Monday, June 15, 2009
YOUR SPINAL IQ
Your IQ that's measured in school has to do with problem solving - mental gymnastics. Your spinal IQ also has to do with problem solving - these are "problems" of the physical kind.How far to bend over to lift those grocery bags out of your car's trunk? How much muscle force is necessary to pick up and carry your five-year-old child? What specific muscles are needed to maintain your "downward dog" position for 30 seconds in yoga class? How far can your back muscles stretch when you do a back bend at the ballet barre? These are the problems your spinal IQ tries to solve.Spinal IQ is an inborn ability. Our bodies were designed for the rigors of physical work - they are very smart and very adaptable. One of our built-in control systems is the specialized set of nerve endings known as proprioceptors.Proprioception is our internal awareness of position in three-dimensional space. This three-dimensional positioning allows us to keep our balance when we walk or run. Proprioception tells our muscles and joints how to work together to throw a baseball from third to first, to drive to the basketball hoop and sink a lay-up, or to hit a tennis ball to the corner of the opponent's service box and win the point.Proprioception is very important in spinal IQ. The spine is a complex system of bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments - a smart proprioception system helps all the parts work together smoothly and seamlessly.To keep all the parts functioning we need to take an active role. In modern society, if we're not proactive, it's easy for our bodies to break down. Two key strategies for maintaining high levels of spinal IQ are regular strenuous exercise and regular chiropractic check-ups.Exercise helps our bodies stay smart. When we exercise, our joints are mechanically stressed and challenged throughout their complete ranges of motion. This activity stimulates proprioceptors - training them to do their job well and building new and stronger connections between nerve cells. Exercise also builds muscle strength and flexibility, and in the process the muscles are getting smarter, too.Chiropractic care enhances the benefits of your exercise program by helping ensure optimal functioning of your spine and nerve system. With regular chiropractic care, your proprioceptive system is optimized and your body's ability to adapt to physical challenges is restored.Your chiropractor will be glad to assist you in designed an exercise program that will work for you, helping you to improve your spinal IQ and your health.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
GETTING A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP
Ensuring Restful Sleep - Positive Self-Talk
A great way to establish the habit of restful sleep is to quietly talk to yourself a little before falling asleep. In essence you're talking directly to your subconscious mind, and the instructions you give your subconscious can go far toward ensuring a good night's sleep and a successful day tomorrow.
Positive self-talk has been championed by renowned plastic surgeon Maxwell Maltz in his world-famous book, Psycho-Cybernetics, and by many leaders in the field of human peak performance, including Earl Nightingale, Napoleon Hill, and Norman Vincent Peale.You can say things like:
I sleep through the night. I sleep deeply and well.
I wake up relaxed, refreshed, restored, renewed, revived.
I will have a great day tomorrow. I'll meet the right people and speak with the right people. Everything goes my way.
I am healthy and well. I am healthy and well.
Give thanks for your wonderful family, friends, and job or career.You'll notice, after a few nights of brief, quiet positive self-talk, that you're falling asleep quicker and that your days are becoming much easier, much more enjoyable. Things are flowing your way. It's quite remarkable.Americans spend more than $2 billion each year on sleep-aiding medications. Sleep is supposed to be a natural process. What's going on? There are many issues in the way of getting a good night's sleep. Daily stresses - work problems, financial difficulties, family challenges - can all keep a person up at night. We rehash what was said over and over again, or we endlessly review the problems confronting us, creating more anxiety and worry while the minutes and maybe even hours tick away.Eating late at night - particularly fat-filled foods and snacks - may also interfere with a person's ability to fall asleep and sleep restfully. Late night meals engage all the resources of your digestive system - your body is actually doing a lot of work when it's supposed to be resting. Not good. And, of course, a lot of this late night food is stored as fat, creating additional problems.Not enough exercise also contributes to lack of restful sleep. When you're doing vigorous physical work, your body needs to recover. Sleep allows your body to repair and rebuild, getting stronger in the process. Regardless of one's stresses and worries, vigorous exercise makes a physical demand on your body that will put you right to sleep.If you're not exercising regularly, this strong physiologic need for deep rest is missing, and you'll likely be tossing and turning the night away.Old, soft, lumpy mattresses are another potential sleep-disturber. But too-firm mattresses may also cause problems. A good mattress is supportive and comfortable - it "gives" in all the right places and provides a balanced, springy platform for a restful night's sleep. The solutions are straightforward and none of them involve medication. Regular exercise is the key ingredient. With consistent exercise, your body's need for sleep will win out over your conscious mind's automatic mechanism of repeatedly processing the day's events.Chiropractic care may be another key ingredient. Gentle chiropractic treatment ensures that all your body's systems are talking to each other and the right messages are getting through. Chiropractic treatment ensures clear communication from one body system to another. Late at night, systems shut down when they're supposed to and the resultis a good night's sleep. Your chiropractor will be glad to provide you with important information on customized exercise and nutrition programs that will help you continue to be healthy and well.
A great way to establish the habit of restful sleep is to quietly talk to yourself a little before falling asleep. In essence you're talking directly to your subconscious mind, and the instructions you give your subconscious can go far toward ensuring a good night's sleep and a successful day tomorrow.
Positive self-talk has been championed by renowned plastic surgeon Maxwell Maltz in his world-famous book, Psycho-Cybernetics, and by many leaders in the field of human peak performance, including Earl Nightingale, Napoleon Hill, and Norman Vincent Peale.You can say things like:
I sleep through the night. I sleep deeply and well.
I wake up relaxed, refreshed, restored, renewed, revived.
I will have a great day tomorrow. I'll meet the right people and speak with the right people. Everything goes my way.
I am healthy and well. I am healthy and well.
Give thanks for your wonderful family, friends, and job or career.You'll notice, after a few nights of brief, quiet positive self-talk, that you're falling asleep quicker and that your days are becoming much easier, much more enjoyable. Things are flowing your way. It's quite remarkable.Americans spend more than $2 billion each year on sleep-aiding medications. Sleep is supposed to be a natural process. What's going on? There are many issues in the way of getting a good night's sleep. Daily stresses - work problems, financial difficulties, family challenges - can all keep a person up at night. We rehash what was said over and over again, or we endlessly review the problems confronting us, creating more anxiety and worry while the minutes and maybe even hours tick away.Eating late at night - particularly fat-filled foods and snacks - may also interfere with a person's ability to fall asleep and sleep restfully. Late night meals engage all the resources of your digestive system - your body is actually doing a lot of work when it's supposed to be resting. Not good. And, of course, a lot of this late night food is stored as fat, creating additional problems.Not enough exercise also contributes to lack of restful sleep. When you're doing vigorous physical work, your body needs to recover. Sleep allows your body to repair and rebuild, getting stronger in the process. Regardless of one's stresses and worries, vigorous exercise makes a physical demand on your body that will put you right to sleep.If you're not exercising regularly, this strong physiologic need for deep rest is missing, and you'll likely be tossing and turning the night away.Old, soft, lumpy mattresses are another potential sleep-disturber. But too-firm mattresses may also cause problems. A good mattress is supportive and comfortable - it "gives" in all the right places and provides a balanced, springy platform for a restful night's sleep. The solutions are straightforward and none of them involve medication. Regular exercise is the key ingredient. With consistent exercise, your body's need for sleep will win out over your conscious mind's automatic mechanism of repeatedly processing the day's events.Chiropractic care may be another key ingredient. Gentle chiropractic treatment ensures that all your body's systems are talking to each other and the right messages are getting through. Chiropractic treatment ensures clear communication from one body system to another. Late at night, systems shut down when they're supposed to and the resultis a good night's sleep. Your chiropractor will be glad to provide you with important information on customized exercise and nutrition programs that will help you continue to be healthy and well.
Lowering the Risk Factors of Obesity, Diabetes, and Heart Disease
Lowering the Risk Factors
Diabetes is a dangerous health problem. In adults, diabetes is often a result of long-term nutritional neglect and abuse. Most of us don't eat breakfast. Our fuel supply is very low, and we wind up running on fumes. We grab a high-calorie muffin or a candy bar later in the morning when we're really, really hungry. What we don't know is that this snack causes insulin to dump out of the pancreas into the bloodstream, as the body attempts to process the surge in blood glucose from the snack we just ate. This pattern is repeated throughout the day. A graph of the average person's blood sugar levels would show sharp spikes - both highs and lows - in every 24-hour period. Eventually, the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas wear out. The result is consistently high levels of blood glucose which is called diabetes. Diabetes may cause severe eye problems, severe kidney problems, and severe circulatory problems. It is associated with obesity, heart disease, and increased mortality. Not good. An obvious preventive strategy would be to ensure that blood glucose levels are steady throughout the day. Actually, this is easy to do. All that's required is to develop healthy eating habits and do regular exercise.
Eat breakfast - a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese mixed with a 6-ounce cup of yogurt is all you need.
Do food combining at every meal - always eat a combination of protein and carbohydrate
No between-meal snacks
Regular exercise that is challenging and fun - build-up gradually and be consistentWe're in the middle of several deadly epidemics in the United States. Obesity, diabetes, and heart disease are affecting more and more people every year. Recent statistics show that two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. Thirty percent of American children are obese. Approximately 21 million Americans have diabetes. One child out of every 500 has type I diabetes. In America, 72 million adults have high blood pressure. These are shocking statistics, considering that U.S. health care expenditures totaled $2 trillion in 2006. That's 2 TRILLION dollars. As Americans, we're getting less healthy by the day. The good news is there are many things we can do about these trends. There is real action that every American, young and old, can take to support and protect their health and well-being. These action steps all focus on lifestyle - the choices we make each and every day. The first step is an honest self-assessment. When was the last time I exercised? Does my clothes size increase every couple of years? How many times during the week do I eat fast food? When was the last time I ate an apple instead of half a box of cookies? Regardless of the answers, it is possible to become healthy and fit again, whatever your current circumstances. You CAN lose 10 or 20 or 30 or however many pounds. You CAN climb stairs without getting out of breath. You CAN regain the youthful glow of vitality. You CAN be vigorous and proud of your body, rather than worrying about what's going to be the next thing to break down. Healthy eating and regular exercise are essential parts of the solution to combating obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.1,2 These practices have the magical effect of resetting your metabolic clock - your body shifts from a pattern of storing fat to a pattern of burning fat.3 Over time, with a nutritious food plan and consistent exercise, you even burn fat while you're resting! Your body is very smart. You just have to treat it right. Your chiropractor is a wonderful asset - both as a health care practitioner and as a guide - on your journey toward fitness and wellness. Your chiropractor has extensive resources available on practical nutrition and how to design a supportive food plan. He or she has deep knowledge regarding the types of exercises and activities that will be right for you. You and your chiropractor can design an exercise program that will be both fun and rewarding. Working together, you'll be maximizing your health and vitality. You will begin to fulfill a way of living that will support you in being healthy and well for years to come. 1Lindstrom J, et al: Sustained reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes by lifestyle intervention: follow-up of the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study. Lancet 368(9548):1673-1679, 2006. 2Orchard TJ, et al: The effect of metformin and intensive lifestyle intervention on the metabolic syndrome: the Diabetes Prevention Program randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 142(8):611-619, 2005 3Yannakoulia M, et al: A dietary pattern characterized by high consumption of whole-grain cereals and low-fat dairy products and low consumption of refined cereals is positively associated with plasma adiponectin levels in healthy women. Metabolism 57(6):824-830, 2008
Diabetes is a dangerous health problem. In adults, diabetes is often a result of long-term nutritional neglect and abuse. Most of us don't eat breakfast. Our fuel supply is very low, and we wind up running on fumes. We grab a high-calorie muffin or a candy bar later in the morning when we're really, really hungry. What we don't know is that this snack causes insulin to dump out of the pancreas into the bloodstream, as the body attempts to process the surge in blood glucose from the snack we just ate. This pattern is repeated throughout the day. A graph of the average person's blood sugar levels would show sharp spikes - both highs and lows - in every 24-hour period. Eventually, the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas wear out. The result is consistently high levels of blood glucose which is called diabetes. Diabetes may cause severe eye problems, severe kidney problems, and severe circulatory problems. It is associated with obesity, heart disease, and increased mortality. Not good. An obvious preventive strategy would be to ensure that blood glucose levels are steady throughout the day. Actually, this is easy to do. All that's required is to develop healthy eating habits and do regular exercise.
Eat breakfast - a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese mixed with a 6-ounce cup of yogurt is all you need.
Do food combining at every meal - always eat a combination of protein and carbohydrate
No between-meal snacks
Regular exercise that is challenging and fun - build-up gradually and be consistentWe're in the middle of several deadly epidemics in the United States. Obesity, diabetes, and heart disease are affecting more and more people every year. Recent statistics show that two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. Thirty percent of American children are obese. Approximately 21 million Americans have diabetes. One child out of every 500 has type I diabetes. In America, 72 million adults have high blood pressure. These are shocking statistics, considering that U.S. health care expenditures totaled $2 trillion in 2006. That's 2 TRILLION dollars. As Americans, we're getting less healthy by the day. The good news is there are many things we can do about these trends. There is real action that every American, young and old, can take to support and protect their health and well-being. These action steps all focus on lifestyle - the choices we make each and every day. The first step is an honest self-assessment. When was the last time I exercised? Does my clothes size increase every couple of years? How many times during the week do I eat fast food? When was the last time I ate an apple instead of half a box of cookies? Regardless of the answers, it is possible to become healthy and fit again, whatever your current circumstances. You CAN lose 10 or 20 or 30 or however many pounds. You CAN climb stairs without getting out of breath. You CAN regain the youthful glow of vitality. You CAN be vigorous and proud of your body, rather than worrying about what's going to be the next thing to break down. Healthy eating and regular exercise are essential parts of the solution to combating obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.1,2 These practices have the magical effect of resetting your metabolic clock - your body shifts from a pattern of storing fat to a pattern of burning fat.3 Over time, with a nutritious food plan and consistent exercise, you even burn fat while you're resting! Your body is very smart. You just have to treat it right. Your chiropractor is a wonderful asset - both as a health care practitioner and as a guide - on your journey toward fitness and wellness. Your chiropractor has extensive resources available on practical nutrition and how to design a supportive food plan. He or she has deep knowledge regarding the types of exercises and activities that will be right for you. You and your chiropractor can design an exercise program that will be both fun and rewarding. Working together, you'll be maximizing your health and vitality. You will begin to fulfill a way of living that will support you in being healthy and well for years to come. 1Lindstrom J, et al: Sustained reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes by lifestyle intervention: follow-up of the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study. Lancet 368(9548):1673-1679, 2006. 2Orchard TJ, et al: The effect of metformin and intensive lifestyle intervention on the metabolic syndrome: the Diabetes Prevention Program randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 142(8):611-619, 2005 3Yannakoulia M, et al: A dietary pattern characterized by high consumption of whole-grain cereals and low-fat dairy products and low consumption of refined cereals is positively associated with plasma adiponectin levels in healthy women. Metabolism 57(6):824-830, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
What's your excuse why you are not exercising??
Here is a top 10 list of the excuses that most of my patients provide to me when I ask them why they do not exercise.
1: I don't really care about exercising. I work hard enough every day.
2: I have a lot more responsibilities that take priority in my life right now.
3: I'm so out of shape. I am embarrassed and think people will laugh at me.
4: I have a bad back, bad knees, chronic pain etc... (But are you doing anything to alleviate the pain beside taking medications?)
5: I go to the gym but I soon get bored, so I'm taking a break for a while.
6: There just isnt a gym thats close enough to me.
7: It's just too expensive. I cannot afford it.
8: I've had a bad experience at the gym, (Poor trainer or guys harassing obnoxious members etc...)
9: I'm too tired to work out by the end of the day. I just dont have the discipline to commit to an exercise program
and the number 10 reason.....
10: I don't have TIME!!!
If these are some or all of your excuses as to why you dont make time in your life to exercise, please reconsider and make time to keep yourself healthy. You'll be glad you did once the toxins are flushed from your system and you find yourself full of extra energy and ability.
1: I don't really care about exercising. I work hard enough every day.
2: I have a lot more responsibilities that take priority in my life right now.
3: I'm so out of shape. I am embarrassed and think people will laugh at me.
4: I have a bad back, bad knees, chronic pain etc... (But are you doing anything to alleviate the pain beside taking medications?)
5: I go to the gym but I soon get bored, so I'm taking a break for a while.
6: There just isnt a gym thats close enough to me.
7: It's just too expensive. I cannot afford it.
8: I've had a bad experience at the gym, (Poor trainer or guys harassing obnoxious members etc...)
9: I'm too tired to work out by the end of the day. I just dont have the discipline to commit to an exercise program
and the number 10 reason.....
10: I don't have TIME!!!
If these are some or all of your excuses as to why you dont make time in your life to exercise, please reconsider and make time to keep yourself healthy. You'll be glad you did once the toxins are flushed from your system and you find yourself full of extra energy and ability.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Beating The Heat
Here in NYC, the weather has been just brutal, with 4 continuous days of 94 degrees +!! Temperatures this high mixed with pollution causing humidity are very dangerous and should not be takin lightly. The most common illnesses from high heat are:
heat stoke, heat exhaustion and dehydration and high temperatures.
Those most at risk of getting sick as a result of high heat and humidity are preschoolers, adults aged 65 or older, people of any age who overexert themselves during work or exercise, and people who are sick or on certain medications.
Heat-related illness occurs when the body's temperature-control system is overloaded. The body normally cools itself by sweating, but when the humidity and temperature are high, sweating may not be effective enough. Signs of heat illness include rapid breathing, headache, weakness or fainting, confusion and more tiredness than usual.
The most severe effect on health is heat stroke. A person suffering from heat stroke has a high body temperature -- above 99 degrees F; hot, dry skin and dizziness or confusion.
Similar in concept to winter's wind-chill factor, the humidex is a measure developed by meteorologists to describe how heat and relative humidity combine to make it feel hotter than it actually is. The humidex takes into account the two most important factors that affect summer comfort -- temperature and humidity -- and is therefore a better measure of how stifling the air feels.
heat stoke, heat exhaustion and dehydration and high temperatures.
Those most at risk of getting sick as a result of high heat and humidity are preschoolers, adults aged 65 or older, people of any age who overexert themselves during work or exercise, and people who are sick or on certain medications.
Heat-related illness occurs when the body's temperature-control system is overloaded. The body normally cools itself by sweating, but when the humidity and temperature are high, sweating may not be effective enough. Signs of heat illness include rapid breathing, headache, weakness or fainting, confusion and more tiredness than usual.
The most severe effect on health is heat stroke. A person suffering from heat stroke has a high body temperature -- above 99 degrees F; hot, dry skin and dizziness or confusion.
Similar in concept to winter's wind-chill factor, the humidex is a measure developed by meteorologists to describe how heat and relative humidity combine to make it feel hotter than it actually is. The humidex takes into account the two most important factors that affect summer comfort -- temperature and humidity -- and is therefore a better measure of how stifling the air feels.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Interesting Read
I read in this month's issue of Men's Health something I would like to share with you. It is unrelated to healthcare, but since I am soon to be a parent, I found it useful information.
90% of your job as a parent is keeping your children from accidentally killing themselves. Another 5% is making them feel comfortable taking risks, and the final 5% comes from teaching them how to decide which risks are the right ones to take! very Ironic!!
You are not suppose to tell your children what to do, You're supposed to let them watch you.
I guess this last statement has a bearing on your child's health and wellness! If your children grow up watching you swallow NSAIDS like pez or eat foods you know are going to cause heart conditions, increase cholesterol or bring about metabolic syndromes, this will eventually lead them to make poor decisions about their health. Remember, your kids are watching, make the right decisions not only for your health but for their's as well. God bless!
90% of your job as a parent is keeping your children from accidentally killing themselves. Another 5% is making them feel comfortable taking risks, and the final 5% comes from teaching them how to decide which risks are the right ones to take! very Ironic!!
You are not suppose to tell your children what to do, You're supposed to let them watch you.
I guess this last statement has a bearing on your child's health and wellness! If your children grow up watching you swallow NSAIDS like pez or eat foods you know are going to cause heart conditions, increase cholesterol or bring about metabolic syndromes, this will eventually lead them to make poor decisions about their health. Remember, your kids are watching, make the right decisions not only for your health but for their's as well. God bless!
Monday, April 28, 2008
The Trouble with Treating Symptoms
Sorry I've been away for so long! With the new practice and baby on the way, life is moving faster than ever!!
The problem with treating symptoms, mainly PAIN, in all it's forms, is that you see and feel only the "Tip of the Iceberg".
As poor health conditions develop, pain is the last thing to appear. When a chiropractor works on the cause and the body begins to heal, pain will be the first thing to disappear. If the hidden cause of your pain is not attended to, it's probable the pain will soon resurface. Follow your treatment protocol set forth by your chiropractor to ensure last relief and proper healing.
Achy, numbness and tingling, tired, heavy, spasms and twitching are all neurological signs mostly telling you that there is interference with the nervous system along it's path. By adjusting the bones, you relieve this interference and restore the body's full electrical potential. The power that
made the body, heals the body! Its just that simple.
The problem with treating symptoms, mainly PAIN, in all it's forms, is that you see and feel only the "Tip of the Iceberg".
As poor health conditions develop, pain is the last thing to appear. When a chiropractor works on the cause and the body begins to heal, pain will be the first thing to disappear. If the hidden cause of your pain is not attended to, it's probable the pain will soon resurface. Follow your treatment protocol set forth by your chiropractor to ensure last relief and proper healing.
Achy, numbness and tingling, tired, heavy, spasms and twitching are all neurological signs mostly telling you that there is interference with the nervous system along it's path. By adjusting the bones, you relieve this interference and restore the body's full electrical potential. The power that
made the body, heals the body! Its just that simple.
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