Chiropractic Today

Flu-proofing your Body

2009-08-26T07:55:00.001-05:00

As we approach the time of year for vaccinations, more specifically the current Swine Flu vaccinations, there are some facts that I would like for you to consider. Always remember, fear is a powerful society motivator, especially when the information given enhances these emotions. Fortunately, there are two sides to this coin.

As I have discussed in previous articles, Medicine's traditional approach was to develop drugs that either jump started (stimulated) or slowed (depressed) the system in an attempt to restore normal balance (homeostasis). This medical approach is still practiced today. We must consider that if the disease is a result of an over or under aroused nervous system then, “good health" must be a balanced state. I believe with the swine flu, it’s an under stimulated immune system. I, as a Chiropractor, work with you to return your body from an ‘unbalanced’ state of health to one in balance.

Above is what I have based my practice and, more importantly, my life around. Therefore, I believe being well informed through valid factual information from a variety of sources is the way to reduce the typical insanity brought on by only reviewing one side of the coin on the topic of swine flu.

So what is the Swine Flu and how does it occur? “Regular swine flu is a contagious respiratory disease, caused by a type-A influenza virus that affects pigs. The current strain, A(H1N1), is a new variation of an H1N1 virus -- which causes seasonal flu outbreaks in humans -- that also contains genetic material of bird and pig versions of the flu.” (1) The cases, fatalities and spread of the swine flu can be followed via Google Maps’ Swine Flu Tracker. Also, by going to the World Health Organization’s Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response site, you can follow the most current stats on the swine flu.

While conducting my own research, I came across some things I feel you should know before you agree to accept a flu vaccination. It’s important to learn from our past, a ‘basic life 101 survival skill’. In the April 27 issue of Time magazine, an article discusses how “dozens died and hundreds were injured from vaccines as a result of the 1976 swine flu fiasco, when the Ford administration attempted to use the infection of soldiers at Fort Dix as a pretext for a mass vaccination of the entire country” (1,6). The last swine flu vaccination campaign that took place led to thousands of lawsuits within just a few months. “Damage claims totaled $1.3 billion. The vaccine claimed 25 lives and hundreds of previously healthy young adults were crippled from Guillain-Barré Syndrome. The swine flu itself claimed ONE life (2).” In addition, the swine flu pandemic never materialized and the vaccination campaign was stopped in just 10 short weeks.

If the above could happen after numerous drug trials, think about the possibility of taking a vaccination that has not been fully tested. According to an article published in Guardian July 22, 2009 “the first human trials have begun in Adelaide, Australia where adult volunteers are receiving vaccines from two pharmaceutical companies (2, 5). A pharmaceutical company actually stated "Clinical trials will be limited, due to the need to provide the vaccine to governments as quickly as possible. Additional studies will therefore be required and conducted after the vaccine is made available (2, 5)." Believe it or not, when you accept the current vaccination you will be considered part of the test trial for further development of this vaccine. Unfortunately, many do not realize that when you line up for this vaccine you are accepting a role as a test subject and to top it all off, there isn’t any proof that it is safe.

Well, we know the pharmaceutical companies have a tight deadline to provide their vaccines to various governments, but have you ever wondered how a vaccine is created and tested? “There are factors involved with this vaccine that are brand new which means it will be highly experimental and unpredictable (2)”. In an effort to speed up the process of virus cultivation and mass production, a method of procedure from the past has been changed from chicken eggs to human liver cells. As stated above, this is highly experimental and potentially unpredictable considering there hasn’t been enough time to conduct clinical trials to know the outcome. There isn’t any data to provide certainty one way or the other if this change is beneficial or not.

So why did I focus on this particular vaccination? What does all this really mean for you individually? How does this relate to Chiropractic? To start, we must all be well informed. It is not a Federal right to be well informed, it is a personal responsibility to be well informed! It may take extra time and additional effort, but I urge each of you to research and seek out information to help develop an opinion that is right for you and your family. Always dare to ask bold questions. Insist on knowing the facts and please walk into your health care professional’s office with actual printed material to share your point of view and or concerns.

Keep in mind the balanced-unbalanced system I talked about earlier is your wonderful Nervous System. It is the nervous system with which chiropractic works to restore your health. We can measure the state of your nervous system and show you why you are experiencing your health challenge. Once we have done that, then we can discuss your options, i.e. a program of care to help restore yourself to a normal state of health or recommend other options.

This is not about treating a disease, as that is not what Chiropractors do. The intent of chiropractic is to help your human body via your nervous system to return to a healthy balanced state, a state of ease and correct function by removing interference. Remember, your body does the healing. To date there isn't one documented case where a doctor healed not even a fractured bone. Us doctors, guide, assist, recommend and facilitate our patients toward health. The individual, specifically the human body and its natural inner ability is what mends and heals the person.

At Chiropractic Today, our job is to assess your nervous system and either jump start it or slow it down by means of the chiropractic adjustment, restoring it to the wonderful, normal state of balance. In addition, we are able to offer additional retraining methods and provide organic supplements to augment the power of the chiropractic adjustment. So, today is the day to call our office at 991-3511 to schedule your own Chiropractic consultation. If you would like more information about our office or our blog for additional recommendations, please visit us on the web at http://www.ChiropracticToday.com/.

Final note: Keep in mind everyone has a personal choice on how to prepare for the swine flu season. I encourage you to choose what you feel is best for you.

Sources used for this article:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/04/29/swine-flu.aspx
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/08/13/swine-flu-vaccine-makers-to-profit-50-billion-a-year.aspx
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/08/15/Good-Bacteria-Fight-the-Flu.aspx
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1206807/Swine-flu-jab-link-killer-nerve-disease-Leaked-letter-reveals-concern-neurologists-25-deaths-America.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jul/22/glaxosmithkline-swine-flu-vaccine
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1894129,00.html

Back to school should not be such a pain in the back

2009-08-26T07:45:00.002-05:00

Everyone who has a mother has endured the lectures on posture; stand up straight, sit up straight, don't slouch! As much as we have rolled our eyes in annoyance and exacerbation, it turns out that mom was more right than we knew. Now you are hearing the same thing from your doctors, especially your chiropractor.

So what is the big deal? The big deal is that it has to do with a lifetime of health. Poor posture obviously can cause back pain, but it affects us in ways that most of us don't even realize. Fatigue is one example. Did you know if you are not practicing good posture you are using more muscle groups to maintain that position which means you get tired quicker. Even more importantly, a slouching posture causes shallow breathing. This is the beginning of more serious problems than fatigue. Oxygen deficiency will result, causing decreased awareness, ability to concentrate and overall blood circulation possibly affecting ones academic performance. Decreased circulation and oxygen deficiency also make a person more susceptible to diseases, including cancer.

Poor posture is a serious concern for all individuals and everyone needs to be aware of what contributes to poor posture. Consequently the causes, like subluxations (what your chiropractor finds), loss of proprioception (knowing where your body is in space), weak or unbalanced muscle groups, poor eyesight, weight problems, psychological factors, and injuries, need to be addressed with the same level of seriousness as the poor posture they can cause. Although I would love to spend time on all of these, it simply isn't possible. What I do want to shed some light on is how the back pack that our children carry to and from class every day has the potential to create four of these causes.

According to a recent survey, children's backpacks are usually packed with 17-30% of a child's body weight. If we do the math that means that a 90-pound child would be carrying 15-27 pounds! For a 140 pound adult that would be 24-42 pounds! That's a lot of additional stress on the body. Your child "may not" be overweight at all, but the added weight of a backpack poses a serious threat to their health and welfare.

For example:

o It can prevent normal spinal development and posture, resulting in back pain and altered mental performance.

o Backpacks also affect the normal gait cycle of the individual carrying it, which again causes a change in the normal way the body moves and adds stress.

o It also causes a child to be "top heavy". Although this is not a loss of proprioception, it is an alteration in the proprioception that will cause a forward lean of the head and trunk, a slouching posture. Which is also prevalent from endless hours of electronic gaming not just from backpacks?

o Increased risk of falls and subsequent injuries is the result of a child with an overloaded pack that creates "top heaviness" because the pack will create a center of gravity behind them (pulling them backwards).

o An imbalance in the muscles will also develop in a child that is carrying a bag that is either too heavy or carrying a pack only on one shoulder. This is again a cause of poor posture.

o Last but certainly not least is subluxation. The added weight of a backpack has been demonstrated to cause altered spinal motions which in turn cause the spine to subluxate more easily and frequently.

Now coming from a chiropractic point of view, I would argue this last point to be by far the greatest risk to your child's health. Think of it this way, spinal subluxations are to our children's spine as cavities are to our children's teeth. If gone untreated can result in deterioration and come with a significant price tag to resolve. Early detection of subluxations, again as with cavities, is key to resolve the issue early and promote long-term health.

If you would like to see first hand the effect your child's backpack has on their posture, consider a visual postural analysis activity. Have your child pack their backpack with the typical amount of books they would carry throughout the day at school. Have them stand in front of a panel door and take their picture facing you and another of the profile. Then take another set of pictures in the same positions without their backpack. Please note, this is not a time to panic, simply look at how your child has to over compensate for the weight and how it is affecting their posture. If you would like a more comprehensive test performed, this is the time to contact us at Chiropractic Today where we will perform a comprehensive Postural Analysis as well as an EMG & Thermo graphic exam which will provide a complete picture of your child's spinal health.

So don't just tell your child to stand up straight, it's just not good enough any more. Consider the backpack that your child is using for this school year and make the necessary changes that will protect their health. Remember, make sure that your child's backpack does not exceed 10% to 15% of the child's total body weight (10% for the younger child, 15% for the older).

Other helpful tips:

• Don't get your child a pack that has only one strap.

• Buy a pack with wide "S" shaped straps that are padded and preferably one that has a built in back support or lumbar pillow and waist or chest straps.

• Require that your child wear both straps on their shoulders to distribute weight evenly.

• Pack the book bag evenly with the heavier items close to the spine.

• When lifting a bag, take the time to do it safely and correctly, i.e. with your legs.

• Have your child examined quarterly or no less than twice a year by a chiropractor so any potential problems will be detected early!

As parents, our biggest responsibility is guiding our children to live a productive, sound and successful adult life. Taking the time to instill healthy habits such as regular Chiropractic care will be one of many things they will thank you for later, trust me. I know I thanked my parents, hence why I am a Chiropractor today. If you would like to know more, I encourage you to go to my web page (www.ChiropracticToday.com) to read my story.

A Twist on Exercise...Adaptive Physiology!!!

2009-06-03T11:25:00.001-05:00

By now many of us have heard or read about the importance of exercise. There are even reality TV shows about improving our lifestyle choices through implementing an exercise program, a balanced eating regimen and improving our thinking patterns. However, there are two critical pieces of information missing. First, is the term adaptive physiology and second, is the role of the nervous system throughout the process. These components are important if succeeding at improving our health and positively impacting our quality of life are the objectives.

Adaptive physiology is what occurs within the human body on a play-by-play basis, positively or negatively. For this discussion, there are two simple choices, to exercise or not to exercise. We have heard by now all of the positive benefits of exercising and how it impacts obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, increases energy levels, makes us look and feel better, and slows down the effects of aging, to name a few. Trust me when I say there are many more positive outcomes from exercising. The positive change that occurs within the cells is an adaptive reaction to the movement generated from exercise. To keep it general, the cells excrete specific enzymes as a result of sustained physical activity, which promote and create positive reactions throughout the human body. This is why when individuals regularly exercise, a wide variety of positive benefits occur throughout the entire body. In time a positive outcome of improved health occurs. Bottom line, physical activity changes the cellular physiology; it's chemistry towards a specific pathway, which creates a positive chain reaction throughout our entire body and all functions. Physical activity moves individuals toward health.

In turn the opposite occurs when we are physically inactive. Remember, adaptive physiology goes both ways, it compensates, or adapts, to our current lifestyle. Consider the reactions within the human body at the cellular level? The reality is our anatomy is designed for movement. Movement is essential to maintain the natural state of health and balance, which the human body constantly strives for. As one would think, lack of movement does not move someone towards a state of health and wellness. Think about it, if you had a Toyota Camry, Honda Odyssey or a Ferrari does the vehicle remain exactly the same without any movement or does it deteriorate? Several years without usage the hose, belts, tires, etc. begin to decay. The human body isn't any different. Another example to illustrate this is to consider one area or organ of your body that would be better as a result of lack of movement. Even a fractured limb, once out of a cast or brace, needs therapy to restore proper joint movement and muscular integrity. Bottom line, physical activity is essential for life, even to the smallest detail of cellular physiology. For the complete research on this you may want review Booth et al. Waging War on Physical Inactivity; journal of applied physiology 93: 3-30, 2002.

One must also consider if inactivity is so detrimental for our overall body, what is it doing to our nervous system? The nervous system is the means for your brain to communicate and basically run your daily functions. The nervous system is connected to every system, every surface - both internally and externally. Your 24 moveable spinal segments are designed to have natural uninhibited motion as well as the job of protecting your spinal nerves. When inactive, these spinal segments are not moving as they are naturally designed, the resulting effect is pain, discomfort, movement restrictions and limitations with daily activity. This is not the natural state of the human body.

The objective of Chiropractic is to assist in the restoration of the human body via balancing the nervous system. Believe it or not, the human body is designed to constantly move toward health and balance. When our body has strayed away from its natural state of health, it immediately enters a state of adaptive physiology. This is a normal response to an unhealthy environment. Living long term in a state of adaptive physiology leads to a development of chronic conditions and away from health. By addressing the lifestyle causes and removing nervous system interference due to spinal compromise, one stands a greater chance of restoring their health from an approach that can be long lasting.

I encourage each of you to decide to search, investigate and possibly discover the 'causes' behind your health problems. What role does your nervous system play in your current state of health? How does your lifestyle affect your nervous system? Are you interested in living as you were naturally designed to be? The human body has an amazing ability to adapt to its environment so imagine the possibilities if one considers approaching the problems from the "cause" point of view instead of the "effects of" standard. Imagine the positive impact this would have on your life, your family and your career. If you would like to take the next step, consider scheduling yourself for a complimentary consultation throughout the month of June and be sure to mention this publication.

Lastly, I have decided to create a running / walking club that will meet this summer at Veteran's Park on Valleydale Road on Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 a.m. There is no cost associated with this other than the cost of your time. It is a place to bring your family and friends and enjoy the support of those who are working toward the same goal as you, a healthier lifestyle.

THE ‘UN’ COMPLICATED HUMAN BODY

2009-04-22T17:18:00.003-05:00

Below is a diagram which explains the Nervous System of the human body and a breakdown of its patterns of operation from a view point which is simplistic yet powerful, please allow me to explain. This discussion is from the position of being balanced. Being balanced is where our full potential of health and vitality lies. The information in this article will be explained in a very simple manner because in fact, it is rather simple if one takes the time to explain it and the other person takes the time to understand it.

The nervous system of the human body is like the wiring of your home. The power comes in from a single place and the wiring distributes the electricity throughout the entire home. In the human body, the brain is the single source of power that coordinates all directions, gives instructions on a play by play basis and manages all system functions to make this body of ours work. The directions can be as big as heart beats and breathing regularly without us having to think about it to raising our arms on command. The brain connects and communicates to the human body via the wiring, i.e. the nervous system. This occurs 24/7 from birth to death with or without you thinking about it.

Please allow me to provide a brief review of anatomy 101. The brain is housed in the skull and extends itself into the spinal cord which lies within the spinal column. The spinal column is 24 freely moveable bones which protect the spinal cord, however, can become misaligned and interfere with the nervous system. The nerves, which are extensions of the spinal cord which is an extension of the brain, exit the moveable spinal bones from in between each individual segment to deliver operating instructions and gather feedback. Again, remember this continuously occurs 24/7 from birth to death with or without us thinking about it!

The nervous system surface area is from the top of our head to the tips of our toe nails and everything in between. When everything is in order, all is well. However, when things are not, the "replay" of error messages occurs. This, in time, creates a negative domino effect within the human body. The power and importance of the brain, spinal cord and the critical wiring system, the nervous system are unfortunately dangerously underrated and dramatically over looked by the majority in our society. This majority does not discriminate. It involves all walks of life from the rich to the poor and across all ethnic origins. The immense lack of awareness and lack of desire to consider health from a different point of view is literally creating the sickest society of all time. If a dramatic shift of awareness does not occur, the increase in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity to name a few will make our current society look healthy. SCARY!!!

Utilizing research to support facts, the diagram outlines in a simple manner what may occur to a human body when its nervous system becomes out of balance. Unfortunately, our society’s current lack of awareness has many seeking treatment for individual issues (effects) as opposed to the source which allows everything to work in the first place, the nervous system. The human body is not all that complicated to keep healthy and or regain your health if one is off course. As discussed before, the human body requires four essential lifestyle habits.

First, we need to eat more foods created by God rather than those by man. Second, we need to move in a manner which causes your heart, lungs and body to feel young again. Preferably a sustained 20 to 30 minutes per day. Third, we need to strive for inner peace by thinking positively, looking for the good in all situations and guard our eyes, ears and mind from things that are harmful to our soul. Remember, peace is not discovered, it is created.

Lastly, the most important of the four lifestyle essentials is a balanced nervous system. The human body and its potential for health can be maximized if all four essentials are followed. It’s not complicated however the path can vary from person to person based on how far off course they may be. We are all wired the same. It is our understanding, belief and lifestyle that bring us to this point, good or bad. Unfortunately there are many groups which have personal interest in keeping the human body complicated.

Chiropractic is one strategy that helps make the human body uncomplicated. The chiropractic profession detects and corrects areas of the spine which, if compromised, interfere with the nervous system. Any interference to your nervous system causes it to be out of balance and away from health. Prolonged and sustained states of unbalance create many of the health issues we face today. This coupled with chronic poor eating habits, lack of activity, unhealthy thinking patterns have lead to our current common and average not so healthy society.

Now is the time for the "hard part". We must truly consider the information we have and what we know as fact in order to make the necessary decisions for our lifestyle. Consider taking a closer look at the direction you and your family are going. Ask yourself the question, without making any changes in our current course, where will my health and my family’s be in one year, five years and ten years from now? Would you be moving towards health?

Chiropractic offers the possibilities beyond the limiting perception of neck and back pain treatment. Again, many have personal interest in keeping chiropractic limited. Consider becoming well informed about a different point of view regarding health, the nervous system wiring and its role in your quest to being your very best. Seek out professionals to guide you to your desired destination. And lastly, dare to stand for health and have the guts to be different from the average.

If you were not able to view the diagram and would like more information about this topic or have any questions, please visit my web site at www.ChiropracticToday.com. Also, please note, we hold classes throughout the month on the four essentials, if you would like to attend a session call the office to reserve your spot.

Are you asking the right questions???

2009-04-15T11:22:00.001-05:00

It’s all about the questions we ask. The questions you ask come from a point of view, or understanding, you have about things you’ve learned, experienced or come to believe along life's journey. As a simple example, if we see a wilting plant our desire to get the plant well leads to questions about how to prevent it from wilting. Therefore, our past experiences give us an idea of what questions one should ask to figure out what is wrong with the plant. Some of the initial questions would be:

o Does it need water?
o Does it have too much water?
o Does it get enough sunlight?
o Does it get too much sunlight?

You get the idea. The questions are all centered on the end result.

Now let's change direction, what questions would one would ask if having our children reach their fullest potential was the desired end result?

o What can we do?
o What will it take?
o Is my child healthy?
o Do I know what childhood health is in today’s society?
o Where do we begin?

WOW, a little overwhelming!! TAKE A DEEP BREATH IN because it’s much easier than you think!

Many dictionaries, research reports, and unlimited sites on the internet provide the definition to the word health. The most accepted is from the World Health Organization. The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and does not consist only of the absence of disease or infirmity." Though this is a useful and accurate definition, using the W.H.O. definition classifies 70-95% of people as unhealthy. However, it falls short in providing a set of directions.

The reality is that our health is like nature. Nature is programmed to succeed. Nature is programmed to strive for its best. Not some of the time, but all of the time. Nature does not need help throughout its course, it merely requires no interference. This principle is the same for our children. Children, adults, animals, plants, essentially all living things are genetically designed by our creator to strive for this natural state of health and balance. Children are no exception.
From the above point of view that nature needs no help just no interference, there are four things one can do to help sustain and enhance our health. And, if the child or adult is not healthy, it will surely be a guiding light towards the destination of health. It will take re-examining your point of view, your beliefs about your health and your habits. Do the current habits guide towards a healthy existence in the future or not?

The steps are very basic in nature. Although they are basic, they are unfortunately, in today's society, overlooked and mostly forgotten. We must eat, move and think right under the environment of no interference to nature. These are essential to sustain and maximize our health and life.

First is to eat well. In order to eat well we, and especially our children, must eat plenty of what our creator put on this earth. We must insist they eat daily an abundance of fresh fruit, veggies, seeds, nuts, and moderate amounts of animal protein. Yes, we must insist. Eat these foods as close to its natural way as possible. For example:

o fresh fruit (3 to 5 pieces per day) vs. fruit roll ups
o grilled chicken vs. fried chicken
o fresh spinach or dark greens vs. Iceberg Lettuce

The list can go on and on, but you get the general idea.

Second, we must move well and regularly encourage it. Moving well and playing with our children kicking the ball, walking the dog, jumping rope vs. the current trend of becoming a couch potato even if it’s an interactive game such as the the Wii fit. We need to use exercise therapy to bring the family units together as well as regain some of our physical abilities that have been lost from lack of use. Its fun, now get out and play!

Third, we must teach our children how to think and maintain a positive outlook. Daily training on happy thoughts and positive thinking are critical to the future outcome of our children. Teach thoughts and habits which are uplifting and life promoting vs. "stinky thinking". This is a wonderful way to ensure many smiles along the way. No one wants to be around a stink bomb. Don’t be or allow your children to be the stink bomb in their own life!

Lastly, and sometimes the most challenging, we must avoid interfering with nature’s ability to be whole, healthy and complete. The human body has the ability to be whole, healthy and balanced. When it is not, it is not because it does not know how to be so…. it is because something is interfering with its natural ability to be whole, healthy and balanced. In the human body lies the wiring to all body parts and systems which allows it to maintain all systems working and functioning automatically. Thank goodness because with today’s busy schedule we would be sure to forget something to do within this body, like breath; digest, repair, regenerate tissue, pump blood to all areas, send signals to use the bathroom, etc. This system is called our nervous system. Our nervous system knows exactly what to do and when exactly to do it in order to maximize the ability of the human body and it always strives for balance, health and wholeness. This does not happen every now and then, it happens all the time. Again, when something is programmed to strive for health and it’s not because it doesn’t know how… it’s because something is interfering with this natural ability.

Nervous system interference is detectable at early stages prior to any signs or symptoms that we have been lead to believe are ‘common’, ‘normal’ and or part of ‘childhood growing up’. It’s our points of view, our thinking of what is normal that lead us to asking the questions we ask. Have you ever thought of asking questions from a point of view using the law of nature as your point of reference? The constant is that nature never fails unless its environment is being interfered with. Just as with the wilting plant, it did not have what it needed to strive for wholeness, balance and health.

Remember, healthy and well asked questions center around the ultimate objective of attaining and maintaining health. Throughout childhood 100% is expected. If 100% is expected of them, then we, as parents, should take a close look at the lifestyle habit we are promoting and ask ourselves the difficult question of are those habits promoting a long term healthy lifestyle for our children. By following the four steps above, the human body, as with the plant, will return to its natural state of health. The amount of time it takes is dependant on the level of "wilting" present.

If you would like more information you can go to my website, www.ChiropracticToday.com or contact me via my office. As a parent and community member, I am determined to make a difference in as many children's lives as possible and I need your help to do it.

Take Ten...It's Free!!!

2009-04-15T11:18:00.001-05:00

Ten minutes per day in physical activity may add years of quality living to your child's future. As role models, parents and leaders should plant the seeds of active physical movement. The best thing is…. It's free. Creating a family fun activity like kick ball, dodge ball, throwing the football, jumping rope, wrestling, tickling, walking the dog and trying to out do the dog are simple yet create long lasting memories and if done regularly will positively impact their future health.

What many do not know is the reason ‘Why’ it is critical to insist on physical activity. The critical truth is regular physical activity creates chain reactions which produce and excretes ‘essential and required nutrients’ that stimulate and maintain proper cellular function. The big reason why this is important is, that we are only as healthy as the dirt our plants grow in.

The cells of the body are like the soil one would plant something in. From the top of your head to the tips of your toes, all systems within our human body will retrieve nutrients from its cells (soil) to continue the activity of maintaining us alive. Therefore, keeping our soil will nourish through meals and physical activity is essential to grow these children into healthy adults.

There is plenty of research available to show the positive or negative side effects of physical activity or physical inactivity. Either way, there is a clear predictable outcome for your path. I encourage you to guide and lead your children onto the path which will yield the most fruits in the future. Physical activity is part of this path. Choosing not to will absolutely lead them onto a path of chronic and life threatening diseases. This is a fact. Below are brief excerpts of research supporting each side of the fence. Being informed is our best defense. However, then comes the ‘knowing yet not doing, is really not knowing at all’ part of the equation.
Unless, we as a community begin to move towards creating these types of habits within ourselves and our children the current sickness rates will be small potatoes in the future.

Benefits of Activity

"Daily physical exertion is an essential nutrient.” A study published by Eaton & Eaton, Comparative Biochem. & Physiology 2003.

“Physical activity has been shown to increase the body’s antioxidant mechanisms.” A study published by Roberts, C.K. & Barnard, Effects of exercise and diet on chronic disease 2005.

Pediatrics Vol. 112 December 2003 cites, "childhood weight-bearing physical activity is recognized as an important determinant of peak bone mass and physical activity intervention may represent a feasible strategy for primary prevention of osteoporosis. (10 minutes, 3 times a week over a two year period)."

Activity not only decreases the risk of skeletal weakness, but may also ensure academic success and development. According to the Journal of Applied Physiology 2002, "sedentary lifestyle is associated with lower cognitive skills." Although sitting in front of a television or playing videogames may increase some cognitive skills, active physical exercise yields much higher long term results.

The above articles illustrate the many reasons why physical activity is so important to health, especially in children during formative years. Just ten minutes a day can offset the predictable trend toward illness that inactivity encourages.

Risks of Inactivity

Not only does physical activity offset illness, INACTIVITY may cause it. According to a 2004 article in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, "lack of movement is a major public health problem, and compelling evidence suggests that it is a contributing factor in several chronic diseases and conditions."

"Currently, modern chronic disease, including cardiovascular diseases, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cancer are the leading killers in Westernized society. Obesity, diabetes, and hypertension are now even commonplace in children. Clearly, there is a solution to this epidemic that is inundating societies worldwide: exercise and diet." The journal of Applied Physiology 2005.

It is important to understand that physical activity is an essential requirement for creating health and a lack of activity will create sickness. There is overwhelming research available to support either side. Clearly every parent wants what is best for their child. However, have you thought about your children’s friends? They too can potentially be part of a statistic which can affect your family circle. You see, we are all in this together. Your child can marry someone which has not lead a healthy life and as a result be prone to more sickness in the future. This is the reason for us as a community to work together to change the future. It really only takes 10 minutes per day to impact our children’s health in the future, besides, the activity is free but the memories and benefits are priceless!

Do you have A.T.P.??

2009-04-15T11:15:00.001-05:00

It’s contagious. It can spread throughout an entire classroom. It has been known to impact those around us. We know who has it and who does not. If we associate with them long enough, it will affect us too. So, what is the ‘it’? It’s the habit of Always Thinking Positive.

This habit and style of thinking is critical to growing and developing healthy children into healthy thriving adults. By taking the time to teach our young children these habits, the positive effects will be noticed now and continue for years to come. This is especially important as we approach the more emotionally challenging years of middle school. I believe it is well worth the effort to learn how to teach this habit now. Besides, truth be told, we can all use a supersize portion of ATP!

So where does one begin? Well, as with anything else, we must first know where we are starting from. I suggest simply observing and listening to what comes out of our children’s mouths. What’s the tone they are using when they speak? How do they talk about themselves and about their friends? Do they represent the picture of what is going on within their little lives in a happy, light hearted and positive manner or is it ‘the end of the world’ as we know it because of a situation or their outlook on life. Do you plant seeds of ‘your future is going to be bright, filled with joy and blessings’ or, do you not discuss the future with them at all?

The next step is moving forward towards the objective of creating a positive minded child that has ATP, always thinking positive. Asking questions and guiding towards a positive thought pattern is the manner in which this is obtained. Keep in mind that, as with a plant, beautiful flowers, fruits or veggies are not attained in just one watering. It takes regular cultivating to reap the rewards one would like. The good news is, this is a universal law as well.

By thinking positive thoughts, having a positive outlook on life and always looking for the positive in all situations, what do you think will occur as a result of this way of thinking???? What blessings will occur in your life and the life of others as a result of this faithful way of thinking and living? Just think of the possibilities.

If you always look for the good, you will only see the good. If you look for the bad, you will see the bad. It’s very clear and very real. What are we showing our children to focus on? The positives of life, or the other. Each point of view has its path. I truly believe and know that life is much more fun and worth living if we train ourselves and our children to always think and look for the positive of every situation and life in general.

Therefore, having an awareness of where your child’s mindset is at, is very important. Discovering this at an early age would be helpful if re-direction is necessary. Why is this such a big deal? Because, in my practice, I have found more and more children are becoming ‘tainted’, if you will, with unhealthy thinking patterns. What was once not common is becoming way too common now days, as is our children’s declining health status. I encourage all mothers, fathers, teachers and preachers to observe how our children speak, what they speak about and let's guide them onto the path of ATP, always thinking positively!

Why does Chiropractic look at Brain Activity???

2009-04-15T11:04:00.002-05:00

Chiropractic's primary focus is the nervous system. Insofar as the brain is the central organizing authority, it benefits us to have some objective method of knowing that something is amiss in the Central Nervous System and even more compelling, that our care has improved neurological function. The best researched and simplest method today is via electroencephalograph or EEG studies. B.J. Palmer, developer of Chiropractic, taught that the subluxation (or less energy) is found in the nervous impulse, so what better area to examine than the seat of neural activity. Brain waves are created by cortical activity (outer layer of the brain) and are a very accurate method of revealing normal or abnormal brain activity.

Moving from the cortical function, we next need to look at the matured part of the brain - the limbic system. Within this region we find all the life sustaining activities of the nervous system. The limbic system is the center of the Autonomic Nervous System and it is divided into two parts: the sympathetic which is responsible for getting our other systems up and running and our parasympathetic system which is responsible for slowing everything down. The activity between these two systems allows us to respond to tasks or threats (sympathetic activity) and then to recover (parasympathetic) from the efforts of these high energy demanding situations. Research shows that Chiropractic adjustments improve Autonomic Nervous System function.

While we think, consciously, that we are in control, 84% of our brain activity is subconscious which is why the majority of time we have no idea that our systems are out of balance. We only become aware of a problem once the relationship between the two become so badly out of balance that symptoms appear.

In order to determine real neurological function we must look at the systems under duress and then recovery to see if they can adapt to a stressor and then recover to normal once the stressor is removed. This is the reason we do dynamic and static testing over time and events.

The Limbic System controls other body systems including: heart rate, hand temperature, skin moisture, respiration rate, general muscle tone, and heart rate variability as well as others.

So, now as a truly neurologically based Chiropractor we can see the importance between cortical activity and limbic system response, but how does that relate to our patients? By understanding what the Neuro Infiniti Screening system is measuring and what we are looking at you will see how important it is we evaluate the connection between the brain and the rest of your body.
Autonomic Neurological Function

 Heart rate - Ideal 56 to 66 BPM

Why is heart rate important? As cardiac events are the number one killer, knowing what is going on with heart function is self evident. The Neuro Infiniti provides a great deal of cardiac information including simple heart rate and heart rate variability. With the stress/recovery measurements we can objectively see what the heart activity is during emotional stress and physical activity. We can see if the patient has any conscious control on his/her heart rate.

 Heart Rate Variability - high bars in the low frequency range

This is a relatively new form of heart function testing and with research now in place, it is important that we use measurement as an evaluation for the effectiveness of Chiropractic care in a clinical setting. There are several instruments available in the market today; however, the Neuro Infiniti is unique in its application and combination. The fact that we use HRV findings in conjunction with measured respiration rates and during stress events and recovery, a great deal more information on all three of these procedures is provided.

 Respiration Rate - Ideal 6 to 12 BPM

There are several vital sign measurements used in the health field. Brain activity, heart rate, blood pressure and respiration rate are some of the most common. There is more to respiration than just the rate. Upper respiratory breathing is a sympathetic response to a stressor and involves elevating the upper rib cage rather than using the diaphragm to breathe. Diaphragmatic breathing involves the Vagus nerve (conveys sensory information about the state of the body's organs) and Phrenic nerve (conveys sensory information about the upper abdomen liver and gall bladder) and the parasympathetic nervous system. This system helps the body stop the stress response. Rapid breathing is very detrimental to the body and can create an imbalance with the body chemistry. Damage to the Phrenic nerve can cause abnormal breathing patterns.

 Skin Conductivity - Ideal 0.8 to 1.5Su

The study of Skin Conductivity (SC) or Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) has been ongoing over the last 100 years. While SC measures the conductivity of electrical current, GSR measures the resistance. Both reflect the electro-dermal activity of the skin as affected by the sweat glands. There have been many studies over the years which establish the power of the subconscious emotions within the Central Nervous System to control sweat gland activity. With this knowledge and data, we have the opportunity to record the emotional responses to stressors and the ability to neutralize the responses.

 Hand Temperature - Ideal 94F to 96F - 34C to 35C

While typical medical practice tends to look at core temperature as a vital sign, there is another area which tells an important story about health response much earlier than at the core. The extremities are very important in reporting on the neurological state of the patient. Given any stress of threat, the typical neurological response is to close down the blood flow to the hands and feet and pool the blood into the central core. This is a typical fight/flight response as blood will be required in the heart and lungs to provide oxygen and nutrition to the major muscles. Long term stress patterns keep the patient in this state and cold hands and feet will be a constant.

 Muscle tone (sEMG) - ideal 0.5 to 2.5

Over the years, Chiropractic has been associated with musculoskeletal function. In the last 15 years we have seen the development of instrumentation which recorded static para-spinal muscle activity. What is important here is to look for the way stressors affect muscle tone. The three areas most reactive are the trapezius (shoulder area), the masseter (jaw area) and the temporalis (eye area) muscles. These muscles provide a window into the effects of stressors on general muscle tone.

As you can see, observing and measuring brain activity is crucial and very important to chiropractic and patients which have a desire to maximize their health. It is our job to assess your nervous system and either jump start it or slow it down by means of the chiropractic adjustment. Restoring it to the wonderful and normal state of balance is our intention. In addition, we are able to offer simple retraining methods to augment the power of the chiropractic adjustment.

We welcome your feedback as well as the opportunity to help you and those you care about reach your optimum potential. Ideally, you shouldn’t be very off track. Your health is your most valuable asset so please do not wait for symptoms to arise before you take action. Always remember to be proactive about your health, not reactive. The shameful trend reveals that most of our society decides to become proactive when health crisis occurs. Individuals spend a large chunk of money trying to regain their health that was lost as opposed to cherishing it along the course of life. It makes better sense to spend money on ways to enhance your health so you can be enjoying your life throughout your prime years on this planet.
We encourage being aware at the earliest signs possible. The Neuro Infiniti technology provides that opportunity from a neurological systems point of view. Problems can be revealed much earlier and by doing so, the road to recovery is much shorter. Bottom line: determining early what your systems are doing and where we are starting from can save you years and dollars in the future.

Is Stress Really the Problem

2009-04-15T10:58:00.000-05:00

Is stress really the problem? We all talk about it! It is a daily challenge! It affects all aspects of our lives! But what do we really know about STRESS

The most important aspect is that stress is the body's response to a stressor. While you express that you are stressed in or about your life, the important factors are discovering what your stressors are. Then you learn how to improve your stress response to those stressors. Stress will always be part of our life; however, we can always learn how to deal with it better. In order to take it to the next level is to learn how to undo the damage that we have created in our past.

The fact is, your stress response is controlled by your nervous system. Various physiological states such as: alert response, fight/flight, relaxed, drowsiness, light sleep and deep sleep, are directly controlled by the nervous system. When the physiological state is inappropriate for the external environment, we have a dangerous stress situation.

An example: let's say that you are involved in a "near miss" automobile accident - your nervous system would normally stimulate your physical response up to fight/flight, a high activity level.

A neurological response, would normally include brain activity at a high frequency; hand temperatures would drop below the ideal of 95 degrees Fahrenheit; respiration rate would increase above the norm of 12 to 15 breaths per minute; muscle activity would tighten (especially in the neck and head region); heart rate would increase above the normal 60 beats per minute; and other even more damaging responses, such as the release of adrenalin (that terrible shaking weak knee feeling) and cortisol.

All of these responses are normal during the life threatening event, even though they are very demanding on the body. The real problem starts with the duration of the threat response beyond the immediate need. If this highly aroused state remains in effect and the body does not return to a normal relaxed state in a short period of time, it creates severe damage to the normal function of the body's systems.

The Nervous system starts to get out of balance and then reads everything as a threat. The system can then continue to go into an over attack mode or shut down to protect itself. One leads to an exhausted nervous system; the other to withdrawal and depression. The unbalanced stats lead to other health consequences which today we call disease. Your stress response is the all important factor in your past, present and future health.

The real challenge of the stress response is that you are wonderfully made as individuals with your own unique response mechanisms and while we may know the ideal responses, it doesn't mean that everyone follows the rules.

An example of bending the rules is the ADD response. Attention Deficit Disorder has gained much publicity in the last few years but is still greatly misunderstood. It is not, as presented, a challenge of an overactive nervous system, but rather an under-active nervous system, so that instead of the nervous system moving into high brain activity (Beta or flight/fight response) it drops into the light sleep/subconscious response (Theta). In other words, this nervous system is so unbalanced that it is stuck in withdrawal, light sleep mode all the time - it wants to shut down. The individual needs further alternative stimulation (Ritalin is a stimulant) to remain alert. This is like putting gasoline on a fire to keep it burning - not the best way to solve the problem. There is a direct link between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and ADD response patterns. ADD children grow up to be ADD adults.

This is where chiropractic comes in. The public's misconception of what the Chiropractic Adjustment does is the greatest challenge of the Chiropractic profession. Most people think that the adjustment moves joints and/or bones. While that appears to be what we do, it is far from the real benefit of the Chiropractic Adjustment. The adjustment stimulates a complex nervous system response. The important factor is that the adjustment has the power to alter the body's physiology so that it can return to a normal healthy state. We are able to demonstrate this with pre-care and post-care stress tests (SREs). At Chiropractic Today, we can now prove what Chiropractic has been doing for the last 100 years - helping the body's nervous system restore natural balance and healthier function.

Call our office today at 991-3511 to schedule your own Stress Response Evaluation. If you would like more information about our office, please visit us on the web at www.ChiropracticToday.com. As always, we welcome your feedback as well as the opportunity to help you and those you care about reach your optimum potential. Your health is your most valuable asset so please do not wait for symptoms to arise before you take action. Be proactive about your health, not reactive.

Understanding the State of your Nervous System

2009-04-15T10:57:00.000-05:00

Within the world of medicine it has been well understood for years that all diseases are classified into two categories: a state of under activity and/or a state of over activity.

Medicine's traditional approach was to develop drugs that either jump started (stimulated) or slowed (depressed) the system to attempt a normal balance (homeostasis). This medical approach is still practiced today. We must consider that if the disease is a result of over or under arousal, and I believe it is, then "good health" must be a balanced state.

The Balanced State
A balanced state results in good health. In this balanced state a person would have: present time consciousness, good recovery ability, high energy, few symptoms, and resistance to infections, positive mental attitude, mental alertness and excellent health. This person looks younger than his/her years and remains active and vibrant. We can measure the vital signs of this state by the action of the normal physiological responses of your body. These measurements include heart rate, respiratory rate, hand temperatures, brain wave activity, and heart rate variability (ration between heart rhythm and respiratory rhythm and skin moisture).

So what if it isn't normal????
This means that your system is working in a state of dis-ease. It cannot get along with all the activities and stresses in your life without consuming more energy than normal. Your system is now out of balance or stressed. There are four states of imbalance. These states are over-aroused, under-aroused, instable, and exhausted.

The Over-Aroused State
This state has high-energy demands. It is also the most common of the imbalanced systems as a result of the stressful lifestyle of the times. When stress is prolonged, the body's responses stay in the high alert level longer than they were designed to, which creates damage to the system. The indications of a prolonged over-aroused nervous system are:

• Cold Hands,
• Tight Muscles,
• Grinding Teeth,
• Anxiety,
• Heart Palpitations,
• Restless Sleep,
• Poor Social Awareness,
• Poor Comprehension,
• Poor Expression of Emotion,
• Recurrent Infections,
• Multiple Competing Trains of Thought,
• High Blood Pressure,
• Accelerated Aging,
• Slowed Healing Responses,
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Remember now, every so-called "disease" is a result of either an over-stimulated or under-stimulated system! The signs and symptoms of this over-aroused state of the body are then grouped into various combinations and given the name of a specific disease (diagnosis). In truth, they are nothing more than manifestations of the system being out of balance in a prolonged over-aroused state. While it is true you can treat these symptoms with one form of care or another, drugs or surgery, the only question remains - by addressing the symptoms, are you doing anything to address the cause?

The Under-Aroused State
This state has "low energy" expressions. A classic example of an under stimulated nervous system is depression. It can be deceiving however, as in Attention Deficit Disorder, ADD. The misnomer of hyperactive on an ADD individual leads to a misunderstanding of the real problem. An ADD individual’s EEG, Electroencephalograph, does not demonstrate the over-aroused nervous system that one would expect from a hyper-active response pattern. It shows just the opposite. Their nervous response is just barely awake. The only method they know which will keep them awake and functioning is to keep moving and active. This is different than what we thought, isn't it? The indications of an under-aroused nervous system are:

• ADD (including impulsivity, distraction and disorganization),
• Depression,
• Lack of Motivation,
• Poor Concentration,
• Spaced out,
• Hypoglycemia,
• Constipation,
• Low Pain Threshold,
• Difficulty Awakening,
• Cognitive Worry,
• Irritability,
• Incontinence, and
• Lack of Energy

Remember again, every so-called "disease" is a result of either an over-stimulated or under-stimulated system.

The Instable State
Here the view of the medical model of stimulate or depress treatment becomes out of date. While the concept is still valid, there is a twist in how it needs to be applied. The Instable State includes both over and under-aroused patterns plus adds a few of its own depending on its stage. This state exhibits a higher level of imbalance than either of the above and tends to move back and forth between over and under-arouse states. The system is now so stressed that any added stress creates havoc and the body's reaction can swing wildly from over to under in a short period of time. This creates its own signs and symptoms beyond any of those found in the states above, which may include:

• Migraine Headaches,
• Seizures,
• Narcolepsy,
• Sleepwalking,
• Hot Flashes,
• PMS,
• Multiple Chemical Sensitivities,
• Bed Wetting,
• Eating Disorders,
• Bipolar Disorder,
• Mood Swings, and
• Panic Attacks

People with wide ranges of health challenges would fall into this state of imbalance.

The Exhausted State
This is the most dangerous of all. The system is now into chaos existence mode. It is so over-stressed that the body's own systems are no longer able to work in harmony. This can be so severe that the body systems start attacking each other. Its own communication system is in such disarray that messages and responses no longer match. Unchecked it can lead to a life ending path. Health challenges include:
• All of those listed in Over-aroused
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
• Epstein-Barr Syndrome,
• M.S.,
• Fibromyalgia, and
• Cancer.

Hurray!! You have made it to the solution from a genetically congruent Wellness point of view.

Neurologically Based Chiropractic (NBC)
The balanced-unbalanced system we are talking about is your wonderful Nervous System. It is the nervous system with which chiropractic works to restore your health. We can measure the state of your nervous system and show you why you are experiencing your health challenge. Once we have done that, then we can discuss your options, i.e. a program of care to help restore yourself to a normal health balance or recommend other options. If you feel you are in the instable group, it is very important that you tell your doctor.

This is not about treating a disease, as that is not what Chiropractors do. The intent of chiropractic is to help your nervous system return to a healthy balanced state, a state of ease and correct function by removing interference and retraining normal patterns of reaction to occur. Remember, your body does the healing. To date there isn't one documented case where a doctor healed not even a fractured bone. Us doctors, guide, assist, recommend and facilitate our patients toward health. The individual, specifically the human body and its natural inner ability is what mends and heals the person.

At Chiropractic Today, our job is to assess your nervous system and either jump starts it or slows it down by means of the chiropractic adjustment, restoring it to the wonderful, normal state of balance. In addition, we are able to offer additional retraining methods to augment the power of the chiropractic adjustment. So, today is the day to call our office at 991-3511 to schedule your own Stress Response Evaluation. If you would like more information about our office, please visit us on the web at www.ChiropracticToday.com.

As always, we welcome your feedback as well as the opportunity to help you and those you care about reach your optimum potential. Your health is your most valuable asset so please do not wait for symptoms to arise before you take action. Always remember to be proactive about your health, not reactive.

The Myths of Chiropractic

2009-04-15T10:56:00.001-05:00

Even if you’ve never set foot into a chiropractic office, odds are that you have known someone who has. Many people, possibly including yourself, are curious about pursuing chiropractic care, but you have your doubts. If so, join the club. For good or bad, there are a lot of stereotypes floating around regarding exactly what goes on in a chiropractic office. Make no mistake, the chiropractic approach to health is different from the care you may have received in other health care offices. However, it’s this crucial difference that sets chiropractors apart from anyone else in the healthcare profession and has allowed us to help millions to change the way they view their health. Let’s take a look at the more popular myths and see if we can’t put a few of them to rest.

Myth #1: “Chiropractors are just back doctors.”

Fact: While chiropractors do focus a great deal of attention on your spine, what we are really addressing (and ultimately affecting) is your entire nervous system. Between every vertebra in your body, there is a pair of spinal nerves branching off from your spinal cord that travels out into your body to supply cells, tissues and organs with information signals from your brain. Information that provides feedback from the body then travels back to your brain through these very same nerves. Even the slightest alteration in alignment or motion of adjacent vertebrae can affect the signals moving through these nerves. This disturbance is known as a vertebral subluxation, and if left uncorrected they can ultimately alter body function. When nerve function is altered, do you think it brings you closer to health or closer to illness?

Myth #2: “Chiropractic isn’t scientific.”

Fact: Chiropractic is grounded in science. The scientific method involves the recognition of a problem, the collection of data through observation and experimentation, then testing the resulting hypothesis for validity. The fact that doctors of chiropractic don’t always walk around in lab coats and don’t utilize drugs or surgery does not mean they aren’t scientific or not “real” doctors. There are a multitude of studies that support the chiropractic approach for reducing disturbances to the nerves via the spine, enhancing the ability of the brain and nervous system to regulate the functions of the body. Research has been widely published documenting the benefits of chiropractic on asthma, colic, immune function, injury recovery times, menstrual problems, athletic performance, and sure… back pain. Current research papers from within the fields of neuroscience and physiology have also validated the claims that chiropractors have been making for over a century.

Myth #3: “I’m not in pain so I don’t need to see a chiropractor.”

Fact: Of the trillions of nerve signals that reach your brain every second, you are consciously aware of a miniscule fraction of them. All too often people wait for symptoms to arise up before they make choices about their health. The problem is that if you wait until you feel symptoms, there have been underlying, subconscious changes going on long before then. Pain is typically the last thing to show up during a pathological process, so don’t wait until you are in pain to have your spine assessed.

Myth #4: “Once you go, they make you go for the rest of your life.”

Fact: First of all, you shouldn’t ever have to do anything in life that you don’t want to do. The overwhelming majority of chiropractic patients feel a pleasant sense of relief, energy and well-being after getting adjusted. Some patients only choose to see us when problems arise, while others make the decision to be proactive with their health and continue care on a regular basis. Once people experience the feeling they get after an adjustment, they understand what “normal” is supposed to feel like and are aware of when they are due for another visit. Just like regular trips to the dentist are designed to prevent the decay of your teeth, regular spinal checkups keep your spine properly aligned. How long you decide to benefit from chiropractic care should be up to you, not your doctor.

If any of the myths you’ve heard about chiropractic were true, the profession would have disappeared a long, long time ago. However, chiropractic has stood the test of time to not only survive, but it’s now thriving more than ever before. As people begin searching for a safe, natural approach to better health and wellness that doesn’t immediately resort to drugs or surgery, chiropractic becomes more and more appealing. If any of this appeals to you, please seek out a qualified doctor of chiropractic in your neighborhood today.

For more information about the authors, drop by their office at 420 Inverness Corners or visit them on the web at www.ChiropracticToday.com. They welcome your feedback as well as suggestions for future topics that may interest you.

The Stress Response Part 4

2009-04-15T10:55:00.000-05:00

With the holidays now upon us, one of the most common statements we hear in our office is how much more “stressed out” our patients are feeling during this time of the year. Between work deadlines, school closings, holiday parties, family gatherings and that last-minute gift that needs to be bought, it’s understandable how quickly the pressure can seem to build. But what exactly is stress and how can we work to prevent it from overwhelming our lives?

We have dedicated our past several installments to providing you with information on the stress response and its many effects on the body. For those who may be reading our article for the first time, or for those who would enjoy short summaries, here is a brief review of what we have been discussing:

Stress, in its most basic form, is the “fight-or flight” response that many of you are familiar with. A stressor is any stimulus that elicits the stress response cascade, and we used the analogy of a saber-toothed tiger ambushing one of our hunter-gatherer ancestors as an example of a stressor. So what happens when that tiger emerges? Heart rate increases and your blood vessels constrict, which elevates blood pressure to bring more oxygen and nutrients to our muscles. Blood glucose levels elevate in order to provide us with ample energy to burn as we try to escape. Insulin receptors are shut down to help keep glucose in the blood longer. There is a release of fatty acids into the blood, which serves as another form of energy for our bodies to burn and to help blood clot in case of a cut. Secondary effects are a decrease in immunity (no reason to fight a cold if we’re fighting for our lives against an angry animal), and an impaired ability to sleep or even learn new material.

Are these effects of the stress response intelligent? Absolutely. Are they healthy? Absolutely NOT! While we owe our very existence to the stress response and its ability to help us in a crisis situation, the very same stress response is now responsible for over 75% of the major diseases plaguing our society today. You see, we were not designed to be in a perpetual state of stress. The stress response was designed to work phenomenally well in short bursts lasting seconds or minutes, whereas now it’s not uncommon for many people to spend hours, days, months or years in a chronic state of stress. How healthy would ancestors have been if they were running from a saber-toothed tiger for months on end?

Heart disease, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, high cholesterol and many forms of cancer are the direct result of chronic stress interfering with and destroying our body’s normal physiology. This is what is known as adaptive physiology, and we will never be truly healthy if our physiology is always adapting to stress. Since the pace of our lives is not slowing down any time soon, we will continue to be bombarded with stressors throughout our lives. The challenge lies in how quickly we can recover from a stressor and break the cycle of a chronic stress response to get back to living normal, healthy lives.

What if there was somewhere you could go to have your stress levels evaluated with the very same technology used by the world’s premiere researchers and well as by NASA to evaluate the stress levels of their astronauts? More importantly, what we could show you with your own two eyes that your stress levels and your body’s response to them have been reduced? Would that be of interest to you? What if we told you that you did not have to leave Birmingham, but could have this remarkably insightful assessment done right here at our office in Inverness?

What if we told you that the easiest way to positively impact the negative effects of the stress response in your body is through regular chiropractic adjustments? Sounds crazy right? Well, the latest scientific research has shown that chiropractic is not only beneficial in restoring optimum range of motion to the joints of your spine, but we now know that chiropractic adjustments optimize the function of your nervous system! Chiropractors have theorized this for over a century, but now we have the physical proof to show how chiropractic adjustments dramatically alter physiological function and brain activity. We are very excited about the many beneficial applications this new unit can have for our current practice members, as well as for those of you in our community who are looking to make a positive change in your health in the coming new year.

Call our office today at 991-3511 to schedule your own Stress Response Evaluation for the New Year. If you would like more information about our office, please visit us on the web at www.ChiropracticToday.com. As always, we welcome your feedback as well as the opportunity to help you and those you care about reach your optimum potential. Your health is your most valuable asset so please don’t wait for symptoms to arise before you take action. Be proactive about you health, not reactive.

The Stress Response Part 3

2009-04-15T10:54:00.001-05:00

Over the past couple of months, we have painted a picture of how the stress response works inside your body and how its many effects (increased heart rate, elevated blood glucose, high blood pressure, etc.) are crucial to our survival in short-term, emergency situations. However, we also explained the deadly effects that result from maintaining a perpetual state of stress, including the increased prevalence of Type II diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, depression, memory loss, digestive problems, compromised immunity, and many types of cancer. According to the Center for Disease Control and prevention, over 90% of the doctor visits in this country are the result of stress-related illnesses. The same stress response to which we owe our survival is now the major causative factor of our demise.

What does this have to do with chiropractic? It illustrates the importance of awareness. More specifically, being aware of underlying issues before the onset of pain or symptoms, or worse. Chiropractors have been dealing with stress and the effects of it for more than 100 years. They spend years in school learning about the effects of three major forms of stress: physical stress, chemical stress and emotional stress. Stressors are the primary causes of subluxations (abnormal vertebral motion/alignment which affects nerve function), and how to correct them. They teach their patients about the dangers of stress and subluxation as well as how chiropractic can help them overcome both.

Rather than focusing on reducing symptoms via medication, which only serves to further increase the stress response in the body by adding toxic chemicals into your bloodstream, chiropractors correct the stress response via adjustments to the spine. These adjustments restore normal motion and alignment to vertebral joints and have been clinically shown to decrease stress response signals in the nervous system while restoring more optimum nerve function. Also, given that chiropractors treat the whole person, and not simply their symptoms, a good chiropractor will also provide their patients with proper exercise, diet and nutrition guidelines and be there as a support network during their journey towards wellness.

While the philosophy of chiropractic has remained almost unchanged from its origin, two significant things have changed since the early days. First, our society is more aware of the dangers of stress today than ever before. Second, technology has finally caught up with the philosophy of chiropractic, allowing us to watch in real-time the effects of stress on our nervous system -- as well as the effects of an adjustment -- making neurologically based care a reality. With the breakthroughs in chiropractic instrumentation and their application, we are now able to monitor patients with biofeedback and neurofeedback.

This technology, once reserved solely for scientific research, is now available in your own backyard. The very same unit used by NASA to evaluate the stress of their astronauts can now be used to evaluate the daily amount of stress response activity in your body, as well as how well (or poorly) your body responds and recovers when placed under stress. More importantly, this Stress Response Evaluation unit can also show you how chiropractic improves your ability to cope with stress. Seeing is believing. As we have said before, the awareness of your stress is only the first step on your road to lifetime wellness. Call our office today to arrange for your initial consultation and schedule your own Stress Response Evaluation, or visit us on the web at www.ChiropracticToday.com for more information about our office.

The Stress Response Part 2

2009-04-15T10:36:00.001-05:00

When we left you last month, we had provided you with a brief overview of what the stress response actually is and, more important, what it does to your body. We hopefully got our point across with the metaphor that the stress response is identical to our ancestors being ambushed by a saber-toothed tiger while walking through a grassy savanna. The stress response was shown to be a natural reaction by the body against potentially harmful stimuli to increase our chances for survival. The many effects of the stress response (such as elevated heart rate, high blood pressure, increased blood glucose for fuel, etc.) were absolutely essential during our developmental history as a species. Without these mechanisms in place, chances are we would never have made it to this point in time. Consequently, the very same stress response to which we owe our survival is now the very cause of our detriment.

Let’s look at just a few effects of the stress response and see how they affect the body. One example is increased heart rate, high blood pressure, increased blood lipids (another form of fuel for our bodies during a crisis) and increased blood-clotting factors (in case the tiger cuts or bites us). Does this sound like a heart attack in the making if it goes on uncorrected for days, weeks, months or years? What about chronically high blood glucose combined with decreased insulin resistance (to keep the glucose available to burn in the body longer)? It certainly sounds like a recipe for type II diabetes to us! How about chronically decreased serotonin and growth hormone levels as well as increased adrenaline levels which produce depression; fatigue; anxiety; attention, learning and memory deficits; and accelerated aging? What about the fact that a chronic stress response suppresses our immune system, making us susceptible to a host of even greater diseases that could have been prevented if our bodies were working the way they were supposed to be in the first place!

Of course… what are the major killers in our society today? Heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes as well as many of the drugs prescribed to treat them. What are the leading chronic problems plaguing our society today? Depression, anxiety, obesity, fatigue, chronic pain, indigestion, and accelerated aging. You must understand that virtually all of these are preventable diseases. In fact, the World Health Organization itself has termed these conditions “diseases of civilization” which are brought on predominantly by unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, which elicit a persistent stress response in the individual. As this logic follows, a greater understanding of how to reduce the stress response just might be the key to improving our health.

Stress, and how well or poorly a patient responds to it, is at the heart of chiropractic. From our profession’s inception, there has been an understanding that stressors in the body affect the overall health of the patient. Chiropractic, when applied properly, was understood to reduce the stress response by stabilizing the nervous system, thus returning the body to a more natural state known as homeostasis. The problem is that, until now, there have been no valid or reliable ways to accurately measure or monitor a patient’s stress levels when undergoing chiropractic treatment. The technology to do this will soon be in your own backyard. The ability to measure this information is invaluable not only to us as doctors, but to you as our community members as well.

Considering that the pace of our lives is not slowing down, but rather accelerating at an overwhelming rate, it is not likely that we will escape stress any time soon. Yet thanks to cutting-edge technology and a thorough understanding of how your body works, we are better equipped than ever to understand, avoid, and even reverse the effects of stress in the body.

Seeing is believing. No two people are alike, and the awareness of your stress levels is the first step on your journey towards a lifetime of health. Our intention is to inspire individuals through education so we can positively impact the health of our community members in order to make a difference in future generations. Call us today to set up an initial consultation, or visit us at www.ChiropracticToday.com for more information about our practice.

The Stress Response Part 1

2009-04-15T10:34:00.001-05:00

What comes to your mind when you think of stress? Most people when they hear the word “stress” think of only the emotional versions of stress such as the anxiety, frustration and uneasiness that come from our daily routines at work, school or with our families. Did you know that along with emotional stress there is also physical stress as well as chemical stress? Despite their differences, each type of stressor elicits the exact same responses in your body. From this moment forward, when you think of stress, I want you to think of it more like an alarm triggered by your nervous system rather than an emotional state.

To better understand what the stress response is, it may be beneficial to place ourselves into a moment from the time of our ancestors. You are walking through a grassy meadow when suddenly a saber-toothed tiger emerges. You are faced with the option to either confront the predator or run for your life (or become dinner, but that’s not an option we want to entertain!). This is the “fight or flight” mechanism that many of you are familiar with. We’re going to get a bit technical for a moment, but it’s important that you humor us as we take a closer look at what happens in your body during the stress response: Immediately, your nervous system sends a signal into your spinal cord that activates what’s known as the sympathetic response. The sympathetic system sends a message directly to your adrenal glands, which release hormones that are more commonly known as adrenaline. These hormones, formally known as catecholamines, act on the heart to increase your heart rate as well as the amount of blood leaving the heart with each pump. This, along with constriction of your blood vessels serves to increase your blood pressure in order to bring rapid delivery of oxygen, energy and hormones to your cells in an emergency (so you can run from the tiger faster).

The energy your body burns for fuel is glucose. Not surprisingly, another consequence of the stress response is that your body releases increased amounts of glucose into the blood so you won’t run out of energy during fight-or-flight. A corollary to this is that your body switches off your insulin receptors to keep the glucose in the blood longer. Other consequences of the stress response are increased blood lipids (another form of fuel), increased blood clotting factors (in case of a wound), and decreased cellular immunity (because we don’t need to waste energy to fight a cold when we’re fighting a tiger!). All of these are very smart things our bodies are able to provide for us in an emergency, and we owe our survival to them.
Whether we chose to fight the saber-toothed tiger or run away, the stress response was over in a matter of minutes and then we were able to recover. If you think about it, back in the times of our ancestors we probably endured several of these spikes in a given day, depending on how many creatures we encountered. For thousands of years this was the case, and our genes adapted to work at their peak based on short bursts of stress only a handful of times a day.

Fast-forward a few thousand years. Today our stressors are no longer measured in seconds or minutes, but rather in hours, days, months or years. Between our workplace, family, money or marriages many of us have put our bodies in a constant state of stress response. Our bodies are simply not designed to tolerate prolonged periods of stress. Do you think we would be healthy if we had a saber-toothed tiger chasing us for days or even months at a time? While the physiological changes of the stress response were created to save our life in a crisis, they were not designed to be continually sustained and they were NEVER designed to produce health. Just a few of the long term consequences of a sustained stress response are hypertension, high blood sugar, high blood lipids and decreased cellular immunity. Does this sound like anybody you know?

Did you know that you can create the exact same stress response by simply thinking of a stressful event from you past, or even worrying about an upcoming event? The very same sympathetic response is also seen when we ingest toxic chemicals such as drugs, alcohol or synthetic compounds. Your body does not recognize the difference because the signals in your nervous system are the same.

I know that many of you are probably thinking, “why are these chiropractors writing about stress, don’t they just take care of back pain?” As doctors of chiropractic we take care of much more than just your back pain, we take care of your entire nervous system. Since the stress response is controlled by your nervous system, we unfortunately see the impact of stress on peoples’ bodies every day. We see individuals with over-stimulated nervous systems and others with under-performing nervous systems. However, a properly delivered chiropractic adjustment restores normal bio mechanics in the joints of your spine, and by doing so it also stabilizes nerve signals being sent into your spine. This includes the alarm signals of the stress response! Over time, the stress response is stabilized and your physiology spends less time simply surviving and more time thriving.

In our upcoming columns, we will dive a little deeper into the consequences of stress on the human body, as well as ways that chiropractic can halt the stress response and stabilize your nervous system so you can get back to living life without compromise. We will also discuss the latest diagnostic tools that are available to determine how much stress you are experiencing at any given moment. These are the same instruments used by NASA to evaluate the stress response of their astronauts during training, and you now have access to this fascinating insight into the physiology of your body.

We have received great feedback from many of you since we began writing these columns, and we continue to welcome your questions. If you would like to contact us please visit our website at www.ChiropracticToday.com.