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nervous system

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

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.

Feeling or Function

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“How Are You?” is a common question we use to engage with another person when we meet on the street, at work, in school or at family gatherings.

Most of us reply with the answer, “Fine!” or some version of that to keep the conversation short and social because most people are asking out of politeness and don’t really want to get in a deep discussion. You, however, need to know how you are really doing so ask yourself the question but expand on it by adding a few key words at the end:

1. How are you feeling? Seriously, how is your body? How is your mind? Are you experiencing any symptoms on a recurring basis such as neck or back pain, headaches, stomach or other digestive disturbances, tension or stress? These symptoms are indicators that there may be imbalances in your body that need to be addressed. How are you addressing them? Are you masking these symptoms with medications or are you eliminating the underlying cause? Getting to the cause is a much better plan. This leads to the next question.

2. How are you functioning? If your body is functioning properly then you have the opportunity to feel healthier most of the time and also perform at your highest level. Your body can heal itself from symptoms and conditions and you will be adaptable to the stresses in the world.

Your nervous system is the master control system of your body and must be healthy for you to function properly. Recent research has revealed that neuro reflexes support homeostasis, which is body balance, by modulating the function of organ systems and regulating the immune system.1 Many of our patients report that the chiropractic care we provide helps their body eliminate recurring symptoms while it functions at much higher levels. When you make Function a priority over Feeling, you will appreciate a greater level of health and vitality every day.

3. How are you living? Is your lifestyle supporting you in function and feeling at your highest level for a lifetime? If not, you may be headed for a roller coaster ride of deterioration that could last for decades. Through The 100 Year Lifestyle education and chiropractic care we provide, you and your loved ones will be able to answer the “How are you?” question with gusto! and enjoy the long, healthy, quality of life you deserve.

Reference: Eva Sundman , Peder S. Olofsson Advances in Physiology EducationPublished 1 June 2014Vol. 38no. 2,135-139DOI: 10.1152/advan.00094.2013

Natural Fertility Support

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Starting or expanding your family may be an important component of your 100 Year Lifestyle. Fertility challenges can be discouraging and frustrating. To increase your chances for an easy conception and pregnancy, keep your spine and nervous system healthy with Lifestyle Care and try some of these healthy tips!

AVOID – MicroNutrient deficiencies which can result from stress, smoking, toxins, poor diet, and prescription medications including certain contraceptives.

TRY – A good whole food multivitamin and probiotic, during and after birth control use, to prevent nutritional deficiency and restore already depleted levels.

AVOID – Having an abnormal body mass index. Being underweight or overweight can affect fertility in both males and females. In a person who is underweight, the body naturally panics and shuts down many important bodily processes and literally turns down reproduction.

With obesity, adiponectin (a protein released by fat cells that assists in burning up fat) decreases. Adiponectin would normally help to make the body more sensitive to insulin (which enhances ovulation). Without sufficient adiponectin, the body becomes resistant to insulin and fertility is compromised.

TRY – Normalizing weight before trying to conceive. Good nutrition helps to create a “clean slate” within the body that helps it to respond and utilize other natural remedies better. Try “cleaning and greening” your life before trying to conceive. Be sure that you are eating adequate amounts of foods such as dark leafy greens, sesame seeds, seaweed, almonds, quinoa, chia, and bone broth to maintain proper hormone production.

AVOID – Oxidative stress. This is heavily linked with many chronic diseases and fertility challenges. When we are exposed to environmental stress such as pollution, radiation, toxins in the home and work place, caffeine, smoking and drugs, the body accumulates oxidative stress. This may result in significant damage to cell structures, sperm cell development and ovary function, decreasing chances of fertilization and increasing the chance of miscarriage. Hundreds of synthetic chemicals found in our environment are now identified as hormone disruptors for ovulation, fertilization and implantation of the embryo.

TRY – Natural products for household cleaning, body care, pest and weed control and building materials.

AVOID – Spinal subluxations which occur when there are misalignments of the spine or pelvis. This results in altered joint motion and nerve irritation which can lessen organ function and general health. Both the severity of the subluxation and the length of time it has been left uncorrected dictate the impact on fertility.

TRY – Living “free and clear” so proper nerve messages that initiate and sustain reproduction can do their job. Don’t wait for a crisis to get started under chiropractic care. Make the critical transition to Lifestyle Care to optimize the function of your nervous system, which can contribute to the likelihood of conceiving.

Whether you are planning to conceive or not quite yet, these tips will help you live healthier and prepare you for parenting.

Contributed by Dr. Kendra Becker

Smart Phone Syndromes

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Smartphones have taken over our lives and we can’t imagine life without them. However, based on new research and health information, it is important to be smarter than ever about smartphone use.

Neck & Spinal Problems
Many 100 Year Lifestyle Affiliate chiropractors are finding that long-term smartphone usage is having a detrimental effect on the health of their patients’ spine and nervous system leading to many types of pain syndromes and health problems. The nerves in the neck directly or indirectly supply vital messages to the muscles of the head and neck, as well as all of the organs and glands of the body. If the messages are altered due to compression the symptoms can be mild to non-existent initially but then come on like a freight train when you least expect it.

Research out of the Center for Musculoskeletal Research in Sweden found that 90percent of the participants held their head in a flexed position when texting or playing games on their smartphone. According to research by Dr. Ken Hansraj, the head, which normally weighs around 10 pounds, can exert a force of up to 60 pounds on the neck when it is tilted forward at an angle of 60 degrees. This repetitive, chronic stress, can cause new alignment issues in the spine as well as aggravate pre-existing ones.

Instead of wedging your phone between your head and shoulder which can make the problems even worse, connect it to a headset or other hands-free device and when suitable, use the speaker phone setting. Better yet, arrange a face to face or webcam connection to communicate.

Wrist & Elbow Problems
Good Housekeeping reported that carpal tunnel syndrome is affecting more people from overuse of smart phones. Inflammation in the elbow can cause pain and numbness in the ring finger and pinky finger. It now has its own diagnosis called “Cellphone Elbow”.

Many of our Affiliates are finding that more and more patients need to have their elbows and wrists evaluated and adjusted as an additional service, in addition to their spine, because of this long-term smartphone use. And while the chiropractic adjustments are very effective, being smart about limiting your smartphone use and how you hold it can prevent the problem from recurring.

Smartphones are the Information and Technology System that enables a constant clear stream between you and your personal, business and global connections. Your nervous system is the IT system that keeps your body working properly. Be smart about your body’s IT system. Chiropractic checkups can detect issues before they are able to develop into something more serious.