Smoking may be a bigger killer than currently estimated. The current estimate from the United States Surgeon General is that 480,000 Americans die yearly of smoking-related causes, but researchers from the American Cancer Society claim that the figure may be closer to 540,000 after including at least some deaths caused kidney failure, intestinal disease, heart disease caused by high blood pressure, infections, breathing problems, and breast and prostate cancer. Though these diseases are not typically associated with smoking, researchers found that smokers are more likely to die from these conditions than non-smokers. Thus, they believe these additional deaths should be included in smoking-related mortality calculations.
Maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle can provide you with a life rich in experiences and fulfillment. Whether you enjoy team sports, individual pursuits, or just like getting your 10,000 steps in every day, we’re here to support you. While not everyone is destined to be a pro athlete, staying active and living a high quality of life are goals we can all strive for. Even just a few small changes to your habits around your exercise routine, thought processes, and nutrition can pay big dividends on your overall health and wellness.
Why it Matters:
Medical researchers around the world agree on the health benefits of an active lifestyle, such as reducing your risk of heart disease, anxiety and diabetes – but it doesn’t stop there. Each year, new research is published that shows even more benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle by staying active, eating right, and keeping a positive mental attitude. We call this a balance of physical, chemical and emotional stress. As nice as it may seem, no one can reduce all the stress in their life, but by understanding this delicate balance, you can start taking practical steps towards having a great life experience.
A steady balance (or homeostasis), is when your body can function at its optimal level.
Excessive or chronic physical, chemical, or emotional stress can throw off this delicate balance.
Chiropractic care has been shown to reduce stress in the neuromusculoskeletal system by way of a muscle spindle stretch response.
Next Steps:
Information and education about how to live a healthy lifestyle are essential, but what counts is taking action. Just like learning how to do a push up won’t make you more fit, understanding how to be more healthy won’t make you more healthy until you start to create better health habits and work towards making healthier decisions each day. Need a little inspiration? Connect with our Facebook Page where we post daily health tips and motivating messages to keep you on track!
Science Source(s):
The effects of a single session of spinal manipulation on strength and cortical drive in athletes. European journal of Applied Physiology. 2018
Changes in biochemical markers following spinal manipulation-a systematic review and meta-analysis. Musculoskeletal Science and Practice. 2017
Wellness/Prevention: Use of Media Devices Affect Teens’ Sleep Significantly.
A Norwegian study has found that if it takes more than an hour for a teenager to fall asleep, there is an almost 50% likelihood that they are spending more than four hours per day outside of school using electronic devices such as computers, TVs, smartphones, and MP3 players. The findings are of concern since the majority of teens in the United States report having at least one electronic device in their bedroom, and poor sleep has implications on school performance. The authors add, “The current recommendation is not to have a TV in the bedroom. It seems, however, that there may be other electronic devices exerting the same negative influence on sleep, such as PCs and mobile phones. The results confirm recommendations for restricting media use in general.” Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, November 2014
New research suggests that a diet low in red meat and rich in whole grains may reduce the risk of developing a chronic lung disease known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Researchers tracked over 120,000 individuals and found that healthy eaters were one-third less likely to develop COPD when compared with regular consumers of red meat, refined grains, sugary drinks, and alcohol. The findings reveal that good eating habits appear to lower COPD risk for both smokers and nonsmokers alike.
One of the most common causes of a stiff neck are trigger points in the levator scapulae muscle. This muscle runs up the side of the neck from the top of the shoulder blade. It helps to shrug the shoulders and move and stabilize the neck. When trigger points form in this muscle they will produce pain and stiffness in the neck. Deep tissue trigger point massage applied to these knots is an effective treatment method.
Waking up with a headache or consistently getting one by the end of work each day is not fun (or normal). Headaches can be caused by a variety of factors, none of which are a shortage of medication in your body! As a matter of fact, if you have been relying on drugs to find relief day after day, there is a variety of new research that encourages you to reconsider.
Why it Matters:
Relying on medications to find relief each and every day places an enormous amount of strain on your liver and other internal organs. What’s more, researchers have found that a common “side” effect of many popular headache mediations is…more headaches! And if that wasn’t enough to encourage you to think differently about how to treat your headaches, new research has found an increased risk of heart attacks in people who had taken NSAIDs (or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). It’s easy to see why our firm belief is that the best way for most people to find relief from their headaches is through natural healthcare such as combination of Chiropractic and light stress-relieving exercise like yoga.
Headache medications often have dangerous side effects.
Research has shown little to no evidence that such drugs are effective at treating headaches.
In a recent study, over 30% of participants saw a 100% improvement in the frequency and severity of their headaches after receiving Chiropractic care.
Next Steps:
Our workshop on finding natural solutions and relief from headaches is coming up soon! We’ll help you discover the causes of many common types of headaches, share tips on reducing their impact in your life, and review the steps you can take to ensure that you don’t have to suffer from them in the future. Share this with a friend and be sure to let us know how many people will be attending the workshop with you!
Science Source(s):
Dose-Response and Efficacy of Spinal Manipulation for Chronic Cervicogenic Headache: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. The Spine Journal. 2010
Chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for cervicogenic headache: a single-blinded, placebo, randomized controlled trial. BioMed Central. 2017
Chiropractic: Resolution of Shoulder Pain Following Chiropractic Care.
A new case study sheds light on the benefits of chiropractic care for shoulder pain. A 73-year-old woman with a one-year history of shoulder pain presented for chiropractic care. Her working diagnosis included brachial neuritis, cervicalgia, arthritis, and cervical spinal joint fixations. She reported resolution of pain, and improvements in both function and quality of life following just eleven chiropractic treatments over the course of ten weeks.
Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research, February 2015
Knee osteoarthritis is a condition that can cause stiffness that limits joint range of motion. Over time, the knee’s flexion and extension movements become limited, generally causing pain and an alteration of the normal biomechanics. Your thigh muscles also have to work harder during movement, generating a feeling of muscle tension.To date, the exact causes of osteoarthritis have not been fully identified. It is completely normal to have a mild level of osteoarthritis with age. However, the more advanced stages of osteoarthritis can affect the ability to carry out daily activities and sports. An exacerbation of symptoms usually occurs during a period when the level of physical activity has been drastically increased. Direct trauma to the knee can increase the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
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Structures involved
In the knee, the joint affected by osteoarthritis is the t ibiofemoral joint, formed by the femur bone and the tibia bone. It is mainly cartilage damage combined with the presence, in some cases, of slight bone spurs in the joint that appear to be responsible for the restriction of movement. Over time, certain muscles in the thigh area may compensate for the joint restriction and become more tense.1
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Signs & Symptoms that you may experience
Each person will react differently to osteoarthritis and management will depend on its stage. Knee osteoarthritis can produce, but is not limited to, local pain in the knee, localized edema and stiffness in certain knee movements. Repetitive movements of the knee during walking or other sports activities and a squatting position with direct pressure can cause pain.
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Developments
Knee osteoarthritis is a progressive condition that cannot be cured, which means that the range of motion may decrease over time. An active lifestyle and a rehabilitation plan may however slow the progression of this condition and make it easier to manage the symptoms.
Relative rest is a good way to prevent your symptoms from getting worse after a painful episode. A few days of rest while reducing activities that cause significant pain m ay be necessary, but it is very important to avoid deconditioning. A quick return to your daily activities, light cardiovascular exercises that do not cause an increase in pain, joint mobilization exercises and knee and hip muscles strengthening exercises will allow for better recovery.
Rehabilitation
Follow your therapist’s advice. This will help you manage the various stages of the healing process and increase the odds of success. Your therapist will accompany you during your rehabilitation program in order to improve range of motion of your knee’s joint, regain flexibility, muscle strength and endurance, and functional state.
According to the principles of knee osteoarthritis rehabilitation, improving joint range of motion should be an integral part of the treatment plan. A program to improve joint range of motion and flexibility, as well as specific muscle strengthening is common to control the symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.
▶ WHAT TO AVOID
Do not rely solely on a passive treatment approach. Each phase of the rehabilitation process is important. Patients who actively participate in their treatment plan tend to recover more quickly. Keep in mind that pain is not always a good indicator of joint or tissue damage. A significant level of pain does not necessarily imply a more advanced stage of osteoarthritis. As soon as you feel better and the pain is well under control, introduce, in collaboration with your therapist, light mobility and strengthening exercises based on your tolerance. Remember that exercise is an excellent way to manage pain associated with osteoarthritis.
Have you ever been excited to start a new exercise program, shed a few pounds, and get in shape? It’s incredible, until about 2-3 weeks in when you suffer an injury, take a few days off and then never quite get back on track. Does this story sound familiar? You’re not alone. It happens all the time. So let’s take a look at how you can get active, reach your goals, and avoid those pesky injuries during those first few weeks.
Why it Matters:
While it’s impossible to avoid every potential injury, a balance of spinal strength and flexibility can help dramatically reduce your likelihood of getting injured. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was your body. Long term strength is built through repetition. While there is a time and place for loading with max weight, if you are just getting started in a workout routine, it’s usually best to start slow by using lighter weights and working towards increasing your repetitions. Flexibility is the second key to staying injury free. Whether you are stretching during long work hours at the computer, practicing yoga on the weekends, or using Chiropractic care to improve your spinal (and extremity) range of motion, it’s essential to view flexibility as a journey rather than a destination. Every day that you take a proactive step with your strength and flexibility, you are reducing the chance of an injury, making progress towards your goals, and living a healthier life.
Stretching can improve your flexibility and decrease your risk of injury.
Dynamic (or movement-based) warm-ups have been shown to potentially enhance performance.
Strength training can increase your resilience and prepare your body for activity.
Next Steps:
We understand that everyone has unique health goals. If you have a specific question about injury prevention based on the activities you love, ask! We believe that by taking a proactive approach with your health and wellness, you can have a more inspired and fulfilling life, and we’ll be here for you every step of the way.
Science Source(s):
Mayo Clinic: Stretching: Focus on Flexibility. 2017
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Aberdeen Chiropractic 