51:00.000-07:00

My new "Holistic Tips for Sinus Health" video is now live on the AFCvirden website. If you are a sinus sufferer or you know of someone who is, you can view the new video at the following URL:

http://www.AFCvirden.com/sinus.html

New info about managing Alzheimer's on AFCvirden website.

2010-07-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

I just updated the www.AFCvirden.com website with a lot of nutritional information about that dreaded condition known as Alzheimer's disease.

Early stage Alzheimers can be managed with this approach. Even more important is prevention, especially if you have a genetic predisposition to deleloping the disease.

The info is located at: www.AFCvirden.com/Alz.html

Fibromyalgia & Treating It Properly - Todd W. Austin, D.C. Virden, IL

2010-07-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

FIBROMYALGIA & how to treat it!

Fortunately for both my current & future patients, earlier in 2010, I attended a series of ‘Advanced Clinical Nutrition’ seminars by a doctor who has had phenomenal success treating FMS patients like YOU for over a decade now. I now use an adaptation of Dr. Rodger Murphree’s patient protocols for “Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia”. I also carry his book “Treating & Beating Fibromyalgia” as well as the line of nutritional supplements that he developed for his own patients.

Many patients will feel noticeably better in as little as 2 weeks, although it usually takes the better part of 3 months to complete ALL of the nutritional modifications that are needed for a chronic FMS patient to be able to say “My fibromyalgia has officially gone into remission!”.

When it comes to actually treating Fibromyalgia sufferers, as I’ve already discussed in part 1 (FIBROMYALGIA & What Causes It), the medical road usually leads to a dead end. In fact some M.D.’s still don’t even believe that FMS exists! But then again, in a strange sort of way, I guess that could actually be a blessing to have an M.D. that doesn’t believe in prescribing Klonopin (an addictive benzodiazapine) for your FMS (since he or she doesn’t believe in the condition).

Neurontin is pretty close to useless for most FMS patients as well. Elavil does the best of all the prescription meds at offering the most ‘short term’ symptom relief. Unfortunately, most medical FMS patients aren’t placed on Elavil for only a ‘short term’. Even more unfortunate, is the fact that Elavil has as a common side effect, rapid weight gain. Yes, it’s not that uncommon for a FMS patient taking Elavil to gain a whopping 50 lbs or more in a 3 to 6 month period.

What about Lyrica? How does Lyrica work? Or does Lyrica work?
Lyrica is the first prescription medication approved to treat fibromyalgia. Because fibromyalgia patients typically do not respond to conventional painkillers like aspirin, Lyrica affects the brain’s perception of pain. Pfizer’s Lyrica, known generically as pregabalin, binds to receptors in the spinal cord and brain and apparently reduces activity in the central nervous system.

No one knows exactly how Lyrica works. But some say that Lyrica does not work well enough to have warranted its Federal Drug and Food Administration (FDA) approval. According to The New York Times, in clinical trials, patients taking Lyrica reported that their pain fell on average by about 2 points on a 10-point scale, compared with 1 point for patients taking a placebo. About 30 percent of patients said their pain fell by at least half, compared with 15 percent taking placebos.

In 2004, Lyrica was reviewed by the FDA as a remedy for diabetic nerve pain. The reviewers recommended against approving the drug, citing its side effects. Lyrica causes weight gain and edema (swelling), as well as dizziness and sleepiness. According to the New York Times, in 12-week trials, nine percent of patients saw their weight rise more than seven percent, and the weight gain appeared to continue over time.

But in their infinite wisdom, the FDA ignored the advice of Lyrica reviewers and approved it anyway. Then Pfizer asked the FDA to expand the approved uses of Lyrica to include the treatment of fibromyalgia, and the agency later did so. It was a good move for Pfizer. According to the New York Times, worldwide sales of Lyrica reached $1.8 billion in 2007, up 50 percent from 2006. Analysts predict sales will rise an additional 30 percent this year, helped by consumer advertising. During the first nine months of 2007, Pfizer spent $46 million on Lyrica ads alone.

While I welcome anything that will 'help' my fibromyalgia patients, I’m not a big fan of Lyrica. Why? Because it really doesn’t seem to offer any real long-term solution and the side effects are potentially very dangerous.

Regarding finding 11 out of 18 Fibromyalgia trigger points tender, that really is of no concern to me either.

The bottom line is this:
If the patient reports chronic trouble getting or staying asleep as well as chronic diffuse muscle pain (both of these are caused by low serotonin levels), then the patient is most likely a Fibromyalgia sufferer. Not all people with low serotonin levels have fibromyalgia. But for the record, 100% of Fibromyalgics do have low serotonin levels! Until they are finally treated correctly, that is.

Therefore, my protocol for the treatment of FIBROMYALGIA is as follows:

1) Place the patient on 5-HTP. Obviously, I will work with you to determine the proper dosage that is right for you. 5-HTP in combination with other vitamins & minerals is turned into serotonin, the ”happy hormone”.

Serotonin is a hypothalamus neurotransmitter which is necessary for happiness by day and deep restorative sleep by night (through a conversion of serotonin to melatonin). A lack of serotonin causes difficulty in getting to sleep as well as staying asleep. It is often this lack of quality deep restorative sleep that is a big part of the problem for FMS patients. Serotonin levels can easily be raised by supplementing with the essential amino acid, L-tryptophan. The natural sources of L-tryptophan include milk, cheese, meat, ham, peanuts, and cottage cheese. All of these are very high in calories and cholesterol content. As a consequence, in order to keep your serotonin supply at a proper level, you must supplement small amounts of food sources of L-tryptophan with the serotonin production catalysts, calcium, magnesium, and trace element, chromium. Many FMS sufferers also have a genetic glitch in a certain enzymatic pathway that blocks the amino acid tryptophan from being converted into 5-HTP naturally. 5-HTP, a form of tryptophan, is available over-the-counter and works extremely well for most patients.

All FMS patients need to be taking the proper dose of 5-HTP, which we carry at Austin Family Chiropractic.

By the way, deep restorative sleep causes HGH (human growth hormone) to be secreted. HGH aids in repairing damaged muscles. Therefore 5-HTP leads to much better sleep, which in turn leads to increased HGH, which then helps with muscle repair. This is welcome news for any FMS sufferer!

2) Have the patient take digestive enzymes. Some seventy percent of FMS patients, also suffer from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Besides, anyone with chronic inflammation will tend to have a leaky gut.

3) Have the patient take an optimal daily allowance multivitamin multimineral supplement along with proper amounts of omega 3 fatty acids.

4) Have the patient go on a gluten-free diet for 3 weeks to check for celiac disease, allergies to gluten or sensitivities to gluten.

5) Have the patient take Adrenal Cortex glandular. This aids in solving the adrenal fatigue issues that typically accompany FMS.

6) Treat the patient with cold laser therapy. Since FMS is a connective tissue disorder, some say that it causes a decrease in cellular energy (ATP). This makes sense. Cold laser therapy, on the other hand, has 40 years of research showing that special laser light photons, when they come in contact with damaged soft tissues, cause an increase in ATP production. This helps cells, tissues, muscles, etc. to heal quicker. Therefore, my FMS patients typically receive cold laser therapy treatments (directed over the area of chief complaint) prior to their chiropractic adjustments. In my opinion, this cold laser therapy prepares the tissues for the adjustment and sets the stage for healing to occur quicker.

7) Have the patient take SAMe. S-Adenosyl-methionine (SAMe) is involved in regulating many of the brain's neurotransmitters. Normally the brain manufactures all the SAMe it needs from the amino acid methionine. However, low protein diets, malabsorption (from either the leaky gut or IBS that usually accompanies FMS) and deficiencies developed from excess methionine use in certain liver detoxification pathways can create a need for SAMe replacement. SAMe has also been shown through several recent, well designed, studies to be one of the best natural antidepressants available.

SAMe helps boost serotonin and norepinephrine levels. It also helps increase the production of dopamine and endorphins. Endorphins are the body’s natural pain blocking chemicals and are fifty times more powerful than morphine.
SAMe has quickly become one of my favorite nutritional supplements. I’m using it more and more in my practice for depression, fatigue, fibromyalgia and other pain disorders.

SAMe and Fibromyalgia
Studies involving FMS (also known as 'Fibromyalgia' or 'Fibromyalgia Syndrome') patients and SAMe have shown dramatic improvements in pain reduction. One study even showed that individuals taking SAMe for a period of 6 weeks had an improvement of 40% in pain reduction and 35% improvement in their depression!

So as you can see, FMS is a rather complex condition, but with the right treatment approach, there is a good chance that we can work together to send your Fibromyalgia into remission too.

Photo caption: Clinical Nutrition pioneer, Dr. Murphree (right) presented Dr. Todd Austin of Austin Family Chiropractic in Virden, IL with his 'Advanced Clinical Nutrition' Certification at a recent seminar at Logan Chiropractic College in Chesterfield, MO. Austin just completed a series of seminars by Dr. Murphree.

Dr. Austin attends 2nd 'Advanced Clinical Nutrition' Seminar

2010-07-11T21:44:00.001-07:00

Dr. Todd Austin from Austin Family Chiropractic in Virden, IL recently attended a 2nd seminar on 'Advanced Clinical Nutrition'. The seminar mainly emphasized treating mood disorders such as anxiety, ADHD and depression using an all-natural approach.

Dr. Todd W. Austin from Austin Family Chiropractic in Virden, IL recently attended a weekend seminar at Logan College of Chiropractic in Chesterfield, Missouri on Advanced Clinical Nutrition. The seminar was presented by Dr. Rodger Murphree, DC, CNS. Dr. Murphree is the author of five books including one entitled “Treating and Beating Anxiety and Depression with Orthomolecular Medicine”. Murphree also writes for several leading health publications. Dr. Murphree was previously the past clinical director of a large multi-disciplinary integrated medical practice where he worked side by side with five medical doctors.

Dr. Murphree is thus recognized as a true pioneer in the growing field of orthomolecular medicine, a system where more emphasis is placed on vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids and botanical medicines (or herbs), than on the veritable plethora of commonly prescribed pharmaceutical drugs, most of which come with the possibility for potentially dangerous side effects.

This second seminar leading to an ‘Advanced Clinical Nutrition’ certification covered rheumatological disorders, psychiatric/mood disorders (with a special emphasis on anxiety, depression and ADHD), OB/GYN disorders and opthalmological disorders including macular degeneration. Natural clinically proven nutritional protocols for treating and beating these disorders were covered in detail.

Dr. Murphree has had over a decade of excellent results treating mild and moderate cases of both anxiety & depression with natural amino acid therapy. Austin has had many great results too, in the four short months that he has been using Murphree’s protocols. Austin Family Chiropractic now stocks Dr. Murphree’s line of supplements and amino acids, as well as his “Treating and Beating Anxiety & Depression” book.

Dr. Austin is a 1993 graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic. His practice is located at Austin Family Chiropractic on the West Side of the Square in Virden, IL. Austin has been a practicing Chiropractic Physician for 17 years. For more information about chiropractic or clinical nutrition or to schedule a free consultation call (217) 965-3100, send e-mail to draustin@royell.net or visit the clinic’s website at www.AFCvirden.com .

PHOTO CAPTION:
Virden, IL’s Dr. Todd Austin recently attended a seminar given by Clinical Nutrition pioneer, Dr. Rodger Murphree. The seminar covered natural management of anxiety and depression, along with many other conditions. Here, Dr. Austin displays Dr. Murphree’s book, “Treating and Beating Anxiety & Depression”, which is now available at Austin Family Chiropractic.

# # #

We are a Central IL wellness clinic offering chiropractic family care, as well as cold laser (or low level laser) therapy, massage therapy (relaxing or deep tissue), acupuncture (with or without needles), a clinical nutrition program & a quit smoking program which has a 70% success rate.

Fibromyalgia & What causes it - Todd W. Austin, D.C. Virden, IL

2010-07-05T07:42:00.000-07:00

FIBROMYALGIA

Fibromyalgia (aka Fibromyalgia Syndrome or FMS) can be a fairly nasty disease. It affects mainly women. Millions of Americans suffer from FMS, yet conventional medicine really has very little to offer these sufferers. The prescription drug Elavil does seem to offer very good short-term symptom relief for many patients, but one of it’s side effects is causing a rapid weight gain of 50 pounds or more (no that’s not a typo) over a 3 to 6 month period! Other than that, mainstream medicine’s major approach is just a combination of throwing other drugs at the FMS symptoms that don’t usually offer any long-term symptom relief along with trying to teach sufferers how to ‘cope’ with their FMS.

Fortunately for my patients, in the winter & spring of 2010, I attended a series of ‘Advanced Clinical Nutrition’ seminars by a doctor who has had phenomenal success treating FMS patients like YOU for over a decade now. I now use Dr. Rodger Murphree’s patient protocols for “Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia” as he says. I also carry his book on the subject as well as the line of nutritional supplements that he developed for his own patients.

As luck would have it, less than two weeks after I completed Dr. Murphree's seminars, I was blessed enough to start working with a lady who just relocated to the Virden, IL area. She came to my office for treatment of spinal misalignments (pinched nerves) in her neck and upper back. Much to my delight, her history revealed that she was a FORMER FMS SUFFERER ….. that is, until she started using Dr. Murphree’s protocols herself 4 years ago. Amazingly, she has had very little in the way of Fibromyalgia symptoms for nearly 4 years!

WHAT CAUSES FIBROMYALGIA - Here's how the condition known as FMS spirals out of control for most patients that are unlucky enough to get it.

1) Chronic stress disrupts the HPA axis*, thus leading to both a lowered pain threshold and chronic pain.
(HPA Axis – refers to the role of the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenals glands in making important hormones that the human body requires to function properly. An imbalance with this affects intercellular communication, resulting in the disruption of the body’s ability to maintain a normal state of equilibrium.)

2) Chronic pain then interferes with the normal sleep / wake cycle resulting in poor sleep.

3) Poor sleep results in decreased growth hormone production leading to an inability to repair damaged muscle fibers, poor memory, decreased immune system function, fatigue and even more pain.

4) More pain disrupts the sleep / wake cycle even more …. leading to a depletion of important stress-coping neurotransmitters including serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.

5) This reduction of serotonin causes higher than normal levels of substance P, which enhances pain receptors, creating even more pain.

6) Continued poor sleep and ongoing stress then causes even more fatigue, mood disorders such as anxiety or depression, irritable bowel syndrome, adrenal burnout, decreased DHEA levels, lowered resistance to stress and sometimes even abnormal thyroid function.

7) Decreased ability to cope with stress leads to even lower immune system function.

8) Decreased blood volume due to adrenal burnout leads to even more fatigue.

A future blog post will reveal my protocol for helping my patients that suffer from FMS.

I hope this info on FMS was helpful. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Me (on the left) and My Clinical Nutrition mentor, Dr. Rodger Murphree. I'm recieving my "Advanced Clinical Nutrition" certification for completing Dr. Murphree's course.

FOOT LEVELERS SPECIALS for JULY 2010!

2010-07-02T13:11:00.001-07:00

Happy Independence Day & great news!

FOOT LEVELERS orthotics (SPINAL PELVIC STABILIZERS) are on sale during the entire MONTH OF JULY. For first time orderers, any pair of stabilizers (for lace up shoes, loafers, or 1-2" heels) would be just $199 + tax ($211.44).

For reorders (anyone who has been scanned by our clinic's Associate Platinum Foot Scanner within the past 24 months and has ordered previously), the price this month is only $169 + tax ($179.56).

That's a savings up up to $47 for new orders and up to $79 for re-orders!

Dr. Todd Austin's ADHD Protocol

2010-06-23T20:50:00.000-07:00

1) Determine whether the patient's neurotransmitter levels are deficient via either lab tests or the brain function questionnaire (ie, are dopamine, norepinephrine and/or serotonin levels decreased?).

2) Specific chiropractic adjustments. From my years of clinical experience, I've seen that many ADHD kids have cervical and thoracic spine misalignments.

3) Get the patient off of sugar and high fructose corn syrup as much as possible, as well any 'junk' high glycemic carbohydrates. Unfortunately, public school breakfasts & lunches are a major problem here. Peanut butter (with sugar added) & jelly (with sugar added) on white bread is not healthy in any way, shape or form. Also, a bowl of "Lucky Charms" and a chocolate milk (full of high fructose corn syrup) is a huge 'no-no' too. Kids will need to give up (non-diet) soda too, except for rare special occasions. For more info, watch my "Evils of High Fructose Corn Syrup" video. The link to the HFCS video is found below.

4) Get the patient more sleep. A pre-teen (or younger) needs 11 hrs/night, whereas for a teenager, 10 hrs/night is acceptable.

5) Put the patient on 5-HTP (if needed) to promote deeper sleep.

6) Have the patient take a good optimal daily allowance (ODA) multivitamin/multimineral supplement.

7) Have the patient use a quality Children's Fish Oil supplement with good levels of 'DHA' Omega 3 fatty acids, which are key for
brain development and optimal brain function.

8) Have the patient take either 'BRAIN FOCUS' formula for improved mental clarity or SAMe to improve dopamine and or norepinephrine deficiencies.

9) Wean the patient off of prescription ADHD amphetamines (if the parents choose to go this route) in the summer months (as this usually takes 2 to 3 months). This is done during the summer as to not interfere with the students school grades.

************** RELATED LINKS *****************

BRAIN FUNCTION QUESTIONNAIRE - unabridged version

BRAIN FUNCTION QUESTIONNAIRE - abridged version

THE EVILS OF HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP

Dr. Austin attends Advanced Clinical Nutrition Seminar # 1 of 3.

2010-05-23T13:11:00.000-07:00

Dr. Todd Austin (right) from Austin Family Chiropractic in Virden recently attended a seminar given by Clinical Nutrition pioneer, Dr. Rodger Murphree.

I, Todd W. Austin, D.C. of Virden, recently attended a weekend seminar at Logan College of Chiropractic in Chesterfield, Missouri on Advanced Clinical Nutrition. The seminar was presented by Dr. Rodger Murphree, DC, CNS. Dr. Murphree is the author of five books including one on the subject of heart disease. Murphree also writes for several health publications. Dr. Murphree was also the founder and past director of a large multi-disciplinary integrated medical practice in Birmingham, AL.

Dr. Murphree is thus recognized as one of the pioneers in the growing field of orthomolecular medicine or functional medicine (where more emphasis is placed on vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids and herbs, than on the myriad of commonly prescribed drugs that all come with a plethora of potentially dangerous side effects. This first seminar in a series of seminars leading to an ‘Advanced Clinical Nutrition’ certification covered cardiovascular disorders and protocols (including common myths about cholesterol), dermatology, protocols for endocrine disorders including diabetes and hypothyroidism, gastrointestinal disorders and pulmonary disorders.

I am a 1993 graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic. I practice at Austin Family Chiropractic on the West Side of the Virden Square. I've been a practicing Chiropractic Physician for 17 years. For more information about chiropractic or clinical nutrition or to schedule a free consultation call (217) 965-3100.

3 of our Austin Family Chiropractic's cold laser devices receive FDA clearance for osteoarthritis of the hand!

2010-05-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

Just a note to let everyone know that 3 of our clinic's lasers, an LLLT (low level laser therapy or cold laser therapy) system that we've been using here at Austin Family Chiropractic in Virden, IL since July 2005 recently received their FDA clearance for treatment of (osteo)arthritis of the hand!

Of course, the lasers help all kinds of other symptoms too. It's just that technically we only have the government's blessing to promote them for the treatment of hand OA in any 'advertising'. From my nearly 5 years of clinical experience with them, I've seen them work great for many tough knee & shoulder issues (both acute & chronic) as well. The lowest powered of the three lasers, I've also used successfully for solving the pain and itching of poison ivy within minutes!

Welcome to the Austin Family Chiropractic blog!

2010-05-07T08:55:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Yes, Austin Family Chiropractic is now blogging.

We can also be found on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/Virden-IL/Austin-Family-Chiropractic/159566203393?success=1

Our new website URL is located at: www.AFCvirden.com

Our Green's First (weight loss system) URL is: www.greensfirst.com/5832 Please visit the site or stop by the office for free samples of these tasty meal replacement products.

Yours in health,

Todd W. Austin, D.C.
Eugena B. Austin, L.M.T.