Quote of the Week

 

Exercise of the Week: Pelvic Rotations - Leg Straight

 



Topic of the Week: The Top 5 Daily Habits for Lifelong Health

The habits you perform each day have a cumulative effect on your immediate and long-term health. The choices you make (e.g., the type of food you eat, how often you participate in exercise, etc.) play a significant role in determining your health status and quality of life, especially in your later years. Developing constructive health habits as early as possible may help you avoid chronic disease, maximize your longevity and enable you to live independently well into old age. This edition, we takes a look at 5 key habits you can cultivate each day to realize excellent lifelong health. To be sure, this is just an abbreviated list of beneficial health habits – a list designed to be a starting point that you can build upon over time. Your chiropractor is one of the strongest advocates for your health and he or she can make other helpful suggestions about simple, yet important things you can do each day to ensure optimal well-being.


Eat a Whole Foods Diet
The food you put into your body (or don’t put into your body) is one of the most important daily health decisions you make. It is true that there are an overwhelming number of dietary ideologies but if you are not sure what to do - if you are not sure what dietary strategies are most appropriate for you and your health goals - talk with your chiropractor. Your chiropractor has the nutrition background to make relevant and helpful dietary recommendations. In the meantime, consider eating whole foods (i.e., food that is not packaged, processed, polished or refined) as often as possible.
Whole foods contain fiber, antioxidants and many other phytochemicals that can improve your health. According to a 2000 study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, a diet abundant in whole and unrefined foods may help protect you from chronic disease, improve your cholesterol profile and enable optimal colon function. Examples of nutrient-dense whole foods include dark green-, yellow-, and orange-fleshed fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains.

Move Your Body & Joints
Some amount of physical activity every day is extremely important in keeping you healthy and pain-free. It is important to understand that you do not have to run a marathon to get the many health benefits exercise offers; any exercise that gets your heart pumping and your muscles working can yield important health gains, including improved cardiovascular fitness, improved weight control and enhanced mood and energy levels. Introducing variety into your daily exercise routine is also important for strengthening your heart, toning your muscles and preserving your joints’ range of motion. Consider mixing in some strength training, endurance training and movement-based activities (e.g., yoga, tai chi, Pilates, gyrotonics, etc.) to experience the full array of health benefits possible through physical activity. Your chiropractor can counsel you on the finer details of an exercise plan that will be both sustainable and enjoyable for you.

Drink a Sufficient Amount of Good Water
Drinking plenty of good water is an important health action you can take every day to achieve and maintain optimal health. Every system in your body relies on water. Water helps flush toxins from your organs, transports nutrients to your cells, and keeps sensitive environments (e.g., ear, nose, throat) moist. Without sufficient water, you may become dehydrated – a condition in which your body struggles to perform normal functions, and which causes fatigue.

So, just how much water should you drink each day? The answer depends on climatic conditions, activity level and gender, but hard numbers for total daily water intake do exist for average, healthy adults living in temperate climates. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3 liters (about 13 cups) of water for men and 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of water for women is an adequate daily intake to prevent the harmful effects of dehydration.3

Remember to Breathe!
It is important to take time out of your day - even just a few minutes each day - to focus on your breathing. Breathing awareness (also known as full conscious breathing) is a potent stress neutralizer and an effective restorative health technique. A study published in the Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing states that relaxed breathing is a basic technique to control or manage stress. Slow diaphragmatic breathing, breath meditation, nasal breathing and yogic abdominal breathing are all unique breathing techniques that can help keep your stress levels in check.

Build Your Community
Building and maintaining healthy, positive relationships with family and friends is an important habit you can work on almost every day. Strong and consistent social bonds may help you live longer by encouraging good health behaviors, improving your cognition and providing you with a sense of place or belonging in the world - a fundamental human need.

Disclaimer: Information contained in The Wellness ExpressTM newsletter is for educational and general purposes only and is designed to assist you in making informed decisions about your health. Any information contained herein is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or other healthcare professional. Copyright © - The Wellness ExpressTM

Food Combining for Good Health

Most people are aware of the worldwide epidemics of diabetes and obesity. The World Health Organization definition of overweight is a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 25. Obesity is defined as a BMI equal to or greater than 30.1 Worldwide obesity has doubled since 1980. In 2008, 35% of adults aged 20 and older throughout the world were overweight and an additional 11% were obese. Further, more than 347 million people worldwide have diabetes.2 In other worlds, one out of every 20 persons has diabetes.


What's going on? Why be concerned? These conditions do not exist by themselves. Both contribute to additional severe health issues. Obesity is the leading cause of pediatric high blood pressure and increases the risk of coronary heart disease. Uncontrolled diabetes, over time, can lead to kidney disease, heart disease, disorders of the nerve system, and blindness.

In the face of these life-threatening epidemics it's important to look for any good news. The good news is that both obesity and diabetes can be addressed with lifestyle-related changes. A suboptimal diet and lack of exercise are causes of both conditions. This is well-known. It is also well-known that maintaining a healthy diet and getting regular exercise prevents obesity and prevents or delays the most common type diabetes (type 2 diabetes).

A healthy diet consists of regularly consuming food from all major food groups and consistently eating only that amount of food necessary for your daily energy requirements. If you're interested in losing weight and then maintaining the best weight for your body, a daily calorie intake between 1800 and 2100 calories is good for most men, and a daily calorie intake between 1700 and 1800 calories is good for most women.3 There is a third component of healthy eating that regulates how your body uses the food you eat. This additional component is known as food combining.

Food combining involves combining protein and complex carbohydrates at each meal. This important step is the key to a healthy, optimally functioning metabolism. When your metabolic processes are working efficiently, you’re burning carbohydrates for energy. Your blood insulin levels are steady throughout the day. In contrast, without food combining, your digestive processes send unregulated amounts of glucose into the blood stream every time you eat a meal. The result is frequent swings in insulin levels and storage of these glucose molecules (broken-down carbohydrates) as fat. Long-term, over months and years, such eating patterns can lead to being overweight, obesity, and diabetes.

Putting the dietary principle of food combining into practice is easy. All that's required is paying attention to meal planning. The result of this simple series of steps is better health for you and your family, now and in the future.

1WHO Fact Sheet No. 311 (March 2013): http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/

2Danaei G, et al: National, regional, and global trends in fasting plasma glucose and diabetes prevalence since 1980. Systematic analysis of health examination surveys and epidemiological studies with 370 country-years and 2.7 million participants. Lancet 378(9785):31–40. 2011

3Campbell KL, et al: J Clin Oncol Reduced-Calorie Dietary Weight Loss, Exercise, and Sex Hormones in Postmenopausal Women: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Clin Oncol 30(19):2314-2326, 2012







Chiropractic Care and a Healthy Diet

Consuming a healthy diet on a regular basis is an important lifestyle choice. Such a diet, in combination with regular vigorous exercise and a sufficient amount of rest, will help you and your family achieve good health in the short-term and in the years to come. Chiropractic care is an additional lifestyle choice that helps you and your loved ones get the most benefit out of all your other healthful activities.
By helping ensure that your body's master system, your nerve system, is functioning at its best, regular chiropractic care helps your digestive system, cardiovascular system, and musculoskeletal system do their jobs properly. As a result, the food you eat is put to the best possible use, the exercise you do builds stronger muscles and bones, and the rest you're getting provides maximum relaxation. Regular chiropractic care makes all the difference in achieving your goals of long-term, vibrant good health.

Quote of the Week

Exercise of the Week: Pelvic Rotations - Cross Overs

Topic of the Week: Cranial Bones & Chiropractic Care: A Connected Approach

Your skull is a bony structure composed of two distinct parts: your cranium and your mandible (i.e., your jaw). Your cranium is made up of eight separate bones that lock together like puzzle pieces to create a protective shell for your brain. The proper alignment of your cranial bones may be important for optimal health. Even very small changes in cranial bone alignment or function may cause significant health problems, such as vertigo, notes a 2009 study published in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine.

Your chiropractor is trained to care for the health of all your joints, including the joints that connect your cranial bones. Numerous techniques have been developed by chiropractors around the world to help treat cranial joint dysfunction. Your chiropractor can counsel you on how he or she will approach your cranial bone problem and what you can expect from this (often extremely gentle) kind of care.

Cranial Bone Anatomy & Function
A common misconception about the cranium is that it is one solid structure.
In fact, your cranium is composed of eight separate bones, including the following: one frontal bone, two parietal bones, two temporal bones, one occipital bone, one sphenoid bone and one ethmoid bone. The joints that connect your cranial bones are known as “suture” joints - a type of fibrous joint found only in your cranium.

Your chiropractor, using various techniques, may be able to feel a small but perceptible degree of movement in the joints that connect your cranial bones. A 2002 study published in the Journal of Craniomandibular Practice states that cranial bone movement can indeed be measured and documented on x-ray. This is an important finding that helps validate the work chiropractors have done in treating cranial joint problems throughout the years.

Your cranial bones have several important functions, including protecting your brain from traumatic injury, protecting your organs of sight, hearing and balance, and providing a base for various muscles to attach to. Some practitioners also believe that your cranial bones play an important role in the rhythm and movement of your cerebrospinal fluid - a clear, colorless fluid that helps protect your brain from injury, among other functions.

What Can Cause Cranial Bone Problems?
Cranial bone problems may arise for a variety of reasons. Trauma associated with falls, workplace accidents and sports are a common cause. According to a 2010 study published in the journal Craniomaxillofacial Trauma & Reconstruction, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of at least one type of cranial bone - temporal bone - trauma.
Some practitioners believe that cranial bone problems, including cranial join restrictions and misaligned skull bones, may be caused by bumps experienced during childhood or even as a result of a difficult birth involving forceps, suction or vacuum extractors.

Chiropractic Care for Cranial Bones
Chiropractors have long devoted significant attention to the proper movement and function of cranial bones and joints. Chiropractic care for cranial bones usually involves subtle and gentle adjustive and mobilization techniques to help remove any restrictions between these bones and restore proper joint alignment. The beneficial health effects of cranial work - as it is most commonly performed by chiropractor - appear to be many and varied. According to a 2007 study published in Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing, a specific type of cranial work may be a helpful adjunct therapy in the care of adults with asthma. Another study, published in 2009 in the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, reports that gentle cranial work may be helpful in treating lower urinary tract symptoms and boosting quality of life in multiple sclerosis patients. Still another study, published in 2011 in the journal Clinical Rehabilitation, found that gentle cranial work helped significantly reduce pain in patients with fibromyalgia.

Considerations
Every chiropractor has a unique approach to treating cranial joint dysfunction. Your chiropractor can explain in greater detail how he or she can help restore optimal function in your cranial joints. Ask your chiropractor about the beneficial health effects of cranial adjustments and mobilization to learn more.

Disclaimer: Information contained in The Wellness ExpressTM newsletter is for educational and general purposes only and is designed to assist you in making informed decisions about your health. Any information contained herein is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or other healthcare professional. Copyright © - The Wellness ExpressTM

Quote of the Week

Exercise of the Week: Pelvic Potations - Knees Together

Topic of the Week: The Surprising Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Fasting - abstinence from all or certain kinds of food or drink for a set period - has been prescribed by natural health practitioners, including many chiropractors, for decades. New research is providing valuable information about this traditional health practice, showing us the many (often surprising) ways fasting can benefit our health and well-being. Intermittent fasting is a special type of fasting that involves alternating between periods of fasting and non-fasting (water consumption is allowed and encouraged during the fasting period; tea and coffee may also be allowed in some cases).

The schedule for intermittent fasting can range from every other day (also known as alternate day fasting) to once every other week (for a 16- to 24-hour period) and depends on your specific health goals. You should always consult your chiropractor before starting a fast. Your chiropractor possesses advanced nutrition knowledge and can counsel you on all aspects o fasting, including helping you determine whether you are a good candidate for this natural health approach.

Decreased Cardiovascular Risk
Your cardiovascular system (i.e., your heart and blood vessels) may significantly benefit from intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting (also known as reduced meal frequency) boosts cardiovascular function and helps minimize several risk factors for coronary artery disease and stroke, including high blood pressure, states a 2005 study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry. The authors of this study also note that the cellular effects of intermittent fasting and caloric restriction on the cardiovascular system (and the brain) are comparable to those of regular physical activity (i.e., exercise). Chronic heart failure is a leading cause of death in many countries around the world. According to a 2009 study published in the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, long-term intermittent fasting and caloric restriction help accelerate the recovery in individuals with chronic heart failure. Persistent intermittent fasting, note the study authors, helps boost blood vessel density around damaged heart tissue and dramatically improves the long term survival rate following chronic heart failure.

Reduced Weight & Decreased Diabetes Risk
Intermittent fasting is a powerful health technique and eating strategy to help you lose weight and reduce your chances of chronic disease, including diabetes. A 2013 study published in the British Journal of Diabetes & Vascular Disease states that intermittent fasting encourages weight loss in obese individuals and that limiting calories in this specific way can reverse type 2 diabetes. The authors also state that intermittent fasting is a cost effective way to achieve these results and is associated with a low risk of side effects or adverse results. Another study, published in 2005 in the Journal of Applied Physiology, reports that intermittent fasting improves the action of insulin (i.e., how quickly glucose or sugar is removed from the bloodstream) in healthy men. Note: If you are a diabetic interested in intermittent fasting, you should always consult your physician before trying this treatment approach.

Improved Cognitive Function
Some studies indicate that intermittent fasting and caloric restriction help improve cognitive function awareness, reasoning, perception, and judgment. According to a 2009 study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, caloric restriction (i.e., a diet low in calories) contributes to enhanced memory performance in healthy elderly individuals. The authors of this study note that improved insulin sensitivity and decreased inflammation may be responsible for this result.

Improved Longevity
Intermittent fasting and caloric restriction are thought by some researchers to play an important role in longevity, or lifespan. A 2006 study published in the journal Ageing Research Reviews states that intermittent fasting and caloric restriction can lengthen the health-span of your nervous system by protecting your neurons (i.e., nerve cells) against genetic and environmental factors that would otherwise cause their death during aging. Other reasons that intermittent fasting may help you live longer include reduced inflammation throughout your body, decreased free radical damage, and increased human growth hormone (HGH) production- HGH plays a role in slowing the aging process.

Considerations
Fasting, including intermittent fasting, may not be appropriate for everyone. Ask your chiropractor if fasting is right for you and your specific health goals and concerns. Your chiropractor can answer any questions you might have about fasting, including the conditions under which this therapeutic activity can best be performed.

Disclaimer: Information contained in The Wellness ExpressTM newsletter is for educational and general purposes only and is designed to assist you in making informed decisions about your health. Any information contained herein is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or other healthcare professional. Copyright © - The Wellness ExpressTM

Exercise of the Week: Pelvic Rotations

Quote of the Week

Topic of the Week: Chronic Constipation: How Chiropractic Care Can Help

Constipation is a major cause of discomfort for millions of people. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that over 4 million people in the United States experience frequent constipation, resulting in about 2.5 million doctor visits each year.
Chronic constipation - having three or fewer bowel movements per week – is also common. A 2007 study published in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics reports that symptoms of chronic constipation are often severe and bothersome and that many patients are frustrated with conventional (i.e., medical) treatment options that are just not effective or long-lasting.
Chiropractic care has long been used by chronic constipation sufferers to help promote regularity and reduce discomfort. Your chiropractor has numerous strategies he or she can use to treat your chronic constipation, including spinal adjustments and dietary advice. This newsletter looks at the issue of chronic constipation in closer detail and explains how chiropractic care is an effective and conservative approach to this extremely common health problem.

What is Chronic Constipation & How is it Caused?
Constipation, including chronic or long-term constipation, is a symptom, not a disease. According to a 2009 study published in the British Medical Journal, chronic constipation is a common and debilitating condition involving consistent difficulty with defecation. Chronic constipation is most common in children, women (especially pregnant women) and adults over the age of 65. This health problem is also common after childbirth or surgery. Constipation occurs when your colon absorbs too much water or when its muscle contractions become sluggish. Both circumstances cause stool to pass through your colon more slowly than it should, causing your stool to become hard and dry and difficult to eliminate.
A poor diet - especially a diet lacking in fiber - is the most common cause of constipation. According to UCLA’s Center for Neurobiology of Stress, other possible causes of chronic constipation include structural problems in the colon, certain medical conditions (e.g., diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, etc.) and certain medications, including medications for blood pressure, pain and seizures. Travel, sedentary living and dehydration are additional factors that may cause constipation.

The Role of Chiropractic Adjustments in Treating Constipation
Chiropractic adjustments may play a significant role in relieving chronic constipation. A 2001 study published in the Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association states that weekly chiropractic adjustments may help eliminate chronic constipation in addition to treating low back pain and improving general well-being.
Another study, published in 2007 in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, reports that manual medicine techniques (including sacral area adjustments and abdominal massage) may cause a dramatic improvement in bowel function in some cases of chronic constipation. Because constipation occurs frequently in the very young, many studies examining the role of chiropractic adjustments on constipation have focused on this group. According to a 2008 study published in the journal Clinical Chiropractic, a trial of full spine chiropractic care (involving high velocity low amplitude thrusts and activator technique) in constipated children produced improved bowel movement frequency and decreased straining, pain and rectal bleeding.

Chiropractic Dietary Approach
Your chiropractor understands the importance of a healthy diet in treating and preventing chronic constipation and can counsel you on beneficial dietary habits for this health purpose. Some general strategies your chiropractor may employ to help eliminate your chronic constipation include boosting your consumption of high-fiber foods (e.g., fruits, vegetables, beans, wholegrain breads), limiting your intake of low-fiber foods (e.g., ice cream, cheese, processed foods), drinking an appropriate volume of water and reducing your caffeine intake

Other Natural Approaches
Your chiropractor can share with you other natural approaches that may help with chronic constipation, including exercise, dietary supplements, warm baths, abdominal massage and other home remedies. Always speak with your chiropractor before using diet and other approaches to treat your chronic constipation. Chronic constipation may be a sign of a more serious underlying health problem that only your healthcare provider can diagnose.

Disclaimer: Information contained in The Wellness ExpressTM newsletter is for educational and general purposes only and is designed to assist you in making informed decisions about your health. Any information contained herein is not intended to substitute advice from your physician or other healthcare professional. Copyright © - The Wellness ExpressTM

Chiropractic Care for Short-Term and Long-Term Health

Chiropractic care is the one form of health care that keeps on giving. Chiropractic care certainly helps people to recover from short-term health problems, but this powerful method of healing also helps people stay well and assists in preventing new problems from developing.


Your chiropractor treats a wide variety of musculoskeletal problems. Neck pain, back pain, pain that travels from the neck to the arm and hand, pain that travels from the back to the leg and foot, headaches, and muscle spasms are conditions commonly treated by chiropractic care. Your chiropractor also treats many types of exercise- and sports-related injuries, such as rotator cuff injuries, tennis elbow, wrist sprains, knee injuries, ankle sprains, and shin splints. Repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome are also treated by chiropractic care. Also, chiropractic care may be a valuable addition to treatment for sleep disorders, digestive problems, menstrual cramps, asthma, and various allergies. Chiropractic care may also be of great assistance during pregnancy, in helping to relieve neck pain and back pain and to ease the process of delivery.

Chiropractic care can be beneficial for so many health problems owing to the fact that chiropractic care directly affects the functioning of your nerve system. Your nerve system, consisting of your brain, spinal cord, and nerves that branch out to the rest of your body, is your master physiologic system. Your nerve system, by sending signals to every cell, tissue, and organ in your body, controls all the other systems. Your heart relies on the nerve system so that it can pump blood at the right time and in the right amount.1 Your small intestine relies on the nerve system so that it can complete the digestion of food and transmit usable nutrients to the bloodstream.2 Your white blood cells and other immune system agents rely on the nerve system so that they can quickly identify and destroy foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses.3

But your nerve system can break down, in a sense, if spinal nerve interference is present. Such nerve interference, caused by irritation and inflammation of spinal nerves, is caused by loss of full mobility of spinal vertebras. Limited spinal motion irritates the muscles that move the spinal bones and the ligaments that hold those bones together. Inflamed spinal muscles and spinal ligaments cause spinal nerve inflammation. The immediate result is distortion in the quality and flow of information sent from the brain to the rest of the body. Too much or too little information is sent to the cells, tissues, and organs. The messages they receive are the wrong messages, or the messages arrive at the wrong time. The outcome is decreased functioning and/or inappropriate functioning of many other physiologic systems. Thus, spinal nerve interference is one of the primary causes of the many problems that may bring a person to his or her chiropractor's office.

Chiropractic care helps reduce and remove nerve interference by restoring increased functioning of your spinal column. The direct result is improved overall functioning of the rest of your body. By directly focusing on your spine and nerve system, your chiropractor can help restore quality of life and overall health and well-being.

Chiropractic Care Is Comprehensive Care


Following a complete evaluation, which includes a history and physical examination, your chiropractor will design a care plan that will meet your specific health needs. Your care plan will include chiropractic care focusing on improving function of your spinal column. Your care plan will likely include additional recommendations, such as stretches, exercises, and nutritional planning. Your chiropractic care plan may, depending on the circumstances, include strategies for reducing stress and obtaining proper rest.

Your chiropractor is a holistic practitioner who has expertise in many areas of health care. Chiropractic care is well known for its ability to treat musculoskeletal problems such as neck pain, back pain, and headaches. As chiropractic care focuses on the nerve system, your chiropractor may be of benefit in the overall care plan for many other conditions.

1Muller MD, et al: Mental stress elicits sustained and reproducible increases in skin sympathetic nerve activity. Physiol Rep 2013 Mar 1(1). pii: e00002.


2Zhou G, et al: White-matter microstructural changes in functional dyspepsia: a diffusion tensor imaging study. Am J Gastroenterol 108(2):260-269, 2013

3Straub RH, et al: Role of neuroendocrine and neuroimmune mechanisms in chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases-The 10-year update. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2013 May 31 doi: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2013.04.008 [Epub ahead of print]