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Fitness

Pilates, Balance and Chiropractic

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The health of your brain, body and mood is dependent on the health of your spine! Neurology and structure are the bookends of fitness, allowing for optimal endurance, strength and flexibility.1

Alignment and Overall Health

Certified PMA Pilates Instructor and owner, Deb Mandeville-Bowen, of Bend Pilates in Bend, Oregon says, “Pilates increases flexibility, strength, balance, lung capacity, endurance, bone density and energy while developing body awareness.” A research study on Pilates also found that a 60 minute Pilates exercise program improved mood in sedentary women and improved their psychological health after only ten weeks of exercise.2

Core Strength and Alignment

Lifestyle chiropractic care and Pilates enhance the benefits of each. Chiropractic adjustments optimize your neurology and help balance your structure. Regular and consistent lifestyle chiropractic care will accelerate your overall body results from your Pilates routine.

Strengthening and lengthening your core muscles with a regular Pilates routine provides postural support and reduces stress on the spine and weight bearing joints. With a strong and balanced support to your frame, your entire body moves better and maintains alignment longer. Pilates exercises work deeply in the body and mind through concentration, breathing and controlled movement. This allows energetic alignment between the mind, body, and breathing patterns.

Conditioning and Core Strength

Pilates was developed by Joseph Pilates in the 1920s and focuses on the development of core musculature, including the abdominal muscles, the low back, inner and outer thigh and gluteal muscles.3 A personalized Pilates workout engages smooth, integrated movement patterns and increases strength and flexibility.

A research study was performed on active middle-aged men and women engaged for just a few weeks in a Pilates exercise. The results were increased abdominal endurance, hamstring flexibility, and upper-body muscular endurance.4 Muscle strength is imperative to the natural aging process through improvements in everyday body movement, gait, balance and posture.5

Chiropractic adjustments align the spine, improve range of motion, posture, and work deep in your neurology to allow proper communication between the brain and the entire body. Roger Sperry, a Nobel prize winner on brain research, found that 90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by movement of the spine. Misalignments and restricted motion in the spine, called vertebral subluxations, cause interference in the nervous system and increase stress hormones in your body, leading to a variety of dysfunctions, including decreased immunity, digestion problems infertility, lack of focus, and low energy.6

Chiropractic adjustments restore your body to its natural rhythm in so it is better able to adapt to stress and maintain health. Research has revealed that chiropractic adjustments increase plasticity, or re-wiring, in the brain which allows your brain to adapt to the experiences of life at any age. Get your structure checked today to optimize your fitness routine and overall health!

References:
1. Plasker E. The 100 Year Lifestyle. 1st ed. Avon, Mass.: Adams Media; 2007.
2. Tolnai N, Szabo Z, Koteles F, Szabo A. Physical and psychological benefits of once-a-week Pilates exercises in young sedentary women: A 10-week longitudinal study. Physiology & behavior. 2016 Sep 1; 163:211-8
3. Pilates J, Van Heuit-Robbins L, Robbins J. Pilates Evolution: The 21st Century. Ashland, Or.: Presentation Dynamics Llc; 2012.
4. Kloubec JA. Pilates for improvement of muscle endurance, flexibility, balance, and posture. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 2010 Mar 1;24(3):661-7.
5. Gleberzon BJ, Annis RS. The necessity of strength training for the older patient. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association. 2000 Jun;44(2):98.
6. Korr IM. The spinal cord as organizer of disease processes. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 1976 Sep;76(1):35-45.

Contributed by Dr. Sarah Powers

Sick, Fit People

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We have all seen them in the gym, in the yoga studio or in cycling clubs. The person who looks fit: has toned arms, shredded legs and probably has a 6-pack under their gym clothes. That same person, although they look like a specimen of health on the outside, carries a package of tissues, a bottle of nasal spray, emergency Vitamin C packets, chewable antacids and over the counter NSAIDs in their gym bag because they are constantly sick. Sadly, many gyms and fitness studios are filled with sick, fit people.

Think of the examples of people who, on the outside look healthy, but inside are sick and suffering. Patrick Swayze, James Fixx, Bob Harper and countless others – people living what most of us would consider healthy lifestyles, have suffered heart attacks, been plagued with cancer and died too young, regardless of what their bodies looked like or how they felt.

What makes these stars different than someone like “The Godfather of Fitness”, Jack LaLanne, who lived a happy, healthy life until the age of 97 years old? LaLanne understood how important his nervous system was as to a long, healthy lifestyle.

For your body to heal properly and fight infection, you must have an optimally functioning nervous system. The central nervous system, brain and spinal cord, control every function of your body. When you exercise, your nervous system coordinates the growth and efficiency of your muscles and bones to build them stronger.

When you eat a healthy diet, your nervous system coordinates the digestion and absorption of nutrients into your blood stream, building every cell in your body healthy and strong. This is essential so that these nutrients are available for better workouts and sustain your immune system to guard you from germs, bacteria, viruses and other stressors.

Optimizing your body’s nervous system with Chiropractic Lifestyle Care at the core of your healthy lifestyle so you can be fit and healthy rather than fit and sick, especially if you want to enjoy being fit over a lifetime.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to leave the medicine chest out of your gym bag?

If you are considering a new fitness routine or want to get back in shape, getting your spine and nervous system checked before you begin can start you off on the right track, prevent injuries and optimize your fitness results. A healthy nervous system benefits every level of fitness. It helps to keep you feeling your best on the inside and enables you to continue looking great on the outside.

Whether you like it or not, want to or not, you will probably live longer than you ever thought. Why not get there in style with health and vitality, fit and healthy, so you and your loved ones can enjoy the ideal 100 Year Lifestyle you deserve?

Contributed by Daniel Kimbley, B.S.

Personal Fitness or Cardiac Rehab

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The difference between being on a personal fitness program and going to a cardiac rehabilitation session is quite simply timing.

Personal fitness is a key element of living The 100 Year Lifestyle. Cardiac rehab happens after you have had a heart attack. Otherwise, the procedures of each are similar. Many people who are into personal fitness wear a heart monitor to track their results. During cardiac rehab, the cardiac specialists hook you up to a more sophisticated heart monitor to minimize your risks and their liability. You have a choice of which path you take.

Heart disease is a leading cause of preventative death in the United States and most of the industrialized nations. The key word in the previous sentence is ‘preventable.’ Through common sense food choices, maintaining your ideal weight, regular exercise, and a stress free spine and nervous system, you can keep your heart healthier for a lifetime.

Most overweight people are aware that their weight is an issue and it can lead to serious health problems. Unfortunately they are just waiting for a severe crisis to give them the life changing wake up call.

If there is somebody in your life who is on this dangerous path, you can be the intervention that wards off the crisis.

Have a heart to heart talk with them. Let them know that you are concerned about their well-being and that they are headed for a crisis. Ultimately the decision to change their lifestyle will be theirs, but it will help them to know that you care.

Decide together to buy healthier foods at the grocery store and make healthier choices at restaurants. Begin choosing quality calories over empty calories during all your meals.

If you have a history of heart disease, are concerned about an underlying heart condition, or experience chest pain consult your cardiologist. After you consult with your cardiologist, start a plan to Get Your ESS in Shape: Endurance, Strength and Structure. All three are essential to a healthy heart and quality of life as you age.

Make an appointment with your chiropractor to ensure that your structure, spine and nervous system are stable enough for exercise, and that the nerve supply to your heart is clear.

If you’re reading this then you are probably in a position to delay a heart attack and cardiac rehab, and even prevent it completely. Take action and make your appointments today so you can continue enjoying the life that make you smile now, tomorrow and for years to come.

Tennis Anyone

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The US Open Tennis Championship is one of the biggest tennis events in the world every year. Millions of avid tennis players and fans will be watching this prestigious tournament. While the grueling battles for every point can be awe-inspiring, they are also very hard on the body, spine and nervous system. It’s no wonder that many of the top tennis players utilize chiropractic care to keep them fit, healthy and on the court.

Venus Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has said, “Chiropractic gives me the flexibility I need to keep me in the game.” Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have also been known to utilize chiropractic care for faster healing, staying fit and performing at their highest level. In fact, top athletes in many sports rely on chiropractic care including Tom Brady, LeBron James, and Kerry Walsh.

Tennis is a great game for people of all ages to play. Kids, teenagers, adults, and senior citizens all enjoy being on the court. The sport brings friends, families, and even countries together, nurtures individual responsibility, encourages teamwork, and promotes physical, mental and social well-being. And best of all, tennis is fun.

As captain of the men’s tennis teams at both Fullerton High School and Cal State University at Fullerton, Dr. Kevin Joe was so excited about how chiropractic care helped him in his athletic career that he chose to become a chiropractor.

Lifestyle Care helps athletes by removing spinal subluxations, keeping the body functioning optimally. Chiropractic adjustments balance the spine and nervous system which can improve coordination and prevent injuries.

Unfortunately, too many athletes, tennis players included, suffer from imbalances and nagging injuries that affect their health and weaken performance. For the amateur or weekend player, it can take away from the enjoyment of the game.

Dr. Patricia McLean is another athlete that went from the court to career. As a practicing chiropractor in Maui, HI and Virginia Beach, VA, she won a National Championship with her amateur team. “Receiving Lifestyle Care definitely contributed to our championship run. Our team stayed healthy, recovered more quickly than our opponents and this gave us the competitive edge.”

In addition to chiropractic care, you can improve your tennis game by strengthening your Core. There is a Core Strength and Stability Test in The 100 Year Lifestyle Workout book that builds your Core Strength in just 2 ½ minutes a day. You can download this test from www.100yearlifestyle.com or by asking a member or our staff for a copy.

Don’t wait for a crisis to make your health a priority. Make the Critical Transition to Lifestyle Care and take your health, and your game, to higher levels.

Performance 100

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How would you like to perform at 100 percent for 100 years? If you enjoy running or Crossfit, would you want to stop because of an injury? If you enjoy cycling, tennis, golf or any other sport don’t you want to be able to participate in that sport with joy over the course of your entire lifetime? Of course you would.

We are learning through the longevity potential of today’s hundred-year-old people, that this is a possibility. Within just a few years a new running program called the 100 year dash was started and it attracts people who are 90 and 100+ years old running the 100-meter-dash. The most recent winner was Julia ‘Hurricane’ Hawkins who set a record completing the 100 year dash in 40.12 seconds.

How you perform as you age will depend on how you take care of your body every day along the way. If you wait for a crisis or an injury to make your health a priority, then you have waited too long and will most likely suffer the consequences.

Performance 100

There are 5 Principles of 100 Year Lifestyle FitNESS that will help you perform at your highest level for a lifetime. They are:

Neurology = Function

Neurology comes first! Your nervous system controls and coordinates all of your body functions including your muscles, organs and systems. You must have a healthy nervous system for your heart to beat, your lungs to breathe and your balance to be stable. This is why many of the top athletes and performers in the world utilize chiropractic care as a central part of their fitness program.

Nutrition = Fuel

Your nutritional habits will fuel your life. Consuming a diet filled with organic fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, very low in sugar and processed foods, should be the way you eat as a lifestyle. Isn’t it time you get off the weight loss roller coaster, cleanse, and make healthy eating a daily habit? This will sustain you not just while getting into shape but will keep you healthier as you age.

Endurance = Longevity

Life is a marathon one day at a time. Through cardiovascular exercise which includes walking, running, bike riding and any activity that will increase your heart rate, you will strengthen your cardiovascular system. Start slow and steady, be consistent and as time goes by increase the frequency, intensity and duration of your endurance training. You will be amazed at how your body progresses.

Strength = Independence

If you want to be independent as you age, you must make your strength a priority today. Whether you use weights or do strength training through yoga, Pilates or other types of Plyometric training, it is important to keep yourself strong as a part of a lifestyle.

Structure = Activity

The health of your structure will determine the level of activity you can enjoy. Having a healthy, straight, strong spine is vital to your quality-of-life and fitness in the short and long-term. This is another reason why chiropractors have become a central figure on the healthcare team for millions of people, including the U.S. Olympic Team.

Being active and independent will be an important factor in your immediate and long-term happiness. Follow these Performance 100 principles and enjoy the quality of life you deserve.

Article Contributed by Dr. Eric Plasker

World Cup, Top Athletes Agree

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During the FIFA World Cup, the top athletes compete in the most watched sporting event in the world. Soccer fans everywhere will be gathering to watch “the beautiful game” on the most exciting stage in sports.

For many of these athletes, in addition to their nutritional and sports training protocols, chiropractic care has played an important role in helping them achieve peak performance levels and enhanced their lifestyle. Many of the MLS players utilize chiropractic care and many of the teams have chiropractors that they work with directly. Dr. Monte Layton, for example, has been the official chiropractor of the Real Salt Lake team since its inaugural season in 2005. Dr. Layton, like many other chiropractors, takes care of top athletes in many sports including PGA tour players, Olympians and the Utah Jazz.

Dr. Mike Foudy of Mission Viejo, CA, was the team chiropractor for the Women’s World Cup Championship Team in 1994. “All but one member of the team received regular chiropractic care during their training and on the days of their matches. Chiropractic adjustments balanced their spine, removed nerve pressure and optimized the function of their bodies. They healed quicker from injuries and the care gave them a competitive edge.”

In 2015, Master’s Champion Jordan Spieth thanked his chiropractor during his Green Jacket speech. Tom Brady and Sidney Crosby are vocal advocates. Top athletes in nearly every sport have made chiropractic care a core part of their training including NFL Hall of Famers and legends Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and Roger Craig to name a few.

As the team chiropractor for the Georgia State University Mens Soccer team and U-17 National Champion Alpharetta Ambush team, I was always inspired by the way athletes respond to the care. During a winning streak that led to three State Championships, two Regional Championships and a National Championship, the team received adjustments before and after the games. During tournament weekends, while the other teams were scrambling to change their lineups due to injuries, our team bounced back fast and brought an energetic advantage to field. The players and coaches agreed that chiropractic care helped the players compete at the highest level and avoid injuries.

The 5 principles of 100 Year LIfestyle FitNESS include Neurology, Nutrition, Endurance Strength and Structure. If you want to be able to perform at your highest level when you are young, and enjoy your favorite sports as you age, all five of these components are vital. Make them a part of your lifestyle and enjoy participating in your favorite sport at 100 percent for 100 years.