Continuing Education
Over the thirty years I have been in practice I have attended well over 800 hours of post-graduate education in various seminars with an emphasis on diet, lifestyle,nutrition, healthy aging, hormone balance, balancing brain neurotransmitter function to optimize mood, emotions and brain function, and adrenal and thyroid function as well as treating and preventing the common “diseases of aging”. I was also the first chiropractor in Nevada to be certified in Spinal Manipulation Under Anesthesia.
Currently, the Chiropractic Physicians’ Board of Nevada requires that all chiropractors licensed in Nevada complete 36 hours of post-graduate education classes every two years in order to maintain our license in good standing. However, I take many more classes than what is required because education is a never-ending process. To be able to offer my patients the benefit of modern cutting-edge scientific research, I have a responsibility to learn as much as I can; not only from seminars, but from books as well as from teleconferences and webinars that occur throughout the year.
My daughter Colleen (who is also my office manager and receptionist) is majoring in nutrition and is now also a certified FirstLine Therapy counselor, so she usually accompanies me to these seminars whenever possible.
In September, 2008 we both attended a seminar on Hormone Balance, Brain Neurotransmitter Function & Neurology in Maui, Hawaii. The seminar consisted of 21 hours of intense learning, which we were anxious to put to use once we returned to the office. Many patients have benefited from what we learned.
Then in March of 2009 we both attended the yearly symposium sponsored by Metagenics at which time they present their research findings from the previous year. Metagenics does more self-funded research than any other nutritional company in the country and in 2009 the information they shared was particularly interesting and is helping me to help my patients even more. The topics were focused around how all the major diseases of aging share common causes as well as treatment protocols. We both gained increased insight about cardiovascular disease, diabetes, auto-immune disease, fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, hyperlipidemia, obesity, hormone imbalance in men and women, and how to reduce the risk of various cancers as well as many other topics.
Later in March of 2009 we attended a seminar about nutrigenomic therapies for autoimmune diseases. Then in early May, 2009 we completed a seminar on Mood and Cognitive Health. Later that same month we attended the three day annual symposium sponsored by the Institute for Functional Medicine, then immediately afterward attended a seminar on enhancing cardiovascular health and hormone balance for men and women.
In February of 2010 we attended a three day conference about the complex nature of thyroid dysfunction and how to enhance thyroid health, even in those requiring thyroid hormone supplementation, with nutrients, diet and lifestyle changes. In May of 2010 it was time once again to attend the annual symposium sponsored by the Institute for Functional Medicine which focused that year on Complimentary Cancer Therapies. There is a considerable body of research that demonstrates how amazingly effective nutrients, diet and lifestyle changes are to not only enhance the effectiveness of cancer therapy, but also to prevent initial and subsequent recurrence of cancer. These complimentary therapies also usually increase survival rates and longevity of cancer patients by substantial amounts.
In September of 2010 I attended an amazing two day seminar on very effective natural strategies for helping those with autism and other autism spectrum disorders such as ADD, ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome. In November Colleen and I attended a seminar on very effective strategies to help those with neurological conditions such as senile dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other diseases. Then in December we attended a very informative seminar about how gluten intolerance can cause not only gastrointestinal problems, but also neurological conditions and many other conditions throughout the body.
Colleen and I are both looking forward to attending various seminars in 2011, beginning with a seminar in February about how environmental toxins cause many health problems such as hormonal imbalances, diabetes, and obesity, to name but just a few. Then in April we will be heading once again to the annual Institute for Functional Medicine symposium which this year is focused on the effect of chronic infections on many aspects of our health.
Learning is fun and so is being able to help our patients more and more with the understanding and skills that we are constantly developing.
