Tag: Chiropractic Research

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What You May Not Know About Chiropractic

What You Don't Know About Chiropractic

When most people think of chiropractic care, they think of traditional chiropractors who focus on decreasing muscular spasm, increasing range of motion, and reducing pain. This is how most chiropractors practice, and most of them are great at what they do. This falls under the umbrella category of symptom relief/symptom management. Now, what you may not know about chiropractic care is that symptoms are the secondary condition of an underlying cause.

In our office we focus on structural correction. You see, once the spine shifts and disrupts the spinal nerves and spinal cord, it can create many different secondary conditions or symptoms. The reason these are called secondary conditions is because they are a result of the primary structural shift, or the underlying cause. Once found, a specific adjustment of only those segments of the spine that are actually shifted is needed. With care for not disturbing those vertebrae that are in proper alignment, the chiropractic adjustment respects the spine for good reason – your spine protects the nervous system which controls everything in your body.

The location of the structural shift and where the nerves are being disrupted will give us an idea about your secondary conditions. Most people are unaware of the many ways chiropractic can help these conditions; here are just a few examples: Continue reading “What You May Not Know About Chiropractic”

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8 Tips For A Healthy Pregnancy

8 Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

To help ensure a safe and happy pregnancy for you and your baby, and so that your child has a healthy foundation to grow and meet all the challenges that life brings, I’ve compiled a list of 8 tips for a healthy pregnancy. These lifestyle changes can (and should) begin before you decide to become pregnant, but if you are already pregnant, simply adopt as many of these steps as you can.

1. Stay Active

Exercise is good not only for mothers-to-be, but also for their developing babies. Studies show that women who exercise at the same rate throughout their pregnancies have larger placentas than their more sedentary peers. Why is that important? Well, the volume of the placenta is a general marker of its ability to transport oxygen and nutrients to your baby. Research has also shown that exercising during pregnancy can benefit a mother’s own heart and her developing baby’s heart as well.

If you’re having a normal, healthy pregnancy you can continue to do just about any exercise that you enjoy, as long as you follow the most important principle: listen to your body. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it (remember: pregnancy is not the time to set any records or run any marathons.)

2. Reduce Toxins

Reducing your exposure to toxic chemicals during your pregnancy is important for the health of you and your little one. Food and Drink: the easiest way to avoid toxins is to eat organic as much as possible. Also, avoid BPA and try to reduce any canned foods. Personal Care Products: avoid using any product that lists “fragrance” or “parfum” as an ingredient. Luckily, there are now many products that are scented with natural essential oils. Cleaning: Use natural cleaning products. These include vinegar, essential oils, baking soda, and castile soap.

3. Eat Whole Foods

In general, choose fresh, organic foods whenever possible. Aim for a well-balanced diet consisting of adequate protein, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables. Be sure to include plenty of leafy green vegetables, because they are loaded with folate, a B vitamin that studies have shown reduces the chance of your child being born with neural tube defects. Neural tube defects are a type of birth defect that affects the brain and spinal cord,and includes spina bifida. It’s important to note that there is a substantial difference between folic acid (the synthetic form) and folate (the natural form). This article explains the difference in detail. Continue reading “8 Tips For A Healthy Pregnancy”
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Avoid Stress And Sickness This Holiday Season

stress person

We all know that exercise, clean eating, and proper supplementation can have a profound impact on our health. But what about our stress? If left unchecked, it can ruin your holidays and hurt your health.

The truth is that no amount of supplements or good nutrition could counteract the toxic effects of chronic, repetitive stress responses on the body – and the overload of cortisol and epinephrine that accompany these physiological “fight-or-flight” responses. Chronic stress has been found to increase the risk of anxiety, depression, digestive problem, heart disease, and sleep problems just to name a few.

In addition, it increases both the risk and duration of cold and flu symptoms substantially – not fun. However, when we are better able to adapt to these stress responses, the natural self-repair mechanisms of the body are able to go about the business of doing what they do best – heal the body. This is where chiropractic fits in. After all, balance is the key when we’re dealing with the nervous system.

When the spine shifts from it’s normal structure – there are 3 components involved: a misalignment of the vertebrae, which then causes fixation (the bone becomes stuck), which in turn leads to interference and stress placed on the nerve(s) in that area. We know now that this can cause the entire nervous system to go into a state of fight/flight – known as the sympathetic stress response. Continue reading “Avoid Stress And Sickness This Holiday Season”

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I Don’t Believe in Chiropractic

believe in chiropractic

“I don’t believe in Chiropractic.” This is something that all chiropractors hear from time to time when out in public or in the office. I always get a kick out of it because after all – I am alive and real AND I am a Chiropractor – so do they not believe I exist? Okay, maybe people don’t question the existence of chiropractors. However, there are many people out there that question the notion that chiropractic is a viable health care tool. That’s fair enough. Let’s take a closer look, though.

Most of this comes from not understanding what chiropractic is. Chiropractic is a “clinical science based on the fundamental laws of biology, anatomy, and physiology” therefore; belief, religion, and/or faith don’t factor logically into the equation. Fortunately – you don’t have to believe in chiropractic – it works regardless of your belief system. In our office we see a lot of pediatric patients – and guess what? They don’t believe in chiropractic. In fact, some (newborns, infants) have no idea what it is – but they still get better, and their health problems still resolve.

The first question I ask when I hear “I don’t believe in chiropractic” is – do you believe you have a spine? That’s an easy one. So, now if we understand that there is a normal range for your spine’s structure, is it reasonable to say that IF your spine is outside of normal, this can lead to dysfunction and eventually pain?

Better yet, if there was a profession that detects and corrects a spine when it is outside the normal range without the use of medications, long therapy or even surgery – would that be a good thing? Well, then you do believe in Chiropractic, especially my type of chiropractic that detects and corrects abnormal structural problems of the spine.

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Chiropractic and Digestion

chiropractic and digestion

The symptoms of abnormal digestion are becoming increasingly more prevalent in our society. Americans spent $13 billion on acid stopping medications in 2006. Nexium, the most popular, brought in $5.1 billion alone – making it the second highest selling drug behind Lipitor. More than 60 million prescriptions for GERD were filled in 2004. Fortunately, there is a growing body of research that shows a connection to your spine and nervous system.

The nervous system controls digestive function from several different regions. The vagus nerve which courses out of the brain stem and runs near the atlas bone innervates all the major organs of digestion and functions to stimulate the digestive process. Other major areas controlling the pace of digestion include the sympathetic nerves coming out of the thoracic & lumbar regions and the sacral parasympathetic nerve fibers. Spinal misalignment in any of these regions can lead to neurological compromise and altered digestive function.

Chiropractors search for the location of such spinal misalignments termed subluxations. A specific chiropractic adjustment realigns the altered regions and restores nerve supply. It is important to not that chiropractic care is NOT a treatment for digestive issues – however – restoring nerve supply to areas that control digestion can have a dramatic effect on a person’s digestive troubles. Continue reading “Chiropractic and Digestion”