International Chiropractic Pediatric Association|
[Source www.toyourhealth.com]
Regardless of your occupation, the physical demands of your job – whether you’re sitting at a desk all day, lifting heavy objects or running from location to location – can take a serious toll on your body. That’s where chiropractic care can help. In this interview with Timothy Wegscheid, DC, find out why he became a chiropractor and how he provides chiropractic care and ergonomic assessments to employees at a unique place of business: the Minnesota Zoo. Describe how you became interested in providing chiropractic care at the workplace. After I graduated from Northwestern College of Chiropractic in 1996, my father telephoned my office for an appointment, as he had strained his lower spine. He had been a lifetime employee at 3M (Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing), and I remembered visits to 3M’s headquarters a couple of times as a kid. I was amazed at how large their headquarters were. They had everything there: a medical facility, a pharmacy and even a place to get your shoes shined and your hair cut. So, in reply to my dad’s request, I responded with, “Why don’t you see your chiropractor at work?” He responded, “What chiropractor?” This led me to ask the most basic of questions: “Why don’t you have a chiropractor on-site?” I understand you are currently involved with an exciting project with the Minnesota Zoo. How did this opportunity arise? The Minnesota Zoo is owned by the State of Minnesota. It opened in 1978 and is located in my home town of Apple Valley. The zoo has around 170 full-time employees year-round. Toward the end of my occupational health diplomate program, I asked the head of safety and security for the zoo, if he would be open to having me provide on-site chiropractic care for the zoo’s employees. He immediately understood the potential benefits of doing so, and with his assistance, we were able to implement an on-site chiropractic program. Describe the major occupational health services you are providing at the zoo. The zoo’s employees are divided into two groups: the physical labor portion (zookeepers, grounds crew, maintenance, etc.) and the more sedentary portion (administrative, guest services, etc.). As it turns out, an approximately equal distribution of workers has chosen to see me. The zoo supplied me with an exam / treatment room, in which I provide chiropractic care, acupuncture and rehab for any neuromusculoskeletal symptoms the workers experience. So, does your chiropractor provide chiropractic care and ergonomic assessments at your place of business? If not, you may want to pass this article on to your employer and suggest they contact your chiropractor. It’s a win-win-win situation for employers, employees and your DC.
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January 6, 2012
July 22, 2011
To Your Health Newsletter 07-21-2011
Source: www.toyourhealth.com
The entire digestive process is orchestrated by good stomach acid. If there isn’t enough, the gallbladder doesn’t get triggered properly to function, and the pancreatic enzymes aren’t released for proper digestion.
So, knowing the vital functions of stomach acid, it seems absolutely insane to take antacids or proton-pump inhibitors such as that little purple pill, doesn’t it?
How does the stomach acid get turned off? And what can be done about it? The main reason stomach acid gets turned off is from stress caused by high carb intake (high sugar levels are enormously stressful for the body), mental stress, physical stresses like excessive exercise, or physical stresses such as inflammation, infections, anemia or food intolerances.
Most people simply need supplementation of digestible betaine hydrochloride (HCI), for three to six months to restore proper acidity to the stomach and eliminate the symptoms they’re having. Mucilaginous vegetables like okra are especially effective for that. The stomach lining heals quite quickly, so after 10 days of eating okra or taking okra pills, you can add in the betaine hydrochloride with each meal. Make sure that it’s taken with or right after a meal.
Apple cider vinegar is a popular home remedy for low stomach acid, but it’s quite weak. It will help a little, but you might also consider supplementation, because if you are continuing to stress your body in whatever way that you do, the apple cider vinegar might not be enough, and considering how much we need good acid, it might be worthwhile to supplement.
It’s not just a matter of fixing the problem once and thinking you’re done. Pay attention to symptoms, and ask your doctor about betaine hydrochloride if you start having problems. Anytime you have a large meal, or when you travel, or in periods of high stress, you take it just as a precaution.
You will be amazed at how quickly those acid reflux, sour stomach, and gas problems will be resolved without having to take a lifetime of purple pills when you incorporate these simple, natural strategies. Ask your doctor for more information regarding digestive health.
After the age of 40, we tend to lose about 0.5 to 2 percent of our muscle each year. If you aren’t concerned about looking good, then also realize that this loss is a large factor in falls in older age, which can most often lead to fractures and even death. The good news is that there’s an answer to helping fight this. Follow these steps and you will find yourself getting in shape for life:
Step 1: Don’t sit too long
The first goal is to avoid sitting or resting for long periods of time. A study in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that people who sit for most of the day are 54 percent more likely to die of a heart attack. The shocking fact is that this is independent on whether you smoke or exercise! It doesn’t matter if you exercise or smoke. Sitting long periods still increase the risk.
Step 2: Start a Walking Program
Start with small steps. The best way to do this is get a simple pedometer. Those cost a few dollars and are well worth it. Stick to your regular routine for the first week and record how many steps you walk every day. Do this every week until you can get to a goal of 10,000 steps per day. This is the big goal so don’t aim for it from the start. It’s about aiming for smaller goals first and then reaching them.
Step 3: Start a stretching (warm up) program
Good news is that you don’t need to spend as much time holding a stretched position as we previously thought. That’s because we are often confused between stretching and warming up. Warming up is about moving body parts slowly and through a full range of motion until your muscles get warmed up. This is the best thing to do before you start any exercise program. Research has shown that static stretching, those positions that you hold for several seconds, can sometimes be responsible for increasing injuries, not decreasing them.
Step 4: Start a strengthening program
Researchers at University of Michigan Health System found that an adult can add 2.42 pounds of lean muscle and increase overall strength by 25 to 30 percent after 18 weeks of resistance training. This can occur well into the 80′s and 90′s so its never too late to start.
Not all calories are the same, especially when it comes to the calories you drink. Most people tend to revolve their diet plans around the foods they consume, often forgetting that what they drink on a daily basis is just as important. Countless drinks on the market tend to be very high in sugar content, which we all know eventually turns into fat, derailing our weight-loss goals.
Some drinks are also loaded with tons of calories that often can be just as high as an entire meal. Learning what drinks to watch out for and which ones to consume can make a big difference in your overall weight and health. Let’s take a look at a few healthy options that can help you meet your long-term goals.
When it comes to finding the perfect drink to complement your healthy eating goals, the number-one thing you need is just five letters: water!
Water is a basic beverage that provides essential benefits like helping to digest your food properly and hydrating the body, but most importantly, it contains zero calories.
When considering beverages, it is essential to always read the nutrition facts just like you would with food. The first ingredient listed is the most common ingredient; the least common ingredient is listed last. Your drink should be mostly water or 100 percent juice, depending on the beverage. If you see sugar first on the label, watch out!
Other things to consider: Try to keep your sugar intake lower than American Heart Association’s limits for added sugars: 100 calories (6 tsp) for women and 150 calories (9 tsp) for men per day. (These shouldn’t be coming from beverages, since many of your foods contain sugars).
So this summer, satisfy your parched taste buds with water; and if you can’t forgo your favorite sip (or more) of something less healthy, do it in small amounts! Small changes can equal big results! Drink well.
February 16, 2011
To Your Health Newsletter 02-16-2011
What is a prudent anti-aging approach to heart health? While the benefits of cardiovascular activity are well-established and often receive the bulk of attention when discussing heart health, the scientific literature suggests a number of nutritional approaches also are worthy of consideration for achieving optimal cardiac fitness. Here are three you can incorporate into your daily diet starting today. Talk to your doctor for more information.
The Power of (Healthy) Protein. Previous studies have linked consumption of red meat to increased risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Adam Bernstein, from Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues studied data collected on 84,136 women, ages 30 to 55, enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study. The research team examined the women’s medical histories and lifestyles, including dietary habits, and tracked the incidence of non-fatal heart attacks and fatal coronary heart disease for 26 years.
Women who consumed two servings per day of red meat, as compared to those who consumed only half a serving per day, had a 30 percent higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. By comparison, the data also showed that eating more servings of protein sources such as poultry, fish and nuts was significantly associated with a decreased risk of coronary heart disease. Compared to eating one serving each day of red meat, women who substituted other protein-rich foods experienced a significantly lower risk of coronary heart disease.
Where’s the Watermelon? Watermelon is a rich natural source of L-citrulline, a compound closely related to L-arginine, which is crucial to the formation of nitric oxide, which helps to widen blood vessels and thereby mediate blood pressure. Arturo Figueroa, from Florida State University, and colleagues evaluated four men and five women, average age 54 years, with pre-hypertension (134/77 ± 5/3 mmHg). Subjects were randomly assigned to six weeks of watermelon supplementation or placebo, followed by a four-week washout period and then crossover. The team found that supplementation with 6 grams of L-citrulline from watermelon improved arterial function and lowered aortic blood pressure in all pre-hypertensive subjects.
Healthy Fats, Healthy Heart? Low HDL (high-density lipoprotein, “good” cholesterol) levels and high LDL (low-density lipoprotein, “bad” cholesterol) levels are a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. David Jenkins, from St. Michael’s Hospital (Ontario, Canada), and colleagues recruited 17 men and 7 postmenopausal women to complete a very low saturated fat diet before being randomly assigned to either a high-monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) diet or a low- MUFA diet. Both groups of patients were assigned to a specific vegetarian diet that included oats, barley, psyllium, eggplant, okra, soy, almonds and a plant sterol-enriched margarine.
In the high-MUFA group, the researchers substituted 13 percent of calories from carbohydrates with a high-MUFA sunflower oil, with the option of a partial exchange with avocado oil. The team found significant reductions in blood cholesterol levels over the two-month study period for participants, with the replacement of 13 percent of total calories from carbohydrate by monounsaturated fats in the dietary portfolio resulting in a 12.5 percent increase in HDL and 35 percent reduction in LDL.
Antidepressants have been the mainstay treatment for depression, an approach that has garnered significant criticism over the years from those who believe the drugs are widely overprescribed and unsafe. For example, in some cases, antidepressants appear to actually increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors; certainly not a desired consequence for anyone, but particularly for someone suffering from depression.
Now for some good news: Research is suggesting alternative treatments may be as effective as – and definitely safer than – antidepressant medications. Case in point: a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry that suggests meditation benefits depression patients in remission from the disorder.
In the study, patients who learned how to meditate 40 minutes a day instead of taking antidepressant medication were as likely to avoid a relapse as patients taking antidepressants or a placebo (an inactive pill patients believed contained medication to help them control their depression symptoms).
Keep in mind that depression, particularly major depressive disorder, goes far beyond “feeling blue”; symptoms can severely impact home, school and work life. For additional information about depression including the warning signs, visit the NIMH Web site at www.nimh.nih.gov/health/index.shtml.
Here’s a common snag with people who exercise consistently, especially during the first few months of a new year: You don’t look forward to doing the same exercises you did last year. Although squats, push-ups, lunges and pull-ups are the foundation for most, if not all exercises, they can get monotonous over time and your body could do the thing we don’t want it to do: plateau. If your body plateaus, it means it essentially gets used to the exercises and figures out a way to burn less calories efficiently. That means a less productive workout for you, which is never a good thing. Here are some challenging variations on common exercises that will take your workout from ordinary to extraordinary:
“Uchimata” Push-Up Variation: From a one-leg push-up position and squeezing the glute (buttock) of your support leg, slowly lower your body as one unit until your chest grazes the floor and pause for a count. From there, use your glute to slowly raise your lifted leg as high as you can without overly hyperextending your lower back. Then push back up to the starting position, switch sides and repeat for time. The one-leg lift really increases the demands on your core, lower back, glutes, and hamstrings; and since it shifts your weight forward onto your hands, it really challenges your shoulders, too.
Vertical Squat Jump: Stand in the start position for a body-weight squat, then squat down and jump up as high as possible.
Lunge Hops: Start in the bottom of a split-squat position (one leg in front, one in back). Your front thigh should be parallel to the floor, your torso upright and your abs braced. Jump up explosively and switch leg positions in the air. Your back leg becomes the front leg, and vice-versa. Absorb the landing with your muscles. Keep your abs braced and torso upright. Alternate sides without resting between sides. Repeat for 10 reps total.
Inverted Rows: Set a bar at hip height in the Smith machine or squat rack. Lie underneath the bar and grab it a few inches wider than shoulder-width apart. Row (pull) yourself up the top position with your upper back and lats. Keep the abs braced and body in a straight line from toes (knees) to shoulders. Slowly return to the start position. Repeat for 10 reps. (For beginner inverted rows – keep feet on the ground.)
Hope these twists on some original exercises get you excited and ready for a new, better you in 2011. After all, having an arsenal of exercises that you can do safely and effectively is the only true way to lose weight, gain strength and stay healthy in the long term. Now go out there and get started! Remember to talk to your doctor before beginning any new exercise routine, particularly if you have a health condition that could impact performance or safety.
[Source: www.toyourhealth.com]
February 15, 2011
Chiropractic Makes The Brain Work Better
Source:
Dr. Sten Ekberg – Wellness For Life Chiropractic; 3502 Old Milton Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA 30005; http://www.planetc1.com/cgi-bin/n/v.cgi?c=1&id=1296104106
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Pain relief is a side effect. Take a minute to think about this.
If the brain and nervous system regulate all function in the body – which it does, and if pain is a useful signal from your body to you that something isn’t quite right, which it is, then it stands to reason that the only way to create pain relief is to either make the brain and nervous system work better or to make the brain ignorant of the pain signal.
Drugs block the pain signal and thus keep the brain ignorant of the problem, allowing the problem to grow and express itself through other avenues.
Chiropractic also creates pain relief but does not use drugs and does not block the pain signal; consequently chiropractic must achieve its pain relief by making the brain work better.
This kind of chiropractic is called functional neurology and the beauty of what it can accomplish is of course that if the pain relief is merely a side effect or a bonus of making the brain and body work better, then the benefits are not limited to pain relief. That’s just the tip of the ice berg.
Further more, I’m sure you have heard that drugs have side effects and that they warn you from taking pain killers if your liver is compromised. That’s because if you have a weak liver the drugs can finish it off. That is not a good thing even for the healthiest of liver. Chiropractic on the other hand is extremely safe and the side effects are of the kind that are good for you and your liver.
Footnote: If anyone tells you chiropractic is not safe, ask them why it is then that insurance companies, who are in business to make money, will write a malpractice insurance policy for a chiropractor at about one 50th the cost of what they charge a medical doctor.
Happy Valentines Day!
Chiropractic adjustments lower blood pressure
A new study in the Journal of Human Hypertension, one of Nature Publishing Group’s journals, reveals that chiropractic adjustments to correct subluxation of the atlas vertebrae lower blood pressure (BP).
The double blind, placebo-controlled study enrolled 50 patients with Stage 1 hypertension, who were not taking medication for the condition. During an eight-week period, half of the subjects underwent chiropractic care for restoration of atlas alignment using a National Upper Cervical Chiropractic (NUCCA) procedure. A control group received a sham procedure.
Compared with members of the placebo group, those undergoing chiropractic care enjoyed significant drops in both systolic BP and diastolic BP. No adverse effects were detected. However, chiropractic care did not appear to influence heart rate.
“We conclude that restoration of atlas alignment is associated with marked and sustained reductions in BP similar to the use of two-drug combination therapy,” conclude the study’s authors.
Journal of Human Hypertension – January 25, 2007;Epub.www.nature.com.
[Thanks to Dr. Michael Beattie
October 27, 2010
To Your Health Newsletter 10-25-2010
The term “improved function” has been used by chiropractors for years to help patients understand the benefits of chiropractic care and the role it plays in true wellness. The body is made up of muscles, organs and glands that are controlled by the nervous system, and the nervous system consists of the brain, spinal cord and nerves.
The brain sends signals down the spine and to the nerves, which tell the heart to beat, the lungs to breathe, the stomach to digest, the glands to produce necessary hormones, and so on. It’s when the signals don’t get from the spinal cord to the nerves and then from the nerves to the muscles, organs and glands that the body begins to lose proper function and symptoms begin to occur.
Mainstream medicine doesn’t recognize these symptoms as simple alerts from the body that there’s something amiss, but instead as something that must be eliminated through chemicals or pharmaceuticals. They don’t seek wellness, but rather a lack of symptoms.
The biggest difference between mainstream medicine and wellness care is just that: medicine. Today’s medical professionals are still treating symptoms instead of the cause of the problem. The bigger problem lies with the fact that the medicines usually begin to create their own list of symptoms that must be treated with more medicines. It’s a domino effect leading not to health and wellness, but to illness and dependence.
These days, the term wellness is being overused and abused by a society that recognizes its importance but doesn’t understand its application. Marketing departments around the globe are throwing the word around because it’s popular, but often it’s simply being used as a gimmick to improve sales of products that have nothing to do with improved health and function.
We live in a society that’s been conditioned to believe there’s a medication or a surgical procedure to fix every problem. Is that really the way you want to live your life? Now that you understand wellness, start doing something to ensure you can enjoy it. Talk to your chiropractor to learn more.
Nutritionally, there is no perfect food, although a few come pretty close. And even if there were, who’d want to eat the same thing every meal, every day? Fortunately, variety and healthy eating can go hand in hand, particularly if you know where to look. Take a look at these foods that pack a nutritional punch and can be incorporated into a wide variety of meal plans.
Beets: Beets were one of the most successful crops in the Biosphere project. Basically, it simulated living on the moon. And if you had to pick one vegetable to take with you to the moon, you’d do well to pick beets. The roots and leaves are packed with antioxidant phytochemicals, provide much-needed minerals and vitamins, and are a good source of fiber.
Rye: Obesity statistics suggest a good portion of us could use some help battling the scale, and rye is on your side. Rye has an excellent reputation for helping us feel full, produces a low insulin response, and is typically a good source of fiber. It is a rich source of minerals, too.
Organic Berries: This isn’t a hard sell, right? Juicy, bright, and tasty, berries add fiber, vitamins and antioxidants to your diet. These little gems appear to support healthy arteries, cognition, inflammation and eyesight. Many studies have found a benefit in drinking cranberry or blueberry juice for prevention of urinary tract infections.
Fermented foods: Face it Mr. Clean, the human body needs bacteria, and fermented foods provide “good” bacteria (probiotics) to give our native colonies a helping hand. Clinical trials continue to examine the benefits of probiotics on gastrointestinal complaints like diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as for conditions such as colic and eczema in infants.
Legumes: This low-fat, no-cholesterol source of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals is among the best foods we can eat. As a substitute for meat-based protein, beans can help support our drive for heart health. And the fiber and protein in legumes are excellent tools in our weight-management toolbox.
Whether you’re in good health, rehabbing a recent injury or have arthritis, osteoporosis or other chronic condition, the following key points should be followed to ensure you get the most out of your workout. Remember to talk to your doctor first so the two of you can work together to design an exercise program that’s right for you.
LESSON 1: Before starting an exercise program, you and your health professional need to understand what your immediate goals are. Are you trying to lose weight? Increase strength? Train for a particular sport? Do you have any swelling? Pain? Weakness? Are your joints stiff? Once you know what you want to accomplish, it’s a lot easier to figure out where to start.
LESSON 2: Exercise should consist of three clear phases. Begins with five to 10 minutes of warm-ups. Keep in mind that a “warm-up” is not the same as stretching.
LESSON 3: Type of exercise is just as important as the three phases. Try to incorporate different types of programs, such as stretching, strength training, balance training, and aerobic conditioning. Each of these affects the joints and body in different ways. By using all of them, you’ll be able to make better gains in your health.
LESSON 4: There can be some discomfort with exercise at first. Therefore, precaution should be taken to ensure you don’t injure yourself. Remember that your body’s response to exercise can change day by day. You shouldn’t feel pain, particularly sudden/sharp pain, when you are exercising.
LESSON 5: Rest time is crucial for strength training. In the past, people tended to weight train every day. Research is showing that if a body doesn’t get enough rest, it will break down instead of building up. Therefore, never strength train the same body part two days in a row. Always allow at least two days in between, if not longer.
LESSON 6: Lifestyle activities are also effective forms of exercise. For example, gardening, going for hikes, taking the stairs at work, or playing catch with your kids or grandkids is just as effective in producing positive effects as a more traditional “gym” program.
LESSON 7: Most guidelines recommend 20 to 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per day. However, if you are not able to do this, then break it up into five-minute bouts several times a day. Research shows that doing smaller bouts of exercise through the day is just as beneficial as one continuous session.
[Source: www.toyourhealth.com]
October 14, 2010
NSAID Use Associated With Future Stroke
NSAID Use Associated With Future Stroke in Healthy Population:
The results of a Danish study found that short-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was associated with an increased risk of stroke in healthy individuals. This increased risk ranged from about 30% with ibuprofen and naproxen to 86% with di-clofenac.
[Source: BC Chiropractic Association Newsletter Fall 2010; www.bcchiro.com]
May 28, 2010
To Your Health Newsletter 05-27-2010
Brought to You by Gibsons Chiropractic
Avoiding High-Risk Moments for Your Low Back
When it comes to your lower back and injury risk, there are two critical times when you need to be especially careful. One is first thing in the morning. Your back is actually swollen at that time. You are substantially taller, and the discs have extra fluid in them. A careless forward bend or twist first thing in the morning can do substantial damage to your discs or other back structures. It doesn’t seem fair that such a simple thing, bending and twisting, something you have done thousands of times before, can suddenly cause big problems.
The other critical time is after you have been sitting. Long car drives or airplane trips are especially challenging. In this case, the culprit is something called “creep.” This means that your ligaments and tendons lengthen into the position that you have been in. Think of sitting as a bent-forward position, as your legs are forward. The ligaments and tendons do not provide protection properly when they have been lengthened by creep. When you first get up from sitting, you are at risk. The longer you have been sitting, the higher the risk. If you sit more upright, with good lumbar support, you will have somewhat less risk.
Common Events That Can Cause Back Pain
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Scenario #1: You didn’t sleep well last night, perhaps from sleeping in an unfamiliar bed after travel, after sitting too long. You get up, feel stiff, but ignore it. You sit down in a soft chair to enjoy your morning hot drink. You get up and get a sudden sharp stab in the back. |
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Scenario #2: You get up from sleeping, and sit at your laptop, and get entranced by a video or article. You end up sitting far longer than you planned. You get up, and can’t completely straighten up. |
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Scenario #3: You get up from sleeping, drink your morning coffee, which wakes up your gut, and you go to bathroom to empty your bowel. You are a bit constipated, and have to strain. When you get up from the toilet, your back spasms. |
| Overnight sleeping, even a good sleep on your favorite bed, leaves your back somewhat swollen. Swollen may be an exaggeration, but the reality is that there is extra fluid in all of your joints. |
Two Ways to Minimize Injury/Pain Risk
| 1. | Don’t bend over immediately after sitting. Sitting, even in good posture, puts you at risk. The longer you sit and the worse the seat, the more at risk you are. Airlines are very risky; it’s hard to get up and move around because of the tight quarters, and the minute the plane stops, you bend over and get stuff from under the seat, or reach up, and twist and lift to get your bag from the overhead compartment. After a long sit, give yourself at least a few seconds of backward bending and/or moving around to reset your spine. Then you can carefully, using your hips rather than your back, bend over to pick up something. |
| 2. | When you sit, don’t slump. Slumping reinforces the risks, makes it more likely for something bad to happen to your discs or joints or muscles. So, sit up straight, and keep your back in neutral. Neutral means that you keep a bit of a lordosis in your lower back, keep the lumbar spine from slumping forward, stay more upright. This simple action can make a huge difference. Like any habit, this will require you to “Just Do It” for a few weeks. |
Talk to your doctor about these and other high-risk moments for your lower back and what you can do to relieve low back pain or avoid the pain altogether.
Exercises to Ensure You’re Swimsuit Ready
The dreaded swimsuit season is upon us. It’s time to see just how much our bodies have changed over the course of a long winter, which can be an eye-opening experience. The fitness industry knows how traumatic this can be for you; that’s why every year there are countless new books, diets, videos, and magazines dispensing advice on how to get in shape for summer. Unfortunately, most of these “great” ideas involve quick-fix starvation diets and equipment-intensive workouts that are often difficult to follow. Inevitably, the weight comes back (with a few extra pounds added) because these quick-fix programs lower your metabolic set point, making your body more prone to storing body fat. And that’s the last thing you want to do!
So, what’s the answer? Well, it’s really quite simple and boils down to one simple word: MOVEMENT! Here are some of the best exercises to ensure you’re swimsuit ready this summer – and every month thereafter. It’s a sample program that’s quick, easy and positively invigorating
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3-5 minutes of brisk walking |
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30 seconds of bear walks, 20 seconds of push-ups (repeat) |
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30 seconds of spiderman walks, 20 seconds of squats (repeat) |
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30 seconds of crab walks, 20 seconds of crunches (repeat) 30 seconds of duck walks, 20 seconds of push-ups (repeat) |
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3-5 minutes of slow walking |
Push-Ups: Perform a standard push-up. If too difficult to perform, put your knees on the ground or change your angle by leaning against a wall.
Abdominal Crunches: Lie on your back and raise your legs off the ground. Grasp hands behind the head to cradle the neck, but do not pull the neck. Curl up, bringing the knees toward the chest and contracting your stomach.
Squats: Stand shoulder-width apart with arms extended in front of the body. Bend your knees, going parallel to the ground like you are sitting in a chair. Hold position for one second and return to starting position, being careful not to lock out your knees.
“Animal Movements”: Each animal walk below works different muscles and helps with balance, circulation, cardiovascular health, flexibility, and body toning. Make sure you breathe normally during this and all animal walks.
Spiderman walks: These are great for the hips, legs, back and arms. Start in a crouch position with your feet and your hands on the ground. Bring your right hand forward. Lift up your right leg and bring it up to meet your right hand. Make sure you keep your buttocks down; don’t lift them up too much. Now bring your left hand forward. Lift up your left leg and bring it up to meet your right hand. Repeat sequence.
Crab walks. These will work your arms, back, and lower body. Begin by sitting on the ground. Put your arms on the ground behind you and lift up your hips. Walk forward on your hands and heels, trying to keep your hips as high as possible. Repeat.
Duck walks. These will work your lower body like you have never felt. Get into a squatting position with your hands at your sides. Step forward with your left foot, then with your right foot. Keep walking like this until you can’t go any farther. Breathe naturally.
Bear walks. Bear walks will work your arms, back, chest and lower body. These will also get you out of breath really quickly! Find a large area to do this exercise. Put all your weight on your hands and feet. Bring your right hand and left foot forward. Then your left hand and right foot. Keep going.
This is a fun, effective workout that will enhance your physique and get you swimsuit ready. With additional movement comes greater flexibility, a leaner physique and more muscle tone. Summer shape-up can finally be an enjoyable time for physical fitness. (Note: It is highly recommended that you get full medical clearance for intense physical activity from your doctor prior to beginning any exercise program.) Move smarter. Move better. Look better. Sounds like the perfect combination. See you at the beach.
The ABCs of BPA – What You Should Know
Bisphenol A, otherwise known as BPA, is a chemical that has been linked to the development of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. For example, a recent study, results of which were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that higher urinary BPA concentrations were associated with elevated rates of both conditions.
That’s important to know because it’s been estimated that up to 90 percent of U.S. adults have some level of BPA in their body (as seen from urine samples), which makes sense (unfortunately) if you consider that BPA has been used since the 1960s in many hard plastic bottles and to line food and beverage containers.
According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, there are certain precautions that can be taken to protect adults, children and infants from the potential hazards of BPA, including the following:
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Don’t microwave polycarbonate plastic food containers. Polycarbonate is strong and durable, but over time it may break down from overuse at high temperatures. |
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Polycarbonate containers that contain bisphenol A usually have a #7 on the bottom of the container. |
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Reduce your use of canned foods. |
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Whenever possible, opt for glass, porcelain or stainless-steel containers, particularly for hot food or liquids. |
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Always use baby bottles that are BPA free. |
For more information about BPA, visit www.niehs.nih.gov/news/media and click on “Since You Asked – Bisphenol A” on the left-hand toolbar. Your doctor can also provide information on the dangers of BPA and suggest safer alternatives.
To Your Health is brought to you by:
| Chiropractic Health & Wellness Everything you want to know about chiropractic. http://www.chirofind.com |
May 18, 2010
To Your Health Newsletter 05-15-2010
Back Pain: Exercises to Help Healing
When it comes to back pain, your first thoughts may be to take over-the-counter pain medication and rest whenever possible. Two bad options. First, medication is only going to temporarily relieve the pain, if at all, and may be accompanied by various unpleasant side effects attributable to drugs. Second, rest may actually hurt more than help. While you’re seeing your chiropractor, there are a few things you can do at home to help the healing process. Believe it or not, it’s based on the simple principle of movement.
When you stop moving, everything tightens up, circulation slows down, and pain chemicals accumulate in your muscles and joints. It’s like waking up after sleeping in a cold room on a lousy mattress with a draft. You need to move. Here are two simple exercises to get you started (discuss these with your doctor first):
Exercise #1: Backward Bending (extension of the lumbar spine). An exercise called the McKenzie extension is the first thing you should try if you have sciatica (pain running down your leg). If these exercises work, your pain will diminish and may centralize, which is a good thing. Centralize means your pain goes less far down your leg, and you may feel it closer to the spine. Bending backward may not feel good at first, but you should feel better immediately afterward. If you feel worse afterward or the pain goes farther down your leg, stop, as this is not the exercise for you.
How to Do It: Lie face-down on the floor, arms bent at your sides (sort of like a starting push-up posture). Straighten your arms up slowly, lifting your upper body off the floor as you do so. Your legs and feet should stay on the ground. Hold for 3-5 seconds, then slowly lower your upper body back down. Repeat 10 times, as often as once per hour
Exercise #2: Flexion Exercises (bringing the leg toward the chest). People with lower back pain can also feel better with various types of leg flexion, bringing the bent leg toward the chest, or doing contract-relax and then bringing the bent leg toward the chest. These people usually have sacroiliac joint problems. (The SI joints are located on either side of the spine in the lower back.)
How to Do It: Lie on your back with one leg bent and then other flat on the floor. Bring the bent leg up toward the chest. Wrap your arms around the leg and then try to lower it toward the floor for 3-5 seconds, resisting with your arms. Relax, and then pull the bent leg up farther toward the chest. Repeat the entire process three times.
To reduce your risk of injury, consult with your doctor before doing these exercises for the first time, particularly if your pain is new and/or you would like further explanation of how to perform the exercises correctly.
Break Free of the Disease Diet
The SAD fact is that cultures that eat the reverse of the “Standard American Diet” – low fat, high in complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and fiber, etc. – have a lower incidence of obesity, cancer and coronary artery disease. What’s even more SAD is that countries whose populations can afford to eat the healthiest disease-preventing foods don’t. America spends more money on weight loss than any country in the world, yet the American diet contributes to the very conditions we spend so much money to prevent.
Research conducted at the University of San Francisco Department of Medicine by Drs. Lynda Frassetto and Anthony Sebastian, and subsequently published in the prestigious Journal of Gerontology, clearly demonstrates that as we get older our bodies accumulate acid wastes. They attribute the accumulation of acid and the reduction of the alkaline state as we age to eating the Standard American Diet (SAD), and conclude that the role of age-related metabolic acidosis in the cause of adult degenerative disease warrants consideration.
So, it’s obvious that we must consume more “alkaline” fruits, vegetables and plant foods to fight off disease as we age. Our SAD choices in food must change. Education and the new advances in food technologies are the keys. It’s as simple as replacing the Standard American Diet, which is:
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High in animal fats including dairy products |
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High in unhealthy fats: saturated, hydrogenated |
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Low in fiber |
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High in processed foods |
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Low in complex carbohydrates |
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Low in fruits, vegetables and other plant-based foods |
with a healthier diet that focuses on alkaline fruits, vegetables and plant foods, including the following:
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Tomatoes |
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Carrots |
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Spinach |
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Broccoli |
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Blueberries |
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Raspberries |
Talk to your doctor for more information on how you can break free of the SAD cycle of weight gain and disease and achieve your health goals.
Avoid Common Exercise Mistakes
The most important goal when undertaking any exercise program is not to build muscle, burn fat, increase cardiovascular capacity, or anything else. Those are important, but the number-one priority is to keep from being injured. That’s the only way you’ll have a real chance of reaching your fitness goals. Here are four movements to avoid when exercising, along with a few exercises that are often performed incorrectly:
| 1. | Don’t use jerking motions, especially when lifting. Speed is fine when done appropriately, but you should always have fluid motion and proper form when performing any and all exercises; otherwise you could strain or even tear something. |
| 2. | Don’t use body parts not required for the exercise. Have you ever seen people doing biceps curls and rounding their shoulders or arching their backs? Those are just two of the big no-no’s that can lead to injury. |
| 3. | Don’t lock out your knees or elbows. Never lock your joints when working out; keep them slightly bent so the weight will not be transferred to the joints. |
| 4. | Don’t arch your back. Picture someone on the barbell bench press, lifting a weight that is actually too heavy for them. Chances are that eventually, they will start arching their back. Sooner than later, that back is going to give out and they won’t be able to exercise for days, weeks or even longer. |
Push-ups. The wrong way: You should never have a dip or arch in your back or lock your arms. The right way: Arms should be underneath you and not locked, back parallel to the floor. Engage your “core” the entire time (squeeze your glutes and draw in your belly button).
Walking lunges. The wrong way: When performing a lunge, extending the front knee past the front foot will cause injury at some point. The right way: When you are in a split stance, go straight down and do not let your front knee go past your foot.
Squats. The wrong way: Knees coming forward over your toes. The right way: Perform this exercise as if you were sitting back on a chair and putting 80 percent of your weight on your heels. Then lean slightly forward so you won’t fall back.
Chest press. The wrong way: Lifting the weight using your back (high arch). The right way: Keep your back flat and relax your shoulders while lifting the weight.
And let’s not forget about the right and wrong way to exercise in general. Get some expert advice prior to working out. Most gyms have personal trainers who will give you a free consultation and show you some basic machines and correct postures. Your doctor is also a good source of information, particularly if they specialize in exercise and rehab protocols.
April 5, 2010
Trauma, Thoughts, and Toxins = Vertebral Subluxations Part 3: Chemical Stress
Prescription Drugs
In Part 1 and Part 2, we covered the five components of a vertebral subluxation as described by B.J. Palmer in 1934. They are:
1.) Malposition – This simply means misalignment of a vertebra
2.) Occlusion – This refers to the closing off of an opening that a nerve passes through. In our case, we are referring to the neural canal where the spinal cord travels down.
3.) Pressure – When C1 or C2 is misaligned, this can occlude the neural canal near the brain stem. This can cause pressure or tension on the spinal cord at this level.
4.) Interference to flow of nervous system transmission – With a misalignment, an occlusion, and pressure, there is zero chance for the nervous system to properly communicate to the rest of the body.
5.) Three-directional torqued vertebra – To achieve these four components of vertebral subluxation, the C1 and C2 vertebrae has to shift up or down, left or right, and rotated front or back.
We also covered physical and emotional stress and their contribution to vertebral subluxations. Let’s move onto the third and final cause.
Toxins aka Chemical Stress
Toxins are around us at every corner. They are in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, in our medicine cabinets, our bodies… you name it, and toxins are there.
So how do we avoid toxins?
First off, let’s make one thing perfectly clear. We will never be able to avoid all toxins. Life happens and so do toxins. You might as well forget about taking control of every single thing that enters your body right now.
There will be days that no matter how much fresh organic juice you make in your Jack LaLanne juicer, no matter how many miles you run, no matter how long you meditate, you still might walk through a cigarette smoker’s exhaled, yet lingering nicotinic cloud, or breathe in fumes from some old clunker’s exhaust, or shower in city water full of prescription drug remnants and fluoride.
That being said, you can actually control a number of toxins from entering your body. Let’s begin with the most toxic.
Prescription Drugs
In 1992, the average American got an average of seven prescriptions per year. In 2008? That number went up to 12. This is a 71% increase, which amounts to an extra $180 billion in sales for pharmaceutical companies.
Being on 12 prescription drugs is not health. In fact, that is completely toxic to your health, and any MD who says differently is giving unethical advice and should be jailed. Health does not come from a pill or a bottle. It is an outside-in approach, a way of treating the effect, that will never produce the desired effect… which is a healthy lifestyle.
I don’t care how skillfully that guy in the Cialis commercial can throw a football through a tire, Cialis is not good for you. It doesn’t matter how good of a time those four old guys are having on their vacation, cholesterol lowering medications are a cover-up in dealing with the real issue: a disfunctioning liver due to terrible diet and lifestyle decisions.
Prozac Poster
Let’s take a look at the popular drug fluoxetine, more commonly known as Prozac. This drug is commonly used for major depression (including pediatric depression), obsessive-compulsive disorder (in both adult and pediatric populations), bulimia nervosa, panic disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
Prozac is a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI), and the fourth of its kind when Ely Lilly released it to the public. When the first two SSRIs on the market were withdrawn due to side effects, Eli Lilly went on a fierce marketing campaign to make sure fluoxatine was looked at as a major scientific breakthrough in popular culture. Also, they made it appear as if fluoxetine was the first SSRI to be introduced to the market, when it was not.
Below is a list of side effects associated with Prozac, not often realized because of its acceptance in our society:
Drowsiness, Chronic Trouble Sleeping, Excessive Sweating, Head Pain, Feel Like Throwing Up, Diarrhea, Nervous, Feeling Weak, Anxious, Itching, Joint Pain, Muscle Pain, Fever, Chills, Rash, Trouble Breathing, Nightmares, Feeling Restless, Problems with Eyesight, Ringing in the Ears, Abnormal Heart Rhythm, Stuffy Nose, Dry Mouth, Incomplete or Infrequent Bowel Movements, Inability to have an Erection, Painful Periods, Sun-Sensitive Skin, Hair Loss, Dizzy, Low Energy, Involuntary Quivering, Taste Problems, Temporary Redness of Face and Neck, Loss of Appetite, Weight Loss, Increased Hunger, Fast Heartbeat, Cough, Chest Pain, Throwing Up, Gas, Frequent Urination, Stomach Cramps, Numbness and Tingling, Confused, Sexual Problems, Altered Interest in Having Sexual Intercourse, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, Serotonin Syndrome – Adverse Drug Interaction, Hepatitis caused by Drugs, Inflammation of Skin caused by an Allergy, Erythema Multiforme, Seizures, Swollen Lymph Nodes, Abnormal Liver Function Tests, Reaction due to an Allergy, Allergic Reaction causing Serum Sickness, Low Blood Sugar, Low Amount of Sodium in the Blood, Increased Risk of Bleeding, Behaving with Excessive Cheerfulness and Activity, Mild Degree of Mania, Having Thoughts of Suicide, Loss of Memory, Flu-Like Symptoms, Weight Gain, and Mood Changes.
Altered interest in having sexual intercourse? Hepatitis caused by drugs? No thank you.
To be fair, most of these side effects are rare. But if someone were to take this drug for 15-20 years, I suspect the rare side effects become everyday business as usual.
Is it any wonder that Ely Lilly needed to embark on a fierce marketing campaign to con the public into believing in this worthless and dangerous drug?
Food and Drink
Along with prescription drugs, this subject could take up multiple blog posts for weeks. Food in our society is not what it once was. In fact, most food we eat is not really food. Look no further than the aisles at your local grocery store. Packaged goods with ingredient lists full of words understood only by hardcore chemists line the shelves at every corner.
Ingredients like monosodium glutamate (MSG), phenylketonuronics aka phenalalanine aka aspartame, L-cysteine, high fructose corn syrup, red #40, and yellow #5 frequent all sorts of packaged goods such as Hamburger Helper, diet sodas, whole wheat bread, frozen microwaveable dinners, most cereals, and more. These things do not occur in nature.
For example, MSG was originally derived from seaweed as a salty additive to foods. But now, it is mass-manufactured by the tons through an industrialized fermentation process of starch, sugar beets, sugar cane, or molasses. MSG is the single salt form of glutamate, an amino acid found in protein rich foods, as well as in your body. It is an excitotoxic substance that can raise your blood glutamate levels up to 20 times the normal limit. It might also be responsible for making cancer cells more mobile and contributing to or even causing cardiac arrythmias, among other things.
But here’s the sneaky part: MSG can be in your food under different guises. The manufacturers of this chemical know the negative public perception of the three letters M-S-G, so they were able to get laws passed that allowed them to disguise MSG as yeast extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and textured protein, to name a few.
But even if you avoid the aisles in the grocery stores, the produce can be just as bad. Pesticides are used generously on fruits and vegetables grown around the world. While we all grow up learning to wash our produce before eating it, you can’t wash off or wash out all the pesticides.
Airplane spraying pesticide on crops
There is something called the dirty dozen in regards to produce. This is referring to foods containing the highest amount of pesticides. They are, from most to least: peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, grapes (from outside the United States), carrots, and pears. These are not the only foods containing pesticides, just the foods with the most. All conventional produce will contain pesticides to some degree.
Then, we get into the subject of genetically engineered food. Again, this could be more blog posts in and of itself. I will simply refer you to the movie Food, Inc. It is a little bit like in the movie the Matrix, when Morpheus offers Neo the choice between the red pill (the truth) and the blue pill (return to the status quo). Food, Inc is akin to taking the red pill (thanks to Dr. Scott Brady for that metaphor).
Avoiding the Chemicals
As I said earlier, we can’t always avoid everything around us. Many of us live in cities with high rates of pollution, or our homes may have hidden mold that we don’t know about (common in Texas). What we can do is avoid the things we do have control over.
Prescription drugs, unless ABSOLUTELY necessary, are not necessary. Not the purple pill or the green pill or the yellow pill. Not one pill or seven pills or twelve pills. I might sound a little like Dr. Seuss, but I am serious. God doesn’t make defective junk that only pharmaceuticals can cure. In fact, the word pharmaceutical itself is derived from words meaning something along the lines of witchcraft. Not very scientific if you ask me.
When in the grocery store, avoid the aisles and buy organic produce if possible. Jack LaLanne has a saying that goes something like this: “If man made it, don’t eat it.” Grocery store aisles are filled with man-made food and you’re better off staying out of them. Organic has become somewhat of a hip and cool pop culture term, but still your best bet when it comes to pesticide free food.
Next week, I’ll conclude this series with a list of things you can do to minimize or avoid physical, emotional, and chemical stress.
[by Dr. Brandon Harshe on April 1, 2010 from http://theatlasoflife.com/2010/04/01/trauma-thoughts-and-toxins-vertebral-subluxations-part-3-chemical-stress/]