"I almost lost my job... I had constant migraines."

"Before coming into Vital Force Clinic, I had constant migraines which kept me from living my life.  I also had back pain, shoulder pain, jaw clicking... I was a mess.  I almost lost my job because of how many days I was calling in sick.  I haven't taken a sick day from work since starting care.  Now I feel amazing!  The migraines are gone and other than an occasional headaches, I feel like a new person."  Cynthia C- Kirkwood, MO

It's always amazing to me the lengths people will go through to try and get their health back.  I understand why, we know what it used to feel like, and we want that back.  The unfortunate part is that some people often travel down the wrong road to get there.  The treatments for migraines are for symptoms, not getting to the cause.  Honestly I don't think many doctors even know the cause.  I'm here today to tell you it isn't bad luck, there is a cause, it is correctable, and its actually a simple concept to understand. 

The Cause:
Quoting from Healthline (an online health resource)--

"Migraine headaches are a bit of a mystery. Researchers have identified possible causes, but no definitive causes have been declared. Possible theories include:

• Central nervous system disorder. An underlying disorder may set off a migraine episode when the disorder is triggered.
• Vascular problem. Irregularities in the brain’s blood vessel system may cause migraines.
• Genes. Having a family member who experiences migraine headaches increases your risk for having migraines, so researchers suspect an inherited gene may cause migraines.
• Chemical abnormalities. Several types of brain chemicals and nerve pathways are active during a migraine headache. Abnormalities in any of these areas may cause migraine."

The cause really is a mystery to the medical profession.  We have figured out how to reattach limbs and visualize things on a molecular level but a very common problem like migraines, we just don't know the cause.  Or do we... The first theory is what I'm going to focus on.  It's what chiropractors do.  There is a word in chiropractic: Subluxation-- we could define it as "central nervous system disorder" but I'll be more specific.  There are highly mobile vertebrae in the neck, especially C1, that allow us to move our heads in multiple directions.  There are injuries that occur in our lives that cause a breakdown in the system that holds everything in place, these injuries could be a small thing like a slip on the sidewalk, or a big thing like a whiplash.  But the wrong force, in the wrong direction, at the wrong time can cause a subluxation, and for some people that can cause a lifetime of misery.  

 

When a subluxation is present, the bone doesn't move exactly as it was made to and that alone can cause pain.  But the bigger problem is what is going on in the central canal where the brainstem live.  The brainstem can be pulled and twisted ever so slightly causing dysfuntion not only in the head but in the whole body.  It is my theory that this dysfunction is the CAUSE of migraines. 

 

The other theories, my opinion is that they are a symptoms or an indirect cause.  

1. Vascular problems:  These definitely contribute to migraines but the nervous system controls the vascular system.  Therefore, this is a symptom or a consequence.

2. Genes:  I definitely see similar patterns of migraines in families in my practice.  But have you ever noticed how you sort of look like your mother?  Underlying bone structure similarities and asymmetries could predispose similar misalignment and symptoms.  So genes are more of a indirect cause because we are shaped like our parents.  

3.  Chemical abnormalities:  People definitely have migraine triggers.  Its a food or a situation that makes a migraine to come on.  But a trigger isn't a cause, there is an underlying problem that is lurking.  The trigger itself is a very outside-in approach.  Chiropractors look more for an inside-out approach.  "What is going on with me, inside me, that is making me more prone to migraines."

 

So in my opinion, most if not all migraines are caused by an underlying central nervous system disorder.  But the question is... do drugs fix this.  The answer is no.  Drugs only treat or mask the symptoms.  

 

Is it correctable?  

The short answer is YES!  Chiropractors have been helping people with migraines for over 100 years.  It's not magic and it's not Voodoo.  It's a scientific method of detecting and analyzing subluxation in the spine, and adjusting (realigning).  When the nervous system is clear of the interference, it's amazing what the body is capable of healing from.  Many of my patients no longer have any migraines, some have drastically reduced frequency and duration.  In my office I do a procedure called Blair Upper Cervical.  After a full history and exam,  I take very detailed x-rays and find that misalignment and the asymmetries in your spine.   After that we come up with a detailed health plan designed to correct the nerve system "disorder" and help you live life again.  We do this all without drugs and surgery.  

 

If you have questions about what I do and how I can help you, please reach out.  If you live outside the St. Louis area please find a practitioner through Blair or UpCSpine.  This care saved my life, get more information and start living yours again.  

Thanks for reading!  Dr. Beth Bagley

Need a St. Louis Chiropractor.  Call us at 314-596-4070 for a free consultation to find out if we can accept your case. 

Why is wheat making people sick?

Why is wheat making people sick?  I think about this a lot and I'm going to break down some of this.  There are a lot of theories out there, but overall many people feel better when they don't eat wheat.  I'm going to go over 3 theories of why this is happening and my opinion on it:  Wheat belly/leaky gut theory for sensitivity, Blood sugar regulation, and intestinal flora die-off.  Feel free to comment and let me know what you think, and if I missed something.


Wheat Belly/Leaky Gut:

I definitely think there is something to this theory, and most WOE (way of eating rather than saying diet) do something to help the intestinal flora.  But overall the theory is that the gut in injured by the gluten protein for some people.  This then causes the gut to "leak" nutrients and toxins into the blood stream and we can become hypersensitive (and our immune system sorta attacks us).  Overall what they recommend is avoiding wheat (sometimes all grains) and added probiotics (fermented foods or a pill).  Some WOEs that have helped people are Wheat Belly and GAPS (gut and psychology syndrome) and Paleo.

Blood Sugar Regulation:

Wheat is a carbohydrate.  So many people don't react well to carbohydrates.  Overall these diets restrict wheat, grains and sugars.  People tend to lose weight and get more energy by highly restricting carbohydrates, eating moderate protein, and higher amounts of health fats.  One fallacy is that some people overeat on the protein.  Too much protein actually does effect our blood sugars negatively.   The most famous of these WOEs is Atkins.  Paleo or Primal eating is a mixture of this and Grain Free but allows for fruit.  I absolutely think this works to help people lose wight and by default it restricts wheat, but since people may not realize that the grain restriction is what is making them feel better, when they cheat, they assume the blood sugar spike is what causes bloat, weight gain and feeling icky.  It actually could be their body reacting to wheat or grain product they eat.

Intestinal Flora Die-off Theory:

So some more research is going into what certain foods do to our intestinal Flora.  There are definitely some apposing views on this... Pro and Con.  The theory goes like this.  Some wheat is harvested a week or so after the entire field is sprayed with roundup (glyphosate) to kill the wheat so it can be harvested.  I don't think all farmers do this, but some do.  So very small amount of the herbicide roundup can be detected in the flour that is used to make the products.  When consumed the roundup will destroy some beneficial bacteria in the gut which changes the way our gut makes and digests certain nutrients.  This has a detrimental effect on the whole body.  There is no trendy diet with this theory other than avoiding any product or produce that has been sprayed with glyphosate.   

So i think there could be truth to all these theories.  This is why someone who doesn't have Celiac Disease still benefits from a wheat free diet.  In my opinion a more primal diet is better which avoids many grains.  Celiac disease is something different from these theories of sensitivity.  What do you think?  How do you feel when you are off wheat or all grains?  I know I feel better with less body pain, my energy goes up, my mind is sharper and I definitely don't have as much bloating in my gut.  Share your story in the comments.

Thanks for reading!
Dr. Bagley

Do you have a St. Louis Chiropractor?   Call us today if you are looking for help 314-596-4070

Our Patient Appreciation Day/ Kirk Care Food Pantry Food Drive....

was the biggest success all because, I have to brag, we have the best chiropractic patients in St. Louis.  Your Donations filled up an ENTIRE truck and the volunteers from Kirk Care were blown away.  Here are some fun pictures from that day!!

Barb (Dr. B's Mom) helped out in the front!

Liz Menedez donated her time to do Chair Massage... Ahhh so nice!

Just the beginning.... our patients were so generous!

Some of our fav's stopped by!

It's overflowing... so we started collecting outside.  Good thing the weather was nice.

Crisy and Dr. Bagley overjoyed with how much was given!

It really did fill up a truck.  Woo Hoo!

I'll be honest... this day was one of the top 10 days in my entire career.  I'm so proud of our office and what we have accomplished, I'm so proud to be your chiropractor.  Thank you so much for trusting me to help you on your health journey. 

Need a St. Louis Chiropractor?  Call us at 314-596-4070 today... we can help you!!

Why I don’t get the Flu shot

Yes I know this is a controversial topic.  And if you don’t know why it is a controversial topic you probably don’t know all the facts yet.  There are 4 main reasons I don’t get the flu shot and the last one is the most important.

1.  The ingredients are junk!  Formaldehyde, Aluminum and Mercury… Oh My!  There are more than just that but shouldn’t that be enough to stop us from getting this injected into our body?

2.  The side effects are real.  I don’t want to be a statistic and I certainly don’t want to be a guinea pig.  I don’t know how many people have told me through the years that they get sick after the flu shot.  I don’t believe the flu shot actually makes people contract that flu, but I do think it lowers the immune system enough that you no longer can fight off something you should have been able to fight. 

3.  Just this year I have witnessed 3 reactions.  I was at a health fair doing posture assessments and teaching people about chiropractic.  Right next to us was a Flu Shot Clinic, giving away flu shots as long as you had your insurance card with you.  Let me tell you, it took all of my willpower not to freak out, but I knew this wasn’t the time or the place.  Well one woman in her 80’s sat down to get the shot, and she had an immediate reaction and terrible headache in the back of her head.  The event location was able to give her an icepack but I don’t know if it helped.  I wonder what was happening.  Was it a coincidence?  Also 2 extended family members got their flu shots, and by the end of the day one had an excruciating headache and the other had a series of mini-strokes and spent 3 days in the hospital.  Another coincidence I’m sure. 

4.  All living things have a wonderful ability to heal.  Most of the Flu symptoms are actually the body’s way of fighting the infection.  Why do you think we get a fever?  A fever is the body’s amazing ability to raise the temperature with inhibits the viruses ability to replicate as fast and activates the immune response.  So why would I want to take a fever reducer?  In theory that could possibly prolong the actual illness.  I believe that my body has the ability to recover fully from the flu.   I know because I’m here today, and I’ve had many colds and flus and infections in my life, and I’ve recovered.

 But there has to be some action, I don’t want the flu and I don’t want the ineffective and damaging vaccine.  So here’s what I do and my family does to stay healthy especially during the colder months.   

-We maintain a healthy nervous system by getting checked by a doctor of chiropractic for nerve stress and adjusted if needed.  I cannot emphasize enough how important this is.

-We supplement Vitamin D.  My kids take 2500IU a day and my husband and I take 10,000IU daily in the low sunshine months (starting late September through March).   We also periodically get out vitamin D levels checked using a blood test (great vitamin D resource).

-We wash our hands with mild soap (NOT antibacterial soap), and moisturize with pure coconut oil.

-We eat a low sugar low grain diet.  I can’t say I’m perfect, but my family doesn’t eat that many grains and sugars which has a negative effect and health and immune functioning.  I can tell you from personal experience that I feel much better when I’m eating clean.

This is my opinion as a doctor and a mother.  Just do your research, don’t follow what I have to say or anyone or any pharmaceutical company has to say blindly.

Do you need a St. Louis Chiropractor? We are located in the Webster Groves and Kirkwood Missouri area and specialize in helping families stay well together.  Call us today 314-596-4070

1 Minute Meditation

Wow, is it hard for me to get 20 minutes let alone 5 minutes to myself to meditate.  First of all, I am so easily distracted.  One little noise or my kids in the other room doing something that they know they shouldn’t be doing, and my brain is not in the right place.  I definitely don’t make that time for myself but I know how good it is for me.  I’ve come up with a way to do a 1 minute meditation that has really helped me be present and calm.  It may not be “actual” meditation but for this busy working momma, it works.  Ok, here’s how I do it. 

Step One:  Find a place to sit, quiet is good but if you don’t have quiet, still do it.

Step Two: Sit up straight and comfortable.  (If it isn’t comfortable for you to sit up straight, you may need to get checked out by a Chiropractor, this should be easy to do). 

Step Three: Close your eyes and take a deep breath in and hold it for a 5 count and then release.  Try to focus the breath deep into your belly rather than into your upper chest.  (Hint: stick your gut out when you inhale).

Step Four: Take a second deep breath but this time as you hold it for the 5 count, tighten your muscles (core, arms, legs) about 20% of a full contraction.  Release it all.

Step Five: Take a third deep breath and contract your muscles to the point of shaking and release after 5 

seconds. 

Step Six: Focus on one thing you are grateful for.  If I am alone I will say out loud, “I am grateful for my healthy children.  Thank you God.” If I am not alone, I’ll just think it.  There are so many things to be grateful for… pick one! 

It’s really simple, literally only takes a minute.  I make time for this every day and I’m telling you it has made a difference.  You may not have 20 minutes to devote to self-reflection, but you know you are lying if you say you don’t have a minute.  Heck, you can do this at a stoplight (I recommend keeping your eyes open for that one though, LOL).

Yours in Health,

Dr. Beth

Need a St. Louis Chiropractor? Call us at 314-596-4070 to set up your free consultation.

Why Does Sugar Hate Me?

I definitely don’t hate sugar.  I compare myself to a drug addict when it comes to sugar.   They say that Oreos are more addictive than Heroin.  REALLY?  I know I have a tough time just eating one cookie or one piece of candy.  So what’s a girl to do?  What’s a doctor to do?  I have taken it to an extreme and I promise you this is not right for everyone.  I’ve gone cold turkey.  

Starting at the beginning of this year, 6 months ago, I embarked on my sugar free life.  At times it has made me miserable and also extremely proud of myself.  The more I have read about sugar, the more I realize how much it was killing me.   I’m 40 lbs down from my highest weight (I do exclude the bursting with twins weight from that which was higher).  The have been 3 major cheat days, where I fell off the wagon, since January.  Each of those times I very much regretted those days because I felt sick for at least 2 days after.  Again, this is not for everyone, but it’s working for me.  

The truth is, FAT DOESN’T MAKE US FAT!  I know that sounds ridiculous when you hear that at first.  Too much sugar pretty much the only thing that can make humans fat.  Now when I say sugar, I really mean carbohydrates.  Sugar is the sweet stuff which we all know is bad, but what a lot of people fail to realize is that any carbohydrate (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes) will affect your blood sugar almost the same way as a soda.  When your blood sugar goes up, and you don’t use that energy immediately, you are making fat.

So my continued plan, eat low carbohydrate and as clean as possible for the rest of my life.  You heard me right, this is not a diet for me, this is a way of eating.  Please comment below and tell me what your struggle is.

 

Yours in health,
Dr. Beth Bagley 

Need a St. Louis Chiropractor? If you have any questions or want more information call us at 314-596-4070 to schedule a private consultation with me.

Reducing Aluminum Exposure for your Family

This week I watched a documentary (The age of Aluminum) about something I already thought I knew about, Aluminum.  So I started questioning practice members in my office this week, “does anyone else know about aluminum.”  The short answer is NO.  The possible links that are being researched are a little scary.  Things like Alzheimers, brest cancer, and allergies are just some of them. 

1.  Antiperspirant-  aluminium zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly ,  aluminium zirconium trichlorohydrex gly, Aluminium chloride, aluminium chlorohydrate, and aluminium-zirconium are the most common types of aluminum in antiperspirants.  How they work is that the aluminum makes a bond with the electrolytes in the sweat and it forms a gel plug in the sweat gland duct.  The worry is that it is possible that aluminum in leaching into the surrounding tissues, especially breast tissue which it is closest to.  Research being done in vitro (out of the body) show that breast cells exposed to aluminum will grow tumors.  The aluminum lobby says, “this is bogus” but to me it sounds a lot like what the tobacco lobby used to say about lung cancer.  ALTERNATIVE: use deodorant (aluminum free) or magnesium oil.

2.  Vaccines- I know there is much controversy over vaccines and our health.   But one incontrovertible fact is that vaccines have aluminum in them as something called an adjuvant which “improves the immune response” of those who receive the vaccine.  Well here’s something I didn’t know before, aluminum hydroxide is used to MAKE animals allergic to things so we can study them.  So, to put it another way, when we inject these animals with aluminum, it makes them allergic to eggs, wheat, soy, or whatever they choose to introduce at the same time.  This Article is one example of this.  There is also some speculation into how vaccines can be related to dementia (read more on number 4).  ALTERNATIVE: don’t get vaccines..

3.  Cookware-  My grandfather used to tell my mother, never let something sit too long in an aluminum pot.  He was sort of ahead of his time, a chiropractor and in love with health knowledge.   Tons of cookware is made with aluminum.  Probably not such a great idea now that we know that aluminum is toxic.  I think of it similarly to pewter.  People used to get lead poisoning from using pewter for cooking, now it is made with tin instead of lead, so it goes to show that metal can leach out of cookware.  ALTERNATIVE: Stainless steel or Cast Iron, also avoiding cooking with aluminum foil and whenever possible buy your beverages in glass bottles.

4.  Antacids-  Some antacids are made with aluminum like Gaviscon.  Check out these side effects.  Aluminum toxicity is a real problem.  Some people cannot process it as well as others and it has been related to Alzheimer’s (or Alzheimer’s like symptoms) and even Autism spectrum disorder.  Aluminum is classified in this article as an excitotoxin (meaning exciting neurons to death).  ALTERNATIVE: a different antacid whose ingredients don’t have aluminum like Tums or changing your eating habits to include less or no sugar and low carbohydrate/high protein and fat drastically reduces or eliminates heartburn (this is very true for me).

5.  Baking Powder- Who would have thought something as simple as baking powder lurking in our pantry could increase our exposure to aluminum.  In normal baking powder one of the ingredients is sodium aluminum sulfate.  ALTERNATIVE: Aluminum-free baking powder, it is sold in most grocery stores now. 

 

So those are the 5 ways my family avoids aluminum toxicity.  I’m sure we all still have some exposure like from eating out at restaurants and things we may not be able to control.  But in general, we follow the alternatives listed above and I’m hoping that my kids will have reduced chance of sickness as they get older.

Yours in health, Dr. Beth Bagley
Need a St. Louis Chiropractor? If you have any questions or want more information call us at 314-596-4070 to schedule a private consultation with me.