Out of the Past

In "Out of the Past", one of the greatest film noir ever made, Robert Mitchum's past inevitably catches up with him and dire consequences ensue for all involved. Are we, in terms of health and disease, also in danger of having our past - that is, our genetic inheritance - track us down and interfere with our life plans?1,2,3

Our past is our past - the things we've done can never be changed. Likewise, our genetic inheritance is fixed - we can't alter the genetic makeup of our 46 chromosomes. But genetics is a complicated field of study. Scientists are beginning to piece together many small pieces of the puzzle, yet the big picture is very slow to emerge. It seems the genes you've inherited from your parents are only the starting point of who and what you are. It's not the genes so much, but rather the expression of those genes that determine your physical characteristics and capabilities. Gene expression leads to the final product - a never-finished final product, of course - that is you.

In some cases, genetic inheritance is absolute. If a child inherits two copies of the genetic defect that causes sickle cell anemia - one from each parent - she will become ill with sickle cell disease. If a boy has inherited a copy of a particular sex-linked mutation (carried on the X chromosome) from his mother, he will develop Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a severe muscle wasting disease.

But most diseases result from combinations of genetic factors and variabilities in genetic expression. Cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, which together account for 60% of all deaths in the United States, are all caused by complex combinations of altered physiologic processes. In turn, gene expression is impacted to a significant extent by environmental factors. Environmental factors include the quality of your diet, the amount of regular exercise you do, the amount of rest you get, and many other factors that are a part of your daily life.

Importantly, gene expression is also based on the quality of information flowing through your nerve system. The final common pathway of gene expression is protein manufacture. Proteins are the workhorses of all physiologic mechanisms. Protein production depends, as do all other cellular processes, upon receipt of accurate and timely instructions from the nerve system.

Acute and chronic irritation to the musculoskeletal system - particularly irritation and injury affecting the spinal column - can interfere with normal flow of nerve system information. Chiropractic care removes these irritations, restoring normal biomechanical function to your body and in turn restoring optimal functioning of the nerve system.

The result is improved functioning of all body systems. With a healthy diet, plenty of regular exercise, sufficient rest, and fulfilling family and personal relationships, gene expression is directed toward productive, rather than destructive, pathways. What's written in your genes cannot be unwritten. But you can control, to a great extent, the quality of the expression of your genes.

1 Levin BE: Synergy of nature and nurture in the development of childhood obesity. Int J Obes (Lond) 33(Suppl 1):S53-S56, 2009
2Ezzat S: Chromatin remodeling: the interface between extrinsic cues and the genetic code? Clin Invest Med 31(5):E276-281, 2008
3Elder SJ, et al: Genetic and environmental influences on factors associated with cardiovascular disease and the metabolic syndrome. J Lipid Res 50(9):1917-1926, 2009

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Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

7:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

1:00 pm-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

7:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

1:00 pm-6:00 pm

Friday:

7:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

7:00 am-12:00 pm

1:00 pm-4:00 pm

Sunday:

Emergency Only

Testimonials

Reviews By Our Satisfied Patients

  • "Life would not be the same without Dr. Jayne! In addition to being the loveliest and most caring person, she's an extraordinary chiropractor. She truly has healing hands, an incredible knowledge of the body (MY body!), an uncanny gift for knowing exactly what the issue is right away, and then correcting it effectively. I always know I can rely on her to correct my neck and back issues when they arise, sometimes just after one visit. And Dr. Lou and Jayne's staff are wonderful - kind and patient, and always extremely helpful. I wouldn't go anywhere else."
    Beth B
  • "Dr Jayne and Dr Lou are both amazing! They offer not just great care, but a warm, welcoming atmosphere— truly family friendly! They go above and beyond and truly care about the whole patient, well beyond chiropractic care. Dr Jayne has offered amazing support and solace through my journey as a new mom and I will always be grateful!"
    Katherine G.
  • "Absolutely amazing ! First, the staff was very friendly. I am 8 months pregnant and I've had a lot of back/shoulder pain, and the doctor Jayne was very friendly and professional. You can tell she know what she's doing. She did an amazing job, when I got up from the chair I felt like I was 10 years old again ! My pain was completely gone. I am so happy I have found that place !"
    Manon J S.
  • "I've seen a whole bunch of chiropractors and Lou and Jayne are the best, by far. They're also two of the sweetest people I know."
    Scott C.
  • "I have no words to express my gratitude for Dr. Jayne. I was looking for a Webster Technique chiropractor during my pregnancy and I am so happy I found her. Thanks to her treatments we were able to turn the baby in optimal position and avoid any kind of medical interventions during delivery. But most of all, I valued her precious advice and physical and emotional support during before and after my baby was born. The most beautiful moment of all was giving my son his very first adjustment when he was only couple of days old. I definitely recommend her and her team!"
    Marija R.
  • "Dr Lou and Dr Jayne are fantastic. They've put my spine back in line and are always the nicest people to work with."
    Gerry G
  • "Friendly and welcoming. I enjoy my visits here as they are short and sweet, and really contribute overall health. Twice a week was all I needed and it has changed my world."
    Carlos C
  • "Dr. Lou has taken care of me for close to 20 years. ALWAYS spot on and just an amazing staff. Thank you for all you do."
    Marc W
  • "For two days I have been dealing with that ache in my bicep and having to stretch my hand and it constantly cracking...within minutes of leaving your office from my adjustment my ache is gone and no need to stretch the hand and when I did no cracking. Magic Hands I tell ya!!"
    Janice Bowman
  • "I highly recommend Family Chiropractors for all you health needs ..... From a tune up to a serious issue they will bring you back to the road of recovery ..... They are knowledgable and listen to your needs and concerns ..... I have gone to Dr Lou for over 10 years and I will tell you as a runnner and a yogi you can not find someone better or more caring ... Give them a try ... I believe you will be glad you did and so will your body."
    Thomas Randazzo
  • "It's miraculous how they make me feel better so quickly!"
    Richard Reiter
  • "Drs. Lou and Jayne are the best. Wonderful with even the very youngest children and babies, all the way to folks in later life. Friendly, personable, and strong at what they do -- each with his or her own style. Great to have appointments with both of them! They also have things like a water massage table, which is a wonderfully relaxing mini-escape, and laser treatments for things like carpal tunnel. They are also a gay-friendly business, which encourages me to refer more folks to them."
    Elizabeth Schroeder
  • "Love that place"
    Joe V