Core Strength – Why Is It Important?

When you think of your core, what comes to mind? Many people think of it as having a 6-pack of abs, but it really goes much further than that says a Jamison Chiropractor . Your “core”, as its commonly called, is composed of muscles in your torso not just in the front, but the back and sides as well…your erector spinae, the bottom of your lats, your obliques, and the transverse abdominus, just to name a few! Think of it in terms of a corset – it wraps all the way around the body, and so do your core muscles. So why are your core muscles so important?

The muscles in and around your torso are essentially stabilizing your entire body. According to the best local chiropractor, keeping those muscles strengthened not only helps to improve posture, but they also help with balance as well. From the playing fields to doing regular household chores, having a strong core will reduce the risk of injury and help maintain flexibility.

Bending, rotating, lifting, and walking/running are all examples of activities that can be made easier by having a strong core, and incorporating exercises into your fitness routine can optimize those strength gains and reduce the chance of injury – especially to your lower back! According to a Warrington chiropractor, specific core exercises are often overlooked when it comes to developing a fitness program, so ensure that you are training your core as well as upper and lower body.

Since everything in the body is connected, think of your core as the chain in the middle – if that chain is weak, it’s going to eventually affect the arms and legs as well. For overall performance improvement, including improved balance, stability, and posture, remember to incorporate core strengthening exercises into your workout routine!

Strength Training Benefits

For most folks, if you mention lifting weights, they probably imagine someone doing massive amounts of bicep curls in the gym; let’s get this this image of what weight lifting might look like out of here! Multiple studies talked about by the best local Jamison chiropractor show just how beneficial resistance training can be, for both men and women. Sure, we can build muscle and strength with lifting those dumbbells…but how else can we benefit?

Putting a load on our muscles, joints, and bones is imperative for our overall health and wellness, especially as we get older; as we age, we lose bone mass, and that can lead to issues like osteoporosis, back pain and postural issues. By adding weight training into our workout programs, we can slow the process, and maintain strength in our bones! We also start to lose our lean muscle mass as we age, and strength training can minimize the losses that are inevitable.

Lifting weights also has another benefit – not only does it help maintain a healthy body weight, but muscle also needs energy, so it uses blood sugar! This is helpful, especially those folks that are at a greater risk for diseases like diabetes, as well as high blood pressure.

If you’re still iffy about weight training, don’t be! You don’t have to lift massive amounts of weight in order to see these benefits, and we are able to see improvements in strength across all ages when incorporated as part of a healthy lifestyle with your favorite local chiropractor. And even better? You can use your own body weight as resistance, so get started on some squats, pushups, and planks, and start building up those muscles!

Healthy Snacking

With busy work schedules, after school activities with the kids, and everything else that life throws at us, how many of us take the time to snack properly? Sure, it’s easy to roll through a drive-thru or grab a quick bag of chips or a soda while out running errands…but is it the healthiest choice that we could make for ourselves? A Jamison chiropractor shows us some ways we can snack a bit smarter while we’re on the go!

First, there’s nothing wrong with snacking. It can help maintain blood sugar levels during the day, keeping you from that late afternoon crash or overeating later in the evening. Keeping some small portions of food in your bag with you during the day is a great way to keep yourself healthy and fit, and can help alleviate your back and neck pains! Next, think of your snack as a little meal – try not to sit in front of your desk doing work or in front of a tv to eat – mindfully think about what you’re munching on, and enjoy it!

You want to keep portion sizes in mind, not only with meals, but snacks as well. Nuts are good example of a treat to have on hand, and are full of protein, healthy fats, and fiber. You can also pair nuts with a carbohydrate like fruit, which will help keep you full and energized!

When it comes to healthy snacking, the Warrington chiropractor says just remember these things: pay attention to your portion sizes (the snack sized Ziploc bags are great!), and pick foods that are nutrient dense and that will give you enough protein and healthy fat to keep you satisfied and power you through your day!

YOGA AND MEDITATION ON THE JOB

Ask almost anyone these days how their job is going, and they'll probably tell you they're stressed. Stress levels in every area of life have increased, but especially in the workplace. In many industries and professions, people are working longer hours and dealing with increased pressure to perform well, so it's no wonder that they're feeling stressed. Stress has been shown to be a factor in many types of physical and mental ailments, so dealing with stress in the workplace has become an important issue.

Perhaps that's why a new study has revealed that more and more workers in the U.S. are using stress-reduction techniques like yoga, massage and meditation. The study, which appeared in a journal published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), found that in the group of more than 85,000 adults who participated, yoga practice increased from 6 percent to 11 percent from 2002 to 2012. During the same period meditation rates increased from 8 percent to almost 10 percent for this group. 

The other significant finding from a Jamison chiropractor was that people were more likely to practice these techniques if they had a job, which makes sense because jobs can create stress.

One of the recommendations of the study is that companies should try to provide more outlets for their employees to learn and practice these stress-reducing techniques. It could be a smart move for a company to offer classes or discounts at gyms, local chiropractic office or yoga centers where their employees could learn yoga, meditation, or other mindfulness techniques like tai chi or qigong.

Stress costs our economy billions of dollars each year in lost productivity, sick time, and other problems, so its good business for companies to make it easy for employees to do a little yoga or meditation!

HOLISTIC SYSTEM SHOWS PROMISE IN TREATING ALLERGIES

Allergies can be maddeningly difficult to identify and treat. They often have the same symptoms as other ailments, and many times allergy sufferers go through a battery of tests, or strategies such as eliminating food items from their diet, to try and find out what it is in their environment that’s causing the problem. Even when the allergy is isolated, it may not respond easily to an allergy treatment from a chiropractor near you.

There’s a new treatment that may offer some hope to allergy sufferers, and it’s called NAET, which is short for Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques. NAET was developed in 1983 by Dr. Devi S. Nambudripad, and it is a non-invasive, drug-free remedy for treating allergies. It borrows from acupuncture, acupressure, chiropractic, and other natural medical disciplines. As an example, one NAET technique is for the patient to hold a container of whatever allergen is bothering them, while the therapist taps acupuncture points along the spinal column. This technique will reset the body’s response to the allergen, according to a local Jamison chiropractor.

NAET has been growing worldwide since Dr. Nambudripad developed it in 1983. There are more than 12,000 health care workers worldwide who have been trained in the system, although it is still relatively unknown in the U.S. It’s a welcome addition to the array of non-invasive, natural techniques that allergy sufferers can use to alleviate their condition and improve their overall health.

WHAT’S YOUR INDOOR ENVIRONMENT LIKE?

Many people are becoming more health conscious these days, and they're paying more attention to their diet, exercise and sleep needs. However, it's becoming clear that there's another factor that can influence our health greatly -- where we live and work. Our indoor environment plays a major role in health, and it's easy to see why.  A chiropractor near me says that Americans spend upwards of 90 percent of each day indoors, and if you're spending that much time inside, the elements of that environment are going to have a big influence on you. In fact, researchers now say that some of our leading causes of death, including cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, are affected by our indoor environments.

It is now known that the lighting in our bedrooms can interfere with our sleep patterns, ventilation can spread indoor air pollutants, and building materials can expose us to harmful toxins, among other environmental factors.

To counteract these problems, local chiropractors near me recommend opening windows frequently, and avoiding places that use building materials made from toxic chemicals (e.g., volatile organic compounds, or VOCs). Certain house plants like ivy or golden pothos can remove indoor air pollutants very effectively, so it’s a good idea to have them in your home or office.

 

 

It’s also worthwhile to invest in some artwork for your walls, because it’s been proven by a Jamison chiropractor that art can improve the mood and lessen anxiety of people nearby.

Some people are naturally sensitive to their surroundings, and they’ve already realized some of this. Others don’t pay much attention to their indoor environment. Whatever your style, it will improve your health if you start to think carefully about the environment you want to live and work in.

NATURAL ALTERNATIVES TO PAIN MEDICATIONS

Pain medications are a big business in the U.S., and millions of them are sold every year, for relief from all sorts of muscle aches and pains. Many people pop a couple of pain pills even before they experience any symptoms, perhaps on their way to the gym, to deal with any muscle soreness from their workouts. 

But even over-the-counter pain medications can have their problems. They're not addictive, like the opioid drugs that have caused such an epidemic in the last ten years, but long term use can cause heart and kidney problems. Increasingly, people are turning to herbal remedies to get relief from pain, because they can be just as effective without any of the problems associated with the standard pain medications. 

Here are a few popular herbal pain remedies.

. Arnica Montana. This formula can bring relief to arthritis sufferers, especially when use as a cream or gel.

. Capsaicin. Another topical cream formulation, Capsaicin can bring relief from neck pain, various types of arthritis, and neuropathy caused by diabetes.

. Cod liver oil. Although cod liver oil has been the butt of many jokes because of its taste, there is research that shows the omega-3 fatty acids in it can lessen some types of pain from inflammation. A local Jamison chiropractor recommends taking up to two teaspoons of it daily.

. Willow bark extract. This remedy has shown a particular effectiveness in treating low back pain.

There are other effective methods in addition to herbal remedies, including meditation and relaxation techniques, yoga, supplements, and local chiropractic treatments. 

Try considering a different approach the next time you deal with painful muscles or joins, rather than just reaching for the bottle of acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Doylestown Chiropractor Discusses Cymbalta Commercial

I was home the other day for lunch and a Cymbalta commercial came on.  During the commercial, the voice over said how effective Cymbalta was for chronic musculoskeletal pain, which I was not aware it was used for.

However 2 other things that stood out the most to me was that the recommended dosage was once a day and the long list of side effects.  According to their website:

Cymbalta should generally be administered once daily without regard to meals.

In clinical studies, the most common side effects identified in people taking Cymbalta included:

• Nausea
• Dry mouth
• Sleepiness
• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Dizziness
• Decreased appetite
• Increased sweating

ALSO:
Cymbalta may be associated with serious side effects. Call your healthcare provider right away or seek emergency help if you experience any of the following:

• Itching, right upper-belly pain, dark urine, yellow skin/eyes, or unexplained flu-like symptoms, which may be signs of life-threatening liver problems. Severe liver problems, some fatal, have been reported
• High fever, confusion, stiff muscles, muscle twitching, or racing heart rate, which may be signs of serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition
• Abnormal bleeding, especially if Cymbalta is taken with aspirin, NSAID pain relievers (like ibuprofen or naproxen), or blood thinners
• Serious, possibly life-threatening skin reactions, which may include skin blisters, peeling rash, mouth sores, hives, or other allergic reactions
• Abnormal mood (mania), which may include greatly increased energy, severe trouble sleeping, racing thoughts, talking more or faster than usual, and reckless behavior
• Seizures or convulsions
• Decreased blood pressure upon standing, which can cause dizziness or fainting, mostly when first starting or increasing the dose. Cymbalta can also increase blood pressure. Your healthcare provider should check your blood pressure prior to and while taking Cymbalta
• Headache, weakness or feeling unsteady, confusion, problems concentrating, or memory problems, which may be signs of low sodium levels in the blood. Elderly people may be at greater risk
• Problems with urination, including decreased flow or inability to pass any urine
• Changes in appetite or weight. Children and adolescents should have height and weight monitored

I know in my Doylestown chiropractic practice, that if I were to suggest that someone come see me everyday for their back pain AND I told them that you may experience any or all of the listed side effects, people would think that I am crazy!
So my question is, why are so many willing to take a prescription drug everyday, with this long list of potentially deadly side effects, yet so many balk at seeing a chiropractor 1-2 times a month?  At my office we have been helping the residents of Doylestown, Jamison, Warrington, Chalfont and the entire Central Bucks area rediscover a life without pain for over 15.  If you want to get off that medication train and start a non-surgical, drugless approach to your pain, give my office a call today.

Azzatori Chiropractic-Doylestown

Dr. Jeff McQuaite

295 Logan Street

Doylestown, PA 18901

267-247-7000

www.mcquaitechiropractic.com