AN ANTIDOTE TO SITTING ALL DAY

Sitting all day at work, school and often at home has become the prevalent posture in our society.  Increasingly, all this sitting is being attributed to a host of health problems including back pain, neck pain, headaches, diabetes, obesity, cancer and cardiovascular problems.  Indeed those who sit all day have higher mortality rates than those who don't.

To counter all the sitting we do, exercise is vitally important. Almost any exercise will be beneficial to help counteract sitting.  Walking, swimming, weight training and stretching will help.  Some exercises can be more effective and efficient than others.  Because time is often such a tight commodity, a good anti-sitting exercise should be able to be done in a short period of time.  Then it can easily be done daily or better yet, for people who spend their day sitting, twice a day.

I was reminded this past week of one exercise that is a fabulous antidote to all the sitting we do.  That is a back stretch over an exercise ball.  This short YouTube video demonstrates how easy it is to do.

I would like to add a few additional instructions for safety and maximizing the benefits.  

• Wear shoes or go with bare feet.  Socks can be too slippery and dangerous if you lose your balance.
• Only attempt this stretch if you can balance well on the ball while sitting.  If you are new to working on an exercise ball, have someone spot you until you are comfortable using the ball.
• Always move slowly and maintain complete control.  If you are wobbling on the ball, return to sitting and begin the stretch over again.
• When going from the sit to laying back on the ball, do a slight pelvic tuck to engage the abdominal muscles.  This will increase stability.
• Before raising the arms overhead, make sure the head is contacting the ball.  Keep the head against the ball during the entire stretch.  This will minimize the chance of neck injury.
• Hold the stretch for 5 slow breaths.  Breath into the abdomen rather than the chest.
• Don't over stretch!  The more often you do this stretch the further you will be able to stretch.  Just be relaxed and let the weight of your arms provide the stretch.
• When coming back up, again do a pelvic tuck and come up slowly.  Keep the head on the ball until the arms are again along the body.
• Repeat.
• Regular chiropractic adjustments and massage therapy will help this stretch to be more effective.

I don't know about you, but it seems that things that are good for me are easily dropped.  This ball stretch use to be a part of my regular routine and I've let it slip for months.  Well I've put it back into practice  this week.  Even though I don't sit all day, working on patients all day still puts me into flexion and this stretch is a great antidote.

If you sit a lot or spend time flexing forward this stretch is a simple and very effective antidote.  It only takes a few minutes to do.  Add it to your daily routine and you will appreciate how much better you will feel. 

Postnatal Depression

When a mother brings her young baby to see a chiropractor and neither parent has seen a chiropractor before, it is usually a sign of parents that have reached their limit with the child.  Such was the case recently.  Mom, obviously tired and distraught, brought her 5 week old baby boy to our office.  The baby was barely sleeping, constipated, hard to burp, and crying almost constantly.  This little bundle had the entire household worn out.

At the end of the baby's initial visit to our office, the mother happened to ask if chiropractic could possibly help the post natal depression she was suffering from.  My reply was that perhaps chiropractic could be helpful and we would discuss it on the baby's next visit.  When the baby was brought back to see me a few days later, he was sleeping better, pooping better and had a generally happier disposition.  (I wish every baby responded that quickly.)  I asked Mom how her depression was.  She replied, "I haven't noticed it.  I think it's gone!" That's exactly what I thought would happen once she got some rest and the anxiety of not knowing why her baby was so uncomfortable was gone.  This is a scenario I've seen many times.  Baby feels better and sleeps better and Mom's depression subsides.  Chiropractic care helped improve Mom's mood even though she never received a chiropractic adjustment herself.

This isn't an observation that only I've had.  A recent publication in the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics  called "Mama, please stop crying: lowered postnatal depression scores in mothers after a course of chiropractic care for their infants"  showed there is significant improvement in mother's post natal depression when their children are under chiropractic care.  The researchers didn't speculate why the depression subsided, but only recorded that it did.  My clinical observation is that the improved rest and peace of mind helps the mother's mood improve.  There can certainly be other contributing factors, but this seems to be very key.

It's not only new moms that become depressed when they don't sleep and are anxious about the well being of someone very close to their heart.  That can happen to all of us.  The conclusion is happy baby = happy mom. 

Staying Healthy - According to Mark Twain

"The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not."  Mark Twain from "Following the Equator" (1897)

Mark Twain is recognized as having been a very insightful individual.  Even in his humour he was a remarkably astute observer of human nature.  This quote was likely very truthful back in 1897 when he wrote it and is relevant today as well. The implication is that what we like the most to eat, drink and do may not be the best for us.

Mr. Twain is reminding us that good health is the result of the choices we make.  Having a healthy lifestyle often means making choices which we would prefer not to make but need to make for the sake of our well-being.   There are three areas in which he says we need to make the right decisions and not necessarily the easy decisions.

The sad fact is that so many foods that we like and that taste good are really detrimental to our health.  They taste good because of added sugars, unhealthy fats and chemical flavour enhancers.  Yummy tasting food is often devoid of essential nutrients as well.  So these foods are not only harmful, but empty as well. These are the foods we want to eat.  To be healthy we need to make food choices based not only on taste, but on nutritional content.  Pick the vegetables instead of the ice cream.

The same is true for what we drink.  Drinking water or tea is a healthier choice than pop or beer.

Then Mr. Twain says we need to do what we'd rather not do. The list of lifestyle choices which lead either to poor health or better health are long.  Choose to get adequate rest and exercise.  Develop stress control methods. Establish supportive relationships. Enjoy the sunshine. Get regular chiropractic adjustments and adopt a healthy chiropractic lifestyle. 

Good health comes from deciding to do what is best rather than what is easy or what we want.  The results are worth the effort.

Does Everyone Need to See a Chiropractor?

When people first find out I'm a chiropractor, there are two common responses.  First, is that they have been to a chiropractor and want me to "crack" their back or neck for them, often implying I should do it right there in the restaurant or wherever we may be.  Second are people who say, "I don't need to see a chiropractor.  I don't have back pain."  Should people who don't have pain go see a chiropractor?

It wasn't all that long ago that people only saw medical doctors when they were sick.  They only consulted a dentist when they had a tooth ache.  I'm old enough to remember those days.  The idea of consulting a health professional for prevention of problems is a fairly recent phenomenon.  Most of our society now sees the logic in seeing an MD, dentist, or optometrist before problems arise for either prevention or early treatment.  Using the same logic, it also makes sense to see a chiropractor before back pain, neck pain or headaches become problems.

Since every person has a spine, everyone has the potential to develop spinal problems.  Statistically, 80% of Canadians will experience back pain over the course of their lifetime.  For many of those people it will be debilitating; interfering with their ability to work or perform activities of daily living.  But the effects of spinal problems are not limited to pain.  Abnormal function of spinal joints results in irritation to adjacent spinal nerves.  This produces alteration of nerve function through the entire path of that particular spinal nerve.  The result can be health problems distant from the spine itself.  A person can suffer detrimental effects of spinal problems without actually having pain in their spine.

Chiropractors use the term, Vertebral Subluxation, to describe abnormally functioning spinal joints with associated nerve irritation.  It may or may not be accompanied by pain.  Chiropractors are uniquely trained to detect and correct Vertebral Subluxations.  Like most conditions, Vertebral Subluxations can be most effectively treated when they are detected early.  Once abnormal spinal joint function becomes chronic, associated muscles adapt patterns where they are either too tight or too lax.  The ligaments of the joints are weakened.  Blood supply to the joints is altered as well.  It's also significant that chronically irritated spinal nerves heal very slowly.  Consequently detecting and correcting Vertebral Subluxations early, even before there is associated pain, makes a lot of sense.  Seeing a chiropractor when you don't have back pain, neck pain or headaches is as logical as seeing a medical doctor when you aren't sick or a dentist when you don't have a toothache or an optometrist when you can see well.  

If you are the type of person that only consults a health professional when they have an obvious problem, you likely won't grasp the logic of seeing a chiropractor when you don't have pain in your back, neck or head.  But that doesn't mean that you don't have spinal problems.  Waiting until you have pain can result in much more damage to the tissues and prolonged treatment.  As well when treatment is delayed the outcomes are often much less desirable.

As always whether you choose to see a chiropractor when you don't have pain is up to you.  But the logical approach is to get checked and assure your spine is working as well as it can so you don't end up with debilitating or chronic spinal problems.  Regular chiropractic adjustments should be part of your healthy lifestyle.

Demon Sugar

The feature article in the May 12, 2014 issue of Maclean's is "Sugar Overload" by Kate Lunau.  The author reviews not only the health consequences of consuming too much sugar but also the strategies of the processed food industry to sell us sugar laden foods.

Ms. Lunau implies in her article that the link between sugar and health problems such obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and perhaps even Alzheimer's is a relatively new finding.  The reality is that this link was proposed in the 1970's.  William Duffy released his ground breaking book "Sugar Blues" in 1975.  Duffy argued that refined sugar is an addictive drug that is unnatural and leads to a host of physical and mental health problems.  Duffy was highly criticized and marginalized by the food industry.  Only those who were serious about natural health really took note.

"Sugar Overload" explores how mainstream science is now validating sugar's detrimental effects on human health. Take the time to read the article.  I'm not going to recap it.  Then get Duffy's book.  It will be an eye opener for you.  Although it is almost 40 years old, it is still very valid and is being verified by current science.

As you read this information also be very aware of the processed food industry's methods to have you buy and eat more and more sugar filled foods.  Food processors have a history of using whatever methods they can come up with to get people to buy their creations regardless of nutritional value. Think of their low cholesterol, low fat products which have turned out to be real health robbers.  (Don't hold your breath that their new gluten free products are going to be that healthy either.) 

The demon sugar can be beaten.  The answer is to eat unprocessed foods.  Whole foods with naturally occurring sugars do not affect the body the same as added sugar in processed foods. Shop the outside of the supermarket and avoid the middle aisles.  Real foods are found in the produce, meat, and dairy sections of the store.  Products in the center of the grocery are more likely to be processed with high sugar content along with other potentially harmful additives.

Eating wholesome, natural foods is an essential part of a healthy chiropractic lifestyle. 

It's Easier to Be a French Fry Eating Couch Potato

A few days ago I was cutting up a butternut squash to bake and I couldn't help but think that it would be much less work to just take the short drive to Wendy's and get some fries.  Then this morning the last thing I wanted to do was to do my workout.  I struggled through every set thinking of how good my bed would feel.  My oh my, a healthy lifestyle can be a lot of work!  And there are times I really don't want to put in the effort.  I know I'm not alone in feeling that having a healthy chiropractic lifestyle is a lot of work and there are days when it would be easy just to say forget it.

It's on those days when I have to remind myself of why I choose a healthy lifestyle, and it is totally my choice.  The benefits of eating well, exercising, getting rest, managing stress, and keeping my spine adjusted are tremendous.  When I do these good things I have more energy, I'm happier, my immune system is strong, and I'm able to handle the challenges life throws at me.  I also know deep within myself that by living healthy now, I have a much greater chance of enjoying good health as I age.  One goal I have for myself is to be able to live vibrantly until I die.

Then I also look at the cost of not living a healthy lifestyle.  I would surely gain weight and become sluggish.  Along with that comes loss of muscle tone and strength.  I would be more susceptible to acute infections and chronic disease processes such as diabetes, arthritis and cardiovascular problems.  An unhealthy lifestyle now would jeopardize the health I hope to have in the future.

The only benefit to leading an unhealthy lifestyle is that it is easy.  No effort is required.  To go downhill all you have to do is coast.  But once you reach the bottom getting back up is an awful lot of work, if it can be accomplished at all.  Hitting the bottom from a health standpoint is not a good place to be.  It means the body is no longer able to maintain or repair itself and there is widespread failure of body systems.  There is no longer any enjoyment of life.  That's not a place any of us look forward to being in; I certainly don't!

The best assurance I have of enjoying a healthy future is to put in effort and sacrifice today.  What I do, or don't do, today will have a tremendous impact on my tomorrow, my next year, and my next decade.  Like everything I do in life, where my health is concerned I need to focus on my long term goals and work toward them.  Though it may be easier to go for the fries and skip my exercises, I'm going to continue to prepare my veggies and get up to workout.  I resolve to persevere with a healthy chiropractic lifestyle this year and end 2014 healthier than when it started.  How about you - expend the effort or take the easy route?

Abnormal Lab Results

It's been a while since I've added a new post to this blog.  Like many people I don't always have time to accomplish all the things I want to and this blog has unfortunately been pushed down on my priority list many times lately.  There are many things I want to comment on and my plan is to be more regular again with my posting.

A few months ago I had my annual checkup from my medical doctor.  As part of the procedure he ordered a number of lab tests to check the chemical values of my blood and urine, along with an EKG.  When the tests results came back, a couple of the values were out of the normal range.  What should be done?  Very often the medical approach is to prescribe some medications to bring the lab values back to within the normal range.  Is this the best approach to take?

Before I comment further, let me clearly state that there are times when medications are necessary.  But there should always be other considerations first.  The chiropractic approach is always chiropractic first, drugs second, surgery last.  Fortunately I have a good relationship with my MD and, although his first suggestion was medication, we agreed on an approach that did not involve taking any drugs.  There were two of my blood values that were of concern.  First, my testosterone levels were low.  This is not uncommon for a man of my age.  Second, my C-reactive protein levels were high.  I believe anytime a person has abnormal lab values the first thing to do is to consider lifestyle issues that could cause the abnormalities.  Was there something I was or wasn't doing that would result in my body working less that optimally?

In the case of low testosterone, it's easy to just say I'm getting older and that's just what's going to happen.  The knee jerk reaction is to take hormone replacement, risk the side effects and not make any changes to my lifestyle.  Instead I changed my exercise routine to include more strengthening of my big muscle groups.  I also made sure I was getting plenty of high quality protein and fat in my diet, including increasing my red meat intake.  Additionally, I took an herbal supplement (TestoGain from Douglas Labs) formulated to support testosterone production.  Within three months my testosterone level was right in the middle of the normal range.  My conclusion is that my low testosterone was the result of diet and exercise deficiencies and not my age.

High levels of C-reactive protein are indicative of an inflammatory process in the body.  It is significant because low grade inflammation that elevates C-reactive protein is associated with cardiovascular problems.  Stress is probably the greatest cause of this abnormal finding.  This can be physical, chemical or emotional stress.  In my case, I recognized stresses in all three areas.  I reduced my consumption of wheat and white potatoes while increasing my consumption of green vegetables.  My sleep quality also needed improving so I became more diligent in getting to bed at the same time each night and taking magnesium (Natural Calm) each evening.  Managing emotional stress is an ongoing challenge, but I've tried to make sure I have down time just for me.  Additionally, I increased my anti-oxidant and enzyme intake.  Again within three months my C-reactive protein levels were well within the normal range.

When our lab values are abnormal, there is a reason.  There is usually a lifestyle issue that is the cause and lifestyle changes can be corrective.  It may be easier to take a prescription, but drugs all come with the risk of side effects and they don't necessarily get to the root of the problem.  It takes more effort to actually make changes, but the long term results are better.  Nothing beats a healthy chiropractic lifestyle.

I've given you my own case only as an example of what can be accomplished with some effort.  Abnormal lab values can be corrected with lifestyle changes and nutrition without the use of drugs.   What will you do when some of your lab results are abnormal?