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.
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.
As a Chiropractor in San Diego, I counsel many individuals who come to my clinic who want to lose weight. I know how hard it can be, and I also know how important it is to lose those extra pounds. Before you decide to add a little more “stretch” to the fabric in your wardrobe, there are some things that you should know regarding those few extra pounds you may have gained. Over the years, they can add up to a large number of health issues from heart and pulmonary diseases and diabetes to back problems and joint degeneration. Extra pounds put undue stress on organs, like the heart, and on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. A shocking 62% of American adults are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is a very significant percentage and a truly gigantic problem (no pun intended).
Though we try to pretend otherwise, most of us know that the human body has not evolved to transport overplus poundage in the form of body fat. Just an additional 20 or 30 pounds can, in point of fact, overload and even overwhelm the musculoskeletal system. Extra weight in the tummy, for example, makes it necessary for the body to compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. This angle produces compression in the joints of the low back. Joint compression impedes nerve activity and causes painful inflammation. Most men and women who have a “spare tire”suffer from low back pain generated by a pinched sciatic nerve or spinal misalignments that restrict nerves due to weight-bearing stresses. If left untreated, misaligned vertebra not only persist in irritating the degenerative changes that have already taken place, but can create new arthritic changes in the spine in the future.
You’ll be happy to hear that chiropractic treatment can help. Perhaps, it should go without saying that a moderate body weight is essential in order for the musculoskeletal system to perform in the way it is built to. That said, in addition, chiropractic adjustments relieve nerve restrictions in the vertebral column and help to get movement back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, particularly in the low back, hips, and knees. And, certainly exercise and physical activity are a lot easier, and healthier for the body, when the spine is in alignment and the joints have good motion. The added benefit of exercise the, in addition to helping with weight reduction, it can actually inhibit degenerative changes as the body ages.
It is always a good idea to talk over your diet and exercise alternatives with a healthcare professional, like your chiropractor. In addition to helping men and women suffering from back pain and joint inflammation, chiropractors offer qualified guidance regarding the particular lifestyle corrections that can help an individual to stay healthier, more vigorous, and more active through the years. It isn’t a foregone conclusion that arthritis and immobility are an unpreventable part of the aging process. The human body was designed for a lifetime of pain-free movement.
So, if those extra pounds have been sneaking up on you, and they’ve turned into a surprising load of pain, as your San Diego chiropractor and someone who understands, I can help. Make an appointment today!
As a Cincinnati Chiropractor I treat plenty of older adults who are challenged by balance problems. In fact, nine percent of adults, aged 65 and over, experience dizziness, “wooziness,” and other balance-related conditions. Good balance is crucial, of course, in aiding older adults to remain independent and to avoid falling down and encounter injuries that are commonly very serious or even fatal. But, it may surprise you to know that falls produce a large percentage of work-related injuries for workers younger than 65 years of age, including individuals in their twenties and thirties. That’s right! No one is exempt from to balance problems, no matter how young they may be. It is for this reason that those who work at “dangerous heights” like construction workers, roofers, oil platform employees, windows cleaners, or any other place where a ladder is involved are far more vulnerable to serious injury if their balance isn’t good.
The essential activity of good balance is to aid us in managing and maintaining our body position, whether standing still or moving, and whether on the ground or high up on a platform. Good balance assists us in walking without stumbling, arising from a sitting position without swaying, and in climbing stairs without missing a step. It is obvious, then, that good balance is crucial to our health and well-being.
What is frequently surprising to some individuals is that they could have a balance abnormality without realizing how significant it is. Often times a person may be able to “shake off” a dizzy sensation and it may not come back for a while. However when sudden dizziness comes about at a decisive time, it is too late to shake it off and a fall is usually unpreventable.
The feeling by some people that they, personally, are spinning or that objects around them are moving is termed “vertigo.” Close to 40 percent of people in the U.S. will have at least one episode of dizziness that is acute enough to seek out a health professional, such as your Chiropractor in Cincinnati. But, if you work at any of the jobs listed above, it is an excellent idea for you to see a chiropractor to have your balance checked prior to an acute episode of dizziness, instead of as a response to such an episode. Why? Because as a chiropractor, I can not only check your balance, and make adjustments if needed, but can help you to maintain good balance in the future. And, of course, having good balance may save you from serious injury or worse.
Balance disorders at any age are risky. If you feel as if you might have a possible balance disorder, it is crucial for you to be diagnosed and treated without delay. To help to make your decision easier if you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions, even if the experience is seldom or infrequent, you should discuss the symptom(s) with a chiropractor as soon as possible:
• Have you experienced a feeling of being “unsteady?”
• Has the room seemed to spin around you?
• Has there ever a time when you felt as if you were moving when you knew you were standing still?
• Have you lost your balance and/or fallen down?
• Have you ever felt as if you were falling?
• Has your vision ever become “blurred?”
• Have you ever felt disoriented, or lost a sense of time, place or identity?
As discussed above, balance problems are not confined to a particular age group. Our falling down is an ever-present possibility from the time we learn to walk until we take our final step If you work in a job that makes your falling down a “critical” event, you need to have your balance checked. Don’t wait until it’s too late! Call a Chiropractor today, and if you’re in the Cincinnati area, I’d love to be your Cincinnati Chiropractor!
Chiropractic News: Chiropractic Marketing internet radio show, Chiropractic Masters on Blog Talk Radio, interviews expert chiropractors around the country. The first episode featured Ventura Chiropractor, Dr. Steven Alff. Dr. Alff talked about spinal decompression and how it benefits his patients.
I just read one of the most well-articulated explanations of Chiropractic that I’ve read in a long, long time. Nowadays, with so much online writing being “outsourced” and “unedited,” it is often difficult to find an intelligible comment on a blog, much less a clear, concise, and meaningful article written on a blog itself! The article on fitness goop is written by Dr. Avtar Jassal, who graduated with honors from Life Chiropractic College West in Hayward, California. Dr. Jassal currently holds the position of Representative Assemblyman for British Columbia for the International Chiropractic Association and is an assistant teacher of the Torque Release Technique in Canada.
The article beautifully explains the “self healing” and “self-regulating” nature of the human body, and how Chiropractic treatment works with this natural process by freeing the nervous system of interference so that it can function effectively. I invite you to click on the link above and discover the amazing benefits of Chiropractic Care.
As a Wichita Chiropractor for over twenty years, I have assisted many individuals suffering from sciatic pain, so I know from experience just how disabling the pain from sciatica can be. Sciatica sufferers are unfortunately all too familiar with the type of deep pain that often radiates through the lower part of their body, persists during the day and inhibits almost all of their daily activities.
Could your low back pain be caused by sciatica? You are more than likely experiencing sciatica if your pain radiates from your low back, through your buttock(s), down the large sciatic nerve in the back of your leg(s), and possibly shoots into your knee(s). Also, not only motion, but even sitting can be painful. Commonly lying down will decrease, or occasionally even temporarily eliminate the pain. However, you should be alerted to the fact that sciatica cannot be corrected without appropriate treatment.
Radiculopathy
One of the clinical diagnoses of sciatica is known as a “radiculopathy”, a medical term that means simply that a disc has protruded from its natural position in the vertebral column and is pressing on the radicular nerve, or nerve root, in the lower back, which forms part of the sciatic nerve. Such pressure is extremely painful.
Prolonged sitting, especially in an improper position, can produce imbalances in the muscles surrounding the spine and added pressure on the intervertebral discs. A specific event or injury isn’t commonly the cause of sciatica, but rather sciatica is likely to progress over time due to ordinary wear and tear on the structures of the lower spine. Eventually the lower spine can lose its ability to function normally during ordinary stresses.
Ultimately, the intervertebral disc develops small fissures or cracks, which then permit the soft nucleus to protrude the disc outward. If the disc pushes on sensitive tissues, it causes the pain that is frequently known as a ruptured, or slipped, disc. If the disc presses on the spinal nerve, sciatica is likely to develop. Fortunately, most disc problems, including sciatica, can be totally alleviated with chiropractic treatment and management that frequently includes postural exercises.
Periformis Syndrome
Another cause of sciatic pain is periformis syndrome. Periformis syndrome develops when the periformis muscle, for any reason, goes into spasm and irritates the sciatic nerve, is superficial to the nerve In combination with chiropractic treatment, this type of sciatica can be significantly relieved by sciatica stretches that your chiropractor will suggest.
If you are experiencing sciatic pain, it is extremely important for you to seek chiropractic attention. If you are in the Wichita area, as your Chiropractor in Wichita, I look forward to helping you to get out of pain and get your life back!
The shoulder joint has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the musculoskeletal system. It is surrounded by ligaments and a group of muscles (and their tendon attachments) referred to as the rotator cuff. These muscles and tendons join your upper arm bone with your shoulder blade and, in addition, help to lock the ball of your upper arm solidly in its shoulder socket. It is this elegant arrangement that permits the significant range of motion of your shoulder joint. And, unfortunately, it is one of the most commonly dislocated joints in the body. Shoulder dislocations can happen to young and old alike. In fact, an article published in the March 2010 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) suggests that the majority of choulder dislocations occur during sports activities and young males are at a higher risk. No surprise there. But, what is surprising, however, is that the study also reveals a high rate of shoulder dislocation in elderly women.
The shoulder joint can dislocate forward, backward or downward. The most common shoulder dislocation happens when the shoulder slips forward (anterior instability). The arm bone is moved forward and down and out of its joint. Symptoms can include pain, swelling, numbness, weakness, and bruising. A dislocation can tear ligaments or tendons in the shoulder or even damage nearby nerves. To treat the dislocation, a doctor will manipulate the arm bone (the humerus) and replace it in the shoulder socket. This stops the severe pain and allows for the injured tissues to heal.
Remember, whether you are young or an aging baby boomer, it’s important to keep your musculoskeletal system moving smoothly. Always do limbering exercises before playing a sport or working in the garden. And, never play or work into pain. If you experience shoulder pain, see a healthcare professional.
For more on this study, go to medicalnewstoday.com
As a chiropractor I see the benefits of exercise in my patients everyday, not only physically, but also in the enhancement of their mental and emotional health. Exercise is good for every human body — mentally, emotionally, and physically — whether an individual is feeling “tip top” or not. In fact, a new study shows that exercise can reduce stress levels in people who are experiencing a variety of health challenges.
The study, which appeared in the Feb. 22 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine, involved the analysis of the results of 40 randomized clinical trials involving nearly 3,000 patients with a variety of medical conditions. They found that, on average, patients who exercised regularly reported a 20 percent reduction in anxiety symptoms compared to those who did not exercise.
“Our findings add to the growing body of evidence that physical activities such as walking or weight lifting may turn out to be the best medicine that physicians can prescribe to help their patients feel less anxious,” said lead author Matthew Herring, a doctoral student in the department of kinesiology, part of the UGA College of Education.
Herring pointed out that while the role of exercise in alleviating symptoms of depression has been well studied, the impact of regular exercise on anxiety symptoms has received less attention. The number of people living with chronic medical conditions is likely to increase as the population ages, he added, underscoring the need for a low-cost, effective treatment.
One way to read more on this study is to go to medicalnewstoday.com
Dr. Donald Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, is aware that allergies can make your daily life difficult. A walk in the park, a yarn ball toss with your favorite feline, a shellfish pasta, or merely something as tiny as a nut may result in such irritating symptoms as itchy eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, or a skin rash.
Then again, occasionally an individual’s allergic reactions can go from just plain irritating to acute and life-threatening as the air passageway starts to close and breathing becomes strained. Such development of difficulties can readily generate a state of acute anxiety and even a trip to the emergency room.
Allergy symptoms can, indeed, change into an alarmingly challenging problem and make you feel unable to participate in daily life. In fact, should you be one of those unfortunate sufferers who have allergic reactions, it might perhaps seem to you that, from time to time, your environment is a pretty unfriendly space and that natural environment all around you is, virtually, out to get you!
You may question why it is that other people seem so unaffected by the identical environmental challenges that send your system into overwhelm. Other people appear either unaware of or plainly`totally unresponsive to the would-be irritants that lurk at every turn, while your body reacts, or rather overreacts, to them. Why you? It is a appropriate question. The answer is that a lot of individuals, not unlike you, have a hyperactive immune system that basically “goes into a frenzy” when you come upon routine substances like pollen, dander, shellfish, or nuts.
Can your Oxnard Chiropractor help you in obtaining relief from your allergy symptoms? Happily, the answer is a definite “Yes,” and the reason may possibly surprise you. Numerous chiropractic patients have realized that they experience freedom from their allergy symptoms after a chiropractic adjustment, despite the fact that chiropractic care does not really directly address allergies, per se. The true reason for the lessing of allergy symptoms is because chiropractic manipulation impacts your whole nervous system, which includes your autoimmune system, which is the cause of your allergic responses. Any time there’s a hindrance within the nervous system, in conjunction with other challenges, the autoimmune system, whose duty it is to allow you to adapt and respond properly to your surroundings, can easily become under-active or overactive. Where your allergies are concerned, the breakdown is the latter (it becomes overactive).
Considering that chiropractic manipulations are intended to reduce or even totally get rid of perturbations within the nervous system and bring back balance and tranquility to the complete body, along with a number of other corrections, the adjustments generate homeostasis to the autoimmune system as well. A strong immune system responds appropriately to so-called allergens in the atmosphere.
So, as stated above, your Oxnard Chiropractor doesn’t necessarily apply treatment to allergic reactions, nevertheless that doesn’t suggest your allergies won’t improve or disappear for good. On the other hand, one could say, instead, that relief from your allergies is merely the “side-effect” of your rebalanced nervous system. If you would like to get back into a balanced relationship with your surroundings as soon as possible, contact Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, today. He will help you to start living your life again!
