Saturday, June 12, 2010

Your Immune System

The immune system has many types of cells that act like a little army to attack invaders such as germs and viruses. But, these cells operate in a delicate balance within our body.

For example, too much body fat causes the production of pro-inflammatory immune cells. Too many of these cells circulating in the body can be harmful. According to Dr. Alex Viardot, "These inflammatory cells are involved in promoting coronary artery disease and other illnesses associated with obesity."

In the study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism, the authors concluded that even modest weight reduction of just 13 lbs. could produce an 80% reduction of pro-inflammatory T-helper cells and also a reduction of other circulating immune cells.

Dr. Viardot added, "This is the first time it has been shown that modest weight reduction reverses some of the very adverse inflammatory changes we see in obese people with diabetes... The situation has reached crisis point, and people must be made aware that excess fat will affect their immune systems and therefore their survival."

Friday, June 4, 2010

For More Health And Wellness, Dump Once A Week...

What would happen if your garbage didn’t get picked up for the entire Summer? Eventually it would pile up and your house would get pretty stinky. The same goes for Subluxations...

Like garbage, the stress from Subluxations can pile up in your nerves if not ‘dumped’ regularly. As you go through your normal day, the physical, chemical, and emotional stresses you experience have a tendency to accumulate. The result? You experience symptoms of a clogged and congested nerve system like…

Poor Sleep
Lack of Energy
Fatigue
Weak Immunity
Chronic pains
Headaches
Anxiety
Poor Digestion
And Many more…


Your body was built to function at 100%, but it can’t if Subluxations are weighing you down. The solution…make sure you dump them often with regular Chiropractic adjustments! Patients who get the most benefits from chiropractic don’t use it as a temporary patch for aches and pains. They’ve discovered the true lasting benefits that come from living with a clean nerve system like more energy, better recovery from injuries, and abundant health.

This Summer plan to take your and your family’s health to the next level. Keep regular with your Chiropractic care and you’ll feel the difference!

Monday, May 31, 2010

Hey Doc, I Can Still Feel The Pain Right Here

Question: If you dropped a cinder block on your foot, what’s the first thing you must do to start the healing process?

Answer: Get the cinder block off your foot!


Sounds simple, but it’s true. Your foot WON’T heal until the offending pressure is removed first. And once the cinder block is removed don’t expect your foot to look or feel normal right away! It’s going to take time to repair all that carnage. The same principle applies to your Chiropractic care.

A misaligned vertebrae (Subluxation) acts like a cinder block on a nerve, causing damage, pain, and inflammation. Healing can occur only when the offending pressure is removed and kept off the nerve with regular Chiropractic adjustments. But that won’t necessarily bring instant relief. Removing the pressure is simply the first step in a timely process.

So if you don’t feel great immediately after your adjustment, don’t be discouraged. With time, damaged tissues will heal and you’ll feel like new again. For now, be confident the healing process has at least started because the cinder block (subluxation) has been removed.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Chiropractic Forecast: 'Clear' Days Ahead

How many times have you gotten up from the table after an adjustment and felt more awake, or 'clear' like a fog just lifted? Happens a lot in offices across the country. That instant alert feeling you experience is a very powerful physiologic effect commonly felt after a chiropractic adjustment. It’s like a fog’s been lifted from your nerve system, clearing the way for better function and healing.

The next time you 'come out of a fog' after your adjustment ask yourself, how many police officers, teachers and nurses are walking around in a fog because they've never been adjusted before? Do you ever wonder if the school bus driver that just took your kids to school might be driving in a fog because they've never been told the benefits of a 'clearing' chiropractic adjustment?

It’s important for EVERYONE to be checked and cleared of Subluxations so they can live their best lives. (First ones on the list should be your spouse and your kids!) Clearing the fog from a sick population is the real mission of ChiropracTIC. The ‘TIC’ stands for Teach Innate Chiropractic. You can help our mission by telling everyone how better their lives could be if they were ‘clear’ too. Imagine what a safer and healthier community it would be. Until next time!

Friday, May 14, 2010

The Importance Of Spinal Health

Most patients come to see me because of some ache or pain they are having. While our care is very effective at relieving symptoms, there are other benefits beyond just feeling better. The most important job your spine has is to protect your nervous system. Your nervous system is the master control center of your body and is responsible for controlling every cell, tissue, and organ in your body. It controls the pumping of your heart, the breathing of your lungs, digestion, immune function, and even helps you fall asleep at night and wake up in morning. Many of my patients state that not only are they feeling better under chiropractic care, but they are breathing better, sleeping better, have more energy, and their digestion is better. So regular chiropractic care helps to keep your body functioning optimally which promotes better health and well-being.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Chiropractic Adjustments Are Like WD-40 For Your Spine

In a landmark 1921 study done to show the effectiveness of chiropractic, Henry Windsor, MD concluded “disease appears to precede old age and to cause it. The spine becomes stiff first and old age follows. Therefore, we may say a man is as old as his spine, the arteries becoming hardened later from constant vasomotor spasm, following sympathetic irritation.”

So not only is Chiropractic great for keeping your spine limber and flexible. But the extra benefits extend to improved nerve flow, organ function and overall health performance!

Want to move, feel and function like you did when you were younger? Make chiropractic a regular part of your age defying routine. With adjustments, 40 could really be the new 25!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Relief

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is defined as a pinching of the Median Nerve as it travels from the neck into the arm, through muscles in the forearm and into the hand through the carpal tunnel. Pressure on the nerve at any of these locations can create the symptoms of CTS including:

•Numbness or tingling in the thumb and next two or three fingers of one or both hands
•Numbness or tingling of the palm of the hand
•Pain extending to the elbow
•Pain in wrist or hand in one or both hands
•Problems with fine finger movements (coordination) in one or both hands
•Wasting away of the muscle under the thumb (in advanced or long-term cases)
•Weak grip or difficulty carrying bags (a common complaint)
•Weakness in one or both hands

CTS is a very common disorder affecting millions each year. Its also one of the biggest problems for certain types of industries such as meat packaging plants, textile manufacturers, and virtually any job that requires fast, repetitive movements commonly used on assembly lines in many lines of work.

Women are more prone to CTS by a ratio of 3 or 4:1. This is partially because women's bone structure is smaller and therefore their Carpal Tunnel is smaller too. Women also experience fluid retention or build up during menstruation leading to symptoms like swollen fingers and swollen and painful breasts. Swelling in the already tight, confined space of the carpal tunnel will increase their susceptibility for developing CTS.

Another hormone related cause or contributing factor is the use of birth control pills (BCPs). Since there are many different types of BCPs and each woman is unique and different, finding the BCP with the "right balance" of hormones where the swelling side effect is minimized is very important and should be discussed with the doctor who prescribed the BCPs.

Age (>50 years) is also a risk factor and with our aging work force, this is becoming a big issue. Other conditions like hypothyroid, diabetes, certain types of arthritis, and hypertension / congestive heart failure where an increase in fluid retention occurs can also increase the chance of developing CTS. Obviously, occupation type plays an important role as previously mentioned. Many jobs today require the use of computers and we're finding the position of the monitor, the keyboard and mouse, are very important.

Chiropractic management of CTS includes wrist, forearm/elbow, shoulder and neck adjustments, corrective exercises, and an anti-inflammatory diet. Also, correcting the "ergonomic factors" or, job-related causes is of utmost importance. This is why a chiropractor who treats all of these areas and has the specialized knowledge about CTS is the perfect choice of health care providers. If you, a friend or family member require care for CTS, we would be honored to render our services.