Working Out on the Road

May 15, 2012
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workout

Try to maintain your home workout as much as possible.


Travel frequently for business and wonder how you’ll keep that body buff while you’re wining and dining clients? Leaving home, but don’t want to miss your daily aerobic or cardio workout?

Travelers who like to work out encounter these scenarios fairly frequently. Yet many have found ways to keep their exercise routines going strong, no matter where they’re headed – for business or for pleasure! Don’t let travel interrupt your workout schedule and give you an excuse to “fall off the exercise wagon” for good! Especially if you’re exercising to combat lower back pain, it’s important to keep up with your workouts while traveling. Driving long distances and air travel can exacerbate back problems.

Start with a little research. Does the hotel you’re going to have exercise facilities? What kind of equipment do they have? Do they have exchange privileges with a local health or fitness club? Does your local gym have a facility nearby that you can use as part of your membership?

Have feet will travel. Now that’s something you always take with you – your feet. So be sure to pack your exercise shoes and start walking. If you’re fortunate enough to be on or near a beach, take a brisk walk in the sand by the water. It’s not just great exercise, the scenery can be breathtaking as well!

Do a little advanced research and print out some exercises that you can do with a chair in your hotel room! Does the hotel have a pool? Change your routine a bit and do some swimming instead of your usual workout routine.

Just make sure you pack your workout gear. Be creative on the road – bring exercise bands, a couple of hand weights (just watch baggage weight and know your airline’s weight limits) or a workout mat.

The key is to try to mimic your home workout as much as possible – so some planning is definitely called for. Try to work out at the same time you do at home and make sure you take advantage of some substitutions in your routine if they are available. Hiking, climbing and swimming offer a challenging change to the treadmill or elliptical trainer.

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Looking Good?

May 10, 2012
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plastic surgery

You can't buy true beauty - or true health.


You hear about it all the time – this one’s just had a face lift, this one just went for botulinum toxin injections and this one got a tummy tuck for her 50th birthday. Even men are doing it! And sometimes you see famous personalities on television that you can’t even recognize due to the extreme changes plastic surgery has produced!

Most people opt for plastic surgery to reconstruct a certain body part, from noses to breasts and from whole faces to just foreheads and mouths. The goal is to obtain the desired results in as little time as possible, at the lowest cost, and with the least amount of pain and downtime.

And usually, patients have an exact picture in their head of what they want, and expect to see when the procedure is done, usually with the help of the surgeon’s software that can reconstruct the applicable area on a computer screen. However, as the doctor always states, and the patient always signs off on – there is no guarantee. Uh huh!

And what about the risks involved? Well first of all, any type of surgery poses a risk. Is vanity reason enough to opt to go under the knife with general anesthesia? How about the time you need to take off from work and all types of daily activities because you are a prisoner in your home while your face, or other body part, resembles something akin to a ghoulish mask? And then, there’s always the cost, which most likely is an out-of-pocket expense, not covered by any insurer because it’s hardly what they would call “medically necessary.”

So is it really worth it? Do you like the expressionless faces of television and movie personalities who look like their faces will crack if they smile? And just why is it that so many people’s perceived happiness and overall mood is tied into their external appearance rather than their internal well-being? Will a wrinkle-free face really make you a happier or more fulfilled person? Will larger breasts somehow make you feel different?

Or is acceptance of your outward beauty really more related to the state of your inward beauty. Remember that real beauty, like real health, comes from the inside out!

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Do What You Love, Love What You Do

April 19, 2012
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job

Finding a job you love will help you love life more as well!

How many people jump out of bed every day, rush through their shower and dressing routine and fly out the door because they just can’t wait to get to work? No? Doesn’t sound like you or anyone you know? Hmmmm… that’s really sad, because you shouldn’t have to simply endure a job to live, it would be far better to enjoy what you’re doing, each and every day. Not only that, but job stress is one of the leading causes of chronic illness and pain such as neck pain, headaches and low back pain.

Idealistic? Impossible? Insane thinking? Not so if you listen to Justin and Michael Toms, co-authors of a book titled, True Work: Doing What You Love and Loving What You Do. The authors contend that work makes up a major portion of our adult lives. They attempt to convey the philosophy that work is a type of service that is done unto others, a service that makes a valuable contribution.

They also believe that, “Work has become our spiritual practice and continually provides the opportunity to deepen and enrich our lives.”

The Tomses assert that spirituality joins with creativity when we use the talents and gifts we were given to embrace our dream – a dream that looks at work from a perspective that differs from normal thinking that work is merely a means to earn money or to get ahead in business. If you truly do what you love, using your special gifts, the money will follow.

How do you discover your dream job? Ask yourself some of these questions:

  • Do you like what you’re doing now? If not, ask yourself what you’d like to be doing. What are you good at? What are you passionate about? What do you really love?
  • What are you already passionate about? Hobbies? Reading interests? Outside activities? Is there a thread that is woven through them all? Is there something you always wanted to do, but have been too afraid to attempt?
  • What is the one thing you’ve always wanted to accomplish in your life?
  • What are your strengths? What are your talents? What are you good at? Can you make a career out of that?

Now, take some action, do some research, explore the Internet, network with friends and others in business, ask questions. When you hit on something you like, go after it. Do some more research; talk to others that are doing the same thing and find out what they did to get started.

Most importantly, don’t settle for a mundane job when you could have a career that ignites your passions. Often it is fear that holds us back, so break out of your comfort zone and try something different. You may just find the job of your dreams!

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Can Birth Really Be That Traumatic?

April 6, 2012
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baby

Just being born can lead to a host of health problems - from colic to SIDS.


Traumatic Birth Syndrome, Birth Trauma – they both refer to the same thing – the negative effects of today’s birthing methods on a newborn. Oh, you may think your newborn looks healthy enough. And… your baby’s doctor might even assure you that you have a “healthy baby boy or girl.” But what can’t you and your baby’s doctor see that might be lying just beneath the surface?

Birth trauma to a newborn is almost a given. Think about it… most mothers give birth lying down. This position works contrary to the laws of gravity and reduces the size of the mother’s pelvic opening. Then there’s the force that pushes the baby through the birth canal into the world, often with a lot of pulling and twisting that affects the infant’s delicate head, neck and spine.

Now… let’s add some “mechanical” assistance, maybe some forceps or a vacuum extraction. These common, everyday birth practices produce birth trauma. Some types of birth trauma can be serious, such as spinal cord and brain stem injuries, neurological defects, and sudden infant death syndrome. Less life-threatening birth trauma may result in learning disabilities, inadequate immune system functioning and hearing/vision problems, along with colic, ear infections and asthma.

Many experts are proposing that some changes be made and be made quickly. They are recommending a birthing position that works with gravity, standing or squatting, that also allows for full opening of the pelvis. This position requires less pushing, pulling and twisting and less pressure exerted on the infant.

Most chiropractors believe that every infant should be checked for subluxation (nerve interference) as soon after birth as possible. Traumatic Birth Syndrome can result in immediate life-threatening symptoms or it can weaken one’s potential over the years. To ensure your baby is on the best road possible for optimal health, be sure to arrange a newborn chiropractic exam as soon after delivery as possible.

Be proactive and give your baby his or her chance at the best possible life experience. Subluxation causes disease that can rob your child of an active, healthy and long life.

 

Posted in Colic, Ear Infections, Natural Health | Tagged | Leave a comment

What About Food Prep Methods?

April 3, 2012
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cooking

How you prepare your foods affects your health.


There is a lot of talk about food preparation methods and the preservation, or loss, of nutritional value depending on which method you use. Let’s take a look at some popular food preparation methods to understand better what happens to nutrients in food when you choose them and/or how each method might affect your health.

  • Frying Fried food is possibly the worst cooking method. Its inherent fat content is made worse when it is breaded or battered before frying because it tends to absorb more oil. The high heat necessary to fry foods destroys most of the nutritional value, even though many of us love the taste! Frying also produces hydrocarbons – toxins known to cause cancer. Limit your use of this method to once in a blue moon!
  • Grilling This food preparation method is the least desirable in terms of your health and nutritional value. Although it might be difficult to resist grilled fish, chicken, a juicy burger or lean steak, grilling also creates hydrocarbons, which can cause in the long-term. Grilling leaner cuts of meat, marinating, using lower grilling temperatures, avoiding over cooking and preventing “flare-ups” all reduce the amount of hydrocarbons produced. Still, use this method only occasionally.
  • Microwave There has been a lot of talk about microwaving food, with good reason! Zapping your food saps vital nutrients, which is especially harmful when you choose to heat infant formula or breast milk this way. The container you use to microwave your food can also have an effect – plastics can emit harmful toxins into foods that create serious health risks. There are many health effects (microwaved food-induced conditions) that are starting to receive some notice as well. Reserve microwave use for reheating foods only.
  • Roasting Roasting food involves cooking it in its own juices at a constant, even temperature. Heat applied to the food, in a gas or electric oven, chars the outer surface, preventing the juices from escaping. This method of cooking retains the food’s mineral content, but it destroys vitamins.
  • Boiling Boiling vegetables for short periods of time preserves nutrients and flavor. It is best to put vegetables into water that has already been boiled. The reason for this? The longer you cook vegetables, the more you lose the vitamins and minerals that make vegetables so good for your health! Many nutrients are left in the boiled water – so try to use that liquid in a recipe or for other purposes, such as soups.
  • Steaming We saved the best for last! Steaming minimizes water contact, so foods retain much of their nutritional value. Place foods in a container above the boiling water – not in the microwave. Steaming is the best way to retain the greatest percentage of vitamins and minerals.

Eating raw fruits and vegetable each day is ideal, but keep in mind that if kept in your refrigerator for too long, they also start to lose their nutritional value because of light and air exposure. It’s best to buy whatever is in season where you live and to buy the freshest produce possible. Frozen fruits and vegetables also retain a high percentage of their nutritional value because they are frozen within days of harvest, before losing vital nutrients.

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Those Bothersome Blisters!

March 30, 2012
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blisters

Blisters can actually be prevented.

There isn’t a walker, hiker or runner in the world who hasn’t experienced painful blisters on their feet that have thrown a “monkey wrench” into their sports, exercise or fitness routine. Not only do they cause pain at the blister site, compensating for the pain can lead to unbalanced walking or running, which can result in back pain or other secondary injury!

Many sports and exercise enthusiasts just look at them as an inevitable result of participation in their normal routines… so they just deal with them. But what causes blisters in the first place? Friction, generally from shoes rubbing against the skin. This friction causes separation of the two top layers of your skin and then fluid forms between the layers to protect the area from the effects of further friction.

But there are ways to avoid painful blisters in the first place and things you can do to care for them that minimize pain and infection if (when!) you do get them!

Avoiding Blisters

There are a number of steps you can take to prevent blisters from occurring at all:

  • Make sure your feet are completely dry before you put on your socks! Use powder, if necessary, to ensure this.
  • Use thick dry socks that “wick away” moisture from your feet. Don’t skimp:  your socks can actually be more important than your shoes when it comes to blister prevention!
  • Tape troublesome areas, like heels, that are blister prone to prevent friction. Some athletes even use “duct tape” because its shiny back allows socks to “slide,” preventing friction. Petroleum jelly, although a bit messier, works as well. However, it wears off quickly – so beware!
  • Make sure your shoes fit properly! Sounds simple enough but you’d be surprised at the number of people who wear ill-fitting shoes. Make sure you wear the socks you will use when purchasing athletic shoes. Remember too that your feet swell during the day, so shoes will fit a bit snugger at night.

Treating Blisters Once You Have Them

Sometimes, no matter how you try to avoid it, you will still get a blister. The small ones basically don’t require any treatment and they will heal on their own. The actual blister is its own best protection against infection.

Larger blisters tend to be more problematic because they can get infected. You can drain these by sterilizing a needle and poking a small hole on the edge of the blister. Squeeze out the fluid and cover it with gauze or a band aid to keep it clean and germ free. Repeat as needed, to keep the area clean.

Prevention is the key! Take the suggested steps outlined above to avoid blisters in the first place and keep your feet blister-free!

 

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Why is Time So Hard to Manage?

March 27, 2012
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time management

Learning to manage your time is important for your career - and your health!

Do you go to work every day and come home feeling like you’ve gotten nothing accomplished? Is multi-tasking okay for everyone else but not for you? Is your desk a mountain of paper that you push from one side to the other each day and the pile just keeps getting higher? Sounds as though time management might not one of your strong suits! However… it’s a critical business skill to learn – especially in the fast-paced world in which we live and work today. And if you don’t learn to manage your time, the stress that accumulates can result in physical complaints – headaches, neck pain and recurring illnesses

Here are several time-management tips that may help you to “pull it together” and get more done on the job. You’ll feel less stressed out and more comfortable when you’re more “in control” of your daily activities.

  • Email – Find a manageable way to deal with email, especially if you have an ever-full inbox! Decide you will only check it three times per day (9:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., let’s say). At all other times, shut off your email so you are not tempted to look at it every fifteen seconds! Resolve to handle each email only once – read it and then act on it (respond to it, forward it to someone else for action, etc.). File important email in specific folders you have set up in your email program or delete them. Be sure to check your spam folder to see if any non-spam emails landed in there by mistake!
  • Organize your next day’s “To Do” list before you leave work for the day. Prioritize each task. When you do arrive at work the next morning, spend some time on the most important task before you do anything else, including checking email!
  • Work according to your “personal best time of the day” schedule. If you are a morning person, then perform all important tasks then and leave the less important ones for the after-lunch slump period!
  • Break large projects down into manageable tasks. It’s much easier to start and work on one step of a project at a time, than it is to look at the whole project as this huge, monumental work effort.
  • Avoid multi-tasking whenever possible; it affects productivity negatively. It’s difficult to give adequate attention to many “spinning plates” and you may find you have a lot of projects started and none of them finished.
  • Make sure to take scheduled breaks each day; productivity decreases when you sit at your desk for hours on end.
  • Learn when to say “no,” both inside and outside of the work environment. Better to do one thing well than do a mediocre job on many.
  • Reward yourself when you’ve completed a job well. Celebrate victories – this is a terrific way to stay motivated and on-task.
  • Get enough sleep, exercise and eat healthy foods – these three things help with concentration and efficiency on the job.
  • Be sure to create a healthy work/home balance. Don’t sacrifice your family for your career!

Time management in today’s competitive marketplace is critical if you want to keep your job and move up the ladder.

Remember, too, that stress can cause nerve interference in your body – so be sure to keep up with your regular chiropractic adjustment schedule to minimize the effects of stress on your nervous system.

 

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Want Optimum Health? Play By the Rules!

March 15, 2012
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Turns out, the quality of our health is the result of a set of very simple rules. Play by the rules and you have the best chance for optimum health. Break the rules and you’ll pay for it. Not always immediately, but eventually.

Here are 10 of the most obvious ones:

  • You shall breathe. If you stop breathing, breathe in a shallow manner or inhale pollutants, there will be price to be paid.
  • You shall ingest nutrition. Quality food is needed to provide the essential resources needed to fuel, grow and repair your body.
  •  You shall expel wastes. What goes in, must come out. If it comes out too quickly or takes too long to come out you’ll suffer.
  • You shall hydrate. We’re mostly water. The key is to drink enough fluids so you never feel thirsty.
  • You shall move. A sedentary lifestyle causes stagnation, poor circulation and hampers the function of the lymphatic system.
  • You shall rest. Your body needs time to renew, refresh and repair. This is done largely at night while enjoying restful sleep.
  • You shall adapt to your environment. The nervous system, the focus of your chiropractic care, orchestrates every cell and tissue.
  • You shall love. You are the product of love. Love your Maker. Love yourself. Love others. The more you give away the more you’ve got.
  • You shall forgive. You will make mistakes. You will hurt others. You will fall short of the mark. Forgive others as you forgive yourself.
  • You shall die. Many try to break this one. Even medicine sees death as a disease state. It’s natural. It’s inevitable. It’s part of the plan.

There’s one more: You shall be responsible. Valuing your health and following the rules permits you to live a purposeful life. Enjoy!

 

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Chiropractic Care and Asthma

March 12, 2012
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A report funded by the Australian Spinal Research Foundation suggests a link between chiropractic care and the reduction of symptoms experienced by asthma sufferers.

According to Macquarie University researcher Dr. Ray Hayek, the study involved hundreds of people with asthma symptoms across Australia.

“When an asthma sufferer is under the anxiety of a looming asthma attack, the levels of the hormone cortisol increase. This acute increase in cortisol through a number of mechanisms can bring on an asthma attack,” says Dr. Hayek.

Levels of the stress hormone cortisol steadily decreased during the trial involving chiropractic care, and levels of immunological markers (immunoglobulin A) steadily rose. Apparently, reducing stress to the nervous system with chiropractic care reduces the likelihood of asthma attacks.

More proof that chiropractic care, because of its focus on the nervous system, may be helpful for a wide variety of health complaints.

 

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How Full is Your Bucket?

March 2, 2012
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One of the most common health complaints these days is allergies. It’s so common, in fact, many people don’t even recognize the many ways our bodies alert us to allergic reactions.

Some of the common signs include:

  • Sneezing
  • Running nose
  • Itchy eyes
  • Sinus congestion
  • Asthma
  • Heartburn
  • Skin rashes
  • Acne
  • Itching
  • Weight gain
  • Fluid retention

Yet, the problem isn’t the pet dander, pollen, chemicals or spicy food. While these and other allergens are often singled out as the culprit, the problem is actually the person—not the allergen. If it were the allergen, everyone would react.

Clearly, the problem must be a person’s ability to accommodate the allergen. The ability to adapt to allergens involves the nervous system. Think of your body’s ability to accommodate physical, chemical and emotional stress as an empty bucket. Fill your bucket with the stress of poor nutrition, a lack of rest, a poor career choice, a stressful commute each day and other stressors and your bucket is filled right to the brim.

Now, along comes tree pollen season, or you encounter a house cat and you start wheezing. Why? Because your bucket is overflowing!

The pollen or the cat may get the blame, but only because your ability to adapt has been exhausted by the other stress.

Do you know someone with allergies? Introduce them to chiropractic! Chiropractic isn’t a treatment for allergies, but it can help them increase their ability to adapt!

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