Almond Fudge-The Perfect Christmas Snack

 The Christmas Season is officially upon us.  With this special time spent with family comes the American tradition of overeating and overindulgence.  Here is a recipe for a healthy alternative to Christmas cookies and snacks.  Enjoy, and Merry Christmas from Valley Chiropractic Associates.

Almond Fudge
2 cups almond butter
¼ cup raw cocoa powder, sifted to remove any lumps
½ cup + 2 tablespoons raw liquid honey
1 heaping Tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coarse sea salt
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until well incorporated. Spoon mixture
into a pan and flatten with the back of a spoon. Place in the freezer for an hour or
so, then take it out to cut into bite-size squares or rectangles. Transfer the pieces
onto a plate. Keep these covered and stored in the freezer.
***Must be kept in freezer, otherwise will become soft and mushy, to the consistency
they were at before freezing. So if you take them out to eat, eat them quickly! Also
keep this in mind when cutting the fudge; work quickly.

What's the story with vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is synthesized by skin cells in the human body in response to sunlight exposure.  It has received a significant amount of attention recently regarding the health benefits it provides.  It is crucial for the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorous, which are important in maintaining the integrity of our neuromuscular and skeletal systems.   It aids our immune system.  It regulates over 1,000 genes in our body.  It may even play a role in preventing asthma, multiple sclerosis and cancer. 

Optimizing your vitamin D levels may be one of the most important steps you can take in support of your long-term health.  The ideal way to do this is by exposing large amounts of your skin to sunlight during peak hours (10am to 3pm), specifically your face, arms, hands and back.  Fifteen to twenty minutes of sun exposure at least twice a week without sunscreen is required for your body to synthesize adequate amounts of vitamin D.  However, because our location of residence is far from the equator, our sunlight exposure is less during the late fall, winter and early spring months.  Therefore, supplementing with vitamin D during these months is recommended.  Animal-based food sources, such as fish, cod-liver oil, lard, egg yolks and butter also contain vitamin D.  As a generic guideline, adults need to take about 2,000 IU's per day when sunlight exposure is minimal, however more may be clinically warranted, depending on an individual's current health status and vitamin D level.

Interval Training Exercise: All of the Benefits, Half the Time

What if you could perform your typical 45-minute workout in as little as 10 minutes and still reap all the health benefits?  If this interests you, consider adding an exercise program that includes interval training to your physical activity.

Interval training is an exercise program that features alternate bursts of higher intensity activity with intervals of lower intensity activity.  To do so, alternate one to two minutes of low intensity activity, such as walking or lightly jogging, with approximately 30 seconds of high intensity activity,  such as running uphill or sprinting.  When you begin, start with three or four intervals and work up to eight intervals per session.  This can also be performed in a swimming pool or on a bicycle.  If you are less fit or have a health condition preventing you from performing high intensity activities, consider alternating walking at a leisurely pace with walking briskly.  

Interval training is easy to do, burns more calories than less vigorous activity and saves you time.  It also causes your body to release human growth hormone (HGH), know as "the fitness hormone."  HGH causes your body to burn fat, increases lean body mass and stimulates bone and muscle growth.  Stimulating the release of HGH is important because after the age of 30, especially in those that live a sedentary lifestyle, levels in the body begin to decrease.

In today's busy world, incorporating interval training into your exercise program is one way to save time without sacrificing your health.   

Thanksgiving Meal Survival Guide

  According to the Caloric Control Council, the average American will consume more than 4,500 calories and 229 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day alone.  That's the equivalent of more than 2 1/4 times the average daily calorie intake and almost 3 1/2 times the fat.  Yikes!  Here are some suggestions to prevent overfilling yourself:

• Don't go to Thanksgiving dinner hungry: We often eat faster and more when we are hungry.  Therefore, eat a wholesome breakfast and lunch on Thanksgiving day to avoid overeating at dinner time.
• Thanksgiving dinner is not an all-you-can-eat buffet: Fill your plate half with vegetables, one quarter with a lean meat and the rest with a starch of your choice. Eat slowly, put your silverware down while chewing and stop when you are full.
• Turkey - go skinless: Choose your 4-oz turkey portion skinless to slash away some fat and cholesterol. Save your appetite for the side dishes and desserts.
• Side Dishes - watch your portion size: Strive for smaller portions. This way you can sample all the different foods. Moderation is always the key.
• Make a conscious choice to limit high fat items: High fat food items can be found in fried and creamy dishes as well as cheese-filled casseroles in a traditional Thanksgiving meal . For instance, mashed potatoes are usually made with butter and milk; green bean casseroles are often prepared with cream of mushroom soup, cheese and milk and topped with fried onions; candied yams are loaded with cream, sugar and marshmallows. If you cannot control the ingredients that go in to a dish, simply limit yourself to a smaller helping size. Again, moderation is the key.
• Drink plenty of water: Alcohol and coffee can dehydrate your body. Drink water to help keep you full and keep you hydrated.
• Leftover Turkey? Instead of turkey sandwiches, use the leftover turkey to make a pot of soup with fresh chunky vegetables or a fresh garden salad with turkey.
• Experiment with new recipes: Many delicious yet healthy whole food contemporary Thanksgiving recipes can be found on-line.  Have some fun and experiment! 
• Don't forget the Exercise: Get a work out in before or after the meal to burn off some of those extra calories.  Consider taking a family walk after the food has settled. 

Are you vitamin D deficient?

In 2009 it was published that 70% of whites, 90% of Hispanics and 97% of blacks in the United States had insufficient blood levels of vitamin D. Deficiency in this vitamin can lead to daily pains and fatigue, increased risk in heart disease and cancer, decrease your ability to fight off infections and affect daily quality of life.  The question is, how do you know if you are deficient?  Here is a pop quiz to help you determine the answer.  How many of the following apply to you:

• I rarely go out in the sun.
• I wear sunblock and cover up my skin when I go out in the sun.
• The clothes I wear typically cover most of my skin, including my arms and legs.
• I do not take a vitamin D supplement daily.
• I do not eat wild caught, oily fish (eg. salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring etc) two or three times per week.
• I do not eat mushrooms often.
• I am naturally dark skinned or am of African or Hispanic descent.
• I am older than 60 years old.
• I am younger than 20 years old.
• I am overweight and carry a considerable amount of extra fat.
• When I press firmly on my breastbone or shins with my thumb or forefinger, I feel pain.
• I feel like I have less energy and muscle strength than I should.
• I currently take antiseizure or AIDS medication or I take glucocorticoids such as prednisone.
• I have celiac disease, intestinal disease or have had gastric bypass surgery.

According to Dr. Michael Holick, the scientist responsible for isolating and identifying the major circulating form of vitamin D in humans, if you answered yes to any of the questions above, there is a high chance that you are vitamin D deficient.  In addition to getting adequate sun exposure, eating foods high in vitamin D, and utilizing a vitamin D supplement, you may want to ask your health care provider to test your vitamin D status.  Your health may be counting on it.

How to Protect Yourself Against the Flu

Here are nine steps you can take to boost your immune system and prevent influenza infection:

• Eat Whole Foods: Processed foods contain preservatives and sugar that decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately.
• Allow Adequate Time for Sleep: When you are sleeping, your body is rebuilding and repairing itself.  Give it the time it needs to function properly.
• Manage the Stress in Your Life: Stress is inevitable.  However, if it becomes overwhelming, your immune system's ability to do its job is decreased.
• Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels: This vitamin is a major player in a proper functioning immune system.  Although moderate sunlight exposure is your body's best avenue for vitamin D production during summer and early fall months,  supplementation is strongly recommended during winter.  
• Physical Activity: Exercise increases circulation throughout your body and maintains systemic health.
• Utilize Cod Liver Oil: Increase your intake of healthy and essential fats that are critical for health, like omega-3 fats found in cod liver oil.  Cod liver oil, unlike other fish oil supplements, contains the fat-soluble vitamins A and D, which are critical for immune system function.  
• Use Natural Antibiotics in Your Diet: This includes oregano, garlic and coconut oil.  They act as broad spectrum antimicrobial agents against bacteria, viruses and protozoa in your body.  Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, they do not appear to lead to resistance.  
• Avoid Hospitals: Avoid hospitals unless you have a medical emergency, as hospitals are a prime breeding ground for infections of all kinds.
• Get Adjusted: Studies show that chiropractic adjustments boost immune system function and immune response.

Book of the Month

The Vitamin D Solution

A 3-Step Strategy to Cure Our Most Common Health Problem

The Vitamin D Solution by Dr. Michael Holick is an excellent book detailing the tremendous benefits of Vitamin D. The research has dramatically changed over the past few years to finally recognize Vitamin D as one of the most important and needed nutrients. Unfortunately, this particular vitamin is lacking in its natural form within our fortified food system. The midwest is especially at risk for Vitamin D deficiencies due to our lack of therapeutic sun exposure during our fall, winter, and spring months.
The research continues to grow and identify Vitamin D deficiencies that are linked with the following health disorders:

1. Chronic Fatigue
2. Fibromyalgia
3. Autoimmune dysfunction
4. Flu
5. Cancer
6. Gastro-intestinal disorders

We encourage you to get this valuable book and use it as a study guide to a healthier lifestyle. As always, check half.com and Amazon for your selection.

The Gonstead Difference

The Gonstead System is know as the Gold Standard within the chiropractic profession.  It is unique because it is thorough, precise and specific in both analyzing and adjusting the spine.  The Gonstead Technique focuses on the structural relationship of the spine and nervous system with its overall effect on health.  It underscores that a specific approach toward correcting spinal conditions will produce long-lasting and often permanent results that last well beyond the recommended treatment plan.  Gonstead practitioners address the entire spine when evaluating for the presence of a structural misalignment pattern (vertebral subluxation) which causes ill health. 

The Gonstead chiropractor conducts a thorough analysis of your spine using five criteria to detect the presence of the vertebral subluxation complex.
1. Instrumentation: The instrument of choice in the Gonstead System is the Nervoscope.  The Nervoscope detects uneven distributions of heat along the spine which can be indicative of infammation and nerve pressure.  This instrument is guided down the length of your back and feels like two fingers gliding down each side of your spine.
2. Static Palpation: This is simply the process of feeling (or palpating) your spine in a stationary (or static) position.  The Gonstead practitioner will feel for the presence of swelling (or edema), tenderness and any abnormal texture or tightness in the muscles and other tissues of your back.
3. Motion Palpation: This process involves feeling the spine while moving and bending it at various angles.  This enables the doctor to determine how easily or difficult each segment in your spine moves in different directions. 
4. X-ray Analysis: X-ray films enable the doctor to visualize the entire structure of your spine.  This is helpful in evaluating for any disease processes, fracture, posture, joint and disc integrity and vertebral misalignments.
5. Visualization: Visualization is a way to cross reference all the other findings.  Gonstead practitioners look for subtle changes in your posture and movement which could indicate any problems.

After a complete analysis, the Gonstead practitioner is ready to deliver any necessary adjustments.  The focus of the Gonstead adjustment is to be as specific, precise and accurate as possible, addressing only the problem areas (areas of subluxation).  Great care is taken to ensure a mechanically correct position and precise thrust to provide the most accurate and painless adjustment possible.  It is the goal of a Gonstead doctor to restore and maintain optimal health by locating and correcting any interference to the nervous system cause by structural misalignment patterns (vertebral subluxations).   

For more information, visit our website at www.valleychiroassoc.com or contact us at 952.882.1965.

Breakfast: A Must

Breakfast has long been considered the most important meal of the day by many health experts.  It breaks one's fast from a restful night of sleep and recharges the body's battery.  It sets the stage for balanced body chemistry and hormones, making our mood and performance for the entire day dependent on breakfast.  Both children and adults who adequately fuel up in the morning have more energy and better emotional stability as well as find it easier to maintain their body weight compared to breakfast-skippers.  One study found that students in Madrid who consumed an adequate breakfast achieved better reasoning scores in the scholastic aptitude test (SAT) than those students that did not eat breakfast.  Another study showed higher test grades and better school attendance in those students that ate breakfast compared to those that do not.

Breakfast-skippers tend to eat more calories throughout the day, ultimately leading to weight gain.  One reason is because not eating breakfast eventually leads to insulin resistance.  Not surprisingly, obesity and insulin resistance syndrome rates are 50 percent lower in those that eat breakfast compared to those who frequently skip breakfast.  Brown Medical School found that 78% of people who have kept weight off successfully ate breakfast daily.  As a comparison, the University of Massachusetts discovered that people who regularly skip breakfast were four times more likely to be obese.  Breakfast boosts metabolism.

Unfortunately, most of the food choices we consume for breakfast, including boxed cereal, refined-flour muffins, fruit juice, pancakes or waffles with refined syrup and donuts, create a refined sugar overload for the body.  Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your breakfast.

1. Fat and protein should be the featured nutrients.  The sugar-loaded breakfast discussed earlier based on highly refined sugar, flour and salt can be toxic to the body.  Suggested foods that contain large amounts of fat and protein include eggs (with the yolks!), meats, fish, full-fat dairy products such as yoghurt and kefir, avocados, nuts and seeds, coconut oil and butter.  After these foods are chosen, fruits, vegetables and whole grains make a wonderful complement.

2.  Consume foods that come from a good source.  Look for grass-fed, free range meat and cage-free eggs.  Include dairy products that are not homogenized and feature low (or none) pasteurization that use whole milk from pasture-raised cows.  Choose local, ripened organic fruits and vegetables that are in season when available. 

3. Make your food more easily digestible by soaking and sprouting your grains, nuts and seeds, culturing your dairy products, or fermenting your fruits and vegetables.  This is especially beneficial for those with digestive concerns.

4. Plan ahead.  Planning out breakfast will save you time and stress in the long run.

5. Don't Rush.  Go to bed early, and allow for enough sleep at night to ensure you have ample time in the morning to relax and enjoy your breakfast feast.

High Heels: Not So Good

Are you among the millions of women who wear high heels day after day?  For years, experts have known about the detrimental consequences of high heels on the health and function of the human body.  They can cause the formation of bunions, corns, neuromas and hammertoes in feet as well as knee, hip and lower back pain.

Now, a team of scientists from Australia have identified yet another concern of high heels.  In a research article published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, they discovered that women who habitually wear high heels tend to walk differently.  They place more strain on their calf muscles and increase their risk of injury.  These scientists studied nine women who use high heels at least 40 hours per week and ten women who wear high heels less than 10 hours per week.   After observing and analyzing the women's gait patterns, they discovered that the heel wearers tended to walk with shorter, more forceful strides compared to those that did not wear high heels.  These women also held their feet in a flexed, hammertoe position even when walking barefoot.  In addition, the researchers suggested that this altered walking style may increase muscle fatigue.

To combat this concern, try wear flats most of time and only switch into heels sparingly. If you're going to buy heels, avoid those with pointy tips and opt for a pair with a wide toe box. Once you reach your destination,  give your feet a breather under the desk or table, and especially take them off if you plan on dancing.  Alternating with flats for part of the day is also beneficial.

Book of the Month: Good Foods/Bad Foods: A Little Book of Common Sense Nutrition

From the cover to the last page, this is a great book. Most patients have a hard time understanding what real nourishment is and how it affects health.  Judy DeCava does an excellent job of showing us the path between the synthetic fractionated vitamins found at your local drugstore and the therapeutic value of whole vital foods. The old statement “we are what we eat” should have proven itself a reality with the staggering statistics of the deteriorating health in this nation.  Her statement "Food is far more than the sum of its parts" should remind us that unprocessed whole foods must be the foundation for a healthy, long life that resists disease and degeneration. 
This is an outstanding patient support tool and for those practitioners who are looking for well documented information to prove their point, it can't be beat. The sections, “Food for Thought” at the end of each chapter is fun and interesting.

You may purchase this book either at our clinic or on this website.

Antibiotics: Too Much of a Good Thing?

The first antibiotic, penicillin, became widely available in 1940. Antibiotics have since become a popular treatment against many diseases. Over one-third of all hospital patients are given antibiotics and each year in excess of 240 million antibiotic prescriptions are dispensed in the United States. Although it is clear that antibiotics have a place and a purpose, a growing number of doctors and medical researchers contend that antibiotics have been grossly overused and abused, and, as a result, produce adverse reactions as well as strains of bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics.  There are patients in hospitals that have bacterial infections against which no antibiotics are effective. This is only fifty years after antibiotics were introduced. Until around 1975, almost every case of gonorrhea was treatable with penicillin. Today, in places like Thailand and the Philippines, 90% of all cases are penicillin-resistant. In the U.S, it is above fifty percent.  Several strains of TB have emerged in the U.S. that cannot be treated with common antibiotics. Even infections such as staph and strep have become harder to treat as they have acquired resistance to standard antibiotics.

In 1997 Time magazine reported that doctors wrote 12 million antibiotic prescriptions a year for colds, bronchitis and other respiratory infections against which antibiotics are almost always useless.  This has undoubtedly contributed to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria. Many people in our country, when presenting with a cold, go to their doctors and request antibiotics. Antibiotics have no effect on the vast majority of colds that are viral in nature and toxic side effects often occur. Taking antibiotics for viral colds are not only ineffective, but also a waste of financial resources.

The livestock industry is a major source of the antibiotic overuse that has led to bacterial resistance, purchasing half of all antibiotics sold.  They are incorporated into feed in order to kill bacteria that stunt the growth of animals. However, this gives resistant bacteria the opportunity to develop and multiply. In 1992, antibiotic-resistant bacteria killed 19,000 hospital patients and contributed to the deaths of 58,000 more.  According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, antibiotic therapy is not an effective treatment against ear infections and rates of recurrent infection are significantly higher in children who have been treated with antibiotics. 

 Our bodies contain a complex and powerful disease-fighting immune system which works 24 hours a day attacking and destroying foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses. When this system is functioning at an optimum level, the body can best combat invading microbes. Many of the characteristic symptoms of illness, such as fevers, vomiting, and swollen glands, are signs that the immune system processes are proceeding on schedule.

“The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.” -Thomas Edison 

 

Is Our Country Overmedicated?

Almost half of the prescription drugs taken in our world today are consumed in the United States.  Americans take an average of 25 million pills an hour! Many Americans over 65 years old take between 12-18 different medications per day. Twenty-five tons of aspirin are consumed daily in the U.S.  As a result, our “health care system” is the third leading cause of death in our country, a situation that is unheard of in the rest of the world.

Every drug taken is a stressor to the body and its detoxification system.  Because of this, side effects are a common occurance.  For example, an average of 1,600 children die from aspirin each year.  Adverse reactions to prescribed drugs kill more than 100,000 people per year according to a recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association.  By contrast, illegal drugs (cocaine, crack, etc.) kill 6,000 to 10,000 people per year.

Your body has the natural and amazing ability to heal.  One way to ensure this is by keeping your spine aligned with Chiropractic care.  The Chiropractic adjustment removes interference from the control system of your body, the nervous system.  With chiropractic care, many of our patients have found that the need for prescription drugs naturally disappears.   

Adolescent Back Pain and Headaches

 Many parents have a tendency to dismiss back pain as “growing pains” or headaches as something their children may “grow out of.”  Unfortunately, these two issues have become common, but they are definitely not normal. As adults, we have become accustomed to taking an aspirin or Ibuprofen to relieve aches and pains but are resistant, with good reason, to give it to our children.

Today’s children have many stressors on their body.  One of these stressors is the excess load that a backpack places on a child’s spine. The repetitive stress of walking in this posture causes the joints of the spine to misalign, which affects the nerves and can causes pain.

Another stressor on our children’s spines is poor posture.  While at school, children sit for many hours of the day, often in a slouched position.  Children are also sitting while using the computer, playing video games, and watching television.  Sitting to their spine is like sugar to their teeth: it literally rots it.  Our bodies are designed to move, not to sit for long periods of time. (How often do you see deer, squirrels, and other animals sitting in the wild?) This sitting and poor posture can cause your child to develop a postural deformity know as forward head posture (FHP).  This posture puts a tremendous amount of pressure at the base of the neck, where the neck meets the shoulder.  FHP may be source of many headaches and pain that make it difficult for your child to pay attention at school or complete tasks at home. The test to determine if your child has FHP is easy - look at your child from the side.  The ear and the shoulder should line up vertically. If the ear is in front of the shoulder then you child has forward head posture. 

If you suspect forward head posture in your child, consider a chiropractic evaluation for him or her. It is far better to catch the problem early and steer clear of a lifetime pattern of neck pain, headaches, and other preventable health concerns than suffer the consequences later on in life.  Proper posture can also be taught to ensure habits that will encourage a healthy spine and a pain-free life.

“An ounce of prevention is worth move than a pound of cure”-Dr. B.J. Palmer

Vitamin D and Autism

Autism is a developmental disorder that affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), male children have a 1 in 54 chance of developing autism by age 8, and the epidemic is growing at almost 20% per year. 

In 2007, a medical doctor, John Cannell, published a study proposing that a poor genetic vitamin D processing system in certain humans (specifically low vitamin D receptors), combined with declining vitamin D levels over the last 30 years, has lead to damage to the most sensitive of all organs requiring vitamin D, the developing brain.  Other components of the vitamin D system, such as the amount and activity of the enzyme that activates vitamin D, the 1-hydroxylase, is also inherited.  We either have small amounts of this enzyme or a significant amount, with most people getting somewhere in between.  The same is also true of the vitamin D breakdown enzyme, the 24-hydroxylase.  If breastfeeding mothers have very low vitamin D levels due to lack of sunlight exposure and the abstinence of vitamin D-rich foods, have both low vitamin D receptors and low 1-hydroxylase enzyme activity and then wean their child on vitamin D-less 100% pure fruit juice and other foods void of vitamin D, these children could have no source of vitamin D and their inherited vitamin D physiology will interact with the low vitamin D levels to injure their developing brain.  The same mechanism can happen in utero. 

How can you ensure that you are getting enough vitamin D for your body?

• Get outside: During the summer months, expose your skin to 20 minutes of sunlight exposure for a minimum 3 times per week.  Exposure is best between 10am and 2pm.
• Eat foods rich in vitamin D.  This includes cod liver oil, fish, shellfish, butter, lard and egg yolks.
• Supplementation:  During the fall, winter and spring seasons, supplement with vitamin D3.  Adults should take a minimum of 2,000 IU/day.

Are the Statin Drugs I Am Taking Causing My Back Pain?

Statins are a class of drugs used to lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which plays a central role in the production of cholesterol in our body's liver.  The most commonly known statin is Lipitor, manufactured by Pfizer.  Statins are one of the most widely prescribed medication in the United States and globally.  In 2003-4, it was estimated that 24 million individuals in the United States alone took statins.  A common adverse effect of statins is musculoskeletal symptoms, including muscle aches, pain, weakness and cramps. 

In February of this year a study was published in American Journal of Medicine that looked at the relationship between statin drug use and musculoskeletal pain in adults with and without arthritis.  Researchers assessed 8,228 subjects over 40 years of age, 5,170 of whom arthritis had not been diagnosed.  They discovered that among those participants without arthritis, statin use was associated with a significantly higher prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, as follows:

• pain in any region was increased by 33%
• pain in the lower back was increased by 47%
• pain in the lower extremities was increased by 59%

According to the study, 1 out of every 17 people taking statin drugs developed musculoskeletal pain symptoms.  Like thousands of studies before it, this study suggests that the best way to improve your health is not by turning to the pill bottle for answers, but by improving your lifestyle.

Gonstead Chiropractic and Pregnancy

Most women that are pregnant are aware of the benefits of avoiding smoking, alcohol and medications, exercising, and maintaining a nourishing diet for her and her developing baby's health.  Many, however, are unaware of the benefits that Gonstead chiropractic care can provide.  Numerous chiropractic patients report healthier pregnancies as well as more comfortable deliveries.  One study revealed that first time mothers under chiropractic care had 24% shorter labor times versus women who were not.  In addition, chiropractic patients who have had prior deliveries enjoyed 39% shorter labor times than those not under care.  The Gonstead approach is a specific time-proven technique to check for proper spinal and pelvic structural alignment.  Dysfunction in the lumbar spine and pelvic joints has been shown to cause back pain during pregnancy.  Research has shown that as many as 56% of pregnant women experience back pain.  A properly aligned lumbar spine and pelvis not only ensures a reduction of pain, but allows for sufficient space for the developing baby, leading to a quicker and easier delivery. 
Gonstead chiropractic uses great care to ensure the most accurate, painless, and safe adjustment possible.  It is so safe that care can continue until the day of delivery.  The Gonstead system employs special adjusting tables with the necessary modifications for each stage of pregnancy.  Gonstead chiropractic care, in combination with other healthy lifestyle habits, provides the best opportunity for a healthy and happy baby.

The Importance of Good Sleep

Good sleep is just as important as exercising regularly or a healthy diet.  It is essential to your overall health and well-being.  Many people do not know that lack of sleep increases the risk of developing chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, heart disease and type II diabetes.  It can also affect productivity, relationships and accident risk.  Here are a few tips to help increase and improve your sleep:

• Get enough sleep.  Most adults need 8 hours for optimum results.
• Consistency is king.  Try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each night.  Nap only when needed, as too much daytime sleep interferes with night sleep.
• Get physical.  Exercise during the day-but not just before going to sleep.
• Avoid consumption of caffeine, nicotine or alcohol in the late afternoon or evening.  Caffeine and nicotine stimulate the brain and elevate heart rate and blood pressure.  Alcohol causes drowsiness, but fragments your sleep later on.
• Monitor your meals.  Do not go to bed full or hungry.  Heavy digestion competes with quality sleep, but so does hunger.  Eat dinner several hours before bedtime and snack lightly if hungry at bedtime.  A balanced diet is best.
• Give your mind a break.  Relax an hour before bedtime with prayer or meditation, a bath or a good book.  Making a "to do" list for the following day can also help clear your mind before sleep.
• Create a comfortable sleeping environment by limiting the amount of light in the room, eliminating or masking noise, and maintaining a temperature of about 65 degrees.
• Sleep on your back or side, not on your stomach.  Stomach sleeping places more stress on your neck and lower back.

What is the Gonstead Difference?

The Gonstead System of Chiropractic is know as the Gold Standard within the chiropractic profession.  It is unique because it is thorough, precise and specific in both analyzing and adjusting the spine.  The Gonstead Technique focuses on the structural relationship of the spine and nervous system with its overall effect on health.  It underscores that a specific approach toward correcting spinal conditions will produce long-lasting and often permanent results that last well beyond the recommended treatment plan.  Gonstead practitioners address the entire spine when evaluating for the presence of a structural misalignment pattern (vertebral subluxation) which causes ill health. 

The Gonstead chiropractor conducts a thorough analysis of your spine using five criteria to detect the presence of the vertebral subluxation complex.
1. Instrumentation: The instrument of choice in the Gonstead System is the Nervoscope.  The Nervoscope detects uneven distributions of heat along the spine which can be indicative of infammation and nerve pressure.  This instrument is guided down the length of your back and feels like two fingers gliding down each side of your spine.
2. Static Palpation: This is simply the process of feeling (or palpating) your spine in a stationary (or static) position.  The Gonstead practitioner will feel for the presence of swelling (or edema), tenderness and any abnormal texture or tightness in the muscles and other tissues of your back.
3. Motion Palpation: This process involves feeling the spine while moving and bending it at various angles.  This enables the doctor to determine how easily or difficult each segment in your spine moves in different directions. 
4. X-ray Analysis: X-ray films enable the doctor to visualize the entire structure of your spine.  This is helpful in evaluating for any disease processes, fracture, posture, joint and disc integrity and vertebral misalignments.
5. Visualization: Visualization is a way to cross reference all the other findings.  Gonstead practitioners look for subtle changes in your posture and movement which could indicate any problems.

After a complete analysis, the Gonstead practitioner is ready to deliver any necessary adjustments.  The focus of the Gonstead adjustment is to be as specific, precise and accurate as possible, addressing only the problem areas (areas of subluxation).  Great care is taken to ensure a mechanically correct position and precise thrust to provide the most accurate and painless adjustment possible.  It is the goal of a Gonstead doctor to restore and maintain optimal health by locating and correcting any interference to the nervous system cause by structural misalignment patterns (vertebral subluxations).

For more information, visit our website at www.valleychiroassoc.com.

Can What We Drink Make Us Overweight?

Over the past two decades, obesity has escalated to epidemic proportions in the United States and many countries around the world.  More than one billion adults throughout the world are overweight.  Here in the United States, 129.6 million persons (64% of the population) aged 20-74 years are overweight, and 30% of those (38.9 million) are obese.  This obesity epidemic is also seen in children and adolescents.  The reason this concerns health professionals is because being excess weight and obesity are associated with high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.

In our country there is an increase in rates of obesity with consumption of carbohydrates, especially in the form of added sugars.  Drinking sugar-sweetened beverages, particularly carbonated soft drinks, is a key contributor to our country's obesity problem because of their high sugar content.  In fact, the increased consumption of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the prevailing sweetener used to flavor calorically sweetened beverages in our country, has been found to mirror the growth of the obesity epidemic.  

A 12-oz can of soda provides approximately 40-50 g of sugar in the form of high-fructose corn syrup, which is equivalent to 10 teaspoons of table sugar.  One soda per day could lead to a weight gain of 15 lb. in a single year.  The consumption of fructose-sweetened beverages increases fat tissue more than either sucrose-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverages.  This is important because most soft drinks in our country are sweetened with HFCS.  HFCS is rapidly absorbable, and therefore is particularly apt to cause wight gain and type-2 diabetes.  It also significantly increases inflammation in the human body.  In addition, most sodas contain phosphate.  Increased phosphate in the diet can cause bone mineral density loss and bone fracture.  Fruit juices, which are consumed in great quantities by young children, are linked to childhood obesity. 

In close, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda and fruit drinks should be discouraged as much as possible.  It may be time to change the proverbial saying from "you are what you eat" to "you are what you drink".

Treatment of Work-Related Low Back Pain

Low back pain is one of the costliest work-related injuries in our country in terms of disability and treatment costs.  Despite this awareness, there has been little success in preventing the recurrence of this condition.  In 2011 a study was performed that analyzed the effectiveness of treatment of work-related low back pain, comparing physical therapy, medicine and chiropractic.  The following conclusions were deducted from the study:

• Patients that manage their pain with chiropractic are significantly less likely to have a recurrence of low back pain.
• Chiropractic patients that do have a recurrence of low back pain do so an average of 29 days later than those that manage their pain with physical therapy or allopathic medicine.
• Patients that manage their pain with chiropractic have shorter periods of disability, meaning they returned to work earlier.
• Chiropractic patients have fewer surgeries, used fewer opioid medications and have lower costs for medical care than the other provider groups.
• The reduced recurrence of low back disability is the consequence of chiropractic care.
• No health maintenance care is generally as good as chiropractic care.

When it comes to treatment of work-related low back pain, this study suggests that chiropractic is more effective than physical therapy or medicine.

What's the Story With Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is synthesized by skin cells in the human body in response to sunlight exposure.  It has received a significant amount of attention recently regarding the health benefits it provides.  It is crucial for the absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorous, which are important in maintaining the integrity of our neuromuscular and skeletal systems.   It aids our immune system.  It regulates over 1,000 genes in our body.  It may even play a role in preventing asthma, multiple sclerosis and cancer. 

Optimizing your vitamin D levels may be one of the most important steps you can take in support of your long-term health.  The ideal way to do this is by exposing large amounts of your skin to sunlight during peak hours (10am to 3pm), specifically your face, arms, hands and back.  Fifteen to twenty minutes of sun exposure at least twice a week without sunscreen is required for your body to synthesize adequate amounts of vitamin D.  However, because our location of residence is far from the equator, our sunlight exposure is less during the late fall, winter and early spring months.  Therefore, supplementing with vitamin D during these months is recommended.  Animal-based food sources, such as fish, cod-liver oil, lard, egg yolks and butter also contain vitamin D.  As a generic guideline, adults need to take about 2,000 IU's per day when sunlight exposure is minimal, however more may be clinically warranted, depending on an individual's current health status and vitamin D level.

Coping with Chronic Pain

Studies indicate that 19% of American adults — almost 1 in 5 — say they suffer from chronic pain.  Although the pain can be frustrating, research indicates that lifestyle-related pain management strategies can improve quality of life.  Here are 6 suggestions to help cope with chronic pain:

1. Eat Well: Inflammation equals pain.  Eating foods that reduce inflammation, such as fruits and vegetables, deep-sea fish and healthy fats (olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds, fish oil etc) while avoiding toxic food additives like MSG, artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup will help nourish your body's tissues.

2. Sleep: Allow adequate sleep to refresh your body.  Remember: consistency is king.  Maintain a consistent sleep schedule.

3. Physical Activity: Movement is life.  Incorporate daily physical activity into your routine.  We suggest focusing on low-impact activities, such as walking, biking or swimming. 

4. Get a Grip on Your Stress: Mental stress and negative thoughts will increase pain.  Practice relaxation techniques throughout the day, such as yoga, deep breathing techniques and self-affirmations to relieve your stress.  And don't forget about exercise :)

5. Develop a Social Support Network: Isolating yourself from others due to the pain may actually worsen the symptoms. 

6. Gonstead Chiropractic: Many chronic pain symptoms are related to structural misalignments within the joints of your body.  Gonstead Chiropractic offers the most specific and precise chiropractic approach, not only for analyzing potential structural concerns, but also in correcting them. 

The Complications of Spinal Surgery

In January of 2012 a study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Spine that studied the mortality rate and complication rate in adults undergoing complex spinal surgery.  This included hospital deaths, unplanned second surgeries, wound infections requiring re-operation and hospital re-admission during the same calendar year as the original surgery.  They also examined adverse events during surgery and after surgery, as well as hospital length of stay.  Nine hundred forty-two (942) patients were studied over a 12-month period. 
The study reported that the average length of stay in the hospital was 13.5 days.  Eighty-seven percent (87%) of the patients had at least one documented complication.  Fourteen deaths (14) were reported during the study.  The rate of adverse events during surgery was 10.5% and the rate after surgery was 73.5%.  The study concluded that major spinal surgery is associated with a high rate of adverse events, and that the true complexity of this surgery may be greatly underestimated. 

Chiropractic Care and Dyslexia

Chiropractic care may offer significant benefits to children that suffer with dyslexia and learning disabilities, Swiss researchers report.  The research was investigated by Yannick Pauli, a Swiss chiropractor who is also the president of the Swiss Chiropractic Pediatric Association.  Dr. Pauli assessed eight previously published studies involving a total of 160 children.  The evidence found strongly suggests that chiropractic care may improve various cognitive abilities that are essential to learning.  He also stated that dyslexia and other learning disorders are commonly recognized as neurodevelopmental disorders.  Children affected with these problems have areas in their brain that are not functioning adequately or are even delayed in their development.  Dr. Pauli also noted that the same areas of neurological dysfunction that are connected to learning disorders can also interfere with sport activities, life skills, and family and peer relationships.  His findings are published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research.  

Chiropractic and Whiplash Injuries

A common injury that patients present with in our office is a whiplash injury from a motor vehicle collision.  Here are some common facts regarding whiplash injuries.

Ninety percent of all motor vehicle collisions that cause whiplash injuries occur at speeds less than 14 mph.  Collision speeds of 5 mph have been shown to cause neck pain in rear-end crash tests.  Therefore, disability from a whiplash injury is associated less with tire skid marks or the degree of vehicle damage and more with the velocity of the whiplash injury on the head and upper body.  These rear-end collisions are associated with more severe symptoms than collisions from any other direction.  Interesting enough, patients who sustain a low-velocity whiplash injury often will have more pain and psychological distress than those who sustain a fracture.  Because women have thinner and less ridged necks, they have twice the whiplash injury rate as men.

The most common whiplash injury symptoms are:
1. neck pain
2. neck stiffness
3. headaches
4. pain and tingling into the upper limbs
5. mid back and low back pain

Whiplash-injured patients are five times more likely to suffer from chronic neck pain than the general population.  Seventeen percent of whiplash-injured patients who become asymptomatic will have a relapse of symptoms within 3 months.

If you suffer with pain caused by a whiplash injury, there is hope.  According to Martin Gargan and Gordon Bannister, the world's leading experts on long-term recovery outcomes of whiplash injuries, chiropractic is the only proven effective treatment in chronic whiplash cases.  They also found that benefits can occur in 90% of patients receiving chiropractic care for chronic whiplash injuries.  Using the specific Gonstead technique, our approach can lead to long-lasting and often permanent results alleviating symptoms related to whiplash injuries.

Infantile Colic and Chirpractic Care

If your baby cries about the same time each day and nothing you do seems to offer comfort, your baby may have colic. Colic is often defined as crying more than three hours a day, three days a week for more than three weeks in an otherwise well-fed, healthy baby. What is most important for the diagnosis is sustained crying in an otherwise healthy baby for a regular period of the day lasting for several weeks.

Can a child with infantile colic find relief through chiropractic?  

A study was published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) that studied 316 infants suffering from infantile colic that had received chiropractic care for their condition.  The study involded 73 chiropractors in 50 different clinics.  The average age of the infant under care was 5.7 weeks.  The results of the study revealed that 94% of the infants received satisfactory results.  The results occurred within 2 wk and after an average of three treatments.

Children are always better off with a bone in place than out.

Is Exposure to Antibiotics in Early Life Related to Increased Asthma Rates?

In March of 2006, a study was published that analyzed the association between antibiotic exposure in the first year of life and the development of childhood asthma.  Asthma is the most common chronic disease of children, affecting about 12.5% of children in America.  It has increased significantly over the last 30 years and is a major public health concern.  In this article, the health status of over 40,000 children were studied.  The authors discovered that an increase in antibiotic use in children coincides with an increase in physician visits for ear infections, and a high rate of inappropriate prescribing for viral upper respiratory infections and bronchitis.  They also found that the increased asthma risk after antibiotic exposure in the first year of life was 105%.  For each additional course of antibiotics in the first year of life, the risk of developing asthma increased 16%.  This study suggested that exposure to at least one course of antibiotics in the first year of life appears to be a risk factor for the development of childhood asthma.  The reason for this correlation is known as the hygiene hypothesis.  It suggests that growing up in a more hygiene-conscious environment with less microbial exposure may increase atopic immune responses and, thus, the development of asthma.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Aging

Omega-3 fatty acids from wild caught, deep sea fish such as salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna have for years been shown to help lower levels of heart disease and cardiac death.  However, a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that patients with high omega-3 intake have relatively longer "telomeres," which are stretches of DNA whose length correlates with longevity. 
Cardiologists from the University of California, San Francisco, measured telomere length over five years in 608 patients who had previous heart attacks and coronary-artery blockage.  They found that people with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their white blood cells experienced significantly less shortening of telomeres over five years, as compared with patients with lower omega-3 levels.   This demonstrates a potential new link between omega-3 fatty acids and the aging process.  However, the study focused only on "marine" omega-3 found in fish, not the type found in vegetable sources like flax seed and walnuts.
This is yet another study confirming the importance of consistently consuming wild caught, deep sea fish in addition to supplementing with an omega-3 fish oil supplement. 

Vitamin D Deficiency Tied to Diabetes in Obese Children

A recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism demonstrated that obese children are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D and that low vitamin D levels were associated with insulin resistance, a classic physiological symptom of type 2 diabetes.
Researchers measured serum vitamin D levels in 411 obese children, ages 6 through 16 years, and 87 non-overweight children.  Fifty percent of the obese children and 22% of the healthy-weight children had vitamin D levels that were considered insufficient.  Of the obese children, 33% reported routinely skipping breakfast, which is a strong predictor of vitamin D deficiency.  The authors reported that "the two strongest predictors of decreased vitamin D levels were skipping breakfast and soda intake."
They also reported that "obese children with lower vitamin D levels had higher degrees of insulin resistance" and "low vitamin D levels may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.
This study demonstrates why it is important for children NOT to skip breakfast and why it is important to reduce or eliminate soda intake.
As a side note, obese children in this study had a body mass index above the 95th percentile for age and sex, which now includes approximately 19% of US children aged 6 through 19 years.

Vitamin D and Flu Prevention

Vitamin D has long been considered important for overall systemic health.  It plays a role in the absorption of certain minerals, such as calcium and magnesium.  It is important for bone health and regulates over 1000 human genes.  Some studies suggest it may prevent certain cancers, cardiovascular disease and multiple sclerosis. 

One of the most interesting responsibilities of vitamin D in the human body is its role in the regulation of the immune system.  It has been shown to regulate the body's production of anti-microbial peptides (protein fragments responsible for attacking foreign bacteria and viruses) from the innate immune system, which is the body's rapid-responding first line of defense against foreign invaders.

Vitamin D is synthesized in our bodies due to sunlight exposure.  Twenty minutes of sun exposure a day to our skin between 10 am and 2 pm is enough for our bodies to produce the required vitamin D needed.  However, because of our lack of sun exposure during the fall, winter and spring seasons, deficient levels of vitamin D is very common in our country, especially in the midwest region.  Recently, causal relationships have been connected between the the influenza season (October through April of each year) and lack of vitamin D synthesis during these same months as one explanation for high rates of influenza infection.

In a 2007 study, 104 women given vitamin D were three times less likely to report cold and flu symptoms than placebo controls.  A Low dose (800 IU/day) not only reduced reported symptoms, it abolished the seasonality of reported colds and flu.  A higher dose (2000 IU/day) virtually eradicated all reports of colds or flu.

Because of this, we recommend investing in a vitamin D supplement.  It is an effective way to prevent the flu for you and your family, free of preservatives, chemicals and allergens.