Health – Page 8

What Parents Need to Know About E-Cigarettes

May 19, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

With the possible exception of vaccinations, there are few more polarizing health issues confronting the general public right now than the use of electronic cigarettes.

At the heart of the public health issue are two very simple facts. First, e-cigarettes are relatively new. And second, their use has grown far faster than our understanding of how they affect the health of “vapers” and those around them.

The resulting uncertainty means that reasonable people have very different opinions about the risks—and opportunities—electronic cigarettes might present for public health. For the sake of discussion, we’ll summarize the positions taken by three different groups based on their starting premise and priorities.

Group 1: “Nicotine addiction is bad, and e-cigarettes are just another way to deliver nicotine. So why encourage it?”

Group 2: “E-cigarettes are certainly safer than traditional cigarettes and may help smokers quit. So why not back an alternative to tobacco?”

Group 3: “We don’t know what the health effects of e-cigarettes actually are, but we’d rather be safe than sorry. So why not regulate them tightly until we know more?”

First, some facts about traditional cigarettes.

Just to remind parents of the danger that smoking tobacco cigarettes poses to health, here are some excerpts from a January, 2013 study published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, based on a U.S. National Health survey of 202,248 Americans:

“For participants who were 25 to 79 years of age, the rate of death from any cause among current smokers was about three times that among those who had never smoked.”
“The probability of surviving from 25 to 79 years of age was about twice as great in those who had never smoked as in current smokers.”
“Life expectancy was shortened by more than 10 years among the current smokers, as compared with those who had never smoked.”
“Cessation before the age of 40 years reduces the risk of death associated with continued smoking by about 90%.”

These figures support previous research that indicates that few things in modern life are as harmful to health as smoking tobacco cigarettes.

Second, some facts about electronic cigarettes.

E-cigarettes are not tobacco products and don’t produce smoke. Instead, they heat liquids to produce a vapor. This is why smoking e-cigarettes is sometimes referred to as “vaping.”
E-cigarettes may or may not contain nicotine, though many or most do. Unlike traditional cigarettes, they come in a wide variety of flavors.
The liquids used in e-cigarettes can vary a great deal in terms of both ingredients and consistency. There have been concerns that some liquids may contain harmful chemicals, either as a result of the “recipe” used in manufacturing or because of problems in quality control.
Some tobacco smokers have reported that e-cigarettes have helped them quit.

So what about e-cigarettes and your teenager?

The use of e-cigarettes among middle and high school students exploded between 2013 and 2014. In 2013, 4.5% of high school students reported vaping at least once in the prior 30 days. In 2014, 13.4% did. Comparable statistics for middle school students were 1.1% in 2013 and 3.9% in 2014. According to the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey, e-cigarette use has now surpassed current use of every other tobacco product overall, including traditional cigarettes. This means that if you have a child who is between the ages of 13 and 18, it is very likely that they know someone who vapes.

Some of the worry among public health officials and regulators stems from the idea that e-cigarettes may act as a “gateway drug” to real cigarettes or to something worse. They are also worried that traditional cigarette companies could accelerate the current trend by directing their marketing expertise at young people. The overarching concern is that this segment is both particularly attractive and particularly vulnerable.

Over the past few years, researchers have gained a better understanding of how the adolescent brain develops and how it responds to certain substances. One of the things they’ve learned is that teens’ ability to weigh risks and longer-term consequences is still forming. They have also discovered that even casual drug use can cause structural changes in a teenager’s rapidly developing brain that reduce cognitive ability in measurable ways. Of course, this is a nightmare scenario for most parents, who would prefer that their children not abuse any substance with the potential to cause harm or dependency.

Other parents, however, see e-cigarettes as simply the lesser of two evils. If they start with the presumption that their son or daughter is going to try a cigarette anyway, they would rather it be an e-cig than traditional tobacco, with its 79 carcinogens and all the negative second- and third-hand health effects.

As healthcare professionals, we encourage parents to help their children build good lifestyle habits that will serve them well as adults. While we recognize that parents have less and less direct control over teens’ choices as they grow and become more independent, we believe that it is very important to point them in the right direction and set a good example. Given that we don’t know everything we need to know about the health risks of e-cigarettes, parents should be very cautious about letting teenagers pick up this type of habit.

What You Should Know About Recovering from Auto Injuries

May 10, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

ambulance-200-300 America’s roads have become far safer across the past three decades. By just about any measure, travelers are much less likely to be injured or killed in a motor vehicle accident than they were in the late 1980s and early 1990s. And this is true even though we’re driving more miles each year!

However, automobile accidents are still notoriously hard on the musculoskeletal system, and there is still a very real risk of back and neck injuries—even when drivers and passengers are protected by the latest safety equipment. In fact, recent research suggests that some types of injuries—particularly to the thoracic and lumbar regions of the back—may actually be more likely when safety belts are used. There is also some evidence that airbags may contribute to more severe neck injuries when they deploy.

At the same time, other developments are also changing the nature of auto injuries. For instance:

Smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles are good for the environment, but they pose additional risks to their passengers when they collide with larger cars, SUVs and trucks.
Lifestyle and demographic trends are resulting in greater numbers of overweight and obese people on the roads as well as larger numbers of seniors, who tend to have frames that are smaller and more fragile.

So even though the overall fatality rate and the rate of serious injuries should continue to fall as safety systems continue to improve, minor to moderate injuries from auto accidents will continue to be a fact of life for the foreseeable future.

What You Need to Know

Even in cases where drivers and passengers walk away from a wreck believing they’re “uninjured”, accidents can have profound, long-lasting health consequences for those involved. It’s not uncommon for some types of symptoms to appear only gradually days or weeks after the event itself, delaying effective diagnosis and treatment. Symptoms may also come and go intermittently, making it more difficult to associate them with the accident.

Fortunately, there are things you can do to safeguard your health and improve your chances of a more rapid, complete recovery following an auto accident. Clinical studies have demonstrated that chiropractic care can shorten recovery time and decrease the amount of permanent physical damage sustained in a collision.

Take care of first things first. Always address any life-threatening injuries first. If you experience (or have reason to suspect) significant bleeding or bruising, broken bones, internal pain, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, or shock, you should seek immediate help from healthcare professionals who specialize in treating trauma injuries.
Visit your chiropractor as soon as possible after an accident. Do this even if you don’t think you’ve been hurt very badly. Research has shown that early intervention in the form of chiropractic adjustment, massage, laser therapy and supervised exercise and stretching programs can make a big difference in longer-term function.
Stay as active as you can throughout your recovery. Activity encourages blood flow to the injured area and promotes healing. It also helps prevent or reduce scar tissue formation and maintain range of motion.
Strengthen the affected area(s) as directed. Exercise and stretching programs are designed to help prevent future injuries and are an important part of a balanced treatment plan.
Recognize that you may be at increased risk of developing chronic problems. Be sure to tell your doctor if any of the following warning signs apply:
A prior history of back, neck or shoulder problems (including previous injury).
Distinct numbness, tingling or pain immediately following an accident.
Increased muscle tension or reduced range of motion after the crash.
You were involved in a rear-end collision.
Your head was turned at the moment of impact.
You have symptoms that don’t resolve or that become generalized.
Do your best to avoid becoming frustrated with the pace of recovery. Setbacks are common and it is not unusual for some symptoms to come and go.

An auto accident can affect your health (and your lifestyle) for years if you don’t receive the proper treatment. So if you or someone you care about has been injured in a collision, please call our office and make an appointment today. Chiropractic care can help put your recovery in high gear!

Short on Time During Your Workout? Don’t Skip the Stretching!

May 5, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

Why is stretching the part of our workout regimen that so many of us tend to skip? We might tell ourselves it’s because we’re sort on time, that we’re impatient or that (deep down) we believe stretching is really pointless. But however we rationalize it, skipping the stretching is a BAD idea!

It’s probably obvious that our joints were designed to be able to move in various directions with a certain degree of freedom. But as our bodies age, we become stiffer and lose the flexibility we had when we were young. In fact, chances are (unless you happen to be a dancer or gymnast), that process will start even before you reach your 20^th birthday. However, it’s never too late to regain some of that youthful flexibility by becoming more serious about stretching. Combined with strength training, proper stretching can help prolong our mobility and independence—allowing us to perform basic day-to-day tasks well into our senior years. Reaching that high shelf, bending to pick up a dropped object, and accessing that hidden switch behind an awkward kitchen cabinet are all great examples.

One reason it’s really important to stretch before working out is that we are likely to use muscles and connective tissues that are normally inactive. Without flexibility, the risk of getting hurt goes up. However, stretching can help prevent (or even treat) some common types of musculoskeletal injuries if it’s done correctly. Plus, it can feel good! Stretching can be a great way to start the day or to wind down after work.

Preparing the body for exercise by warming up the muscles (increasing blood flow) and stretching is easy and need not take up much of your time. Simply begin moving the various muscle groups in a deliberate way, with slow stretches of the joints towards the end of their range of motion. As you do this, you should notice a gentle “pulling” sensation and hold the position for up to half a minute. Then stretch the alternate side or move on to other muscle groups. Not only does stretching prevent injury, but it also improves the mechanical efficiency of your body. Stretching prior to exercise means muscles and joints are able to move through their full range of motion with less effort when exercising , improving performance.

Other benefits of stretching include improved circulation, less pain and faster recoveries following workouts, and better posture. If you find yourself arriving home stiff and achy from sitting at a desk all day and then commuting—try stretching. You might find that you’ll feel better almost instantly!

Remember—good health is the result of lots of little day-to-day things, including your nutrition, exercise and sleep habits, as well as your healthcare choices. As chiropractic physicians, we’re experts in diagnosing and treating disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. We’re also experts in prevention and performance. If you’re interested in any of these things, we encourage you to call or visit our office today!

What is a “Normal” Pain Tolerance?

April 26, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

Pain is a nearly universal human experience that has several aspects. The first thing we usually think about in relation to pain is its trigger or cause. Perhaps you stub your toe, cut your finger while chopping vegetables, or feel the beginnings of a headache coming on. When this kind of thing happens, your body initiates a physical process driven by your anatomy and physiology. Your senses transmit a message through your nerves to your brain, saying “Something is wrong.” The second aspect of pain, however, is psychological and emotional rather than physical—how do you react to the message that your body is experiencing trouble? Do you ignore the headache and continue with your activities, or do you have to stop what you’re doing and focus on the pain to try to make it go away?

When it comes to our response to pain, two factors are also in operation. These relate to the idea of sensitivity. Pain threshold is the point at which pain first begins to be felt, and pain tolerance is the point at which a person reaches the maximum level of pain they are able to tolerate. When attempting to define what “normal” responses to pain are, both factors must be examined.

“Normal” responses to pain are difficult to determine because they vary so widely.

Some people may react to a bad headache by ignoring it and continuing to work, while others may react to a headache they rate at the same subjective level of pain by becoming completely incapacitated and having to lay down and close their eyes until it goes away. So what factors determine these differences in people’s tolerance of pain, and what can we say about them?

First, there seem to be differences in pain tolerance between men and women, with men exhibiting slightly higher pain tolerance than women. But this generalization can be affected by the oddest things. For example:

Studies of dental patients suggest that redheads have lower pain tolerances than people with other hair colors, and actually need higher doses of anesthesia during oral surgery.
Athletes have been proven to have higher pain tolerances than people who don’t exercise.
People who smoke or are obese are more likely to have low pain tolerances.
People who are depressed or anxious are more sensitive to pain and have lower tolerances.

There are also biological factors such as genetics, previous spinal cord damage, and chronic diseases that cause nerve damage that affect how we perceive, interpret, and manage pain. So the problem of defining what constitutes a “normal” level of pain tolerance becomes very difficult. But we recognize intuitively that we’re beginning to approach our own pain tolerance when two things happen—first, the pain begins to interfere with our ability to function in some way and second, it causes us to seek help.

As healthcare professionals, we generally distinguish between acute pain—the pain that usually results from a specific injury or illness, lasts less than 6 months and goes away as the body heals—and chronic pain, which can persist or progress over longer periods of time and may have no clear cause.

Depending on the situation, help may come in the form of common over-the-counter analgesics like aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen, or from more powerful drugs like opioids. Sometimes it may come in the form of ice, heat or topical treatments. And other times it may come in the form of hands-on therapies like chiropractic and massage.

Whatever your level of pain tolerance happens to be, you can get better at handling pain.

Because of the many factors that can potentially affect pain tolerance, managing one’s pain can be a challenging process of trial and error. You can’t change your genetic pain receptors and how sensitive they are, and dying your hair another color if you’re a redhead isn’t going to make you less susceptible to pain. But there are coping mechanisms that can influence the brain’s perception of pain and help you manage it, effectively increasing your pain tolerance. Relaxation techniques, biofeedback, chiropractic manipulation, massage, and mindfulness meditation have all shown surprising success at enabling people who suffer from chronic pain to manage it more effectively without the ongoing use of drugs.

So if you are one of the 25% to 30% of adults living with musculoskeletal pain, contact our office and ask for help—it IS available, and doesn’t necessarily have to come in a pill bottle!

The Anatomy and Physiology of Headaches

April 19, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

store-mannequin-200-300 Headaches are one of the most common types of pain that people experience on a regular basis. Researchers estimate that nine out of ten Americans suffer from headache pain at some point. 95% of women and 90% of men have had at least one in the past 12 months. And for about 45 million of us, those headaches are chronic.

The frequency, severity and duration of headaches can vary greatly from individual to individual. They range from occasional to near-constant and from mild to throbbing. Some are bad enough to cause nausea and become debilitating, preventing the sufferer from working and enjoying day-to-day leisure activities.

What exactly causes headaches?

Headaches occur for many reasons. When they arise on their own (true 90%-95% of the time), they’re referred to as “primary headaches.” When they’re triggered as a result of some other health condition, they’re called “secondary headaches.” Chiropractic physicians most commonly encounter three different types of headaches in their work with patients:

Tension headaches are primary headaches that are brought on by unrelieved muscular contractions in the head, neck and shoulders and/or a misalignment (subluxation) of the neck vertebrae. They’re often the result of stress that cannot find an outlet. Misalignment and muscular contractions can themselves become the source of broader tension and stress throughout the body, setting in motion a feedback loop that eventually produces a headache. According to Dr. George McClelland, a chiropractor in Virginia, “Today, Americans engage in more sedentary activities than they used to, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture. This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache.”
Migraine headaches are also primary headaches. They are sometimes referred to as vascular headaches because they happen when blood vessels in the head suddenly expand, or “dilate”. However, we know that the nervous system and genetic factors are also leading contributors. Sufferers report a wide range of triggers and related symptoms. Research into the exact cause of migraines is ongoing, and the condition has stubbornly resisted efforts to find a pharmaceutical “silver bullet”.
Cervicogenic headaches are secondary headaches produced when pain begins in the neck or back of the head and is referred to the forehead or the area behind, in and around the eyes. Trauma, chronic tension and disease are some of the more common initial sources of neck pain that is referred to the head. Trigger points in the neck, shoulder blade and spine may also be sources of these headaches, though they can be much more difficult to identify.

What can be done to relieve headache pain?

While a wide variety of over-the-counter and prescription medications have been developed to relieve this pain, they generally do little to address the underlying cause of the problem. In addition, many of these compounds can have unwanted side effects, particularly if they’re used often, over a prolonged period of time or in combination with other medicines. A growing awareness of both the limitations and risks of pharmaceuticals has led many headache sufferers to explore alternative approaches to managing them, including chiropractic.

A large and growing body of medical research suggests that chiropractic care can be effective in preventing or reducing the frequency and severity of primary headaches. There is also some evidence that it may have benefits for cervicogenic headache sufferers. In a study conducted by the New Zealand government, the majority of those suffering recurrent headaches from spinal misalignment found that their headaches were relieved by chiropractic manipulation, and many were found to still be pain-free in the two-year follow-up. A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that spinal manipulation such as that used by chiropractors is more effective and longer-lasting for treating tension headaches than the use of commonly prescribed pain medication.

A chiropractic physician will perform a thorough examination to identify the cause of your headache pain. Depending on your specific circumstances, he or she may perform chiropractic manipulation or mobilization to improve the alignment of the spine, relieve muscle tension, reduce nerve irritation and improves vascular flow. Massage and other therapies may also be included as part of a well-rounded treatment plan. In many cases, this will relieve headache symptoms. Your chiropractor may also offer posture and lifestyle recommendations to help prevent future headaches. These may involve diet, exercise, sleep and stress management techniques.

Remember—if you or someone you care about suffers from recurring or chronic headaches, there are effective treatment options available that don’t involve drugs. We encourage you to call or visit our office to learn more!

Chiropractic and the Benefits of Conservative Care

April 12, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

It’s been in the headlines for years now—non-specific back pain has become an epidemic in the U.S. According to some estimates, Americans now spend approximately $100 billion per year looking for relief. At the same time, many public health officials, medical researchers and clinicians see a growing gap between the types and amounts of care being delivered and the results being achieved for patients. In particular, the rapidly growing use of advanced diagnostic tools (especially early imaging) and high-tech treatment options (surgeries, medical devices and drugs) appear to be driving up costs as well as risks without producing widespread benefits. So what is to be done?

Surgery as a Last Resort

According to many experts, the right answer for many patients is a conservative approach that emphasizes proven treatment options and resorts to more expensive and riskier alternatives only after these have failed to produce results. This may be particularly true when it comes to surgery. The Mayo Clinic, for example, recommends caution before choosing this option. Their website warns, “Spine surgeons hold differing opinions about when to operate, what type of surgery to perform, and whether—for some spine conditions—surgery is warranted at all.” A 2013 study in Washington State, published in the journal Spine, also highlighted an interesting correlation between the number of back surgeries performed and the type of doctor first visited. The study found that of those injured workers who saw a surgeon first, 42.7% chose surgery (a relatively expensive and risky option) as a solution. Of those injured workers who first saw a chiropractor, the rate of surgeries dropped to 1.5%. In other words, those who visited a chiropractor first found that surgery was less likely to be necessary.

There are of course situations where back surgery may be absolutely necessary. However, study after study has shown that other methods of treating back pain are far less expensive, less risky and frequently more effective. If you have been advised to have back surgery, it’s always good to get a second or even third opinion from different medical professionals to be sure you do not undergo a surgical procedure that may be best treated more conservatively.

The Chiropractic Alternative

Interestingly, most cases of back pain are mechanical, as opposed to being caused by more serious medical conditions such as infection, arthritis, fractures, or cancer. Some are caused by sports injuries or accidents, but others can be triggered by nothing more severe than bending down to pick up a dropped pencil. Still others are caused by misalignments of the spine, neck and joints that have built up over many years, as opposed to being caused by a single trauma.

Most of these conditions can be successfully treated by Doctors of Chiropractic, who are specially trained to use manipulation and mobilization techniques to relieve pain and address the underlying causes. Over time, chiropractors can help to return your spine and whole body to a more normal state of health, in which reoccurrences of back pain are less likely to appear.

Chiropractic care has received high marks in clinical studies as well as in patient satisfaction surveys conducted by governments and leading consumer research organizations. It is also recognized as one of the safest therapies you can use to treat back, neck and joint pain when performed by properly trained and licensed healthcare professionals. Potential side effects are usually limited to a mild aching or short-term soreness in the spinal joints or muscles. Spinal adjustments pose few serious risks, although rare complications include the possibility of a herniated disk or compression of the nerves in the lower spinal column.

During your visit, you should be very specific about your symptoms and about any concerns you have. This will help us offer the safest and most effective treatment for you. Depending on your condition and the specific problems being treated, you and your chiropractor may choose to forego manipulation in favor of joint mobilization, therapeutic exercise, soft-tissue techniques, or other types of therapies.

Chiropractic care is a safe, effective and—above all—conservative approach to the treatment of back pain. It is non-invasive and uses no drugs that may have potential negative side effects. The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research conducted a study of all available care for lower back problems and recommended spinal manipulation as the safest and most effective initial treatment of lower back pain in adults.

If you are one of the four out of five people who will experience back pain during their lifetime, you can do something about it. This is an important thing to know. Unfortunately, many people aren’t aware of their options. A survey conducted by the American Physical Therapy Association found that although two-thirds of Americans experience low back pain, more than a third of them don’t seek professional help for it. So if you’re experiencing back pain, call or visit our office today. All you have to lose is your pain!

The Benefits of Life-Long Sports

April 7, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

Not only can playing sports at any age help you maintain your strength, stamina, balance, flexibility and coordination, the benefits are actually cumulative over time. That means the more adults participate in sports throughout their lifetime, the more they will benefit as they reach the age where joint problems and declining energy become a problem. For people to enjoy the most benefit, they should begin to consciously “ramp-up” their physical activity in early adulthood to support the continuation of active leisure time activities throughout later phases of life.

Playing sports into mid-life allows adults to maintain physical capabilities that will help reduce their risk of developing age-related problems that are often tied to inactivity, including heart disease, colon cancer, stroke and diabetes. In addition, sports burn calories and help prevent weight gain as metabolism slows as part of the aging process. Sustaining their physical health through middle age and into their senior years will allow them to continue participating in more of the activities they enjoy and to maintain their independence longer. Not only will staying active help them enjoy better health, it will also improve their longevity.

Sports Participation Increases Energy, Improves the 3Ms

Most of us recognize that exercising actually increases our general energy levels. This is true at any age, including 50 and beyond. But did you know that it also improves the 3Ms—memory, mood and mind? Participating in sports helps adults stay motivated and provides a release from stress. Many also enjoy the chance to compete against other athletes in their age bracket. Benefits are important to both men and women in the over 50 category.

Popular Sports for Older Adults

Obviously, most older adults are not going to jump into sports like tackle football, rugby, lacrosse or ice hockey, but there are a large number of sports that will help them strengthen muscles, build stamina and maintain their balance, flexibility and coordination. Many of these also offer great opportunities for social interaction and will help seniors feel better all the way around.

Increases stamina and strengthens legs. Can also encourage core strength and flexibility.
Enhances breathing, improves bone density, reduces body fat and maintains reaction time.
Not a physically demanding sport, and well-suited for those who are not in the best physical shape. Sharpens hand-eye coordination and offers mental and social benefits.
Increases energy and stamina with minimal risk of muscle and joint injury. Increases flexibility and tones muscles, offers aerobic exercise for improved heart health and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Improves coordination, balance and can improve mobility.

Although the greatest benefits from playing sports occur in those who have continued to engage in sports activity throughout their lives, it is never too late to learn a new sport and enjoy the physical and mental benefits they can provide.

Chiropractic Expertise Helps Reduce Golf Injuries and Improve Player Performance

March 10, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

Can chiropractic care improve your golf game? As a golfer, you may have pondered this very question—and now you’re in luck. A recent Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) study showed that a combination of chiropractic care and stretching enables golfers to increase their drive distance by nearly 10%. PGA golfers such as Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington certainly believe this to be true, as they’ve incorporated chiropractic treatment into their training regimens for years. Unsurprisingly, the Titleist Performance Institute believes this to be true as well.

Sponsored by one of the most respected and popular purveyors of golf equipment and apparel, the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) has incorporated chiropractic as a fundamental part of its program since its founding in 2003. TPI was created to study how the human body functions—and functions at its best—when it comes to the game of golf. TPI believes that chiropractors have a unique and valuable perspective in this area given their expertise in human biomechanics as well as their specialized knowledge of the musculoskeletal system. At present, there are over 9,000 TPI-certified professionals in 57 countries, employing chiropractic and other methodologies to help golfers not only improve their performance, but also to avoid injury.

TPI’s work over the past decade has clearly demonstrated that chiropractors have even more to offer golfers than pain relief and rehab support. In fact, chiropractic physicians can actually help golfers to improve their game by identifying and correcting physical limitations that can adversely affect their swings. As an example, the TPI study mentioned above compared two groups of golfers: one practicing only stretching exercises, and the other practicing stretching exercises while receiving chiropractic spinal adjustments. Both groups performed three full swing maneuvers before and after each treatment, and the driving distances they achieved were recorded. After four weeks, the stretching-only group showed no improvement in swing performance, whereas the stretching plus chiropractic group achieved greater driving distance after each treatment.

This is important information for performance-oriented golfers, because although many of them rely on chiropractic care to help them when they are in pain or injured, they may not recognize that chiropractic care can help prevent problems and improve their game. But the TPI-certified chiropractors may to be able to do just that, offering tips and techniques that allow golfers to improve their joint function, customize and optimize their warm-up exercises, recover faster from injuries and soreness, and maximize their efficiency.

So if you’re a golfer, give your chiropractor a call and ask how he or she might be able to help you. Who knows—you might end up seeing your chiropractor to relieve your back or neck pain after an overly enthusiastic round of golf and find that he or she can help take a few strokes off your score!

Getting to Know Your Vitamin A

March 1, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

carrots-200-300 Can eating lots of carrots really improve your eyesight? Not exactly, but carrots do contain something called provitamin A carotenoids. These are pigments found in some plants that can be converted by the body into vitamin A. And vitamin A actually is important to your vision.

Vitamin A helps the eye convert light into a signal that can be transmitted to the brain, allowing people to see in low-light environments. In addition, the cornea (the clear front of the eye) can literally disappear if the body does not get enough vitamin A. However, binging on carrots is unlikely to improve most people’s vision. In part, this is because your body will stop converting provitamin A carotenoids (particularly beta carotene) into vitamin A as soon as there is enough in your system. But all this doesn’t mean that vitamin A doesn’t have lots of other uses. Vitamin A is also helpful to bone growth and to your immune system.

As with other vitamins, there are different forms of vitamin A. One of the forms that is most usable to the body is called retinol, which is found in liver, eggs, and milk. One of the most common provitamin A carotenoids that the body converts easily to retinol is beta carotene. Beta carotene is found in yellow and orange fruits and vegetables including carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, and cantaloupe. Vitamin A is also one of the vitamins often used to fortify breakfast cereals.

Vitamin A is fat soluble, which means that the body stores it, mostly in the liver. That also means that it is possible to build up toxic levels of Vitamin A. This rarely happens from food sources because (as noted above) the body will slow down the conversion of beta carotene as it builds up supplies of vitamin A. When people do get vitamin A toxicity, it is usually from taking too much in supplement form. Toxic levels of vitamin A can cause liver problems, central nervous system problems, reduced bone density and birth defects.

True vitamin A deficiency is rare in the US, but common in countries where malnourishment is widespread. When it occurs, the consequences can be quite severe. This is because the body uses vitamin A to make various internal tissues, such as those lining the eye, lungs, and intestinal tract. When these linings are weakened by vitamin A deficiency, it is easier for harmful bacteria to penetrate them and thus, people with vitamin A deficiency are more prone to infections, illness, blindness, and respiratory problems.

Aside from those who are malnourished, other people who may be prone to vitamin A deficiency include those who consume large amounts of alcohol and those with certain metabolic disorders that affect how fat and other nutrients are absorbed by the body.

As of this writing, the Recommended Daily Intake for Vitamin A is 2,310 IU for females and 3,000 IU for males.

It goes without saying that good nutrition is critical to your overall health and well-being. At the same time, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest research and guidance. If you have questions or concerns about your diet or about supplements, please call or visit our office today. We’re here to help!

How Chiropractic Care Keeps a Body in Motion

February 25, 2016 oblanderchiropractic

Most of us are probably aware that staying in good physical condition is essential to maintaining an active lifestyle, especially as we get older. And some of us may even be aware of the links between mobility and independence and social and psychological well-being. Unfortunately, as we age, many of us are challenged to remain active because of disease, pain, stiffness or chronic or acute injuries. These problems are affecting larger numbers of people as we are living longer lifespans.

Now, a very interesting study from the University of Iowa suggests that older people who receive chiropractic care may benefit from a “protective effect” with respect to their overall health and physical capabilities. The research team came to its conclusions by comparing the experience of a group of Medicare recipients who received chiropractic care to the experience of a group of Medicare recipients who did not receive it.

Chiropractic Care vs. Standard Medical Care

The study, which was published recently in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, examined the medical records of over 1,000 senior citizens (minimum age 70) who had a back-related condition such as a musculoskeletal disease, sprain or strain, or dislocation that led to a Medicare claim. The researchers compared the experience of those who received 12 chiropractic care visits over several weeks for their condition with the experience of those who received standard medical care, which was comprised of 1-2 visits with a medical doctor over the same time period. The aim was to determine whether there was a difference in health outcomes, physical limitations and the ability to carry out daily activities between the two groups. The researchers obtained the data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) and looked at specific variables such as patients’ ability to eat, dress and bathe, sit in or get up from a chair, reach, stoop, or walk across a room. They also considered depressive symptoms and overall self-reports of satisfaction with their care based on the treatment and its cost.

Conclusions: Chiropractic Care is Protective for the Senior Population

The researchers concluded that those senior citizens at least 70 years of age who had chiropractic care had less physical deterioration and reported better overall health. Specifically, they had less difficulty with daily activities such as walking and lifting, and fewer doctor visits and hospitalizations. They were also generally more satisfied with their care and its cost, both during and after the treatment. What’s more, the patients who had chiropractic care exercised more and even reported fewer depressive symptoms. The authors concluded that chiropractic care had a protective effect on this group of patients—making it less likely that they would experience declines in overall health and physical activity levels, thus promoting a higher quality of life.

This research demonstrates that chiropractic care can provide benefits for seniors that go far beyond just relieving back pain. It can have a profound impact on all dimensions of life, from the physical to the psychological, just when we need it most.

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