History has shown us that Chiropractic is widely recognized in the athletic arena. Professional sports teams understand the importance of retaining a team Chiropractor who can attend to players on the sidelines during games.  The list of examples is endless (golf pros, MMA fighters, hockey players, extreme snowboarders, etc.).  Whether an athlete is on a team or participating in an individual sport, Chiropractic has probably played a role in their athletic development.  There is a staggering amount of evidence and research that supports the effectiveness of Chiropractic, but it is even more telling to note just how many athletes depend on chiropractors to keep them in the game.

The 2010 Winter Olympics were proud to be the first to fully integrate Chiropractic into host medical services.  Even with this recent success, Chiropractic doctors were already working directly with sports teams and Olympic athletes decades before the Vancouver Games.

Of course, not all of us are pro athletes, but many of us still receive the benefit of Chiropractic care.  Approximately 80% of all people will experience a spine or spine related problem and that’s not just the high performance types.  The one thing we do have in common is that we all have a back, something all chiropractors understand very well.

 Original Article

It turns out that strengthening bone to avoid fractures starts at a very young age.

Physical activity, such as the exercise children get in school gym classes, is important for fighting obesity, but the latest research suggests it may help to keep bones strong as well.

Researchers found that children in the group that exercised daily reported 72 fractures, while those who didn’t recorded 143 fractures. Those who were physically active for 40 minutes a day also showed higher bone density in the spine compared with those who did not exercise as much. Bone density is an indication of bone strength, and the denser bone density is early in life, the stronger bones remain decades later, when natural thinning of bones weakens the skeleton and increases the risk of fractures and breaks.

The results confirm previous findings on the benefits for bone of regular exercise. One study found that compared with sedentary women, those who are the most active have the highest bone density and lowest risk of the bone-thinning disorder osteoporosis. Bones become more porous and brittle with age, as cells responsible for building bone become less active and can no longer keep up with the cells that destroy and remove old bone cells. Physical activity can shift this balance toward maintaining a healthy amount of bone growth, say experts.

So while fractures aren’t typically a problem for young children (unless they have a major fall), it’s never too early to start protecting against the future risk of bone problems. “With the current knowledge, we ought to recommend training in young years as a strategy to prevent fragility fractures at old ages,” the authors wrote in the study. Just one more reason for children to trade in the TV for a few laps around the track.

Original Article

Giraffes and humans have at least 2 things in common: they both have 7 bones (vertebrae) in their neck, and they both benefit from receive Chiropractic care.

A 2-yr-old male giraffe, suffering from severe mid-neck torticollis received a series of Chiropractic adjustments to help restore proper neck mobility.

Laser therapy and cervical range of motion exercises were also used to reduce cervical muscle tightness. The combined application of these therapies produced marked clinical improvement.

Original Article

Dwelling on negative events can increase levels of inflammation in the body, a new Ohio University study finds. Researchers discovered that when study participants were asked to ruminate on a stressful incident, their levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of tissue inflammation, rose. The study is the first time to directly measure this effect in the body.

The study showed that those people who focused on a stressful even, the levels of the inflammatory marker continued to rise for at least one hour. Compared to people who thought of more relaxing events, the marker returned to starting levels.

More and more, chronic inflammation is being associated with various disorders and conditions. The immune system plays an important role in various cardiovascular disorders such as heart disease, as well as cancer, dementia and autoimmune diseases.

So you really are what you think! To help yourself heal, focus on positive thoughts daily.

Original Study

More of us are struggling with energy issues, experts say; they point to the weak economy, which has us working harder and plugging in longer, and the belief that we can have it all (so what if we’re up till midnight making it happen?).

“I’m seeing so many women who think of themselves as machines that can run nonstop, and they’re living with this deep fatigue,” says psychologist Michelle Segar, associate director of the Sport, Health, and Activity Research and Policy Center for Women and Girls at the University of Michigan. “Just like houseplants need water, our energy reserves need regular replenishing.”

To the rescue: strategies that will keep you humming along – and, happily, don’t take much effort.

1. Don’t delay the day. It’s so tempting to hit snooze when your alarm goes off in the morning. Problem is, “by falling back asleep, you could be interrupting the hormone cycle, which can make it harder to get going,” Dodell says. Better to just set your alarm for 15 minutes later -and keep your clock across the room so you can’t reach out and silence it.
2. Let in light. First thing in the morning, open the shades in your windows to allow as much light into your house as possible.
3. Ease into things. Get up 15 minutes before the kids so you can shower and get dressed. And, yes, avoid the siren call of e-mail: “Facing an onslaught of to-dos can be a big drain if you haven’t cleared your mind first.”
4. Get moving. Not an a.m. exerciser? Rethink your idea of a workout. In a University of Georgia study, people who did a low-intensity aerobic activity (think a leisurely walk) three times a week had a greater reduction in fatigue levels than folks who did higher intensity workouts (like a faster-paced walk with hills) for the same amount of time.
5. Get Adjusted. Chiropractic adjustments keep your nerve system clear and working optimally. As a result, your body will be able to adapt to the stresses of life.

Additional ideas can be found here.

Heavy Backpacks May Damage Nerves, Muscles and Skeleton, Study Suggests

Trudging from place to place with heavy weights on our backs is an everyday reality, from schoolchildren toting textbooks in backpacks to firefighters and soldiers carrying occupational gear. Muscle and skeletal damage are very real concerns. Now Tel Aviv University researchers say that nerve damage, specifically to the nerves that travel through the neck and shoulders to animate our hands and fingers, is also a serious risk.

The pressure of heavy loads carried on the back have the potential to damage the soft tissues of the shoulder, causing microstructural damage to the nerves.

The result could be anything from simple irritation to diminished nerve capacity, ultimately limiting the muscles’ ability to respond to the brain’s signals, inhibiting movement of the hand and the dexterity of the fingers. In practice, this could impact functionality, reducing a worker’s ability to operate machinery, or limiting a child’s writing or drawing capacity.

These results apply to people from all walks of life, says Prof. Gefen. Many professions and leisure activities, such as hiking or traveling, involve carrying heavy equipment on the back.

Best to wear a backpack on both shoulders, and should wear no more than 10% of your body weight.

Full Study

Cooking oil is a basic and almost indispensable ingredient in every kitchen. But nowadays, there are so many different types of cooking oil that you can literally take an hour or more just to go through all the options in a well-stocked supermarket.

From the ubiquitous refined soybean and corn oils that seem to be in every manufactured food, to exotic and premium oils such as extra virgin avocado and coconut oils.

Which one should you use?

To answer this question, let us put these cooking oils side-by-side and look at their vital statistics. We’ll also discuss what are the things to look for in an edible oil and lastly, go through some oils that fit the bill.

Here is the full article.

Here is a great video showing how to set up the correct posture while sitting at your desk.

When the flu season hits, many parents will be reaching for the cold compresses and medication to cool their feverish child.

But it seems a high temperature could actually help children battle an illness.

An American pediatrician has revealed the high fevers typical of many childhood illnesses can help force a child to slow down, rest and sleep more – all vital in recovering.

‘Fevers can actually help your child recover more quickly, especially if he or she is battling a viral illness.

Parents are advised to seek medical help if a child’s temperature reaches 104F (40C) or above. Fortunately most fevers are caused by a viral infection, and clear up on their own within a few days.

Original Report

Pretty much every NFL team has their own Chiropractor. Having a Chiropractor on their support team will ensure the healthiest possible players during the intense game.

You can read about the 49ers’ Chiropractor here and the Ravens’ Chiropractor here.

Good luck to both teams this weekend!