Topic of the Week: The Importance of Prenatal Chiropractic Care

Introduction
Prenatal chiropractic care, or chiropractic care for pregnant women, is an important and frequently used service provided by chiropractors. All chiropractors are trained to manage the unique set of musculoskeletal symptoms that arise during pregnancy and to improve the quality of life of the person expecting. Some chiropractors even specialize in this discipline and provide personalized care to women both during and after their pregnancy. The American Pregnancy Association states that chiropractic treatment during pregnancy by a chiropractor trained to work with expecting women is safe. In this edition of the Wellness Express we will examine the importance of prenatal chiropractic care for the health and well-being of expecting mothers.

Chiropractic Care During Pregnancy
Chiropractic, as a profession, has a long history of caring for pregnant women and this treatment approach has been adopted by more and more women as the interest in natural birthing methods increases. The weight increase and changing body shape associated with pregnancy cause a shift in expecting mothers’ center of gravity, resulting in certain postural compensations and structural changes that may lead to spinal and pelvic misalignment. Ligament laxity is another factor that may increase joint instability in pregnant women - especially in the spine and pelvis - leading to pain. According to a 2001 study published in the journal Acta Obstetrica et Gynecologica Scandinavica, there is a clear relationship between asymmetric laxity of the sacroiliac, or SI, joints and pregnancy-related pelvic pain. Chiropractic care can help address these common causes of pregnancyrelated pain or discomfort.

Reasons to Seek Chiropractic Prenatal Care
Chiropractic pregnancy experts use special equipment, including tables, that adjust for a pregnant woman’s body as well as techniques that minimize or eliminate pressure on the abdomen. Prenatal chiropractic specialists provide well-rounded care, including appropriate adjustments and soft tissue work and the prescription of a stretching routine, or other exercises to help reduce pregnancyrelated discomfort. A 2006 study published in the Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health reports that chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to reduce the intensity of low back pain in pregnant women. Another study, published in 2008 in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, states that chiropractic care improves outcomes in women who have pregnancy-related low back pain.

Benefits of Prenatal Chiropractic Care
Women receiving prenatal chiropractic care may experience numerous potential health benefits, including decreased back pain, neck pain and pain or discomfort in other joints, reduced nausea and an all-around healthier pregnancy. Chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy and other supporting therapies may also help treat headaches during pregnancy. According to a 2009 study published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, chiropractic care is both safe and effective for patients with pregnancy-related headaches. Your chiropractor is a health coach who can counsel you on the benefits of various lifestyle choices, especially exercise, and how these choices affect your pregnancy. Women who exercise during pregnancy, notes a 2007 review article published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, have more energy, achieve more restful sleep and manage stress more effectively. This article also notes that women who exercise during pregnancy experience shorter, easier labors, fewer cesarean deliveries and a faster recovery after giving birth. Your chiropractor can help you decide on an exercise routine that is most appropriate for you during your pregnancy.

Postnatal Chiropractic Care
Receiving postnatal chiropractic care is an important health action for new mothers. Postnatal chiropractic care may be helpful in speeding post-birth healing and recovery, improving emotional well-being, restoring pelvic and spinal alignment and ensuring a swift transition to breastfeeding by improving the integrity of mid-back structures.

Speak with your Chiropractor
Chiropractic pregnancy care is a healthcare approach that supports your body’s structure and function in a natural way. Speak with your chiropractor to see how you and your developing baby may benefit from chiropractic pregnancy care.

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:

“Healthy bodies make healthy babies so you have nothing to lose!”! ~ Heidi Murkoff

Top Two Tips for Reaching Your Normal Weight

(This newsletter issue for January 2013 is brought to you by Life Wellness Center)


Chiropractic Care and Lifelong Health
Chiropractic care helps support all your health-related activities. Following a healthy food plan and making sure to eat at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day is one important step. Engaging in a regular program of vigorous exercise is a second critical step. A third key component of an overall health-and-wellness program is regular chiropractic care.

Regular chiropractic care helps you get the most out of all the other things you're doing. By helping reduce nerve interference, chiropractic care helps your body perform its tasks properly. For example, your digestive system works more efficiently and you're able to make better use of the good things you're eating. Your musculoskeletal system is better able to adapt to stresses and strains and your body builds lean muscle mass where it's needed. Regular chiropractic care helps your body do the things it needs to do to keep you healthy and well.

It's well-known that one-third of American adults are overweight and an additional one-third are obese.1 In addition, 17% of U.S. children and adolescents are obese.2 Worldwide statistics are similar. These facts are strongly associated with ongoing epidemics in diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Diabetes may cause loss of vision, kidney problems, and loss of circulation in the legs and feet. Cardiovascular disease includes high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attacks. Being overweight or obese may cause diseases which require lifelong treatment. Personal action is needed to begin to restore good health, but it's important to understand the specific nature of the actions to take.

What is not required is a drastic reduction of body weight to some idealized norm of "thinness." It is not appropriate for people to attempt to force themselves to look like runway models. What does work is applying simple techniques and strategies to encourage a gradual loss of weight. Over time persons on such a plan will achieve a body weight that is normal for them. There are two key steps to reaching your normal weight.

The first step is to reduce your overall intake of calories by eating six small meals a day. If five small meals works best for your schedule and daily needs, that’s fine. The main point involves total calories. With six small meals, each one is about 300 calories - a little less for women and a little more for men who are taller and more heavily muscled. For men the daily calorie intake is between 1800 and 2100 calories. For women, the daily calorie intake is between 1700 and 1800 calories. By experimenting a bit, you’ll find your optimal calorie level that results in consistent weight loss. Make sure to combine complex carbohydrates and protein at each small meal. The numerous benefits of food combining include maintaining insulin levels in a normal range and improved cognitive/mental function.

For many people, this reduction in daily calories will have an immediate and dramatic impact. There may be real hunger pangs, and it will be important to remember that the next small meal is only a couple of hours away. The pounds you lose in the first couple of weeks will likely provide plenty of reinforcement to help you through the times when you are really hungry.

The next and simultaneous step is to begin a program of regular, vigorous exercise. Of course, if you haven't exercised in a long time you'll need to start slowly. Your goal is to build up to 30 minutes of vigorous exercise five times per week.3 Ideally you'll be doing both cardiovascular exercise and strength training, and in the process you'll build lean muscle mass. The result is an elevation in your basal metabolic rate which causes your body to burn fat even while you're resting!

As you follow these two health-promoting programs, you will notice that you're steadily and gradually losing weight. There will come a time, anywhere from 6 months to a year after you've begun your new lifestyle, when your weight loss will stop. For example, you'll notice you only lost half a pound over the previous week or two. Then you'll know that you've reached your "ideal" body weight. You've reached the weight that is normal for you. It is very likely that your new body mass index (a ratio between your height and weight) is now in the normal range or very close to the high end of normal. You've taken control of your health and your life, and the very good news is that you've built new habits that will last a lifetime.

1Ogden CL, et al: Prevalence of obesity in the United States, 2009-2010. NCHS Data Brief No. 82. National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 2012

2Waters E, et al: Interventions for preventing obesity in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 7(12):CD001871, 2011

3Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Vital signs: walking among adults - United States, 2005 and 2010. MMWR Morbid Mortal Wkly Rep 61:595-601, 2012

Quote of the Week:

“To keep the body in good health is a duty...otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” ~ Budda

Exercise of the Week: Reverse Crunch with Exercise Ball plus Oblique Twist

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Start: Lie on back with hands behind head, elbows out. Position ball behind legs so it can be lifted off floor with hamstrings/adductors.

Exercise: Lift ball just off floor. Pull stomach inward while inhaling. As you exhale, simultaneously bring knees up toward chest and try to touch right elbow to left knee. Pause, then return to starting position. Switch sides. Repeat 10 times.

Topic of the Week: The Restorative Effects of Saunas Introduction

A sauna is a wood-lined room or small house designed for heat sessions. Sauna heat sessions can involve dry or wet heat and are intended to promote health in several important ways, such as relieving stress, reducing muscle and joint achiness and enhancing cardiovascular function. Saunas are particularly popular in Finland and Estonia, though many cultures around the world engage in some form of sweat bath for health benefits.

Saunas - which can reach temperatures of 185 degrees F or 85 degrees C, or more, cause profound physiological effects. According to Harvard Health Publications, saunas can cause a rapid increase in your skin temperature, boost your heart rate by 30 percent or more and cause you to shed a pint of sweat during even short sessions. Your chiropractor may prescribe sauna therapy to help augment your in-office treatments. You should always talk with your chiropractor before using sauna therapy for health purposes, as this therapy may not be appropriate for everyone.

Conventional vs. Infrared
The two basic sauna styles are conventional and infrared. Conventional saunas warm the air, while infrared saunas warm objects. You can use a conventional sauna to create a high heat, low humidity environment and generate temperatures in the range of 185 to 195 degrees F (80 to 90 degrees C). In a conventional sauna, you splash water over heated stones and this water is vaporized to create a dry heat that has soothing effects. Infrared saunas produce infrared radiant heat, which creates a milder environment and warming effect. Infrared radiant heat is absorbed by the surface of your skin and heats your body directly.

Relaxation & Feelings of Well-Being
Saunas are best known - and most commonly used - for aiding relaxation and creating feelings of well being. Many people use the sauna to help reduce stress levels. The sauna’s heat helps relax your body, including tight muscles and the sauna is a place to unwind and find relief from stress in other aspects of your life. Improved blood flow and oxygen supply relaxes both your body and your mind, leading to feelings of well-being and a sense of rejuvenation. An article published in the journal Physiology states that the principle reason for sauna’s continuing popularity is its ability to evoke pleasant feelings of deep relaxation.

Cardiovascular Health Benefits
The health-positive effects of saunas may extend well beyond relaxation and feelings of well being. A 2009 studied published in the journal Canadian Family Physician states that there is at least some evidence that far-infrared saunas may help normalize blood pressure and treat congestive heart failure. Another study published in 2001 in the American Journal of Medicine notes that sauna bathing is safe for most people with coronary heart disease with stable angina pectoris or old myocardial infarction or heart attack. This study also notes that sauna therapy may not be appropriate for individuals who have unstable angina pectoris or severe aortic stenosis or narrowing of the aortic artery. Individuals who have experienced a recent myocardia infarction should also avoid sauna therapy.

Addtional Health Benefits
Additional health benefits of sauna therapy may include the soothing of joint aches and pains, the cleansing of skin and flushing of toxins from the body and the promotion of deeper sleep. According to a 2011 review article published in the Alternative Medicine Review: A Journal of Clinical Therapeutics, people who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic fatigue, chronic pain or addictions may also benefit from sauna therapy and that existing evidence supports the use of saunas for environmentally-induced illness.

Considerations
Talk with your chiropractor before using sauna therapy for health purposes, especially if you are pregnant. Your chiropractor understands your unique health history and can assess your readiness for this treatment approach. Some good general rules sauna users should employ include avoiding alcohol and medications that may limit sweating, staying in the sauna for no more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time, drinking two to four glasses of water after each sauna session and avoiding sauna therapy if feeling ill.

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

Proprioception - Making Your Body Smarter

We usually don't think of our bodies in terms of their being "smart." For example, we walk to the corner store without giving a single thought to the complex mechanics involved in getting there and back. But behind the scenes there's plenty going on and your body's "IQ" has a lot to do with your success in accomplishing everyday tasks.

Proprioception is one of those background physical processes that make up your body's total IQ. Proprioceptors are specialized nerve endings located in your muscles and joints that inform your brain about your body's position in three-dimensional space. You're able to write legibly because proprioceptors are sending instantaneous data about the angles of the small joints of your fingers and wrists as your pen moves across the page. You're able to run on the beach because proprioceptors are continuously sending signals to your brain about the changing shape of the uneven surface of the sand.1

Without these specialized nerve endings, we'd never be able to hit a baseball, throw a Frisbee, or drive a car. But proprioceptors can be smart or less than that. It all depends on how well-trained they are. One person out for a stroll might trip over a crack in the pavement and suffer a badly sprained ankle. Another person might trip over the same crack, even badly turning over their ankle in the process, and keep on walking without even a trace of a limp.

The difference between injury and non-injury is the level of proprioceptor training, and this level usually is related to whether you're doing regular exercise.2 Exercise trains your muscles and joints to adapt to varying kinds of stresses (weight-bearing loads) throughout a variety of positions (the full range of motion of those joints). As a result, trained proprioceptors can withstand a high degree of stress (such as a sudden twisting of an ankle). The untrained ankle, possibly the ankle of a person who hasn't done much walking, running, or bike riding in the last 5 years, will be damaged by an unusual and unexpected stress. The result is an ankle sprain of varying severity and possibly a broken ankle.

Similarly, it is well known that older adults experience more frequent falls than do younger adults. Part of the explanation involves proprioception.3 Many older adults don't engage in regular exercise. Proprioceptive function decreases, changes in level or surface aren't recognized quickly by the person's feet and ankles, and the person falls.

It's easy to see that the effort to maintain your body's IQ is time very well spent. The fastest way to boost this skill set is by doing regular exercise. All kinds of exercise provide benefit, so the best exercises are the ones that have some interest for you personally. Optimally, a person is doing both strength training and cardiovascular exercise. As always, the key to long-term health and wellness is consistency.

1Wong JD, et al: Can proprioceptive training improve motor learning? J Neurophysiol 2012 Sep 12 [Epub ahead of print]

2Ferreira ML, et al: Physical activity improves strength, balance and endurance in adults aged 40-65 years: a systematic review. J Physiother 58(3):145-156, 2012

3Howe TE, et al: Exercise for improving balance in older people. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2011 Nov 9(11):CD004963.

Topic of the Week: What to Expect From Chiropractic Care

Introduction
Your chiropractor will do everything within his or her power to resolve your specific health problem as quickly as possible and with as few treatments as necessary. It is important to remember that every patient enters the chiropractic clinic with a different set of experiences, health concerns and expectations about how quickly they will recover and the necessary actions or steps required to achieve recovery. Your treatment and recovery expectations can affect how quickly you heal and how you feel about the treatment you are receiving. Your chiropractor will counsel you on appropriate treatment expectations for your unique health problem so that you get the most out of your chiropractic experience.

Setting Expectations for Recovery
Setting reasonable and realistic expectations for your recovery is an important consideration before you begin chiropractic care. Though many people report to the chiropractor only after pain or functional limitations surface, the underlying factors causing their problem may stem from actions or inactions - poor posture, repetitive injurious movements, and old, unresolved health issues - that cause unfavorable structural changes over time. Because these changes happen slowly, over time, it is only reasonable to think that your recovery may take some time, too.
Maintaining an optimistic outlook about your recovery, however, is equally important as setting realistic expectations. According to a 2008 study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, patients with acute low back pain who had a more positive expectation for recovery experienced greater functional improvement following care.

A Reasonable Timeframe for Improvement
Many patients who receive chiropractic care experience some degree of relief immediately after the adjustment or therapy. In most cases, improvement happens over time with chiropractic care, with health gains coming quickly or gradually based on the frequency of your care, your specific health problem and your willingness to participate in home care activities prescribed by your chiropractor. Many chiropractors find that treating injuries early and often leads to a quicker resolution of the problem, fewer overall visits and a reduced likelihood of the problem happening again. The Spine Health website notes that a common chiropractic treatment plan consists of 3 visits per week for 2 to 4 weeks, followed by a re-evaluation of your condition. Where you and your chiropractor choose to go from here depends on the degree of improvement noted.

Post-Adjustment Sensations or Experiences
If you have never experienced chiropractic care, it is important to understand what to expect during and after your treatment. When your chiropractor performs a spinal or extremity adjustment, it is common to hear an audible “pop.” This sound, known as a joint cavitation, is not the cracking of bones but results instead from a change in gas pressure within your joint (much like the pressure change that occurs when you open a carbonated drink).
The chiropractic adjustment itself is not painful, though the adjustment may move joint structures that have not moved in some time and after the adjustment, it is common to feel a mild soreness in the area that has been treated. This feeling is similar to that of engaging in strenuous activity after a prolonged period of little or no physical activity. The Mayo Clinic states that chiropractic adjustments are safe when performed by licensed chiropractors but that some people may experience headache and fatigue for a few days after receiving chiropractic care.

Possible Recovery Obstacles or Barriers
Some patients may experience obstacles or barriers to recovery that require further investigation by the treating chiropractor. If your symptoms do not improve within a reasonable timeframe (usually about 4 weeks) your chiropractor may order additional tests - blood work, imaging studies – to check for a complicating problem or condition. In some cases, repeated ergonomic stress that you experience at work or at home may cause continued pain or discomfort until it is addressed.

According to a 2010 study published in the journal Chiropractic & Osteopathy, some barriers to early improvement during chiropractic care (especially for enduring low back pain) include patient depression and anxiety – common problems in people who have experience chronic low back pain. Other patients may experience delayed recovery due to the concern about the possibility of re-injury by performing certain activities of daily living. Your chiropractor can talk with you about your concerns and offer you helpful advice about how to overcome any anxiety you may feel about your condition and recovery.

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© - Wellness ExpressTM

Exercise of the Week: Back Hyperextension on Exercise Ball, Arms Fully Extended

Difficulty: High

Lie on ball face down with feet on floor, legs straight. Feet together or apart (feet apart is easier). Back is in a straight position. Hands positioned to side, palms forward and thumbs up. The exercise: use low back muscles to bring body into a hyperextension position, shoulders back. Reach fingertips as far back toward feet as possible, keeping arms straight, palms out and thumbs up. Hold for 1-2 counts. Repeat 5-10 repetitions.

Quote of the Week:

“Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times.”~ Mark Twain

Exercise of the Week: Back Hyperextension on Exercise Ball, Arms Fully Extended

Difficulty: High

Lie on ball face down with feet on floor, legs straight. Feet together or apart (feet apart is easier). Back is in a straight position. Hands positioned to side, palms forward and thumbs up. The exercise: use low back muscles to bring body into a hyperextension position, shoulders back. Reach fingertips as far back toward feet as possible, keeping arms straight, palms out and thumbs up. Hold for 1-2 counts. Repeat 5-10 repetitions.

Topic of the Week: Reasons & Tips for Quitting Smoking

Smoking, especially cigarette smoking, is the leading preventable cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, over 5 million people die from prolonged tobacco use every year and this number is expected to jump to 8 million by 2030. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adds that smokers, on average, live 13 to 14 fewer years than nonsmokers. Smoking cessation, or quitting smoking, is one of the most important health behavior changes you can make and it has long-term health and quality of life implications for you and the people around you. Your chiropractor can counsel you on the smoking cessation strategies that are most appropriate for you.

Why Quitting is Important
Quitting smoking is important both for longevity and for ensuring that your later years are healthy, quality ones. Besides the obvious risk for cancer - lung, bladder, kidney, pancreas, among others - and lung diseases, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis, smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop other health problems as well. The American Cancer Society states that smokers are twice as likely as nonsmokers to experience fatal heart attacks and that smoking is a major risk factor for blood vessel diseases. Other health problems associated with smoking include erectile dysfunction in men, an increased likelihood of miscarriage in pregnant women and macular degeneration - a leading cause of blindness in older individuals.

Long-Term & Immediate Benefits
A 2007 study published in the journal Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports states that smoking cessation significantly decreases the risk for cardiovascular disease and death in a wide range of populations, and that smoking cessation considerably boosts both life expectancy and quality of life. Some benefits of smoking cessation are immediate, however, including better smelling breath, clothes and hair; disappearance of stains on your teeth, fingers and fingernails; improved sense of taste and smell and improved ability to perform your activities of daily living, including housework and stair climbing. Within minutes after your final cigarette, your blood pressure and heart rate go down and within hours, the amount of carbon monoxide and oxygen in your bloodstream returns to normal levels.

Tip #1: Engage in Regular Exercise
Engaging in regular exercise may be useful in helping you quit smoking. According to a 2000 study published in the journal Addiction, several research trials yielded a positive effect for exercise on smoking abstinence. Exercise, including both endurance and strength training, produces numerous beneficial health results including weight loss, improved stamina, enhanced sense of well-being, heightened sense of self-esteem and accomplishment and improved mood. Changing your routine by adding regular bouts of exercise can help shift your attention away from your nicotine cravings and toward more healthy habits.

Tip #2: Manage Your Stress
Nicotine dependence is the primary reason that most smokers continue smoking, though most people who smoke, notes a 2007 study published in the British Medical Journal, cite stress relief as a main factor for smoking. Finding alternative ways to manage your stress can be helpful for smoking cessation. Healthy, natural ways to manage your stress include getting regular massages, practicing movement arts such as yoga or tai chi, listening to relaxing music, spending time in nature, practicing breathing exercises and visualization, getting adequate sleep and maintaining your regularly scheduled visits with your chiropractor.

Tip #3: Balance Your Blood Sugar Levels
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that chemicals found in tobacco smoke complicate blood sugar regulation. Nicotine boosts the amount of glucose in your blood by increasing the flow of epinephrine, a stimulating hormone. Alterations in your blood sugar levels may affect your mood and anxiety levels and your ability to successfully combat your nicotine cravings and quit smoking. Successful smoking cessation may require balancing your blood sugar levels. Ask your chiropractor about healthy dietary strategies, including dietary and herbal supplements that can help stabilize your blood sugar levels before, during and after you quit smoking.

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© - Wellness ExpressTM

Quote of the Week:

“The mind must be cured as well as the body, as the mind - so is the body.”~ Dr. Daniel D Palmer

Exercise of the Week: Back Extensions on Exercise Ball, Arms to Side

Difficulty: Medium
Lie on ball face down with feet on floor, legs straight. Feet together or apart (feet apart is easier). Back in a resting, curled position. Hands positioned to side, arms straight and fingers touching floor.


The Exercise:
Use your low back muscles to bring body into a straight-spine position, shoulders back. Keep arms out to side, palms facing forwards, thumbs up. Do not hyperextend low back. Stop when body is straight. Look at floor while keeping neck in a neutral position. Hold for 1 - 2 counts. Repeat 5 - 10 repetitions.

Topic of the Week: Chiropractic: A Total Person Approach to Health

Introduction
Chiropractic care is guided by a philosophical approach that is in line with natural healing principles. Though chiropractic shares important similarities with other health professions, its holistic or total person approach to health and healing distinguishes it from the modern medical model. Two key concepts help define the chiropractic approach to health: 1) That your body can heal itself once impediments or barriers to health are removed or corrected and 2) That the mind body relationship is crucial in supporting the healing process. Chiropractors believe that structural health can best be achieved when proper joint and soft tissue alignment is restored throughout your body. Your relationship with the natural world - how you move, how your environment causes you to move (or not move) - is a primary concern for your chiropractor. In this edition of the Wellness Express we will examine the ideas and practices that help define chiropractic’s total person approach to health and wellbeing.

Early Intervention & Prevention
Chiropractors are known for their desire to intervene in the disease process as early as possible to ensure beneficial health outcomes. Chiropractors are also known for their proactive disease prevention strategies, which help ensure that common musculoskeletal health problems never develop. A 2004 study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics notes that a significant proportion of chiropractors and chiropractic students in the United States possess a positive attitude about preventive health services, especially physical activity and diet. Another study published in the same journal states that chiropractors, as a group, have a keen interest in providing their patients with health information that extends beyond spinal health.

Treating the Cause, Not Just the Symptoms
Your chiropractor is interested in understanding the true cause of your illness or problem in order to permanently resolve it. Chiropractors perform therapeutic measures – spinal manipulation, soft tissue work, functional exercise prescription - that have the dual effect of eliminating your pain, discomfort or other symptoms and correcting the processes and circumstances that caused or contributed to your injury or condition. In this way, chiropractic care sets itself apart from contemporary medical practices, which often rely on drugs to temporarily mask symptoms.

Rehabilitation vs. SurgeryMany patients have turned to chiropractic care for a more natural approach to health problems and to avoid surgery when possible. Chiropractic care emphasizes rehabilitation and recuperation instead of surgical interventions and many chiropractic patients have experienced treatment outcomes that equal or exceed the treatment outcomes expected from surgery for their specific problem. This is not to say that your chiropractor will not recommend surgery in some cases. According to a 2007 study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, most chiropractors agree that conventional medical approaches – pharmaceuticals and surgery – are helpful when used appropriately and that many chiropractors successfully collaborate with medical doctors as part of a health care team.

Appreciation of Factors Affecting Health
Your chiropractor has a fundamental appreciation for the various factors that can affect your health and how these factors can interact with each other to complicate your health and ability to heal. The two key factors that your chiropractor considers when creating your treatment plan are environment and lifestyle. Your chiropractor will ask you relevant questions about each of these factors to determine your unique treatment needs and he or she will counsel you on the ways that you can best achieve long-term health success.

Use of Relevant Outcome Markers
Your chiropractor may use specific outcome markers, including surveys, range of motion assessments and functional tests, to objectively track or document your recovery progress. These outcome markers help your chiropractor understand what treatments are working and what treatments could be altered to help speed your return to health. The use of relevant outcome markers is part of an evidence-based approach to health care. According to a 2001 article published in the journal Spine, evidence-based care, over the long term, improves treatment outcomes in patients with acute low back pain and reduces the time these patients experience pain or discomfort.

Patient-Centered, Hands-On Care
Chiropractic care is a patient centered, hands-on healing approach that improves your musculoskeletal health and function by manipulating - gently and purposefully – affected structures or areas in your body. The very nature of chiropractic care creates an intimate healing environment that fosters healthy dialogue between patient and practitioner. Your chiropractor will use this environment and the time he or she has with you to learn more about your specific health situation and concerns.

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© - Wellness ExpressTM

Walking as a Lifestyle Choice

This newsletter issue for December 2012 is brought to you by Life Wellness Center

Everyone knows he or she should be doing regular exercise, but most people have not exercised in so many years that they don't know where to begin. As a result, people start and stop various training programs and routines. They join gyms and spend hard-earned income, but ultimately fail to follow-through because they don't have a clear idea of how to exercise effectively. The challenge lies in selecting the form of exercise that's best for you, and then having the specific knowledge to begin training in a way that will be beneficial and not harmful....
(click this link to read the entire article: http://lifewellnesscenter.net/index.php?newsletters=14822)

Exercise of the week

Quote of the Week

“Life’s field will yield as we make it; a harvest of thorns or of flowers “- Johann von Goethe

Topic of the Week: Benefits of Eating Organic

Introduction
Choosing to eat organic foods – foods grown without the use of pesticides and other chemicals and using natural methods - is a personal choice driven by several key factors or considerations. According to a 2003 study published in the journal Appetite, the purchase and consumption of organic foods is most strongly associated with a person’s perceived benefit for their own health, though the desire to perform environmentally friendly actions and consideration for animal welfare are other factors that significantly influence people’s decision to go organic. The benefits of eating organic foods are now better understood, though more research will shed valuable light on the far-reaching impact of this healthful practice.

Nutritional Value
Increased nutritional value is a common perceived benefit of consuming organic foods. Research studies investigating the nutritional content of organic foods versus conventionally grown foods have produced conflicting results. Some studies, such as one published in 2010 in the journal Agronomy for Sustainable Development, report that non-organic and industrialized food production methods lead to reduced nutrient and flavor contents and that organic plant products contain more minerals and antioxidant micronutrients, including phenols. Other studies, including one published in 2002 in the journal Critical Review in Food Science and Nutrition, state that, with the possible exception of nitrate content, there is insufficient evidence that the concentration of various nutrients differs between conventional and organic foods.

Reduced Pesticide Consumption
Concern over pesticide ingestion or exposure is a common reason people choose organic foods over conventional foods. Conventional growers use pesticides to reduce the likelihood of molds, insects, and diseases destroying their crops. Pesticide residue may linger on produce after it is harvested. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, the potential health effects of pesticides include nervous and endocrine system problems and skin and eye irritation. Some pesticides, notes the EPA, may be carcinogens, or cancer-causing agents. A 2006 study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives states that an organic diet provides a significant protective effect against organophosphorus pesticides – pesticides commonly used in conventional agriculture production.

Food Additive Avoidance
Organic regulations either ban or severely limit the use of common food additives, including colorings and flavorings, artificial sweeteners, preservatives and monosodium glutamate, or MSG. According to the World Health Organization, food additives and contaminants caused by food manufacturing and processing can have a significant negative effect on your health. A 2006 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute notes that boosting your consumption of processed meat - a foodstuff well-known for its inclusion of various additives - may increase your risk for stomach cancer.

Decreased
Environmental Impact Organic farming methods and practices reduce the environmental impact associated with food production. Organic farming practices require less water, produce less air pollution and conserve soil quality and organic farming techniques may have a beneficial effect on biodiversity too. According to a 2005 review article published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, organic farming often has positive effects on both species richness and abundance.
The maintenance of natural areas within and around organic fields helps create wildlife habitat and encourages a re-colonizing of the organic area by plants and animals, notes the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Summary
Eating organic foods has long-lasting health and environmental implications, and this practice can be considered an important part of ensuring a positive health legacy for future generations. Your chiropractor understands that healthy dietary practices involve seeking out and consuming the most nutrient-dense and safest foods possible and he or she can further counsel you on the full health benefits of this health strategy. When you choose organic foods you are choosing to invest in your long-term well-being as well as the sustainable farming practic

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