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chiropractic

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.

Posture, Growth and Healthy Emotions

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Your spine is the structural support system of your body. At any age – child, teenager, adult or senior – how your spine supports you can be seen in your posture.

Posture reveals weaknesses that can progressively worsen under the stresses of daily life as you grow and age. Because your structure, spine and nervous system are the lifeline of health and energy to all the vital organs of your body, it is important to pay attention to your posture before pursuing prescription medications or over the counter remedies for physical and emotional health problems or imbalances. Many of these medications have serious side effects and do not get to the cause of the instability affecting you.

Postural distortions may look very slight on the outside or they may be obvious. They can cause rapid degeneration of your metabolism and immune system on the inside or take years to manifest. Both systems are crucial for your overall health and vitality. Falls, car accidents, sports injuries, trauma and even the birth process can accelerate degeneration of the spine, leading to disability and a shorter life span.

People that have spinal injuries or vertebral subluxation may have it and not feel it. Uncorrected, it can cause degenerative changes and nerve interference. Someone with a subluxation may not function as well in everyday life and may not enjoy the same quality of life as people with a healthy structure, spine, and nervous system.

Regardless of the condition of your spine and nervous system today, there is potential within you for better health and happiness tomorrow and as you mature physically and emotionally and as your body heals.

Postural and structural weakness can cause someone to experience chronic or disabling pain, a weakened immune system, lower energy, fatigue, digestive difficulties, less satisfaction with personal relationships, and a shorter life. Dr. Freeman published findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association stating, “Aging in the spinal discs caused postural deviations leading to intestinal diverticula, hemorrhoids, varicosities of the legs, osteoporosis, hip and foot deformities, overall poor quality of health and life and a shortened life span.”

Postural distortions and a weaker spinal structure can have a major effect on a person’s overall strength and health, which can even have an effect on their earning potential when in the workforce. Later, these distortions can cause accelerated aging and may make you feel older than your chronological age because there is interference in nerve supply to your organs, muscles and joints.

A simple Posture Self-Test can determine if you or a loved one, children included, have underlying conditions that can lead to anxiety, chronic pain, disability and accelerated aging. A chiropractic examination and regular adjustments can help relieve pressure on the nervous system so messages delivered to and from the brain can be delivered.

Make your posture a priority. Have your children checked so all of you can enjoy the good health and happiness that comes with living your ideal 100 Year Lifestyle today, tomorrow and for a lifetime.

References

Freeman JT; Posture in the Aging and Aged Body. JAMA 1957; 165(7)

Takahashi T. Osteoporosis Int. 2005; 16 273-279

 

Hunchbacks in the Hood

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We live in a world where technology dominates our daily lives. From watching TV, utilizing computers for work, video games for kids, and of course, staring at our smart phone for hours mindlessly scrolling through social media or playing games. It is pretty clear that the world would not be what it is today without technology. However, as technology rapidly grows with each passing day, its consequences are starting to catch up with our health and they are presenting us with serious problems.

Recently, more and more children, teenagers and young adults are developing hunchbacks due to the poor posture associated with constant use of cell phones and other devices with screens. It’s even become common in parents, the middle-aged and the aging populations. We used to associate bad posture, slouching shoulders and a hunchback as a sign of old age or a symbol of depression, weakness and an inferiority complex. Now, even the strong-willed, the leaders and the empowered are developing hunchbacks while they are young.

No matter what piece of technology you use, your neck and nerves may be paying the ultimate price. For every inch you look down at your phone, the weight of your head increases by roughly 10 pounds. Multiply these by several hours a day, 7 days a week for months on end and what happens? This forward head translation places an enormous amount of stress on spinal bones, nerves and the muscles that control your head movement.

It is not a coincidence that headaches and neck pain are increasingly being seen by chiropractors and other healthcare providers. Because your body is amazingly adaptable, the hunchback is your body’s method of adapting and coping with the stress that looking down on your phone places on your neck and spine. This body position can reverse the curvature of your neck and place additional stress on the entire spine and nervous system causing all types of health problems and accelerating spinal and nerve degeneration, interfering with your health on many levels both today and as you age.

The nervous system is the master controller of your entire body, and it is imperative to make sure that it is healthy. Much like a cell phone requires a tower signal in order to send and receive calls and messages, your nervous system is your body’s natural IT system that is responsible for sending electrical signals to and from your brain so you can move, breathe, talk, and perform all of your favorite activities. When this system is interfered with, dis-ease sets in and manifests itself in a variety of painful, chronic and unfavorable ways.

Straighten up. Don’t wait for a crisis! Be conscious of your posture when you’re on the phone. Make the health of your nervous system a priority with Chiropractic Lifestyle Care. Don’t let technology make you old before your time. Live your ideal 100 Year Lifestyle and unlock the potential that will allow you to live your best life, every day of your life.

Contributed by Cory Plasker, BEXSc

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.

Pregnancy, Posture & Fitness

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Every pregnant woman wants to bring a healthy and vibrant child into this world. Making healthy choices during pregnancy is a critical component to handling the physical, mental and emotional demands of pregnancy while ensuring a safe birth and long, vitalistic life for both you and your baby.

Women’s bodies were innately designed to give birth. When pregnant the hormone Relaxin is produced to relax the muscles, ligaments and tendons to accommodate for the growing baby. As a woman approaches the end of the first trimester, increased weight in the belly creates a pelvic tilt forward creating a more exaggerated curve in the lumbar spine. Oxytocin, another hormone, helps create effective contractions while simultaneously acting as the body’s natural pain reliever and preventing bleeding after labor. These changes create more space, protection and stability for the growing baby.

A fitness regimen throughout the pregnancy and post-partum period supports the desire for an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth. Unfortunately, recent research shows that only 1 out of every 6 pregnant women exercise a light to moderate intensity most days of the week (Fieril).

As a mother’s weight increases, her center of gravity shifts outward and postural changes such as instability in the spine and pelvis occur (Ohm). Some of the instability in the spine and pelvis comes from a weakened pelvic floor and core thus creating less intra-abdominal pressure.

Fortunately, poor posture has been perceived as being improved through fitness and chiropractic care during pregnancy (Fieril). One study revealed that urinary incontinence as a result of weakened pelvic floor is a common condition in pregnancy and in the post-partum period. Chiropractic care has been shown to effectively improve the muscular tone and restoration of the articular function twice as much as no care at all (Roy).

Staying active while pregnant has been reported and described by women as “enjoying using their muscles during exercise” which leads to a “psychological boost”. Chiropractic care at the core of a healthy lifestyle, in conjunction with physical fitness during pregnancy, helps mom achieve optimal health and peak performance so that her body can better adapt to the demands of the birth process. A healthy nervous system ensures a healthier growing baby during pregnancy, a safer pregnancy for mom and full life expression for both today and throughout a lifetime.

Pregnancy is an empowering and natural experience that should be looked upon as something other than a disorder to be monitored. Do you have questions on where to start for your fitness routine during pregnancy? Ask your 100 Year Lifestyle chiropractor today to learn how to keep your spine and nervous system healthy throughout pregnancy. Lifestyle chiropractic care along with physical activity during pregnancy prepares mom for the endurance, strength and structure needed during labor and birth.

Take charge of your body and the decisions made prenatal, perinatal and post-partum to support you and your newborn’s 100 Year Lifestyle.

Contributed by Heather Kimbley, BA, AAS, PTA

Fieril KP., Olsen MF., Glantz A., Larsson M. Experiences of Exercise During Pregnancy Among Women Who Perform Regular Resistance Training: A Qualitative Study. Phys Ther 2014; 94 (8): 1135-1143. doi: 10.2522/ptj.20120432

Roy, AM. Pelvic muscle floor training in a case of postpartum urinary incontinence. JCCP. 13; 2, 1017-124. December 2012. http://jccponline.com/jccp_v13_n2.pdf

Ohm, J. Chiropractic care for an easier pregnancy and safer birth. PathWays to Family Wellness magazine, Dec. 1st, #24 http://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/Pregnancy-Birth/chiropractic-care-for-an-easier-pregnancy-and-safer-birth.html

What’s Age Got to Do With It?

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People who are 100 years old are jumping out of airplanes, running races and traveling the world while other people in their 70s, 80s and 90s are suffering and in assisted living centers and nursing homes. Quality of life, activity level and energy have nothing to do with age.

Imagine what your life at 100 would look like based off of your current lifestyle choices. Do you get excited or scared? As centenarians, 100 year old people, are proving, how you age is largely dependent on the lifestyle choices you are making right now. Getting older doesn’t have to mean aging along the way.

While many older people still languish in assisted-living facilities, hampered by poor health and decreased mental agility, centenarians across the globe are showing that it doesn’t have to be that way. Consider Verdun Hayes, who set a world record in May of this year by becoming the world’s oldest tandem skydiver at age 101. Then there’s Don Pellmann, a 101-year-old track star from Santa Clara. He began running in track events at age 70, and has since participated in 890 of them, winning most and even breaking world records. Some other great examples of high-quality 100 year living are Fauja Singh, the 106-year-old marathon runner, and Mieko Nagaoka, who is still breaking world records in swimming at 102 years old. Compare these go-getters to people you might know in their 80s or 90s who are living lives of poor health and low energy, and you’ll begin to realize that quality of life has very little to do with age.

People across the globe are living longer. Information from a CDC study indicates that in the United States, the number of people 100 years old or older has increased greatly in the past few years, jumping by 44%! If you knew you could live to more than 100 years old, wouldn’t you want to be as healthy as possible?

How can you live a healthy, fulfilled life all the way to 100 years old and beyond? The 100 Year Lifestyle promotes practices that can be easily remembered if you use an acronym related to the word fitness. Take the NESS from fitness, square the “N”, and use this acronym to enjoy your healthiest today while propelling yourself into a healthy, happy 100 years and beyond.

– N is for Neurology. All of your conscious and unconscious functions are controlled by your nervous system, including your heart, muscles, digestion and circulation. Taking care of your body means paying attention to your neurology, which is an integral part of chiropractic care and promotes full body health.

– N is also for Nutrition. You’ve heard it said that you are what you eat, and it’s absolutely true. A diet full of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins, low in sugar and processed carbohydrates, is essential to a strong and healthy body.

– E stands for Endurance. You can build your endurance through cardiovascular activities like walking, running, swimming and bike riding, which increase your heart rate and strengthen your cardiovascular system. Start slow and steady, be consistent and you’ll be able to increase the frequency, intensity and duration of your endurance training over time. Who knows? You could be a 106-year-old marathon runner, too!

– S is Strength. Don’t wait until you lose your strength to prioritize it! Instead, start strength training today, so that as you age your muscles will remain strong and healthy.

– S also means Structure. Staying active and healthy means keeping your spine healthy, strong, and straight. That’s why so many world class athletes turn to chiropractic care to help them protect this important part of the body.

Are you ready to get started? It’s time to live your best life for at least a century, and we can help! It’s all about making the critical transition from crisis care to lifestyle care, taking care of your body so it will be in good shape throughout your (long) life. Visit our office and give us the opportunity to make a difference for you.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/25/health/centenarians-increase/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db233.htm
http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/15/europe/101-year-old-skydiver/index.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/100-year-old-track-star-don-pellman-keeps-breaking-records-california-santa-clara/
https://www.thenational.ae/sport/other-sport/101-year-old-japanese-swimmer-aims-for-more-world-records-1.158307