Health

Food Myth #4

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

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Nuts are junk food and should be avoided

Nut-uh. Nuts are a great source of protein, healthy fats and nutrient but are relatively high in calories. As a result they are a great snack but you need to keep an eye on portion control.

Recent research at Harvard (heard of them?) showed that women who ate a handful of nuts 5 times a week as a snack were 20% less likely to develop type II diabetes as those that didn’t. Also, several studies have shown that having nuts as a regular part of your diet helps protect against heart disease.

Now, this isn’t licence to crush all the peanuts you want when you’re watching the game… Be smart about your intake and look for nuts like almonds, brazils, cashews, macadamias and pistachios that aren’t swimming in (admittedly delicious) salt and oil.

So when you’re planning your snacks for the Super Bowl or the next Jets game, go nuts.

 

My back hurts, why look at my feet?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

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Improperly supported feet can affect the alignment of all of the structures above. To improve your overall comfort:
✓ Choose shoes with good arch support.
✓ Avoid going barefoot or wearing shoes that lack support (i.e. flip-flops). The following brands of sandals provide better than average arch support: Naot, Fit Flops, Orthoheels, Abeo, Vionic and Yellow box.
✓ Avoid high-heeled shoes or boots (keep heels to a maximum of 1½ inches, especially if you are going to be doing a lot of walking).
✓ “Cross-trainer” athletic shoes tend to provide the best all around support and shock absorption for daily activities.
✓ Patients with fallen arches should consider adding arch supports or orthotics.
✓ Repair or replace shoes with worn soles or heels.

Lifting Mechanics Made Simple

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

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Here are some tips to help you lift safely:
✓ Avoid lifting or flexing before you’ve had the chance to warm up your muscles (especially when you first awaken or after sitting or stooping for a period of time).
✓ To lift, stand close directly facing object with your feet shoulder width apart.
✓ Squat down by bending with your knees, not your back. Imagine a fluorescent light tube strapped to your head and hips when bending. Don’t “break” the tube with improper movements. Tuck your chin to help keep your spine aligned.
✓ Slowly lift by thrusting your hips forward while straightening your legs.
✓ Keep the object close to your body, within your powerzone” between your hips and chest. Do not twist your body, if you must turn while carrying an object, reposition your feet, not your torso.

An alternative lifting technique for smaller objects is the golfers lift. Swing one leg directly behind you. Keep your back straight while your body leans forward. Placing one hand on your thigh or a sturdy object may help.

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Trigger points in the Levator scapula

~ bryancobb ~ Leave a comment

The Levator scapula is a muscle in your neck that originates on the transverse processes of C1-C4 and inserts on the superior part of the medial border of the scapula. The primary actions of this muscle are to elevate the scapula and rotate the glenoid fossa downward. It also rotates the neck to the same side and assists in extension. When this muscle is tight it restricts neck rotation resulting in the classic “stiff neck”. With a forward head position the Levator is often stretched and over worked. To help combat this you must get the head back by releasing the anterior chest and neck muscles. Trigger points in this muscle refer pain into the angle of the neck and down the shoulder blade.

How can a low speed crash cause injury?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

There is certainly a lot of interest in concussion these days between big screen movies, football, and other sports-related injuries. Concussion, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are often used interchangeably. Though mTBI is NOT the first thing we think about in a low-speed motor vehicle collision (MVC), it does happen. So how often do MVC-related TBIs occur, how does one know they have it, and is it usually permanent or long lasting?

Here are some interesting statistics: 1) The incidence rate of fatal and hospitalized TBI in 1994 was estimated to be 91/100,000 (~1%); 2) Each year in the United States, for every person who dies from a brain injury, five are admitted to hospitals and an additional 26 seek treatment for TBI; 3) About 80% of TBIs are considered mild (mTBI); 4) Many mTBIs result from MVCs, but little is known or reported about the crash characteristics. 5) The majority (about 80%) of mTBI improve within three months, while 20% have symptoms for more than six months that can include memory issues, depression, and cognitive difficulty (formulating thought and staying on task). Long-term, unresolved TBI is often referred to as “post-concussive syndrome.”

In one study, researchers followed car crash victims who were admitted into the hospital and found 37.7% were diagnosed with TBI, of which the majority (79%) were defined as minor by a tool called Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale (MAIS) with a score of one or two (out of a possible six) for head injuries. In contrast to more severe TBIs, mild TBIs occur more often in women, younger drivers, and those who were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. Mild TBI is also more prevalent in frontal vs. lateral (“T-bone”) crashes.

As stated previously, we don’t think about our brains being injured in a car crash as much as we do other areas of our body that may be injured—like the neck. In fact, MOST patients only talk about their pain, and their doctor of chiropractic has to specifically ask them about their brain-related symptoms.

How do you know if you have mTBI? An instrument called the Traumatic Brain Injury Questionnaire can be helpful as a screen and can be repeated to monitor improvement. Why does mTBI persist in the “unlucky” 20%? Advanced imaging has come a long way in helping show nerve damage associated with TBI such as DTI (diffuse tensor imaging), but it’s not quite yet readily available. Functional MRI (fMRI) and a type of PET scanning (FDG-PET) help as well, but brain profusion SPECT, which measures the blood flow within the brain and activity patterns at this time, seems the most sensitive.

We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs.  If you, a friend, or family member requires care for Whiplash, we would be honored to render our services.

Food Myth #3

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

how-much-cholesterol-in-eggs

Avoid eggs because of their cholesterol content.

Eggs got a bad rep years ago because we thought they contributed to a rise in levels of LDL (Bad) cholesterol. The most recent research shows that eggs don’t actually contribute to high cholesterol at all and are a great source of iron, zinc, lutein, vitamin D and choline, not to mention a cheap, easy source of protein.

So go ahead with your eggs tomorrow morning! You’ll be healthier for it.

 

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https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-eating/food-and-nutrition/protein-foods/eggs
https://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/Articles/Heart-Health/Understanding-Eggs-and-Cholesterol-How-many-eggs.aspx
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/are-eggs-risky-for-heart-health

A Few Sleep Tips From Us To You

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

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Your mattress and the position you sleep in may affect your spine.

✓ Choose a mattress that provides medium or firm support, such as a traditional coil spring or adjustable airbed. Avoid waterbeds, thick pillow tops and soft, sagging mattresses.
✓ Always sleep on your back with a pillow either underneath your knees or on your side with a pillow between your knees. Avoid sleeping on your stomach.
✓ Keep your neck and back covered while sleeping to avoid drafts that could cause potential muscle spasms.

Here are a couple of tips to help you get in and out of bed more comfortably:
✓ To lie down: Sit on the edge of the bed, pull your arms to your sides and tilt your body into the bed, maintaining the bend of your knees at 45 degrees. Finally, bring your feet into in a lying position or roll onto your back.
✓ To get up: From a side-lying position with your knees bent, push your body upright into a sitting position, swinging your legs over the edge of the bed as you rise.

If you find that you wake up sore then you may be suffering from any number of conditions that get worse overnight.

Trigger points in the masseter muscle

~ bryancobb ~ Leave a comment

The masseter is the main muscle that moves your jaw. It originates on the zygomatic arch and maxilla, and inserts on the coronoid process and Ramus of the mandible. It’s actions are to elevate the mandible and close the jaw. The deep fibres of this muscle also retrude the mandible. This muscle commonly harbours trigger points as a result of teeth grinding. Trigger points in this muscle are often also associated with tmj dysfunction. Trigger points in the upper part of this muscle will refer pain to the upper molars and maxilla often felt as sinusitis. Trigger points in the lower portion of this muscle refer to the lower molars and temple. All trigger points can cause tooth sensitivity

Food Myth #2

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Meal Prep

Mixing Carbs, Fats & Proteins is hard on digestion

I’ve heard this myth from people for years and I have no clue where it came form. The idea is that by combining foods you will overwhelm your digestive system and minimize proper absorption of nutrients.

In reality, there is zero science to back this up. Your body is more than capable of dealing with multiple food type as soon as they enter your system. The acids in your stomach will start working on every ounce of food you ingest without fail regardless of the make up of your meal.

Trying to separate carbs, proteins and fats into individual meals over the course of the day while also trying to eat healthy is an unnecessary complication to an already complicated process. Enjoy balanced, healthy meals without worrying about the processes your body uses to get the nutrients into your system.