There are almost 100,000 deaths in US hospitals each year from preventable medical errors, according to Public Citizen. This number doubles if you use the company HealthGrades numbers. I wonder how many deaths from unpreventable medical errors?

• Only one in eight preventable medical errors committed in hospitals results in a malpractice claim. (Harvard Medical Practice Study Group, Patients, Doctors and Lawyers: Medical Injury, Malpractice Litigation, and Patient Compensation in New York, 1990.)
• Punitive Damages are awarded in less than 1 percent of medical malpractice cases. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1996.)

And yet the costs are still high:
• The annual costs to society for medical errors in hospitals at $17 billion to $29 billion. (Institute of Medicine, To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System, 2000.)

Could you imagine if the other 7 out of 8 people filed malpractice suits and punitive damages were awared in more than 1% of cases? Our economy would collapse for sure. The interesting thing about the punitive damages was that only 5% of cases paid over 1 million. I guess thats the value of a human life these days. Less then a million. With the creation of healthcare tribunals to get cases out of the court system these numbers will drop drastically in the future. We will be worth less than a 100k in no time.

Malpractice payments for doctors and insurers remain at about 1% of the total health care costs. $4.5 billion in 2001, with total health care costs at about $1.4 trillion. The western health care industry consumes about 15% of our gross domestic product. And according to Dr. Jay Parkinson, this industry runs at up to a 40% inefficiency rate. That is just maddening.

Dr. Jay Parkinson’s Hello Health practice will seriously address the inefficiency problem and give the best quality healthcare. He has created a way for the uninsured and the underinsured get the best healthcare possible. Amen for Dr. Jay.

A final note from Wikipedia:

US healthcare expenditures totaled US $2.2 trillion in 2006. According to Health Affairs, $7,498 will be spent on every woman, man and child in the United States in 2007, 20 percent of all spending. Costs are projected to increase to $12,782 by 2016.

I know most of you remember this from the New York Times, but I just had to put it out again as it’s importance and relevance is paramount. It’s easy to forget that Mercury is a huge problem when it gets into our nervous system thus compromising our brain function.

What is mercury?
From MSU:

Mercury can exist as monomethylmercury (MeHg). This form of mercury is 100 to 1000 times more toxic then natural mercury. MeHg participates directly in biochemical reactions. MeHg is created both by humans and by the environment. Industry uses MeHg, and in the past there have been poisonings due to industrial discharge. MeHg is also created through biomethylation processes in the environment, and this MeHg bioaccumulates primarily in fish. The greatest source of MeHg is natural biomethylation, and fish consumption is the principal source of MeHg intake for most people.

How do you test to find out your mercury levels?

Blood, urine, and hair analysis can reveal recent or acute mercury poisoning but these tests don’t do well to uncover chronic accumulation.

How does mercury hurt us?

Monomethylmercury (MeHg) is an estimated 100 to 1000 times more toxic (than elemental mercury) to humans. In fact, MeHg seems to specifically target the advanced Central Nervous System (CNS). Until recently, this was a mystery, as the CNS enjoys the protection of the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB). The BBB consists of tightly packed endothelial cells that line the walls of the blood capillaries in the CNS. The key to understanding why MeHg is so toxic is to see that structural similarities in biochemical reactions can lead to active transport of toxins. In this case organisms with a highly advanced CNS, like humans, this active transport can lead to a brain accumulation of MeHg.

As mentioned before, most of our exposure to MeHg comes from bioaccumulations in fish. When we eat contaminated fish, this ingested MeHg easily passes through the intestines and into the bloodstream. The pathway of MeHg from the bloodstream to the brain is complicated, and we think it is easiest to understand the pathway through a list of the various processes involved:

1. MeHg in blood plasma can combine with cysteine, forming a compound that is structurally similar to the amino acid methionine

2. This MeHg-cysteine compound is actively transported into the endothelial cells in the BBB, on the methionine carrier.

3. A high level of reduced glutathione is maintained in the endothelial cells, and the MeHg switches from a cysteine carrier to a glutathione carrier.

4. MeHg-glutathione is actively transported out of the endothelial cells and into the brain.

5. In the brain, the hydrolysis of MeHg-glutathione generates MeHg-cysteine.

6. This MeHg-cysteine can now enter nerve cells in the brain, where it accumulates.

What if you have high levels of mercury?

Chelation therapy is one option for removing mercury. EDTA is used to bond to mercury in your body and help you safely eliminate it through your urine. Click here for ACAM certified doctors in the NY/NJ area.

Note: I looked for information on the negative side effects of chelation therapy and only came across a piece from Quackwatch - the website of the now disgraced Stephen Barrett, who lost in court in 2005 when it was revealed that he was not a real doctor of psychiatry and was actually paid by the American Medical Association, Federal Trade Commission, and the FDA to “de-bunk” alternative and complementary medicine. We must persevere and stay diligent in our research to show how amazing alternative medicine is when it complements the body’s natural healing response. I can not express how happy I am to see Barrett destroyed in the public arena and his covert relationship with the medical industry’s corporate agenda exposed to us all.

It’s been quite a few months since the Cambridge meeting of the top fascia researchers the world has ever known - and the scant group did not disappoint us. Connective tissue is the most pervasive organ in the human body yet it remains left out of most research parties. Fascia (including the covering and invaginations of muscles, bones, nerves, organs, tendons and ligaments) supports our structure through tension and integrity yet has only failed to support when it comes time to dole out the grant money. Drug development is paramount but there is a new field coming up to meet the demands of the people. Thanks to Dr. Tom Findley for coordinating this massive achievement at Harvard Medical.

SCIENCE Magazine, “the world’s leading journal of original scientific research, global news, and commentary,” has an excellent write up about the recent First International Fascia Research Congress in its November 23, 2007 issue (vol. 318, pp. 1234-5).

David Grimm’s article is titled “Cell Biology Meets Rolfing — A diverse group of researchers wants to create a new discipline from scratch by bringing together experts in fascia and deep-tissue massage.”

“The meeting, held here [in Boston] last month, would be the first dedicated to the soft part of the body’s connective tissue system — an important but medically neglected organ. It would bring together top scientists from fields as diverse as cell biology and biophysics, but it would also include alternative medicine practitioners…”

This conference was a first venture within the field of the human fasciae to bring together scientists and clinicians. Thomas Findley, MD PhD, the Executive Director of the conference,

“Practitioners want to know the science behind what they’re doing…and scientists want to see clinical applications of their work.”

Partap Khalsa, DC PhD, program officer with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) stated,

“You need people who can do good basic science and clinicians who can inform them about their experiences…It’s the only way to advance the field.”

Here is the article: Science article

The International Association of Structural Integrators bi-annual conference followed the symposium and brought together the whose who in Structural Integration. Look for the 2009 conference to bring it all home again, this time in Italy. Also in Europe -the next Fascia Congress will be in Amsterdam. Arrivederci and tot ziens!

The picture above is a scanned image from Paul Pitchford’s “Healing With Whole Foods”- the best tome on nutrition. I left some text to read so you get his point.

The organs in the body are building from a low point energetically until they peak for 2 or so hours half way through the day and then discharge back to their low - completing a 24-hour journey. This is important because the timing is staggered allowing each organ to complete it’s peak 2 hours after the next. The Chinese clock represents 12 organs in the pie chart, a very spiritual number having to do with control and ruling. Using this chart you can get a glimpse at a deficiency or problem in the organ if you notice something recurring at a similar time each day. Do you wake up every night at 3:30am? Your body might be telling you something is wrong with your lungs. Being aware of the emotional counterpart to each organ, tells us even more about what’s happening inside of us. If you suffered recent grief or are generally drowning in sorrow, this tells you even more about the health of your lungs. From Squidoo Health,

“The seven emotions are thought to correlate with the five Yin organs: joy with heart, anger with the liver, sadness and grief with the lungs, pensiveness and over thinking with the spleen, and fear or fright with the kidneys.”

I like to include the stomach to worry and the gall bladder to bitterness to complete the thorax as a structural whole; the liver, gallbladder, stomach and spleen are all connected to each other and the diaphragm- the arch support for the pericardium, heart and lungs. This is a more complete chart on the organs and emotions by Dr. Bruce and Joan Dewe.

This is from a western study adhering to stringent scientific methodologies on PubMed by Wang et al, 2006:

“Circadian rhythms are about-daily variations of physiological functions that are found in every living organism on earth ranging from bacteria to mammals. These daily rhythms are generated through the integration of the oscillatory expression of multiple circadian clock genes. In mammals, circadian rhythms are regulated by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. Neurons in the SCN generate self-sustained daily oscillations of gene expression and electrical activity with a period close to 24 hours. The SCN keeps the circadian rhythms of different peripheral organs synchronized to each other as well as to the environmental light-dark cycle. Although every mammalian cell is believed to express circadian clock genes, cells outside the SCN cannot maintain self-sustained circadian oscillation in the absence of the SCN.”

And more simply put:

“Every physiological function in the human body exhibits some form of circadian rhythmicity. Under pathological conditions, however, circadian rhythmicity may be disrupted.”

The body is designed to help us help ourselves by communicating with us when something is amiss. Due to our disassociated lifestyles it’s hard for us to hear these whispers. I hope these Western and Eastern views can integrate and help us understand more about what is going on inside before irrevocable damage is done. For more information, see your local acupuncturist or contact Heather Trujillo, L.Ac at acupuncture@centerforsw.com.

I’m proud to announce that The Center for Structural Wellness has come into existence in the Union Square area of NYC. This is going to be an important step in understanding how human structure and its various expressions effect the health of the individual. Structural Integration will remain the main focus for work here but the Center will also encompass many other complementary, alternative, and western therapies. From acupuncture to Alexander Technique, massage to chiropractic, Biodynamic Cranial to physical therapy, Pilates to Yoga, and also including western doctors who are educated in CAM techniques, all working together to educate everyone on the importance of structural health. There will be a website release in the next month illustrating how this Center will work along with information on all of the affiliates. I will be picking the best practitioners and therapists so that everyone will be guaranteed the best treatment possible. For now please contact me through this address to set up an appointment.

Before and after photos of a client who has undergone the Basic 10 Series of Structural Integration. Notice how much his body is able to balance along the midline and gain vertical lift. What is harder to see in these two pictures taken 3 months apart is the increase of efficient movement, better poise and posture, and an increase in confidence and self-expression.

A recent article on the Huffington Post states that,

“Fake acupuncture works nearly as well as the real thing for low back pain, and either kind performs much better than usual care, German researchers have found.”

It goes on to reveal that 47 percent of patients improved from the real acupuncture, and 44 percent improved from the sham acupuncture (gently needling non-acupuncture points without pistoning or spinning very), while onl7 27 percent improved from conventional methods. I’m glad Structural Evolution is now offering acupuncture. See the blog below.

This was sent to me from the fantastic Structural Integrator in Fort Worth, Texas - Rey Allen. I don’t know where he found it but…

“Optimism is a learned skill and there are a variety of ways to acquire it, says psychologist Mary Ann Troiani, co-author of Spontaneous Optimism. Through her research, Troiani has come up with three things that you can do to enhance your sense of optimism. First, straighten out your body before your emotions by keeping a straight body posture, taking big steps and walking quickly with your shoulders back and your head up. “People who are pessimistic walk slowly with small steps and their head down,” she says. Second, change your tone of voice so that it is cheerful and full of energy. Third, use upbeat or happier words, such as “challenge” rather than “problem,” or think of “opportunities” rather than “losses.” “Positive thoughts and behavior have a positive impact on the brain’s biochemistry,” she says. “[They] boost your serotonin levels and signal that you’re happy. Your brain will catch up to you.” Troiani reminds us: it takes about 4 to 6 weeks to really change a habit.”

Further google searching uncovered the Finding Optimism site and there was an article that went on to suggest:

“A study led by Brian Meier, a psychologist at North Dakota State University, concluded that posture does affect mood. The study found that emotions have a highly physical basis, so sad thoughts could lead to a slumped posture with the eyes directed down, and happy thoughts to a more upright posture and the eyes looking up. They found the reverse to be true as well. Simply looking up could give a physical boost, that in turn leads to better posture and a better mood.”

Hmmm. Interesting. Is there anyone who knows how to straighten out body posture permanently? I wonder…

Day 1:

I meet Helen, the heavy-set donor cadeavor whose tag informs us that she was 84 years old and that she died of cervical cancer. She has been preserved in formaldehyde for about 9 months and is now reborn as a cadeavor at the Institute for Anatomical Enlightenment in Denver, Colorado. She lies completely untouched and we have a lot of work to do over the next 5 days. It takes me and my team of 6 New Yorkers about 8 hours to reflect the skin from the adipose layer all over the entire body save the face and vagina. The high fat content of her body is just dripping with formaldehyde and it’s a messy job. This is my first dissection and I was unsure of the emotional response of this experience - but surprisingly once I get started- I can’t stop. When the day is done and I close my eyes, all I can do is reflect the skin in my head as I pass out on the couch.

Day 2:

If I thought yesterday was messy, today brings way more oozing and a strong smell of formaldehyde. Every part of me reeks of this sweet toxic smell and I can even taste it in my mouth. Luckily the fumes are heavier then air and settle down so I don’t get the headache I’m anticipating. Read the rest of this entry »

Being inspired by Robert Schleip’s work, I would like to see a more detailed “homunculus” representation of the body but mapped using mechanoreceptors instead of sensory nerves.

There are 4 main types of mechanoreceptors embedded in fascia. The Golgi tendon organs that live in the myotendonus junctions; the Pacini and Paciniform receptors that live in myotendionus junctions, deep capsular layers, and spinal ligaments; the Ruffini receptors that live in ligaments of peripheral joints and the dura matter; and the most abundant are the Interstitial receptors found everywhere but with the highest density in the periosteum of the bones.

For instance, the Ruffini mechanoreceptors respond to lateral stretching of fascia and tangential, deep, slow work that when Rolfed appropriately will smooth and elongate dense edges in tissue. Specifically at the knee, Ruffini receptors are in abundance both anterior and posterior and trigger a relaxing response to the sympathetic response (parasympathetic increase) and an overall relaxing effect systemically. On the medial and lateral lines of the knee there are more Pacini and Paciniform receptors, which like a more high velocity or vibratory manipulation to relax. The Interstitial receptors, which are everywhere, like sustained pressure but can also respond to rapid fluxuations. To illicit change in the Golgi Tendon Organs it’s important to understand that movement cues must be used as GTO’s are stimulated by muscular tonus increase if they are to respond to deep manipulation. Passive stretching of the joint only stretches the relaxed muscle tissue and does not activate GTO’s so will not change these myofascial tissues.

It is going to be important to the field of Structural Integration to map the body and choose appropriate techniques mated to anatomical places to illicit permanent change efficiently. Or we could keep just doing everything! I for one am too busy for inefficiency.

All of this info is available in Robert Schleip’s 2003 paper, “Fascial Mechanoreceptors and their potential role in deep tissue manipulation” - Mechanoreceptors

Donna Karan’s Urban Zen Initiative is featuring some of the biggest hearts and best minds in integrative medicine. 10 days of non-stop world changing action. I can’t wait. Featuring Dr. Mehmet Oz, Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Mark Hyman, Yoga guru’s Richard Freeman and Rodney Yee and many more. Click here for the Urban Zen homepage with the schedule and ticket information.