On the 100th anniversary of the first appearance of the phrase, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" [see sidebar], researchers from Oxford published a paper in the British Medical Journal titled, "A Statin a Day Keeps the Doctor Away: Comparative Proverb Assessment Modeling Study."1 After I read the paper, I felt "An Apple a Day Keeps the Statins at Bay" was a better direction for doctors and their patients.
In their paper, researchers calculated that if everyone over age 50 in the United Kingdom would take statin drugs, approximately 9,400 deaths from cardiovascular disease would be prevented every year [if approximately 17 million people over the age of 50 who do not meet the U.K.'s Rx criteria took a statin drug anyway. (5 million U.K. adults over age 50 take statins to lower cholesterol.)]
They then applied the same formula, substituting an apple for the drug and an equal number of calories, consumed by 70 percent of 22 million citizens ages 50 and above. (The 95 or so calories provided by the apple were subtracted from other meals so there would not be a daily increase.) Their results revealed that if 70 percent complied, a apple a day would prevent approximately 8,500 deaths a year – almost 1,000 less than the statin drug. However, when researchers estimated side effects, they discovered the stain drug would cause almost 14,000 serious problems a year:
| Origin of "An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away" Nowthat we know "a statin a day keeps the doctor away" and "an apple a day or astatin a day is equally likely to keep the doctor away" come from researchersat the world-famous Oxford University Medical School in the United Kingdom;1and "An apple a day keeps the statins at bay" comes from an obscurechiropractor from a small city in California, we can turn our attention to the origin of the proverbthat inspired their study and this article. Myresearch revealed that many sources credit "AADKDA" to ancient Romans. Butwhen I tried to locate any documentation in the historical record, I couldnot. Numerous reports on the web also attribute "AADKDA" to the author of PoorRichards Almanac and the man on America's $100 bill, Ben Franklin. However,after having no luck finding anything in writing, I stumbled across aUniversity of Delaware website based on the works of their longtime professor and pre-eminent expert onBenjamin Franklin, the late Dr. Leo Lemay. He confirmed "AADKDA" was not oneof Mr. Franklin's many creations.2 Intheir paper the Oxford doctors state that the proverb is approximately 150years old and referenced an 1866 Welsh magazine called Notesand Queries as the origin. That magazine published:"Eat an apple on going to bed, and you'll keep the doctor from earning hisbread." Iwill not argue with Oxford on the basic idea (apples are healthy), but Irespectively disagree that the eight-word phrase in question ("AADKDA")originated in Wales 148 years ago. I also disagree with a recent piece in The Washington Post thatsaid "AADKDA" originated in 1922.3This is because 101 years ago, "AADKDA" appeared in a 1913 book called Rustic Speechand Folk-Lore.4 |
If compliance with the apple regimen (or a second apple, for those who already consumed one a day) was 90 percent instead of the 70 percent, the annual reduction of deaths from cardiovascular causes would reach 11,000 - a 29 percent increase for a 20 percent higher compliance rate.
On the BMJ website, at the end of the article, a text box titled "What This Study Adds" states: "An apple a day or a statin a day is equally likely to keep the doctor away." I must respectively disagree: Yes, they may be equally likely to keep the undertaker away, but with 14,000 preventable cases of diabetes and muscle disease every year, "A statin a day guarantees the doctor gets pay."
References
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
