History of Easter

Dr. Reddick here…..

Easter, the principal festival of the Christian church year, celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his Crucifixion. The origins of Easter date to the beginnings of Christianity, and it is probably the oldest Christian observance after the Sabbath (observed on Saturday). Later, the Sabbath subsequently came to be regarded as the weekly celebration of the Resurrection.
Meanwhile, many of the cultural historians find, in the celebration of Easter, a convergence of the three traditions – Pagan, Hebrew and Christian.

According to St. Bede, an English historian of the early 8th century, Easter owes its origin to the old Teutonic mythology. It was derived from the name Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, to whom the month of April was dedicated. The festival of Eostre was celebrated at the vernal equinox, when the day and night gets an equal share of the day.

The English name “Easter” is much newer. When the early English Christians wanted others to accept Christianity, they decided to use the name Easter for this holiday so that it would match the name of the old spring celebration. This made it more comfortable for other people to accept Christianity.

But it is pointed out by some that the Easter festival, as celebrated today, is related with the Hebrew tradition, the Jewish Passover. This is being celebrated during Nisan, the first month of the Hebrew lunar year. The Jewish Passover under Moses commemorates Israel’s deliverance from about 300 years of bondage in Egypt.

It was in during this Passover in 30 AD Christ was crucified under the order of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate as the then Jewish high priests accused Jesus of “blasphemy”. The resurrection came three days later, on the Easter Sunday. The early Christians, many of them being brought up in Jewish tradition regarded Easter as a new feature of the Pascha (Passover). It was observed in memory of the advent of the Messiah, as foretold by the prophets. And it is equanimous with the proclamation of the resurrection. Thus the early Christian Passover turned out to be a unitive celebration in memory of the passion-death-resurrection of Jesus. However, by the 4th century, Good Friday came to be observed as a separate occasion. And the Pascha Sunday had been devoted exclusively to the honor of the glorious resurrection.

Throughout the Christendom the Sunday of Pascha had become a holiday to honor Christ. At the same time many of the pagan spring rites came to be a part of its celebration. May be it was the increasing number of new converts who could not totally break free of the influence of pagan culture of their forefathers.

But despite all the influence there was an important shift in the spirit. No more glorification of the physical return of the Sun God. Instead the emphasis was shifted to the Sun of Righteousness who had won banishing the horrors of death for ever.

The Feast of Easter was well established by the second century. But there had been dispute over the exact date of the Easter observance between the Eastern and Western Churches. The East wanted to have it on a weekday because early Christians observed Passover every year on the 14th of Nisan, the month based on the lunar calendar. But, the West wanted that Easter should always be a Sunday regardless of the date.

To solve this problem the emperor Constantine called the Council of Nicaea in 325. The question of the date of Easter was one of its main concerns. The council decided that Easter should fall on Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox. But fixing up the date of the Equinox was still a problem. The Alexandrians, noted for their rich knowledge in astronomical calculations were given the task. And March 21 was made out to be the perfect date for spring equinox.

The dating of Easter today follows the same. Accordingly, churches in the West observe it on the first day of the full moon that occurs on or following the Spring equinox on March 21., it became a movable feast between March 21 and April 25.

Still some churches in the East observe Easter according to the date of the Passover festival.  The preparation takes off as early as on the Ash Wednesday from which the period of penitence in the Lent begins. The Lent and the Holy week end on the Easter Sunday, the day of resurrection.

Today, with all its joyous customs, Easter is indeed a major popular festival across the United States.

A festival that has become more of secular in spirit, though it has religious background.

However, this was not the case all along the history of United States.

Easter did not enjoy the status of a popular festival among the early settlers in America. Because most of them were Puritans or members of Protestant Churches who had little use for the ceremonies of any religious festivals. Even the Puritans in Massachusetts tried their best to play down the celebration of Easter as far as possible. While various rites are said to be associated with the celebration of Easter, most of them have come as part of the ancient spring rites in the Northern hemisphere.

Not until the period of the Civil War did the message and meaning of Easter begin to be expressed as it had been in Europe. It was the initiative of the Presbyterians. The scars of death and destruction which led people back to the Easter season. They found the story of resurrection as a great source of inspiration and renewed hope.

Since then, of course, its joyous customs delight children and adults alike.

Until next time….here’s to your complete wellness.

The Habit of Saving

Dr. Reddick here….

In his book, The Laws of Success in Sixteen Lessons, best-selling author Napoleon Hill goes into depth on the importance of saving money.  He cites the Bible verse Matthew 13:12

“For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.”

Powerful stuff!  He talks about the fact that saving, like not saving, is solely a matter of habit.  He goes on to stress that, in the beginning it is not the AMOUNT of money we begin to save that is important, but rather the simple act of forming a new habit.  And a habit, once formed, is not easily broken. So you start off with a small amount, even a few dollars a month.  Anyone can live with that.  Then you begin to gradually increase over time.  Before you know it, you can have a pretty nice little nest egg! Here’s a guideline that Hill offers for daily expenditures:

HOW MUCH SHOULD WE BE SAVING:

–          Savings                                                      20%

–          Living (clothes, food, shelter)                   50%

–          Education                                                 10%

–          Recreation                                                 10%

–          Investments                                             10%

IN REALITY HOW MUCH ARE WE SAVING:

–          Savings                                                         0%

–          Living (clothes, food, shelter)                   60%

–          Education                                                    0%

–          Recreation                                                 35%

–          Investments                                               5%

Just imagine the country we would live in if our leaders would abide by this simple ruling of “saving”.  It all starts with us as individuals though, right?  Happy $aving!

Until next time….here’s to your complete wellness.

Administrative Professional Day

Since 1952, the International Association of Administrative Professionals has honored office workers by sponsoring Administrative Professionals Week. Today, it is one of the largest workplace observances outside of employee birthdays and major holidays.

Where would I be without  my Administrative Professionals.  Lisa and Diana answer my phones, bill your insurance, take your payment (sorry) and make your appointments.  They keep my practice running smoothly and I truly appreciate them every day.  Show your appreciation, too.  Thank them next time you’re in for your appointment.

Today, there are more than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants working in the United States, according to U.S. Department of Labor statistics, and 8.9 million people working in various administrative support roles.  Celebrate the administrative professionals in your life!

Healthy Phrase

Healthy Phrase of the Day…Repeat After Me:

Bone out…Irritates nerve…Causes problems…SUBLUXATION!

Bone in…Relieves nerve…Restores life…ADJUSTMENT!

The Power That Made the Body…Heals the Body…From Above, Down…Inside Out!

Is Big Pharma Killing Us

Dr. Reddick here…..

Well, well, well, here we are again, it’s Spring time!  Seeing everything coming back to life reminds me of the infinite intelligence that runs everything around us.  Think about this for a second:  every blade of grass, every flower blossom, every bird in the air and creepy crawly thing on the ground…it is all going on in perfect synchrony all the time.  ALL THE TIME…WITHOUT HUMAN INTERVENTION.

Sounds kind of like how the human body was designed to work.  With ease, without human tinkering and toying.  A continuing trend that I’ve noticed over the past several years is all of the lobbying that big pharma is doing to hock it’s man-made miracle drugs on an unsuspecting public.  Just listen to most of the drug commercials you see on day time television.  Typically two-thirds of the duration of any drug commercial is a laundry list of all the dangerous side effects, many including DEATH.  That’s right folks…DEATH.

Now if I told you “Hey Mrs. Jones, you should take this little pill here to help with your depression.  It may kill you, but you won’t be depressed anymore.”  Would you take it?  Here’s the scary thing:  the most commonly prescribed drugs nowadays are antidepressants, most of which list DEATH as a side effect.

I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure the human body wasn’t designed with a Wellbutrin or Seroquel deficiency.  I’m on my soap box for a moment here, but where else are you gonna’ hear this?  Where does common sense take over?  The take home message: folks, leave drugs as a last option.  Let’s work on finding the cause of the problem rather than covering up the symptom with drugs.

Until next time….here’s to your complete wellness.

Fibromylgia Medication Side-Effects

Dr. Reddick here…..

Taken from Health.com, this article lists some the common side-effects of the most common fibromyalgia drugs:  Cymbalta, Lyrica and Savella.  Some of them don’t seem too bad, but you have to think what they are doing to your entire body.

Dizziness

One of the most common side effects of fibro drugs, reported by both doctors and patients, is dizziness.

In the clinical trials for Lyrica, the first drug approved specifically for fibro by the FDA, 31% of the patients who took the drug experienced dizziness (compared with 9% of those who took a placebo).

“I always tell (patients) to be careful driving, operating equipment, climbing up and down ladders, riding a bicycle—anything that involves balance,” says Dr. Fraifeld.

Nausea

An upset stomach is one of the most common side effects of both Cymbalta and Savella, says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, the medical director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers, a nationwide chain of treatment centers.

About 20% of Cymbalta users, and roughly 25% of Savella users, stop taking their medication because of nausea and other adverse reactions, he says.

Nausea is a less common side effect for people using Lyrica.

Fatigue

About 22% of people who took Lyrica in a clinical trial experienced sleepiness (compared with 7% of those who took a placebo), and other fibro drugs can make you drowsy as well.

Painkillers stimulate chemicals in the brain that decrease brain activity, says Dr. Teitelbaum. As a result, these drugs can cause some sedation.

For some people, drowsiness can be a plus, he says. Since many people with fibromyalgia have trouble sleeping, taking drugs with a sedating effect may actually be helpful.

Dry Mouth

Fibromyalgia is sometimes associated with an autoimmune disorder that zaps your ability to produce saliva (called Sjogren syndrome), and fibro meds can make that dry mouth even worse.

Dry mouth might not sound like a big deal, but it can cause cavities and even require people to have their teeth removed, says Dr. Teitelbaum.

He suggests sucking on sugar-free candy or chewing sugar-free gum to help stimulate saliva production. If you experience dry mouth, you may also want to discuss lowering your medication dose with your doctor.

Interaction with other drugs

People with fibromyalgia may have other health problems as well, and about 70% take more than one medication regularly.

Often, says Dr. Teitelbaum, fibro patients are taking multiple medications that raise the brain chemical called serotonin.

“If you find you have anxiety and a racing heart, it may be because the mix of medication is raising serotonin too high,” he says. “You might want to ask your doctor to lower the dose.”

Hypertension

Cymbalta is a type of antidepressant known as a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI).

SNRIs raise blood pressure in many people who take the drugs, so patients should be screened regularly for hypertension.

Savella, another type of SNRI indicated for fibromyalgia, may also increase heart rate or cause heart palpitations.

Suicidal Thoughts

All three of the drugs approved for fibromyalgia by the FDA have prominent warnings about a possible increase in suicidal thoughts or behavior.

Most antiseizure and antidepressant drugs carry a warning about suicide, and fibro drugs fall in this category: Lyrica is an anticonvulsant also used to treat seizures, Cymbalta is approved for the treatment of depression and anxiety, and Savella is related to antidepressants.

Patients and family members should watch for worsening depression or unusual mood changes.

Difficulty Concentrating

“Lyrica is chemically related to medications that stimulate your body’s natural Valium, a brain chemical called GABA,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. “Because of that, it contributes to a little lack of mental clarity.”

The cognitive cloudiness known as fibro fog is common even in fibromyalgia patients who aren’t taking medication, so if you feel that you are growing increasingly confused after you start taking a drug, discuss it with your doctor.

It may or may not be related to your medication.

Swelling

Lyrica and Cymbalta can produce some swelling in the legs, hands, and feet, although this is one of the less frequent and less severe side effects.

An antiseizure medication called gabapentin (brand name Neurontin) is often prescribed off-label as an alternative to these drugs, Dr. Teitelbaum says, because it’s cheaper, effective, and less likely to cause swelling (as well as the weight gain experienced by some Lyrica users).

Weight Gain

Lyrica—but not Cymbalta or Savella—has been shown to foster weight gain. For most people, only doses higher than 300 milligrams a day will cause them to pack on a few extra pounds, says Dr. Teitelbaum.

Even a few pounds can be significant, however, since weight gain is a common problem in fibromyalgia to begin with. “The average weight gain in fibromyalgia is 32.5 pounds,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. “Adding more weight gain in a disease that most often affects women really lowers their self-images.”

Chiropractic has been proven to help with the symptoms of fibromyalgia, and along with diet, exercise and nutritional supplements, there have been success stories.  For more information, contact our office at 386-775-6879 or stop on by.  We are located at 2415 S Volusia Ave #A-2, right across from Stacy’s Buffet.

Until next time…. here’s to your complete wellness.

Chiropractic Care Saves 40% on Back Pain Costs

Study Finds That for Low Back Pain, Starting with Chiropractic Saves 40% on Care

From the ACA’s “Week in Review” of 11/12/10

A new study finds that care for low back pain initiated with a doctor of chiropractic (DC) saves 40 percent on health care costs when compared with care initiated through a medical doctor (MD), the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) announced today. The study, featuring data from 85,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield beneficiaries, concludes that insurance companies that restrict access to chiropractic care for low back pain treatment may inadvertently pay more for care than they would if they removed such restrictions.

Low back pain is a significant public health problem. Up to 85 percent of Americans have back pain at some point in their lives. In addition to its negative effects on employee productivity, back pain treatment accounts for about $50 billion annually in health care costs—making it one of the top 10 most costly conditions treated in the United States.
Published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT), the new study, “Cost of Care for Common Back Pain Conditions Initiated With Chiropractic Doctor vs. Medical Doctor/Doctor of Osteopathy as First Physician: Experience of One Tennessee-Based General Health Insurer,” looked at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee’s intermediate and large group fully insured population over a two-year span. The insured study population had open access to MDs and DCs through self-referral, and there were no limits applied to the number of MD/DC visits allowed and no differences in co-pays.

Results show that paid costs for episodes of care initiated by a DC were almost 40 percent less than care initiated through an MD. After risk-adjusting each patient’s costs, researchers still found significant savings in the chiropractic group. They estimated that allowing DC-initiated episodes of care would have led to an annual cost savings of $2.3 million for BCBS of Tennessee.

“As doctors of chiropractic, we know firsthand that our care often helps patients avoid or reduce more costly interventions such as drugs and surgery. This study supports what we see in our practices every day,” said ACA President Rick McMichael, DC. “It also demonstrates the value of chiropractic care at a critical time, when our nation is attempting to reform its health care system and contain runaway costs.”

The full study is available online and will appear in print in the December issue of JMPT.

Seven Foods to Avoid Eating

Dr. Reddick here…..

What food should we be eating to maintain and improve our health? What food should we avoid eating? Many of us continue to read and hear conflicting reports and confusing information about food. An interesting article provided by Prevention appeared as an AOL health report.

The following seven foods to avoid eating may be familiar or surprising. Just keep an open mind and read all the way to the end of this article.

1. Avoid eating canned tomatoes because “The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to…reproductive problems…heart disease, diabetes and obesity.” Choose instead, tomatoes in glass bottles; there is no resin lining. This warning was cited by Frederick Von Saal, Ph.D., endocrinologist at the University of Missouri.

2. Don’t eat corn-fed beef. Corn fattens the animals but deplete their nutrition. A study by the USDA and Clemson University found that grass-fed beef “is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium and potassium; low in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats….” Choose grass-fed beef sold at specialty groceries. This warning was cited by Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyfrace Farms, author of several books about farming.

3. Stay away from microwave popcorn because certain chemicals in the lining of the bag “may be linked to infertility in humans” and have actually caused liver, testicular and pancreatic cancer in animals.” Instead, pop natural kernels in a skillet. This warning was cited by Olga Naidenko, Ph.D., senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group.

4. Don’t eat non-organic potatoes because root vegetables “absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in the soil.” Buy organic potatoes instead. This warning was cited by Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board.

5. Avoid eating farmed or Atlantic salmon because “farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCB’s, brominated flame retardants and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT.” Choose instead wild-caught Alaska salmon or canned salmon (which is usually wild caught). This warning was cited by David Carpenter, M.D., director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany, author of a major study on contamination in fish.

6. Don’t drink milk that has artificial hormones because recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST), often used to increase milk production, creates higher levels of “insulin-like growth factor” which “may contribute to breast, prostate and colon cancers.” Read labels and choose only “r-BGH-free or rBST-free” milk. This warning was cited by Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society.

7. Don’t bite into conventional apples because these apples, which don’t easily resist pests, are sprayed frequently with pesticides which may be linked to cancers and Parkinson’s disease. Instead, buy organic apples. This warning was cited by Mark Kastel, co-director of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods.

Don’t be disheartened by these findings. Perhaps you are one of those people who refuses to shop or can’t afford to shop for strictly organic food. Maybe you like to add canned tomatoes and regular potatoes to your favorite recipes and you prefer the flavor of farm raised salmon and microwave popcorn.

Even if you decide to shop for only organic and home-grown fruits and vegetables, grass-fed beef, and wild Alaska salmon, what happens when you eat out at a restaurant or are invited for dinner at your friend or relative’s home? In this modern society, it can be quite difficult to maintain a perfectly healthy, chemical-free diet.

Don’t despair. Making small changes in your diet can make large changes in your body.  Try adding some supplements, green tea and lots of berries for the antioxidants.

Until next time….here’s to your complete wellness.

Copied from HealthTopics, by Erica Goodstone, Ph.D.