Are lifestyle choices affecting your sleep?

We’ve all had those long nights before. When we should be dreaming of sandy vacations at the beach, we’re awake, haunted by the slow tick of an alarm clock.

There are many reasons why millions of people frequently lose sleep at night – diet, an outdated mattress, stress, caffeine, etc. Lack of sleep is typically not a result of a life-threatening illness, and medication isn’t always the best option.

For many people, lack of sleep is the result of simple lifestyle habits. Below are a few common factors that can lead to sleep deprivation.

Click here to read more >>>

Whiplash, lower back pain, sciatica, and "sitting disease"!

Because each individual case of whiplash is different, it is not possible to generalize about the chiropractic whiplash treatment.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/chiropractic-treatments-whiplash

Most low back pain and sciatica problems will benefit from a regular routine of hamstring stretching. Read all about it and check out the videos, too.

http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/hamstring-stretching-exercises-sciatica-pain-relief

Are any of you convinced by this post to stand more at your office this week?

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/new-health-epidemic-sitting-disease

Spine Research Article

A new study published in SPINE addresses the question, “Does Maintained Spinal Manipulation Therapy for Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain Result in Better Long-Term Outcome?” The study suggests patients with low back pain of at least six months duration experience greater improvement following one month (12 treatments) of spinal manipulative therapy followed by “maintenance spinal manipulation” every two weeks for nine months. After 10 months, only the group receiving maintenance care reported significant improvement, whereas the group that did not receive maintenance care experienced pain and disability scores “near to their pretreatment level.”

Link to the Spine Study here >>>

Biking, golf, stretching, and info on chiropractic manipualtion

Biking is a popular form of aerobic exercise, and is often a favored form of exercise by people with low back pain conditions. Biking may be a good exercise option for many reasons:

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/sports-and-spine-injuries/bicycling-and-back-pain

For the millions of people who have chronic, long-standing low back pain, golf can still be an enjoyable sport. However, a regular routine of stretching and low-impact exercise is critical to maintain the ability to play golf.

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/sports-and-spine-injuries/playing-golf-low-back-pain

Chiropractic manipulation refers to a chiropractor applying manipulation to the vertebrae that have abnormal movement patterns or fail to function normally. Chiropractic manipulation (also known as chiropractic adjustment or spinal manipulation), is a common therapeutic treatment for lower back pain.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/chiropractic-manipulation

Low impact exercise, osteoarthritis treatments & headache video

Home exercise equipment can make it easier to start and maintain an aerobic exercise program. Learn which exercise equipment is recommended for low impact aerobic exercise?

http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/home-exercise-equipment-low-impact-aerobic-exercise

Joint dysfunction in the spine can produce pain, and mobilizing the spine joints through manipulations (also called adjustments) can decrease that pain.

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/arthritis/more-osteoarthritis-treatments

Sometimes a headache may be caused by a problem with the occipital nerve, which travels through a segment of spine in the neck.

http://www.spine-health.com/video/cervicogenic-headache-video

Lower back pain triage, integrative care, and subluxation

In the assessment of lower back pain, differential diagnosis utilizing a "triage" concept of classifying low back injuries into one of three categories helps to guide the doctor of chiropractic. Click below to read more.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/chiropractic-diagnosis

What's the best way to incorporate chiropractic care in with care from other doctors?

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/integrating-chiropractic-care-other-doctors

The term "subluxation" is used by doctors of chiropractic to depict the altered position of the vertebra and subsequent functional loss, which determines the location for the spinal manipulation.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/subluxation-and-chiropractic

Back ache in cool, damp weather

Does your back tend to get achy in the cooler, damper weather? That's not an old wives' tale. Most people with back problems, especially if they have spinal arthritis, generally do.

There is a reason for that. When the weather changes from a nice dry day to a wet day (especially if it's cooler too), the barometric pressure drops. Your joint capsule (the sac of fluid that bathes your joint) expands. It's like when a helium balloon climbs in the sky, it expands in response to less atmospheric pressure around it and eventually blows up.

So your joint capsule expands the same way. The sac itself has a lot of pain fibers in it. When it stretches, it fires off the pain fibers and you feel the pain as aching.

Back spasms, whiplash treatment, lower back pain, sciatica

Back muscle spasms may occur because of an injury or condition affecting the spine. Unless the underlying problem is evaluated, discovered, and treated, the back muscle spasms will tend to recur.

http://www.spine-health.com/video/causes-back-muscle-spasms-video

Because each individual case of whiplash is different, it is not possible to generalize about the chiropractic whiplash treatment.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/chiropractic-treatments-whiplash

Most low back pain and sciatica problems will benefit from a regular routine of hamstring stretching. Read all about it and check out the videos, too.

http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/hamstring-stretching-exercises-sciatica-pain-relief

Persistent leg pain, chiropractic terms, and spinal stenosis

While the term “stenosis” comes from Greek and means a “choking”, spinal stenosis, however, has little in common with choking. So what is spinal stenosis?

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/spinal-stenosis/what-spinal-stenosis

Persistent leg pain that is aggravated by walking could be a sign of lumbar stenosis. Read more about how to diagnose this painful condition.

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/spinal-stenosis/lumbar-spinal-stenosis-a-definitive-guide

There are many different terms used to describe spinal disc pathology and associated pain, such as "herniated disc", "pinched nerve", and "bulging disc", and all are used differently by doctors. Learn the difference:

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/herniated-disc/whats-a-herniated-disc-pinched-nerve-bulging-disc

Treatment plans, insomnia, and anatomy of the sacroiliac joint

A chiropractic treatment plan will try to reduce pain and restore normal joint function and muscle balance in the short term and restore functional independence and normal activity in the long term.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/chiropractic-treatment-plan

Without sufficient sleep, aches and pains become more prominent. And many chronic pains can make it more difficult to get to sleep and stay asleep. This loop can make recovery more difficult unless sleep issues are addressed as part of a treatment program.

http://www.spine-health.com/video/insomnia-and-back-pain

The sacroiliac joint connects the sacrum with the pelvis on each side of the lower spine and it transmits all the forces of the upper body to the pelvis and legs.

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/spine-anatomy/sacroiliac-joint-anatomy

Degenerative disk disease (with interactive video)

Degenerative disc disease refers to any condition where the spinal discs are degenerating or degrading, often causing back pain. This interactive video provides information on spinal anatomy and how degenerative disc disease affects the vertebrae and spinal discs. It also gives an in-depth overview of symptoms associated with degenerative disc disease.

http://www.spine-health.com/video/degenerative-disc-disease-interactive-video

Rick Jardon

If any of you have not been to my business Facebook page, I encourage you to. I try to post some interesting health info regularly which I think you'll find informative. Just type in "Cowesett Chiropractic: Dr Rick Jardon" in the Facebook search box above and like the page. Also, I have a blog with even more info that I post to very regularly. You can access it by going to my website RickJardon.com.

Back to basics: What is a chiropractor?

Back to the basics: What is a chiropractor? What does a chiropractor believe in? What are a chiropractor's goals? Find the answers here:

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/what-a-chiropractor

Vital info on lumbar stenosis, sciatica, and various common chiro terms

Persistent leg pain that is aggravated by walking could be a sign of lumbar stenosis. Read more about how to diagnose this painful condition.

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/spinal-stenosis/lumbar-spinal-stenosis-a-definitive-guide

What You Need to Know About Sciatica.

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/sciatica/what-you-need-know-about-sciatica

There are many different terms used to describe spinal disc pathology and associated pain, such as "herniated disc", "pinched nerve", and "bulging disc", and all are used differently by doctors. Learn the difference:

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/herniated-disc/whats-a-herniated-disc-pinched-nerve-bulging-disc

ACA - Nutritional Support for Stress Relief

ACA - Nutritional Support for Stress Relief

By Cathy Burke, RYT

One of the top contributors to heart
disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and a variety of chronic conditions,
stress has become a part of life. Who hasn’t experienced the symptoms of
stress—anxiety, fatigue, stomach problems, sweating, racing heart,
shortness of breath, irritability and insomnia? With a little awareness
and effort, however, we can take steps to keep the effect of stress to a
minimum.

Nutrition plays an important role in
stress regulation. In addition to ensuring that the body receives
adequate amounts of vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins and fats, some
specific nutrients may assist in staving off the effects of stress.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C supplementation may reduce blood levels of stress-related hormones.^1-4  The
recommended dosage varies depending on the individual need, intensity
of stress, and other lifestyle factors. Typically, 1,000-1,500 mg per
day is appropriate for a healthy individual dealing with a stressful
time or situation. Levels above 2,000 mg are reserved for more severe
cases such as surgery or specific complaints. Too much vitamin C may
cause diarrhea—a common sign that supplementation should be reduced.

Omega 3 fatty acids

Deficiency in omega 3 fatty acids may contribute to behaviors such as aggression during stressful periods.^{5- 7}
Daily supplementation for three months with 1.5-1.8 grams of
docosahexaenoic acid or DHA (found in cold water fatty fish, spinach,
seaweed, and soybeans) may prevent an increase in aggression during
stressful situations. 

Rhodiola

Thought to increase the body’s
resistance to stress and enhance mental and physical function, Rhodiola
has been shown in animal and human trials to protect against mental
decline caused by physical stress.^10-14 One study showed,
however, that when participants stopped the supplement for two weeks,
then started it again, they did not receive the same benefit from the
herb.¹⁵

Tyrosine

An amino acid used to produce adrenal stress hormones and neurotransmitters, tyrosine has been shown to decline with stress.¹⁶
To maintain mental capacity, taking 150 mg per 2.2 lbs of body weight,
can be taken occasionally prior to stressful activity – it is
recommended that this amount be split between two doses taken 40-90
minutes apart.^{17- 21}

MVM Complex

A multivitamin-mineral supplement shows
benefit in reducing the effects of stress including improved mood,
concentration and well being, as well as reduced anxiety and fatigue.^{22, 23, 24, 25}

In addition, adding a probiotic formula
to your diet during stressful periods may assist in offsetting other
effects of stress. It is believed that stress depletes the beneficial
bacteria in the intestines,^{26, 27} which may explain the contribution of stress to problems such as irritable bowel syndrome.

While pursuing specific nutrients to
assist the body in coping with times of high stress, make sure that you
and your patients are eating a healthy, whole, well-balanced diet low in
simple sugars and processed foods. Such a diet will provide a basis to
assist the body in preventing and combating a variety of problems,
including stress.

Acknowledgment

The author is grateful to Dr. James Gerber for his help in providing sources for the article.

References

1. J Appl Physiol 1985;58:1511–6.

2. J Nutr 1987;117:1108–14.

3. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2003;135:263–70.

4. Comp Biochem Physiol A 1989;94:569–74.

5. Physiol Behav 1994;55:231–9.

6. Physiol Behav 1996;59:915–20.

7. J Clin Invest 1996;97:1129–33.

8. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol 1999;45:655–65.

9. www.astro.northwestern.edu/~lin/DHA/Chapter6.html.

10. Annu Rev Pharmacol 1969;9:419–30.

11. Phytomedicine 1999;6:287–300.

12. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2003;67:1930–6.

13. Biull Eksp Biol Med 1987;103:422–4.

14. Eksp Klin Farmakol 1994;57:61–3.

15. Phytomedicine 2000;7:365–71.

16. Aviat Space Environ Med 1992;63:364–9.

17. Aviat Space Environ Med 1995;66:313–9.

18. Brain Res Bull 1989;22:759–62.

19. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 1994;47:935–41.

20. Brain Res Bull 1994;33:319–23.

21. Physiol Behav 1995;57:223–30.

22. J Clin Res 1998;1:303–15.

23. Schweizer Zeitschr Ganzheits Med 1993;3:140–3 [in French].

24. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2000;150:220–5.

25. S Afr Med J 2000;90:1216–23.

26. Tijdschr Diergeneeskd 1991;116:232–9.

Why You Should Care About Bees (For Your Health)

Bees are essential to the plant foods we eat. In the U.S. alone, industrious bees annually help pollinate crops worth more than $200 billion. Pollination is the main job they perform for humans. Raw honey is the main product they produce.

What is “raw" honey? Isn't all honey the same—a sweet sticky substance made by bees that you add to your tea or drizzle into a bowl of cereal?

Wrong! Raw organic honey (preferably from a local source) offers so many benefits, it's quite likely honeybees are more helpful to humans than any other insect. That's why it's crucial to discover the reason for the mysterious large-scale deaths of honeybees in the U.S. and Europe during the past six years and stop the trend.

Making honey is another important honeybee craft, one that takes incredible beehive teamwork. Producing a single pound of raw honey takes the effort of approximately 60,000 honeybees, altogether traveling up to 55,000 miles and extracting pollen from more than two million flowers!

Raw honey has been used for millennia as a food. It's rich in nutrients, containing 22 amino acids, 27 minerals and a whopping 5,000 live enzymes. Nature's “super food," honey strengthens the immune system, boosts healthy digestion, fights disease, and helps eliminate allergies.

You can garner all these benefits from one daily spoonful in your tea or spread on a slice of toast. That single nutrient-rich spoonful (unlike refined sugar, which has no nutrients) provides four grams of fructose, or fruit sugar. If you're healthy and not advised by your doctor to avoid all sweeteners, you should be able to eat honey in moderation and profit from its healthy qualities. Count your total daily fructose grams and stay below 25, including honey and any fruits you eat.

When you have a cold or sore throat, swallow one-half teaspoon of raw honey to coat your throat and lessen irritation. Stir one teaspoon of raw honey into a pot of very hot water, cover your head and the pot with a towel and breathe in the steam to unblock your sinuses. Honey works as well to soothe coughs as the OTC cough medicine ingredient dextromethorphan.

Allergy to honey is almost non-existent; however, raw honey poses a risk for infants. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that you never feed honey to a baby less than one year of age.

Clostridium botulinum spores may be present in raw honey. Children older than one year and healthy adults have fully-developed digestive systems that inhibit the spores from flourishing. Infants less than one year of age do not, making them vulnerable to a rare, serious disease that causes varying degrees of paralysis.

Honey has numerous topical uses as well as internal ones. Its natural antiseptic and antibacterial properties are useful for treating wounds and burns more effectively and with less pain or side effects than traditional medical treatments. It reduces swelling, prevents infection and promotes healing.

Clinical trials proved that Manuka honey, a dark honey made with pollen from the medicinal Manuka bush in New Zealand, can wipe out more than 250 strains of bacteria, including such resistant types as MRSA and other staph varieties. While Manuka contains some as-yet-unknown factor that other types of honey don't have, research shows that other raw (unprocessed) honey also helps heal wounds.

Bees, Jerry! Bees!

Raw honey is additionally a natural beauty product that was used as far back as Cleopatra's era, when the queen of Egypt took milk-and-honey baths to soften her skin. It's added to many popular beauty products today: as an anti-aging skin care ingredient, a deep conditioner for dry hair, a skin moisturizer, and others.

In order to do these things, honey must be raw -- unprocessed. Processed honey from the grocery store does not provide these health benefits because (at the very least) it has been heated and filtered. This processing destroys honey's natural nutrients and enzymes. A full 75% of the commercial honey sold in top American supermarkets—including those brands labeled “natural" (an unregulated term that has no real meaning on food labels)—is imported from China and is so highly processed that it retains none of its beneficial properties or even any pollen.

Your best source for raw, unprocessed honey is a local beekeeper. Often, local raw honey is sold at farmers markets, co-ops or health food stores. (A teaspoonful of local honey every day beginning two months before the start of allergy season can prepare your immune system to fight regional allergens.) If you don't have access to local raw honey, your next best bet is a store such as Trader Joe's or Whole Foods Market that sells certified organic 100% pure raw honey.

Don't be put off by raw honey's crystallization or dark specks. It's far superior to honey that's treated with heat to remain smooth, liquid and appealing. Go for the raw!

Selected Sources
http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/divisions/dfbmd/diseases...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/12013... “Honey could be Effective at Treating and Preventing Wound Infections," January 31, 2013. Source: Society for General Microbiology.