Back sleeper? Side sleeper? Stomach sleeper? All of the above? Not one position is technically the "right" way to sleep, although there are strong arguments for some over others. This is where pillows come in. Pillows are there for support, nothing else!!  The right pillow in the right place during sleep can lead to a sound slumber without neck and back pain upon waking.

Back sleepers

As the most common position when falling asleep. The pillow under the knees will take pressure off of your low back allowing your spine to assume its natural curves without stress. The pillow under your head should not be propping you up, but providing some support to the natural curve of your neck.

Side sleepers

This is the most common sleeping position throughout the night, and the best for your spine. Place a firm pillow between your knees to alleviate pressure off of your hips and low back. Another firm pillow should support your head and neck in a straight line with the rest of your body. Two pillows or soft pillows tilt your head and stresses the muscles on either side of your neck that can lead to stiff necks, headaches, and even torticollis in the mornings.

Stomach sleepers

Although this position is generally scolded upon, it happens to be a natural position that we all have slept in. Even when you tell someone that sleeping on your stomach is bad for your spine, it doesn't change much (they still do). Placing a firm pillow underneath your hips/stomach will reduce the stress on your low back and neck. This pillow placement may eliminate the need for a head pillow, but if you still need one, use it to support your head at a downward angle as opposed to totally turned to the right or left. 

Have you been stuck wondering what you can do to help your immune system function better during the winter months so as not to come down with the typical colds, flu, and viruses that plague us this time of year? What if I told you the answer is contained right within your body!!!

Patients who come in with colds, sore throats, sinus congestion and stomach viruses often remark that their recovery seems to be accelerated by the chiropractic adjustment. Recent scientific developments now lend support to the idea that chiropractic correction of the subluxation can aid the immune responses of the body by reducing nerve interference.

This is one of the most exciting areas of chiropractic. More and more research is pointing to an immune system enhancement effect of the spinal adjustment. A properly functioning nervous system is better able to respond quickly to those pesky intruders that leave us feeling tired, achy, congested, and otherwise blah.

The anatomical and physiological connections between the immune system and the nervous system suggest that the nervous system plays a role in the modulation of the immune response.

Your immune system plays such an enormous role in the overall health of literally every cell and tissue in the body. Not only is it the immune system’s job to protect from coughs and colds but also it helps fight against cancer; repair damaged joints and slow down the aging process.

Don’t limit chiropractic care to aches and pains. Make chiropractic a part of you and your family’s wellness strategy. KEEP YOUR POWER TURNED ON!

Chiropractic and Wellness

Chiropractors know adjustments are good for your general health. But what do chiropractors know that the rest of us do not?

They know the nervous system is the one system in the body that affects every other system. This is because nerves conduct sensory information from every part of the body and delivers this information to the brain. Then, the brain analyzes the information to determine what the body needs to maintain a healthy state. The health of this system is paramount to the health of the rest of the body.

Chiropractors recognizes misalignments in the spine can interfere with proper nervous system function known as subluxations. When this occurs, imbalances cause irritation and inflammation. Chiropractors are the only health care professionals specifically trained to locate and correct spinal subluxations.

Where’s the Proof?

Scientific research focused on the use of chiropractic adjustments for low back pain, neck pain and headaches. Now, there is clear evidence to recommend chiropractors as the go-to professionals for spinal pain syndromes.

Recent reports from the Center for Disease Control state, the four most popular forms of alternative and complementary medicine were listed as: natural products, deep breathing, meditation and chiropractic!

In a multi-nation study results showed that a number of patients experienced systemic benefits from their chiropractic treatments whether or not they mentioned any symptoms in these areas at the onset of care. The most common benefits reported in this study were breathing (27%), digestion (26%) and circulation (21%).

Adjustments were shown to decrease blood pressure, a leading cause for preventable death in North America. The study stood up to medical scrutiny and showed unequivocally that vertebral subluxations can be detrimental to the health of the individual.

From these research results, chiropractors clearly have a greater role in your health and wellness than just treating sore backs. Chiropractic care should be considered an invaluable tool for you to not only help you feel well, but to also help you BE well

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SITTING: THE NEW SMOKING

Long commutes, desk jobs, computer work, even a few hours at night spent on the couch can be very detrimental to your health and here's why:

1) Spine damage and poor posture. Sitting for longer than 20 minutes causes the discs in the spine to compress and lose flexibility, which raises the risk of a herniated disc. It also leads to weak muscles in the shoulders, neck and back, which affects posture and can cause back and neck pain.

2) Weight gain. Sitting while eating or immediately after sitting slows digestion. Slow digestion can cause constipation, heartburn, bloating, and weight gain over time.

3) Poor circulation. Inactivity leads to poor circulation, which can eventually cause blood clots, swelling, weak bones, varicose veins, and even osteoporosis.

Simply moving more frequently throughout the day will help combat these negative effects of sitting. Here are a few easy ways to get moving:

*Take the stairs whenever possible
*Park further away from building
*Move around at least once per hour
*Use a chair without armrests to sit straighter
*Walk on coffee and lunch breaks

Mind Over Mattress

I recently read a statistic that 60% of Americans would choose sleep over, umm... well, other activities performed in bed. Sadly, though, that is not the only potential result of a poor nights rest or uncomfortable mattress. Lack of sleep can also affect metabolism, immune function, mental well being, and, of course, your back.

As a chiropractor, I am frequently asked what type of mattress is best for a person's spine. I wish I had a "one size fits all" response for that question, but since I don't, here are a few tips in helping you choose a mattress that will allow you to get a good nights rest:

*Look for a mattress that conforms to the spine's natural curves. The best way to do this is to bring a friend to the store and have him/her observe your spine while laying on the mattress. If you're a side sleeper, the spine should be parallel with the bed. If you sleep on your back, there should not be sagging or curving in any direction.

*Make comfort your goal. Of the popular options (pillowtop, sleep number, memory foam, airbed, coil mattress, etc.), there is not one that is superior. A pillowtop may be too soft for a teenage girl, but perfect for an adult man. Lay on the bed for 15-20 minutes in the store to determine how comfortable it is to YOU.

*Make sure there is a return policy. Ultimately, the only way to know if you're going to get a better nights rest on a new mattress is to sleep on it. So, take it home and try it for 30 days and, if you're not sleeping better, return it and try another.

Keeping your heart strong and healthy with chiropractic

The quickly approaching Valentine's Day means we will soon be seeing red hearts all over.   This is a good reminder to get that last minute box of chocolates and card for someone that holds that special place in our heart.  Valentine's Day is also a good time to remind ourselves how important our heart health is.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 600,000 in the US people die each year of heart disease.

There are many ways to make sure your heart is as healthy as possible including healthy diet, exercise, stress management, weight management, smoking cessation and you guessed it...chiropractic care.  There are two main ways chiropractic care can be a part of having a healthier heart:

1. Reducing blood pressure

According to a study reported in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT), chiropractic patients had a significant decrease in blood pressure when measured both pre and post-adjustment, concluding its positive effect on cardiovascular health.

2.Heart Rate Variability

Reduced heart rate variability (HRV), to put it simply, is the relationship between the sympathetic and parasympathetic portions of the Autonomic Nervous System.  It has been associated with congestive heart failure, diabetic neuropathy, depression and susceptibility to SIDS.  A study by John Zhang, MD, published in JMPT concluded that HRV was indeed increased with chiropractic adjustments, again proving its positive effect on heart health.  

Get in the best shape of your life with chiropractic care

Summer is finally here.  There is no denying it.  Temperatures are up, flowers are in full blossom and people of all ages are outside enjoying the weather.  Take a walk to your local park and you will see kids playing team sports, college students having a friendly match of volleyball and neighbors working in the garden.  The question is Are you ready for it all?  Are you in good enough of a shape to play ball with your kids?  If you are, is your body performing at a 100% of its potential?  We all know that eating right and exercising are two main components of staying healthy.  Not too many of us, however, realize that regular chiropractic care can help keep our bodies in optimal health.  By making sure your spine is in proper alignment and that your nervous system is working without any interference our bodies function to the best of their abilities.  Regular chiropractic care has been proven to keep our bodies running great in several ways:

1. Reducing pain – Without pain we are more likely to stay active and enjoy our lives. Without pain we are can enjoy our kids, our work, and our time off.
2. Improve performance – Chiropractic care ensures a proper communication between your brain and musculoskeletal system improving proprioception and coordination.  Our bodies work more efficiently, allowing us to run faster, jump higher, improve balance, and have more energy.
3. Prevent injury – Regular chiropractic care has been shown to reduce injury rate in athletes.  This is why many professional sports teams including the US Olympic team now have chiropractors on board.

These are just a few benefits chiropractic care can offer you.  I encourage you to schedule an appointment with your chiropractor to see how much better you can feel and function.  Life can really be good when your body is in great shape!

Spring is finally here!  It is a gorgeous time of the year when the snow has finally melted, flowers are blooming, and kids can't wait to play outside after school.  Unfortunately, many of us associate spring with one thing.  Allergies. 

            Allergies are nothing more than our immune system overreacting to an allergen.  Why is it that two different people can be living in the same house, breathing the same air, drinking the same water, and eating the same food, yet only one of them suffers from allergies?  To answer that, let's first examine how our immune system works.  The job of the immune system is to keep you healthy by recognizing and eliminating bacteria, viruses, dust, pollen, and other microscopic debris from the body.  How well your immune system works depends on your nervous system, endocrine system, genetics, diet and even emotions.  When the immune system overreacts to a particular allergen, it creates histamines, which symptomatically present as runny noses and eyes, redness, irritation, and stuffy sinuses. 

            There is no cure for allergies.  Historically, the orthodox medical profession has done a decent job trying to control the symptoms, which is not the same as curing the cause.  Main drug of choice being anti-histamines which dry up the mucous membranes and help to control the symptoms, however can cause drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, restlessness and moodiness in children, blurred vision and confusion among other less common side effects.  Many allergy sufferers are constantly looking for new ways in lieu, or in addition to their current medical treatment for allergies.

            Chiropractic care has been utilized by thousands of Americans with allergies who often reported improvement in symptoms with regular care.  Just like mainstream medicine, chiropractic is not a cure for allergies.  Chiropractors locate, analyze and correct misalignments of the spine and reduce irritation to the nervous system.  This in turn allows the nervous system to communicate better with the immune system and in many cases reduces allergy symptoms and improves pulmonary function.  Speak with your chiropractor about how chiropractic adjustment can improve your quality of life!​

With spring and warmer weather around the corner, Americans all over the country will start making home improvements to the houses they live in.  Anyone will agree that the most crucial part of any house is its frame.  Without a strong frame, the whole structure collapses.  But what about the bodies we live in?  What can we do to improve our health and maintain it for the road ahead?  Well, it’s actually very simple: Take care of your spine (the frame) and the nervous system (the electrical system).  The nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord, and the nerves and is the master control and communication system in our bodies.  Without a properly functioning nervous system, your brain can’t tell your heart how fast to beat, your kidneys how to control fluid levels, your liver how to detoxify your mode and many more.  One of the many things that can affect the function of your nervous system is a VERTEBRAL SUBLUXATION.  A big word for a bone out of place, putting pressure on a nerve, and creating interference along that nerve.  Subluxations can cause an array of symptoms to show up in the body including pain.  A chiropractic adjustment is a safe and effective way to correct subluxations and their effects on the body.  By correcting subluxations and restoring proper spinal biomechanicsyou will be ready to tackle any upcoming home improvement projects this season may throw at you.  

The Big Idea

A slip on the snowy sidewalk in winter is a small thing.  It happens to millions.  A fall from a ladder in the summer is a small thing.  It also happens to millions.  The slip or fall produces a subluxation.  The subluxation is a small thing.  The subluxation produces pressure on a nerve.  That pressure is a small thing.  That decreased flowing produces a dis-eased body and brain.  That is a big thing to that man.  Multiply that sick man by a thousand, and you control the physical and mental welfare of a city.  Multiply that man by one hundred thirty million, and you forecast and can prophesy the physical and mental status of a nation.  So the slip or fall, the subluxation, pressure, flow of mental images and dis-ease are big enough to control the thoughts and actions of a nation.

Now comes a man. And one man is a small thing.  This man gives an adjustment.  The adjustment is a small thing.  The adjustment replaces the subluxation.  That is a small thing.  The adjusted subluxation releases pressure upon nerves.  That is a small thing.  The released pressure restores health to a man.  This is a big thing to that man.  Multiply that well man by a thousand, and you step up the physical and mental welfare of a city.  Multiply that well man by a million, and you increase the efficiency of a state.  Multiply that well man by a hundred thirty million, and you have produced a healthy, wealthy, and better race for posterity.  So, the adjustment of the subluxation to release pressure upon nerves, to restore mental impulse flow, to restore health, is big enough to rebuild the thoughts and actions of the world.  The idea that knows the cause, that can correct the cause of dis-ease, is one of the biggest ideas known.  Without it, nations fall; with it, nations rise.  This idea is the biggest I know of.

                                                                                      B. J. Palmer, 1944