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

Multicare Health Clinic

3930 Stadium Dr
Sioux City, IA 51106
Phone Number: (712) 276-4325

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Monday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-2:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

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Testimonials

  • "My shoulder and neck feel so much better. I now have the knowledge, motivation, desire and tools to keep up the exercises."
    Barb B.
  • "I leave here feeling confident that I have the resources to manage my pain and live normally, and that's priceless."
    Alycen V.
  • "There couldn't be a better physical therapy team in Siouxland! Not only did my knee feel so much better after six weeks, but I feel like I made new friends."
    Karla K.
  • "After an accident at work I didn't think I'd ever get relief from my aching shoulder. But, the doctors at Multicare gave me adjustments and physical therapy and now I feel normal again."
    Cliff C.
  • "I'm now a believer now! I didn't think chiropractic could help my foot problems. But after meeting with Dr. Pistello and Dr. Dave for a few weeks, I'm feeling so much better!"
    Gino G.
  • "Dr. Sneller helped. I haven't been feeling dizzy anymore."
    Belinda B
  • "I'm so glad my sister referred me to Multicare! My elbow hasn't felt this good in a long time. Thanks to the great physical therapy team there."
    Ellen E.
  • "I'm a runner. When I wasn't able to run due to leg problems, I was devastated. But a consultation at Multicare Health Clinic identified the problem and after some adjustments, stimulation treatments and therapy, I'm running again!"
    Lisa L.
  • "My company encouraged all of us employees to get screened at Multicare. I didn't know what to expect. It was easy and I learned so much. The orthotics they prescribed really help me to feel more stable and confident at work."
    Jim J.
  • "Being able to present my back pain to three different professions in one place and knowing that they are working together to make me better is very comforting."
    Charlie P.
  • "Not only is my pain level down to zero, but what I'm really thrilled with, is that I have normal feeling in my hands."
    Jill L.
  • "After my consultatin with the doctors at Multicare Health Clinic, I understand how to address my balance issues."
    Anna A.
  • "At night my right hand would go painfully numb at least 2-3 times where I could not sleep. Now, I don't have that pain and can get a full night sleep."
    Janet D.
  • "I wasn't able to use my hand the way I should. After working with Dr. Sneller and the physical therapy team, I can use my hand again."
    Ivy I.
  • "After my knee surgery I was asked where I wanted to do my physical therapy, I chose Multicare Health Clinic and I'm so glad I did! Dr. Steve and the therapy assistants (Sara and Megan) are fabulous! They know what they're doing and they all really seemed to care about my recovery. I'm feeling fantastic! I'll definitely go back again whenever I need therapy or adjustments."
    Sheri J.
  • "I wasn't able to use my hand the way I should. After working with Dr. Sneller and the physical therapy team, I can use my hand again."
    Henry H.
  • "I now can go a full week without pain and headaches."
    Luke W.