Your Own Personal Trainer

Back in the day, there were no personal trainers. If you needed to learn how to exercise, you got a subscription to one of a few well-known "muscle magazines" and read several issues from cover to cover. Then you joined a "Y" and began to discreetly observe what was going in the weight room, trying to match up what you had read in the magazine with what you were seeing in the gym. Eventually, you put together a series of exercises, sets, and reps that worked for you. Back then, any strength training program you developed would be strictly based on a seat-of-the-pants approach. You learned by trial and error.

Today there is a vast body of scientific literature focused on the various benefits of numerous forms and types of exercise.¹However, scientific studies are not good at evaluating the how-to's of getting fit. Fortunately many informal resources are available, all intended to point you in the right direction. But not all of these resources are accurate or trustworthy, and the challenge is to identify a set of basic principles that will be applicable to your specific situation.

Firstly, before getting started you need to make sure that it's OK to actually get started. Let your  doctor (your family chiropractor, family physician, or internist) know what you're planning to do and have her tell you what you need to watch out for, if anything. Next, you need to make a commitment. Consistency is the key to deriving lasting value from exercise. Additionally, irregular exercise sessions will often lead to injury. If you're serious about getting fit, then make a commitment to yourself to participate in a 12-week program. At the end of 12 weeks, you'll evaluate how you feel, what you've accomplished, and whether you want to keep going. 

In terms of strength training (that is, weight lifting), three sessions per week is ideal. By doing "split routines" you can exercise all the major muscle groups each week. On one day you'll do exercises for the chest and back. Another day you'll do exercises for the legs. On the third day you'll focus on the shoulders, biceps, and triceps. This set of split routines will produce optimal results for many people.

Importantly, you'll be doing chest and triceps (and back and biceps) on different days, thus avoiding the potential for overwork and injury. But you may find that an alternate set of split routines works best for you. The key is to start slowly and build up strength gradually. Once you have some experience and an improved level of fitness, you may branch out and vary your basic routine, experimenting and seeing what works best for you. In terms of sets and repetitions (reps), three sets per exercise and eight to 12 repetitions per set represent the classical, tried and true method of getting fit and making gradual strength gains over time. For any strength training exercise, start with a weight at which you can do eight repetitions comfortably. This should be neither too easy, nor too difficult. Of course, it's far better to err on the side of caution. You never want to do too much too soon.

As you go along in your fitness program, you'll add core exercise routines² and aerobics exercise such as walking, swimming, biking, and running. If you work out slowly and gradually and maintain consistency, you'll have a great deal of fun and gain substantially improved levels of health and well-being.³

Come visit our Chiropractic office in Orange County, California! 

¹Storer TW, et al: Effect of supervised, periodized exercise training vs. self-directed training on lean body mass and other fitness variables in health club members. J Strength Cond Res 28(7):1995-2006, 2014
²Kahle N, Tevald MA: Core muscle strengthening's improvement of balance performance in community-dwelling older adults: a pilot study. J Aging Phys Act 22(1):65-73, 2014
³Huffman KM, et al: Metabolite signatures of exercise training in human skeletal muscle relate to mitochondrial remodelling and cardiometabolic fitness. Diabetologia 2014 Aug 5. [Epub ahead of print]

How Often Do You Celebrate This?

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It is no secret that I love babies. Watching my daughter, Melika, growing up has been amazing. They're very precious and they can make anyone smile. But let's change gears for a minute. What I'm going to tell you today in this little handout is something you already know, but you make have forgotten about.

You know that your body performs trillions of tasks each and every day, without any conscious input from you. It's automatic. Babies do it, and seniors do it, so it's not something new. I mean you're not sitting around your house, or driving the car and monitoring your blood pressure, or your heart beat, or even how many times you're blinking your eyes. It's just automatic. And it's a good thing it is automatic. Can you imagine trying to monitor a baby's heart rate, or bowel movements the first five years of their life? No way right?

Well one thing is automatic for everyone, including baby's is replacing old cells with new ones. Again you don't sit around and think about how many cells you need to replace or when. Again this process is all automatic.

I've said this before, but I'm going to have to tell you again. You get a new stomach lining every 5 days, which is phenomenal, you get new skin every 28 days and some of us need it, you get a new liver every 6 weeks-so your body is in a state of constant renewal, and therefore there are a lot of things going on that you don't even know about. In the course of every hour, your body produces one trillion new cells. That's a lot of cells. This ongoing process allows your body to repair itself, constructing a whole new you fairly often. This is when the power of chiropractic care is magnified. What do I mean?

Your body looks to its current "pattern" and "structure" to guide the placement of new cells. So what does all of this have to do with your adjustments? Well that's simple. Regular chiropractic care helps reduce unhealthy structures. As new cells replace old cells (and remember this is happening right now) they do so using the healthier pattern that is programmed into your brain and nervous system. This is the nature of healing and why I stress keeping your spine aligned and free of interference. We are here to work with your body to achieve the best possible YOU! So celebrate the fact that you're adjusted and that your body is functioning better. It really is something you should celebrate.

Gluten Freedom

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The concept of the value and benefit of gluten-free food has been gaining momentum for the last 10 years. Discussion related to gluten-free diets goes back to the mid-1950s, but those peer-reviewed articles were primarily focused on the treatment of celiac disease and related gastrointestinal disorders. Today gluten-free diets are being adopted as an overall health-promoting measure by broad segments of the population. Is this trend merely a fad or are there actual advantages for the average person in cutting down on gluten intake?

Gluten is a structural protein found in wheat that provides a glue-like property and helps dough stick together. Gluten-containing wheat works best for bread making, and a few thousand years ago gluten-containing wheat became the standard wheat crop. Similarly, the protein in barley and rye is predominantly gluten. Researchers posit that tens of thousands of years ago our digestive systems were optimized genetically to process a diverse diet of grains. But a modern diet is mostly composed of uniform, gluten-containing grains. Our digestive systems were not designed to process such a heavy load of gluten, and the result is the development of a range of gluten-sensitivity disorders and autoimmune diseases.¹

Gluten sensitivity has been proposed as a culprit in numerous conditions, including autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and infertility.^2,3 The link to such conditions is not clearly understood, but case reports identifying gluten sensitivity as a causal factor have appeared in numerous professional journals for more than 10 years.

For children, adolescents, and adults with such disorders, it may be appropriate to adopt a gluten-free diet to eliminate a potential source of tissue inflammation. Other persons with various nonspecific digestive complaints may also benefit from a gluten-free nutrition plan. For example, if you experience frequent, or even periodic, upset stomachs or other gastrointestinal problems, consumption of gluten may be part of the clinical scenario. Two months on a gluten-free food plan should be sufficient to determine whether gluten protein is a contributing factor to such complaints.

Going gluten-free takes a lot of dedication, time, and effort. The first step is to learn which foods in your diet contain gluten. As noted, wheat, barley, and rye are primary sources of gluten protein. Quinoa, teff, buckwheat, millet, and amaranth are gluten-free replacements for gluten-containing grains. It's important to bear in mind that many foods contain wheat and represent hidden sources of gluten, including beer, potato chips, brown rice sugar, soy sauce, and processed food such as deli meats, frozen burgers, and bread crumbs. Being gluten-free requires diligence, but the payoff may be substantial in terms of overall health and well-being.

¹Sapone A, et al: Spectrum of gluten-related disorders: consensus on new nomenclature and classification. BMC Med. 2012 Feb 7;10:13. doi: 10.1186/1741-7015-10-13
²Isasi C, et al: Fibromyalgia and non-celiac gluten sensitivity: a description with remission of fibromyalgia. Rheumatol Int 2014 Apr 12. [Epub ahead of print]
³Herfarth HH, et al: Prevalence of a gluten-free diet and improvement of clinical symptoms in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. Inflamm Bowel Dis 20(7):1194-7, 2014

Frozen Shoulder

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Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a malady that affects 2-3% of the population. Often the main indicator is initial pain in the joint and decreased mobility. Frozen shoulder can affect people of any age from children to adulthood, but is most commonly diagnosed in people ranging from 40 - 70 years of age, predominantly women.

The shoulder joint itself is called a ball and socket joint. Ligaments, tendons and muscles work together to provide support, strength and the wide range of motion that enables us to move our arms and hands in a variety of positions in order to complete tasks. All the functions of the shoulder can be compromised by underlying inflammatory diseases and misuse. The specific causes of frozen shoulder perplex are varied and largely still unknown, but onset begins with initial pain, followed by restriction in mobility and finally recovery.

Frozen shoulder can often be referred to as insidious in nature. The symptoms and development of the disorder are slow and can take up to a year or two to set in. Often patients will experience pain that will increase over time. As chemical changes take place in the shoulder joint, thick strands of tissue called adhesions form and begin to restrict mobility. The lubricating synovial capsule in the shoulder joint thickens and provides less lubrication. By the time the sufferer begins to notice a significant issue in lack of mobility, the disorder has set in and requires treatment. 

The good news is that although the causes of frozen shoulder are varied, treatment is straight forward and the disorder can be resolved. Often clinicians, including our experienced and caring staff, can provide the correct manipulation and physiotherapy to help you regain mobility and resolve the disorder. Contact our office so we can address your condition immediately. 

Causes of Frozen Shoulder
Adhesive capsulitis (Frozen Shoulder) can be attributed to misuse and injury, myocardial infarction, upper torso surgery, such as arm and shoulder surgery or mastectomy, and even lack of use. When the shoulder joint goes unused and remains in the same position for long periods of time, such as when a patient is placed in a sling or unable to use their arm, the joint tightens and mobility is decreased. An autoimmune response in the area may cause the joint to stiffen and restrict the joint causing the initial pain. When the initial pain is not addressed, the inflammatory nature of the disorder will progress and adhesions form in the joint further restricting mobility and increasing the level of pain.

Frozen Shoulder Due to Systemic Disorders
A large population of patients who suffer from systemic diseases may be more likely to develop frozen shoulder. These systemic diseases include those who suffer from thyroid disorders such as hyperthyroid and hypothyroid, both overactive and underactive thyroid function. Other diseases include diabetes, cardiovascular disease, tuberculosis and Parkinson's Disease. Frozen shoulder treatment related to these diseases is paramount and the importance of early diagnosis followed by early manipulation and treatment are necessary, because more drastic treatments are often times not an option. Our chiropractic staff are experts in diagnosing and treating the issue to help resolve your pain and regain your range of motion, so you may return to a normal routine.

Frozen Shoulder in Surgical Patients
Patients who have recently gone through shoulder surgery such as rotator cuff repair or repair to the labrum, one of the many tendons in the shoulder, may experience frozen shoulder. Patients who have had recent mastectomy or cardiovascular surgery are at risk, as well. The reason they are more susceptible to the disorder is lack of use of the shoulder. When the shoulder remains in the same position for a prolonged period of time, the joint stiffens and the pain sets in.

Once the surgical site heals sufficiently, physiotherapy and chiropractic manipulation are highly recommended to help return range of motion to the joint and reduce pain. Our office can develop a program for you that will reduce the pain and increase the range of motion over a healthy period so you can return to a normal schedule in you life.

Chiropractic Treatment of Frozen Shoulder
Chiropractic therapy for frozen shoulder can produce the results you need and resolve your frozen shoulder. Our staff will evaluate your baseline range of motion and pain level to develop a plan tailored to you. In-office physiotherapy coupled with exercise you may do at home will address and increase your range of motion. It will also build the muscle to prevent muscular atrophy or the shrinkage of important muscles in the shoulder. Coupled with treatment for inflammation in the joint space, patients can see improvement over a period of time and resolution of the disorder.
Hard work is the key. Failure to work on stretching in the office as well as at home can delay the recovery process. Trust our staff to direct you along the path to recovery.

Sources:
http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/related-conditions/frozen-shoulder.html
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/frozen-shoulder/DS00416/DSECTION=risk-factors http://www.aafp.org/afp/990401ap/1843.html http://www.healthgrouponline.com/frozenshoulder.html

What You Need to Know About Sciatica

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I am not sure if you're back has ever hurt, but if it has or it does currently, you need to read this. The term "sciatica" describes the symptoms of leg pain and possibly tingling, numbness or weakness that usually originates in your lower back and travels down through your buttocks and down the LARGE sciatic nerve in the back of your leg.

If you've ever had this type of pain, you know that it's something you want to get rid of as fast as possible.

Sciatica (pronounced sigh-at-ih-kah) is not a medical diagnosis in and of itself - it is a symptom of an underlying medical condition.

Sciatica is often characterized by one of more of the following symptoms:

• Constant pain in only one side of the buttock or leg (rarely can occur in both legs)
• Pain that is worse when sitting
• Burning or tingling down the leg (vs. a dull ache)
• Weakness, numbness or difficulty moving the leg or foot
• A constant pain on one side of the rear
• A sharp pain that may make it difficult to stand up of to walk

Sciatic pain can vary from infrequent and irritating to constant and incapacitating. These are symptoms of an underlying situation in your body and the longer you let them go or cover them with aspirin or some other drugs, the worse the problem will become.

Specific sciatica symptoms also vary widely in type, location, and severity, depending upon the condition causing your sciatica (such as a lumbar herniated disc). If you have had or do have symptoms currently make sure you call the office immediately. 

Cause and Effect

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Hi!

Think about this.

When we get sick or experience aches and pains, it's tempting to look for causes outside ourselves.

Convenient Culprits:

Bad luck. Like accidents or being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Germs. Blaming illness on germs overlooks one critical ingredient--being a hospitable host!

Genetics. The new fall guy is "bad genes." Yet, research shows that gene expression is a reaction to our environment.

We live in a world of cause and effect.

Every Symptom Has a Cause

It's tempting to look to outside causes, but many health problems are the result of our own choices, beliefs, and habits. Sometimes the effects can take decades to appear.

FACT: Bad Health is the "result" of your body's inability to accommodate physical, chemical, or emotional stress.

Similarly, if you not only want to feel good, but have good health results, this happens when your body works the way it was designed to get. Get checked!

Chiropractic Care as a Secret Ingredient

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Orange County Chiropractor

Your body, your physical self, is a deeply complex structure, and as a result is exquisitely sensitive to changes in initial conditions. For example, eating high-calorie fast food on a regular basis may lead, not only to weight gain and possible blood sugar problems, but also to problems such as autoimmune disorders including asthma and celiac disease.

To guard against such problems, we need to pay attention to the "triangle of life." Importantly, the smooth functioning of the triangle of life takes for granted that all your body's different systems can work together accurately and efficiently. Regular chiropractic care is the secret ingredient in this process. By restoring spinal alignment and removing nerve interference, regular chiropractic care helps you get the most out of your exercise, nutrition, and rest, so that you can achieve your highest levels of health and well-being.