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Your Brain-Body Connection

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You were born to be healthy. From the moment of conception, your body was given the blueprints and the innate intelligence to live an active, healthy life for 80, 90, 100 years and beyond.

Keeping your spine and nervous system healthy and functioning properly, without interference, is essential to optimizing your genetic capabilities.

Simply speaking, here’s how it works:

Your brain communicates with every cell, tissue, and organ of your body either directly or indirectly via your nervous system.

Unfortunately, many of us don’t appreciate the importance of this system on our overall health until we hear of the tragedies of paralyzed people who sustained serious injuries to their spine. Not only did they lose function of their limbs, but their organs and systems began to malfunction, causing many other issues and dis-ease within their body.

Spinal injuries, such as vertebral subluxations, can cause immediate pain and health problems and can cause severe, long-term health consequences by reducing the function of your nervous system.

Chiropractic care will restore and revitalize the integrity of your nervous system, your Brain-Body connection, so you and your family can live healthy and enjoy life to the fullest.

While there is no guarantee that you and your family will never be sick or injured while under chiropractic care, you can be sure that with proper alignment and function of your spine and nervous system you will give yourselves the best opportunity to heal quickly and maximize your health. Chiropractic is safe, gentle and effective. Regardless of your age, you will look forward to, enjoy and value chiropractic care as an important part of living your ideal 100 Year Lifestyle.

Your health and your healing are your responsibility. What do you want your life to be like as you age? How about your kids? Sadly, hospitals and nursing homes are filled with too many people who waited for a health crisis before they transitioned to lifestyle care.

If you or your family are being challenged with a sickness, or ‘dis-ease’, there is no better time than now to begin your chiropractic journey. If you have been blessed with a symptom and disease-free life and want to maximize your health and athletic performance, our office can get you there. Make living a healthy lifestyle your top priority and see why so many people have made chiropractors their family’s health care provider.

Our team is committed to helping you and your loved ones live your best life every day from birth to 80, 90 and 100 year (or more!). We look forward to working with you.

Know Your Neck

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How well do you know your neck? This magnificent and delicate structure that holds up your head, moves in many directions and protects your body’s lifeline is often taken for granted…until it is injured.

It may seem simple when looking from the outside, but inside it is a complex structure that is vital for health.

Let’s start with your nervous system:
Your brain extends down through your skull and becomes your spinal cord in upper part of your neck. The nerves control and coordinate the function of every cell, tissue and organ of your body. They control all your vital organs including your heart, lungs, liver, stomach and kidneys. When you swallow, clear your throat, or take a deep breath these actions are controlled by the nerves.

All of the muscles that turn your head are also controlled by nerves. When you look to the right or the left while driving your car or when you answer yes or no to a question, be thankful for these nerves.

There are 7 bones that make up your neck – also known as your cervical spine. When you are a baby and you begin to raise your head to look around, your neck begins to develop its cervical curve which becomes the normal spinal alignment as you age. This alignment ensures proper movement of your neck, good nerve supply, and normal function.

Unfortunately, your neck can become injured from the birth process, falls, accidents, or other types of stress which can affect the alignment, nerve supply and function of your spine as well as all of the organs, systems and tissues supplied by those nerves. This injury is known as a vertebral subluxation.

Because there is so much affected and controlled by the neck, these subluxations can cause health problems such as neck, shoulder and arm pain, headaches, allergies, attention deficit and so much more. The list of conditions that can be caused by subluxations is long.

Rather than masking your symptoms with over the counter or prescription medication such as muscle relaxers or pain relievers, which can have severe side effects, it is better to get to the cause of the problem and get the alignment of your neck corrected.

Have you ever noticed an older person whose head was hunched forward? Think about how they had difficulty turning and moving? This is what you see when you look at them but what you do not see is the impact this neck dysfunction is having on their health and quality life because of the interference to the nervous system.

Isn’t it time you stop taking your neck for granted? Make an appointment for yourself and your loved ones today.

Lifestyle Renovation in 3 Easy Steps

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The Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of Renovation is 1 – To restore to a former better state (as by cleaning, repairing, or rebuilding), 2 – to restore to life, vigor, or activity.

Have you ever thought about renovating your lifestyle? Naturally, most of us think of a house when we hear the word ‘renovate’. The way you have lived until now has brought you to where you are physically, mentally, financially and spiritually. Your lifestyle is your choice and your responsibility. Renovating can be done in 3 easy steps and NOW is a great time to start!

First, get your nervous system working at its best. Your nervous system controls and coordinates every cell, tissue and organ in your body and allows your body to respond to its internal and external environments. Gray’s Anatomy says this about the nervous system: “It is the mechanism concerned with the correlation and integration of various body processes and the reactions and adjustments of the organism to its environment.” [1] This means that your nervous system allows you to adapt and live in our constantly changing world. Keeping your nervous system free from interference must be a priority in your lifestyle renovation.

Food is the second step of your lifestyle renovation. No kidding, you are what you eat. Your body rebuilds itself constantly replacing every single cell, over the course of 7 years. If you are eating processed foods, packaged foods or fast food, this can be very destructive to your health now and as you age. Instead, fill your body with fresh vegetables, fruit, proteins and healthy fats. Science shows us that we are living longer. The fastest growing segment of our population is the centenarians, or 100 year old, age group. How do you and your family want to be when you get to 100 years old or older? How healthy do you want your journey to be? The World Health Organization says that increasing your fruit and vegetable consumption can lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, and stroke. [2]

A healthy spine and nervous system give you the best change of absorbing the nutrients from the foods you eat. Remember your nervous system: The nerves that exit from the upper neck, mid back and lumbar regions of the spine send messages to your stomach, gall bladder, and intestines controlling digestion. Their health should be a priority!

The third step to renovating your lifestyle and living a quality life as you age is healthy movement. You will recall from other health articles that to do this you have to Get Your ESS in Shape – Endurance, Strength and Structure. Endurance training exercises your heart and lungs. You need Strength to remain independent as you age. Structure determines the quality of your health because it houses your spinal cord and central nervous system. A healthy structure keeps you aligned and helps maximize healthy movement.

You have a lot of living to do. Getting your ESS in shape now will help you now and down the road. Harvard did a study that not only says you can reduce your risk of disease by exercising, but you can also feel better and live longer! [3].

Before the years fly by, commit to starting your lifestyle renovation now. Begin eating better, get your body moving, and make an appointment to get your spine and nervous system checked to help optimize the function of all your organs and systems. Your quality of life depends on it!

[1] http://www.bartleby.com/107/183.html
[2] http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/fruit/en/index2.html
[3]http://www.health.harvard.edu/special_health_reports/exercise-a-program-you-can- livewith

Contributed by Dr. Josh Handt, A 100 Year Lifestyle Affiliate Chiropractor in New City, NY

Chronic Health Problems

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Chronic health problems can affect your quality of life for decades. Whether they are musculoskeletal in nature affecting your back, neck, and limbs or they affect your organs (heart, lungs, stomach, kidneys or sex organs), your daily activities may become limited and your longevity can be compromised. The longer you wait the more suffering these chronic conditions deliver. Research shows that within two weeks of an injury, scar tissue can appear. Why would you wait another day when you can start your healing process right now?

You might choose to hold off on addressing chronic health problems because you have grown used to the problem and consider it normal. It is not normal. You might choose to wait because you feel like you don’t have the money and cannot afford to address the problem. This can be an extremely costly decision. The more chronic health problems become, the more expense is involved to care for them and the more likely you will experience some permanent damage.

No matter how long it has been, there is no better time than the present to start your healing journey. The human body has an amazing capacity to heal itself when you remove the interference to the nervous system and are consistent with chiropractic care and healthy lifestyle choices. The initial care, Crisis Care, can give you the relief and stability you are looking for, take the edge off, and give you hope for a healthy future.

Once your spine and nervous system are stable, and you stay consistent with your care through the Critical Transition, you will notice that your body begins to regenerate. If you are like most people you will feel younger and more energetic during this process. The energy that your body was using to protect you from your chronic condition will be freed up and can be redirected towards a more purposeful and healthy lifestyle. You will want to exercise. You will want to eat healthier. You will want to engage in activities you enjoy. Your newfound health and outlook on life will motivate you to make Lifestyle Care your top priority.

How long have you or a loved one been suffering from a chronic condition? Has it been months, years or decades? Now think about the oldest grandparent in your family history. If you live at least as long as they did and you do not correct your chronic condition now, how many more years of suffering do you have ahead of you? This is not your destiny. Researcher Ian D. Coulter, PhD’s study found that geriatric patients receiving chiropractic care are more active, live independent lifestyles and are less likely to end up in a nursing home.

Nurture the healing capacity of your body and don’t let your condition become more chronic than it is right now. Start your journey of healing and optimize your health by making an appointment today.

Immune System Science Simplified

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A recent report by the American Physiological Society has confirmed and clarified the importance of the nervous system in regulating the immune system. While we see the evidence of this everyday with our patients, it is nice to know that science is catching up with the ability to explain why and how this connection works.

The report entitled Neural Control of the Immune System states “Neural reflexes support homeostasis by modulating the function of organ systems. Recent advances in neuroscience and immunology have revealed that neural reflexes also regulate the immune system.”1 This important research validates what chiropractors and our patients have been experiencing anecdotally for more than 100 years about the role of chiropractic care in immunity.

– It explains how many children who have been plagued with chronic colds or ear infections can receive chiropractic adjustments and heal.
– It offers explanation to the person who used to be susceptible to illness from every “germ and virus in the air” as to why they may have become healthier since beginning their chiropractic care.
– It also provides explanation as to why aging populations who receive regular chiropractic care remain more functional as they age, a result also confirmed by the Eisenberg Study in 2000.2

While this information may be new to you, it is not new to our practice or to the scientific community.

In an October 2007 report named Medical News Today: Direct Route from Brain to Immune System Discovered by Scientists, they stated, “It used to be dogma that the brain was shut away from the actions of the immune system. But that’s not how it is at all. It turns out that the brain talks directly to the immune system, sending commands that control the body’s inflammatory response to infection and autoimmune diseases.”3

In 1995, The Lancet reported “the focus of science has shifted from separate entities of the immune system to an interactive immunology model. In the neural-immune concept, the brain has specific, two-pathways to the immune system.”4 Clinically, we have known this to be true for more than a century.

As the cold and flu season hovers, make the health of your spine and nervous system a priority with regular chiropractic checkups. If you have only used chiropractic care when you are affected by a crisis, severe pain or a health problem, now is the time to consider making the Critical Transition to Lifestyle Care. Combined with other healthy 100 Year Lifestyle choices, you will give your body the best chance to adapt to your environment and stay healthy. Raise your family this way and you are more likely to enjoy the elements rather than fear them.

While there is sure to be more scientific confirmation in the future, make this the year that you confirm the results for yourself through the care you and your family receive. See you at your next appointment!

References:
1 Eva Sundman , Peder S. Olofsson Advances in Physiology EducationPublished 1 June 2014Vol. 38no. 2,135-139DOI: 10.1152/advan.00094.2013
2 Foster, D.F., Phillips, R.S., Hamel, M.B. & Eisenberg, D.M. (2000) Alternative medicine use in older Americans. Europe PubMed Central
3 Medical News Today, Direct Route From Brain To Immune System Discovered By Scientists, Oct, 2007
4 Edwards, S. (1995, January 14.) Lancet.

Under New Management

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Have you ever seen a sign on a business, “Under New Management?” What comes to mind?

Usually it is thoughts of hope, new infusion of energy and resources or the old management wasn’t working, better business, excitement, new people, new systems, new products and new idea…something new and better in a nutshell.

It is interesting to see what is new and better with the New Management especially if it is a business you have used or visited in the past.

Now is a great time to ask yourself “How effective was I managing myself this past year?” In the arena of physical health are you healthier now than last year or worse? Is your weight up, the same, or down? Is your blood pressure higher or lower? What did your lab results look like? How is your energy? How are you sleeping? What is your exercise frequency or at all? How do you feel?

Did you manage yourself well or are you worse off? You may have made New Year’s Resolutions about things you know you needed to change. How did that work out?

Do you need to be under New Management? Not that someone will step in and manage you, but you can hire advisors such as Chiropractors, personal trainers, nutritionists and life coaches but what you really need is a new mindset. This mindset has to be the overriding factor of what you are committed to and plan to accomplish for yourself, your health and your life.

Brutal facts will help you manage your health. People are living longer whether they want to or not. Centenarians, people over 100, are the fastest growing population in the US. The current aging population was blindsided by longevity and now has become the nursing care generation. Chronic illness, obesity and health care costs are rising. The current “health care” system is not working. Something has to change.

Luckily, you can make the change. You can live The 100 Year Lifestyle each and every day and avoid 70 to 90% of the problems people seek care for by changing your lifestyle.

Here is how to be under New Management:
1. Exercise 4 to 6 times per week with endurance exercise, strengthening exercise and stretching. Start off with a few minutes each time if exercise has not been part of your life lately. You can increase your exercise time and frequency as you reach plateaus.
2. Eat for quality not quantity. A new menu is often part of New Management. Be creative!
3. Get proper rest. Sticking to your New Management goals is easier when you’ve given yourself time to rejuvenate mentally and physically.
4. Protect your spine and nervous system by removing interference to the flow of information between your brain and body.

Our office can help you with your New Management. Chiropractors have been helping people regain, retain and optimize their health for over 125 years. Management of your future health can be optimized by seeking care from us to help you live your ideal 100 Year Lifestyle. Introducing the New Management – YOU!

Contributed by Dr. Dennis Buckley -The 100 Year Lifestyle Licensed Affiliate Chiropractor in Pasadena, CA