We’ve all heard about going gluten-free. But is going gluten-free just another craze or are there real benefits to a gluten-free diet? Your questions answered.
How Physical Therapy Modalities Can Be the Icing on the Cake
Of course we are all very familiar with the dramatic healing effects of chiropractic care. However, sometimes patients are in a lot of pain and suffering from acute injury or very chronic, stubborn stress and tension.
We often use physical therapy modalities in patients healing from an acute injury, such as a motor vehicle accident or fall, as it is so effective in reducing pain and inflammation in the soft tissue. However, we also find it very effective in reducing tension and spasm in the chronically stressed and tense patient. A typical example would be the patient who works at the computer all day and has a long commute resulting in extremely tense neck and trap muscles.
We recommend physical therapy modalities for assisting in pain relief, relaxing muscles and pushing out inflammation. These therapies reduce pain and inflammation in the soft tissue as well as reduce tension and muscle spasm – assisting in healing.
5 Reasons Custom Orthotics Will Change Your Life for the Better
If you have foot pain, you will surely benefit from custom orthotics. By supporting the arches of your feet, custom orthotics are designed to make your whole body feel better. They easily slip into your shoes, replacing the manufacturer’s insole. Besides providing the proper support, they are often considered much more comfortable than the insole that comes in a shoe.
Foot Levelers, the company I use for our custom-made orthotics, partners with well-known shoe companies to make a custom-made foot bed for sandals and flip flops. So you can even get a flip flop that looks and feels good!
So, why consider an orthotic? Well, here are five great reasons:
Why Massage for Pain Relief Is So Effective
Ahhh … that wonderful feeling you have after a massage. You know it makes you feel good but does massage therapy really help pain and is it beneficial for your body? The short answer is yes. Massage therapy is a great part of the treatment protocol for pain relief and management. And, there’s science behind it and research to back it up. One question I am often asked is “How can massage therapy assist in my recovery from or the management of my pain?” Here’s what you need to know about massage for pain relief:
“What Vitamins Should I Take?” – Getting the Essentials
When I see a new patient, I always ask about vitamin usage. I find that many of my patients are not taking the fundamental essentials – so they end up asking me “What vitamins should I take?”. Although everyone benefits from the basics, I often find my patients already have conditions related to a lack or low level that showed up in previous blood work. Some have high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes for which omega 3s are extremely important, and even cramping or constipation, which is often a reflection of low magnesium. Everyone needs a healthy nutrient foundation – and few people get enough of the proper nutrients from their food. So here’s my approach to the question of “what vitamins should I take?”.
Vitamin Brands: Not All Created Equal
Vitamins. Everyone hears a lot about them, but how much does the average person really know? Many years ago, I first started taking vitamins based on the recommendation from the first chiropractor I started seeing while as an undergraduate student.
I knew very little about which vitamins to take and how much. I didn’t know which foods were the best sources of certain vitamins or that even if we eat healthy fruits and vegetables from the grocery store, our soils are very depleted of nutrients. I was unaware that there were differences in vitamin brands.
Luckily, he walked me through all of this gradually and even inspired my interest in being a chiropractor!
Purpose, Vision and Goal Setting…Now We’re Talking!
I have never been a fan of New Year’s resolutions – that feeling of setting resolutions and then experiencing feelings of guilt of failure after not implementing the necessary habits or behaviors. Or how about starting out wildly successful and then feeling mad at yourself for letting the resolutions fall by the wayside as the business of life creeps into reality as you get into the year?
Purpose and Vision
I have started to see that as I become more in tune with my vision and purpose in life, I tend to make choices that support that. So I propose that this New Year, you take the time to look inside yourself first and foremost. Ask yourself,
“What is important to me? What do I feel passionate about? What brings me joy? What makes me feel like I am being my best and most genuine self? What is true in my heart?”
Disconnect From the News and Reconnect With Nature
When the book and the bird disagree, believe the bird.
~ James Audobon
If you are like me, perhaps lately you have felt like you just don’t want to hear any more bad news. From terrorism to infectious disease, the news is constantly reminding us of the threats to ourselves and humanity. To make matters worse, the news provides a platform for arguments and criticisms about how all of the threats are being handled. This inevitably leads into arguments about politics.
Recently, I was for the most part, out of the loop on the news and social media – a rarity. Here are my thoughts on this recent experience.
Consider Chiropractic Treatment For Children
One of the most rewarding aspects of what I do is providing chiropractic treatment for children and babies.
The body has an innate ability to heal and repair itself, particularly when stessors are removed. Improving the function of the nervous system through the chiropractic adjustment assists the body in staying balanced and well. Although this is true for all human beings, children tend to be extremely resilient. It is so wonderful to see their bodies respond in such positive ways through chiropractic.
Adjustments for Infants
Most people wonder how it is possible to safely adjust a tiny baby. The key is a gentle approach. In my office, sometimes I use just a fingertip to gently manipulate the spine. Other times, I use a small tool to put a very low force and pressure on a specific bone. In this way, the adjustment is extremely gentle. It is a totally different type of procedure than an adjustment on an adult.
Poor Posture Can Equate to Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain….I can’t tell you how many people I’ve met through my years practicing chiropractic that suffer from this. As with the neck and middle back, posture is a huge contributor. The good news is that there is a lot that you can do to impact your lower back posture and reduce your pain – not to mention get people around you to think you’ve grown taller!
For my final posture blog, I want to address the low back posture. Normal posture of the low back should include a nice C curve, with the arc of the C facing forward when looking from the side.
“Sway” back
By far the most common postural problem in the low back is the anteriorly tilted pelvis. This can make someone appear as though they are scooping their butt up and back and sticking their stomach out in the front. This posture is sometimes referred to as “sway ” back.