Natural Solutions and Your Diet

     Eating tasty foods is one of the life’s pleasures.  But the fact is the foods that you eat play a major role in your health.  Your body has the amazing ability to turn the foods you eat into the energy it needs to move muscles, regulate organs, power the brain and aid in healing.

     Unfortunately, the food you eat can also play a major role in common diseases and disrupt the natural healing process.  Many of today’s convenience foods can place unnatural demands on your body slowing you’re healing process and depriving your body of essential nutrients, which often leads to potentially deadly diseases.

     Eating well means eating a variety of foods everyday.  But it also means eating regularly and avoiding excess Kevorkian foods, such as Pre-Packaged Convenience Foods, High Fat Lunch Meats, Lobster (anthropoid), Margarine (hydrogenated oil), NutraSweet (methanol alcohol), Junk Food, Olestra (fat free chips), High Fat Dairy Products, Chlorine (water), Caffeine Products and Alcohol.

     The fact is, learning to eat well may take time.  Many people have been “trained” to enjoy sweet, salty, and fattening food.  All this processed food can taste great, but its difficult for the body to process and contains very little nutritional value.  The good part is you don’t have to give up all your favorite foods at once.  Try subtle changes and you will find that over time, each change has become a lasting healthy habit. Healthy food choices include Fruits, veggies, Fish, Chicken, and Turkey intake less fat; Also 8-10 glasses of water per day.

     While food does play a major role in a healthy lifestyle, numerous factors contribute to overall health.  When your body works overtime, it depletes many vitamins and minerals that each cell needs to function properly.  Because of this, a supplement is often required. Chiropractic also enhances all body functions, such as digestion and absorption.

For more information on nutrition or ways to live a healthier life style call us at 702-920-6556 or email us at unlimitedwellness@gmail.com

Chiropractic Care For Back Pain Relief

JULY 18, 2013, 12:01 AM

Alternatives for Back Pain Relief

By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

This column appears in the July 21 issue of The New York Times Magazine.

If you have never suffered from lingering low back pain, you’re lucky or, more likely, young. Up to 80 percent of us will experience low back pain at some point. And for most, there won’t be an identifiable cause.

In the past 10 years, the most popular nonsurgical medical treatment for “chronic, nonspecific” low back pain has been injection therapy, or shots into the lower back of various substances — usually cortisone but also liquid ibuprofen, morphine and vitamin B12. Doctors have been turning to injection therapy at a “disproportionately escalating rate,” according to an overview of back-pain treatments by a team led by Dr. Janna Friedly, a back specialist and an assistant professor of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle, because it’s relatively easy to administer, less invasive than surgery, can provide some pain relief for a few weeks for some people and is profitable for physicians.

But the benefits do not last, the latest science shows. In a commentary published in May in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers from the Netherlands point out that there is almost no evidence that the shots ease most people’s pain long term, even after multiple injections. Other recent studies have concluded that injections also do not significantly reduce the likelihood of back surgery later. And in a particularly sobering study published in February, researchers found, to their surprise, that a small group of subjects with pinched nerves in their backs showed less improvement after injection therapy than a control group during a four-year follow-up period. Based on the available data, the JAMA authors conclude, doctors “should not” recommend injection therapy to their patients with chronic low back pain.

The lack of other options that can be administered in a doctor’s office, however, is frustrating to physicians and their patients, says Dr. Friedly. Doctors “want to be able to do something,” she says. But it may be that in their desire to treat back pain, doctors are compounding the problem and creating a disease state where none may exist. “I think we’ve begun pathologizing pain,” she says.

Since most adults develop an aching back at some point, Dr. Friedly says, it shouldn’t always be viewed as an abnormal condition that requires costly medical care. Having some back pain can be a normal aspect of aging that should be met with acknowledgment, patience and, even more important, a change in lifestyle, particularly exercising more.

According to a study published in March, a simple walking program can help adults strengthen their aching backs as much as a more complicated series of back exercises. A comprehensive review published in May in The Clinical Journal of Pain finds that there is “strong evidence for short-term effectiveness” of yoga against back pain, although whether the benefits last beyond a year is less certain. Other experiments have found that Pilates, stretching classes, acupuncture and stationary bicycling each provide some people with some pain relief, although in head-to-head studies, no one of those options is superior to the others.

And perhaps all of them work, to some degree, simply by distracting people. In a 2012 Japanese study, when adults suffering from chronic back pain visited an amusement park, their self-reports of pain dropped significantly, only to climb again as soon as the trip ended.

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A note from Dr. John Florendo

Chiropractic care is an organic approach to the cause of the pain. All nerves originate at the spine and exit off the cord through foramen or tunnels formed by the spinal column vertebra. A vertebra misaligned to a millimeter can occlude the foramen and cause nerve irritation and disrupt normal messages from the brain to the body. This is a subluxation. Get checked for subluxations regularly to stay healthy.

Special Report: What Is An Adjustment?

What is a Chiropractic Adjustment?

            The chiropractic adjustment is a gentle, yet dynamic thrust applied to a particular spinal joint in such a way as to generate movement in a specific direction. Chiropractic adjustments restore proper mechanics of the spine, which enhances joint function, corrects specific joint problems, and prevents injury due to improper spinal dynamics. This facet of chiropractic care principally affects problems that are musculoskeletal in nature. Because of the relationship between spinal nerves and organ function, the removal of nerve interference by the correction of spinal fixations and subluxations is thought to enhance many other areas of general health as well.

How many adjustments will I need?

            Applied repeatedly over a period of time, spinal adjustments can help restore mobility to even the most chronic spinal fixations. Deep-rooted fixations that have existed for several years typically require months of care. Fixations of lesser duration and severity respond in less time. A recent, mild fixation will often respond in as little as one treatment. Condition never really goes away-only the symptoms do. As long as the spinal malfunction continues to exist to some extend, it may undermine body function and health and may ultimately cause symptoms once again. The best way to prevent recurrence is to continue care until an appropriate correction has been made.

            Sometimes after progressive degeneration of spinal joints has begun, certain conditions cannot be totally corrected. Yet chiropractic treatment can improve function and relieve discomfort if administered regularly.

How often will I need to see my Chiropractor?

            It is important to remember that spinal fixation is an on going process. The chiropractor's recommendation for treatment is based on the specific nature and history of the condition in each case. Chronic, long term fixations and subluxations may require intensive care for a number of weeks, followed by a gradually diminishing frequency of care to encourage the changes that are desired. Acute, painful conditions need to be handled in stages. Most often, the pain and inflammation of injury must first be treated with ice and other physiotherapy for a period of time before attempts can be made to correct the spinal malfunction responsible for the condition. Such acute case management is typically carried out on a daily basis at first until the symptoms subside and adjustments can be administered several times a week 

Weight and Fit of Backpacks

S.O.S Save Our Students….

From Their Backpacks 

      Some Backpack Facts:

-  The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that more than 3,300 children aged 5 to 14 were treated in emergency rooms last year for injuries related to book bags.

-  An Auburn University study shows heavy backpacks may be a serious threat to spinal development.  In their survey sample, the average pack was 17%of the child’s body weight.  This is the equivalent of a 150 lb. adult carrying a 26 lb. pack.  67.2% of the children studied suffered muscle soreness, 50.8% back pain, 24.5% numbness and 14.7% shoulder pain.  Studies at Johns Hopkins Children Center also show overloaded backpacks as the cause of shoulder or lower-back pain and poor posture in kids.

-  Back pain in kids is on the rise.  A study published in the journal spine found 6% of 10 year olds complain of back pain, increasing to 10%-15% for 12 year olds.

-  University of Michigan researchers estimate that up to 60% of children will experience back pain by the time they reach 18.

-  The risk of spinal damage is such a concern to the Education Ministry in Bangkok, Thailand, that in 1996 they imposed weight limits on book bags after finding that most half of primary school pupils were carrying bags weighing more than 6 pounds.

-  More than 5 million adult Americans are sidelined from work each year due to chronic back pain.  How many of these problems started in youth?

 

What can you do?

      Make sure that your child’s backpack is not harming his/her overall spinal development and posture.

1.     Choose The Right Backpack.

Put as much thought into buying your child’s backpack as you do their shoes.  Assure a good fit.  Look for heavily padded shoulder straps (which should fit snug but not too tight), bags that don’t hang too low down the back and, ideally, a waist strap.  Avoid packs or bags with a single strap.

2.     Don’t overload the backpack

If the loaded backpack causes the child to lean forward to carry it, it’s too heavy.  This stresses the spine, which can lead to a lifetime of health problems.  For elementary school ages, maximum weight is 10% of total body weight.  That means that a 50 lb. child should not carry more then 5 pounds.  For pre-teens and teens, the maximum should be 15% to 20% of total body weight.  Put heavier items at the top of the pack closest to the body (to allow the legs to help support the weight).

3.     Lift it Properly.

Face the backpack.  Bend at the knees.  Use both hands and check the weight of the pack.  Lift with the legs.  Apply one shoulder strap and then the other.

4.     Carry it the right way

Use both shoulder straps.  (Make sure kids understand that this means one strap over each shoulder.)  This keeps the pack close to the body and distributes its weight evenly across the back and shoulders.  Use the waist strap, too, to distribute some of the weight to the pelvis and hips.

5.     Have your child’s spine checked, if You’re Wondering.

The consequences of carrying heavy backpacks are not something people think about until it’s too late.  If you’re wondering about the state of your child’s spine, our office will be glad to do a complimentary spinal screening.  Just call Unlimited Wellness Institute (702)920-6556 to arrange a convenient time.

Special Report on Walking

Walking as an exercise can help relieve tension and enhance a persons general attitude toward life. Walking is well known as an effective weight control exercise.

A moderate pace of 4 miles per hour burns approximately 5 calories per minute, or 300 to 400 calories per hour. Taking a brisk walk before a meal may decrease your appetite.

Walking keeps the body energized and promotes physical fitness. It is an exercise that benefits:

Heart: Allows the heart to pump blood more efficiently.  During vigorous and prolonged exercises, such as walking, the heart beats more rapidly, helping to strengthen the heart muscle. A strong heart muscle can help lower high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Lungs: Helps the lungs develop a greater capacity. Eases breathing and improves the entire respiratory system.

Muscles: Helps tone muscles in legs, thighs, and abdomen.

Bones: Strengthens bones, enhances physical endurance, and improves balance. Walking can help retard bone loss-osteoporosis-which is especially important for women and older adults.

Blood: Walking causes calf muscles to contract, increasing circulation.

Getting Started

Set a goal for the pace you would like to achieve, but start slowly. Take your pulse during each walk to determine your heart rate: Put the first and second fingers of your right hand on the radial artery of the inner wrist of your left hand.  Count the number of beats in 6 seconds and multiply by 10 (equals heart beats per minute.) Take your pulse 5 minutes into your walk, and again just before you end your walk.

Do not expect to walk 10 miles the first time out. Start slowly. Walking, like any vigorous exercise, requires moderation until the body has built up some stamina.

Begin by walking at a relaxed pace for 10 minutes, working up to 20 minutes every other day at a brisk pace. After you have been walking briskly for 20 minutes 3 days a week for 1 month, increase your walking time to 30 minutes. Repeat 30-minute walks 4 or 5 times a week.

Do’s and Don’ts

Wear comfortable, lightweight, and flexible shoes with sufficient arch support and cushioning for the bottom of your feet.

-  Do allow one-fourth to one-half inch of space between the longest toe and the tip of the shoe. This will give your feet room to expand while walking.

-  Don’t wear shoes made of material that prevents your feet from “breathing.” The best shoe materials are leather, canvas, and nylon mesh

-  Don’t ignore the elements when walking outdoors. In summer, wear a hat or visor to protect your head and face from the sun. light colored, loose-fitting clothes are best in hot weather. In winter, wear several layers of clothing to trap heat between layers.

-  Before setting off on the days walk, be sure to warm up first.  Walk slowly for about 5 minutes and then gradually build up your exercise pace.  Starting slowly allows the bodies temperature, pulse rate, and respiratory rate to increase gradually, reducing the chance of injury.

-  After each days walk, examine feet for red spots and tenderness that could signal the beginning of a blister. Cover with moleskin to help prevent further irritation. Never pop a blister; it can become infected.

-  If you feel heel pain or discomfort in the knees and lower back, it could be the result of pressure exerted on these areas when walking on hard surfaces without proper cushioning in your shoes.  This pressure is called food shock and can be alleviated with insoles.

Remember to cool down after a vigorous workout or long brisk walk.  Blood tends to pool in the legs after exercise and can deprive the body of much-needed oxygen. A gradual cool down, including a slow 3 to 5 minute walk and stretching, will help pump blood back up to the body where it is needed.

If you would like to learn more about enhancing your lifestyle and well being through walking, or if you have any questions about the information please call Unlimited Wellness Institute 702-920-6556