Natural Sports Medicine Blog

Friday, June 15, 2012

Graston Technique®, ASTYM, FAKTR, SASTM, Gua Sha | Experience Matters

By Miami Beach Chiropractor - Chiropractic Sports Medicine Specialist Dr. Todd Narson

Graston Technique®, ASTYM, FAKTR, SASTM, Gua Sha and others are all forms of IASTM (Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization). The purpose of which is to break down scar tissue and adhesions that are causing multi-layered soft tissue restriction and adversely affecting the dynamic function of the underlying muscles, tendons, fascia, ligaments, etc. There are some minor difference between the techniques however ultimately, all are effective. However effectiveness doesn't depend so much on the original coursework or specific technique, but the experience of the practitioner.

One thing I want to "get off my chest" is that Graston Technique® & ASTYM aren't new techniques. Your doctor or therapist may have just learned it and is all excited about it, but these techniques have been around for over 20 years with the original research being done at Ball State University. Gua Sha dates back to the 5th &; 7th centuries( roughly 700-BC to 500-AD). FAKTR & SASTM have been around since the mid to early 2000s.

Another thing is that IASTM techniques are not simply the use of instruments to loosen or remove adhesions, but it’s the follow up treatment, stretching, therapies, rehab & anti-inflammatory nutrition that completes the techniques. Otherwise, you're simply doing Gua-Sha/Instrument Massage.

Having become certified in Graston Technique® M1 & M2 in 2002 and several years ago, trained in FAKTR-PM (now known simply as FAKTR), 10 years of the last 20 years using IASTM full time in my practice, weekend excursions as a member of the sports medicine team at local sporting events, a 10 day rotation at the 2006 Central American & All Caribbean Games and at the 2011 Pan American Games, all gives me a unique experience and perspective in the practical application of IASTM. You’ll find many others with varied but similar experience.

Some of the most important factors for providing good IASTM are:

1. A good physical exam

2. Sports specific examination of their injury

3. Creativity -Thinking outside the box (and sometimes outside the walls of your clinic)

US Patient Pending-N6 Narson Body Mechanic

As a result of my experience with Graston Technique®, FAKTR and IASTM in general, I developed my own instrument design known as the Narson Body Mechanic N6. The design is now patented in Canada and we are currently “patent pending” here in the US and expecting the patent within the next few months. The reason I designed this instrument was out of my constant need to be more efficient. The design affords me the ability to carry all of the most useful IASTM instruments with me in one convenient tool. No longer do I have to carry a kit of tools with me. No longer do I have to clean multiple instruments between patients. I have everything in one hand at all times. I’ve added a non-slip gripping surface which reduces tool slippage and reduces finger/hand fatigue which, the longer you do IASTM with real stainless steel instruments, you’ll come to appreciate. The other thing most of us in the USA can appreciate is that it’s the only “multi-tool” for IASTM that is made from 100% U.S. steel and made 100% by hand right here in the U.S.A.

But when it comes to giving effective IASTM, the most important thing to remember is after a good base education, it’s the wealth of experience along with the doctor’s (or therapist) ability to be creative. From my experience, it's thinking outside the box that matters most. Couple that with a good nutrition plan, rehab and anti-inflammatory therapies and the results will astound you. It’s very possible with IASTM to take long time chronic injuries-treat them with IASTM and have the athlete back out playing the same day or the next day.

This year I have helped 2 triathletes get back into their training to complete in their first Ironman triathlon, 3 people are back training to complete 26.2 distance marathons, 10 people back into running half marathons, 70.3 distance Half Ironman, and dozens back to competing in sprint and Olympic distance triathlons. Those are just the athlete patients.

Often you’ll find me at the pool, the track or simply running on the sidewalk with a patient working with them while they do their sport. For me, it’s sometimes the only way to resolve an athlete’s problem. Just like anything else in life, experience matters. Even with IASTM.

'nuff said

Dr. T

© 2012 Todd M. Narson, DC, DACBSP, ICSSD

Dr. Narson is a 2-term past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association’s Council on Sports Injuries, Physical Fitness & Rehabilitation and was honored as the recipient of the coveted Chiropractic Sports Physician of the Year Award in 1999-2000. He practices in Miami Beach, Florida at the Miami Beach Family & Sports Chiropractic Center; A Facility for Natural Sports Medicine.

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Monday, June 11, 2012

Sports Injury? Try A Sports Specific Exam

So, you’re an athletes and you get this annoying pain when you’re working out or playing your game. You go to the doctor and-nothing! No matter what test the doctor does, it doesn't seem to reproduce the pain. It’s just like when you take your car to the mechanic and it suddenly stops making that ‘noise’ - Now what?

Athletes and those of us trying to be athletes and training our way back into shape are doing something not often seen in a typical doctor’s office - that being "moving around". Most examinations are done statically. In other words, you sit on the exam table and the doctor does stuff to you to try an provoke your symptoms. This classic, tried and true exam technique may be great for your typical patient, however often fails to uncover the nature of a sports injury or athletic relating training injury. Why? Because the system isn’t being stressed the same way.

Shoulder evaluation following MMA Injury

Being a triathlete myself, I often see patients who complain of injuries from training. The dilemma is that many of these aches and pains don’t come out until they are 3, 5 or 10 miles into their training. So how do you examine something properly and efficiently if you can’t provoke the patient’s symptoms? You get out of your office and into their training environment. It’s the only way.

I have triathletes and cyclists bring in their bikes and we set them up on the indoor trainer and start them pedaling. I have runners come dressed to run and we take them outside to assess their run. With enough resistance bands and balls and balance pads in the office, I can re-create many if not most sporting environments. For those I cannot duplicate, we go to their home turf with all my exam tools in hand. If their symptoms aren't provoked until a considerable amount of time or distance, then I’ll have them workout until they’re at about at that point, at which time I show up, evaluate their biomechanics, take pictures or shoot video and once the pain shows up, it’s work time.

Assessing Achilles Pain Following Tennis Match

Does your pain only show up on when following through on a serve? Or when cocking your arm back or accelerating as you’re about to throw a ball? How about when you are at the heel strike or toe off phase of running? Maybe it’s half-way through the club acceleration on your golf swing? How about shoulder pain at the entry or late recovery phase of freestyle swimming? Or does your pain hurt simply when gripping a racquet or gasping a doorknob? Maybe it’s simply painful after you’ve been sitting at your desk working on the computer for a few hours? Each scenario provides its own set of clues and requires its own special set of circumstances to properly evaluate it.

One more thing. The sports specific exam doesn't replace the classic physical exam, it's in addition to it. Sports specific exams are the foundation of what I do and will be the staple of any good sports physician "tool box".

If you or your team are looking for a well trained, board certified chiropractic sports physician, I suggest starting your search at the source. The American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians is the academic and credentialing organization for those who hold the basic CCSP (certified chiropractic sports physician) credential, or the sports medicine specialist DACBSP (Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians) certification. The ACBSP requires years continuing education specifically in sports medicine and related topics, maintaining a healthcare level CPR card and confirmation of continuing hours of on field sports medicine work. You can start your search for a great sports physician by clicking here

Train Smart-Play Hard

Dr. Todd M. Narson
Diplomate of the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians

© 2012 Todd M. Narson, DC, DACBSP, ICSSD

Dr. Narson is a 2-term past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association’s Council on Sports Injuries, Physical Fitness & Rehabilitation and was honored as the recipient of the coveted Chiropractic Sports Physician of the Year Award in 1999-2000. He practices in Miami Beach, Florida at the Miami Beach Family & Sports Chiropractic Center; A Facility for Natural Sports Medicine. www.NaturalSportsMedicine.com

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Says Chiropractic Before Spine Surgery

Posted by Miami Beach Chiropractor - Dr Todd Narson

Chiropractic Before Spine Surgery for Chronic LBP

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Health Plan mandates conservative care before considering surgery for chronic LBP cases.

By Peter W. Crownfield, Executive Editor

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Health Plan, a health maintenance organization affiliated with the university's School of Medicine, has adopted landmark guidelines for the management of chronic low back pain. As of Jan. 1, 2012, candidates for spine surgery must receive "prior authorization to determine medical necessity," which includes verification that the patient has "tried and failed a 3-month course of conservative management that included physical therapy, chiropractic therapy, and medication." Surgery candidates also must be graduates of the plan's LBP health coaching program. The program features a Web-based decision-making tool designed to help plan members "understand the pros and cons of surgery and high-tech radiology." It is the first reported implementation of such a policy by a health care plan.

Putting a Clamp on the Soaring Rates of Spine Surgery

According to the December 2011 issue of the UPMC Health Plan Physician Partner Update, which informed participating providers of the new guidelines and the rationale for their implementation, "We feel strongly that this clinical initiative will improve the quality of care for members who are considering low back surgery, and that it will facilitate their involvement in the decision-making process." The update also noted, "Surgical procedures for low back surgery performed without prior authorization will not be reimbursed at either the specialist or the hospital level."

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, the UPMC Health Plan covers insureds in 15 counties in western Pennsylvania. The plan integrates 20 hospitals, 400 doctors' offices and outpatient sites.

Chiropractic Services: What the UPMC Health Plan Covers

"It is the policy of UPMC Health Plan to recognize chiropractic services and adjunctive procedures as appropriate and consistent with good medical practice and will provide coverage when the services are medically necessary and covered by the member's benefit plan for the specific indications detailed in this policy. Coverage is limited to medically necessary services provided by a licensed doctor of chiropractic, within the scope of his/her license."

"Covered chiropractic services include evaluation and management, manipulation, spinal X-rays, therapeutic exercise, and adjunctive procedures that are appropriate and medically necessary for neuromusculoskeletal conditions. ... Indications for Chiropractic Services: Indicated for primary, neuro-musculoskeletal symptoms involving the spine, para-spinal soft tissues, and extremities. Indications for Manipulation: Manipulation is appropriate to restore function that has been reduced or lost by illness or injury. Indications for Adjunctive Procedures: Adjunctive procedures are appropriate to restore function and prevent disability following injury. Indications for Therapeutic Exercise: Indicated for improvement or to restore functional status by building strength, endurance and flexibility of the affected region."

A Conservative Strategy for Managing Chronic LBP
• PCP discussion related to self-care consisting of rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE)
• Screening for psychosocial factors or "yellow flags" and incorporate behavioral interventions as appropriate with other treatment interventions
• Education on self-management techniques – functional ability assessment and education on return to work / usual activity and function
• Enrollment and graduation from UPMC Health Plan Health Coach's Low Back Pain Program (mandatory) which may also include participation in other programs such as weight loss, physical activity, tobacco cessation, depression and/or stress
• Early referral to chiropractor or physical therapist, but before advanced imaging, for manipulation/mobilization; stabilization exercises; directional preference strategies – member and/or provider movements that abolish or cause centralization of pain (McKenzie self-treatment repeated movements that centralize pain)
• Detailed documentation of extent and response to conservative treatment including chiropractor/physical therapy documentation
SOURCE: UPMC Health Plan Policy and Procedure Manual, October 2011: Surgical Management of Low Back Pain (partial list of considerations prior to spine surgery to determine medical necessity). Complete policy available at:www.upmchealthplan.com/pdf/PandP/MP.043.pdf.

This article has been reposted from Dynamic Chiropractic: The original article can be found by clicking here

Saturday, May 19, 2012

High Fructose Corn Syrup - Making You Stupid???

by Miami Beach Chiropractor & Chiropractic Sports Medicine Specialist-Dr. Todd Narson

Over the past several years I've commented and written about the dangers of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). I've had other bloggers write to me telling me of their being strong armed into removing their posts about the evils of HFCS. On at least 2 occasions I've dedicated full blog articles on the topics, countering their TV ads to try to brainwash the public into thinking HFCS is anything close to being natural.

Somewhere along the way while on my never ending path to nutritional learning, I've realized that ALL sugar that is consumed in anything other than the natural fruit it came from it toxic to your body. That being said, I believe that HFCS is worse. New studies out of UCLA support the facts that HFCS is just not something that you should consume. Not only does it adversely affect your blood sugar and insulin resistance, but the studies out of UCLA basically state that it makes you stupid.

But, I'll let you decide for yourself. Click here to read about the studies out of the University of California Los Angeles/UCLA and make your own decision. But just remember, if it's not in the form by which it grows in nature, if it's not plainly recognizable, if it has ingredients you don't easily understand then seriously consider not eating it.

Someone please tell me where in nature High Fructose Corn Syrup exists naturally as HFCS???

You can't because it doesn't.

No matter how they spin it, HFCS is not natural.

Nor is the corn they make it from.

'nuff said

Dr. T

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Conservative Care Beats Medication For Neck Pain

Posted by Miami Beach Chiropractor - Dr Todd Narson

A study published in the Jan. 3, 2012 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine and widely reported by mainstream media suggests conservative care consisting of either spinal manipulation or home exercise is more effective than over-the-counter and prescription medication for relieving acute and subacute neck pain. Spinal manipulative therapy was more effective than medication in both the short and long term, as was home exercise in the form of self-mobilization of the neck and shoulder joints – a point media outlets were quick to emphasize in a classic attempt to downplay the value of the chiropractic intervention.

The study, conducted by Northwestern Health Sciences University under the direction of NHSU Vice President of Research, Dr. Gert Bronfort, and Dean of Research, Dr. Roni Evans, involved 272 adults ages 18-65 with nonspecific mechanical neck pain of two to 12 weeks' duration. Participants were recruited from a university research center and a pain management clinic in Minnesota. Other inclusion criteria included pain equivalent to grade I or grade II according to the Bone and Joint Decade's Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders; and neck pain score of 3 or greater on a 0-10 scale. Exclusion criteria included cervical spine instability, fracture, neck pain referred from peripheral joints or viscera, progressive neurologic deficits, diffuse idiopathic hyperostosis, inflammatory or destructive changes of the cervical spine, previous cervical spine surgery, and blood-clotting disorders, among other criteria.

Subjects were randomized at their second baseline appointment to one of three groups for 12 weeks:

A spinal manipulative therapy group, which received "manipulation of areas of the spine with segmental hypomobility by using diversified techniques, including low-amplitude spinal adjustments ... and mobilization." According to the study, six chiropractors, each with at least five years' experience, provided treatment, with the specific spinal level to be treated and the number of treatments rendered left to the discretion of the individual chiropractor.
A home exercise advice group, "with advice provided [by six therapists] in two 1-hour sessions one to two weeks apart. Recommended mobilization exercises included "neck retraction, extension, flexion, rotation, lateral bending motions, and scapular retraction, with no resistance." Participants received a booklet and laminated cards of prescribed exercises, and were advised to perform 5-10 repetitions of each exercise six to eight times daily.
A medication group monitored by a licensed medical physician, with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen, or both serving as the first line of pharmacological therapy. With patients who did not respond to or could not tolerate these drugs, narcotic medications and muscle relaxants were prescribed. With each patient, the MD determined the type of medication administered and the number of patient visits.

Self-reported outcomes, including pain, were measured six times during the 12-week treatment period in all three groups: at both baseline appointments; two, four, eight and 12 weeks after randomization; and on two occasions post-treatment (weeks 26 and 52). Objective measures of cervical spine motion were measured at four and 12 weeks by seven trained examiners blinded to treatment assignment.
Of the 272 participants, essentially equally assigned to the three treatment groups (91 SMT, 91 home exercise and 90 medication), "improvement in participant-rated pain significantly differed with SMT compared with medication at 12 weeks ... and in longitudinal analyses that incorporated pain ratings every two weeks from baseline to 12 weeks. At 12 weeks, a significantly higher proportion of the SMT group experienced reductions of pain of at least 50% [compared to the medication group]. Differences in participant-related pain improvement between the SMT and [home exercise] groups were smaller and not statistically significant."

Specifically, at week 12, more than 82 percent of the SMT group reported a 50 percent or greater reduction in pain; 57 percent reported at least a 75 percent reduction and 32 percent reported a 100 percent reduction. By comparison, the home exercise group reported pain reductions of 77 percent, 48 percent and 30 percent, respectively, while the medication group reported reductions of only 69 percent, 33 percent and 13 percent.

In terms of long-term improvement, 75 percent of the SMT group reported at least a 50 percent reduction in pain after 26 weeks, while nearly 81 percent reported at least a 50 percent reduction at 52 weeks. At 26 and 52 weeks, 71 percent and 69 percent of the home exercise group, respectively, reported at least a 50 percent reduction in pain. In long-term follow-up, the medication group's improvement fluctuated from 59 percent reporting pain reduction of 50 percent or more at 26 weeks to 69 percent reporting the same reduction at 52 weeks.

"Spinal manipulation therapy and [home exercise advice] led to similar short- and long-term outcomes," stated the authors, "but participants who received medication seemed to fare worse, with a consistently higher use of pain medications for neck pain throughout the trial's observational period."

Source: This article was reprinted from Dynamic Chiropractic Vol 30 No. 4, by Peter W Crownfield. Bronfort G, Evans R Anderson AV, Svendsen KH, Bracha Y, Grimm RH. Spinal manipulation, medication or home exercise with advice for acute and subacute neck pain: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med, Jan. 3, 2012;156(1 Pt 1):1-10

In our office we offer a wide range of spinal manipulation options, physiotherapy and rehabilitation exercise programs for neck and back pain as well as for other areas such as shoulder/rotator cuff pain, tennis or golfer's elbow, swimmer's shoulder, I.T. band syndrome, ankle sprains, plantar fascitis, knee pain and more. Combining all conservative approaches described above to help solve a multitude of problems is just our way of doing things...

'nuff said

Dr Narson

Dr. Narson is a 2-term past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association’s Council on Sports Injuries, Physical Fitness & Rehabilitation and was honored as the recipient of the coveted Chiropractic Sports Physician of the Year Award in 1999-2000. He practices in Miami Beach, Florida at the Miami Beach Family & Sports Chiropractic Center; A Facility for Natural Sports Medicine.

#chiropractormiamibeach #MiamiBeachChiropractor #SportsInjuriesFixedHere #DrNarson #TriDoc #TriathlonDoc #ChiropracticSportsMedicine #ACASC #SportsMedicine #SportsChiropractor #MiamiBeachSportsMedicine #SportsMedicineMiami #MiamiSportsMedicine #MiamiChiropractor #Triathlon #Running #Ironman #IFixPeopleInPain #TrainWithoutPain #MiamiBeachChiropractor #GrastonTechnique #FAKTR #IASTM #Chiropractor #FootPain #Narson #NarsonBodyMechanic #NarsonTool #DACBSP #CCSP #ACBSP #BackPain #NeckPain #ShoulderPain #RotatorCuff #ITBandSyndrome #runnersKnee #PlantarFasciitis #Plantarfascitis #AchillesTendonitis #AchillesTendonosis #GettingAthletesBackInTheGame #MiamiBeachChiropractor #MiamiSportsMedicine #MiamiBeachSportsMedicine #WeFixPeopleInPain #TrainWithoutPain #ChiropracticSportsMedicine #ACASC #ProSportChiropractic #FunctionalMedicineMiami #DrNarson #BackPainRelief #NeckPainRelief #SportsInjuriesFixedHere #LaserTherapy #RockTape #KinesioTape #KTTape #Nutrition #21DayPurificationProgram #DetoxProgram #PaleoDiet #PaleoDoc #FunctionalNutrition #Chirooractor #Chiropractic #ChiropracticPhysician #DoctorOfChiropractic

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

3 Easy Steps To Fix Bad Posture

By Miami Beach Chiropractic Sports Physician - Dr. Todd Narson

As you can imagine, one of the most popular questions I get asked nowadays is "what can I do to correct my posture???". Or... "what can I wear to straighten out my posture??"

The technical term for bad posture is "Upper Crossed Syndrome" and was first identified by Vladimir Janda, MD. He identified specific patterns of over-facilitated (very tight) and under-facilitated (over stretched) muscles.

This bad posture comes from a long drawn out process that can and often includes:
1. Prolonged computer use
2. Chronic Texting on your Iphone or Blackberry or other PDA
3. Sitting at a desk for years and years at your job
4. Reading with the book on your lap and your head hanging down
5. Kids/teenagers gaming for prolonged periods

I think you get the idea...

Upper crossed syndrome bad posture can and does cause you to experience neck pain, headaches, upper back pain, radiating pain and more. Not too different from the same symptoms you'd feel with Whiplash. It just occurs slowly over a long period of time...AND you can correct it. But correcting it also takes a long period of time.

Now posture support devices are good, but you can correct this with a few easy stretches and exercises and this is the focus of today's blog. I recorded this video for my patients so they can access it to review what we've gone over in the office and now I offer it up for you too.

These are quick, easy stretches and exercises to be done 3 (or more) times per day. Plan on doing them for 6-12 months or more depending on how bad your posture is. If you do have pain associated with the bad posture, get it evaluated by someone like myself.

Enjoy the video and please pass it on.

Dr. Narson is a 2-term past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association’s Council on Sports Injuries, Physical Fitness & Rehabilitation and was honored as the recipient of the coveted Chiropractic Sports Physician of the Year Award in 1999-2000. He practices in Miami Beach, Florida at the Miami Beach Family & Sports Chiropractic Center; A Facility for Natural Sports Medicine.

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Friday, March 16, 2012

Poking Holes Through The New Harvard "Red Meat Is Bad For You" Study

By Miami Beach Chiropractor | Chiropractic Sports Medicine Specialist: Dr. Todd Narson

"Beef is beef and carrots are carrots, right? Wrong grasshopper. Whether your food is animal, vegetable, plant, fish, or fruit, where a food comes from, how it's raised (or grown), what it ate (or was fed), what soil it was grown on (or grazed on), how it is processed, prepared, and cooked (or not cooked) is vitally important to its nutritional content and absolutely central to its effect on your health".

Jonny Bowden, PhD

This is one of my favorite quotes on food. It's from Johnny Bowden, PhD, CNS and can be found on page 196 of his book The 150 Healthiest Foods On Earth. It's a quote I use when I do nutrition lectures and workshops. It's something I ask people to re-read and really think about. The bottom line of what Dr. Bowden is trying to say is that it really does matter what kind of food your food eats.

Grain-fed beef and grass-fed beef have much different biochemical profiles. With exception of the past 60 years, homosapiens (that's us) have been eating naturally raised animal protein that made up about 50% of our caloric intake. This includes naturally grazing cattle, chickens and other poultry pecking away in the fields for bugs, worms, seeds, larvae, wild fish and other wild game. The other 50% of our diets consisted of huge amounts of plant food (fruit, veggies, nuts and seeds).

But all these foods ate what I like to call their "natural evolutionary diet". Others refer to it as their ancestral diet. Think of it this way. Everyone knows that if we eat badly, we get sick. Whether it's cancer, diabetes, heart disease or some other malady, eat bad and bad stuff happens to our physiology. The same holds true for the animals and plants that we eat.

Grass fed beef is higher in ALL nutritional categories that it's biochemically altered cousin. Eating grains significantly alters their fatty acid composition (you've heard of Omega-3, Omega-6 & Omega-9 fatty acids???). When cattle eat grass, it enhances their Omega-3 content by 60%. There is an incredible amount of research that shows Omega-3 reduces inflammation and helps prevent certain chronic diseases such as heart disease. As a matter fact, some authors have even suggested that the inflammation at the cellular level is responsible for the genesis of disease itself.

Our caveman ancestors' diet consisted of somewhere between 1-to-1 and 4-to-1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3. The Standard American Diet (let's call it SAD for short) is estimated at 25-to-1 omega 6 to omega 3. It's this imbalance in fatty acids that puts us in a disease state and gets us sick. Why? Because Omega fatty acid balance is crucial to your body's ability to fight inflammation. If inflammation at the cellular level is thought to be responsible for the genesis of disease, the anything that throws off your omega fatty acid balance it a big problem.

Grassfed cows also produce another gem of a nutrient called CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid). CLA has long investigated for its anticancer & tumor fighting activity and it's ability to reduce the accumulation of fat around the abdomen. CLA comes from the meat and milk of grass-fed cows.

Grain fed beef(they only know it as "beef"), the kind used in the Harvard study has only 1/4 of the amount of vitamin-E as a grass-fed cow. It has 1/8 as much beta-carotene as a grass-fed cow. Grain-fed cows have only 1/3 the amount of omega fatty acids that grass-fed cows have and the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 and as a result of their grain-fed diet, produce far too much of the pro-inflammatory omega-6 and much less of the anti-inflammatory omega-3. As I noted above, the Standard America Diet (SAD) is already tilted 25:1 in the wrong direction, eating grain-fed beef pushed it even further in the wrong direction. Where there's more inflammation, there's more disease. When you feed a cow grain, the production of CLA drastically drops. As Dr. Bowden reports "in animal studies, as little as 0.5 of 1% CLA in the diet has reduced tumor burden by more than 50%.

We could go further and look into life-style and other factors as well. But when talking about beef...beef simply isn't just beef. While I'm on the subject, you should know there are people trying to trick you with organic and grass-fed terms as well. So, let me clear it up now.

Organic beef simply means that the feed the cattle ate was organic. If they're fed organic grains, then the cow is "organically unhealthy". If it is an organic pasture where the cows eat their grass, then that's the healthiest.

When I look for beef, I ask a couple questions:

1. Is the beef grass-fed or grain fed
2. Is the beef grass-fed and grass finished?

Ultimately, you want to eat the beef from a cow that's eating grass all it's life. Be careful of beef farmers that raise their cattle on grain and finish them for 1-3 months on grass, or do the opposite. I've seen and heard of both. Bottom line, grain gets cows sick. If you want to get sick, eat beef from a sick cow.

So, it's not to far fetched to think that people that ate a lot of conventionally raised beef that ate grain all their life had an ill effect on their life; reducing both quality and longevity. But just like cows didn't evolve to eat grain, we didn't evolve to eat grain-fed cows. For 13 years I didn't eat beef. Then after I started studying nutrition I learned of the big biochemical differences between conventional beef and grass-fed beef. I had a food epiphany and then in 2009 I took my first bite again and haven't looked back. I don't eat it every day, but once per week. I rotate my sources of animal protein throughout the week, including free range chicken, turkey, lamb and wild fish. I eat lots of veggies and start off most of my days with fruit, some days with farm fresh free range eggs. When you eat outside of the evolutionary diet that humans evolved over millions of years eating, we get sick, diseased and die early.

Why do I know humans are supposed to eat meat? Because if were were solely vegans, we would not have survived evolution. Why do I know humans are supposed to eat veggies, fruits, nuts and seeds? Because in the context of evolution, it was our ability to eat both animals, fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds that ensured our survival through evolution. We are omnivores.

Oh, and to those vegans that point to the gorilla or elephant and say "look how big and strong they are and they only eat plants"... I say, that's because they have a different physiology than we do and their system processes foods differently. Sorry, that's just the way it is-even if you don't like it. That being said, I do believe it is possible, with supplementation and things like nutritional yeast, to be a healthy and successful vegan. My personal beliefs based on my studying is that we are truly omnivores and the best thing for us is a dietary mix of plants and animal.

Finally I'll finish with this...Remember in the 50's they came out with artificial fats called margarine and said to replace your butter with this new stuff called margarine (aka: Trans Fat). The government and all their food scientists jumped on board and came up with the original USDA food pyramid. Well, they caused more heart disease and death because of their "science" than any other diet recommendation known to man. Remember, you have to make sure the science is real and it makes sense. Just because a study says one thing doesn't necessarily mean it's true.

You have to figure out why they got the answers they got and see if it makes sense.

Now, go fire up the grill and slap on a nice lifelong grass-fed steak. Just makes sure the veggies on your plate take up 2/3 of the plate and the meat only 1/3.

To find out more about my nutrition program and workshop, visit: www.21daypurificationprogram.com

If you want to get some good, healthy beef (and other meats) that are raised and fed in line with their natural evolutionary diet, I recommend the following:

US Wellness Meats - www.grasslandbeef.com/
Florida Fresh Meat Co. - www.floridafreshmeat.com

And if you live in Miami, FL want to get your natural meats along with great produce, farm fresh eggs from free range hens go visit my friend Cindy Hill at The Wholesome Grocer: http://www.wholesomegrocer.com/

'nuff said.

Dr. T