Drivers Education

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We all know someone who has suffered a serious driving-related injury that had nothing to do with being involved in a motor vehicle accident. For example, turning your head suddenly and swiftly for a last minute check of your "blind spot" before changing lanes on the interstate could result in a painful neck sprain. Getting out your car in a crowded shopping center parking lot can often be awkward and may even result in a low back injury. Bending over to lift a grocery bag out of your back seat or trunk can even cause a herniated lumbar disc with very painful consequences. Thus, driving can be dangerous, even without taking account of your innumerable fellow drivers who are talking on their cell phones, texting, combing their hair, putting on makeup, or even shaving when they should be 100% focused on  the road. Even if you're a highly skilled, appropriately defensive driver, doing driving-related things can cause real physical injury.

Why do such injuries happen? The cause is the same as for the person who, while getting dressed in the morning, bends over to put on his or her socks, stockings, or tights and experiences a sudden, sharp pain in the low back. Later on, that pain may worsen and radiate down one leg, and a likely diagnosis of a herniated disc may ensue. "But I wasn't doing anything wrong," the person exclaims to his chiropractor. "All I was doing was putting on my socks." But the chiropractor knows that the movement that apparently caused the injury was merely the last physical insult in a long chain of musculoskeletal and biomechanical deficiencies.¹

As with the person who injures his or her neck or back at home while engaged in innocuous activities of daily living such as housecleaning or taking out the trash, driving-related injuries that are not the result of an actual accident are caused by being deconditioned or out-of-shape. If your neck and back muscles, ligaments, and joints are not used to doing physical work while engaged in a full range of motion, suddenly putting them in mechanically stressful situations will very likely lead to injury. For such persons, the primary missing fitness factor involves the core muscles, the body's group of central, deep, sheath-like muscles that provide the base for almost all movement and motion.²

Lack of core fitness is the culprit for most neck and back injuries that happen when you "weren't doing anything". The good news is that core training is readily available.³ You are training your core muscles whenever you do strength training or yoga. You are doing core training when you walk, run, bike, or swim, provided you are doing these activities effectively and efficiently. You don't need special equipment. All that is required is the willingness and persistence to engage in regular vigorous exercise. The many benefits are broad and longlasting, including getting more enjoyment out of the time you spend in your car.

¹Rietveld AB: Dancers' and musicians' injuries. Clin Rheumatol 32(4):425-434, 2013

²Micheo W, et al: Basic principles regarding strength, flexibility, and stability exercises. PM R 4(11):805-811, 2012

³Steele J, et al: A review of the specificity of exercises designed for conditioning the lumbar extensors. Br J Sports Med October 2013: doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2013-092197. [Epub ahead of print]

Why More People Need Chiropractic Care?

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     Last week, a patient shared this story with me: "Doc, I have a friend. He'd been a friend of mine for years. Well he's the same age as I am. He ate pretty much the same thing I did. Thing is, he was always SICK. Yes, sick. I don't know why, but his immune system never really worked that good. He wasn't like me from the beginning. He wasn't adjusted regularly, he took a lot of medicine for his asthma, and now he is suffering from something called COPD. He can't even run like we used to, he can't talk as fast as he used to, and if we go somewhere and we have to go up a flight of stairs, he can hardly make it."

So the simple truth of Chiropractic is this.

*Chiropractic is Safe. Chiropractic care is so safe, even newborns can get adjusted to correct the spinal trauma from the birth process!

*There's No Side Effects To Your Adjustments. Any "side-effects" tend to be positive effects. You can experience a better balance, more energy increased vitality and improved coordination, just to name a few.

*Chiropractic is the Smart Choice. It makes sense to correct the underlying cause rather than food the body by covering up your pain with drugs. If you know someone you think we can help, send him or her our way.

*Chiropractic is Effective. As you know, your nervous system controls your entire body, and chiropractic care helps restore nervous system integrity, and chiropractic care had been known to HELP a variety of health issues.

*Chiropractic is All Natural. Simply put, chiropractic care doesn't add chemicals to your body. And it doesn't remove parts. Instead it seeks to restore proper control and regulation of your body so your health can return, in a natural way.

Chiropractic Care for Short-Term and Long-Term Health

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Chiropractic care is the one form of health care that keeps on giving. Chiropractic care certainly helps people to recover from short-term health problems, but this powerful method of healing also helps people stay well and assists in preventing new problems from developing.

Your chiropractor treats a wide variety of musculoskeletal problems. Neck pain, back pain, pain that travels from the neck to the arm and hand, pain that travels from the back to the leg and foot, headaches, and muscle spasms are conditions commonly treated by chiropractic care. Your chiropractor also treats many types of exercise- and sports-related injuries, such as rotator cuff injuries, tennis elbow, wrist sprains, knee injuries, ankle sprains, and shin splints. Repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome are also treated by chiropractic care. Also, chiropractic care may be a valuable addition to treatment for sleep disorders, digestive problems, menstrual cramps, asthma, and various allergies. Chiropractic care may also be of great assistance during pregnancy, in helping to relieve neck pain and back pain and to ease the process of delivery.

Chiropractic care can be beneficial for so many health problems owing to the fact that chiropractic care directly affects the functioning of your nerve system. Your nerve system, consisting of your brain, spinal cord, and nerves that branch out to the rest of your body, is your master physiologic system. Your nerve system, by sending signals to every cell, tissue, and organ in your body, controls all the other systems. Your heart relies on the nerve system so that it can pump blood at the right time and in the right amount.¹ Your small intestine relies on the nerve system so that it can complete the digestion of food and transmit usable nutrients to the bloodstream.² Your white blood cells and other immune system agents rely on the nerve system so that they can quickly identify and destroy foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses.³

But your nerve system can break down, in a sense, if spinal nerve interference is present. Such nerve interference, caused by irritation and inflammation of spinal nerves, is caused by loss of full mobility of spinal vertebras. Limited spinal motion irritates the muscles that move the spinal bones and the ligaments that hold those bones together. Inflamed spinal muscles and spinal ligaments cause spinal nerve inflammation. The immediate result is distortion in the quality and flow of information sent from the brain to the rest of the body. Too much or too little information is sent to the cells, tissues, and organs. The messages they receive are the wrong messages, or the messages arrive at the wrong time. The outcome is decreased functioning and/or inappropriate functioning of many other physiologic systems. Thus, spinal nerve interference is one of the primary causes of the many problems that may bring a person to his or her chiropractor's office.

Chiropractic care helps reduce and remove nerve interference by restoring increased functioning of your spinal column. The direct result is improved overall functioning of the rest of your body. By directly focusing on your spine and nerve system, your chiropractor can help restore quality of life and overall health and well-being.

¹Muller MD, et al: Mental stress elicits sustained and reproducible increases in skin sympathetic nerve activity. Physiol Rep  2013 Mar 1(1). pii: e00002.
²Zhou G, et al: White-matter microstructural changes in functional dyspepsia: a diffusion tensor imaging study. Am J Gastroenterol 108(2):260-269, 2013
³Straub RH, et al: Role of neuroendocrine and neuroimmune mechanisms in chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases-The 10-year update. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2013 May 31 doi: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2013.04.008 [Epub ahead of print]

Do You Hate Germs?

If you're like me, germs aren't something you really like to talk about, but today, let's just talk about them so there is no misunderstanding about which ones are good and which ones are bad. 

Avoid Pills! Visit your Orange County Chiropractor! 

Did you know that germs by themselves are NOT always bad for your body? Now, I am not saying germs are always good for you either.

Most people have been raised to believe that germs will make you sick, but that's only partially true. There are many "good types" of germs, or (good) bacteria, that can do things that benefit your body.

For instance, that lactobacillus acidophilus in your yogurt is a good "gut" germ that aids your body with digestion.

Now don't get me wrong. There are other germs that are harmful, but they need a hospitable host to allow them to "thrive", "grow" and cause disease and illness. When our bodies are weak - due to poor nutrition, lack of sleep or nervous system interference, they are the perfect breeding ground for germs that cause colds. flus and a variety of other ills.

So here's the solution most people never think about. Regular chiropractic care, along with our advice on healthy eating, exercise and stress-free living, can help you and your family to build a strong defense against the BAD, unwanted germs.

I've learned one thing. Taking a proactive approach to your health means that "bad" germs won't thrive, but you will!

 

Taking Care of Older Joints (and Younger Joints, Too)

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Many people experience increasing musculoskeletal joint stiffness as they get older. Shoulders, knees, and ankles don't seem to be as flexible as they once were. It seems more difficult to bend over and pick up a dropped object. It may be uncomfortable to turn your head around to see the car in the next lane that's right in the center of your driver's blind spot. The bad news is that, left unattended, your joints do get stiffer as you get older. Left on their own, your joints will likely lose full mobility. The good news is there's plenty you can do about it. You can regain and retain much of your youthful flexibility if you are willing to be proactive.

First, some basic physiology. Joints such as the shoulder, knee, and ankle are lubricated by synovial fluid. Synovial fluid keeps joints moist, provides oxygen and nutrition, and washes away toxic end-products of normal metabolic processes. The joints in your spine are also lubricated and maintained in this way. But aging reduces the amount of available synovial fluid. Also, normal aging processes increase the viscosity of the remaining synovial fluid. You have less available lubricant and the lubricant that you do have is thicker. The result is stiffer joints, pretty much from top to bottom.

The specific countermeasure to such physiologic aging is to keep active. This is a pretty challenging prescription in a world in which most of our time is spent seated. Our bodies were designed for hard, physical work. But as we've transformed from an agrarian to an industrial society, and more recently from an industrial to a service-based society, the nature of our work has changed dramatically. The vast majority of our work is now done seated at a desk. When we're not typing on a computer keyboard or reading a spreadsheet, we're at home watching TV, playing games on our computing devices, or very rarely, reading. None of these activities involves active motion. If we want to take care of our bodies, we're going to have to be proactive about creating the time to do so.

We're going to be creating time for exercise. Almost any type of exercise causes synovial fluid to be more available, pumping synovial fluid into joint spaces and helping to lubricate joints.^1,2Exercise increases your internal core temperature, which in turn decreases the viscosity of synovial fluid. The overall result is increased joint flexibility. This benefit is often experienced immediately. The benefit will be long-lasting provided that you continue to exercise regularly.

Thirty minutes of exercise per day, 5 days per week, will assist most of us in maintaining as much joint flexibility as possible. Alternating a cardiovascular exercise day with a strength training day is an optimal program.³ Yoga provides a total body workout which incorporates cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and flexibility. Ultimately, the types of exercise you do are less important than the long-term consistency. Regular, vigorous exercise, done over months and years, will provide great benefit, not only in terms of improved joint flexibility, but also in terms of overall health and well-being.

¹Seco J, et al: A long-term physical activity training program increases strength and flexibility, and improves balance in older adults. Rehabil Nurs 38(1):37-47, 2013
²Garber CE, et al: American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: guidance for prescribing exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 43(7):1334-1359, 2011
³Micheo W, et al: Basic principles regarding strength, flexibility, and stability exercises. PM R 4(11):805-811, 2012

Chiropractic Care Is Part of Your Exercise Program

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     We all want to be healthy and well. Achieving this goal requires some time and effort, but the payoff is well worth it. Regular exercise helps lower blood pressure, helps slow your heart rate, and helps you sleep better at night. Regular exercise often helps people lose weight and puts a spring in their step. Regular exercise puts color in your cheeks and gives your skin that certain glow. Exercise is a very good thing.

     Chiropractic care helps us get the most out of our exercise by making hidden reserves available for peak performance. Regular chiropractic care removes nerve interference and keeps the joints of our spine moving freely, eliminating roadblocks to full mobility and full function. By helping optimize our nerve systems and musculoskeletal systems, regular chiropractic care helps get our bodies in shape so that we can do the exercises needed to keep our bodies in shape.

Chiropractic Care and the Benefits of Nutrition

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     As with regular, vigorous exercise, consistent habits of good nutrition are substantially supported by regular chiropractic care. Good nutrition provides the necessary raw materials for a healthy physiology. But in order to properly utilize these nutritional building blocks, the physiological processes themselves must be functioning effectively. This is where regular chiropractic care comes in.

     In order to put your dietary greens, berries, nuts, citrus fruits, root vegetables, grains, and proteins to good use, a complex array of networks needs to be working in harmony. Organs, tissues, and cells of your digestive, circulatory, and hormonal systems all need to exchange information smoothly and effectively. Your nervous system is the master system coordinating all this activity, and regular chiropractic care helps ensure that your nervous system is functioning at its best. Thus, regular chiropractic care helps you get the most out of your good nutritional choices and helps ensure the overall health and well-being of you and your family.

Chiropractic Care and Stress Reduction

This bunny wants you to see your Chiropractor!

        Regular chiropractic care is a necessary component of any program designed to help a person reduce the effects of stress in his or her life. Chiropractic care provides the direct action required to intervene in the vicious circle of stress-musculoskeletal aches and pains-more stress.

       By helping restore balance within your spinal column and your nerve system, regular chiropractic care helps remove mechanical causes of stress within muscles and joints throughout your body. Life's daily stresses now encounter a body that is healthier and more resilient. The result is greater tolerance for the stresses of the day and an overall enhanced and improved outlook. Your chiropractor is an experienced in stress management and can help you create a stress-reduction program that will work for you.

      Come visit your Orange County Chiropractor and we will get you back to health! 

Rules For Being

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1. You will receive a body. You may or may not like it. It will however be the only one you receive...for this experience.

2. You will be enrolled in a full-time school. It's called--life. You will be taught many lessons. You may or may not understand them. They will however all be important.

3. You must know that there are no failures in schoolhouse earth--only lessons. Growth is a continual process of change. Change is growth and growth is change.

4. Your lessons will never end. All lessons are repeated until learned.

5. There is no good or bad--just is. "There" is no better than "here". When your "there" has become a "here", you simply have new "there."

6. Others will only be a reflection of yourself. And you will only see in others what ou first recognize about yourself.

7. What you make out of life, will depend on you. Because life always supplies what you ask.

8. Since all of life's answers are within, in order to learn the wisdom of the ages, all you have to do is stop long enough in order to listen.

9. Always remember this simple rule for being: Since the answer is always yes...what do you want?
                                                                                         -Varenycuiz

Why Are Super Foods So Super?

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In recent years, media pundits around the world have proclaimed the extraordinary value of so-called super foods. Blueberries, broccoli, and especially kale have been described as possessing remarkable, almost magical, properties. What is it about these foods that makes them so good for you?

From a basic perspective, adding fresh fruits and vegetables of all types to your daily diet is a very smart way to help improve your current levels of health and well-being. Fresh fruits and vegetables are so important that many national agencies and organizations have promoted the "five to stay alive" rule - these groups recommend eating at least five portions of fruits and vegetables each day.¹

Fresh fruits and vegetables provide numerous health benefits, many of which are based upon the actions of biochemicals known as phytonutrients. Certain of these formerly mysterious compounds stimulate enzyme activity and others have actions similar to those of hormones. Many phytonutrients are powerful antioxidants that circulate throughout the body, scooping up and neutralizing free radicals. Free radicals are a normal byproduct of cellular metabolism, but too many of them will cause a lot of problems. Excess free radicals have, for example, been linked to development of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.^2,3 Blueberries, broccoli, and kale are categorized as "super foods" owing to the abundance of phytonutrients they contain and make available to those who consume them.

The takeaway is not to load up on kale, broccoli, and blueberries in an attempt to make up for years of less-than-optimal dietary choices. Rather, the goal is to begin, today, to implement a healthful, balanced food plan. Diets lacking fresh fruits and vegetables in general, and lacking super foods in particular, will not provide you and your family with the resources needed to enjoy productive, energy-filled days. Resolving to follow the "five-to-stay-alive" plan will add literally missing ingredients to your daily health regime. As you upgrade your nutrition, you're automatically upgrading the functioning of all your body's systems.

With sufficient dietary phytonutrients, you can help prevent chronic disease, strengthen the immune system, combat the effects of obesity, and obtain numerous anti-aging benefits.

The vast array of advantages that will likely ensue include more restful sleep; enhanced skin tone and muscle tone; increased reserves of energy throughout the day; and improved ability to focus and complete tasks successfully. Improved peace of mind will naturally occur as a consequence of these benefits, and an untapped reservoir of creativity may be revealed. Super foods truly provide super benefits.

Come visit your Orange County Chiropractor! 

¹Liu RH: Health-promoting components of fruits and vegetables in the diet. Adv Nutr 4(3):384S-392S, 2013

²Wu TY, et al: Pharmacogenetics, pharmacogenomics and epigenetics of nrf2-regulated xenobioticmetabolizing enzymes and transporters by dietary phytochemical and cancer chemoprevention. Curr Drug Metab 14(6):688-694, 2013

³Pasko P, et al: Rutabaga (Brassica napus L. var. napobrassica) seeds, roots, and sprouts: a novel kind of food with antioxidant properties and proapoptotic potential in Hep G2 hepatoma cell line. J Med Food 16(8):749-759, 2013

The Stress of Life

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"The Stress of Life" is a perennial bestseller by Hans Selye, written in 1956. Selye almost single-handedly introduced the notion of stress into the worldwide consciousness. By doing so, Selye changed the way we think about ourselves, our values, and how we conduct our lives.

As Selye observed, stress is a double-edged sword. Many types of stress are good for people, both physiologically and personally. For example, Wolff's law states that bone will remodel (build more bone) along lines of mechanical stress. In other words, bone becomes stronger when it is subjected to physical loads. The physiological stress of weight-bearing exercise such as walking, running, and strength training helps prevent osteoporosis by making bone denser and more resilient. From a psychological perspective, the great German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, famously stated in "Twilight of the Idols" (1888), "What does not destroy me, makes me stronger." Apparently, Nietzsche (writing in the 19th century) was far ahead of Selye in pointing to the benefits (and dangers) of stress.

Life is filled with "good" stresses. A new love relationship, a new job, or a new baby may all provide great personal happiness and the experience of fulfillment and satisfaction. But each circumstance may also place new demands on us, calling on us to be and do much more than that of which we had previously thought ourselves capable. A person may develop all sorts of adaptive responses in attempts to cope with life's new requirements, but most of these adaptations are themselves stress-producing. Over time the adaptations become habits, stress becomes a day-by-day experience, and a host of physiological and psychological disorders and syndromes may appear.^1,2 High blood pressure, diabetes, overweight/obesity, arthritis, insomnia, and depression may all be considered as long-term maladaptive responses to stress.³

Muscular aches and pains, muscle spasms, and headaches are common physiological responses to ongoing stress. A vicious circle develops in which stress leads to muscle tightness, which constricts blood vessels, which leads to headaches, which leads to more muscle tightness, more pain, and even more stress. One's day seems to become filled with stress and stress reactions. The good news is that means of ending these vicious circles of stress are available. Present time consciousness, regular exercise and a healthy diet, sufficient rest, and regular chiropractic care comprise a powerful tool kit for restoring balance in one's life.

Come visit your Orange County Chiropractor! 

¹Wu EL, et al: Increased risk of hypertension in patients with major depressive disorder: a population-based study. J Psychosom Res 73(3):169-174, 2012

²Hristova MG: Metabolic syndrome - From the neurotrophic hypothesis to a theory. Med Hypotheses 2013 July 27 [Epub ahead of print]

³Martocchia A, et al: Targets of anti-glucocorticoid therapy for stress-related diseases. Recent Pat CNS Drug Discov 8(1):79-87, 2013

Ten Minutes of Stretching Can Make All the Difference

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Should I stretch before or after I exercise?¹ Should I even bother to stretch at all? These are the questions that every busy adult asks whenever he or she is planning to begin an exercise program. The correct answer to the first question is "do whatever is right for you." Some people need to lengthen their major muscle groups, such as the quadriceps (front of the thigh), hamstrings (back of the thigh), and calves, before they run, walk, swim, and/or lift weights for exercise. For others, it's best to stretch at the end of a workout, re-lengthening the major muscle groups so they'll be ready to help you move through the rest of your day.

The answer to the second question is "yes, stretching is important for everybody and is often the missing link in trying to understand why you injured yourself when you were exercising." Stretching helps you either warm up or cool down, whichever is needed for you to get the most out of your exercise. Not stretching in the way that you need puts you on the fast track to sustaining an exercise-related injury. As always, prevention is the best policy.

A dynamic warm-up is a fun and entertaining supplement or replacement, at times, to stretching if you're a stretch-first person.^2,3 In a dynamic warm-up, you take important joints such as your hips, shoulders, and lower back through complete ranges of motion, using large muscle groups for support. Dynamic warm-up activities are similar to core strengthening exercises and have unique names such as scorpion, hip crossover, drop lunge, and quad circles. You can mix-and-match a variety of dynamic warm-up activities on different workout days, creating ongoing interest that helps you maintain your exercise routine.

A dynamic cool-down can serve as a similar supplement or replacement to stretching, at times, if you're a stretch-after person. If you've been walking or running, rather than simply completing your walk or run, spend an additional few minutes walking or running with shorter strides and/or at a slower pace. Walking backward at a slow pace is another method for achieving a dynamic cool-down. If you've been lifting weights, a series of deep-knee lunges will stretch your lower back and hips. A yoga-style downward dog will lengthen your spine, hamstrings, and calf muscles. Moving your arms through big circles, both clockwise and counterclockwise, will open up your shoulder girdles and lengthen the muscles of your rotator cuffs.

Regardless of the method you choose, stretching is an important part of your regular exercise activities. The extra few minutes spent either warming up or cooling down will help you maintain your exercise program achieve long-term health and well-being.

Come visit your Orange County Chiropractor! 

¹McHugh MP, Cosgrave CH: To stretch or not to stretch: the role of stretching in injury prevention and performance. Scand J Med Sci Sports 20(2):169-181, 2010

²Morrin N, Redding E: Acute effects of warm-up stretch protocols on balance, vertical jump height, and range of motion in dancers. J Dance Med Sci 17(1):34-40, 2013

³Behm DG, Chaouachi A: A review of the acute effects of static and dynamic stretching on performance. Eur J Appl Physiol 111(11):2633-2651, 2011

Getting Fit at 50 and Beyond!

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What if you used to be really fit and now you're not? What if, as the years have gone by, you've added a couple of pounds here and there, and you suddenly notice you're 30 pounds heavier than you were at your 10th high school reunion? Or, what if you've never enjoyed the idea of exercising, exercise was never part of your world-view, but you're not feeling as good as you'd like to feel and think that exercise might help improve your overall health and sense of well-being?

Many people want to get fit or want to regain a former level of fitness for a variety of considerations, including the above scenarios.^1,2 But most of us need guidance in the process of getting fit. We need information and even instruction on what to do and how to do it. For example, it would be a serious mistake for someone older than 50, and even older than 40, to simply go out and try to run 4 miles if he had never run before. Muscle strains, shin splints, or even a stress fracture of one of the bones in the foot would be a likely and unwanted result. Similarly, going to the gym and trying to "work heavy" would assuredly create various problems for an out-of-shape person who wanted to "get fit" as quickly as possible. The injured tendons and sprained ligaments resulting from trying to rush would set back your hoped-for progress by at least four to six weeks, further delaying achievement of improved health.

The best way to get fit or return to fitness after a long period of inactivity is to start slowly, progress in small increments, and gain an authentic, long-lasting level of fitness over months and years. Being a smart exerciser means not doing too much too soon, in other words, respecting your body's capabilities. Also, smart exercise involves engaging in a blend of activities, usually on alternating days. Persons who only bike or run and persons who only lift weights will never be as healthy and fit as those who do both aerobic activity and strength training.³ Developing a two-week schedule will provide a thorough, balanced fitness program. In week A you do aerobic exercise (walking, running, biking, swimming laps) on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. You do strength training on Tuesday and Thursday. In week B you reverse activities, doing strength training Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and aerobic exercise on Tuesday and Thursday. This alternating pattern ensures you are getting the full benefit of your valuable time spent exercising.

It is important to remember that what works for you, works for you. Each of us needs to find his or her best way forward. Some methods of exercise will be experienced as intuitive and enjoyable. Others will be experienced as the opposite. You probably won't want to continue any of the latter. For example, the exercise program suggested by your friend may not be effective for your physical makeup and may even be harmful. Your chiropractor is an expert in healthy exercise and will be able to recommend fitness activities that will be right for you.

Come visit your Orange County Chiropractor! 

¹Johanssen NM, et al: Categorical analysis of the impact of aerobic and resistance exercise training, alone and in combination, on cardiorespiratory fitness levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: results from the HART-D study. Diabetes Care 2013 July 22 [Epub ahead of print]

²Stanton R, el al: Is cardiovascular or resistance exercise better to treat patients with depression? A narrative review. Issues Ment Health Nurs 34(7):531-538, 2013

³Lorenz D, Reiman M: The role and implementation of eccentric training in athletic rehabilitation: tendinopathy, hamstring strains, and acl reconstruction. Int J Sports Phys Ther 6(1):27-44, 2011

Getting Fit at Fifty and Beyond

Visit your Orange County Chiropractor

What if you used to be really fit and now you're not? What if, as the years have gone by, you've added a couple of pounds here and there, and you suddenly notice you're 30 pounds heavier than you were at your 10th high school reunion? Or, what if you've never enjoyed the idea of exercising, exercise was never part of your world-view, but you're not feeling as good as you'd like to feel and think that exercise might help improve your overall health and sense of well-being?

Many people want to get fit or want to regain a former level of fitness for a variety of considerations, including the above scenarios.^1,2 But most of us need guidance in the process of getting fit. We need information and even instruction on what to do and how to do it. For example, it would be a serious mistake for someone older than 50, and even older than 40, to simply go out and try to run 4 miles if he had never run before. Muscle strains, shin splints, or even a stress fracture of one of the bones in the foot would be a likely and unwanted result. Similarly, going to the gym and trying to "work heavy" would assuredly create various problems for an out-of-shape person who wanted to "get fit" as quickly as possible. The injured tendons and sprained ligaments resulting from trying to rush would set back your hoped-for progress by at least four to six weeks, further delaying achievement of improved health.

The best way to get fit or return to fitness after a long period of inactivity is to start slowly, progress in small increments, and gain an authentic, long-lasting level of fitness over months and years. Being a smart exerciser means not doing too much too soon, in other words, respecting your body's capabilities. Also, smart exercise involves engaging in a blend of activities, usually on alternating days. Persons who only bike or run and persons who only lift weights will never be as healthy and fit as those who do both aerobic activity and strength training.³ Developing a two-week schedule will provide a thorough, balanced fitness program. In week A you do aerobic exercise (walking, running, biking, swimming laps) on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. You do strength training on Tuesday and Thursday. In week B you reverse activities, doing strength training Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and aerobic exercise on Tuesday and Thursday. This alternating pattern ensures you are getting the full benefit of your valuable time spent exercising.

It is important to remember that what works for you, works for you. Each of us needs to find his or her best way forward. Some methods of exercise will be experienced as intuitive and enjoyable. Others will be experienced as the opposite. You probably won't want to continue any of the latter. For example, the exercise program suggested by your friend may not be effective for your physical makeup and may even be harmful. Your chiropractor is an expert in healthy exercise and will be able to recommend fitness activities that will be right for you.

Come visit your Orange County Chiropractor! 

¹Johanssen NM, et al: Categorical analysis of the impact of aerobic and resistance exercise training, alone and in combination, on cardiorespiratory fitness levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: results from the HART-D study. Diabetes Care 2013 July 22 [Epub ahead of print]

²Stanton R, el al: Is cardiovascular or resistance exercise better to treat patients with depression? A narrative review. Issues Ment Health Nurs 34(7):531-538, 2013

³Lorenz D, Reiman M: The role and implementation of eccentric training in athletic rehabilitation: tendinopathy, hamstring strains, and acl reconstruction. Int J Sports Phys Ther 6(1):27-44, 2011

Is 60 the New 40?

"60 is the New 40" is more than a marketing slogan. The phrase is also a metaphor for optimism, as well as a metaphor for good health.

How can 60 really be the new 40? First, there are the demographics. Forty years ago, when today's 40-year-olds were just being born, 40 was a fairly substantial age. In the early 1970s, every 40-year-old had lived through World War II. For the Americans, many of the men fought in the Korean War and some may even have fought in the Vietnam War. In the early 1970s, most women had had their first child by age 25. Today, child-rearing years for adults frequently begin in their 30s and even late into their 40s. Life expectancy in 1970 was approximately to age 71. Today, average life expectancy is to age 79 or 80. Putting everything together, it can reasonably be stated that our "senior years" keep getting pushed further and further back.

"60 is the new 40" means there is plenty of productive life ahead. The phrase implies that, if one is ready, able, and motivated, whole new aspects of living can be explored. Whereas in 1970, 40-year-olds were often beginning to be established in middle-management roles in their white-collar companies, or were becoming shop stewards and supervisors in their factories, today men and women in their 60s are becoming entrepreneurs and launching their own businesses. Backed by a lifetime of experience, people in their 60s are going back to school to get the undergraduate or graduate degree of their dreams, or they're setting up shop for themselves as artists, artisans, or consultants. Regardless of the particular individual choice, the point is that people in their 60s are manifesting the spirit and vision that was previously thought to be the special province of those much younger, specifically, men and women in their 20s and 30s. But it would be a stretch to say that "60 is the new 30", so we'll stick with "60 is the new 40".

But these new activities and endeavors require physical resources and energy.¹ If one is not healthy, 60 may in fact not be the new 40. If one is not enjoying good health, then one's focus is usually primarily directed toward getting well. For 60 to really be the new 40, that is, for one to be fully engaged with family, friends, and work, for one to be focusing on the present and maintaining a positive, expectant attitude toward the future, an optimum state of health is required. Such an optimum varies from person to person. What is needed is for us to be functioning at our optimum. Such maximal functioning is based upon numerous factors, including a healthy, nutritious diet,^2,3 regular vigorous exercise, and consistent, sufficient rest. Putting these lifestyle choices into place and making these elements of healthy living habitual will go far toward helping all of us make our chronological age irrelevant.

Come visit your Orange County Chiropractor! 

¹Caprara M, et al: Active aging promotion: results from the vital aging program. Curr Gerontol Geriatr Res 2013;2013:817813. doi: 10.1155/2013/817813. Epub 2013 Feb 7
²Dickinson JM, et al: Exercise and nutrition to target protein synthesis impairments in aging skeletal muscle. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 2013 Jul 18 [Epub ahead of print]
³Levis S, Lagari VS: The role of diet in osteoporosis prevention and management. Curr Osteoporos Rep 10(4):296-302, 2012

Headaches And What YOU Can Do!

What are the different types of headaches? Vascular Headaches: Produced by irritation and inflammation of the blood vessels of the brain caused by a variety of diseases (fevers, drugs, poisons, toxins, altered pH, nerve irritation, hormone imbalance). Migraine Headaches:a neural-hormonal-vascular phenomenon of disabling proportions caused by a complex interaction between the nervous system, the hormonal system, and the affected vascular segment. Many times preceded by a prodrone or "warning signal" such as nausea, visual or speech disturbance, numbness, or dizziness. Cluster Headaches: Called cluster headaches because the headaches come in groups. Pain generally lasts from 30-45 minutes, but can persist for several hours. Most sufferers experience one to four headaches a day during a cluster period. Cervical Headaches: Pain originates from the neck due to such things as subluxations, muscle spasm and nerve irritation. Tension Headaches: Pain comes from irritated or inflamed soft tissues of the neck and head, primarily muscles, nerve endings and their connective tissues that can develop into trigger point ("knots"). Organic Headaches: Include, sinus headaches, hangover headache, allergy headache, caffeine withdrawal headache, pregnancy headaches, hypertension (high blood pressure) headaches, TMJ (jaw) dysfunction, reading headaches, hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) headaches. May also be due to tumors, brain aneurysm, hematoma, meningitis, brain abscess, etc. Rebound Headaches: Due to the overuse of medications (exceeding label instructions or doctors advice). Precipitates a "rebound" into another headache. This particularly true if your medication contains caffeine.

For headache treatment be sure to come see your Orange County Chiropractor!

Burn Those Holiday Calories--Before You Gain Them!

   While the holidays are a joyous time for most of us, there seems to be that lingering fear in some peoples' minds that it's "The Season for Plumping Up." I recently found twenty pretty cool ways to counter-act this caloric onslaught, so here we go!

   

1. Clean the house for 2 hours; turn on your favorite music and you can probably boost that number by 15% (if you dance while you vacuum, of course).
2. Garden for an hour and a half.
3. Hit the slopes; 65 minutes of just downhill skiing burns 500 calories; you need only 50 minutes of cross country skiing to burn the same.
4. One hour of Zumba burns roughly 500 calories, if you give it your full effort throughout the entire class.
5. Play 55 minutes of racquetball. Grab a partner and you won't even realize that you're working out.
6. One hour and 15 minutes of lawn mowing does the trick. Sorry, riding movers don't provide the same workout.
7. 45 minutes of back to back body weight exercise burns 500 calories.
8. Like horseback riding? An hour and 45 minutes of horseback riding burns 500 calories. Who needs the gym?
9. Two hours and ten minutes of guitar playing (standing) burns 500 calories and turns you into a rock-star.
10. Do 120 minutes of belly dancing. As a bonus, it tones your core.
11. Jump rope for only 42 minutes to burn your caloric goal; it certainly works but do beware of terribly sore calf muscles the next day. Remember to stretch. 
12. Punish a punching bag for 70 minutes. Think of someone who annoys you and swing away.
13. 45 minutes of rugby burns 500 calories.
14. Play a full court basketball game for 50 minutes; the interval type cardio will boost your cardiovascular endurance, and rev your metabolism.
15. 50 minutes of shoveling snow will meet your quota.
16. 40 minutes of martial arts blasts 500 calories, along with reducing stress and increasing focus. Judo, chop! 
17. Do 40 minutes of rock climbing. Wear a helmet!
18. Walk at a moderately brisk pace of 4 mph for 90 minutes.
19. Play volleyball and benefit from all over body toning. To burn 500 calories planning volleyball, you'll need an hour and 45 minutes of play if you're playing in a gym, or 50 minutes if you're playing in the sand.
20. Running at 6 mph (a ten minute mile) for 42 minutes will burn 500 calories.

Now Happy Eating! 

Come visit your Chiropractor in Orange County! 

Why Do This To Yourself?

I had a patient come to the office last week and she had been a patient for about two weeks. When she came in she was a 12, on a pain scale of 1-10, so she was hurting BAD. We adjusted her, told her to ice at home, told her not to exercise or do any lifting.
Withing 5 days, 90% of her pain was gone. She was getting around normally, going shopping, taking the kids to school and cooking. She was back to normal. So when she came in after two weeks of care she asked me, "Hey Doc, why do you still want me to get adjusted when I feel good?" Here's the answer.
When patients begin chiropractic care I frequently recommend up to three visits per week. Sometimes I even see them twice a day, depending on their condition, their pain level, etc.
So a lot of times patients as me how i arrive at their visit schedule, since their MD never asks them to come back that frequently.
What you have to remember is you are doing the healing, not me, and everyone responds differently. Predicting the best course of care is a combination of three things: education, experience, and keen observation skills, not symptoms.
When I administer a chiropractic adjustment i apply a specific force, at a specific location, in a specific direction to assist your body in "righting" and "aligning" itself.
I try and supply energy at the right time and the right place, so your body can use it the most effective way possible.
Frequently visits at the beginning of your care, creates the repetition needed to establish a healthier spinal pattern. If you're told from your early years to brush your teeth at least three times a day, you don't question that do you? You might not do it, but you know it's the best thing to do for a healthy mouth and teeth.
For most new patients, three times a week seems to produce the best results in the shortest amount of time.
If doesn't mean you're aligned, it just means you don't have the symptoms you came to the office with originally. Staying healthy is staying aligned.
Come visit your Orange County Chiropractor!

The Right Conditons Can Make You Really Tired and Sick!

Are you worried about getting a cold? How about being around someone with a cold? Are you worried someone's germs MIGHT make you SICK? How can some people go from one cold to the next, seemingly getting all the bugs and germs that "go around" and other people never do?
Good Questions Huh?
Well here's what you need to think about if you're worried about "catching" someone's germs and getting SICK.
D.D. Palmer, the founder of chiropractic, was prompted to ask these same questions back in 1895!
People for some reason are afraid of "germs."
But let me just say this. Germs are a lot like SEEDS. They have to be planted in fertile soil. Ever try to start a lawn or plant garden without fertile soil? It won't happen. As you know, the conditions have to be just right! Same with germs manifesting into diseases in your body. If you're not getting adjusted and you have pinched nerves, whatever those nerves go to are not going ot be functioning at 100%.
Here's what I normally find when I'm with a new patient. When i question the patient, I find out that a common factor is a depressed immune system, and that their malfunctioning nervous system is affecting the functioning of their immune system.
That's BAD!
Their immune system has been weakened by a compromised (misaligned)nervous system. Their stomach, lungs, nose, ears, and throat become the perfect "soil" for viruses, microbes and other bugs. So what can you do? Restore the integrity of the nervous system by staying in alignment. Adjustments given on a regular basis--help patients just like you--enjoy better health, a longer life, and you can do the same things. Make sure you don't go long periods of time without being "checked".
Come visit your Chiropractor in Orange County!

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall!

Here's a quick question for you.
Why does your body LIKE getting adjusted?
Well let me just give you behind the scenes summary
Your body performs trillions of tasks each day...without any conscious input from you. That's a good thing.
Now one thing it does rather well is replacing your old cells with brand new ones.

Here's an example

You get a new stomach lining every 5 days...and then you get new skin every 28 days...(I wonder why I look so good every time I look in the mirror)...a new liver every 6 weeks-and so on and so on.
So your body is in a state of constant renewal.
Read this: in the course of every hour, your body produced one trillion new cells. That's a lot of cells in a short amount of time. This process allows your body to repair itself, constructing a whole new you.
It's in this renewal time that the power of what we do here in this office (called chiropractic care) is magnified.

How?

Your body looks to its current pattern and structure to guide the placement of new cells. Regular chiropractic helps "reduce" unhealthy structures.
As new cells replace old cells they do so using the healthier pattern that your body PROGRAMS into the process. This is the nature of healing. Your body is really smart, and when you remove the interference, it really works at its best. That's exactly what "wellness" and "chiropractic" are all about: working with your body to achieve the best "you" possible!
Come visit your Orange county chiropractor!

ADHD Helped With Chiropractic, A Case Study

In October 2004 issue of the perr-reviews research publication, the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT), comes a case study of a child with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), who was helped with chiropractic.

The case of a 5 year old boy who had been diagnosed with ADHD at age 2. The child's pediatrician prescribed methylphenidate (Ritalin), Adderall, and Haldol for the next 3 years. The combination of drugs was unsuccessful in helping the child. At age 5 the child was brought to a chiropractor to see if chiropractic care would help. The history taken at that time noted that during the child's birth, there were complications during the delivery process. The results of this trauma and complications resulted in a 4-day stay in the neonatal intensive care unit. The child's mother reported no other incidence of trauma.

The chiropractic examination and x-rays showed noticeable spinal distortion including a reversal of the normal curve indicative of subluxations. Chiropractic care was begun and the child;s progress was monitored. According to his other, positive changes in her son's general behavior were noticed around the 12th visit. By the 27th visit the patient had experienced considerable improvement.

The child was brought by the mother to the medical doctor for a follow up visit and questioned the usage of the Ritalin. The medical doctor reviewed and examined the child and based on that assessment and his clinical experience, the MD felt that the young boy was no longer exhibiting symptoms associated with ADHD. He took the boy off the medications that he had been taking for 3 years.

The conclusion of the author of the JMPT case study noted, "The patient experienced significant reduction in symptoms. Additionally, the medical doctor concluded that the reduction in symptoms was significant enough to discontinue the medication"

Gaining Weight?

There are definitely some major advantages to night shift work schedules, affectionately known as the "graveyard" shift.

On the other hand, there are disadvantages as well. The "laid back" atmosphere and the fact that many who work nights naturally have a reduced workload, making boredom somewhat commonplace. And what do lots of folks who are bored do? Why they eat of course! And then what happens? Well...They gain weight! How much depends on a number of variables such as exercise, diet, and sleep.

Most people have regular sleeping and eating patterns that keep pace with their circadian rhythms-our natural 24-hour body clock, When a person becomes a night-shift worker, their sleeping and eating cycles are disrupted. In addition, because many experience more sleeping disorders and digestive problems than their day-shift counterparts, many easily gain 20-30 pounds once they start working nights.

One reason for this is the vending machine. Rather than bringing home-prepared meals to eat at work or eating in restaurants that offer healthy choices, many become vending machine junkies, a less-than-nutritious diet that adds on weight...and quickly!

Yet you can eat healthy working nights IF you keep in mind the following:

Never skup a meal and adjust your meal schedule to match you "day" meal routine as soon as you begin to work the night shift.

Make sure you don't ear a large meal at the end of your shift, just as you are winding down to go to sleep. It will not digest properly and you will not have time to "work it off" prior to sleeping; this contributes to weight gain.

Avoid vending machine snacking and eat at least one well-balanced meal during your shift.

Avoid sugar and caffeine, which may keep you awake and wreak havoc with your sleep cycles later in your "day".

And if you're working late, schedule an early appointment at the chiropractic office. We're here to help and it's important that you get your regular adjustments. Plus you'll sleep like a baby following your adjustment.

Dr. G's Pop Quiz

If you've been a patient at this office for some time, you already know that 1)we care 2)chiropractic care is different from traditional health care 3)we like patients to interact with all the staff. If you haven't, let me share something with you.

Our Motto:We depend upon patients like you to spread the word about our chiropractic office and its effectiveness. We want you happy, we want you healthy, and we want you telling people about us. When you're healthier, you should want to tell people about this clinic in case they need to call us like you did.

Q. Do you understand what makes chiropractic different (and effective)? Answer these questions to test your knowledge. Let me know how you did:

1.The primary focus of my type of chiropractic care is to?
a.make your eyes clearer
b.Improve the vitality of your nervous system so it functions at optimal rates
c.To get your pain taken care of permanently
d.Get you knowledgeable about almost everything you can think of

2. Subluxations in your spine will and can cause:
a. Eating or drinking to excess with huge weight gains
b. Nervous system impairment
c. Pain, muscle spasm, or even over-excitement
d. Sleepless nights

3.Chiropractic can help so many different health problems because?
a.It's magic that only a chiropractor can do
b.The nervous system controls, coordinates, and regulates everything in your body
c.Only a chiropractor can adjust you and get you aligned

Come visit your Orange County Chiropractor!

Warning Signs!

With gas prices through the roof, everyone hates to see that low fuel light come on!

As bad at the low fuel light is, it really is pivotal. It is a symptom of a low tank and a WARNING that unless you do something about it you will be "hoofing" it soon!

When it comes to health, pain or other symptoms are just the same. Symptoms are warnings! A "low health" light if you will.

Unfortunately, many people look for the quickest way to cover up the symptom and then move along. They ignore the warning and think that if the symptom is gone then the problem is gone. NOT TRUE. It would be no different than putting tape over the low fuel light and then just keep driving. It is no wonder that so many people are sick and suffering.

Chiropractic addresses the cause, not the symptom!

Come visit your Orange County Chiropractor!

Who is Dr. W. Edwards Deming?

"Who is Dr. W. Edwards Deming," you ask? And why should we care? In the U.S., Deming is not very well known, but in other ares of the world, Europe and Asia especially, he is almost a household name. He was an economist who taught a common sense approach to economic dealings. After WWII when the Japanese economy wasn't doing so well, Deming almost single-handedly transformed the way they did business with his ideas. One of this more famous quotes is: "94% of failure is a result of the system, not the individual." Now why is this important to you and me? It's simple, really. You see, today we have what we refer to as a "healthcare system." Actually, it would be better to refer to as a "sick care system." Think about it. How often do we go to a doctor or a hospital to care for out health? We are usually there to have them care for our sickness. If we look at the cold, hard facts, we are not doing so well as a "healthcare system." In fact, if we look at some of the more advanced countries in the world, we are getting sicker by the day. The United States, for instance, is ranked by the World Health Organization as the thirty fourth healthiest country. Thirty fourth! Your jaw should be hitting the floor right now. Consider a country that spends more on "healthcare" every year than the entire gross domestic product of most countries, and it seems that U.S. should rate at least in the top ten! The pharmaceutical industry is the fourth largest industry that has ever existed. Do we really need that much "Big Pharma?"r Consider for a moment that it isn't the individuals who are stupid here. Could it be that out failure it a result of the system? Enter chiropractic, a different way of thinking about health and sickness. Chiropractic is based on the idea that, if we truely take care of our health, it becomes almost impossible to have sickness. Our bodies were designed as the most magnificent machines to ever grace the planet earth. And when out nervous system is functioning properly, i.e. through regular chiropractic adjustments, then much of the sickness we incur will simply disappear, as if by magic. Just some food for thought! Come visit your Orange County Chiropractor!

Warning Signs!

With gas prices through the roof, everyone hates to see that low fuel light come on!

As bad at the low fuel light is, it really is pivotal. It is a symptom of a low tank and a WARNING that unless you do something about it you will be "hoofing" it soon!

When it comes to health, pain or other symptoms are just the same. Symptoms are warnings! A "low health" light if you will.

Unfortunately, many people look for the quickest way to cover up the symptom and then move along. They ignore the warning and think that if the symptom is gone then the problem is gone. NOT TRUE. It would be no different than putting tape over the low fuel light and then just keep driving. It is no wonder that so many people are sick and suffering.

Chiropractic addresses the cause, not the symtom!

Come visit your Orange County Chiropractor!

Who is Dr. W. Edwards Deming?

"Who is Dr. W. Edwards Deming," you ask? And why should we care? In the U.S., Deming is not very well known, but in other ares of the world, Europe and Asia especially, he is almost a household name. He was an economist who taught a common sense approach to economic dealings.

After WWII when the Japanese economy wasn't doing so well, Deming almost single-handedly transformed the way they did business with his ideas. One of this more famous quotes is:

"94% of failure is a result of the system, not the individual."

Now why is this important to you and me? It's simple, really. You see, today we have what we refer to as a "healthcare system." Actually, it would be better to refer to as a "sick care system." Think about it. How often do we go to a doctor or a hospital to care for out health? We are usually there to have them care for our sickness.

If we look at the cold, hard facts, we are not doing so well as a "healthcare system." In fact, if we look at some of the more advanced countries in the world, we are getting sicker by the day. The United States, for instance, is ranked by the World Health Organization as the thirty fourth healthiest country. Thirty fourth! Your jaw should be hitting the floor right now. Consider a country that spends more on "healthcare" every year than the entire gross domestic product of most countries, and it seems that U.S. should rate at least in the top ten! The pharmaceutical industry is the fourth largest industry that has ever existed. Do we really need that much "Big Pharma?"r

Consider for a moment that it isn't the individuals who are stupid here. Could it be that out failure it a result of the system?

Enter chiropractic, a different way of thinking about health and sickness. Chiropractic is based on the idea that, if we truely take care of our health, it becomes almost impossible to have sickness. Our bodies were designed as the most magnificent machines to ever grace the planet earth. And when out nervous system is functioning properly, i.e. through regular chiropractic adjustments, then much of the sickness we incur will simply disappear, as if by magic.

Just some food for thought!

Come visit your Orange County Chiropractor!

COULD YOU HAVE "TEXT NECK"?

Move over, "BlackBerry Thumb". There's a new tech-induced health hazard in town--"text neck" or "iNeck pain".

A term coined by U.S. chirpractors Dr. Dean L. Fishman, "Text Neck" refers to an overuse syndrome or a repetitive stress injury, where you have your head hung forward and down looking at your mobile electronic device for extended periods of time.
Indeed, as mobile technology becomes more widespread,, people are spending more an more time with handheld devices like smartphones, e-readers, and computer tablets. And "Text Neck", which can potentially affect millions worldwide, is a growing health concern.

Symptoms of "Text Neck"

When users are stuck in the unnatural posture of looking down for a prolonged period od time, it can lead to tightness across the shoulders, soreness in the neck and even chronic headaches.

That's because the more you crane your neck, the more weight it has to carry.

Dr. Tan Kian Hian, director at the Pain Management Center and consultant at the Department of Anaesthesiology, Singapore General Hospital (SGH), explains: "When you lean your head forward away from its natural position--when the ears and shoulders are aligned--by an inch, the weight of your head dramatically increases."

If left untreated, a "text neck" can lead to the inflammation of the neck muscles, ligaments and nerves, permanent arthritic damage, as well as increased curvature in the spine. Tan adds: "This is very prevalent in our new generation of young adults who are constantly "connected" to their mobile devices, even while walking.

When your body is sending you a message

The good news is that there are ways to alleviate your muscular pain and discomfort before your condition gets worse.

Tan says: "It is possible to feel better just by making some changes to your daily posture and your lifestyle."

Here's what you can do:

Take frequent breaks: A "Text Neck" is a repetitive stress injury--it can be easily prevented by taking breaks from your mobile device every 15 minutes, looking up and bringing the neck back into the neutral position. Alternatively, hold your mobile device higher so that it's aligned with your eyes and your neck muscles are not so taxed.

Embrace posture-focused exercises: So exercises like yoga and Pilates, which focus your attention on attaining the right posture. You will become more aware of the way you use your mobile devices in that way.

When your iNeck pain has become too severe

Patients should seek professional attention if the above measures do not work. They may require a complete chiropractic examination and if necessary, some investigations to fin out what is wrong with their neck.
If there are no contraindications, chiropractic and holistic methods can be very effective in treating these problems. In some patients, the degeneration may be severe and lead to compression of nerves in the neck. This may result in "nerve pain" which will require further investigations and specialized treatment.

120 Day Makeover!!

Your body's cells and tissues are constantly undergoing replacement, remodeling, and makeovers. For example, your red blood cells - the cells that carry oxygen from your lungs to every other part of your body - replace themselves every 120 days. Other cells with such a high rate of turnover include the cells lining your gastrointestinal tract - stomach, small, and large intestine - and hair cells.

Ultimately all of your body's cells die and are replaced. What this means is that the "new you" doesn't have to be the same as the "old you." As you get healthier - eat more nutritious foods, exercise regularly, and get sufficient restful sleep - your new replacement cells also become stronger, fitter, and healthier.

For most people, chiropractic care is an essential ingredient in becoming healthier. Chiropractic care helps improve the functioning of your nerve system, which in turn helps every system of your body function more effectively and efficiently. With respect to health and well-being, chiropractic care helps your desire for a "new reality" become a reality