Did you know that eating cherries could lower inflammation in the body drastically enough to alleviate arthritis symptoms? In at least one study, powdered cherry consumption actually led to a change in the functioning of inflammation-regulating genes in mice.
Like all dark-skinned fruits, cherries are high in antioxidants and other phytochemicals that promote human health in ways that science is only just beginning to understand.
While sweet cherries may be more fun to eat, the most potent inflammation-fighting cherries are the tart variety. In addition to fighting inflammation and arthritis, cherries have also been found to fight gout, reduce body fat, and lower levels of cholesterol. Think it can’t get any better? At least some tart cherries contain high enough levels of the hormone melatonin that they can actually help you fall asleep.
Good News About Cherries!
3 MayThe Tale Of Two Homeless Men Faced with one of the most difficult decisions of his life, this homeless man made the right choice and turned his whole life around…
3 MayImagine there are two homeless men begging for change on a street corner. A young man stops and makes them an incredible offer.
The young man offers them each two choices: You can have $100 in cash right now or no money and two months of coding lessons. (Coding is a term computer programmers use in regards to writing software programs.)
Now, imagine one homeless man takes the $100 and the other decides to learn to code. What happened to both men? The hypothetical homeless man with a $100 bill would likely spend it and still be on the streets. As for the other man, the one who took the coding lessons, we don’t have to speculate his future because we actually know it.
You see, a 23-year old computer programmer by the name of Patrick McConlogue made this exact offer to a 37-year old homeless man named Leo Grand. Leo chose the programming lessons.
So, McConlogue started by spending one hour a day with Grand before work. After their morning session, McConlogue would go to work and Grand would practice what he learned on a Google Chromebook McConlogue gave him.
Grand would practice his daily lesson until the battery in his Chromebook died. (He found places to charge it overnight while he slept on public benches.)
At the end of the two months, Grand had learned a lot, but both men decided they wanted to do more. That’s when McConlogue’s boss, John Katzman, stepped in.
Katzman allowed McConlogue to teach Grand full-time at the New York office of his company “Noodle.” After five more weeks of full-time work, Grand had completed and released his first app. An App… or application… is a type of software program that allows you to perform specific tasks. Applications for desktop or laptop computers are sometimes called desktop applications, and those for mobile devices are called mobile apps.
Grand is currently researching for his next app and is looking for a full-time job as a computer programmer.
Even better, McConlogue has started a mentorship program for programmers. So far, 150 programmers have signed up to teach someone to code for one hour a day for two months. McConlogue is still figuring out how to run his new mentorship, but the impact he could have on so many lives is incredible.
It’s amazing what a little delayed gratification can do. Grand decided to pass up on the quick and easy $100 now for the possibility to create a wonderful life in the future.
Not only that, you just never know how far one small act of kindness can reach. It would have been much easier for McConlogue to just walk right by Grand or to throw him some spare change. Instead, he took a chance. He opened his heart and gave Grand the opportunity of a lifetime, an opportunity that meant a lot of dedication and work for both men.
Altruism is rare, but it is clearly not dead.
Low Back “ON-THE-GO” Exercises (Part 2).
1 MayLow back pain (LBP) is a reality in most of our lives at one point or another. It can range from being a “nag” to being totally disabling. Let’s look at some exercises for the low back that can be done from a STANDING position so that they can be: 1) Performed in public (without drawing too much attention) and 2) Repeated every one to two hours with the objective to AVOID LBP from gradually getting out of control (STOP the “vicious cycle” so LBP stays “self-managed”).
RULES: 1) DON’T do any exercise that creates SHARP pain; 2) Stay within “reasonable” pain boundaries; 3) DO these multiple times a day WHEN you feel tight, stiff, sore (take 10-30 sec. every hour rather than 15 min. twice a day).
STANDING LOW BACK EXERCISE OPTIONS:
1) STANDING HAMSTRING / GROIN STRETCH: 1) Place your heel on a chair/bench. 2) Arch your low back until you feel a “draw” or pull in the back of the leg. 3) Bend your ankle towards you – feel the pull in your calf). 4) If needed, bend forwards or bend the support leg knee for additional stretch. 5) Hold for 3-10 seconds or until it feels loose. 6) ROTATE your body to the opposite side until you feel the pull in your groin and hold 3-10 sec. 7) Switch legs!
2) STANDING BACK EXTENSIONS: 1) Place the backs of your hands on your low back. 2) Slowly arch the lower back over your hands – stop if you feel pinch/sharp pain. 3) Release the pressure and re-apply multiple times. 4) Hold for 3-10 seconds or, until it feels loose. 5) REVERSE and bend over to touch your toes and hold until you feel loose.
3) STANDING HIP FLEXOR STRETCH: 1) Stand straddled with one leg behind the other. 2) Rotate your back leg hip forwards (try to line up the left with the right so the pelvis is square). 3) Tuck in your pelvis (flatten the curve in the low back). 4) Bend backwards until the pull in the groin increases. 5) Hold for 3-10 seconds or, until it feels “loose.” 6) REPEAT on the opposite side.
Remember, DO these MANY times a day (at least once every hour). We have many others as well (ask us)!
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 for back pain, we would be honored to render our services.
Whiplash Recovery.
30 AprExercise is an important part of whiplash treatment and is often overlooked by both patients and doctors. We will focus on several practical and effective exercises over the next several Health Updates. The first of this series can be called “brain exercises.”
The following URL offers you a 37 page PDF of a booklet that contains GREAT information and includes the exercises reviewed below:
http://tinyurl.com/WhiplashExercises
Brain Exercise #1: Eyes Still, Move Head. Hold a pen a comfortable distance in front of your eyes and keep looking at it as you rotate your head from side to side ten times. Stop if you feel dizzy but keep trying after resting. Repeat three times a day.
Brain Exercise #2: Head Still, Move Eyes. Keep your head still (move only your eyes) while you move the pen left to right as far as you can ten times without losing sight of the pen. Stop if you feel dizzy but keep trying later in the day. Repeat three times a day.
Brain Exercise #3: Standing Balance Test. Stand with your feet close together (or, feet shoulder width apart if you feel unsteady). You should feel steady for 30 seconds with your eyes open AND closed. Try it (count to 30)! If you feel unsteady, this exercise should be repeated often until you feel improvement with the eyes closed! A variation is to place one foot in front of the other, switching feet after each test. Notice this one is more difficult. A third position is standing on ONE foot (switch sides after each test) with the eyes open AND again closed. This one is REALLY hard! Stand near a counter or corner of a room to “catch” yourself – don’t fall.
Notice that these exercises are NOT neck specific; there are others exercises for that. Rather, these incorporate eye / head movements, coordination/balance challenges and address symptoms such as dizziness, headache, post-concussion symptoms (memory loss, difficulty concentrating, etc.), and others. These exercises can be very helpful as they “exercise” our neuropathways, or the “wiring” within our nervous system so that information flows freely to and from our brain, spinal cord, and our various body parts. These help us function safer and better in ALL of our desired daily activities! We can train you in these exercises if you feel uncomfortable doing these on your own.
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 for Whiplash, we would be honored to render our services.
What Kind of Headache Do I Have?
29 AprLast month, we discussed three types of headaches: Tension Headache (the most common), Cluster Headaches (a vascular headache – less common, short duration but REALLY painful), and Sinus Headaches. Migraine headaches were discussed the month before last. In keeping with the theme, ONE more headache type will be discussed: Rebound Headaches, followed by anti-inflammatory herbal remedies, and finally, “Headache Triggers.”
Rebound headaches are the result of pain killer overuse. Of course, one would think of pain killers like aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin, etc.) as well as many prescription drugs as being “friendly” and commonly reached for when a headache or any other ache or pain occurs. But, as the old saying goes, “…too much of a good thing can be bad!” These culprits, instead of helping, can actually hurt you! One theory for the cause of rebound headaches is that too much of these meds can cause the brain to shift into an excited state that triggers the headache. Another theory is that these headaches result from too sudden of a drop of the medicine in the bloodstream, which would only occur if the medication was being taken at a high dose for a relatively long period of time. According to the Migraine Research Foundation, EVERY 10 SECONDS, someone in the United States goes to the emergency room with a migraine or headache due to the intense pain, severe nausea or dehydration, drug interactions, or side effects from headache medications! DON’T BE ONE OF THEM!!!
As mentioned last month, PLEASE FIRST try an anti-inflammatory herb like ginger (Zingiber officinale), turmeric (Curcuma longa), Feverfew, passionflower (Passiflora alata), Peppermint (menthe piperita), ginko (ginko biloba), caffeine (Coffea Arabica), black or green tea, Valerian (Valeriana officinalis), Coriander Seed (Coriandrum sativum), Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis), Lavender Oil (Lavandula angustifolia), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Lime or Linden (Tilia spp.), horseradish (Armoracia rusticana), honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), and more!
So what triggers headaches? Here are a few of the more commonly researched triggers: weight [in females, a BMI of 30 (mild obesity) = 35% greater risk, and BMI of 40 (“severe obesity”) = 80%]; personality (traits such as rigidity, reserve, and obsessivity); “let-down” or weekend headaches (breaking your routine, like staying in bed until noon); odors and fumes (e.g., fresh paint); dehydration (drink water AND eat fruits / veggies to get more water); skipping meals (hunger is a common trigger); physical exertion (certain sports like running, weight lifting); too much caffeine (small amounts help, but too much can trigger headaches); inactivity (sedentary lifestyles trigger – 30 min./day cardio, 5x/week is ideal); sleep deprivation (those averaging six hours have more frequent & severe headaches); and certain foods like red wine, beer, MSG, chocolate, aged cheese, sauerkraut, and processed meats like pepperoni, ham, and salami. Foods that can reduce headaches include those high in magnesium– spinach, tofu, oat bran, barely, fish oil, olive oil, white beans, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds. In addition to GOOD CHIROPRACTIC CARE, headache management requires a multidimensional approach for best results!
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 for headaches, we would be honored to render our services.
CTS, Exercise, and Chiropractic.
28 AprCarpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a condition characterized by numbness, tingling, and/or pain located on the palm side of the wrist, hand and into the index, third, and half of the ring finger. It’s caused by pressure exerted on the median nerve as it passes through the “tunnel” located in the wrist. The “floor” of the tunnel is a ligament while the “walls” are made up of eight small carpal bones that lock together in the shape of a tunnel. There are nine tendons (tendons attach muscles to bones allowing us to move our fingers), sheaths covering the tendons, blood vessels, and the median nerve that ALL travel through the tunnel, so it’s packed pretty tight. ANYTHING that increases the size of any of these structures or anything “extra” that shouldn’t be there can increase the pressure inside the tunnel, pinch the median nerve, and result in the classic numb/tingling symptoms that wake people up at night, or interfere with work or driving.
In the Unites States (US), about 1 out of 20 people will suffer from CTS. Caucasians have the highest incidence rate and women are affected more than men by a 3:1 ratio between ages of 45-60 years old. Only 10% of the reported cases of CTS are under 30 years old. Occupational CTS (as of 2010) affects 8% of US workers with 24% attributed to manufacturing industry jobs. This equates to approximately 3.1 million cases of work-related CTS in 2010. The risk of developing CTS increases with age, diabetes, hypothyroid, pregnancy, taking birth control pills, having an inflammatory arthritis, being obese, pinched nerves in the neck, thoracic outlet, elbow, and others. Therefore, managing CTS requires a thorough evaluation in order to assure accuracy in the diagnosis. With this background information, let’s look at the question, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP CTS? One answer is, don’t age – good luck with that! In addition to keeping your weight under control, exercise can be VERY effective and YOU can be in charge of that process, but we have to teach you the exercises.
1) The Carpal Stretch (“nerve gliding”): Place your palm on the wall near shoulder height with the fingers pointing down at the floor and press the palm of the hand flat on the wall. Lastly, reach across with the opposite hand and pull your thumb back off of the wall and hold for 5-15 seconds.
2) The Wrist Extensor Stretch: Do the same as #1 but place the back of the hand on the wall in front of you, again fingers pointing downward. Here, there is no need to stretch the thumb.
3) The “Bear Claw”: Make a fist and then open up the hand. Keep the small finger joints flexed while extending the knuckles at the base of each finger straight (not bent). Repeat 5-10x.
4) Putty Squeeze: Simply squeeze putty in your hand for two to five minutes until fatigued.
5) Yoga has been shown to reduce pain and improve grip strength in CTS patients!
Now the question, “…can these exercises prevent surgery?” The answer is “maybe.” They certainly help in some cases, but a multi-dimensional treatment plan is the BEST approach. This includes: 1) Chiropractic manipulation of the hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder, and neck; 2) Soft tissue “release” techniques of the muscles in the forearm, upper arm, shoulder, and neck; 3) Cock-up wrist splint to be used at night, and in some cases, at times during the day; 4) Ergonomic management of your work station or situation (to minimize repetitive insult to the area); 5) Nutritional support that may include an anti-inflammatory diet and nutrients (vitamins, minerals, herbs, etc.), and 6) Managing any contributing conditions like diabetes, hypothyroid, and/or the others. Here’s the GOOD NEWS: CHIROPRACTIC can manage these six steps, though some cases will require co-management with primary care and/or specialist.
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 for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, we would be honored to render our services.
Pain Relief Chiropractic 