Dr. Jason Piken

11/06/2022

Wow, I have to change my picture on Google, i dont quite look that young any more

Check out this review of Jason W. Piken DC, CNS on Google Maps

★★★★★ "We were in NY in September on the 1st day of our honeymoon that started from me pulling my back to the pain I couldn’t imagine. The nearest clinic wouldn’t even talk to me without MRI, insurances and all that stuff (we are from the Netherlands and were not really familiar with U...

11/05/2022

Thanks for reviving thos interview Ella! It's always great to be able to teach more people how to live better lives through Applied Kinesiology.

Listen to this episode from On Air with Ella | Women's Wellness & Mindset on Spotify. Dr. Jason Piken shares a fascinating modality for diagnosing & healing: Applied Kinesiology and manual muscle testing. I have been using this lately for healing my frozen shoulder faster! DR. JASON PIKEN: https://w...

05/24/2022

Have you ever sat by a lake when it was completely still? The kind of stillness when you can see the reflection of the surrounding trees, or even the sky in the water? Can you imagine YOU being that still? Could you picture the benefit that could have on your wellbeing?

I learned about the practice called REFRAIN somewhere along the line but I had never truly put it into my daily life until recently. It is a practice that is incredibly simple in concept but very difficult to implement. If you return to the image of that still lake, is it ever truly still? It isn’t, there is always some subtle movement. If you decide to incorporate the practice of REFRAIN into your daily habits please keep that in mind.

How do you do it? It is ridiculously simple. Sit down in a comfortable position, preferably with a healthy posture, and sit still. That’s it. It sounds simple but it does take a skill that is useful for you, the ability to refrain. During the practice, you refrain from scratching an itch, fiddling your toes, moving away from that small discomfort in your low back, or being distracted by that sudden movement out the window that you want to take a peek at.

Work on REFRAIN as part of a meditation practice. You can start with just 1-2 minutes and build up to 20 minutes of stillness. While sitting still you can use meditation techniques such as focusing on your breath, reciting a mantra, or even keeping your eyes open and staring at one single point ahead of you. If you already meditate, adding REFRAIN takes it to another level.

When you practice this for a few weeks, it starts to spill over into your daily life. You can more easily find stillness when you have practiced the art of stillness.

For more information on how to create the best life for yourself, AND address the source of your aches and pains, give me a call.

05/16/2022

Do you ever take anti-inflammatory medicines? Whether you take NSAIDS like Motrin, Advil, Alleve, or prescription steroids you may be prolonging your pain rather than alleviating it. Check out the article from neuroscience news, Blocking Inflammation May Lead To Chronic Pain.

Philosophically I learned this while in chiropractic college. It is always best to discover and deal with the CAUSE of your pain rather than taking something to relieve it temporarily. The article referenced above, based on research from McGill University, isn’t the first of its kind, far from it. I like having recently published science to share with you though.

Here’s a quote from the article that is an excellent summary of how some of the most common practices in medicine need to change. "For many decades it’s been standard medical practice to treat pain with anti-inflammatory drugs. But we found that this short-term fix could lead to longer-term problems," says Jeffrey Mogil, a Professor in the Department of Psychology at McGill University and E. P. Taylor Chair in Pain Studies.

Here's what you need to know:

When you have pain, there must be at least some inflammation. Inflammation is a word that simply summarizes the complex process of healing. If you want to have healing then you need inflammation. If you have inflammation there is a high likelihood it will hurt. The degree of pain is based on many factors though. That is another email subject.

One of the initial actions your body takes when dealing with an injury is to send neutrophils to the area. Neutrophils are your most common white blood cell. Because they are so abundant they are often involved in the initial stages of healing from injuries and infections. So picture this, you develop an injury and all these white blood cells are being sent to the area because they can HELP TO HEAL YOU. At first, the pain isn’t bad but it starts to really bug you so you take an anti-inflammatory medicine. You may start to FEEL better but what you have just done has interfered with your innate healing process. That medicine stops the inflammation which is the exact opposite of what your body is trying to use to help you.

"Our findings suggest it may be time to reconsider the way we treat acute pain. Luckily pain can be killed in other ways that don’t involve interfering with inflammation," says Massimo Allegri, a Physician at the Policlinico of Monza Hospital in Italy and Ensemble Hospitalier de la Cote in Switzerland.

The best way to treat your pain is to get to a health practitioner as soon as possible who understands this concept and also understands what steps to take to speed up the healing process so you don’t have to suffer. If you can’t get to a doctor like myself, then other over-the-counter medicines like Tylenol may reduce pain as well but don’t have an anti-inflammatory effect. You could also choose to just deal with the pain as best you can while taking NO ACTION. Even though there is more discomfort in the short term, your body can help you out. When you give your body a little time to heal, without interfering with its process, it will, as best it can.
I wish that we all learned these lessons from a young age and that we were not indoctrinated into the "feel comfort all the time" society that has mismanaged physical, chemical, and psychological health for many decades.

The takeaway from today’s email? If you take a little time to learn about your body, most pains won’t be as bothersome to you. You can understand them, figure out the cause, and let your body do its thing. If you don’t understand WHY your pain is there then schedule an appointment with me so I can help you. A little pain now is often better than a little pain relief now. Think about your health tomorrow rather than your desire for comfort at the moment.

Anti-inflammatories may relieve pain in the short term, but blocking inflammation can lead to longer-term chronic pain, a new study reports.

05/02/2022

LITHIUM

It’s a mineral needed to make batteries and is also used in the treatment of BiPolar disorder and some other mental disorders like severe depression. Did you know that it may also prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s?

I learned about the use of Lithium orotate about 10 years ago at a seminar on the prevention of neurodegenerative disease. Since then I have come across other articles that reinforce the theory that 10 mg of Lithium Orotate, which can be found in supplement form, may prevent memory loss in some cases. If you didn’t notice, I chose my words carefully there. I use May and Some Cases to emphasize that there have not been any large scale, double blind, placebo controlled studies on this yet.

What does that mean? It means that after reading this latest article in Neuroscience News - Lithium May Decrease Risk of Developing Dementia, I will start taking it.

Did I recommend that YOU start taking Lithium? NOPE.

I consider 5-10 Mg of Lithium Orotate microdose. Commonly used medications where a prescription of Lithium is used to treat serious medical conditions can use 300-600 mg pills multiple times a day. PLEASE DON’T TRY THAT!

I don’t know how long I’ll take it for either. This new supplement will fit into my mix of daily supplements as a "Faith" supplement. A few emails ago I described the three classes of supplements I take.

Ones that make me feel Better.
Ones that I don’t feel, but when I take them, I can see an improvement on lab tests.
Faith supplements - I won’t feel anything- there won’t be any improvement in lab values, but based on research they hopefully will provide a long term benefit with little to no risk of harm.

These weekly emails are intended to get you to think, question, probe, and learn as much as you can about your health. There is not one single doctor or health guru that knows it all. I believe that sharing information should lead to discussions with your doctor or health guru to learn if any treatment, therapy, or Faith supplement is right for you.

04/05/2022

SHRINKING BRAIN

The technical term is neurodegenerative disease but if you really want to know what that means, it’s a shrinking brain. Neuro (relating to nerves or the nervous system) Degenerative (progressive, often irreversible deterioration, and loss of function in the organs or tissues).

Want to prevent that from happening?

A few weeks ago I wrote to you about Interleukin-6. This is a marker of inflammation that you can examine in a blood test. interleukin -6 is not specific, it doesn’t tell you what is wrong but it is a useful tool. If you learn that your level of Interleukin-6 is high then you can undertake strategies to lower it.

A recent study that was just released by JAMA Psychiatry discusses 2 interesting facts. One that higher levels of interleukin-6 are linked to a shrinking brain (neurodegenerative disease). Secondly, if you have high levels of Interleukin-6, it may be because of your genes. Yes, you may have genes that can predispose you to deal with more inflammation. Do ever wonder why you feel different than your family members or friends that are eating very similar to you and or living a similar lifestyle? I hear this question all the time in practice. "Why do I feel bad when I _____________ but my friend/family member can do it and feel fine"?

The answer is always the same. It comes down to the way your particular body manages inflammation. There are genetic factors, but keep in mind that your genes only dictate about 7% of your overall health. Your lifestyle contributes so much more. If you can learn to manage the way you handle the big three stresses, physical, chemical, and emotional. Then you can learn how to lower interleukin-6.

Not only will this serve you by lowering your risk of developing a neurodegenerative disease but it will also prevent the vast majority of disease processes period. Learning what triggers an inflammatory response in your body is the key. When you understand what causes higher levels of inflammation then you can choose to avoid those things.

Want to learn about your levels of Interleukin-6? Ask your doctor to test for it. If they won’t then contact me and we can work together to learn about not only interleukin-6 levels but a whole lot more.

03/22/2022

Have you heard of Leaky Gut? If you haven’t, you should probably click this link to learn more and then cycle back. Since you already understand what Leaky Gut is, do you also understand what Leaky Brain is as well?

You have something called the blood-brain-barrier. Blood circulates everywhere in your body, delivering nutrients and oxygen so you can survive. Have you ever spent time thinking about what is in your blood? Your blood contains, vitamins, minerals, water, amino acids, proteins which all are ingredients that we want floating around. Your blood also contains toxins like PCBs, metals, viruses, bacteria, pesticide residues, and more. The saying I like to use most about toxins in our environment that wind up in your body is,” you can run but you can’t hide”. You should work on living a life that is less toxic by eating organic foods, using environmentally safe products, and breathing fresh air. That’s all nice sounding in theory but it’s impossible to achieve completely. My goal for you is to learn as much as you can and to do your best to make the world and your life as chemical-free as you are able to.

The most important part of your body is your brain and spinal cord. You can survive without food for many days, without water for a few days, without oxygen for a few minutes but without a central nervous system (Brain and Spinal cord)? Not for 1 second. This is why the amazing design of your body adds so much protection to this vital part of your body. It is physically protected by your skull and your spine. It is also protected from chemicals by the Blood-Brain-Barrier.

The Blood-Brain-Barrier protects you by being what is called semi-permeable. This means it selects the things it wants to cross, kind of like a huge bouncer at a night club. This is very similar to the selective barrier system of the Gut. To keep the analogy going, your gut barrier is like having a bouncer that will easily take a a $20 bill to let you by or let a few people sneak in because he was tired from working too hard the night before. The blood brain barrier is more like the secret service, not easily swayed from it’s duty.

That all being said, the Blood-Brain-Barrier is NOT perfect, just amazing. It can be broken down over time or when it is challenged too much. A Leaky Brain is what you are left with when the barrier breaks down.

What are the signs of Leaky Brain?
Brain Fog
Fatigue
Migraines
Headaches
Memory loss
Neurodegeneration - Parklinsons, Dementia, Alzheimers
Mood disorders - Anxierty / Depression

How do you prevent a leaky brain? Follow all the steps I’ve been mentioning over the years to heal your leaky gut. They are the same steps I would take to heal a Leaky Brain.
Eat foods that nourish rather than irritate you
Take supplements that help repair such as L-Glutamine
Reduce your exposure to toxins
Get the appropriate amount of sleep for your needs
Learn to manage stress and inflammation

Here’s a link to a recent article I read that inspired today’s email. It’s about bacteria that are normally found in nasal passages migrating past the Blood-Brain-Barrier to the brain and causing an immune response that leads to Alzheimer's. Alzheimer’s prevalence is up over the years for many reasons. There still is no cure but there is a LOT of evidence that you can prevent it.

Contact me to schedule a visit and learn more!

01/10/2022

What huge developments have taken place in the past few weeks?
Omicron
Dr. Peter McCullough and Dr. Robert Malone were interviewed by Joe Rogan
SUNY and CUNY students are now required not only to be vaccinated but also boosted in order to attend classes.

I don’t know if you have the stamina to read through these thoughts but I believe they are important enough to state so here we go.

OMICRON - This variant is hopefully what we have all been praying for. The virus that we are all being plagued by is figuring out that the best way it will survive is to become milder. Let’s look at another virus, EBOLA, as an example. If EBOLA developed the ability to spread like covid it would probably mean the end of humanity. EBOLA is most difficult to control because of the fear and superstition that exist in the people that become infected by it. Many people in the areas of Africa where EBOLA outbreaks have happened are fearful of western medicine, our HAZMAT suits, vaccines… Their beliefs foster the spread of this deadly virus and one of the only things that keeps EBOLA at bay is the fact that it is so deadly that once it is even somewhat contained it tends to “burn out”. EBOLA would be much more difficult to contain if it were not so deadly.

Let’s just call EBOLA an “unevolved” virus. COVID, on the other hand, evolves very quickly. For one it is highly contagious. The Omicron variant spreads more easily than any other strains so far. Covid has also learned that if it kills its host it will not survive and all living things want to reproduce and survive. We don’t know for sure if this is the beginning of the end but my fingers are crossed. This statement is not meant to downplay the risks of Covid but to shine a light on a common phenomenon. In order for microbes to survive, they shouldn’t kill their hosts. It’s simply not a good evolutionary strategy. That does not mean that it WILL keep becoming milder, it just means that it is in the virus’s best interest to do so, only time will tell HOW it responds.

At the moment we do know that Omicron is most dangerous to individuals that have always been at risk. If you are:

Over 65 years old
Diabetic - or insulin resistant
Obese
Have a cardiovascular condition such as high blood pressure
Are immune compromised
So if you are an individual with one of these risk factors and are questioning the need for vaccination or booster, then stop thinking so much and just go out and protect yourself. Notice, the wording I used there, “protect yourself”. Starting with Delta variant and even more apparent with Omicron we have come to understand that even though the vaccine will protect you as an individual it does NOT prevent the spread of this virus. I have stated, since the start of this that the best way to protect yourself is to be the healthiest person you can be. If you are not the healthiest version of yourself then you should be vaccinated to protect yourself and keep the burden off of our hospital system.

Dr. Peter McCullough and Dr. Robert Malone were interviewed by Joe Rogan

I understand that it is very difficult for platforms like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to monitor and fact check every single piece of information that is posted on their platforms. I also agree that there is a ton of misinformation being spread about vaccines and bogus treatment options throughout the internet. I do not believe there has ever been a time in this country where intelligent debate and discussion have been suppressed though, and that is happening right now. I am a fan of the Joe Rogan show. It is an extremely important platform, NOT because everything that is said on this show is correct but because there are no other platforms that reach as many people where ideas other than what is spread on mainstream media are discussed.

I have encountered many people that dislike Joe Rogan’s show and have repeated sound bytes that misrepresent him and his guests without ever actually listening to the full episode that they were bashing. How can this be? How can we have open conversation and debate without actually listening to the information in full? I believe that everyone should listen to the full episodes I mentioned and we should start speaking about the points that were factual and the ones that were incorrect about them. Both of these doctors stated valid facts that should make you question the current strategies being implemented to fight this pandemic and both of them also misstated facts. There is a difference between outright lying to get ahead and making a mistake in a fact that is presented during a 3-hour long interview.

I encourage you to listen for yourself and look for the holes. That is what I do. After listening to someone on Rogan I wait a few days and listen to their detractors and that is how I form my opinion. At this moment there is NO debate, there are only independent sources spreading whatever message serves their platform. Both of these doctors have been de-platformed as anti-vaxers when that is NOT what I heard when listening to the interviews. Both of them are vaccinated themselves. Both of them believe that anyone at risk should be vaccinated as well.

SUNY and CUNY students are now required not only to be vaccinated but also boosted in order to attend classes. - My daughter attends SUNY at Buffalo. As of right now, she is being required to take a booster vaccine for Covid if she wants to attend classes starting Jan 17th. My daughter had Covid early on and got vaccinated anyway because she was working at a camp that had immune compromised children in attendance and at the time we all believed that vaccination would protect others. She is 19 years old, healthy, vaccinated, and recovered from 2 extremely mild cases of covid. She has what is thought to be the best defense against Covid already. A booster shot has not been shown in ANY way to offer her more protection than she already has and has been proven to have no impact on transmission.

Is there evidence that this booster shot will cause harm? No. But could it be harmful? Yes. We simply do NOT know enough. There has not been enough time that has elapsed to understand repeated vaccination doses of this particular vaccine. I believe it is HARMFUL to vaccinate healthy individuals for diseases that do not pose a threat to the public health system or to themselves. I have the exact same stance on the most ridiculous vaccine ever required as well, the chickenpox vaccine.

At this point in the pandemic, given the fact that every single person has had enough time to form their own belief system around these vaccines I believe you should have the freedom to choose. I understand that some people will make a choice and then later learn information that may make them regret that choice. The same holds true for people that choose to drink 6 diet cokes and eat Junk food all day. If that is a choice that you are allowed to make then vaccines should be a choice as well.

Do the statements I have just made require me to be labeled an ANTI-Vaxxer? To some, YES they do. I firmly believe that you should have a choice as to what you do with your body, Except if that choice directly and negatively impacts the health of others.

I hope we can all engage in informed conversations and stop this uneducated rhetoric very soon. Your rights as a U.S. citizen depend on it. No matter what your view I hope you will write your Congressional representatives, Senators, Governors, assembly to speak your mind. Posting on social media has virtually no impact. Let’s start speaking to each other and researching facts.

10/18/2021

15 million Americans routinely take PPIs. As many as 10.5 million people take PPIs even when they shouldn't. I’ve covered the topic of Acid reducers before. Although they may be necessary at times, you ultimately should try to find the CAUSE of your symptoms, rather than just covering them up with medications that may cause other issues.

The original article that piqued my interest for this email, Stomach Acid & Heartburn Drugs Linked with COVID-19 Outcomes, did not offer any solid conclusion. I searched a little longer and found this one, Mixed Bag for PPI Use and COVID-19 Infection, Severity. After looking around on PUBMED for a while the only conclusion you can reach is that there is somewhat of an increased risk for people that use PPI medication to have a more severe reaction to a Covid 19 infection.

I will suggest you read the articles if you want more details but here are the basics that you should understand, if you are dealing with Acid reflux/GERD and are taking PPI’s.

First of all, the most common reason for acid reflux is a LOW production of your own natural stomach acid HCL. If you generally have low stomach acid, the valve that separates your esophagus from your stomach the LES (lower esophageal sphincter) can become weak because there isn’t enough acid regularly stimulating the valve and keeping it strong. Just like any muscle, if it stops being challenged it becomes weaker. The consequence of this valve weakening is that when you lie down at night the stomach acid that you do produce can leak up to your esophagus and cause heartburn. Also after a meal when you produce slightly higher amounts of acid and your stomach is full the acid may “bubble-up” and escape up to the esophagus.

The traditional medical treatment for this is to suppress the acid so you feel better. It makes sense, but decreasing the natural acid in your stomach means 2 things. One, that you are less able to digest foods, which need the acid to break them down. Two, that you decrease your ability to fight infection. In this specific case, the low stomach acid changes the acid base balance of the resat of your intestinal tract and allows for unfriendly microbes to live where they would normally be killed off by the acid.

Sorry for all you long-term Newsletter readers that had to read that again, but it’s necessary info.

Now here is how that situation which may be encountered by up to 15 million Americans taking PPI medications, mainly Prilosec and Nexium, plays out with COVID 19. Since 80% of the health of your immune system is dependent on the health of your GUT HEALTH, you may have a more difficult time managing COVID -19. This could be because your immune system isn’t strong enough to deal with the infection, or could be just as likely to trigger an overreaction of your immune system as well. Both can lead to severe symptoms.

So what do you do if you suffer from indigestion, acid reflux, heartburn, GERD? You do your best to address the CAUSE. Check out the three videos I created on my YouTube channel The Digestion Diaries, to learn more. If you are already taking a PPI, speak to your prescribing doctor because the research leans heavily toward H2 blockers being a safer option, and TUMS, which is basically calcium, the safest of them all.

As always, I will always state that there is a risk/benefit ratio for each individual and sometimes there are situations where PPI’s are the best option for you. Since SO MANY PEOPLE take these medications and MOST doctors DO NOT ask the simple question WHY do you need this medication, I had to write this email today. ( BTW got really confused about whether to put a “?” back there, don’t ask me for grammar lessons).

What you can ask me for is help to figure out WHY you have the health issues you do. The WHY is the most important question to answer. If you aren’t taking any of these meds then pass this on to someone you know that is, I bet there’s at least one.

Reach out with any questions!

Small meta-analysis with varying conclusions emphasizes need for more research

10/11/2021

If you happen to be old enough to remember Billy Crystal’s character on Saturday Night Live, puckering his lips and looking into the mirror speaking the affirmation "It is better to LOOK good than to FEEL good", thank you, I don’t feel that old any more. If you have no idea what I am writing about, I’ll quickly move on to the topic at hand.

The article is titled: A personal trainer who has rippling 6-pack abs because of a hidden medical condition says he’s proof that being lean doesn’t mean you’re healthy

A common issue that many people with digestive issues face is that people just don’t understand what they feel like. The personal trainer in this article is the most dramatic example of someone that LOOKS amazing on the outside but is suffering on the inside. He looks like the epitome of health but he knows otherwise. I recommend that you read the article of course but I want to jot down a few points that I take away from this piece.

In the article, it mentions that Ben, the trainer, can’t even do a situp even though he has a 6 pack. Understanding Applied Kinesiology and using it to help patients that makes perfect sense. Your CORE abdominal muscles are related to the function of your intestines. If you are living with digestive issues, those muscles may be "turned off" or neurologically hypofaciliteted if you want to get technical. One aspect of health that you may not be aware of is that your muscles and your organs are "connected". Every muscle in your body has a connection to an organ or organ system. A dysfunction with one can cause a dysfunction in the other. So if you have a symptom that is not resolving it could be because you are only trying to treat one and not both.

Let’s say Ben can’t understand why he can’t do a situp? It may be because:

The nerves that help to fire his abdominal muscles are compromised by misalignment of his spine ( A Vertebral Subluxation). This can be corrected with help the of chiropractic care
It could be because he hasn’t learned the correct diet to eat to help manage his Chron’s disease. Many people with Chron’s rely on medication to treat their symptoms rather than addressing their microbiome and treating causes of inflammation.
It could be that the medication that he takes to help his large intestine may be irritating his small intestine. Maybe a more holistic approach using diet change and herbal therapy would help even better.
It could be that he isn’t handling stress properly or that he is overtraining. Both of these can increase stress hormone levels like cortisol which can lead to inflammation and decreased ability to digest your meals.

I have worked with many very fit people throughout my career that look great but feel like crap. Being Healthy can go along with looking and feeling fit but not always. Fit people Look good and are able to accomplish certain physical fitness goals. Healthy people are living in a lifestyle where all of their body parts work to the best of their ability and are in congruence with each other.
Whatever state of health you happen to be in at the moment, you can always learn something that can make you even BETTER! Let me know if you want help by scheduling an appointment today.

BTW, yes I help people that have Chron’s, Acid Reflux, GERD, SIBO, SIFO, IBS, Leaky Gut to live their best lives. Just reach out for help when you’re ready to learn how.

drjasonpiken.com