If you’re over 40 you know that as we age our body doesn’t feel or respond the same way as it used to when we were younger. It just doesn’t seem fair that as our mind appears to improve and become more “inventive,” our body seems to become less “cooperative.” We’re stiff in the morning; certain activities during the day make us sore at night; and, if we’re not cautious, even something as simple as turning too fast or bending over to pick up a dropped object, can send our back or some other muscle group into spasm. But, things don’t need to go from bad to worse because there are specialized techniques accessible that can not only slow down the aging process of the body, but help us to avoid some of those problems altogether.
For an example, arthritis. In point of fact, with the exception of pharmaceuticals, allopathic medicine doesn’t address this age-related condition. What is the reason? The answer is that most medical practitioners are only concerned with the symptoms of arthritis. The chiropractic method is to uncover the cause of the affliction and relieve the pain at its source. For more than a hundred years, chiropractors, like your Chiropractor in Santa Clara, have been treating individuals suffering from back pain and other conditions caused by arthritic changes in the musculoskeletal system.
Arthritic changes take place as your body ages because, over time, wear of particular joints takes place due to repetitive stresses, and years of incorrect gait, improper posture, and insufficient movement. Chiropractic treatment brings back motion into your joints and decreases pain, and it ameliorates any vertebral misalignment that may be causing irritation and restriction. In addition, did you know that misaligned vertebra, along with causing arthritic changes in the spine and escalating pain, can also lower your resistance and immunity? It’s true, and this could be one of the reasons why it may seem to you that as you get older you experience more health issues and that it frequently takes longer for you to feel better again. Studies have shown that older individuals who are under chiropractic care stay healthier. To put it another way, as you get older, chiropractic adjustments are good for what ails you!
Chiropractors are experts when it comes to the health of the musculoskeletal system, from the small, growing frame of an infant to the full-grown body of a mature adult. Your chiropractor is experienced in working with the aging process of the body and has special observational and diagnostic skills that aid in detecting spinal misalignments and joint problems. A chiropractic examination can, in fact, often reveal some age-related changes before they’ve begun to create noticeable pain. Furthermore, your Chiropractor in Santa Clara can check your posture and analyze your gait to identify inappropriate patterns that might cause more arthritic changes in the future.
So, if feeling your age has become a painful experience, make an appointment with your Santa Clara Chiropractor today!
As a chiropractor and healthcare provider, I would be remiss if I didn’t address the vital issue of excess weight and how it negatively affects every part of the human body. I explain the health challenges to my overweight patients and hammer away on the subject in my blogs because in addition to the cardio-vascular diseases caused by obesity, much of the back pain, hip pain, and knee pain that people experience is influenced by the undue stress excess weight puts on the joints of the body. And, though it may not surprise you, an expert panel in a report out just today said that people in this country must slash their calories and increase physical activity because the obesity epidemic is “the single greatest threat to public health in this century.”
We all know that dieting isn’t easy, but the advisory committee for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans gave this clear-cut advice: “People in this country need to cut the calories they consume from added sugars and solid fats (butter, marbled meats) and start eating a more nutrient-rich, plant-based diet.”
The report called for many changes in the food environment. To read more, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-06-15-
With any sort of sport, injuries are not unusual. You can frequently avoid getting injured in a specific sport by finding out what injury is likely to occur, and then do whatever it takes to avoid it. The truth is, though, that sports injuries can’t always be avoided. Therefore, it’s advantageous to take conscientious care of your body to make injury less probable, or less traumatic. Before beginning a sport, such as golf, the most critical thing you can do is to be sure that you have the proper fitness level. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, keeping your joints mobile and your muscles limber, warming and stretching your body before activity, using proper form and good postures during activity, and giving yourself an appropriate amount of cool down and relaxation time, you will probably keep your body safe from injury.
Golf injuries don’t only happen to amateurs. It has been conjectured that almost one-third of pro golfers playing at any given time are playing injured. The good news is that overall good health and fitness can reduce how many injuries you may acquire and may actually prevent them altogether.
Proper body strength in the muscle areas most employed during golf is very important. However, it’s important to make certain your spine is in good alignment and that it has good mobility before you set out to build muscle strength. A proficient golf swing hinges on your spine’s facility to efficiently move in a rotational action. Back injuries are the most widespread type of injuries suffered by golfers. To get the help you need so that your spine is in appropriate alignment and there is effectual movement in the vertebrae, see your chiropractor in Sacramento. Chiropractic treatment can go a long way in helping you to avoid back injury.
It’s time to strengthen once you’re “straightened.” Safe, injury-free action on the green is contingent upon your being prepared for your golf activity. You can warm up your muscles and make injuring them less likely by doing golf stretching and flexibility exercises. Full body range of motion (ROM) exercises will increase flexibility, fairly speedily, in all areas of the body. Furthermore, elastic band conditioning can provide distinct golf range of motion benefits and can increase needed strength in the shoulders, hips and deep muscles of the core. Sports professionals, such as your chiropractor, are adding elastic band training to their golf conditioning programs because the bands offer dynamic resistance that regular weight lifting does not offer.
Besides back injuries, many golfers have painful “Golfer’s Elbow.” Despite the fact that golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow are nearly identical injuries, there is a minute difference between them. Whereas the outside of the upper arm is disturbed in tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow affects the inner arm. Golfer’s elbow, like tennis elbow, can be the consequence of a single extreme action, such as (in golf) thrusting down on the mat at the driving range or striking a hard fairway surface. Although, it generally is produced by repetitive stress from smaller shocks. In addition, it can occur for those who all at once start playing too much golf. For example, if players that usually play golf once or twice a month elect to play in a tournament, they are conceivably at risk for developing the injury.
Golf makes unique requirements on the body. The game is generally longer than most other sports and that can result in fatigue. Once the body is fatigued, poor posture and impeded coordination often follow. This combination can create a number of injuries. In addition, because of the continuous swinging of the golf clubs, the shoulder muscles are subject to injury. Just as attention should be given to make sure that your muscles are stretched and warmed up before starting your golf game, be sure to rest your body properly between games.
An unexpected injury sometimes associated with golf is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. But, this injury can be induced by numerous games of golf played over a number of months continuously because it is an affliction that happens as a result of repetitive stress Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be a serious injury producing disability and on occasion requiring surgery. However, if a health professional, such as your chiropractor, diagnoses it at an early stage, chiropractic treatment and, sometimes, the use of a brace will help the condition.
Many golfers appear to think that injuries are just an unavoidable part of a golfer’s life. Nonetheless, a healthy, mobile spine, good preparation, appropriate exercise and muscle conditioning, reaching and maintaining a a good fitness level, and sensible rest and recuperation after your game is over, can assisting in making injuries a good deal less a part of your golfing experience.
Dr. Yong Kim is a chiropractor in Sacramento with over thirteen years of experience helping thousands of patients get out of pain and get their lives back. His office is located at 1707 Professional Drive, Sacramento, CA 95825. He has special training in the area of sports injuries. Dr Kim is himself an avid health enthusiast. For more information go to his website at http://www.sacramentochiropractor.org
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yong_J_Kim
Here’s an interesting question for you to consider: Do you want to keep your chiropractic internet marketing in-house or do you want to hire a professional? There are pros and cons to both, and the answer lies in your particular situation. Let’s check out the advantages and disadvantages of both.
Advantages of in-house chiropractic internet marketing
- There is a lower monthly cost involved in using someone already employed by you.
- The staff knows your practice intimately. Your staff has a good understanding of your clinic’s particular services and, therefore, is able to describe your specialties easier than those who don’t know the specifics of your particular practice.
- You can communicate anytime. Being in-house it is easier to set up times to have meetings or just to chat about situations on the fly.
Disadvantages of in-house chiropractic website marketing
- The staff may not be fully aware of what SEO (search engine optimization) is, let alone how to accomplish it. In that case, a lot of education and training will be needed to make sure SEO gets done right.
- The staff may be overworked. Sometimes the time it takes to do SEO can be underestimated. It is an ongoing process that can actually be a full-time job. If a marketing manager has been told to do SEO as well as his or her full time job, obviously that person will be overworked and feel overwhelmed.
- Attention needs to be paid to detail. This goes together with Point #2. If the staff is overworked, they have no time to check out search engine news and keep up-to-date on how the search engines have changed the game each week and what needs to be done to implement those changes to keep your clinic internet presence up in the rankings.
Advantages of using an outside professional
- Chiropractic marketing companies are specialists in the field. They have experience in working on numerous clinics and their websites and optimizing them for SEO. They know, first hand, what works effectively and what doesn’t.
- There is a dedicated team at the company who will be working on your site and can give it the attention it requires.
- The company has a specific plan and won’t be just jumping around, going from short term tactic to short term tactic with no organized strategy and no clear way to reach your desired goals. In other words, they have an “integrated” internet marketing strategy.
Disadvantages of a chiropractic internet marketing company
- Let’s face it, it can get expensive, but costs vary widely from company to company. Some companies out there are charging $600-$700 a month for their services. It is definitely worth your while to shop around and research before you buy.
- There is usually a commitment. Most chiropractic internet marketing companies will want you to sign up for at least six months to a year.
- Account management can be a problem. With high turnover rates at many companies, especially the big ones, there may be a chance that you’ll get handed from account manager to account manager just when you were building a relationship of trust. You may have to start over again, maybe even have to redesign and reiterate your strategy with the new manager.
Now that you’ve taken a moment to look at the pros and cons of both keeping your internet marketing in-house or hiring a professional, the solution to SEO and your internet marketing strategy will depend on the size of your practice, the time and staffing you can devote to it, and your overall long-term goals.
Now, of course, we are a chiropractic internet marketing company that specializes in helping chiropractors with their internet presence. So, I will admit that I am a bit biased on the side of your hiring an expert to do it right. If you are thinking of hiring a company to develop and implement your internet marketing strategy, it is tremendously important for you to hire one that specializes in chiropractic clinics. Why? Because we understand the chiropractic profession intimately. Therefore, in the long run it will save you both time and money not having to explain what chiropractic is about to some general SEO company. There are several of us out there.
If you are going to go with an outside company, be sure to read the fine print. Look at the bottom of their page for a disclaimer. If they have one, read about their “typical” results. You don’t want to be fooled by outrageous claims even though such hype can be enticing. Remember, your internet marketing strategy is just one stream of new patient leads. Even though chiropractic internet marketing is fast becoming a great source for new patient leads, and even though internet marketing gets more important with every passing day, and even though it is a crucial area in which to generate new patient leads, it is still not the only source of marketing you will need to succeed in your practice.
Whether you choose to keep your internet marketing in-house or to hire a professional, you want to be sure that the time and money you spend on SEO gets you where you want to go. A member of your staff that does your internet marketing for “free,” while squeezing those efforts in-between other tasks, may “cost” you in the long run. A professional whose sole focus is internet marketing, won’t lose sight of your goals. Internet marketing is essential to your practice, so choose your chiropractic internet path wisely.
Let’s face it, you can’t stop kids from carrying backpacks especially with school lockers being removed from many schools. And, we, adults use them, too, for plenty of activities in addition to hiking. But, not all backpacks are equal when it comes to their impact on the musculoskeletal system of young and old, alike. That’s why the endorsement of nine backpackes and daypackes from The North Face, announced today by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is so important. The endorsed styles are the Big Shot, Borealis, Box Shot, Cornice, Hotshot, On Sight, Recon, Surge, and Yavapai. \
Here’s what a panel of doctors of chiropractic found with regard to the benefits of The North Face packs:
• Injection molded shoulder straps: creating innovative flex points to alleviate clavicle and pressure point strain;
• Anatomically correct shoulder straps: constructed in a shape specifically suited for males or females;
• Back panels with improved fit: featuring a recessed channel designed to take pressure off the spine and a more comfortable fabrication for load-bearing activities; and
• Updated interior organization: providing ample pockets and dividers for storing and organizing the necessities of school, work and play .
“After careful study and consultation with Scott Bautch, DC, The North Face designers revised specific backpacks and daypacks, making improvements to fit, comfort and usability,” said Scott McGuire, equipment product director for The North Face. “Improvements to features such as shoulder straps, back panels and hipbelts increase both the function and comfort of this collection.”
For additional information and to purchase the new ACA-endorsed packs visit www.thenorthface.com.
You’ve no doubt surmised from reading my past blogs that, as a chiropractor, my philosophy is a resounding “motion is life,” and that I believe that daily exercise is one of the most important elements to health and longevity, mentally as well as physically. So, naturally, whenever I run across a new study that validates the importance of exercise, I like to pass it along to my patients. And, that’s just what I’m doing here. A new study by researchers from the University of Essex, and published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, found that just five minutes of exercise a day in “the great outdoors” can improve mental health. That’s right, “green activity” like walking in the park, cycling around vineyards, and gardening, or even farming, can actually boost a person’s mood and self esteem.
Even though plenty of studies in the past have confirmed that outdoor exercise can not only increase a sense of well-being, but reduce the risk of mental illness in general, there hasn’t been a study focusing on just how much time outdoors is needed to produce positive benefits. What may come as a surprise to many people is just how little time is required. The study found that the largest positive effect on self-esteem came from just a five-minute “tip-toe through the tulips.” Surely, we all have five minutes to devote to your sense of well-being. Of course, if you don’t live or work close to a park, allow time for the commute.
You can read more on this study in the journal Environmental Science & Technology or go to msnbc.com/health
Here’s another research finding to file under “Duh, you think?” Recent scientific research found that junk food is addictive. Hey, mom, don’t blame your kid when he has a meltdown when his “fix” at McDonald’s is replaced by a nutritious home-cooked meal that includes (yikes!) vegetables! And, you dieters out there, stop beating yourself up when you find that no matter how many fresh fruits and vegetables you add to your diet, you still find yourself at a midnight In-N-Out Burger drive-thru. It’s an addiction, man!
The study found that eating junk food can actually change the chemistry in your brain. How? High-calorie foods affect your brain in much the same way as cocaine and heroin, and can lead to compulsive eating habits that resemble drug addiction. Plus, foods stripped of healthy nutrients, like junk food, make you more hungry because your body “thinks” you need more food when, in fact, what you really crave is more nutrients.
Chiropractors, like me, work with our patients to achieve overall health through regular chiropractic care, a nutritious diet, good hydration, and daily exercise. If any one of these components is missing, your good health and longevity are at risk. See your chiropractor today. He or she can help you “kick” your junk food “addiction.” For more on this study, go to reuters.com.The “hottest” buzz word on the internet today is Social Media. For those of you who would like to consider Social Media marketing as part of your overall chiropractic internet marketing strategy, but aren’t quite sure what all the buzz is about, let’s take a minute to talk about the “Who, What, When, Where, and How” of social media and you, that’s “Who.”
Social media marketing may seem familiar in some ways to other chiropractic marketing strategies you’ve engaged in in the past, and yet unfamiliar at the same time. In the “familiar” category, you wouldn’t consider any type of marketing plan without taking the time to understand what you’re doing and what you want to get from it. It’s important to ask yourself, “What are my goals?” Once you’ve decided what you want, it’ll be easier for you to use social media to your biggest advantage.
When you are ready to begin your social media effort, but before you start, it will be crucial for you to make certain that you “own your name” on all the social media outlets, i.e., be certain that your name or the name of your clinic is procurable so that you can use precisely same name on each and every one of the social channels you desire to use. When you’re ready, there’s a service, which is totally free, that can help you with your search. That who is knowem.com. This service will find out where your name is and/or if it’s available for use or not on a sufficient number of social media sites.
The next step, once you have all your social media accounts secured, is to choose where you want to be active. Beginning with only a small number of social media sites is preferable because, let’s face it, you have a clinic to run and patients to see. You won’t want to get active in too many social media sites. How do decide which sites are best for you? Choose the social media site where the most action is, which are facebook, twitter, linkedin, and Youtube
What successful social media activity will do for you is build a true presence in your community. What you don’t want to do is “sell” on your social media sites, which is to say don’t sell your clinic, don’t sell services or products, don’t sell anything! The benefit of social media is for you to go out and network with the community. Sure, let them become aware what you do, but do it by becoming a participant. There is actually no difference between the way social networking works and the way you normally network offline. It is important to be clear on this point, people on social media do not want to be sold to! What might be a beneficial idea to think of social media sites like a neighborhood backyard barbecue. People are standing around chatting about who they are and what they do, and then a person asks you what you do. Or, maybe you start the conversation by (just) stating, “Hi, I’m Dr. ____. The same dynamics apply with social media. Social media sites should be handled the same way you’d “work” offline networking opportunities to promote yourself, i.e., answer the questions and concerns that let people know who you are and gets them interested in the who that’s you!
“Move it or lose it” captures the chiropractic philosophy in a nutshell, especially when it comes to aging. As we age, our joints lose much of their “natural” mobility mostly due to wear and tear over the years and age-related moisture decline. Unless we, boomers, make a concerted effort to get regular exercise and stretch daily, and perhaps to get periodic chiropractic manipulation to maintain or increase joint mobility, boomers are cruising towards a future of mobility-related disabilities that will be costly both in healthcare needs and quality of life in general. Which direction are a large number of baby boomers cruising? According to new study, the number of middle-aged Americans with certain mobility-related disabilities, (including walking a quarter-mile and climbing 10 steps) is on the rise. That’s right! The study, based on a National Health Interview Survey carried out each year from 1997 to 2007, which included up to 15,000 individuals annually, revealed that more than 40 percent (that’s too close to half!) of 50 to 64 year olds reported having problems with at least one of nine physical functions and many reported more than one difficulty.
There was also an increase in the number of people using special equipment, like a cane or wheelchair, to get around. Moreover, an increased number of people reported needing help with daily personal care activities, such as getting out of bed and moving around the home. “This a disappointing trend with potentially far-reaching and long-term negative consequences,” said Richard Suzman, director of the Division of Behavioral and Social Research at the National Institute on Aging, which funded the study. “If people have such difficulties in middle age, how can we expect that this age group — today’s baby boomers — will be able to take care of itself with advancing age? If it continues, this trend could have a significant effect on the need for long-term care in the future.”The researchers note that the study was based on people’s self-reports, which could affect the results.
For more on the study, which was published in the April issue of the journal Health Affairs, go to LiveScience.com.
As a chiropractor who believes in the human body's ability to heal itself, often with the aid of natural, non-invasive, drug-free chiropractic treatment, I am always dismayed, but never surprised, at some of the pernicious claims and tenacious effrontery of drug companies when it comes to pain killers, in general, and the "treatment" of a number of conditions that don't get any better with drugs or are made worse by them. And, as a chiropractor who has helped hundreds of headache sufferers not only get temporary, but permanent relief, when I read about a drug study for yet another pain med that will likely keep headache sufferers numbed to their pain, but in the process numb to the rest of their life as well, I feel like shouting from the rooftops: "Try chiropractic first!" But, today, when I read about a study, sponsored by Merck (who also makes the product), I really felt compelled to say that this particular study is shamefully playing to the fears of migraine sufferers when, in fact, the drug itself only offers "less severity" at best when it comes to a migraine headache.
The study, conducted by Dr. X. Henry Hu of Merck & Co.and colleagues, found that one in five migraine sufferers had "avoided" a work-related commitment because they were afraid of getting a migraine, while 27 percent reported canceling a work commitment for this reason, and round 28 percent said they had avoided or canceled social commitments due to fear of migraines.
I have treated many patients who told me how much they'd "feared" the onset of a migraine and limited their activities in life because of that fear, so I do understand how devastating the fear of migraines can be. And, yet, the only "solution" this study offered?
This study is "important," said Dr. Hu, because the unpredictability of migraines could contribute to people's anxiety and fear about them and early treatment with migraine drugs called triptans can help reduce headache severity. "Because of the lack of predictability of future migraine attacks, migraine sufferers may benefit from increased education on the importance of keeping medications available at all times," he and his colleagues concluded.
My conclusion? If you suffer from migraines, give your chiropractor a call today!
SOURCE: Headache, published online March 25, 2010.