Chiropractic – How Does It Work?

13 May

Many people seek chiropractic care when their back goes out or their neck tightens up. But how does this form of care actually work? What are the benefits of receiving chiropractic care for nerve dysfunction compared with other healthcare options? Let’s take a look!

 

First, let’s discuss how the nervous system “works.” We have three divisions of the nervous system: the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems. The central nervous system (CNS) includes the brain and spinal cord, and it’s essentially the main processing portion of the nervous system. The spinal cord is like a multi-lane highway that brings information to the brain for processing (sensory division) and returns information back to the toes, feet, legs and upper extremities from which the information originated (motor division). For example, hiking on a mountain trail or simply walking requires constant input to and from the CNS so we can adjust our balance accordingly and not fall. These “sensory-motor pathways” are essential and allow us to complete our daily tasks in an efficient, safe manner as information is constantly bouncing back and forth between the brain and the rest of the body. The peripheral nervous system (PNS) includes a similar sensory/motor “two-way street” system relaying information back and forth from our toes/feet/legs and fingers/hands/arms to the spinal cord (CNS). And if this isn’t complicated enough, we also have “reflexes” that, for example, allow us to QUICKLY pull our hand away from a hot stove to minimize burning our fingers. Reflexes allow the information to “skip” the brain’s processing part so quicker reactions can occur. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) includes the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions that basically “run” our automatic (organ) functions like breathing, heart rate, digestion, hormonal output, and more. There is constant communication between the ANS, PNS, and CNS that allow us to function in a normal, balanced way…unless something disrupts them.

There are obvious conditions that interfere with this communication process that include (but are not limited to) diabetes (with neuropathy), frost bitten or burned fingers, peripheral nerve damage from conditions like carpal/cubital tunnel syndromes, thoracic outlet syndrome, and/or pinched nerves in the neck, mid-back, low-back spinal regions, as well as conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS), Guillain-Barre Syndrome, after a stroke (spinal cord or brain), and after trauma with resulting fractures where nerve, spinal cord, and/or brain damage can occur. These are “obvious” reasons for delayed or blocked neurotransmission. There are many other less obvious injuries or conditions that can result in faulty neuromotor patterns and nerve transmission of which chiropractic services can benefit. The “subluxation complex” is a term some chiropractors use to describe the compromised nerve transmission that may occur if a nerve is compressed or irritated due to faulty bone or joint position along the nerve’s course. Reducing such nerve compression typically allows for a restoration of function. A good illustration of this is when a patient who suffers from a herniated disk in the neck with numbness and tingling down the arm to the hand. The goal of treatment (for all healthcare professionals) is to remove the pinch of the nerve. To realize this goal, Doctors of Chiropractic utilize spinal manipulation and mobilization in addition to other non-surgical, non-drug approaches that may include exercises, nutritional advice, home-care such as a cervical traction unit, and other anti-inflammatory measures (ice, modalities like low level and class IV laser, electric stimulation, pulsed magnetic field, and more). Given the minimal side-effect risks and well-reported benefits, it only makes sense to try chiropractic FIRST and if you’re not satisfied, your doctor will help you find the next level of care!

We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs.  If you, a friend, or family member requires care, we would be honored to render our services.

 

 

One Moment Can Change Everything

12 May

“A single moment can change your life forever. I had one of those moments today while shooting a video of a 13-year old boy who is dying from an autoimmune disease.  His story is one of the most amazing and touching I have ever heard.  And it’s personal because he is the son of one of my best friends.”

Those are the words posted on Facebook by the person documenting this incredible story in an attempt to raise over $350,000 to pay for medical treatments that insurance companies won’t cover.  When contacted for this story, he asked to remain anonymous and added, “This story is about saving a 13-year-old boy’s life… not me.  Please focus on him.”  So, we will…

Imagine being a star athlete, a champion in multiple sports, and getting straight A’s in school… all by age 10!  Imagine doing that while battling a terrible genetic disorder and suffering from several autoimmune diseases that can make it impossible to walk or even hold a cup.  Now, imagine being told there is very little hope and there are no definite solutions to your genetic disorder, that your condition will lead to cancer and ultimately death before you reach adulthood.

At five months old, Louie was hit with his first autoimmune disease, which wasn’t diagnosed until after spending two months in the hospital.  His body thought he had an infection and produced fevers ranging from 101 to 107 degrees Fahrenheit (~38-42 degrees Celsius).  At one point, his heart stopped due to complications stemming from such high fevers.  The attending nurse quickly prepared an ice bath, wet several small blankets, and then wrapped and placed the quiet baby in the water and prayed the cold shock would bring his fever down so CPR could be administered to bring him back. After a couple minutes in the ice bath, everyone heard a loud roar!  It was Louis coming back and that incredible fighting spirit would come to characterize Louis’ entire life.

Because of his fevers, his doctor said that Louis should be brain dead or at the very least, have an undetermined amount of brain damage.  Oh really?  By age 10, Louis was evaluated and determined to be gifted, a “near genius.”  To this day (age 13), Louis excels in school effortlessly all while battling a deadly genetic disorder.

Louis currently suffers from eight autoimmune diseases.  He deals with massive amounts of hair loss, loss of skin pigmentation, skin rashes, painful eye bulging, thyroid disease, Grave’s disease, and very painful juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.  Nearly every day is a nightmare for Louis. He deals with pain, a dozen different medicines and their side effects, and sees doctors twice a week, all while trying to be a teenager and have fun.

His strength is uncanny and he doesn’t shed a tear and never complains. He fights with all his heart every day and treats every day as a new battle as a war he must win. He’s focused and determined, he’s unstoppable. Before his most recent diagnosis of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, Louis was a champion athlete. He could play nearly every position on the baseball field (including pitcher) and was both a multiple-time tournament Tae Kwon Do Champion and a Judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Grappling Champion.  He also enjoyed other sports like basketball and soccer.  Unfortunately, his condition has now taken over his body.  Most days holding a cup or making it from his bed to the bathroom in the morning is a difficult task that requires assistance. Playing his favorite sports and competing in martial arts tournaments are no longer an option for him.

Down but not out, Louis perseveres.  When he is not seeing doctors, he demands to be in school.  For him, anything less than an A+ is unacceptable.  He’s focused on expanding his mind and learning as much as possible.  He plans to be a doctor and he has been known to openly talk about curing diseases to save children, saying, “One day I will cure cancers that take children, the answer is in the genes.  I just haven’t figured it out yet.  I just need more time and more studying.”

Let’s hope the campaign is able to raise the funds through donations to give Louis the time he needs to make history. (See: http://www.gofundme.com/oe37s8 for more information.)

 We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger! Don’t be a stranger. You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!

Want to Shorten the Length of the Common Cold?

11 May

According to findings published in BMC Family Practice, “High dose zinc acetate lozenges shortened the duration of common-cold associated nasal discharge by 34%, nasal congestion by 37%, scratchy throat by 33%, and cough by 46%.”

Because they observed no major adverse effects related to zinc consumption over three separate studies, the authors of the study conclude, “Zinc acetate lozenges releasing zinc ions at doses of about 80 mg/day may be a useful treatment for the common cold, started within 24 hours, for a time period of less than two weeks.”

Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.

More Research Shows Timing a Factor in Type 2 Diabetes

7 May

According to a new small-scale study published in Diabetologia, “The combined consumption of a high-energy breakfast and a low-energy dinner decreases overall daily hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetics.” 

Researcher Dr. Daniela Jakubowicz notes, “We found that by eating more calories at breakfast, when the glucose response to food is lowest and consuming fewer calories at dinner, glucose peaks after meals and glucose levels throughout the day were significantly reduced.” 

In other words, a big breakfast and small dinner helped control blood sugar levels throughout the day.

Here is an interesting finding from the research:  Participants’ blood glucose levels rose 23 percent less after lunches preceded by large breakfasts. Dr. Jakubowicz adds, “By demonstrating that a diet of high-energy breakfasts and more modest dinners is more effective in lowering overall daily post-meal glucose surges, we suggest that such a regimen is a powerful therapeutic approach for improving glycemic control and may potentially reduce cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetic… It is not enough to tell the diabetic patient what he or she should or should not eat.  It is more important to emphasize that a more advantageous meal schedule should be followed.”

A “Simple” Quote That Can Change Your Life

4 May

Life is complicated.  As you get older and take on more responsibilities, there never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done, which causes stress.

Well, what if all that complexity, stress, and strain was NOT mandatory?  What if most… if not all… of life’s difficulties are actually self-imposed?  What if there was a simple way to shed all the frustration and finally live a much more satisfying and rewarding life? If that’s something you are interested in, then you will love this quote…

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours…. In proportion as he simplifies his life, the laws of the universe will appear less complex, and solitude will not be solitude, nor poverty poverty, nor weakness weakness.”

That quote is by Henry David Thoreau, a man whom you may remember from your high school days for living in a small, self-built house in the woods located on Walden Pond for two years. Why did Thoreau spend two years living in the woods?  Here is the reason he gave…

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.  I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary.  I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms, and, if it proved to be mean, why then to get the whole and genuine meanness of it, and publish its meanness to the world; or if it were sublime, to know it by experience, and be able to give a true account of it in my next excursion.”

What does this have to do with you?  Should you go live in the woods? Probably not.  But there are many life lessons that can be learned from Thoreau’s experiences and writings, and the most powerful might be: SIMPLIFICATION.

We all tend to make life much more complicated than it actually is.  We worry about things we do not have to worry about, and we make a big deal out of things that we either cannot change or just don’t matter. Why do we do this?  We do it because everyone else does, which is why so many of us believe it is the only way.

Getting and staying healthy is the same.  We are led to believe that achieving a healthy weight and maintaining an active lifestyle is a complex process.  In fact, for the vast majority, getting and staying healthy is quite simple:  eat simple (avoid processed foods and eat more fruits and veggies, for example); do basic, simple exercise; and simplify other parts of your life to reduce stress and strain.

Practicing simplification is one of the most powerful things you can ever do.

Best,
Dr. Binder

Does Eating Organic Food Make A Difference?

28 Apr

Eating organic food is a very hot topic.  It seems like everyone is talking about it, and everyone has a strong opinion one way or the other.  Some swear by it and say you are poisoning yourself if you do not eat organic foods.  Others say eating organic is nothing more than a waste of money.  Is there really a benefit to eating organic food over non-organic food in regards to actual pesticide levels in the body?

A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives analyzed the dietary exposure of nearly 4,500 people from six cities across the United States to organophosphates (OPs), the most common insecticides used on conventionally grown produce in the country.  OPs are linked to a number of detrimental health effects, particularly among agricultural workers who are regularly exposed to this class of chemicals.  The results of the study showed that among individuals eating similar amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who reported eating organic produce had significantly lower OP pesticide exposures than those consuming conventionally grown produce.  In addition, consuming conventionally grown foods typically treated with greater amounts of pesticides during production (such as apples, nectarines, and peaches) was associated with significantly higher levels of exposure.

Lead author Dr. Cynthia Curl adds, “For most Americans, diet is the primary source of OP pesticide exposure… The study suggests that by eating organically grown versions of those foods highest in pesticide residues, we can make a measurable difference in the levels of pesticides in our bodies.” 

According to this research, it seems like eating organic fruits and vegetables is not a waste of money.  As always, more research needs to be done to determine how much OP exposure may be bad for you and if there are ways to mitigate exposure if you do purchase non-organic produce. But, when in doubt, organic might be the way to go, at least when it comes to apples, nectarines, and peaches.

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