Some of you old-time sports enthusiasts might remember sports columnist Allan Malamud, but he mostly worked in California. The now-deceased long-time columnist for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and Los Angeles Times was known for his "Notes on a Scorecard" column in which he wrote one paragraph after another about different thoughts of the day. Each thought was separated by an ellipsis, or three dots. Other columnists over the years have employed this style of writing, but I remember Malamud's column well.

I always thought it would be interesting to write a column like that. It's the perfect style for someone as opinionated as I am. So here are some of my random thoughts about current topics in chiropractic and health care in general. Feel free to send me your own thoughts. Here goes ...

Sports chiropractic made headlines this past month as injured Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels said in a Philadelphia Enquirer interview that he would not be on the disabled list if the Philadelphia Phillies had a team chiropractor. Hamels said he sees a chiropractor on his own, but he said it was tough to do so while he is on the road. A team official was quoted as saying he would be surprised if a chiropractor could help Hamels' elbow tendon problem. My thoughts: It shouldn't be too tough for Hamels to find a chiropractor while traveling. With the money Major League baseball players earn, Hamels could afford to take a chiropractor on the road with him ...

October is National Chiropractic Month. This year's activities will focus on the importance of quality sleep, as well as mattress and pillow selection. The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) holds this nationwide campaign every October. There's still time left for you to get involved to keep your patients informed and to position yourself further as a wellness expert. For more information, see our Web-exclusive article on the topic. Wesley Merritt, DC, who serves as the chairman of ACA's Public Relations & Marketing Committee, is the author of the article ...

A respected chiropractor who specializes in nutrition once told me that my vegetarian diet is "inflammatory." I respect the rights of others to eat what they choose, but I feel healthier by avoiding consumption of animal products. I'd like to hear your thoughts ...

The way doctors greet new patients affects their future relationship, according to a new study by researchers at Northwestern University's medical school. The report, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, stated that 78% of those surveyed wanted a handshake from a physician, while 56% said they wanted the introduction to contain the doctor's first and last name. My thoughts: Wow, they'll research anything these days. But the study shows how important communication is to patients ...

Do you recommend supplements at your practice? Take our poll.

Speaking of communication skills, we practice what we preach here at Chiropractic Products. I like to periodically go out and talk in person to practicing chiropractors who know the real issues of the day. I recently met separately with Los Angeles chiropractors Jeffrey Tucker, DC, DACRB, and Robert Johnson, DC. While visiting Dr Tucker's office, I was in chiropractic product heaven. Among the many products he uses include interferential therapy, nutritional supplements, and orthotics ...

Those are my thoughts for the day. I'd like to hear yours. Drop me a line with your thoughts about our magazine, your practice, and what you see in the future for your great profession.

Daryl Lubinsky