Posts Tagged ‘nervous system’
May is National Correct Posture Month, which means I’m going to give you some quick and easy tips to make sure that your posture is tip-top… or at least on it’s way to being there.
The first and most important thing that you can do for your posture is become aware of it. Do you notice that mid-day, you are hunching your shoulders, typing away at your computer? Are you driving home after a long day, and find yourself leaning over the steering wheel? When we get consumed with daily activities, it is easy to go lax on our posture. If you make an effort to take note of your posture throughout the day, you will find yourself standing taller, straighter, and healthier.
At the top of every hour, stop what you are doing and take a deep breath in. If you posture is poor, you will find this harder to do. By scheduling this “Deep Breath Break”, you will naturally pull your shoulders back, put your head up, with your torso “at attention”. Putting a posture check into your schedule, even if it is just a few times a day, will put it into your subconscious – and have you standing taller in no time.
The second tip is make sure that you take care of your body and spine with stretches, exercise, and chiropractic care. Stretches for your neck, back, and pelvis will naturally aid in your posture. Exercise such as yoga and pilates allow you to become more aware of your body- including your posture. And chiropractic, of course, helps maintain a healthy spine and nervous system.
My final tip is about what’s on your feet. If you notice, my tips have started at the head (your mindframe) and worked their way down the body. What you choose to wear on your feet will affect your posture and how you walk. This is obvious, but wearing supportive, no- heel shoe will allow your feet to hit the ground evenly and absorb shock. High heels, while attractive, throw off your center of balance, which also affects your posture. Since most women will never eliminate high heels from their wardrobe, we recommend that your daily, long-hour shoe choice be logical, and save the heels for the night out on the town.
I hope these 4 simple tips will help your posture – not just for National Correct Posture Month, but year round. If you have any additional questions, or worry about your posture, schedule a complimentary consult with one of the chiropractors here at Mecca Integrated Medical Center. Otherwise, I’ll see you when you come in for your next adjustment!
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As the leaves are starting to fall, and the weather is turning colder, another season starts besides Fall… Germ Season! Germ season runs from September to April, and can leave many people falling ill.
Here at the office, our doctors are diligent about cleaning in between patients and on down time. We even have a hand sanitizer pump at the front desk where you check in. Especially working in the health field, with so many people coming in and out every day, we are careful about germs and keeping everything clean and sanitized. But what are some of the “hot spots” for picking up unwanted germs outside of the doctor’s office?
Today’s USA Today’s article outlines some of the typical leading places to pick up germs. The article said:
A scientific survey released Tuesday found 71% of gas pump handles and 68% of corner mailbox handles were highly contaminated with germs most associated with a high risk of illness, as were 41% of ATM buttons and 43% of escalator rails.
Some other germ-likely locations? Parking meters, cross-walking buttons, vending machines, and kiosks. The article goes on to suggest keeping your eyes open to the conditions of places you often frequent, such as restaurants. And the basic rule of germ control? WASH YOUR HANDS!
We would like to note that keeping your chiropractic adjustments regular will help with your immune system. This doesn’t substitute other precautions, but is a great supplement to your germ-fighting regimen. Adjusting the spine keeps your nervous system clear and working properly, which in turn, helps all of the other systems in your body work at their best as well. This includes your immune system. So while you’re stocking up on soap and hand sanitizer, make sure you stop by the office for your scheduled adjustments!
Check out the full article here.
‘Tis the season… well, in all honestly, it’s been the season for a while now, but I thought since the pollen count has been on the high side (pollen, by the way, is the most common trigger for allergies) it would be timely to write about allergies, and how chiropractic care can help.
That’s right, when your allergies are driving you up the wall, visiting your chiropractor could be the answer. Although it is commonly thought that chiropractic care is only for back and neck issues, it can help with keeping the body operating at its peak performance level. According to the American Chiropractic Magazine, “chiropractic enables the immune system to function more effectively, something all allergy sufferers’ need, since a nervous system with less stress functions more efficiently.”
The body’s immune system attacks the invasion of foreign substances, which allergy suffers will know more commonly as dust, and pollen- including tree, weed, and grass. When your immune system isn’t functioning correctly, it can overreact to things such as pollen, and the body’s response is to overproduce chemicals such as histamines to neutralize and correct the problem.
In order to have a healthy immune system, one must have a healthy nervous system. Chiropractors utilize various techniques and instruments in order to remove pressure from spinal nerves caused by the misalignment of vertebrae called subluxation. Chiropractic restores balance to the body through adjustments to the spinal bones, which removes nerve interference, and optimizes normal body function. When your chiropractor works to remove nerve interference, your body will be freed from stress on the nervous system, and it will work more effectively to neutralize the chemicals that cause allergies in the environment-something all allergy sufferers need.
So if your lower back is misaligned, it can cause an imbalance in the way one’s nervous system functions and can exaggerate allergy symptoms. Rather than reaching for your medication, you should schedule an appointment with your chiropractor. Allergy medications traditionally treat the symptoms, while chiropractic care is addressing the cause of those itchy eyes or sneezing fits. No matter how serious your allergies are, the benefits from having a healthy spine will go a long way to improve the function of your nervous system, which directly affects your immune system and in turn, your allergies.
After meeting a woman who was suffering severe back pain during her pregnancy at a local health fair, I realized that this would be a great topic to discuss on our blog. After all, it is the season- I have encountered a number of women that are happily expecting.
The first question that comes to mind is the most important… can one visit a chiropractor while you are pregnant? The answer is simple, YES! According to the American Pregnancy Association, the addition of a protruding abdomen and increased back curve, as well as pelvic changes, can result in a misaligned spine or joint, causing pain.
Gaining weight in the abdomen creates a downward pull on the lower spine, and combined with the change in your center of gravity, produces neck and lower back pain. Additionally, Stacey Rosenberg, DC, notes that pregnant women secrete a hormone, relaxin, which is responsible for loosening ligaments and can cause pre-existing spinal or pelvic issues to be aggravated. She also mentions that the general weight gain in the breasts and rest of the body puts added stress on the spine.
Throughout a pregnancy, the cartilage of pelvic joints shifts from being stable to softer and more movable to prepare for giving birth. This process can often create a misalignment and imbalance of the pelvis. “When the pelvis is misaligned it may reduce the amount of room available for the developing baby… (it) may also make it difficult for the baby to get into the best possible position for delivery (APA, 2008).”
Working with a chiropractor can help reduce back and neck pain associated with the pregnancy, control nausea, as well as maintain the mother’s general health. When it is time to go into labor, having chiropractic care during the pregnancy can reduce labor time as well as reduce the use of pain relieving medication. Studies have shown that a whopping 84% of women report relief in back pain during pregnancy when seeing a chiropractor, according to Pathways to Family Wellness magazine. It makes sense that if you visit your chiropractor for back and neck pain when you aren’t pregnant, one should continue visits during pregnancy to maintain spinal health and help ease the additional pain caused by the changes in your body.
Additional tips that will help with pregnancy back pain include, sleeping on your side with a pillow in between your legs, keeping your posture and not letting your abdomen to sag, maintaining an active exercise regime, and lots of rest!
Since most women take pregnancy as an opportunity to focus more on their health and their body, make sure to keep your spine and nervous system in great working order, and to make your 9 months as comfortable as possible.
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