Health Articles

Prenatal Chiropractic Care

Pregnancy is a time of constant and exciting change in a woman’s physiology and overall life as her body prepares for the athletic event of birth. It is important for expecting moms to assemble a birth team to help guide them through these changes and optimize their experience.

In addition to choosing their birth provider, doula, lactation consultant and birth preparation classes, many women are realizing the importance of prenatal chiropractic care. Prenatal chiropractic care addresses the neuro-biomechanics of your pregnancy, which is essential for your body to be able to organically adapt to the physical and functional changes during every stage of this beautiful and natural process.

What does this mean for you?
Chiropractic checkups and adjustments, when necessary, can…

Balance the body and soft tissues of the pelvis, preparing your pelvis for an easier birth.
Align your pelvis to ensure that it is moving properly.
Reduce torsion and tension on the uterus and its supporting ligaments.
Allow for the pelvis to open wider during birth.
Ensure optimum nerve function.
Your nervous system controls the function of every cell in your body, including your uterus and pelvic muscles – the main muscles of labor.
Chiropractic care during pregnancy can also benefit your baby. The nervous system is the first system that forms in your baby during the 3rd week after conception. Since your nervous system communicates with your baby’s nervous system, proper function can contribute to better development. Balancing your pelvis also allows your baby the chance to have the most room to develop without physical restrictions to the growth of their cranium, spine and other skeletal structures. Also, this can help the baby move into the best possible birth position when it is their time to arrive.

All of these factors can contribute to a more natural birth as well as a significant decrease in dystocia and birth trauma caused by interventions.

Chiropractic care can help make your pregnancy and birth experience healthier and more enjoyable while helping to minimize the risk. No wonder millions of women include chiropractors as a vital member of their birth team.

Schedule an appointment for your family today.

Contributed by Dr. Emily Plasker, 100 Year Lifestyle Affiliate Doctor in Bend, Oregon

Opioid Crisis: Explosion and Solutions

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The Opioid epidemic is one of the most damaging health crises of our era.

According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control, between July 2016 and September 2017, the locations under study (across 45 states) had a 30 percent increase in Opioid-related fatalities. 1

Even overall life expectancy is now in decline, in part from the spike in deaths caused by Opioids, according to a staggering report by NPR in December.2 You probably know someone that has been affected by it.

One of the major factors driving the Opioid abuse epidemic is the frequency with which these potent and addictive drugs are prescribed by doctors. Through a series of mistakes, aggressive marketing, and poor judgment among medical professionals, Opioids like Oxycodone were deemed ‘safe,’ and distributed like candy to unsuspecting patients.

The results were predictable, but shocking nonetheless. Patients visiting their doctor for chronic back pain or taken to the emergency room after a mishap on the softball diamond, ended up addicted to a pernicious drug. The cycle, aided and abetted by drug companies, marketing firms, and often unsuspecting doctors, has exploded into an expanding public health nightmare, and a terrifying rise in addicted individuals. Yet despite the awareness at hand, it is a problem we will be combating for decades to come, and at a cost of many billions of dollars.

After a recent procedure for a root canal, one patient refused a prescription for hydrocodone no less than five times, and they still included the prescription in the take-home paperwork. With medical errors now the third-highest cause of death in the United States,3 incidents like this can further erode our faith in those entrusted with our welfare.

The Hippocratic oath has become the hypocritical. Something has to change!

According to @Dr. Jay Holder, the President of the American College of Addictionology and Compulsive Disorders, Addictionology is not a new field as the ACACD, www.ACACD.com, has been training chiropractors and other healthcare professionals for 28 years. Some policy makers are beginning to see the light, acting in response to intolerable human and economic costs. In West Virginia, where the Opioid crisis is rampant, and few families are untouched by its ravages, the state has recently mandated that in considering options for pain management, alternatives to Opioids— including physical therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, osteopathic manipulation, chiropractic care or pain management-be part of the equation. Discussing complimentary alternative practitioners, like chiropractors, with the patient is mandated prior to prescribing Opioids.4

Consequently, the National Drug Control Policy (@ONDCP) is taking political leaps towards the government analysis to the issues surrounding the Opioid crisis point and by providing evidence towards the need to increase the use of non-drug options as a first line of care to find safer and more effective solutions to addiction treatment recovery and prevention. Not really changing one drug for another. Part of the change that is needed is cultural and it starts with the way we approach our well-being and lives as a whole. We have to get away from the idea that there is a simple, one-step solution to problems. As consumers, we have been trained to believe that somewhere out there is a quick fix whatever ails us.

Pain has a place in the human organism; it can be a warning or a deterrent to injurious conduct. How we deal with pain is a choice. Rather than succumbing to pharmaceutical to turn off the pain, choose to attack the cause of pain and address the problem at its root. Instead of masking what our body is trying to tell us, we need to listen, and take action that addresses the underlying issue. To claim our longevity birthright, we have to make smart, holistic choices about our health and the way we live our lives each day and stop chasing the illusory notion that we can fix ourselves without investing in ourselves.

We will be delving deeper into these important and complex issues and the way they are affecting our society and our lives in a future article. For now, if you or someone you love is struggling with Opioid dependence, know you are not alone. There is help, and the first step, reaching out, is the most important one.

Currently, organizations like the Florida Chiropractic Association are holding panel discussions at their National Convention on this issue in front of thousands of doctors to create awareness amongst Doctors of Chiropractic who can provide real solutions and more importantly prevention on the ground. Organizations like the Chiropractic Society of Wisconsin has provided a video on the Opioid Crisis.

Our world is in desperate need of new health care and community leadership. We believe it is important to move away from being a drug culture to a new culture that nurtures human potential through every phase of life. It is certainly true that if you’re going to live to 80, 90, 100 years and beyond, then you are going to have to not die. If you are going to enjoy quality years, then avoiding drugs except as a very last resort is optimal.

Chiropractic care can provide a corrective answer for pain and all types of health problems. The Critical Transition to Lifestyle Care can help you function healthy and drug free throughout your lifetime. Schedule an appointment for you and your family members.

Don’t be afraid to get the help you need for yourself or a loved one in order to break your addictions. Make healthier choices today and enjoy a sensational century.

100 Percent for 100 Years!

References

1 Report: All of U.S. Saw Opioid Overdose Rises, U.S. News & World Report, March 6, 2018.

LINK https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2018-03-06/cdc-report-nowhere-in-us-was-immune-to-Opioid-overdose-increases

2 Life Expectancy Drops Again As Opioid Deaths Surge In U.S.; NPR, December 21, 2017.

LINK: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/12/21/572080314/life-expectancy-drops-again-as-Opioid-deaths-surge-in-u-s

3 “Researchers: Medical errors now third leading cause of death in United States,” Washington Post, May 3, 2016

LINK: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/05/03/researchers-medical-errors-now-third-leading-cause-of-death-in-united-states/?utm_term=.9b3e4843313b

4 “West Virginia Governor Signs Opioid Reduction Act,” Mitchell News, April 8, 2018

LINK: https://www.mitchell.com/mitchellnews/id/1545/west-virginia-governor-signs-Opioid-reduction-act

Image “Combatting the Opioid Overdose Epidemic,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, August 30, 2017

LINK: https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html

Longevity and Performance

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One of the biggest stories during Super Bowl 52 is the super longevity and performance of Tom Brady. He is redefining what is possible for athletes over forty. His nutrition and fitness routines

along with his utilization of chiropractic care are well documented and vital to his success.

While healthy eating and fitness seem like common sense, so is the importance of a healthy spine and nervous system. This is the reason why so many players from the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles will be receiving chiropractic care all season and of course leading up to the big game.

Chiropractic care helps athletes in every sport heal quickly and optimize performance.

Many of the greatest of all time have set this precedent. Current Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice are huge chiropractic advocates. Emmitt Smith is the leading rusher in NFL history, a perennial Pro Bowler and three -time Super Bowl Champion. When he retired with over 18,000 yards, Smith said, “I thank God, my family and my chiropractor.” Chiropractic care helped speed his recovery time and function at the top of his game. His career lasted nearly six times longer than the average NFL running back.

Jerry Rice is considered the greatest receiver in the history of the NFL. His durability and work ethic are legendary. He initially sought chiropractic care following an injury on the field. After learning about the benefits of chiropractic care from his teammates he made chiropractic care a regular part of his training routine and lifestyle. He is a three-time Super Bowl Champion and today he is an official spokesperson for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. His high-level career also lasted six times longer than the average receiver.

Another chiropractic advocate, 2012 Hall of Fame Semi-finalist Roger Craig, was a pioneer in the NFL. He is the only player to ever make the Pro Bowl as a fullback and a halfback, the first player to rush and receive for over 1,000 yards in a single season -a feat that took 14 years to be duplicated, and he is the only running back in NFL history to ever lead the league in receptions. He is a three-time Super Bowl Champion and is the only NFL player to make the playoffs for eleven straight years.

Like many children, Roger began receiving chiropractic care at an early age and today, like the others, still receives chiropractic Lifestyle Care. In fact, Roger endorsed the #1 bestselling fitness book, The 100 Year Lifestyle Workout, which he recommends for athletes, young and old, because it stresses the importance of a healthy structure, spine and nervous system with chiropractic care as a core part of the training. This helps you maximize your performance, prevent injuries and support your longevity.

We’ve all seen videos of old time professional athletes who pounded their bodies into submission and became cripples when their career was over. This is not true for these three athletic superstars and it is no longer the norm as many professional, Olympic and youth sports programs have chosen to make chiropractic care a core part of their programs and many of the leaders of the Olympic sports medicine team today are chiropractors.

All three of these athletes took a tremendous beating over their careers which began in Little League and continued into the pros. Chiropractic care as a part of their lifestyle, training and overcoming injuries has helped show us all that you can play high-level sports and retain your health after you retire. We may even see you competing on Dancing With the Stars!

Don’t wait for an injury. If you’re an athlete or participate in an exercise program, be like these Hall of Fame and Super Bowl Champions. Make Chiropractic Lifestyle Care your top priority.

How Long Do You Plan to Live?

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One of the fastest growing segments of the population today is centenarians, or 100-year old people. In 1980, there were approximately 17,000 people over the age of 100. Today there are approximately 80,000 people who have reached this milestone. The US Census Bureau estimates that by the time the baby boom generation reaches this landmark age, there will be more than 4.2 million centenarians in the US.

This trend holds true for other industrialized nations including Australia, Canada, and those in Europe. Many of us have noticed this trend first hand by having to cope with the challenges of our aging parents. Unfortunately, many elderly people are unprepared for their extended life.

When today’s centenarians were born in 1905, the life expectancy for a newborn was approximately 50 years. Yet many have outlived their life expectancy by half a century. If these people knew they were going to live this long, do you think many of them would have made better health choices along the way?

We are getting the advanced notice that our parents and grandparents never received. What will you do with this information? Hopefully you will choose to make your health a priority now instead of waiting until it deteriorates to choose a healthy lifestyle. The truth is that we cannot control how long we are going to live.

We can, however, control our health choices. As people age, quality of life choices take on a higher priority. Values turn more toward the physical and physiological standard of living rather than the material standard of living. After all, what good is a nice car if your back hurts too much to sit in the seat and enjoy it? Who cares what your carpet looks like if you don’t have the energy to entertain? Does it matter how much jewelry you have if you are too sick to go out on the town?

Many people spend the first 50 years of their lives ignoring their health while they accumulate wealth, only to spend the next 50 years losing their wealth to buy back their health. Knowing that your longevity potential is 100 years gives you an opportunity to place your health at the top of your value scale.

Every minute of every day we are faced with choices that contribute to our quality of life both now and in the fu-ture. We must choose between eating junk food and healthy food, being a couch potato and exercising, stressing out or looking at the bright side, getting regular chiropractic adjustments or living with the consequences of an unhealthy spine and nerve system.

Starting today, make health choices that ensure that each day will be your best, and encourage your family to do the same. After all, 100 years of healthy living is achieved one day at a time.

Problematic Painkillers

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Have you ever taken ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil) or naproxen (Aleve/Naproxen) to alleviate pain? Well if so, you are like millions of others who often seek pain relief from these popular medications. These drugs as well as the Cox-2 inhibitors Vioxx, Bextra and Celebrex are known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Serious side effects of NSAIDs have been known for a while. A December 1, 1998, story in USA Today noted that 16,500 people died from bleeding stomach ulcers brought on by NSAID use and that 80percentsign of those had no symptoms prior to death. A Danish study published in the British Medical Journal in January 2001 found a strong link between the use of prescription NSAIDs by pregnant women and mis-carriage.

However, it has been discovered recently that NSAIDs cause another life-threatening side effect: cardiovascular disease. This risk is so substantial that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning on April 7, 2005, urging the public to limit the use of NSAIDs and to strictly adhere to label directions. Furthermore, the FDA asked drug manufacturer Pfizer to voluntarily withdraw Bextra from the market and urged manufacturers of all other NSAID products to strengthen warning labels.

A study sponsored by The National Institute on Ag-ing to determine whether Celebrex or Naproxen could prevent Alzheimer’s disease was halted when it became apparent that those taking Naproxen developed a 50 percent higher risk of heart attack and stroke than those taking a placebo. In fact Naproxen is so detrimental to one’s health that those who have been taking the over-the-counter version, Aleve, for nearly three years are now advised to stop using it, while those who want to start taking it are advised to limit their use to no more than 400mg per day for no longer than ten days.

People who have been taking Naproxen should be particularly concerned since the previous recommended daily intake was 1500mg. If you are taking an NSAID for pain relief you will want to consider finding a healthier option, as the drug you are taking could actually take your life. For millions of Americans, even those suffering from chronic arthritic pain, wellness chiropractic care is that healthier option. The health choices you make today will affect your quality of life tomorrow.

Preventing Childhood Obesity

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Are your children at risk for developing high blood pressure? They are if they are overweight. According to the July 2005 issue of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) News In Health, more than twice as many children are overweight now com-pared to 30 years ago. In fact, among the 6-11 age group, the number of overweight children has more than tripled. Approximately 16percentsign of American children are currently overweight. In addition to increasing blood pressure, childhood obesity has caused a dramatic increase in Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. So what is causing the alarming increase in child-hood obesity? As with adult obesity the answer is a poor diet and lack of physical activity.

The alarming increase has gotten the attention of our nations policy makers, as well. Beginning with the 2006 school year, federal mandates now require school systems to develop standards of nutrition and activity for all school children, and estab-lish healthy school nutrition environments. Take a close look at what your kids eat each day and then start to make gradual improvements. Kids today are eating too much high-calorie food that is low in nutritional value, so avoid French fries, hot dogs and doughnuts. Replace soda with water. Eat whole grains (whole wheat bread and pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, etc.) instead of the refined alternatives. To help your children eat an abundant variety of fruits and vegetables, serve raw veggies at snack time instead of chips or cookies. A child who initially dislikes a particular food often tries it again and likes it once it becomes a familiar offering, so continue to serve a variety of vegetables at mealtime. It is also fine to be sneaky: Add finely minced spinach, kale or broccoli to sauces, soups and stews. Start each meal with smaller portions of food and then eat slowly, while conversing. Finally, never force your children to eat everything on their plates. Instead, teach them to stop eating when full.

Also, many children are spending too much time watching TV, playing video games, and surfing the internet, so limit their sed-entary activities. Encourage your kids to run around outside each day, do chores around the house and dance to music. Get them involved in a sporting activity. According to the National Institutes of Health, children should get at least 60 min-utes of moderate physical activity each day.

Obese children are likely to become obese adults, so it is impor-tant to instill healthy eating and activity habits early on. In addi-tion to your child’s healthy diet and activity level, having their nervous system checked for interference is another important piece of your family wellness program. A healthy functioning nervous system will ensure that your child receives the maxi-mum benefit from their healthy diet and activity as they grow.

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