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The Joys of Swimming for Fun and Fitness

The Joys of Swimming for Fun and Fitness

man-swimmming-200-300With summer weather heating things up across much of the country, swimming is a great way to cool off and have some fun!  But did you know that it’s also an excellent way to increase your fitness, help control your weight and improve your overall mood?  Plus, swimming is a type of exercise that people of any age and physical ability can enjoy.  It’s easy on the musculoskeletal system while at the same time providing a good aerobic workout.

Swim for Fun

Even among avid swimmers, boredom in the pool is one of the common reasons for losing interest in sport.  While swimming laps in the pool may not seem like a recipe for fun, here are a few things you can do to add some variety to your in-water workouts.

  • Plan your in-pool workout ahead of time and vary your activities so that variety is built-in.
  • Swim with buddies who have the same water fun and fitness goals that you do.
  • When swimming laps, do things to keep your mind engaged in your activity and help sharpen your technique.  Counting how many strokes you need to complete a length of the pool and how quickly you can do it is one way to look for improvements.  Experimenting with stroke length is another.
  • If you have the option, change up the locations of your swimming workouts.  A change of scenery—from an indoor pool to an outdoor one, or from a lake to the ocean—can make a big difference in how your workout feels.
  • Add to your “playbook” of swimming drills.  You can reach out to others or go online for suggestions to help mix things up.
  • Learn some new strokes or make up some of your own.  You might look silly doing it, but it adds to the experience!

Swim for Fitness

While swimming may not be as accessible as walking, running or even biking in some communities, it has distinctive health benefits that make it well worth the trip to a local pool.  The organization that governs all swimming-related activities in the UK (called the ASA) compiled a report of scientific findings from all over the world about the health benefits of swimming.  Some of them are truly striking.  For instance, researchers have found that swimming regularly reduces men’s risk of dying early by a staggering 50% relative to those who run, walk or do no physical activity.  Experts estimate that just two and a half hours per week of swimming can significantly reduce your risk of chronic disease.

A good all-around exercise, swimming involves both aerobic activity and working against resistance.  Unlike most aerobic activities, however, swimming involves little in the way of jarring impact (like the shocks and jolts involved with running) and doesn’t require you to support your full body weight while doing it.  When submerged up to your neck in water, your body weight is effectively reduced by 90 percent.  As a result, overweight and obese people can get a good workout without placing large amounts of painful stress on the lower body’s muscles and joints.  This removes a common deterrent to exercise for a large (and growing) part of the US population and suggests that swimming could be an attractive option for people trying to manage their weight.

Arthritis sufferers or those with musculoskeletal injuries can also benefit from swimming, since studies have shown that it improves range of motion without causing a worsening of symptoms such as pain and stiffness.  In fact, according to the UK’s Chief Medical Officer, swimming as a form of exercise (as opposed to running or practicing other impact sports) can reduce your risk of osteoarthritis.

Beyond increasing fitness levels and helping to manage weight, swimming may provide a variety of other health benefits:

  • Studies performed on people suffering from fibromyalgia have found that exercise performed in a warm pool reduced anxiety and depression and caused an improvement in mood.
  • For older adults, swimming has been shown to improve quality of life and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.  Post-menopausal women in particular are at increased risk of bone loss, and swimming provides a safe and effective form of the resistance exercise that is needed to maintain bone density.
  • Pregnant women find that swimming strengthens their shoulder and abdominal muscles, which are put under increased stress during pregnancy.  Obstetricians recommend swimming as a good form of exercise for most pregnant women, as it provides them with temporary relief from the extra weight they are carrying.

It’s hard to exaggerate the potential fitness benefits of swimming.  Swimming helps to build cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength and endurance.  It tones your muscles and helps to maintain healthy heart and lung function.  It also improves flexibility, reduces blood pressure and alleviates stress.  Whether in a community pool, at a nearby lake or in the ocean, swimming offers an ideal way for most people to keep fit that’s also easy on the body’s musculoskeletal system.

So get out there this summer and have some fun in the water!

Seven Deadly Health Sins

Seven Deadly Health Sins

jolly-roger-200-300Behind many of the debates about healthcare in the US—its availability and cost as well as its effectiveness—is an important phenomenon. The demands being placed on healthcare providers are growing and changing (at least in large part) because of the way we live our lives.  Day-to-day choices we all make are contributing to a wide variety chronic health conditions that are sometimes referred to as “lifestyle diseases.” And while our healthcare system is very good at treating acute medical problems, it is not very good at preventing or treating chronic ones.

In many cases, it’s fair to say that the health we get in the future is a result of the lifestyle decisions we make in the present. With this idea in mind, it’s also fair to ask whether it makes good sense to ask our healthcare system to single-handedly save us from the effects of our own unhealthy habits. This is why, as chiropractic physicians, we work closely with our patients to help them be more active in their own health by taking more responsibility for their own lifestyle choices.

So which lifestyle choices are causing the most trouble? While we could obviously point out harmful behaviors like smoking, drinking too much alcohol or using harmful drugs, the behaviors that really need more attention from most people are much more fundamental. We call these the “Seven Deadly Health Sins” that compromise longevity and quality of life.

Sitting Too Much. According to the Mayo Clinic, those who have a sedentary lifestyle are in danger of things like “obesity and metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels.” A recent study showed that those who spend a large amount of time in front of a television or other forms of screen entertainment had a roughly 50% greater risk of death from any source.

Eating Too Much Fat, Sugar and Salt. The typical American diet not only contains too many calories, it’s also too high in fat, salt and sugar. In excess, these ingredients (all too common in processed foods) trigger a wide range of complex, self-inflicted health problems.

Sleeping Too Little. According to a recent poll by the National Sleep Foundation, a combination of daily stress and lifestyle choices (including nighttime activities as well as eating and exercise habits) is causing more than a third of the U.S. population to get fewer hours of sleep than they need.

Drinking Too Little Water. Most of us would be much better off if we drank lots more water and fewer sugary drinks. While there’s no real evidence that Americans are chronically dehydrated (despite all the hard work of bottled water companies), there is plenty of evidence that the things we are drinking aren’t particularly good for us from a nutritional point of view.

Mismanaging Stress. Our relationship with stress is a complicated one. The simple truth is that stress itself isn’t inherently positive or negative for our health. The thing we actually have to pay attention to is how we respond to it. While the physiological stress response we’ve inherited through evolution is designed to help us confront immediate physical dangers, most of today’s threats aren’t immediate or physical. The result of this mismatch is that our “fight or flight” response may stay switched on for much longer periods than nature intended. This in turn can cause a variety of health problems. Since stress is an inevitable part of modern life, it’s important for us to embrace the positive view of stress that helps us grow and develop while also learning how to turn off the harmful effects.

Ignoring Posture Problems. The way we carry ourselves while sitting or standing can have lasting implications for our musculoskeletal health. The bad news is that poor posture can reduce our strength, flexibility, and balance and—at the extreme—can cause pain and even compromise organ function. The good news is that posture problems can be corrected once they’ve been recognized. Even better, it’s possible to prevent them by developing good habits in the first place.

Putting Off Preventive Healthcare. The best time to pay attention to your health is while you still have it. Unfortunately, many Americans still cling to the reactive “sickness care” model and don’t take full advantage of the expanded preventive care options that have been made available to them as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The US Department of Health and Human Services estimates the ACA made 76 million Americans “newly eligible” for free preventive care. But a Kaiser Health Tracking Poll in March 2014 revealed that only 43% of the population was aware of the change, meaning that many people are probably foregoing preventive care out of cost concerns. Remember—it’s always better to recognize and treat a health problem early before it grows worse and becomes more difficult to address!

By avoiding these Seven Deadly Health Sins, you can also avoid many chronic health conditions. If you or someone you care about has health questions or concerns, we encourage you to call or visit our office today. We’re here to help!

Summertime Grilling and Your Health

Summertime Grilling and Your Health

summertime-grilling-200-300For many people, summertime just isn’t summertime without a barbecue! It’s a generations-old cultural phenomenon that combines three things American families love—food, family and fun!

Unfortunately, though, there are also some potential downsides to grilling when it comes to your health. This article presents a quick overview of the risks and offers some advice to help make grilling a little bit safer for you and your family this summer.

What’s unhealthy about grilling?

The first issue has to do with HOW the food is actually cooked. Grilling meat or fish over high heat produces carcinogens known as heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which have been linked to increased risk of various cancers. The second issue has to do with WHAT KINDS of food many people choose to grill. Many of the most popular foods for grilling can be high in fat and sodium and have little other nutritional value. With these two issues in mind, here are some tips on how you can enjoy healthier grilling all summer long.

Clean the grill. You don’t want to incorporate rancid grease and the charred buildup from previous barbecues into your meat before you’ve even begun cooking it. Use a sturdy wire scrub brush and warm soapy water to scrape any residue from the grill’s surface, both before and after you grill. This will also greatly improve the flavor of your food!

Use a low flame and cook briefly. When direct flames touch the meat it can add to the HCAs produced. To reduce these HCAs, keep the gas flame low or, if you’re using charcoal, wait until the coals have been reduced to glowing embers. The heat will still be sufficient, but will not be as likely to char the meat. Try not to overcook your food, as overdone meat has more HCAs. Discard any charred parts.

Flip burgers often. To reduce the chances of E. coli contamination in your ground beef, be sure to flip your burgers every 30 seconds or so. The USDA advises that you cook burgers to an internal temperature of at least 160°F to kill any possible bacteria. However, if you are someone who thinks that a burger cooked beyond medium-rare is a travesty, buy a cut of beef and grind it yourself and form your patties just before grilling. Or, if it is commercially prepared, be sure to flip your burgers often. A study found that when two burgers were cooked to the same temperature, the one flipped more often had a fifth of the E. coli.

Pre-treat your meat. To allow you to cook your meat for a shorter time while still retaining flavor and tenderness, consider marinating it first.  A marinade will tenderize the meat, and by using some flavorful spices in the marinade or in a dry rub, you can add a host of antioxidants to your meal that will reduce the production of HCAs. Researchers from Kansas State University found that marinating meat reduced carcinogens by 57 to 88 percent. Red wine, ginger, turmeric, rosemary and garlic are among the great-tasting, cancer-fighting ingredients you can include in a marinade.  And by combining two parts onion, two parts garlic and one part lemon juice in your marinade, you can reduce HCAs by 70%, as some researchers in Germany have found.

Choose healthier meat. Grass-fed organic meat is a far healthier choice than conventionally raised meat. Compared with conventionally raised meat, organic grass-fed beef and chicken are lower in saturated fat and cholesterol and higher in omega-3 and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which has been shown to reduce cholesterol and abdominal fat. It is also free from hormones and antibiotics.

Go veggie. Though meat is certainly tasty, grilled vegetables are delicious too, and vegetarian versions of burgers and hot dogs have come a long way from their early roots, when they had all the flavor of foam peanuts or confetti. Fortunately, there are now a host of excellent veggie “meats” on the market that don’t force you to sacrifice good taste for good health. And there’s nothing quite like grilled red peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, zucchini and onions. A good way to grill veggies is to cut them up into small chunks and put them on skewers. You’ll get a healthy serving of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in each bite. And topping your burger with some slices of avocado will give it a nutrition boost as well as a taste boost. Its mono and polyunsaturated fats have been shown to reduce cholesterol and can be a good substitute for mayonnaise.

What Parents Need to Know About E-Cigarettes

What Parents Need to Know About E-Cigarettes

blue-vapor
blue-vapor

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.

 

 

Spring is Here and Summer is Coming! Ease into Your Warm-Weather Exercise Routine to Avoid Injury

Spring is Here and Summer is Coming! Ease into Your Warm-Weather Exercise Routine to Avoid Injury

Woman is trained on a riverside
woman-stretching-legs

The prospect of warmer weather just around the corner, especially after a winter like this one, is already inspiring many people to “get back in shape.” It’s like a second chance at that New Years’ resolution you made back in January and never followed up on because it was freezing outside.

We all know that exercise is good for us. But no one likes having to put on ten layers of clothing to run outside or having to drive 20 minutes to the gym for a one-hour workout during the winter months. At around this same time every year, spring weather makes it easier for many people to “reboot” their exercise goals and to increase their level of physical activity. However, it’s important to use some common sense when jump-starting your warm-weather exercise program.

There are at least two big reasons why. First, statistics tell us that over half the people who start a new exercise program quit within six months. “Easing into it” and taking things slowly at first can help to prevent this. Second, starting to exercise again after a period of inactivity can lead to a number of injuries that can easily be avoided by taking a more realistic approach to exercising again. For example, if you’re a runner, don’t start out by trying to run a marathon. Ease into a new running routine by starting with short runs and extending the distance you run each time you go out. Also, try to remember the following general guidelines about exercise in general and exercising in warm weather.

  • Always warm up before exercise and stretch/cool down afterwards. The warm-up period is far more critical if you haven’t exercised for a while, because you need to get your body used to increased activity before you put demands on it. So do your jumping jacks or other gentle exercises to raise your heart rate and get your circulation going before you start your sports or exercise routine, and then do some stretching afterwards during a “cool down” period to allow things to settle down again.
  • Start slow, and don’t overdo it. If you’ve been inactive for some months, start with a couple of weeks of vigorous walking before you ease back into running. Also, if you’re an outdoor runner, be sure to pace yourself when picking routes, remembering that you have to run just as far to get back home.
  • Set goals, measure your progress, and try to keep to them. If possible, work with a trained sports/exercise counselor at your gym to set realistic exercise goals for yourself. Then carefully monitor your progress, making note of exactly how far you run or how much weight you lift in each session. Doing this will help you actually see your own progress and provide additional motivation when you run into problems or your performance plateaus.
  • Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. We can’t say this enough—hydrate. Drink lots of water before, during, and after exercising, especially as the temperature and humidity rises. The amount of water you need to consume depends to some extent on your weight and how long you exercise, but as you make progress and your workouts get longer, remember to consume a sports drink beforehand to replenish your electrolytes. This becomes more important as temperature and humidity rises, and you begin to sweat more.
  • Cross-train. If possible, try to vary your workouts, even as you’re easing back into them. Try running one day, lifting weights the next, and swimming the next, etc. This will develop different muscle groups more evenly and help you avoid injuries caused by repeatedly using the same ones.
  • Listen to your body and be aware of your limitations. If your arthritis has been acting up all winter, naturally don’t start with exercises that put a lot of pressure on your knees and joints. As a general rule, avoid believing in the “no pain, no gain” meme. That’s for committed athletes, and until you’ve been back in the swing of your exercise routine for six months or more, you’re not one. Don’t push yourself to the point of pain, and if you feel weak or in pain after a particular workout, rest for a day or more before exercising again.
  • Dress right. Yes, the temperatures are warmer, but be sure to wear proper clothing and foot gear for the sport or exercise you are performing. A remarkable number of injuries are caused each year by things as simple as running while wearing improper shoes.
  • If you become injured, remember R.I.C.E. This acronym stands for Rest (take off for a few days to rest the injured area), Ice (apply ice or cold packs to reduce swelling and inflammation), Compress (wrap swollen areas in a compression bandage), and Elevate (raise the injured limb). Avoid activities that use the injured area for a few days—you can still remain active, but don’t rush back into the same activities that caused the injury in the first place. For example, if you sprain your ankle, spend the next week exercising your arms and upper body.
  • If you are overweight or have known health problems, consult a doctor first. Don’t be macho—discuss your plans to get back in shape with your physician, and follow his or her advice.
10 Great Reasons to Stay Hydrated

10 Great Reasons to Stay Hydrated

water peak 2
water-droplet-in-glass

Water is essential to life. Our bodies are already 60%-70% water, and those reserves need to be replenished on a daily basis to keep us healthy. Add either extreme heat or extreme cold (both of which dehydrate us), and drinking enough water becomes even more critical.

Exactly how much water we should drink each day is an open question. As reported by the Mayo Clinic, the Institute of Medicine has determined that adequate water intake per day is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) for men and 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) for women. Some sources recommend more, some less, but there seems to be no question within the healthcare community that many of us should be drinking more water than we are. Here are a few reasons why:

  1. Water curbs your appetite, and contains zero calories. Both of these reasons should have some appeal to you whether you’re actively trying to lose a few pounds or just trying to maintain a healthy weight. Studies have shown that often when people think they’re hungry, they’re really thirsty.
  2. Water increases your energy levels. Studies have indicated that a cup of water can be more effective at boosting your energy levels than a cup of coffee. One suspected reason for this is that our perception of fatigue is often caused more by dehydration than actually being tired.
  3. Water is good for your skin. Rather than investing in expensive creams and lotions, why not invest in a few more glasses of water per day? They will help to keep your skin healthy, radiant, and glowing. And it’s a lot less expensive than anything you could buy at the cosmetics counter.
  4. Water increases your brain power. According to a study in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, subjects who drank a glass of water before performing a series of cognitive tasks reacted faster and thought more clearly than subjects who did not.
  5. Water helps maintain the balance of your other bodily fluids. You lose moisture daily via sweat and other excretions. Similarly, your blood, lymph, and intestinal fluids become depleted, and must be replenished with a proper intake of water.
  6. Water improves your moods. Although there are many causes of depression, headaches, irritability, and fatigue, one of the most common is dehydration. When your body becomes low on water, your blood vessels dilate, causing all of these symptoms. Increasing your daily intake of water can counter and reverse them.
  7. Water lowers your risk of heart attack. When your arteries and veins become clogged with plaque, you increase your likelihood of heart disease—one of the most effective ways of preventing this buildup of plaque is to remain properly hydrated. A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that drinking more water was positively associated with a decrease in the risk of coronary heart disease. Drinking liquids other than water increased this risk, according to the same study.
  8. Water can keep your joints lubricated, too. The synovial fluid that keeps your joints functioning properly and that keeps your bones from rubbing against each other becomes depleted when you are dehydrated. Drinking more water prevents this.
  9. Water improves your digestion. Your ability to digest your food depends on the proper functioning of a series of enzymes in your intestinal tract. The “delivery mechanism” for these enzymes is water—don’t get enough of it, and your ability to digest and assimilate nutrients in your food breaks down.
  1. Water even prevents fluid retention. This sounds counter-intuitive, but it’s true. Dehydration causes the body to retain water, because it thinks there is a critical lack of it. Drinking more water actually causes your body to stop retaining it.
The Benefits of Life-Long Sports

The Benefits of Life-Long Sports

middle-aged-woman-playing-tennis-200-300Not 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.

Why See a Chiropractor After Symptoms are Gone?

Why See a Chiropractor After Symptoms are Gone?

Chiropractor - Gentle Neck Adjustment
Chiropractor – Gentle Neck Adjustment

At some point in your life, you’ve probably heard an acquaintance, friend or family member say something like this: “Once you start going to a chiropractor, you’ll have to keep going back forever.” Most of the time, this is meant as a caution—a warning that chiropractic care is somehow addictive, cultish or (at worst) ineffective.

As chiropractic physicians, we believe that it’s very important for our patients to understand the nature of what we do and the kind of relationship we work to build with them. We also think it’s important to explain the phenomenon that these acquaintances, friends or family members are referring to.

There are indeed many people who return to our office even after their initial symptoms have disappeared. But they don’t return because they “have to”. They return because they CHOOSE to. And patients make this choice for a variety of different reasons. Sometime the reason has to do with a chronic or recurring condition that requires ongoing or periodic attention. Sometimes it has to do with a different health issue altogether. And still other times it has to do with their overall wellness. But in every case, they return to chiropractic because it helps them feel better than they feel without it.

Whether or not you choose to return to your chiropractor for regular treatment will depend on your own physical condition as well as your broader health and wellness goals. We understand that every patient is different, and we will do our best to work with you to design a treatment plan that meets your specific needs. This is true whether your priority is short-term pain relief, physical rehabilitation or general health and wellness. Our goal is always to provide the right combination of in-office care, exercise and stretching recommendations and lifestyle counseling to help you achieve your objectives.

Of course, you don’t have to keep going back to the chiropractor after your symptoms have been resolved. But the simple truth is that those symptoms are likely to reappear at some point if you don’t address the underlying source of the problem. Over time, pain, poor joint function and other signs of bodily wear can begin to creep up again without regular maintenance.

Why Regular Chiropractic Care is Important

Going to your chiropractor for a regular checkup and any necessary treatment is really no different from visiting your dentist or eye doctor. It’s fundamentally about prevention and early detection. The wear-and-tear of everyday living (not to mention the special demands of athletics or certain professions and workplaces) can take a serious toll on your musculoskeletal system in general. And it can be especially hard on your back and neck if your general posture is compromised. Unfortunately, it can take time for the cumulative effects to become obvious and for to you to begin experiencing pain and reduced function. And by the time you do experience these, whatever problems you have may be more difficult to treat.

The keys to good musculoskeletal health (especially spinal health) are:

  • Regular exercise that maintains or improves your posture, balance, flexibility, strength and stamina. Your chiropractor can recommend a specific program that accomplishes just that.
  • A healthy diet that provides the right nutrients for growth and recovery of bones, muscles and joints.
  • A weight loss or weight management approach that reduces (or prevents) unnecessary stress and strain on your joints.
  • Good ergonomics at work and play.
  • Avoidance of unhealthy habits that have been associated with musculoskeletal problems, including excessive sitting, alcohol and smoking.
  • Regular chiropractic check-ups and treatment.

For many of our patients, chiropractic care has become an important part of their overall wellness lifestyle. It’s simply something they do for themselves and their families to protect their overall health and help them feel (and perform) at their best. If you’re interested in learning more about how we can help you, please call or visit our office today!

Ever Wonder Who’s Really Responsible for Your Healthcare? You Are!

Ever Wonder Who’s Really Responsible for Your Healthcare? You Are!

 

medical help
girl-with-white-bear

It’s hardly surprising that people take different approaches to healthcare depending on their situation. After all, being in an auto accident creates a different set of priorities than expecting a first child. And discovering that you have a chronic medical condition is different from recovering from a fall down the stairs. However, the themes of prevention and early intervention are becoming more and more important as society addresses the healthcare costs associated with longer lifespans and so-called “lifestyle diseases”.

Need evidence? At the level of national healthcare policy, the Affordable Care Act places a new emphasis on preventive care by requiring that certain services be covered. Many private insurers and healthcare systems are taking an even more active role in advising their subscribers about what types of tests they should get at various ages and how to manage medications for the best results. Even employers are introducing or expanding workplace wellness programs aimed at preventing common health problems.

With all of these public- and private-sector organizations involved in healthcare with a capital “H”, it’s tempting to view health and wellness as an institutional challenge—a problem for someone else to solve. But this misses a very, very important point. No one has a greater stake in your own health and wellness than YOU do! This means that no one has a stronger interest in prevention and early detection.

Reasons Your Musculoskeletal Health May Need More Attention than You Think

A variety of injuries and health conditions can compromise your musculoskeletal system, resulting in pain and reduced function of bones, muscles and joints. And the regular wear and tear we associate with aging can also reduce our strength, stamina, balance, flexibility and coordination over time. For this reason, many people simply accept the onset of back, neck and joint pain as an inevitable result of getting older. But the truth is that we do have some control over how well our musculoskeletal system ages. By adopting healthy lifestyle habits related to nutrition, exercise, sleep and regular chiropractic care, we can avoid or delay certain types of common health problems.

How Doctors of Chiropractic Help Reduce Back Pain and Restore Mobility

The spine is a complex structure that is made up of bones, joints and the surrounding musculature. Doctors of chiropractic use specialized manipulation and mobilization techniques (often referred to as “adjustments”) to restore proper spinal alignment, thereby reducing pain and restoring mobility.

Taking a Holistic View of Health and Embracing Prevention

Although your immediate motivation in visiting a chiropractor may be to get pain relief without the risks of drugs or surgery, chiropractic treatment can also improve your overall health and longer-term quality of life. Chiropractic physicians are trained to take a holistic view of health and place a very high value on prevention. In part, this is because we recognize that our patients’ day-to-day decisions and behaviors have a cumulative effect on their musculoskeletal health as well as their general well-being. Prevention is something you can do for yourself!

  • Eat a healthy diet.
  • Keep moving and live an active lifestyle.
  • Lose weight if needed.
  • Maintain proper posture while sitting and standing.
  • Avoid high-heeled shoes, heavy backpacks and purses.
  • Lift correctly, using your legs instead of your back. Never lift anything that is heavier than 25% of your body weight and do not twist while lifting.
  • Get enough sleep.
  • Don’t use tobacco.
  • Moderate your use of alcohol.
  • Be proactive in obtaining chiropractic care for your back and overall health

Taking responsibility for your own health—and healthcare—means learning everything you can about your options and taking action. Call or visit our office today. We can help!

Are Energy Drinks Actually Dangerous?

Are Energy Drinks Actually Dangerous?

yippie - saut de joie
yippie – saut de joie

There’s no doubt that many of us live very fast-paced lives. “Too much to do in too little time…” It’s this common complaint that’s helping to drive the popularity of energy drinks. After all, who couldn’t use a little boost to help get through another busy day? And it’s not only adults who are fueling the craze. Teenagers are among the biggest users of energy drinks when they need to be awake for morning classes after staying out late or studying all night.

So what’s the problem? Energy drink-related visits to the emergency room have doubled over the past four years, and most of these cases have involved teens and young adults.

Energy drinks such as Red Bull, Monster, Full Throttle and Rock Star are starting to attract the attention of medical researchers and public health officials alike. This is leading to some troubling discoveries about what the ingredients in these drinks can do to our bodies. It’s also putting a spotlight on how these products are marketed. It turns out that energy drinks—unregulated and usually sold right alongside soft drinks in the supermarket—may be dangerous for our health.

What’s in the can? In addition to large amounts of caffeine and sugar, other ingredients commonly include taurine, glucuronolactone and guarana, as well as B-vitamins and a variety of herbal supplements such as ginseng, milk thistle and gingko biloba. The primary concern so far is the effect the combined stimulants in these drinks have on the heart. A typical energy drink contains up to three times as much caffeine as an equivalent amount of coffee or soda.

Energy drinks have been shown to produce arrhythmias (which are potentially life-threatening changes in your heart rhythm) and to raise blood pressure. Heart palpitations, seizures and sudden death can be caused when someone with an arrhythmia consumes an energy drink.

A study conducted by Dr. Jonas Dorner and colleagues from the University of Bonn in Germany found that energy drinks increase heart contractions. Dorner said “Until now, we haven’t known exactly what effect these energy drinks have on the function of the heart. There are concerns about the products’ potential adverse side effects on heart function, especially in adolescents and young adults, but there is little or no regulation of energy drink sales.”

The study involved 18 healthy volunteers, most of whom were male, who consumed an energy drink containing caffeine and taurine. They underwent an MRI an hour after taking the drink, and the results showed a significant increase in peak strain in the left ventricle of the heart.

Although these results may not cause problems in the short term for those who are young and healthy, these drinks may be a problem for anyone with heart disease. There are also no studies yet measuring the long-term effect that these energy drinks have on heart health.

Experts advise that children and anyone with a heart condition such as arrhythmia avoid consuming energy drinks due to the potential risks they pose.