Ventura Acupuncture

Could One Conversation Change What You Eat?

Author — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 18:20:43 +0000

Could One Conversation Change What You Eat?

via Integrative Nutrition Blog by Integrative Nutrition on 8/10/10

Many people shop labels. Whether its high fashion or expensive cars, a label costs more; it means something to the consumer. Food is no different. People who care about the quality of the food they put in their body read labels. If a label reads “high fructose corn syrup” or “trans fat” an informed consumer will bypass this product. Whether a food has an organic label or not is also important information for today’s foodies. If a product has the seal “USDA Organic” the consumer knows that the food was grown or prepared using organic practices and ingredients; however, the producer has paid a fee to the government to obtain that certification.

Many small farmers cannot afford the high cost of the government’s organic label. According to the Organic Trade Association, referenced in this article on Change.org, 92 percent of organic food sold in this country is sold by mass markets, like Wal-Mart, Costco, or grocery store chains. By comparison, only 8 percent comes from farmers markets, co-ops, or CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture).

Quite often the small farmers have organic growing practices; they just don’t pay for the expensive label. How do you get this important information? It’s easy; simply start a conversation with the person you are buying your food from. When you visit the farmers market and you see they do not have an organic label, ask why? Ask them about their growing practices. Do they use pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals? You won’t know until you ask.

Do you only shop for products with the “USDA Organic” label? Do local farmers in your area provide an opportunity to talk about their growing practices? What are your conversations like?

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Oak Lawn IL Chiropractor Talks About Tension Headaches and Chiropractic Treatment

admin — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:11:45 +0000

Are you suffering from painful tension headaches? Dr. Gerald Helwig, the best Oak Lawn Chiropractor, knows that life can be a pain from time to time. Sometimes that pain is caused by an accident or injury. Sometimes it can be the result of the cumulative effects of bad posture and poor gait. Pain can also occur from the degenerative effects of aging. But, sometimes pain, especially headache pain, can be caused by everyday stress.

Are you sidelined by your tension headaches? Do they cause you to be absent from work or ineffective while you’re there? Do they interfere with your family and social life? Most people have experienced more than one tension headache in their life. If you are someone who’s had a tension headache, then you know that the pain usually feels like an intense, but dull ache in your head. Such pain is commonly accompanied by a sensation of tightness or pressure along the forehead or on the sides and back of the head. Sometimes, you might feel a tenderness of your scalp, neck and shoulder muscles, and periodically you may experience a loss of appetite or even nausea.

Most tension headaches are defined as mild to moderately intense, but the severity of the pain varies from one person to another, and can vary from one headache to another in the same person. Would you describe your tension headaches as occurring frequently? Did you know that if your headaches take place fifteen or more days a month for a minimum of three months, they’re viewed by healthcare professionals as chronic?

The good news is that if tension headaches are interfering with your life, once in a while or chronically, chiropractic treatment can help. For over twenty years Dr. Helwig has been helping the Oak Lawn Community to get out of pain, whether an individual is suffering from back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, hip pain, knee pain, foot pain, and headaches. That right! Chiropractors don’t just treat back pain. They address the entire musculoskeletal system!

So, if you are suffering from tension headaches that have kept you from living your life fully, call Dr. Helwig, your Chiropractor in Oak Lawn, Illinois today. Get your life back!

Technorati Tags: back pain, chiropractic treatment, chiropractor, foot pain, hip pain, knee pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, tension headaches

Repeated Concussions a Big Risk for Student-Athletes

Author — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:06:25 +0000

As a chiropractor I believe in exercise, whether it’s aerobics, bike riding, or team sports. Keeping the body active keeps the body healthy and strong. However, when it comes to sports activies, it seems that sports injuries are inevitable among young and old alike. And, though many sports injuries can be very serious, I was especially happy to see that there is a current focus on concussions among young athletes who participate in school sports. The question people are asking is: Are schools doing enough to protect their student-athletes? Do you, as a parent, feel that your child is safe when participating in sports at school? Many parents worry that their young athletes are at risk for serious sports injuries, especially concussions. In fact, the latest C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health found that nearly two-thirds of parents of young athletes between the ages 12 – 17 worry that their children will get a concussion while playing school sports.

To make matters worse, researchers have found that youth athletes are more likely to sustain concussions and to take longer to recover from concussions than adults. Furthermore, if a second concussion occurs before a child’s brain recovers from the first, there is a possibility of long-term neurologic conditions.

When surveyed, most parents indicated that they would strongly support school requirements, such as:

* If a student-athlete sustained a concussion, he or she would need to be evaluated and cleared by a doctor before returning to sports – 84 percent

* Coaches should to receive education about the risks of concussions

* After a concussion there should be a mandatory period of non-participation in sports

* A certified trainer should be on-site for practices and games

High school athletic organizations, injury prevention groups and professional sports leagues have become increasingly active in promoting policies to minimize the risks of repeat concussions among young athletes. But, let’s face it, parents are in a unique position to recognize concussion signs and symptoms that occur outside of school, and to work with coaches, trainers, and other health care personnel to ensure that their child is appropriately monitored throughout his or her recovery and return to play.

Source: University of Michigan Health System

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Your Santa Barbara Chiropractor Explains The Cause Of Spine Osteoarthritis

admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 23:46:23 +0000

Santa Barbara Chiropractor

I’ve always loved the old saying, When you consider the alternative, getting old isn’t so bad.” But, if the aging process is creating pain in your body, you know that aging is no joke! As a Santa Barbara chiropractor, when it comes to musculoskeletal challenges, I see too many age-related breakdowns that likely wouldn’t have taken place if the primary cause had been addressed earlier. Poor posture, improper gait, and repetitive overuse often create needless stress in the back, neck, hip, knees, and even the feet that can result in painful challenges over time. But, as another saying goes, “Hindsight is 20-20.” If we only knew years ago how our aging body would feel today!

As you can see from the list areas of pain above, there are plenty of musculoskeletal conditions that can, and frequently do, take place as we get older, however painful back problems are one of the most prevalent. Back pain that is age-related is most commonly the result of a degenerative disorder known as Spondylosis (spine osteoarthritis).

Spinal osteoarthritis is caused by increased deterioration and weight-bearing pressure on the spine that eventually does harm to the discs, joints, and surrounding ligaments. The location and degree of the degenerative process of spondylosis varies from person to person. It is likely to affect the cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), or lumbar (low back) areas of the spine. Depending on the severity of degeneration, Spondylosis symptoms vary from person-to-person as well, and can range from minor pain and numbness to extreme sensory loss and muscular atrophy.

Repetitive stresses antagonistically affect the cartilage around the joints and can encourage calcium to deposit in the tissues around the vertebrae. These calcific deposits, known as bone spurs, can constrict adjacent nerves, blood vessels and soft tissue. This kind of compression is at the root of Spondylosis.

Regular chiropractic care and overall chiropractic management is beneficial in significantly slowing the aging process of the spine whether or not you are suffering from spondylosis. Even though “you can’t un-ring a bell” or “turn back the hands of time,” but it isn’t too late to give your spine the good treatment it deserves. Chiropractors are experts when it comes to treatment of the spine. See your Santa Barbara Chiropractor today, for the health of your spine.

Technorati Tags: age-related back pain, chiropractic, chiropractor, spine osteoarthritis

Chiropractic Internet Marketing Strategy: Do it Yourself or Outsource?

admin — Sun, 16 May 2010 23:03:43 +0000

Here’s an interesting question for you to consider: Do you want to keep your chiropractic internet marketing in-house or do you want to hire a professional? There are pros and cons to both, and the answer lies in your particular situation. Let’s check out the advantages and disadvantages of both.

Advantages of in-house chiropractic internet marketing

There is a lower monthly cost involved in using someone already employed by you.
The staff knows your practice intimately. Your staff has a good understanding of your clinic’s particular services and, therefore, is able to describe your specialties easier than those who don’t know the specifics of your particular practice.
You can communicate anytime. Being in-house it is easier to set up times to have meetings or just to chat about situations on the fly.

Disadvantages of in-house chiropractic website marketing

The staff may not be fully aware of what SEO (search engine optimization) is, let alone how to accomplish it. In that case, a lot of education and training will be needed to make sure SEO gets done right.
The staff may be overworked. Sometimes the time it takes to do SEO can be underestimated. It is an ongoing process that can actually be a full-time job. If a marketing manager has been told to do SEO as well as his or her full time job, obviously that person will be overworked and feel overwhelmed.
Attention needs to be paid to detail. This goes together with Point #2. If the staff is overworked, they have no time to check out search engine news and keep up-to-date on how the search engines have changed the game each week and what needs to be done to implement those changes to keep your clinic internet presence up in the rankings.

Advantages of using an outside professional

Chiropractic marketing companies are specialists in the field. They have experience in working on numerous clinics and their websites and optimizing them for SEO. They know, first hand, what works effectively and what doesn’t.
There is a dedicated team at the company who will be working on your site and can give it the attention it requires.
The company has a specific plan and won’t be just jumping around, going from short term tactic to short term tactic with no organized strategy and no clear way to reach your desired goals. In other words, they have an “integrated” internet marketing strategy.

Disadvantages of a chiropractic internet marketing company

Let’s face it, it can get expensive, but costs vary widely from company to company. Some companies out there are charging $600-$700 a month for their services. It is definitely worth your while to shop around and research before you buy.
There is usually a commitment. Most chiropractic internet marketing companies will want you to sign up for at least six months to a year.
Account management can be a problem. With high turnover rates at many companies, especially the big ones, there may be a chance that you’ll get handed from account manager to account manager just when you were building a relationship of trust. You may have to start over again, maybe even have to redesign and reiterate your strategy with the new manager.

Now that you’ve taken a moment to look at the pros and cons of both keeping your internet marketing in-house or hiring a professional, the solution to SEO and your internet marketing strategy will depend on the size of your practice, the time and staffing you can devote to it, and your overall long-term goals.

Now, of course, we are a chiropractic internet marketing company that specializes in helping chiropractors with their internet presence. So, I will admit that I am a bit biased on the side of your hiring an expert to do it right. If you are thinking of hiring a company to develop and implement your internet marketing strategy, it is tremendously important for you to hire one that specializes in chiropractic clinics. Why? Because we understand the chiropractic profession intimately. Therefore, in the long run it will save you both time and money not having to explain what chiropractic is about to some general SEO company. There are several of us out there.

If you are going to go with an outside company, be sure to read the fine print. Look at the bottom of their page for a disclaimer. If they have one, read about their “typical” results. You don’t want to be fooled by outrageous claims even though such hype can be enticing. Remember, your internet marketing strategy is just one stream of new patient leads. Even though chiropractic internet marketing is fast becoming a great source for new patient leads, and even though internet marketing gets more important with every passing day, and even though it is a crucial area in which to generate new patient leads, it is still not the only source of marketing you will need to succeed in your practice.

Whether you choose to keep your internet marketing in-house or to hire a professional, you want to be sure that the time and money you spend on SEO gets you where you want to go. A member of your staff that does your internet marketing for “free,” while squeezing those efforts in-between other tasks, may “cost” you in the long run. A professional whose sole focus is internet marketing, won’t lose sight of your goals. Internet marketing is essential to your practice, so choose your chiropractic internet path wisely.

Technorati Tags: chiropractic internet marketing, chiropractic marketing, SEO

More Evidence of the Efficacy of Chiropractic Treatment for Relieving Low Back Pain

Author — Wed, 12 May 2010 16:41:01 +0000

Chiropractors everywhere will tell you the same thing: Conservative chiropractic treatment should always be considered prior to any back surgery. In fact, an entire chapter in a newly released textbook published by Springer Science+Business Media, Surgery For Low Back Pain, is dedicated to chiropractic treatment. The book was edited by a consummate group spine surgeons from Europe. The inclusion of chiropractic methods in clinical decision marks another example of the global growth and acceptance of healing benefits of chiropractic treatment.

Low back pain is one of the most prevalent conditions contended with in clinical practice, and the pathologies thought to be its cause are the main signals for spine surgery. But “true evidence” about indications actually remains elusive and, therefore, the very different techniques used need to be discussed and (re)evaluated.

Whether or not you are considering back surgery, for more on the chapter, “The place of chiropractic care in the treatment of low back pain,” written by Christopher J. Colloca, D.C., a Phoenix, Arizona based chiropractor with affiliations in the Department of Kinesiology at Arizona State University, log on to chiroeco.com

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A Pill Can’t Cure Obesity-Related Conditions

Author — Wed, 05 May 2010 18:45:46 +0000

I was talking with a new patient of mine, a fifty-year-old woman who’d come to my chiropractic clinic for relief from hip pain, and as we were discussing her health history, she mentioned that she “used to have” high blood pressure, but now that she was on medication, it was “normal.” She said that she was very happy that she no longer needed to worry about her high blood pressure. She was surprised when I explained to her that her medication merely “regulated” her condition, but that it did not eliminate problem. As this woman was obese, I explained to her that her weight, in addition to causing her hip pain, was also the culprit that continued to cause the high blood pressure for which she needed the medication. I told her that as a chiropractor, I could temporarily relieve her hip pain with chiropractic treatment, but that it would likely come back again unless she lost some of the excess poundage she carried around each day.

Obesity is a serious condition that causes innumerable health problems such as heart disease, risk of stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and a plethora of musculoskeletal problems that, more often than not, lead to osteoarthritis. The only prevention is weight loss. The only “cure” is weight loss. The only hope for a healthy outcome is weight loss. Pharmaceuticals may regulate the symptoms of conditions caused by obesity, and chiropractors can help to temporarily relieve the pain, but there is not a traditional or alternative therapy that can rectify obesity.

There’s no getting around it, either. Losing weight is hard work and the more an individual needs to lose, the harder it can be. And, the indisputable fact is that no one can lose weight for you. But, the health “rewards” are worth it. Just ask anyone who’s lost a significant amount of weight. Health-wise, it’s a life-changer. And, studies have shown that many people with high blood pressure problems who lose their excess weight are often able get off their blood pressure medications altogether.

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April is Foot Health Awareness Month

Author — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:32:02 +0000

Did you know that April is Foot Health Awareness Month? As a chiropractor, I think that it is always good for us to have special days set aside to look at the various areas of our health that we might improve upon. That said, if you are someone who experiences foot pain, you are, no doubt, aware of your feet every single day, week, and month of the year, especially if you are on the run for fun or fitness. Running, though “naturally” good for us, can be hard on our lower extremities for all sorts of reasons from bad gait and poor running shoes to the surfaces we choose to run on.

The impact forces during running can be two-three times your body weight and this, in and of itself, makes your feet particularly vulnerable to injury. Add to this general vulnerability the frequent reasons for foot pain and injury mentioned above, and its no wonder that so many people suffer from foot problems. Pain-free feet are important whether you run or not, but if you’re a runner (or thinking of becoming one) it is critical for you to make sure that your feet, and the rest of your body as well, are in good shape for it. As experts in restoring and improving motion in the entire musculoskeletal system, your chiropractor can examine your feet, analyze your running mechanics, and determine if certain conditions need correction before you continue, or begin, a running regime.

With summer just around the corner, more runners than ever will be hitting the roads, parks, and tracks. If you’re planning on being one of them, whether you currently have foot pain or not, it’s a good idea to see your chiropractor, just to “run” on the safe side.

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Intervention When It Comes to Junk Food?

Author — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:39:05 +0000

Recent scientific research found that junk food is addictive. Hm-mm, what a surprise! Of course, it won't come as a surprise to anyone who has children and has had to deal with the "drama" that takes place when a "fix" at McDonald's is passed over for a nutritious home-cooked meal that might include (yikes!) vegetables. And, it won't come as a surprise to those who've tried to lose weight by eating a healthy diet of fresh fruits and veggies and then found themselves at a midnight In-N-Out Burger drive-thru. In fact, it probably won't come as a surprise to most people that the study found that eating junk food can change the chemistry in your brain. Though, food addiction is nothing new, this particular study found that because high-calorie foods affect the brain in much the same way as cocaine and heroin, and it leads to compulsive eating habits that resemble drug addiction, foods stripped of its nutrients, i.e., junk food, makes us more hungry because our bodies "think" we need more food when, in fact, we need more nutrients.

As a chiropractor, I work with my patients to achieve overall health through regular chiropractic care, a nutritious diet, good hydration, and daily exercise. If any one of these components is missing, as far as I'm concerned, good health and longevity are at risk.

For more on this study, go to reuters.com.

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Drugs…Just in Case?

Author — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 22:55:43 +0000

As a chiropractor who believes in the human body's ability to heal itself, often with the aid of natural, non-invasive, drug-free chiropractic treatment, I am always dismayed, but never surprised, at some of the pernicious claims and tenacious effrontery of drug companies when it comes to pain killers, in general, and the "treatment" of a number of conditions that don't get any better with drugs or are made worse by them. And, as a chiropractor who has helped hundreds of headache sufferers not only get temporary, but permanent relief, when I read about a drug study for yet another pain med that will likely keep headache sufferers numbed to their pain, but in the process numb to the rest of their life as well, I feel like shouting from the rooftops: "Try chiropractic first!" But, today, when I read about a study, sponsored by Merck (who also makes the product), I really felt compelled to say that this particular study is shamefully playing to the fears of migraine sufferers when, in fact, the drug itself only offers "less severity" at best when it comes to a migraine headache.

The study, conducted by Dr. X. Henry Hu of Merck & Co.and colleagues, found that one in five migraine sufferers had "avoided" a work-related commitment because they were afraid of getting a migraine, while 27 percent reported canceling a work commitment for this reason, and round 28 percent said they had avoided or canceled social commitments due to fear of migraines.

I have treated many patients who told me how much they'd "feared" the onset of a migraine and limited their activities in life because of that fear, so I do understand how devastating the fear of migraines can be. And, yet, the only "solution" this study offered?

This study is "important," said Dr. Hu, because the unpredictability of migraines could contribute to people's anxiety and fear about them and early treatment with migraine drugs called triptans can help reduce headache severity. "Because of the lack of predictability of future migraine attacks, migraine sufferers may benefit from increased education on the importance of keeping medications available at all times," he and his colleagues concluded.

My conclusion? If you suffer from migraines, give your chiropractor a call today!

SOURCE: Headache, published online March 25, 2010.

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