By Harry Stoll

“He’s going to slit my eyeball!” screamed my mind, but the balm of the calm of Eye Guy Dr. Ivan Hwang soothed me. He does his good work at the California Eye Clinic on Sunset Lane in Antioch.

Over the past 10 years ophthalmologists told me I had slowly developing cataracts, so I should have seen it coming. Night driving became a horror movie nightmare with big caverns in the pavement ready to swallow and crunch me and  my Camry. Headlights in the mirror, ahead, and to the side, slashed and stabbed white flashes into my brain. Then came the evil halogens with an intense light so white it was blue.

In Dr. Ivan Hwang’s office I read the chart. “A-G–R-C-14” and the next lowest line was “Man-Running Water-Tree-Friendship.” A line of Chinese pictographs. An eye dropper appeared and fingers held my eye still and open. My eye eyed the eye of the demon and I barely blinked a flinch when the drip hit.

Alone I waited. Knowing when my eye was ready, entered Dr, Ivan Hwang and I put my forehead against one curve and my chin against another. He wielded a white light saber. The eyes are the windows of the soul and his brilliantly bright white light saber looked deep into my soul. There was no escape. The eye drops had pulled back the curtain and every deed was recorded and shone brightly on the back of my eyeball.

I talked to several people who had the surgery, and they said, it wasn’t painful and recovery was rapid. So, let’s go. My Gatekeeper M.D. had to sign off and I had to come off my blood thinners a few days in advance.

Early in the morning we were all lined up in the waiting room. I looked for the take-a-number dispenser. A voice called my name, I mumbled me and walked numbly forward.

The engaging anesthesiologist, Dr. Vincent Sansoni, poked a needle into my arm, but he couldn’t get it to draw, which sucked. Bob seemed disappointed in me. But finally I went with the flow and entry was achieved. For some medical reason, he’s called Bob. Bob said, “Everything is going to be alright,” and ooh, it certainly was.

I could talk, be aware of my surroundings and all, but just as the anesthesiologist said, everything was OK. I knew this, but once more realized that people don’t take drugs to ruin their lives, they take drugs because it feels good.

Eye Guy Dr. Ivan Hwang strapped my head in to immobilize it, the way they did Dick Tracy in 1938 when the mad doctor was going to put a cat brain in him. My Eye Guy gave me some local pain killer in the eyeball but I was only aware of something going on there.

Soon, I heard a dental-like whirring, and thought, “That must be the emulsification the brochure talked about.” He was emulsifying my eye’s lens and I didn’t scream. Then more and different noises. I guessed, “Now he’s sucking it out,” and tried to say Eeeeew! But had no desire. More funny noises as he slipped in a plastic lens to replace the scattered shattered one.

Except for what they like to call a “sting” or a “poke,” when they slipped the IV in it was pain free.

Dr. Ivan Hwang (rhymes with gong) had patients lined-up for the surgery. He was calm and never seemed hurried, but wasted no time. He shook my hand, and while I was waiting to be helped off the gurney, I heard him giving the next patient the same pep talk he gave me.

When they took the bandage off the next day, I was getting bright flashes off to my right. All the medical people got that “Hmmm” attitude that I don’t find very comforting. It soon, but not soon enough, went away. “Hmmm,” I said. When they tested my eyes they were very pleased.

A pirate’s eye patch covered my eye at night to protect it and somebody who seemed to be me put in a row of drops, some to do certain things, other to do other things. It was all explained but who can remember?

I keep looking at an object, paintings, the tree across the street, … first with my so-so eye, then with my new-lens eye and delight at the sharp, well-defined edges of the grid over the heating duct and details of each vane.

Dr. Hwang told me to avoid rigorous exercise or heavy lifting for two weeks, so I restricted myself to pouring the wine. In two weeks I drove to the gym (how American to drive someplace to exercise) and resumed my routine amongst the grunting studs and women treadmilling with hair tied in back sweeping rhythmically shoulder-to-shoulder. Just like a little pony.

I passed my test of night driving. The caverns and the stabbings were gone.

This summer I’ll probably have the other eye done by my calm competent Eye Guy.

By Dr. Brandon Roberts, DC

Chiropractic care has become a part of mainstream NFL culture. Every team, except one, has a chiropractor on staff including this year’s Super Bowl contenders, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers. The same can be said about every other professional sports league including major league baseball, basketball, hockey and soccer.

Today’s athletes are learning from some of the greatest of all time who have paved the way for chiropractic and taught today’s modern day players about how to perform at their highest level for a lifetime and take care of their body along the way.

Emmitt Smith, for example, is the leading rusher in NFL history. A perennial Pro Bowler and three time Super Bowl Champion when he retired with over 18,000 yards, Smith said, “I thank God, my family and my chiropractor.” Chiropractic care not only helped him heal quickly from injuries but he also used and continues to use chiropractic care as a part of his lifestyle and training regime to keep him functioning at the top of his game.

Jerry Rice is considered the greatest receiver in NFL history. His durability and work ethic is legendary which helped him to overcome his lack of breakaway speed. He initially sought chiropractic care after being injured on the field. After learning about the benefits of Lifestyle Care from his teammates he made chiropractic care a regular part of his training routine. He is a three time Super Bowl Champion and today he is an official spokesperson of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress.

Roger Craig is a pioneer in the NFL and soon to be Hall of Famer. He is the only player to ever make the Pro Bowl as a full back and a half back, the first player to rush for 1,000 yards and receive for 1,000 yards in a single season, a feat that took fourteen years to be duplicated. He is the only running back in NFL history to ever lead the league in receptions. He is a three time Super Bowl Champion and is the only NFL player to make the playoffs for eleven straight years.

Roger began receiving chiropractic care when he was in fifth grade and today, like the others, still receives regular chiropractic care. In fact Roger endorsed the #1 bestselling fitness book, The 100 Year Lifestyle Workout, which he recommends for every athlete, young and old, because it stresses the importance of a healthy spine and nervous system with chiropractic care as a core part of the training. This balanced fitness plan teaches athletes to Get their ESS in Shape™, Endurance, Strength and Structure to help maximize performance and prevent injuries.

Like all professional athletes, these three took a tremendous beating over their careers which began in little league and continued into the pros. Chiropractic care as a part of their lifestyle, injury treatment and training has helped show the world that you can play high level sports and retain your health. In fact, Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice have appeared on Dancing With the Stars and Roger Craig is an avid runner today who has tackled many marathons.

We’ve all seen videos of old time professional athletes who pounded their bodies into submission and became cripples when their career was over. This is not true for these three superstars and it is no longer the norm as many professional and Olympic athletes have chosen to make chiropractic care a core part of their training programs and lifestyle. In fact many of the leaders of the Olympic sports medicine team today are chiropractors.

Youth sports programs are now learning from the pros and young athletes are seeking out chiropractic care as a part of their training in record numbers. Little League football, baseball, basketball, soccer and hockey teams as well as gymnasts, cheerleaders and even members of the marching band are realizing that a healthy spine and nervous system is important for good health and to ensure your highest level of performance.

Don’t wait for an injury. If you’re an athlete or participate in an exercise program, be like these Hall of Fame and Super Bowl Champions. Make chiropractic care a part of your lifestyle. Make your appointment today.

Dr. Brandon Roberts, DC is a 100 Year Lifestyle Affiliate Office. This column is reprinted with permission of The Family Practice, Inc.

By Dr. Brandon Roberts, DC

     Much of our health care system has been based on the germ theory which simply speaking says that germs cause disease and we should kill all the germs. While certainly there are times when this may be true, as a system of health care and as a general rule it has been ineffective.

     Our attempt to wipe out “bugs” has created an assault on our immune systems, placed many of our bodies out of balance and, according to The Telegraph, leads to 10,000 deaths per year through the creation of super bugs who have adapted to this assault. The Interference Theory of Dis-ease takes a much different approach and if you incorporate this philosophy into your lifestyle you will be more likely to enjoy a long, active healthy quality of life from birth to 100 years and beyond.

     The first basic premise of the Interference Theory is that your body has within it an Innate Intelligence which has been with you from the moment of conception, and holds the blueprint for you to live an active healthy life. This Innate Intelligence is the vitalistic energy that distinguishes a living being from a corpse.

     The second component of this theory is that the expression of this intelligence can be interfered with and become wholly or partially blocked. When this happens, dis-ease, or lack of ease, results causing dis-harmony, weakness, and imbalance within the body that in turn, if left uncorrected, will lead to disease.

     The third component of this theory includes adjustments that are designed to remove the interference so that your Innate Intelligence can cause spontaneous healing and give your body the best opportunity to function at its highest level for a lifetime.

     There are two types of interference that lead to dis-ease. The first type is lifestyle interference and the second type is nerve interference. While these interferences can interact with each other, and exacerbate the other, they must be removed independently in order for your body to express its innate potential.

Nerve interference results most often from injuries to the spine which interferes with the communication between your brain and your body and also the other direction from your body to your brain.

     This communication pathway is necessary for your body to express health and vitality. For example, your heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach, leg muscles and every other cell tissue and organ require healthy nerve supply without interference for these individual parts to function properly and interact with each other in a healthy way. If your spine is injured during the birth process, childhood falls, accidents or from stress, this causes pressure in your nervous system, interference, which creates dis-ease.

     Too many people wait for a crisis and treat the symptoms of dis-ease through drugs and surgery rather than removing the interference to create ease. The side effects from this can be devastating especially if this is done over time. Removing the interference provides a healthier long term solution so that your body can express its true health potential over the course of your lifetime.

     Lifestyle interference includes the choices that you make regarding food, thoughts, and your environment. Lifestyle interference is caused by eating unhealthy foods, such as white sugar, white flour, starches, processed foods and foods that are filled with manmade chemicals that cause interference to your body’s natural state of ease.

     Stress, excessive sitting, smoking, negative thoughts and lack of exercise are other sources of lifestyle interference that, as a part of your lifestyle, can decrease both the quantity and quality of your years. If you want to live an active healthy quality of life, avoid sickness, and express your full potential for yourself and your family then it is important that you remove the interference from your life and keep it out of your life for the rest of your life.

     Our office is committed to helping you and your loved ones achieve this goal so that you can enjoy a healthy 2011 as well as a sensational century.

Family Practice chiropractors across the country are banding together on a New.You.2011. campaign to help you Get Your ESS in Shape in the New Year by providing complimentary health consultations and services in their communities.

During the month of January, many of the nation’s over 60,000 chiropractors will be helping you Get Your ESS in Shape in an effort to provide complimentary “hands-on” health services and information about the three key components of fitness: Endurance, Strength and Structure.

Based on the best selling book The 100 Year Lifestyle Workout, Dr. Brandon Roberts ,B.S., D.C. said, “We will be sharing information with people on how they can experience optimum health, and “Get in the best shape of their lives through nutrition, exercise, and the removal of nerve interference in the spine.”

The public is invited to attend a New. You. 2011. lecture on Sunday, 1/23/2011, from 2PM to 3:30PM at the Intuitive Healing Center Antioch, located at 213 G St, At this time, complimentary health and fitness information, and appointments for complementary chiropractic examinations will be offered to interested children, teens, adults and senior citizens. Please call 925-757-7571 for an appointment.

“We will be teaching families about the importance of all three components of your ESS, endurance, strength and structure and how structure supports the body’s natural ability to heal itself without drug intervention,” said Dr. Brandon Roberts.

One in 10 americans currently participates in regular chiropractic care as part of their fitness and health regimen. According to the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, over half a billion children also receive chiropractic care each decade in the U.S. and abroad.

Dr. Brandon Roberts’office is affiliated with The 100 Year Lifestyle and he is a member of The Family Practice, an international chiropractic group that is dedicated to leading family healthcare and lifestyle fitness. Members of The Family Practice who have helped organize “New.You.2011.” served over 60,000 new patients last year and performed nearly 12 million adjustments around the world.

To find out more about how chiropractic can boost the body’s immune system and keep your ESS balanced, please call 925-757-7571.

By Dr. Brandon Roberts, DC

December 2010 marks not only the end of another year but the end of the decade. Over the past ten years we have seen cell phones and the Internet change the way we communicate, access information and interact with each other. We have also seen economic ups and downs and a continuing health care debate that never seems to lead anywhere.

Think about your last ten years and the decade for the people that you love. How is your health? Theirs? Are you happy? Are you making progress in living the lifestyle you want or are you on a treadmill leading nowhere?

Look at your family photos of parents, grandparents and great grandparents. Do you like the way they aged? The choices you make today about what you eat and drink, how you move and take care of your spine and nervous system will affect your life now and for the decades to come.

If somebody said to you ten years ago, “How do you want your health to be in 2011?” you may have thought they were crazy. Well, that decade has passed. 2020, believe it or not, is right around the corner. Just like you may be saying, “I cannot believe it is 2011!” that is how you will probably feel ten years from now. What is it going to take for you to make the changes that you know you need to make to ensure the quality lifestyle that you deserve?

When it comes to your health, it is time to set commit to new goals. If your goal has been to lose weight and you have been on a roller coaster then don’t just go on another diet. Make healthy eating a part of your lifestyle. When it comes to exercise, if you have been a “weekend warrior” it is time to make fitness a part of your lifestyle each day.

Pay attention to your posture and the length of time that you sit at your desk, in the car or on the couch. Excessive sitting can cause spine and nervous system problems that may affect your whole body.

In January 1903, the Newark Advocate published the Wizard Edison, which produced Thomas Edison’s famous quote, “The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.” It is 2011 and the future is now. It is time to make this statement your reality.

Through these newsletters, the educational information we provide and the chiropractic services that care for your frame and impact your entire body through your nervous system, we will strive to help you to be younger, healthier and stronger in a decade than you are right now. Will more stress get you there? How about more sitting, more driving or more drugs? Of course not.

If up until now you have been a crisis-oriented person, stop. If you are on a weight gain, weight loss roller coaster, stop. If you only get adjustments when you have pain or are sick, it is time to make the Critical Transition from Crisis Care to Lifestyle Care and take your health to the next level.

How old is the oldest grandparent in your family who ever lived? Remember, you have their genes and you will most likely be here for another decade, or maybe even two or three at least. It is time to maximize your health and live your ideal 100 Year Lifestyle.

You are the one who must be responsible for your health, not the government or your insurance company. They may or may not help. The laws may change and you may change insurance companies but no matter who is in office, it is your responsibility to take care of you.

Don’t wait for a crisis. Make the next year and the next decade the best years of your life.

Dr. Brandon Roberts, DC is a 100 Year Lifestyle Affiliate Office. This column is reprinted with permission of The Family Practice, Inc.
Deer Valley Chiropractic
3381 Deer Valley Road
Antioch, CA 94531
925-757-7571

By Dr. Brandon Roberts, DC

If you, your family and friends are healthy, consider it a blessing. The opportunity to gather and enjoy each other’s company without the worry or burden of suffering loved ones contributes greatly to a healthier holiday season.

If you and your loved ones fall into this category, consider taking your health to new levels. When faced with choices between healthy foods and unhealthy foods, choose the healthy ones. Make exercise your first priority by exercising first thing in the morning so that you do not get swept away by holiday activities and miss out on your workout. Schedule your adjustments in advance so your nervous system stays healthy and your body is more resistant to stress.

When you are making plans to gather with family and friends, do not just make appointments to gather around food and drink. Gather around going for walks in the woods or hikes in the mountains or on the trails. Gather around fresh air and sunshine. If the sun is not out or the weather is bad in your area, take a fitness class together. If you have young children, this will help them to build healthy habits and values that can last a lifetime.

When planning your holiday meals, experiment with healthier recipes. Look for dishes that call for fresh ingredients. Download five or six recipes from your favorite cooking website and have the people you will be gathering with do the same. Talk about them and decide which ones would be fun to experiment with. Mix in a new, fresh, healthy recipe with the other foods that you like to eat and bring balance to your holiday meals, making them less destructive to your body. Each year you can experiment with new recipes.

Before you know it, your holiday meals will become both delicious and healthy.

This can help you get off the weight loss, weight gain rollercoaster ride that has been a plague for so many people and you will leave your holiday table guilt-free and empowered.

If you or any of your friends or family members are experiencing pain or ill health of any kind this holiday season, this is all the more reason to make healthy choices a priority. By following these guidelines and removing pressure from the spine and nervous system with chiropractic care, this holiday season can become an opportunity to embrace a healing path and a healthier New Year.

Healthy gift giving can change a life. Many people are turning to healthy gift giving as a way to say, “I love you, I care about you, your health is important to me.” Your willingness to invest in the well-being of those that you love can go a long way to inspiring people to choose to invest in themselves. This action on your part can even act as an intervention to someone who is really in trouble and in denial about their health.

Healthy gifts can include a gym membership, exercise shoes, a heart monitor, a chiropractic examination or a series of chiropractic adjustments. We have gift certificates available in any amount you choose. While so many gifts are forgotten within 30 days, healthy gifts can be life changing and may be remembered for a lifetime.

Everyone deserves to be healthy and express their full potential from the time they are born through their last breath of life. This includes you and your loved ones. We hope that you enjoy the healthiest, happiest holiday season ever.

Dr. Brandon Roberts, DC is a 100 Year Lifestyle Affiliate Office. This newsletter is reprinted with permission of The Family Practice, Inc.

Deer Valley Chiropractic is located at 3381 Deer Valley Road. The phone number is 925-757-7571.