We'd like to share with you a fantastic visual chart that shows a variety of different nerve related illnesses and stresses related to the spine...the human body is truly amazing!
Click here to view the ChiroMatrix 3D Spine Simulator
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
For Neck Pain, Chiropractic Care and Exercise Are Better Than Drugs
Seeing a chiropractor or engaging in light exercise relieves neck pain more effectively than relying on pain medication, new research shows.
The new study is one of the few head-to-head comparisons of various treatments for neck pain, a problem that affects three quarters of Americans at some point in their lives but has no proven, first-line treatment. While many people seek out spinal manipulation by chiropractors, the evidence supporting its usefulness has been limited at best.
But the new research, published in The Annals of Internal Medicine, found that chiropractic care or simple exercises done at home were better at reducing pain than taking medications like aspirin, ibuprofen or narcotics.
“These changes were diminished over time, but they were still present,” said Dr. Gert Bronfort, an author of the study and research professor at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Minnesota. “Even a year later, there were differences between the spinal manipulation and medication groups.”
Moderate and acute neck pain is one of the most frequent reasons for trips to primary care doctors, prompting millions of visits every year. For patients, it can be a difficult problem to navigate. In some cases the pain and stiffness crop up without explanation, and treatment options are varied. Physical therapy, pain medication and spinal manipulation are popular options, but Dr. Bronfort was inspired to carry out an analysis because so little research exists.
“There was a void in the scientific literature in terms of what the most helpful treatments are,” he said.
To find out, Dr. Bronfort and his colleagues recruited a large group of adults with neck pain that had no known specific cause. The subjects, 272 in all, were mostly recruited from a large HMO and through advertisements. The researchers then split them into three groups and followed them for about three months.
One group was assigned to visit a chiropractor for roughly 20-minute sessions throughout the course of the study, making an average of 15 visits. A second group was assigned to take common pain relievers like acetaminophen and — in some cases, at the discretion of a doctor — stronger drugs like narcotics and muscle relaxants. The third group met on two occasions with physical therapists who gave them instructions on simple, gentle exercises for the neck that they could do at home. They were encouraged to do 5 to 10 repetitions of each exercise up to eight times a day. (A demonstration of the exercises can be found at www.annals.org).
After 12 weeks, the people in the non-medication groups did significantly better than those taking the drugs. About 57 percent of those who met with chiropractors and 48 percent who did the exercises reported at least a 75 percent reduction in pain, compared to 33 percent of the people in the medication group.
A year later, when the researchers checked back in, 53 percent of the subjects who had received spinal manipulation still reported at least a 75 percent reduction in pain, similar to the exercise group. That compared to just a 38 percent pain reduction among those who had been taking medication.
Dr. Bronfort said it was a “big surprise” to see that the home exercises were about as effective as the chiropractic sessions. “We hadn’t expected that they would be that close,” he said. “But I guess that’s good news for patients.”
In addition to their limited pain relief, the medications had at least one other downside: people kept taking them. “The people in the medication group kept on using a higher amount of medication more frequently throughout the follow-up period, up to a year later,” Dr. Bronfort said. “If you’re taking medication over a long time, then we’re running into more systemic side effects like gastrointestinal problems.”
He also expressed concern that those on medications were not as empowered or active in their own care as those in the other groups. “We think it’s important that patients are enabled to deal with as much control over their own condition as possible,” he said. “This study shows that they can play a large role in their own care.”
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Friday, December 30, 2011
Get To Movin', Your Brain Will Love It
The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system (CNS), which is the master control system for the entire body. It sends and receives a complicated frequency of signals within the body that dictates the function of the tissues & cells. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) bathes, feeds, & protects the brain and spinal cord. Exercises that enhance the flow of CSF through the CNS are very important health strategies.
The CSF maintains the electrolytic environment of the central nervous system by cleansing metabolic waste products from the brain and spinal cord. This rinsing process also plays a large role in stabilizing the critical acid-base balance throughout the CNS. It also provides valuable supply of essential nutrients to neuronal and glial cells. CSF also provides a medium to transport hormones, neurotransmitters, releasing factors, and other neuropeptides.
The CSF has two major pumps that help to establish healthy flow. The pump at the top of the spine is the occiput bone, which makes up the lower portion of the skull. Flexion and extension motions of the occipital bone upon the atlas help to pump CSF through the brain and spinal cord. The other pump is at the bottom of the spine in the sacrum. Flexion and extension of the sacrum is also critical to help pump the CSF.
Sedentary lifestyles and bad postural habits create an environment ripe for CSF stasis in the spinal cord. Sedentary lifestyles create poor core strength and muscle imbalances that lead to chronic subluxation patterns throughout the spine. Sitting for long periods contributes to poor sacral motion and to accelerated degenerative changes in the lumbo-pelvic region.
This is also the most subluxation pattern found in whiplash like traumas.
Healthy CSF flow depends upon a continual approach to minimize subluxation through corrective chiropractic techniques and specific spinal exercises.
Chiropractic adjustments are designed to release the ligamentous scar tissue that is locking the region in place. This allows for better neurological function through healthy proprioceptive patterns. Additionally, these adjustments help reinforce healthy soft tissue formation in the subluxated regions. This new healthy tissue will allow these regions to have normal, healthy motion.
Wobble board exercises help to restore and reinforce healthy sacral movement and initiate the CSF pump. The wobble board has a very small center of gravity that creates a greater challenge to the coordinating centers of the brain. This results in increased receptor information from the sacral region that allows a greater degree of range of motion and a further CSF pumping effect.
Repetitive cervical traction exercises put motion into the occipital region. This motion helps to traction the occiput creating a pressure change, which helps facilitate the CSF pump. This allows cleaner CSF to flow into the brain stem region providing fresh oxygen and nutrition. Additionally, the traction helps stretch chronically tight upper cervical muscles and ligaments and allows new tissue to form with greater elasticity.
The CSF maintains the electrolytic environment of the central nervous system by cleansing metabolic waste products from the brain and spinal cord. This rinsing process also plays a large role in stabilizing the critical acid-base balance throughout the CNS. It also provides valuable supply of essential nutrients to neuronal and glial cells. CSF also provides a medium to transport hormones, neurotransmitters, releasing factors, and other neuropeptides.
The Dangers of CSF Stasis
When the CSF flow becomes stagnant, it is classically referred to as CSF stasis. CSF stasis has been associated with vertebral subluxation complex, mechanical tension on the spinal cord, reduced cranial rhythmic impulses & restricted respiratory function. Reduced rates of CSF diffusion through key regions of the brain are a causative factor involved in degenerative disease.The CSF has two major pumps that help to establish healthy flow. The pump at the top of the spine is the occiput bone, which makes up the lower portion of the skull. Flexion and extension motions of the occipital bone upon the atlas help to pump CSF through the brain and spinal cord. The other pump is at the bottom of the spine in the sacrum. Flexion and extension of the sacrum is also critical to help pump the CSF.
Sedentary lifestyles and bad postural habits create an environment ripe for CSF stasis in the spinal cord. Sedentary lifestyles create poor core strength and muscle imbalances that lead to chronic subluxation patterns throughout the spine. Sitting for long periods contributes to poor sacral motion and to accelerated degenerative changes in the lumbo-pelvic region.
Spinal Motion Encourages CSF Flow
Sedentary lifestyles and poor posture contribute to the formation of forward head posture. Forward head posture is characterized by occipital bone subluxation patterns. The majority of these subluxations have the occiput stuck into extension on the atlas bone with dense ligamentous scar tissue.This is also the most subluxation pattern found in whiplash like traumas.
Healthy CSF flow depends upon a continual approach to minimize subluxation through corrective chiropractic techniques and specific spinal exercises.
Chiropractic adjustments are designed to release the ligamentous scar tissue that is locking the region in place. This allows for better neurological function through healthy proprioceptive patterns. Additionally, these adjustments help reinforce healthy soft tissue formation in the subluxated regions. This new healthy tissue will allow these regions to have normal, healthy motion.
Wobble board exercises help to restore and reinforce healthy sacral movement and initiate the CSF pump. The wobble board has a very small center of gravity that creates a greater challenge to the coordinating centers of the brain. This results in increased receptor information from the sacral region that allows a greater degree of range of motion and a further CSF pumping effect.
Repetitive cervical traction exercises put motion into the occipital region. This motion helps to traction the occiput creating a pressure change, which helps facilitate the CSF pump. This allows cleaner CSF to flow into the brain stem region providing fresh oxygen and nutrition. Additionally, the traction helps stretch chronically tight upper cervical muscles and ligaments and allows new tissue to form with greater elasticity.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Fighting Fatigue with Nutrition and Activity
Napoleon Bonaparte once said that courage is only the second virtue in a soldier; the most important one is endurance of fatigue. Nowadays, fighting fatigue has become equally important for a growing army of people too busy or stressed to get adequate rest. In fact, according to a 2007 survey by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF), more than half of American women report getting inadequate sleep. And when too sleepy to function, 66 percent choose to “accept it and keep going.”
Other cultures approach the problem a little differently. Many countries actively practice siesta—a 15- to 30- minute afternoon nap. Several recent studies support the beneficial effect of 10- to 30-minute naps on alertness, performance and learning ability.
Caffeine Quick Fix
In the United States, however, it is caffeine—not naps—that helps 78 percent of people cope with their responsibilities. The benefits of caffeine are real: It improves mood and cognitive performance,6-9 and coffee consumption can potentially decrease insulin secretion and liver cancer risk. On the negative side, regularly consumed caffeine can increase anxiety,
risk of headaches and the inflammation process.14 Cola beverages, but not coffee, also have
been associated with an increased risk of hypertension.
Caffeine is considered toxic—causing arrhythmia, tachycardia, vomiting, convulsions, coma or even death—only in amounts exceeding 5g. While the risk of toxicity is rare, the pervasiveness of caffeine warrants some caution. Many soft drinks, for example, contain only between 20 mg and 40 mg of caffeine per an 8-oz can;16 however, today’s specialty coffees can be very potent—ranging from 58 mg to 259 mg, and even up to 564 mg, per dose.
Food for Energy
Instead of using caffeine to push ourselves to perform despite fatigue, preventing energy drops is a wiser approach, health experts advise. Aside from sleep, our performance—and even our mood—depends on balanced blood sugar levels.
While cautioning against seeking quick blood-sugar boosts, experts recommend juices, such as pomegranate, instead of caffeine or sugar, for those in urgent need of re-energizing.
The key to properly preventing blood-glucose slumps— which can lead to fatigue, headaches, craving sweets, depression, irritability and a host of other symptoms—is the old-fashioned basics of proper nutrition. In one study, a breakfast rich in fiber and carbohydrates caused higher alertness, while high-fat meals led to lower alertness and higher caloric intake throughout the day. Another study showed that protein-rich or balanced meals, which cause less variation in blood glucose levels, improved cognitive performance.
Inadequate glucose is not the only thing contributing to fatigue. It can result from anemia—iron, B12, B6, or folic acid deficiency as well. Omega-3 fatty acids, leafy green vegetables, and vitamins C, E and B12 have been shown to improve memory and cognitive functioning.
Moving the Body
Even with adequate sleep and nutrition, our lack of motion can regularly put us to sleep. To prevent mental fatigue, try starting the day with exercise, taking frequent 5- to 15-second microbreaks (shoulder rolls or stretching) throughout the day, getting up and walking every two hours, and, of course, taking advantage of the lunch
break to “do the opposite” of what your job entails. For people with mentally challenging occupations, experts suggest a walk or other physical exercise; for those doing physically taxing work, some brain-stimulating activities, like puzzles.
Imbalanced body postures, such as slouching also require the body to consume more energy. In addition to adopting an “energy-efficient” standing position, with feet shoulder-width apart, and sitting straight, which helps improve circulation, take frequent 60-second “Stand up, Perk up” breaks that combine relaxation, breathing and stretching.
To those in urgent need of quick re-energizing, consider aerobic exercise instead of coffee. It’s quick and easy—and it stimulates brain chemicals that give us a lift.
Whether re-energizing through sleep, nutrition, exercise or—better yet—a combination of all three, it’s clear that fatigue should not be taken lightly. It’s connected with depression, and antidepressants are now the fastest-growing prescribed class of medications. Instead of taking stimulants, opt for proper exercise, adequate sleep and a balanced diet.
Source: American Chiropractic Association
Other cultures approach the problem a little differently. Many countries actively practice siesta—a 15- to 30- minute afternoon nap. Several recent studies support the beneficial effect of 10- to 30-minute naps on alertness, performance and learning ability.
Caffeine Quick Fix
In the United States, however, it is caffeine—not naps—that helps 78 percent of people cope with their responsibilities. The benefits of caffeine are real: It improves mood and cognitive performance,6-9 and coffee consumption can potentially decrease insulin secretion and liver cancer risk. On the negative side, regularly consumed caffeine can increase anxiety,
risk of headaches and the inflammation process.14 Cola beverages, but not coffee, also have
been associated with an increased risk of hypertension.
Caffeine is considered toxic—causing arrhythmia, tachycardia, vomiting, convulsions, coma or even death—only in amounts exceeding 5g. While the risk of toxicity is rare, the pervasiveness of caffeine warrants some caution. Many soft drinks, for example, contain only between 20 mg and 40 mg of caffeine per an 8-oz can;16 however, today’s specialty coffees can be very potent—ranging from 58 mg to 259 mg, and even up to 564 mg, per dose.
Food for Energy
Instead of using caffeine to push ourselves to perform despite fatigue, preventing energy drops is a wiser approach, health experts advise. Aside from sleep, our performance—and even our mood—depends on balanced blood sugar levels.
While cautioning against seeking quick blood-sugar boosts, experts recommend juices, such as pomegranate, instead of caffeine or sugar, for those in urgent need of re-energizing.
The key to properly preventing blood-glucose slumps— which can lead to fatigue, headaches, craving sweets, depression, irritability and a host of other symptoms—is the old-fashioned basics of proper nutrition. In one study, a breakfast rich in fiber and carbohydrates caused higher alertness, while high-fat meals led to lower alertness and higher caloric intake throughout the day. Another study showed that protein-rich or balanced meals, which cause less variation in blood glucose levels, improved cognitive performance.
Inadequate glucose is not the only thing contributing to fatigue. It can result from anemia—iron, B12, B6, or folic acid deficiency as well. Omega-3 fatty acids, leafy green vegetables, and vitamins C, E and B12 have been shown to improve memory and cognitive functioning.
Moving the Body
Even with adequate sleep and nutrition, our lack of motion can regularly put us to sleep. To prevent mental fatigue, try starting the day with exercise, taking frequent 5- to 15-second microbreaks (shoulder rolls or stretching) throughout the day, getting up and walking every two hours, and, of course, taking advantage of the lunch
break to “do the opposite” of what your job entails. For people with mentally challenging occupations, experts suggest a walk or other physical exercise; for those doing physically taxing work, some brain-stimulating activities, like puzzles.
Imbalanced body postures, such as slouching also require the body to consume more energy. In addition to adopting an “energy-efficient” standing position, with feet shoulder-width apart, and sitting straight, which helps improve circulation, take frequent 60-second “Stand up, Perk up” breaks that combine relaxation, breathing and stretching.
To those in urgent need of quick re-energizing, consider aerobic exercise instead of coffee. It’s quick and easy—and it stimulates brain chemicals that give us a lift.
Whether re-energizing through sleep, nutrition, exercise or—better yet—a combination of all three, it’s clear that fatigue should not be taken lightly. It’s connected with depression, and antidepressants are now the fastest-growing prescribed class of medications. Instead of taking stimulants, opt for proper exercise, adequate sleep and a balanced diet.
Source: American Chiropractic Association
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Thursday, December 15, 2011
8 Dangers of Diet Soda
You’ve probably noticed I mention diet soda quite often as something you need to eliminate from your diet as quickly as you can. It is a huge peeve of mine (along with a few others, like agave). I know many people enjoy diet soda and feel it is a “freebie” because it contains zero calories. What many people fail to realize is diet soda can be very detrimental to their health. It is also not beautifying at all- in fact it will diminish your beauty. ~ Health Freedoms
Why is diet soda unhealthy? Let me count the ways!
1. Neurotoxic
While artificial sweeteners may be a zero calorie alternative to sugar, they are in no way healthier. Diet sodas may use a variety of artificial sweeteners in place of sugar, including aspartame, which acts as a neurotoxin.
Also known as NutraSweet, aspartame originally received FDA approval for use in carbonated beverages in1983, and it still remains the most commonly used sweetener in diet soda. Annually, reactions to aspartame result for a majority of the adverse reaction reports made to the food and drug administration.
Made from L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanyl-methyl-ester, aspartame is 200 times as sweet as sugar and contains negligible calories. Once in the human body, aspartame breaks down into phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol. Methanol is a wood alcohol poison that, when heated above 86 degrees Fahrenheit (the human body temperature is 98.6 degrees), converts to formaldehyde. Aspartame is also an excitotoxin that builds up in the brain, and can excite brain neurons to the point of cell death.
2: Causes Headaches and Other Symptoms
Another artificial sweetener commonly used in diet sodas, sucralose, may cause a host of health problems including headaches.
Made from a modified sugar molecule, sucralose is supposed to pass through the body unabsorbed. Because sucralose is relatively new in the market still, its long-term effects have not been measured. Some evidence1 suggests sucralose may cause migraines, gastrointestinal issues, and thymus gland damage. Sucralose may also intensify sugar cravings, increase appetite, and trigger insulin release.
3: Acidifying
Soda is made up of a number of acidic chemicals. It is one of the most acidic substances humans ingest. The acids in diet soda demineralize the bones and teeth, and can lead to fractures and osteoporosis. Acid in the body also can lead to a number of health conditions such as inflammation and corrosion of body tissue. When your body is overly acidic your skin will not be as beautiful or youthful. It will contribute to looking older.
4: Caffeinated
Many diet sodas contain caffeine, which is an artificial stimulant and an addictive substance. Caffeine also excessively taxes the liver and can hamper its ability to cleanse and filter toxins from the body. Additionally, caffeine can trigger stress hormones, which can result in chronic stress and weight gain. Caffeine is also a diuretic, which dehydrates the body. It’s best to avoid caffeine in all its forms, particularly diet soda.
5: Increases Risk of Obesity
Studies show that although diet soda has no caloric value, it may have an impact on insulin similar to sugar ingestion. This is most likely due to the cephalic phase insulin response in the brain. When you taste the sweet in diet soda, your body perceives it as sugar and causes the pancreas to release insulin just as it would if you were consuming actual sugar.
Some studies show that drinking diet soda may increase the incidence of obesity and/or prevent you from losing weight. In fact, researchers at the University of Texas Health Center made some startling findings when testing the link between obesity and diet soda.
Obesity risk increased as followed:
26.5 percent for people drinking up to ½ can of diet soda per day, and 24 percent for regular soda drinkers consuming up to one can per day
54.5 percent for one to two cans of diet soda per day as opposed to 32.8 percent for those drinking the same amount of regular soda
57.1 percent for people drinking more than two cans of diet soda per day as opposed to 47.2 percent for people drinking the same amount of regular soda
In other words, diet soda consumption had a higher correlation with obesity rates than consumption of caloric soda containing sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.
6: Increases Toxic Load
There’s not a lot that’s natural in diet soda. Here are just a few of the ingredients you may find:
Carbonated water
Artificial coloring
Phosphoric acid
Potassium benzoate
Citric acid
Doesn’t sound so delicious and healthy, does it! It sounds nasty, and that is because it is indeed a nasty product. Diet soda places a significant toxic load on your liver and can contribute to toxic sludge in your intestines. You are much better off drinking pure, filtered, non-tap water.
7: Increases Risk of Heart Disease
A study at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine4 showed that people who drank diet soda daily had a 61 percent increased risk of a cardiovascular event. The study followed more than 2,500 participants for about nine years, during which 559 vascular events occurred. Even accounting for age and other risk factors, the risk with diet soda consumption appeared to be at least 48 percent higher. With that kind of risk, why take a chance on diet soda?
8: May Contribute to Metabolic Syndrome
A study at University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health in 2008 linked diet soda to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of metabolic disorders including obesity, high blood pressure, elevated triglycerides and hormone resistance. According to the study, consuming diet soda increased the risk of developing metabolic syndrome by 34 percent, which was higher than the elevated risk from consuming two other unhealthy types of foods – meat (26 percent increased risk), and fried foods (25 percent increased risk).
With all of these health risks, you have to ask yourself, is diet soda worth it? Avoiding soda may be one of the best things you can do for your health and beauty.
http://healthfreedoms.org/2011/12/12/8-dangers-of-diet-soda/
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