Roscoe Chiro - Weekly Article Archive

Tips to Avoid Winter's Dry Air - February 3, 2012

2012-02-03T08:42:00.001-08:00

When you think of winter most likely you think of cold weather, ice, and snow, but you're forgetting one important component of winter is dry-air. The moisture content in the air goes down dramatically both outside and typically inside your home as well when winter comes, so here are some tips to combat that winter dry spell.

1. EYES - Use drops that say "preservative free" to avoid further irritation.
2. NOSE - Use saline spray instead of petroleum-based ointments which can actually harm your nose's lining.
3. SKIN - Don't take excessively long showers as this will dry out your skin, instead limit it to 15 minutes and use a fragrance free soap and finish off with a cream-based lotion.
4. THROAT - Drink at least 2 liters of water a day. In addition using cough drops and herbal or decaffeinated tea.

Remembering these tips will help you to avoid the itchy eyes, stuffy nose, cracked skin, and sore throats that are all a part of winter.

Healthy Snacks To Get You Through Winter - January 26, 2012

2012-01-26T09:37:00.000-08:00

It sure has been amazing how quickly winter changed from being very mild to 2 big snow storms in the last 2 weeks! With all the snow that is covering the ground, there is a tendency for both kids and adults to be in the refrigerator more often then normal. As long as you are monitoring your portions so you don't overeat, and of course monitoring those cravings, a healthy snack can actually be beneficial. With snacking in mind, I thought I would share a few healthy snack tips with you.

1. 1/4 sup of low-fat cottage cheese with 1/2 cup peach slices.
2. 1/2 banana smeared with 1/2 tablespoon natural peanut butter and sprinkled with cinnamon.
3. 1/4 avocado smeared on 1 slice of whole-wheat bread, sprinkled with sea salt.
4. 30 pistachios, shelled, or 45 edamame in pods.

Winter Has Arrived!!! - January 19, 2012

2012-01-19T09:56:00.000-08:00

Well winter has finally arrived! Of course the changes in seasons are beautiful, but winter can be detrimental to your health if you aren't careful. Today I wanted to pass on some good tips to help you avoid being a victim of mother nature's icy sidewalks, stairs, roads, and parking lots, and how to lessen your injuries if your do fall.

Most importantly, always expect the unexpected. Just because the pavement only looks wet, doesn't mean that there couldn't actually be ice hiding in plain sight! As long as you are careful and aware of your surroundings you will help to lessen your chances of falling. Also, take your time when you are walking outside where it is wet,or anywhere inside where the wet has unfortunately followed, especially on tile type floors.

It may sound silly, but there really is a proper way to fall. Knowing how to fall is a very important lesson to learn so you can minimize your injuries from the fall. First of all, always keep your head up. You never want your head to come in contact with the ground. It is much better to bruise your arms than your head! If you are falling forward, slap your palms on the ground as you fall, but make sure not to absorb your weight with your wrists as that can lead to serious injuries for your wrist, and never lock your elbows. If you are falling from a height it is important to roll as you hit the ground. This will actually distribute the impact of the fall and will lessen the chances of a serious injury in one spot. Lastly, if you are falling backwards resist the urge to stick your hands down to break your fall. Again this will only cause undue injury to your wrists. You should actually try to bend your knees and squat as you're falling, and if you can curl your back this will allow you to roll on your back which will help disperse the impact and lessen the injury.

Why Not Give Your Body a Fresh Start in the New Year - January 12, 2012

2012-01-12T10:20:00.000-08:00

A new year is a chance to start over, to change things, do things differently, and a good time to purify your body to start the new year out with your body at its best. I was reading through the Health Alert newsletter we received here and the its first article discussed doing just that, a new year's purification cleanse. It started asking the question, how would you like to lose 10-20 pounds in three weeks and decrease or even lose the bags under your eyes without surgery? Well I don't know about you but I can't think of anyone that would be opposed to those kind of results. Most importantly though you would be detoxifying your body giving it a chance to get rid of the toxins and chemicals in your body and start fresh with healthy foods.

Did you know there are 80,000 toxins, chemicals, and poisons registered with the Center for Disease Control? That is an amazingly large amount and most of the time we don't even realize what we are encountering in the air, or ingesting and just how bad it is for us! Our bodies naturally detoxify themselves, but after awhile your detoxification system gets sluggish and this is when we begin to suffer the side effects such as headaches, weight gain, chronic fatigue, poor digestion, and many more. At this point it is important to give our bodies some help with the detoxification process.

Everyone knows there are many different products out there that claim to be detoxification programs, but not all are effective, they are all expensive, and some end up adding high-doses of synthetic nutrients into your body. The Standard Process Purification Program, provides whole-food phytonutrients that truly work with your system to detoxify, and it has been scientifically tested and proven to help detox, lose weight, and help you on your way to a healthier you. For more information regarding this program, stop into the office and pick up an informational pamphlet about the program, or set up and appointment to discuss this programs and its benefits with Dr. Chris.

Tips to Fight the Aging Process - January 5, 2012

2012-01-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

In keeping with the new year and resolutions to work on improving our health and wellness I wanted to share some daily anti-aging tips with you. As everyone knows, everyday your skin gets older but it doesn't have to look older! By utilizing these 5 tips, everyone can enjoy healthier younger looking skin.

    1. Hydration - Remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep you hydrated so that your cells can function properly and regenerate.

    2. Fruits and Veggies - The phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables are essential for our body's health and overall wellness, so make sure you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables everyday.

    3. Rest - Everyone knows that rest is necessary for your body to be function properly and be healthy.   Recently I read that the best way to figure out how much sleep your body needs is to think about when you fall asleep naturally and then wake up without an alarm clock. That is a good indication of the hours of rest your body needs to run at its best.

    4. Interaction - Studies have shown that it is beneficial for person to take time to spend with their friends or loved ones. This interaction helps socially and boosts your mental health.

    5. Moving - Exercise is a key to living a long life. Even if it is a short walk around the block, walking up a flight of stairs or any activity will help your body to avoid getting stiff, and exercising releases endorphins which help to improve your mood. So next time you get up and take a walk on your lunch hour, remember you are not only helping your body physically but mentally also!

Would you like a Coke with that? - December 30, 2011

2011-12-30T13:09:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that in a few days it will be 2012? It seems like 2011 just began and now its ending, and I don't know about you but my New Year's resolution was to lose weight and become healthier and as I look at myself in the mirror the image I see is not the one I wanted! So again this year my resolution will be to lose weight and become healthier overall, both mentally and physically. One important thing I have recently learned, is that its important to not only watch what we eat but also what we drink. Here are some tips to help stick with your goals for a healthier lifestyle:

    1. Avoid drinking beverages that have large amounts of calories and sugar. Also try to avoid sodas, sports                  drinks, juices, and fruit drinks which contain artificial dyes, flavorings, and other ingredients that your body just         simply does not need.

    2. When drinking coffee or tea, replace cream or creamers with nonfat milk.
    3. Craving a fizzy drink? Try adding a splash of juice or lemon slices to sparkling water, but be careful to get a          sparking water with no or low sodium.
    4. When ordering out, order the smallest size beverage available.
    5. Reusing plastic water bottles can actually cause a bacterial growth to form. If you have to buy bottled                  water, transfer it into a glass, a pitcher, or a stainless steel water bottle to avoid the potential of bacteria                  growing.

Of course an important step in becoming healthier or maintaining good health is getting regular chiropractic adjustments.

Stress and Our Health

2011-12-30T12:33:00.000-08:00

With the holidays upon us it is important to take a moment to step back and enjoy them, and life in general. As a whole our society is always on the go, and thanks to wonderful technological advances we are able to do or find out just about anything at the drop of a hat, but it is this way of life that can be detrimental to your health and well-being. Especially at the holidays everyone gets so busy preparing to celebrate that they forget to take the time to just enjoy the season, or for others the holidays cause an explosion of good and bad memories which tend to send our moods on a roller coaster ride! It is important to remember that you need to live every day to its fullest, but that doesn't mean you have to be on the go constantly to get the most out of the day. Simply sitting down looking out a window at the snow that is usually falling on us in December, or reaching out to a friend or loved one that you haven't been as connected to is a good way to slow down and fully enjoy the day.

Here are some tips to avoid letting the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and life get you down or stressed out. First it is important to start out by planning your day. Take five minutes when you wake up to sit and relax and create a to do list for the day. This will un-clutter your life and it will be satisfying to you as you go through the day crossing off items on your list. That sense of accomplishment will also help to boost your mood.

Another important and often overlooked asset to improving your day is the sound of music. Music invokes so many emotions and memories, so turn on a favorite cd or radio station while accomplishing your to do list and the time will go by much more enjoyably. In addition, music can be a wonderful way to motivate you while exercising. Exercising even for short periods of time will get your body working in a positive direction to improve your physical and mental health, and will actually improve your energy levels. Of course eating right and maintaining healthy snacks throughout the day will also improve your overall health and positively affect your mood.

Lastly, it is important to remember that sometimes a simple act of kindness towards a friend, loved one, co-worker, or even a stranger may dramatically affect that person's day and life. It is impossible to know what is going on with the sullen cashier at the grocery store, but a simple genuine thank you to them after you have bought your groceries may show that person that there are people out there that care about them, even though currently they don't feel that there are. Just remember it is the little things in life that matter, and they are truly priceless.

Migraines are not your typical headache - July 21, 2011

2011-07-21T10:24:00.001-07:00

Migraines differ from other headaches because they occur in phases. The painful phase of a migraine is almost always associated with other bodily symptoms. Common triggers for a migraine include: Environmental chemicals, Liver problems, Rapid change in hormone levels, Dental pain, Certain foods (cured meats, red wine), Medical conditions (depression, severe hypertension), Medications, Changes in weather, Lack of sleep, and stress.

These are some ideas doctors have for possible triggers of migraine headaches but the specific causes remain elusive. It is believed that vascular changes in the brain are responsible for the pain. Researchers have noted blood vessel contraction and dilations in the brain just prior to migraine occurrence. There are four phases involved with a migraine: prodrome, aura, headache and postdrome.

Prodrome - most migraines are preceded by a phase which may cause depression, food cravings, neck stiffness, nausea, hyperactivity or fatigue in the days preceding the actual headache.

Aura - This is a collection of neurological symptoms that usually involve a person's visual experience. Flashing or wavy lights, strange smells, tingling sensations and cognitive difficulties. Only about 20% of patients with migraines experience aura symptoms.

Headache - Moderate to intense pain with a pulsating quality that lasts 4-72 hours. May be aggravated by loud noise or bright lights. Nausea or vomiting, depression/anxiety, hot flashes and chills, dizziness, confusion, dehydration or fluid retention.

Postdrome - Pain has usually subsided by this point but sometimes a person may experience lasting depression, fatigue or poor concentration.

Migraines tend to respond well to peace and quiet. Many studies have shown that chiropractic is a very effective tool to treat migraines. Sometimes it is immediate relief but most cases require ongoing care to manage painful episodes.

This is more than a headache! This is something more neurological it seems but because our bodies are all connected through nervous system, having regular adjustments can alleviate areas that are causing stress to your body.

GERD and the Purple Pills - June 16, 2011

2011-06-23T09:30:00.001-07:00

Everyone has seen them, the commercials and print ads for acid-reflux medication. The purple pill... what do we really know about it? I want to share some really interesting information with you about your digestive process and what these medications do to that process. Most often doctors will treat people with acid reflux, gas/bloating and other digestive issues by prescribing a pill that suppresses the acid production in your stomach or neutralizes it. The concern is that many people that have these symptoms are not suffering from too much acid but not enough.

The function of your stomach acid is to digest protein. So if someone's stomach isn't producing enough acid and they eat a piece of chicken or other meat, it hits the stomach and needs that hydrochloric acid to break it down, instead it sits there and begins to putrefy, creating acid and gases (not the good kind). Now this person will likely exhibit symptoms - a sour stomach, belching or even acid reflux. This all happened because they didn't have enough acid to begin with.

It's important to have adequate amounts of stomach acid because it triggers the upper sphincter of the stomach to close when you eat to prevent any acid or food from going up into the esophagus. If you don't have enough acid, not only will you be unable to digest the protein properly but that sphincter will not be triggered to close tightly enough and acid reflux could occur. Low stomach acid also causes the lower stomach sphincter to stay closed, which leads to the feeling of being overly full because the stomach isn't emptying properly.

So if we are all taking acid suppressors we could be exacerbating the problems and causing more issues. There are many things that can be done to help eliminate stomach problems such as these and most of them don't include taking a purple pill. If you want more information on this topic you can read the rest of the article in the July/August issue of To Your Health in our lobby!

I hope everyone is well as we move through the month toward summer!

Is Chiropractic Scientific? - June 9, 2011

2011-06-23T09:29:00.001-07:00

Is it at Memorial Day weekend that most people really feel summer has begun regardless of the summer solstice? I think it's the unofficial first day of summer anyway. I had a wonderful weekend and hope that all of you did as well. Remember that keeping up on your adjustments can help to make your summer activities that much more enjoyable by keeping your body in alignment!

If you missed Dr. Chris' talk on Total Health keep your eyes on our lobby slideshow coming up because it will be covering some similar information, not all of it mind you, but we want you to be aware of our goals in your health care at this office.

So here is a question for you, is Chiropractic scientific? I've heard some people mention that medical doctor's are real doctors. I wonder where that misconception comes from? Is it because there is no blood, needles or invasive procedures during an adjustment that some people believe chiropractors are not real doctors? Clearly we all know that chiropractors require as much or sometimes more schooling as medical doctors, the specialty is simply different. I assure you Dr. Chris knows just as much about the biology of the human body as a medical doctor. The difference I see, is that Dr. Chris sees you as a whole not broken down into symptoms or areas (heart, lungs, bones, muscles etc.) He knows that your body is a series of systems not single parts functioning independently. His goal is to get rid of interference in the communication between all the systems.

This ties in with his recent talk on Total Health. So many medical doctors are trained so specifically they tend not to view how their treatment of your heart issue, for example, might affect another area of your body. So please know that we are not just interested in getting you in and out for a monthly adjustment but to get to the bottom of why certain areas need to be adjusted in the first place and focus there.

We encourage questions on this matter, so please stop in, call or write back here. We are interested in your input and opinion. Have a great week!

TV and Depression - May 26 2011

2011-06-23T09:28:00.001-07:00

I found an interesting article on how TV can affect depression levels in children and teenagers. It is directly related to the number of hours spent watching TV daily. The study showed that it was TV specifically not just media in general. So while it's important to limit media exposure including video games, internet, movies and TV altogether it was the TV watching that seemed to be most tied in with the depression.

Now the article didn't specify any research or thoughts on why this is but I'll share some of my opinions. Think about what the purpose of TV is, most use it as some form of escape from their life. Well if life was good then why escape from it for one. Two, depending upon what is being watched many shows portray a false reality (especially it seems, the "reality" shows). Everyone is beautiful, everyone has everything they want, it often glorifies bad situations to seem glamorous. Then this child has to wake up and go to the same school with the same clothes they had in their closet the day before and the same people. While these things shouldn't be bad, the constant barrage of "You need more, You have to have this to be happy, You aren't this smart or this pretty", will wear anyone down after awhile.

I don't think TV is bad, fullstop, but I do believe most of what is on is pretty worthless. I believe if TV is a staple in a family then it could be tempered with genuine interaction and loving situations and words from adults then perhaps depression wouldn't have an opportunity to get in. If a child knows the truth about themselves and understands that TV doesn't show reality it would probably be less interesting to them anyway!

I'm curious your thoughts on this as well, since this was mostly all my opinion anyway! I encourage you to write me back and share!

Back Surgery: The Best Option? - May 19, 2011

2011-06-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

I found a really interesting article to share with you today. It addresses back surgery; cost, effectiveness and alternatives. There is a lot of information covered in this article so I won't be addressing all of it here. So research suggests that 500,000+ disk surgeries are performed annually in the US. This is about 40% higher than any other country. It shows that back surgery rates increased with the per capita supply of orthopedic and neurosurgeons. In other words the more back surgeons there are the more back surgeries tend to take place. The question is whether they're necessary surgeries or could have been avoided.

There is a lot of research that shows back surgery to be relatively ineffective in attaining it's goal of patient recovery and relief from back pain (especially when the cost in taken into account as well - surgeries running anywhere from $24,000-$81,000). In 2010 records from 1500 patients were reviewed who had a diagnosis of disc degeneration, disc herniation or tingling of the extremities caused by nerve conditions. Half the patients had surgery to fuse two or more vertebrae in hopes of resolving the pain. The other half didn't have surgery though their diagnosis was the same or comparable. After two years only 26% of the patients who had surgery had returned to work while 67% of the non-surgery patients returned. Of the lumbar fusion patients, 36% had complications and 27% had to have another surgery. Permanent disability rates were 11% for those who had surgery, compared to 2% for those who did not have surgery. There was a 41% increase in the use of pain killers and 76% of the surgery patients continued the use of opioids (morphine) after their surgery.

What could possibly be an alternative!? Well chiropractic of course. In fact it has been shown that chiropractic care is the most effective, safest and affordable treatment for back pain. The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research concluded that "spinal manipulative therapy is the most effective and cost-effective treatment for acute low back pain". So now we just wait for everyone else in the world to figure out what we already know. Or maybe we could start by telling our friends and family. Really let them know how chiropractic has helped you. Your testimony speaks volumes because no one can argue against your own personal experience. Whether they agree with chiropractic or not.

As I said there is way more information in this article and I encourage everyone to check it out. It's in the June issue of To Your Health. I hope everyone is having a great week!

Naturally reducing inflammation after injury - May 12, 2011

2011-05-12T09:12:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it seems that after a winter of not being as active as we'd like, as soon as the weather shifts we rush outside and pick up our "summer" activities as though 6 or 7 months hadn't passed. This can result in some strains, soreness or pain in your body. The body's natural response to injury like this is inflammation. When a muscle, tendon or ligament is damaged the area tends to lose function and become inflamed and painful. Though painful, this is a really important part of the body's healing process. It limits further damage by restricting movement in the injured area and starts tissue repair and reconstruction.

The first 72 hours following an injury, it's recommended to rest and elevate the damaged area, applying ice intermittently for 10-15 minutes at a time. This helps to reduce the pain of inflammation and keeps the recovery time to a minimum. Chiropractic treatments also aid in faster injury recovery. There are three main parts in repairing and rehabilitating injured tissue.

1. Consuming appropriate nutrients to help support the body's response to the inflammation

2. Rebuilding damaged connective tissue, such as ligaments, tendons and joint cartilage.

3. Relaxing the soft tissue area where the injury occurred.

Two very important nutrients to help deal with inflammation are the fatty acids omega-6 and omega-3. These are not produced by your body so you must get them from your diet - this is why they're called essential fats. Some foods rich in these fatty acids include:

-fish and shellfish

-flaxseed (linseed) oil and canola oil

-hemp oil and soya oil

-pumpkin and sunflower seeds

-leafy veggies

-walnuts

Also there are some enzymes in citrus fruits called bioflavinoids that can help to minimize the effects of pain and swelling.

If you are interested in knowing more about how to reduce inflammation and help your body's healing process by nutrition and rest, ask me for the handout I have here at the office.

Iron: it may be minor but it's still important - May 5, 2011

2011-05-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

I think everyone has heard about iron deficiency or anemia. I didn't really know what role iron plays in our bodies and why a deficiency is a negative thing. So I'll just share a little information with you about it. Iron is considered a minor trace mineral, which means that we require less than 100 milligrams a day. The recommended allowance for iron in an adult male (19-50) is 8mg, for women in the same age group it's 18mg. Even though our bodies don't require a large amount of iron daily here is why it's important to have it: iron participates in functions like metabolism, DNA synthesis, growth, healing, immune function and reproduction. Iron is also found in the blood in two proteins that transport oxygen. So if you lack the proper amounts of iron, your blood will not be moving oxygen properly. Iron is shown to be an important contributor to athletic performance, as it's difficult to run a marathon when your muscles are getting inadequate oxygen.

Because iron helps transport oxygen in blood a major sign of iron deficiency is fatigue. If your muscles aren't getting enough oxygen you will be very tired. People most likely to watch for iron deficiency are long distance runners, women with heavy menstruation or who have just had a baby and people who frequently donate blood. Some other symptoms that are attributed to iron deficiency are pallor (pale skin), brittle or grooved nails, hair loss, irritability and weakness. The good news is that iron is easily found in most foods so it's not difficult to make sure you are getting your daily intake of iron. Most people will not need an iron supplement because it is also important not to have too high an iron intake. Just make a burger or some tuna salad, have some eggs with the yolk or eat some dried fruit. All of these things contain iron and will easily get you to your suggested iron allowance each day. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy!

I hope everyone is having a great week! Take care and don't forget to call and RSVP for the talk on May 17th at 6:30!

Ciao!

Karla H.

Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Posture and Your Health - April 28, 2011

2011-05-03T10:30:00.001-07:00

I'm going to share a simple idea that has a great affect on your health. Good posture. That's right. Why is it so important, you ask? When the spine is properly aligned with it's natural curvature and the entire body from the ears down to your feet are in balance, we maximize spinal health and avoid poor posture related pain and dysfunction. What is the ultimate goal of chiropractic? To eliminate interference! What does poor posture cause? Misalignments in the natural curvature of the spine and interference in nerve impulse. Ideal posture creates ideal balance, it optimizes breathing and circulation, both of which our bodies need to function properly!

What is the typical posture for someone sitting at a computer (and I'll just be honest right now, this is me at this very moment) slumped, bent back and round shouldered (and now I moved...ha ha). It's time to sit tall, stand tall and walk tall. This is an easy way to improve your spinal health at home all by yourself...and the best part...it's FREE! Just take two or three minutes a day to do a couple exercises to help keep you focused on keeping straight and your spine will thank you.

Four exercises to improve your spinal health.

1. The Butterfly - Standing and with head held high, belly button in, place your arms behind your head and gently pull your elbows backward. Slowly and gently press your head against your hands while counting to two. Relax, breathe and repeat three times.

2. Tilting Star - With head held high and belly button in, spread your arms and legs into a star. Breathe in and slowly stretch one arm over your head and slide your opposite arm down your leg. Slowly tilt your star to the opposite side. Relax and repeat two times.

3. Twirling Star - In the star position, turn your head to look at one hand. Slowly twist your entire spine to watch your hand as it goes behind you. Relax and repeat two times for each side.

4. The Hummingbird - With head held high and belly button in, put your arms out to the sides and your hands up and pull your shoulders together in the back. Now make small, backward circles with your hands and arms. Bend at the waist from side to side, keeping the circles going as you count to ten.

As with any exercise, make sure not to push your body beyond what is comfortable or your balance or strength level! Take care and sit up straight!

Have a great week!

Pediatric Prescription Overload - April 21, 2011

2011-05-03T10:29:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

I want to share some statistics with you regarding the number of prescription drugs dispensed to children and teens in 2009.
ADHD - 24.4 Million
Asthma - 45.4 Million
Antidepressants - 9.6 Million
Sleep Aids - 307,000
Antipsychotics - 6.6 Million
Statins (High Cholesterol meds) - 94,000
Antihypertensives (High Blood Pressure) - 5.2 Million
Non-Insulin-dependent (type2) Diabetes - 424,000

Just looking through that list makes me wonder why so much of the US is so drug happy. Have you ever really listened to a TV ad for ANY prescription drug? Pay attention, right at the very end of the commercial when they get the person who can speed read the list of "side-affects" - do you know how many times death is included in that list of possible side-affects? That's just the extreme, much of the other things are not really worth the hoped effect the drug will even have on your issue. Diarrhea, nausea, thoughts of suicide, fatigue, depression. I mean it's a laundry list of horrible things that you'll end up taking another drug for to boot!

Anyway, I'm off my soap box, but the point is that in prescribing these drugs to children they have not actually been properly tested to administer to anyone, save adults. So the dosages and side affects are uncertain in prescriptions for children. In effect these children have become the guinea pig to test out the effectiveness of the drugs. There is a wonderful article in the May issue of To Your Health that I encourage everyone to read. It goes into detail about the concern of increased pediatric prescriptions. Check it out!

Algae - it's not just for your fish tank - April 14, 2011

2011-05-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

If you're like me eating green foods is difficult. I don't know if I need to eat blindfolded or what, but even with the understanding that green foods are far more healthy than the many chocolate covered or carbohydrate filled foods I generally eat, I still struggle with it. I have good news there are options for us green food challenged people! When you think of algae does your mind go immediately to a dirty swimming pool or fish tank? Yea, mine too. It seems that as there are healthy forms of bacteria there are healthy forms of algae as well.

So I'll tell you about our friend Chlorella. Back in the 1950's it was touted as a miracle food that could "save humanity", there was concern with the world's exploding population that it would lead to massive food shortages. It was at this time that researchers became aware of this nutrient-filled green algae. They saw the potential in this fast-reproducing, waterborne algae to be a quick and cheap way to feed a planet. In the end it turned out that it wasn't as cheaply produced on a mass level as they'd thought and with improved agricultural methods, it diminished the fear of world starvation. Exit Chlorella...or maybe not....

Fast forward to the present. Just several years ago Chlorella was made available as a supplement, because of it's rich array of nutrients, such as amino acids, beta carotene, B vitamins, protein, fiber and several essential minerals. It can be used to treat a number of potentially serious health conditions. Chlorella has a powerful effect in the area of boosting your body's immune response. It does this by stimulating a protein called interferon that helps drive the production of white blood cells. When boosted by chlorella these cells do a better job of attacking invaders and sweeping the body clean.

Research on Chlorella also shows that it helps remove contaminants that we come into contact with and absorb daily. It binds to heavy metals, PCB's, and other toxins and then carries them to the body's waste systems.

So this potent little algae isn't your run of the mill dirty pool green stuff! This is something worth looking into!

Power Protein - April 7, 2011

2011-05-03T10:24:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Soon we will all be discussing how it's too hot outside, I can almost hear it already. Happy April, by the way. I'm going to share today about a protein antioxidant that your body produces called Glutathione. It seems this protein in sufficient levels in your body may play a role in preventing a number of health disorders: Alzheimers, Arthritis, Asthma, Autism, Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, Strokes and other Psychiatric Disorders. That pretty much sums up all the things you don't want to take place in your body. So lets learn a little more about this powerful little protein antioxidant.

This protein has been called the "master antioxidant" because our own bodies produce it and other antioxidants cannot function properly without sufficient levels of it available in your body. It helps your body clean out toxins, slows aging, boosts energy and protects from viruses and bacteria. White blood cells, which are key to fighting disease and infections can only be created with the right levels of glutathione present in the body.

So if this protein is so powerful why do ever get sick? Well just like other nutrients and biochemical substances the levels can drop due to poor diet, smoking, lack of exercise, not enough sleep and exposure to toxins. So where can you find glutathione? It can be found in raw vegetables, meat, milk and eggs. The key word is raw, so heating destroys it which is main drawback to getting adequate amounts through cooked food. You can purchase glutathione supplements but taking it orally may not provide much benefit, as it is poorly absorbed through the digestive tract and most of it goes out as waste. As a result of these problems scientists have changed their focus from supplements to developing nutritional products that provide the building blocks for your body to create it's own glutathione.

Take Control - March 31, 2011

2011-04-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Another month flown by! I am pretty happy that April is beginning tomorrow, the grass is getting greener and soon the little buds will be sprouting on the tree branches. What a great time of year. All this new growth all around us has inspired us to begin something new at Roscoe Chiropractic as well. It's always good to keep shifting and moving toward a higher goal so in light of that idea we are introducing our Health Commitment Program.

We encourage you to inquire about it and talk to Dr. Chris to see if it would be a good fit for you and your family. We will have brochures available upon request to explain the pricing and details for you! What are you committed to? Think about it and give us a call.

Ok...I know how much you love it when I talk about exercise and nutrition so I'm going to write about it again! I promise, I write about it as much for myself as for any of you. These are all things I need to put into practice as well! It's important not to let our bodies control us, but for us to take control of our bodies! I'll list three steps to attaining this goal of controlling our bodies, yes, just three but they're all very important.

Step One: Diet and Nutrition.

Diet is not just about creating a caloric deficit (burning more calories than you eat) but also about increasing your intake of quality protein, good carbohydrates (veggies anyone?), fiber and healthy essential fats and water. The biggie in this one is eating less carbohydrates (NO! I do love potato soup and bread...), but it is recommended to have less than 150 grams daily and then eating more protein. This is recommended especially if you want a body that functions at a high level and looks lean. You'll also need a good multi-vitamin or mineral supplement as well (Standard Process' Catalyn is wonderful, ask Doc!). One way to help control what you eat is to keep a food diary. If you are diligent with keeping it you'll become far more aware of what goes into your mouth, including liquids! Many of us forget to take into consideration the types of things we drink when it's these liquids that often ruin our diets!

Step Two: Resistance Training

Key word here is Resting Metabolic Rate which is largely a function of how much muscle you have on your body and how hard it works. Simply bumping up cardio for a while to lose weight isn't going to accomplish much because you must add activities that burn calories, promote/maintain muscle mass and elevate your metabolism. This means working every muscle group. So this isn't just taking a jog and walking around on your lunch break it's about weight training. Muscle is an active tissue that requires calories to maintain and burns calories when it's working (this is a good thing!). Studies show that people who weight train lose more fat than those who diet and perform long bouts of (boring) aerobics only.

Step Three: High Intensity Interval Training

Something better than steady state running for three or four miles at a time is running short 15 second high speed sprints. For example run full out for 15 seconds, walk for 30 seconds and sprint again for 15 seconds, repeating ten times. The idea is not to overdo it or make yourself feel sick, but to push yourself to a level where you can complete this exercise and then bump up the time from 15 seconds to 20 and so on. The purpose in this kind of exercise is to burn more calories and increase what is called "Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption" (EPOC). This means that regardless of how long you have exercised that you'll continue to burn calories hours after you've completed your workout - up to 38 hours, research suggests! So that means if you've trained from 9am to 10am on Monday morning, you're still burning calories (without further training) at midnight on Tuesday! That's what I like to hear.

We want to help all of you attain this kind of fitness here at RCC. We are here to promote total health, not just spinal health, so have a chat with Dr. Chris about how we can help guide you into a commitment to your total health!

Have a great week!

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

No Stress Zone - March 24, 2011

2011-03-31T10:37:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

With this month Marching to it's end some out there might be feeling some of the stress associated with tax time. I'm going to outline some ways to combat those sometimes overwhelming feelings of stress.

1. Walk it off - Taking a walk has many physical and mental health benefits. It's a great opportunity to relax, enjoy the fresh air and either forget about your stress or process it with a clear mind. Often times stress isn't even caused by a particular situation but by a sense of being trapped by the situation. A walk is a chance for escape plus the endorphins that are released with the physical activity help relieve stress as well.

2. Talk about it - Stress becomes most damaging when we keep it to ourselves. Sometimes talking about why you feel stressed will help you gain perspective on the situation. Just being understood a little better can help alleviate some of the feelings.

3. Distract yourself - The power of stress comes from being consumed by thoughts about how stressed you are. Find a true distraction, something that forces you to be actively thinking about something else. Try a baseball game, a good comedy or book.

4. Deal with it - Don't let the mole hill turn into a mountain. If you deal with the issue that is stressing you out it will be eliminated as a source of stress. Here are a few simple rules for dealing with stress before it stresses you out. a) Recognize when you're stressed; don't ignore it or pretend you're "fine" b) Understand why you're stressed; identify the source. c) Find a way to reduce stress (or eliminate it) by finding ways to manage it.

5. Find the positives - Think of stress as an opportunity to make changes, explore creative solutions that will not only ease your stress but reduce the chance for it to return.

With these things in mind also remember that regular chiropractic adjustments can help eliminate stress, making you feel more relaxed. Being stressed out causes shoulders and neck to tighten and constrict causing headache and backache. Having regular adjustments will prevent your neck and back from getting locked up and causing you more stress due to pain and tension.

I hope everyone is doing great! Take care and stay healthy!
Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Benefits of Stretching - March 17, 2011

2011-03-25T06:33:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

It's coming back into that time of year when even the people who don't usually exercise start getting more active. I couldn't be happier about the prospect of taking walks on my lunch breaks again. After several months of inactivity or at least less activity than normal I wanted to share some information about stretching. I know I've believed some common misconceptions regarding healthy stretching before activity.

For decades it's been standard to believe that stretching the body before physical activity was key to increasing flexibility, avoiding injury and improving athletic performance. This is actually based on a lot of assumptions and very little actual research on the topic. In an article that was published in The Physician and Sport Medicine two doctors reviewed over 60 studies related to issues involving stretching and showed there were contradictions. The conclusion that was reached was that stretching may provide substantial benefits if used under appropriate conditions.

What does that mean? Well there are different kinds of stretching and they should be used in the right conditions before or after certain activities. There are too many kinds of stretching to list but there are some techniques that fall under the following categories

1. Dynamic Stretching - This involves moving your whole body while engaging in stretching techniques. An example would be walking while swinging a leg up to your mid section, holding it for a second and then release and repeat with the other leg. Some studies suggest dynamic stretching is best conducted before engaging in physical activity.

2. Static Stretching - The goal with static stretching is to stretch the muscle to it's farthest point without causing pain. You generally hold a static stretch for 30 seconds. If the area is stiff you can increase that to 60 seconds. These types of stretches are best done after physical activity.

3. Ballistic Stretching - These are bouncing stretches. The research on this type of stretching has been mixed. Some believe it can put you at risk of pulling muscles. This type of stretching is not as familiar but there is an advanced system called proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation or PNF. This involves contracting specific muscle groups using resistance. It seems to activate muscles more quickly than other types of stretching. Due to it's advanced technique it's best done first with a health care professional who has expertise in the area.

So there you have it. Here is to good weather and better weather to come!

Try Tea instead of that Venti Mocha Latte the size of your head -- March 10, 2011

2011-03-17T08:50:00.001-07:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

March it seems is the consistently the most inconsistent month of the year for weather. Here is to hoping you are all tolerating this back and forth month with a positive attitude. I think we're all ready for spring to be sprung. I just want to thank all of you who read these messages for taking an interest in your health and for trusting us with your care. Stay tuned for some exciting new things to come at RCC.

Because today is on the chilly side and a nice cup of hot tea is perfect for warming that cold in your bones feeling, I'm going to share some interesting information about some health benefits of tea. The main and most well known benefit of tea is it's high concentration of antioxidants. Antioxidants are powerful molecules that can defend your body against attack from disease. Black and green tea have as much as TEN times the amount of antioxidants than fruits and vegetables!

More large scale study certainly needs to be done, but tea has been touted for it's health benefits from the time it was first cultivated hundreds of years ago. Some of the benefits include reducing cholesterol to helping prevent cancer. A study from Sweden followed the dietary habits of 60,000 women over 15 years revealed that those who drank two cups of tea daily cut their risk of ovarian cancer by 46%!

Some other research on green tea shows some promising evidence for treating breast cancer. Green tea contains a powerful antioxidant called EGCG. In the study this antioxidant was shown to slow the progression of cancer cell growth and tumor size was trimmed by 68% and there is speculation that this green tea antioxidant may inhibit blood supply to the tumors and prevent the spread of cancerous cells.

In other areas such as brain health, this tea may also help reduce the incidence of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, not to mention the great benefits to the musculoskeletal system. It can help to soothe joint inflammation and reduce cartilage degeneration.

Though green tea has gotten most of the research other teas are also revealing their health potential. Black tea demonstrates hope for treating type 2 diabetes. A study found that specific polysaccharides, a type of carbohydrate might be effective at reducing blood sugar. Black tea might also help prevent stroke. These are all things that would need much more study!

One drawback that people find with tea is the caffeine content. The good news is that removing the caffeine to make decaffeinated tea does not affect the level of antioxidants! Some tips on brewing your tea and which to choose; black teas should be steeped at least 5 minutes because their antioxidant properties take longer to release, herbal teas which contain flowers, herbs and roots while beneficial in other ways are not actually tea and are not as high in antioxidants. Lastly, drink your tea clear, adding cream or milk may dampen it's health benefits.

I don't know if it's because I lived in the UK and they are notorious for their tea consumption, but I love tea! If you haven't, try tea instead of coffee filled with sugar and creamers and drink a cup of black or green tea.

Have a great week everyone!!

Texting = stomach ache? - March 3, 2011

2011-03-03T08:58:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Spring begins this month! This is something to celebrate. Thank you everyone for referring in your friends and family in February, we have a nice donation of oatmeal to take to the food pantry. Remember you are welcome to bring in any donations and we will happily take them to the food pantry if you can't get them there yourself. Keep your eyes on our website for any new specials and for information on our Featured Supplement from Standard Process. I also encourage you all to share your testimony about chiropractic. We will be putting them up on the website. Encourage others to seek help just by sharing how you have been helped.

Today I wanted to share some information on posture. The relationship between the brain, the spinal cord and organ function is very closely tied. The most common form of bad posture results in what is called forward head posture. This can be caused by several things including car accident, forceps delivery at birth, sporting accidents and also our societies habit of sitting slumped in front of a TV or a computer or constantly staring down at a phone while texting.

This forward head posture eliminates the backward curve in your neck and forces your upper back and shoulders to compensate for holding up the weight of your head. The human head weighs at least 8 pounds (Jerry Maguire quote anyone?) and with every inch it is held out in front of the body it adds ten pounds of added pressure on your back and shoulders. This in turn forces the vertebrae out of alignment and puts pressure on the nerves in your neck as they travel through the spinal cord. Those nerves control the function of a variety of organs in your body. Some possible complications include stomach issues, headache and problems breathing.

So what can be done, you ask? Simple, gentle chiropractic adjustments will correct this forward head posture and relive the stress on your shoulders, upper back and realign the vertebrae to hold the head in the correct position over your shoulders. I speak from experience on this issue because my neck did not have the proper curve in it when I started seeing Dr. Chris and this caused my headaches and probably a lot of my nausea issues, both of which I no longer struggle with.

If you have further questions please feel free to contact us via this email address or on our contact page at the website.

Stay healthy and happy this week!

Balanced Eating - February 24, 2011

2011-03-03T08:57:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Another day closer to spring! I'm trying to stay positive on this gray February morning. As I sit here wondering why I thought a glass of orange juice was a good breakfast, I found an article on balanced eating. It has some great pictures of really yummy looking food, so I think I'm going to share from this article today and perhaps actually take some of my own "advice".

What does it mean to eat a balanced diet? Well first things first "our food needs to give us energy now, it needs to provide building blocks for repair, and allow us to store energy for later". The parts of the food that provide those things are carbohydrates for immediate energy, proteins for the repair, and fats for our stored energy. Eating balanced means you take in the right amount of nutrients for optimal functioning.

Unbalanced eating is when you have too much of some nutrients and not enough of the others. For example a bagel would be considered calorie dense and nutrient light. Most of the nutrients are from carbohydrates. It's important that we get the right amount of all the necessary nutrients from the calories we eat.

Here are five ways to help ensure you are eating balanced and healthy.
1. Pay attention to what you eat.
2. Make sure every grain you eat is a whole grain.
3. Eat a fruit and vegetable with every meal.
4. Look at labels - anything that is off the charts for any of the nutrients listed above, put it back.
5. Buy fresh and local as much as possible.

Well I think when I leave work today I'm going to the grocery store. Mostly cause I'm hungry (which might make it a bad idea) but I want to try out these tips. Check with me later to see how I succeeded. Everyone have a great week! Stay healthy and share with me how you implemented some of this into your diet! For more information read March 2011 To Your Health!

Displaced Public Outcry - February 17th 2011

2011-02-22T09:02:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Don't you love the Midwest? A blizzard and deep freeze one week and 50 degrees the next. Keeps us on our toes. Though I do have to say I prefer the 50 degrees and I'm not 100% sure but I don't think I'm alone in that preference. Ok so big news here, dun dada daaaaaaaah, Roscoe Chiropractic presents to you their brand new website www.roscoechiro.com! Everything is up and running, so I encourage all of you to just take a quick click tour through it and send me a little note back here with any feedback you have on it. We want this to be the best website possible for our wonderful patients.

We are still running our February special for Heart Health Month, so tell your friends and family not to wait until the last minute because February will be gone before we know it! $10 worth of Oatmeal and those exams and x-rays are free. Can't beat a deal like that! (discounts not applicable for Medicare, a/a or w/c -- I have to say it.)

OK so today I wanted to share with you some interesting albeit slightly disturbing statistics about the medical profession, MD's in particular. The purpose of this is not to scare anyone but to draw to light the lack of action on the public's part in relation to these numbers. This statistical information is pulled originally from the Nov 2010 USA Today. It deals with patients who die on an average day from medical "adverse events". First let us outline what is included in a medical "adverse event", things like: letting infections develop, giving the wrong medication to a patient or administering too much of the correct medicine.

This study was completed by the Health and Human Services Department and it states that 180,000 patients die every year from these "events" stated above. Break that down and it equals 493 deaths a day, 20 an hour or a fatality every 3 minutes.

To put the numbers in perspective they also state death tolls from the Iraqi war at 713 deaths a year or about 2 a day; death tolls from auto accidents at 33,808 a year or 92 deaths a day due to car accident fatality; fatalities from firearms at 34,428 a year or about 93 a day.

The purpose of looking at these numbers is now to consider the highly public protection measures that have been taken and are currently in place for the last three: Anti-war and outrage over military deaths, gun-control and huge debate over the legality of gun ownership, and of course MADD, SADD and DADD (All the anti-drunk driving campaigns). These are all completely valid organizations, protection measures and campaigns for awareness! It just seems that one has slipped through the cracks here...and it must be a crack the size of the San Andreas Fault because how else could 500 deaths a day go unnoticed by the activists who live to bring this stuff to public's attention? I mean this was written about in USA Today and yet we still don't see the same level of outrage as we would if say, a jumbo jet crashed every day killing all 500 people aboard. Airlines would get shut down if that happened and yet hospitals and other medical facilities seem to just float right by without mention.

I understand that mistakes happen and we're all human, but there has to be some level of accountability on this, some measure taken to address this massive number of deaths every day. It's almost as if, we see these statistics and we are numbed to the fact that this is human life being taken prematurely and in error. We are outraged by the death of a little girl from a stray bullet but we almost sit back in acceptance if she is accidentally killed with an incorrect dosage of medication while in the hospital. Motive is one thing and of course MD's and nurses are there to help us, but they still must be held accountable as a whole for such an outrageous amount of accidental deaths while in their care.

Let's end on a high note here in stating the fact that chiropractic doesn't even have statistics that list deaths per year, because there have been no instances that someone has died as a direct result of an adjustment. Interestingly though, there have been quite a lot of public anti-chiropractic campaigns. I know, hard to believe there would be an anti-chiropractic campaign! It seems the public's outcry is a little displaced at times so I just wanted to bring some of this to our attention to put things in perspective.

If you want to weigh in with your opinion on this please do! Doctor Chris was particularly interested in this topic so feel free to start a dialog! Have a great week everyone!

Make a change, you won't regret it! - February 10, 2011

2011-02-10T09:04:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Brrrrr! I do make a concentrated effort to stay positive on the things I cannot change, like this deep freeze weather but I have to say, wow, I can't wait for it to warm up, even a little. My car was NOT happy this morning, but I got here. :) So I hope everyone is staying warm today! I have very exciting news to share, we are going to be rolling out our new website sometime in the next couple days! The plan is to go "live" today but having never published a website before I don't know the exact process but I want ALL of you out there to take a minute over the next few days and check it out. Not only do I want you to check it out, I want FEEDBACK! We want this site to be as helpful as possible so please let us know if it is difficult to navigate, if anything is missing from the old site that you liked or if anything is unclear or not showing up quite right so that we can fix it asap! The web address is www.roscoechiro.com, understand that if you click it right now (Thursday at 10am) you will be taken to our old site. The new site is far more colorful and expressive (at least that's what I think..ha ha). So write back here or stop in and let us know anything you want to tell us about the new site whether it's advice on changes or just telling us you like what we've done.

Well since I'm so excited about getting Roscoe Chiro's website out of its awful rut, I'm going to share some ways that you can change up your routine to avoid falling into a rut yourself! Here are 8 lifestyle changes that can help you out (taken from Feb. To Your Health)

#1 - Change your mindset - Get out of your comfort zone. We change and grow the most when we are uncomfortable and challenged! Status quo may be safe but it's also very boring. Take a new risk and push yourself a little and you'll find you feel excited and maybe even a little empowered to open your mind to more new things. A great quote from Abraham Lincoln when he said "People are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." How true that is! The next time you are faced with something you usually react to with anger or anxiety take a moment to step back and choose how you will respond instead of the knee-jerk reaction you usually fall into. Responding and reacting are two very different things! Make a choice and take control.

#2 - Feed your fitness - Yes. Here it is, it's generally on every list I write about. How you feel is directly related to how well you take care of your body! But as we know from last week, even a LITTLE bit of exercise (as little as 7 minutes a week!) can have a good effect on your health and ultimately your attitude.

#3 - Explore new ideas - Do you have a hobby? Yes, you should share it with others! Join a club or group that shares your passions. If you don't have a hobby then find something you'd be interested in trying and push yourself a little. Meeting new people and partaking in new things can really shift your outlook.

#4 - Control the clock - Change your normal routine of going to bed and waking up. Stay up longer or wake up earlier to invest some more time into yourself. Take this extra time to read a book or (in warmer weather) take a walk.

#5 - Make your own map - Do you ever get out of your car at your destination and realize you don't even remember half of the drive? You've driven it so many times you instantly go on autopilot and every stop and turn is mindless. Make a choice to take a new route home or to work. Make a left instead of a right, just change it up so you are actively engaged in where you are going. Plus you never know what you might come across.

#6 - Just say yes - Whenever you feel like saying no to something or someone, just decide to say yes. When we say no it is usually because something is pushing us out of our comfort zone or routine. We pull back because of an underlying sense of fear. Face it and do it anyway.

#7 - Volunteer - Take the focus off of you and put it on others. The act of giving your time, energy, expertise and friendship to others will change you. You automatically feel more happiness and less stagnation by devoting yourself to others. Even if you don't think you have enough time in your busy life, I highly recommend finding even a little time once a month to make your life less about you and even a little bit about other people who need help. Think about how much time you spend mindlessly in front of the TV every week? Invest even a little of that time into something worthwhile like helping others.

#8 - Try a change of taste - The simple act of changing your food selections can bust you out of a rut. If you order the exact same thing on the menu every time you go somewhere, stop doing that! Make a 180 degree shift in your choices. Food can be an emotional experience because so many of our moments are spent with others around a dinner table. Change up the menu at home at at work.

I think this list is great. In fact it's one of the easiest things to implement. These suggestions are super simple and I believe will help get you out of the mindless routine and back into a life that is filled with new choices and perhaps new friendships.

Take care friends and stay warm this week!

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Get Moving!

2011-02-03T12:11:00.003-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

I hope everyone has been dug out of their homes and were able to find their vehicles after our little storm this week. We're tough, though, right? Well, February has begun, with a bang and it is Heart Health Month. So in light of this we are collecting heart healthy oatmeal for our new patient specials. Remember if you refer someone you receive a $10 gift certificate to use on your next adjustment (if you aren't medicare, A/A or W/C) or supplies or supplements. So let your friends and family know to bring in $10 worth of oatmeal and they'll get their exam and x-rays for free (yea...unless they are medicare, A/A or W/C). At the end of the month we take all the oatmeal over to the food pantry at Life Church. Feel free to donate any other items if you feel like it.

Well I had an unexpected day off this week and with the weather as it was, I have to say I didn't do much of anything. Winter makes it especially difficult to keep active, I can vouch for that. I wanted to share some information from an article out of To Your Health about how even a little activity can help keep you healthy when compared with a mainly sedentary lifestyle. So many people believe that intense exercise is the only way to make a difference in their health. This isn't true.

One thing many people don't know is that being inactive can be more dangerous to your health than smoking! So lets look at what kind of activity can help.

Cardio - Just making small changes to your lifestyle can have an enormous impact on health. It is recommended that you get in 30 minutes a day. The trick is that this 30 minutes does not have to be all at one time. You can break it down into 10 minutes three times a day. Also simple things like parking at the end of the parking lot and walking a little farther or taking the stairs will help achieve this goal as well. Even if you can't fit a full 30 minutes into your day the good news is you can make a difference with even 7 minutes of exercise a WEEK. Don't get super excited this means the exercise you do must be at a higher intensity. A study showed that only 7 minutes of total exercise per week for two weeks improved insulin action. So the idea in this is that any movement is going to be helpful. Clearly the more the better.

Strength Training - Simple strength exercises with your body weight can be beneficial. The general recommendation is to do 8 to 10 exercises with 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise. This would include things like squats against a wall or a push up against the edge of a table. Start off small and work your way up to more difficult things. There is a common misconception that you have to lift heavy weights in order to see changes in their muscles. Research is showing that high repetition with lower weight is as good, if not better than heavy lifting. So rejoice! Strength training is for everyone.

So now that we have this knowledge we can all be a little more active. Remember 30 minutes a day is ideal, but even as little as 7 minutes a week more than what you currently do, can be beneficial as well. Get up and get moving. :)

Everyone do your best to stay warm now that the blizzard is over and the deep freeze has set in. Think spring!

Take Care and Be Healthy!
Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Heart Health Month - Eat Your Way...

2011-02-03T12:11:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

As I mentioned last week, February is Heart Health Month so we are turning our food donation special toward this goal. You can love your friends and family by referring them in to see Doc Chris and they can in turn love their community by bringing in $10 worth of Oatmeal to receive their exam and x-rays for free. It doesn't get much better than that. February is a short month so we have to get on this more quickly so we can stock up that food pantry at the end of the month!

Today I'm going to share from an article in the new issue of To Your Health. Not everyone loves oatmeal so I'm going to let you know some other heart healthy foods to ensure your diet includes.

1. The Power of Healthy Protein - Sources of protein such as poultry, fish and nuts is associated with a decreased risk of coronary heart disease when compared with more servings of red meat.

2. Watermelon - Bring on summer and with it the watermelon! Watermelon is a rich source of L-citrulline, a compound that is crucial to the formation of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide helps to widen the blood vessels and mediate blood pressure.

3. More Barley = Less Cholesterol - Studies have suggested that fiber can help reduce risk of cardiovascular disease by lowering cholesterol and improving glucose tolerance. Barley is a food rich in beta glucans, a type of soluble fiber.

4. Try a little coffee - Hypertension makes blood vessels less responsive to signals to expand. Based on a study from Greece they analyzed individuals with hypertension and their coffee consumption. Compared with those who rarely drank coffee, those who drank moderate amounts of coffee had a lower prevalence of diabetes, lower prevalence of high cholesterol, lower body mass index, lower prevalence of cardiovascular disease and higher values of aortic distensibility (or stretched under pressure).

5. Treat Yourself to Chocolate - Dark chocolate that is. Dark Chocolate is rich in antioxidant compounds, particularly flavonoids and studies have shown the beneficial effect on blood pressure and endothelial function (endothelial is the interior lining of the blood vessels).

That isn't so bad. I'll take them up on the dark chocolate and watermelon for sure. Maybe watermelon dipped in dark chocolate? Ok, well I hope everyone is enjoying the snow globe outside! Have a healthy week and don't forget to tell your friends to bring in that oatmeal!

Be well,
Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Surgery - Is it to be? or not to be?

2011-01-21T12:32:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Can you believe that January is almost at an end! Where does the time go? A lot is going on here at Roscoe Chiropractic. We are in the middle of revamping our website which is really exciting! If you haven't seen our website I beg you to wait another few weeks and then check it out. It will be worth the wait. We will have all kinds of new features available, such as all new patient forms available to download and print prior to a new patient visit and Doc Chris is even going to film some short educational videos about Chiropractic so I will make sure to give everyone the link when it is finished and published. You''ll even be able to find these emails posted on the new site as well as a link to an archive of all the old emails I've sent since I started. Like I said -- Exciting stuff going on here. :)

Today I was reading some information about chiropractic and back surgery and found some interesting studies that I'd like to share with you. We all know that chiropractic generally stands to avoid surgery if any other options are available. We know that there are situations in which surgery is completely necessary to save a life! It just seems that all too often medical doctors tend to default to surgery as the first answer. A study published in Spine showed a group of people diagnosed with a condition called "burst fracture" (a form of spinal fracture). One half of the group was assigned to a non-surgical conservative form of care and the other half was assigned to undergo a surgical procedure to repair the fracture.

The non-operative care called for the patients to wear a back brace for three months at all times except when bathing. They were to be in a hospital bed at this time until the pain was "controlled". After that they were encouraged to resume daily activities and light sedentary work up to their pain threshold. At the conclusion of the study it showed no significant difference in long term pain relief and improvement in over all function. The most significant difference was that surgery cost four times what the conservative care cost. Not to mention the heightened risk of being under anesthesia and the invasive nature of the procedure.

So it's important if your doctor is encouraging surgery for you that you at least think twice before agreeing. Investigate all your options before choosing surgery. :)

I hope you are all well and healthy this cold week. Enjoy the snow and I hear it's supposed to be negative 10 tonight!

Take care,
Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Healthy Habits - January 6, 2011

2011-01-21T12:29:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Happy 2011! I hope everyone had a safe and happy NYE. Remember for the month of January we are offering 50% off your next adjustment for each person you refer that comes in before January 31st. The referred new patients will also receive their first exam and x-ray free (no discounts for Medicare/Insurance, A/A or W/C, sorry!)

We're at the start of a new year and officially a new decade so I wanted to share some tips on how to increase longevity! Lets all live to see many more new years and decades come.

A short list of the best ways to increase longevity:
1. Not smoking at all or quitting smoking as soon as possible.
2. Healthy diet with a high intake of fruits and vegetables
3. Consistent physical activity in leisure time
4. Maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding obesity
5. Alcohol intake only in moderation
6. Stress reduction / controlling anger and anxiety.

There you have the short list on increasing your life span. Talk about some new year's goals! Pick one that seems to affect you the most and take some strides toward it this year!

Have a great week and come in to visit us soon getting adjusted is a great part of staying healthy!

Take care,
Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Notes from a Small Breakfast - December 30, 2010

2011-01-21T12:28:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

It's been a couple of weeks! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Holiday. I have to say the snow on Christmas Eve was just perfect. Christmas Eve and Day are about the only times I'm actually thrilled to see it snow for a whole day. I have a few updates for the New Year the first one being that our rates are going to change ever so slightly. Medicare/Insurance patients who currently pay $25 will change to $27 and all other patients who currently pay $37 will change to $38. Medicare/Insurance patients are also required to have an updated x-ray in their file yearly due to changes in Medicare policy. Dr. Chris will remind you of this on your first visit back in 2011.

In light of the New Year Dr. Chris and myself wanted to thank all of you so much for your trust in 2010. As a thank you we wanted to extend to you a New Year special. For every new patient you refer in the month of January we will discount a January adjustment by 50%. The new patient will also receive their exam and x-rays for free. This will last until January 31, 2011. I apologize but I will not be able to discount for Medicare/Insurance, A/A or W/C patients. Also, keep your eyes open for news about our website. We are going to be revamping it in the coming weeks!

Because of the amount of other news I will keep the remainder of this short and sweet, as the title suggests it is merely a note (If you can name the Bill Bryson book I borrowed the title format from, I'll be very impressed.) Ok, so we have all heard that we should never skip breakfast because it's the most important meal of the day. How many of us completely ignore it most mornings? Yes, I'm guilty of it as well. This is some information from a study that was conducted and I think the results could change your view on grabbing that bagel before you walk out the door.

Excuses for skipping breakfast range from "I'm too busy", "I don't have time", to "It's too early" and "I'm just not hungry in the morning". The results of starving yourself further after a long night of not eating go far beyond reduced mental alertness and lack of energy. In the study, children ages 9-15 reported whether they ate breakfast before school; skipping the meal was defined as not eating between 6am and 9am. Years later when the study participants were 26-36 years old, the researchers asked the same question to discern whether the practice of skipping breakfast had carried on into adulthood. The practice of not breaking their fast (notice the interesting origins for our first meal's title) increased the likelihood of having larger waist circumference and higher fasting insulin and higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and higher total cholesterol in adulthood compared with consistent breakfast eaters.

Moral of the story, grab something to eat in the morning even if it's on the run. Prepare the night before if you always run out of time. It'll pay off in the future.

Happy New Year everyone. If you have any questions or concerns about anything in this email. Please feel free to call the office at 815.623.8000 or stop in to see us. We will be open in the AM on Dec. 31st and then resume regular hours the first week in January. Be safe and smart this weekend.

Take Care,
Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Lessons for Beginning an Exercise Program - December 9, 2010

2011-01-21T12:27:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

As Dr. Chris has been singing this week -- It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Only two weeks away with weather that feels like February, it somehow still doesn't quite seem like it should be winter, let alone Christmas. Either way, I hope everyone is either enjoying or tolerating the weather shift well. Things are looking Christmasy in the office and we're started on our Pancake Pandemonium special which is only the second month in a line of food themed specials that I get to come up with annoyingly alliterative names for. :)

Today I want to share some lessons for beginning an exercise regime. I know how motivated we all are to exercise in 7 degree weather so this seemed fitting (I hope everyone gets my humor).

Lesson one: Set goals for your program. Are you trying to lose weight, gain strength, or train for a sport? Are your joints stiff, do you have pain or weakness? Figure out what you want to accomplish and then it will be easier to know where to start. If you are trying to loosen up stiff joints but you don't do any exercises that address that you won't see any results and will likely lose motivation. So set a goal and plan accordingly.

Lesson two: Exercise should have three clear phases. Begin with 5 to 10 minutes of warm-ups. A warm-up is not the same thing as stretching. Warm-ups mean doing low-intensity range of motion exercises that increase your body temperature. This can include walking back and forth, moving the arms and legs or a slow, steady ride on a bicycle. Phase 2 is the exercise itself, strengthening, aerobic training etc. Phase 3 is a cool down phase, which can include stretching. You should never stretch cold muscles. Research shows that overstretching in the beginning without a proper warm up can actually cause injury.

Lesson three: The type of exercise is just as important as the three phases. Try to incorporate different types of programs, such as stretching, strength training, balance training, and aerobic conditioning. They all affect the joints and the body in different ways.

Lesson four: There can be some discomfort when you begin an exercise program so take precautions to begin slowly and not injure yourself. Your body's response to exercise can be different from day to day but you should never feel pain. If you feel sharp or sudden pain you should adjust the exercise, decrease intensity, find a more comfortable position or discuss it with your health care professional. If the pain you feel lasts longer than two hours after exercise or if you experience swelling or weakness then you may have overdone it. Ensure that you ice after your workouts to decrease any swelling.

Lesson five: If you are focusing on stretching as your program, choose a time of day when you are generally less stiff or have less pain. When stretching, make sure you hold the position 10 to 30 seconds. Thirty seconds is optimal since it takes this long for the muscle to actually relax. To get better use of your stretching, take a warm shower or apply moist heat to the area prior to stretching.

Make sure to visit our office to find out the other 5 lessons for beginning an effective exercise program. You'll find the information in the November issue of To Your Health.

Take care this week and be safe on the roads and sidewalks.

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Natural Flu Fighting Strategy - November 18, 2010

2011-01-21T12:26:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Happy Thanksgiving! I will not be sending an email next Thursday (I know, sad, right?) so I will wish everyone a wonderful holiday this week. :) I have some somber news - It turns out Michelle, the new massage therapist, is unable to stay with us. We were all really excited to have her here, but sometimes details just can't be worked out. So I'm really sorry to say that we are once again, massage therapist-less. Dr. Chris is always keeping his eyes open for someone else to come in that will hopefully work out for the long term, but in the meantime please accept our apology for the lapse. On the upside, we are still running our FANTASTIC special for new patients. Macaroni Madness has been a success thus far, so keep on telling your friends and lets get a monster amount of macaroni to take to the food pantry at the end of the month!

Ok ok, I don't want to claim any season as being owned by a sickness (aka "flu season") but the information I have for you today might open some eyes as to why the flu likes to pop up its ugly head at this time of year. Ok, I am going to share potentially shocking news with you, I have NEVER had a flu shot. I have not gotten the flu since I can remember. So while we are generally encouraged to get immunized, it's not always necessary. There are some natural ways to boost your immune system but first lets learn a little about it. Studies have shown that Vitamin D is an important modulator of immune function. So we all agree that influenza seems to hit in colder months; what is a possible reason for this? The most readily available source of vitamin D is sunlight. In colder months we are getting less sunlight for several reasons: it's too cold to stay outside long, our normal daylight hours are shortened, and when we are outside we are so bundled up that the sun doesn't even see our skin. So this results in a reduction of blood levels of vitamin D which in turn affects the immune systems function.

So the obvious answer to this is to take a supplement for vitamin D during the winter months. Dr. Chris offers Standard Process products which are whole food supplements and thus are far better for you than most of what you find in the pharmacy. Vitamin D's affect on immunity is as follows: Vitamin D in a cell stimulates the expression of potent antimicrobial peptides (huh?) - Antimicrobial is something that prevents the growth of bacteria or viruses, so these little peptides help fight off illness. These peptides live in white blood cells and the epithelial cells that line the respiratory tract (your lungs and bronchial tubes). So as you can see, if the germ fighting peptides are encouraged by the boost of vitamin D they help to keep the flu out of your lungs and respiratory system, which is a very good thing. :)

Vitamin D does so much more for your immune system. If you're interested in reading the rest of this article it's in the October issue of To Your Health and we have it here in the office. Dr. Chris and I will be in next week, regular hours on Monday and Wednesday and shortened hours on Friday. So don't hesitate to call or stop in. Enjoy our fairly mild weather for this time of the year (hey, no snow!) and remember to be thankful for all the good things in your life.

Take care and be well.

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Top Ten Whole Food - November 4, 2010

2011-01-21T12:25:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Welcome to November. I'm not complaining, I have to say this is the best start to a November I've experienced in recent memory. I wanted to encourage everyone to let their friends and family know about our Macaroni Madness special. If they bring in $10 worth of Macaroni products (it can be the dollar general brand, we don't mind.) they'll receive their first exam and x-rays free. That's a great deal and then at the end of the month we donate the food to the Life Church food pantry and help feed some families in need. If you want to bring in something other than macaroni we encourage all food donations at this time. :)

Today I want to outline some great whole foods to incorporate into your weekly meals.

1. Anything Fresh - It's difficult to eat fresh food with our busy lives but it's important because the over-processed foods we tend to gravitate toward rarely contain any nutrients. Fresh food contains a complete array of nutrients. Even in winter you can find root vegetables, apples and pumpkins to provide the nutrition boost you need.

2. Beets - Ok, my first thought is "blech!" but seriously here is an interesting fact: Beets were one of the most successful crops in the Biosphere project. If you don't remember what that is, it was a project that simulated living on the moon. If you had to pick one veggie to take with you, you'd do well to take the beet. The roots and leaves are packed with antioxidant phytochemicals, and they provide much-needed minerals and vitamins and are a good source of fiber.

3. Rye - Obesity stats suggest much of the population could use some help with battling the scale. Rye has an excellent reputation for helping us feel full, it produces a low insulin response and is typically a good source of fiber. It's a rich source of minerals too, but watch out as many "rye" breads can be a mix of different flour sources, so make sure the brand you get consists of whole grains in general and rye in particular.

4. Organic Berries - These little gems appear to support healthy arteries, cognition, inflammation and eyesight. Many studies have found a benefit from drinking cranberry or blueberry juice for prevention of urinary tract infections. Watch out for juices though as many are sugar and water and actually contain little to no juice. Also eat the berries alone, in your cereal, or in a smoothie. Eat organic berries when you can and when you can't, rinse your berries well. Even frozen they can contain pesticide residue and that's not good for anyone.

5. Fermented foods - This means foods that provide "good" bacteria (probiotics). The human body needs bacteria and these foods help our little native colonies out. Foods in this category include, miso, yogurt and sauerkraut.

6. Legumes - Beans! Adding beans, lentils or peas to our diet can be one way to provide our bodies with protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. A good substitute for meat-based protein, beans can help support our drive for heart health and the fiber and protein also help in our weight-management goals.

7. Cruciferous Vegetables - Broccoli, radishes, the dreaded brussel sprout and cabbage are all members of this family of veggies. They are especially rich in phytochemicals which are responsible for the veggies spicy or pungent flavors and they help the body's detoxification processes. These chemicals also seem to affect the body's ability to respond to free radicals.

8. Organic Figs - Fresh or dried these are high in fiber, potassium and manganese. Figs can help support heart health and weight management programs. They're great on their own as dessert or a snack and they make a great addition to a salad too. Choose the organic ones though, especially if you're sensitive to sulfites.

9. Fatty Fish - In this case, fat is good. Cold water fish (like salmon and sardines) contain a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids that have a host of health benefits. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults should eat two, 3-oz servings a week.

10. Whatever you don't eat now - Variety is important. Its easy to get stuck in a food rut. So instead of eating yogurt and cherries as a snack every day, try oatmeal and blueberries? Or whole-grain rye bread and an apple? Buying a farm share or visiting a farmer's market can be a good way to try new veggies. The more colorful the food is the more rich and varient the nutrients are for the body.

The information for this email was taken from an article in the November issue of To Your Health. I hope everyone is well and having a good week. Enjoy your weekend!!

Take care,

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

What is Wellness? - October 28, 2010

2011-01-21T12:24:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

I've missed you! I apologize for the lack of communication the last couple weeks! We've been busy around here getting all sorts of new and fun things going for all of you. For starters we now have a massage therapist. Her name is Michelle and she'll be starting Monday (Nov. 1st). She'll be in 9-7 on Mondays and 9-2 Wednesdays and Fridays. She's already offering a special for all of you, $5 off your first massage in November. What a gal, right?! So you're welcome to call the office to set up an appointment with her or inquire about her pricing.

With National Chiropractic Month coming to a close (where did the month go?!) we are doing something way cool and community minded from here on out. All of you out there who like to refer your friends and family to us (thank you, you rock!!) let them know that for the month of November if they bring in $10 worth of Macaroni products (any sort of mac n cheese or pasta in general) they will receive their exam and x-rays for free! The best part of this is not that Dr. Chris and I will have a macaroni feast, but that we donate the food to the food pantry at Life Church! How awesome is that?! So send all your friends and family in with that macaroni and not only help them, but help your community at the same time. The Life Church food pantry serves families from the whole Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois area. We'll be focusing on different foods each month, but this will be a continuing special we'll offer for new patients. We welcome and encourage any food donations!

Thanks for hanging in there through all that. Now for the "meat" of the message. Today I'm going to pull some information from an edition of "To Your Health". We all hear about "wellness" and how we should all have a "wellness plan". What exactly does that mean and how can Dr. Chris help you achieve it? So what is "wellness"? Many people think the absence of symptomatic disease means they are well, but true wellness is more than that. If you're sick and take medicine to mask the symptoms, it doesn't mean you're well, it just means the symptoms aren't there anymore. The root cause of the problem hasn't been addressed, and you likely aren't any better off than when you started. For example, if you have high cholesterol and take medication to regulate it, it may work, but it doesn't address why you had high cholesterol in the first place. So simply not having a symptom doesn't mean you living a life of wellness.

Think of wellness in terms of promoting health and preventing disease. They should go together. You don't want to wait until symptoms appear - back pain, poor digestion, fatigue etc. - or a disease process takes hold (diabetes, cancer) and then react; you want to be pro-active and engage in behavior that promotes health and reduces the risk of even developing the disease in the first place.

What is the difference between medical and wellness care? The biggest difference between mainstream medicine and wellness care is in the title -- medicine. Medical professional's today are generally treating symptoms instead of the cause of the problem. The bigger problem lies with the fact that medicines usually begin to create a whole list of their own symptoms that need to be treated with more medicine! This is a domino effect that leads into illness and dependence instead of health. Dr. Chris on the other hand recognizes that symptoms are there for a reason, it's an alert from your body that something isn't right, and then he can begin to seek out the cause of the problem.

So what are the top 5 truths about wellness care?
5. Symptoms are not the problem, but an alert. They shouldn't be silenced.
4. The body has an inborn ability to restore itself and will adapt to outside stressors, whether they are physical, emotional or chemical. When these stressors become too much the body wears down trying to maintain balance.
3. Wellness practitioners do not diagnose or treat conditions and diseases, but instead identify and remove outside stressors.
2. Wellness care focuses on improving function rather than hiding symptoms.
1. Doctors of Chiropractic recognize the value of preventative care compared to symptoms based care. With regular adjustments, spinal health is maintained which in turn encourages proper nervous system function and that allows the whole body to function at its best!

Check out this issue of "To Your Health", it'll be in the office, there are tons more interesting articles available! Keep your eyes on our slideshows when you visit the office you'll find not only interesting information on health and chiropractic but also news on what's going on in the office as well.

Take care this week and be healthy!

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Fatigued? - October 7, 2010

2011-01-21T12:23:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

As school has started back up and fall schedules have gone back into full swing many of us are finding that we're somehow busier now than we were in summer. Seems hard to fathom. Busy schedules can prevent you from really taking care of yourself. If you find you're feeling overly fatigued on a regular basis this information is for you, if not...then share with a friend. ;)

Here are some tips to help fight the fatigue!

1. Rest
When was the last time you got 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep? Been a while? It's a shame because adequate sleep is one of the most effective ways to help your body recover and regenerate from the stressors of life. Not getting enough sleep can affect your endocrine (hormone) system, alters cellular regeneration and impairs optimum hormone function. Research has found that lack of sleep decreases growth hormone which can in turn increase age related illnesses. Sleep deprivation also may have a dampening effect on the secretion of thyroid stimulating hormone and increase blood levels of cortisol, especially during the afternoon and evening. These elevated cortisol levels are related to stress related illness, insulin resistance and memory impairment.

2. Exercise
Sounds counter-intuitive doesn't it...if you're tired, you should exercise. It's actually a great way to combat fatigue. It increases your energy as long as you don't push yourself so much that you send your body into a state of overtraining and more fatigue. Exercise increases the metabolic hormones, growth hormones, and testosterone which helps to maintain lean muscle. The more lean muscle you have the faster your metabolism works and the less fatigued you feel.

3. Maintain your schedule
Don't put off tomorrow what you can accomplish today. Get organized and make a plan of action to complete your tasks. Procrastination leads to mental stress and anxiety. It's the dread of anticipation that can take it out of you every day. To help, make a list of the top 5 things to do before noon every day. Whatever you want to do the least should be at the top of the list and completed immediately so it's out of the way.

4. Eat
Eating frequently helps maintain normal blood sugar levels, preventing energy crashes. If you wait too long between eating your insulin levels spike and your body goes on a hormonal roller-coaster. You'll feel surges of energy and sudden crashes. Try eating several small meals regularly throughout the day or three meals with two snacks in between. Don't wait much more than three hours between meals. Breakfast sets the tone for your metabolism each day so it's important not to skip eating in the morning. Limit simple carbs and processed foods as they're known to cause mood swings from blood sugar changes.

5. Liquids
Dehydration leads to thirst. This has a negative effect on the body's chemistry and takes your system about 24 hours to recover. This stress can fatigue your adrenal glands and neuromuscular system. There is also a decrease in the absorption of nutrients from food. So just keep water in front of you all day to remind yourself to drink it regularly instead of waiting until you feel thirsty.

We've covered these topics before but never in the context of fatigue. So I hope this can help you pull out of a fatigue cycle you might be in. Take care this week and stay healthy.

Remember this month is National Chiropractic Month and we're offering free exam and x-rays for all new patients! If Chiropractic has helped you in any way, share it! Also, starting November 1st we will have a massage therapist in the office so check back for more details on her hours and pricing!!

Take care!
Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Exercise and Fitness Myths Debunked - September 30, 2010

2011-01-21T12:21:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Have you ever heard the phrase "No pain, no gain" in regards to a fitness regime? Well I'm going to dispel this and some other common fitness myths today. This information comes from the August issue of To Your Health we have in the office.

1. The longer you exercise the better your results.

The thought behind this is that the longer you exercise the more weight you'll lose. This would be great except the more you stimulate your body to burn fat the more it produces a hormone called cortisol which causes your body to store more fat as fuel for the long workouts. So it sort of defeats the purpose when all is said and done. The key to optimizing weight loss is to exercise for about 45 minutes per session. You can work out more in one day (who is that ambitious??) but break the sessions up into 45 minute increments.

2. Eat less food and you'll lose more weight.

This is true in general over time, but the idea that if you basically quit eating full meals during the day you'll lose weight is incorrect. The body senses a lack of food and will slow down digestion and tell the body to hold onto fat. Its the hibernation concept, which is not exactly what you're going for in a diet. If you want to lose weight by altering your food intake, just slim down your portion sizes and eat many small meals a day. This optimizes your metabolism so your body will burn more fat even when you're not exercising. A good indicator of a proper portion size, the size of your fist, or eating meals that could fit on a teacup saucer.

3. No pain, no gain

This really depends upon the type of pain you're experiencing. If you have pain that is sharp, stabbing or causes numbness you should talk to a doctor. If you have pain that lasts longer than two days and is dull and aching you should talk to a doctor. With those guidelines in mind any other pain can usually be controlled while you exercise. If you keep the pain level below 50% of what you consider the worst pain possible, you are probably not hurting yourself. This is important, because inactivity won't help you get better either. Chronic conditions are made worse by inactivity because there is no stimulation of circulation to the area. So here is a better phrase "If you don't use it, you'll lose it".

4. Diet pills are effective

If it sounds too good to be true it generally is. Let me explain why diet pills alone rarely work as well as they claim. The basic elements to burn fat are a body temperature of 101 degrees internally, lots of oxygen and various chemicals to allow the process to occur. Heat and oxygen don't come from a pill. It's important to have all these elements present for proper fat burning. Otherwise the chemicals in the pill break down what little they can and then are simply purged from the body through waste. So the key here is that you need the exercise and the sweat in order to benefit fully from the diet pill. If you exercise and take the pills as directed there is a miniscule impact on overall weight loss. There was a study done where some individuals exercised and took a diet pill and the others exercised and used coffee as a stimulant. At the end of the trial there was only a 1% difference in total weight loss after 6 weeks. So I guess depending on where you get your coffee, it might be the cheaper alternative.

There are several more myths outlined in the article if you're interested in finding out more please stop in for a visit! October is National Chiropractic Month and we are featuring a new topic every week for your education. Please share us with a friend this month as new patients will receive a free exam and x-rays! All specials exclude medicare, A/A and W/C.

Take care and have a blessed and healthy week!

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Sublux...what? - September 23, 2010

2011-01-21T12:20:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Today we are going to take it back to basics. I'm going to keep it simple and talk about what subluxation degeneration is and how it affects your health. If you are lost already that's ok, that's why I'm writing this. Subluxation is a term chiropractors use to describe the improper alignment and/or function in a specific area of the spine. This misalignment affects the normal spread of nerve impulses between the brain and the rest of the body. Chiropractic is the ONLY profession that is dedicated to identifying and correcting these misalignments. Lucky for you, you already know a great chiropractor!

Correct alignment of your spine is important for several reasons, first it provides stability for your skeletal structure. It lends balance and flexibility to your frame. Second, the spinal cord is contained within the spine. That collection of nerve fibers and cells connects the brain with the rest of the body. This system monitors and regulates all of your other vital systems! If any of these nerves are misdirected by a subluxation it can wreak havoc on your body. Improper coordination or regulation of any one of these physiological systems can lead to health problems.

Studies have shown that very little pressure or irritation is required to cause a significant impairment to the nerve. Even small amounts of compression or inflammation caused by joint misalignment or damage may produce disease in the local tissues.

There are four phases of subluxation degeneration if left unattended. The fewer phases you have gone through the more readily Dr. Chris will be able to correct and reverse the effects.

Phase One: This phase represents early changes caused by chronic spinal subluxation. IT is characterized by abnormal segmental motion and/or gross changes to the normal posture curves without any degenerative changes that can be picked up on an x-ray. Joints will show changes in tone and early stages of scar tissue.

Phase Two: This stage represents the onset of bone and joint changes that accompany chronic spinal subluxations. The most common signs of degeneration are irregular joint surfaces and decreased disc height.

Phase Three: This point is typically associated with extensive joint and/or disc degeneration accompanied by bone changes (bone spurs) when the body tries to stabalize the area. Early stages of spinal fusion begin to appear.

Phase Four: This phase is characterized by extensive bony fusion that occurs when degenerative changes are left uncorrected for many years. Typically seen in the elderly (65+), it may occur in younger individuals who have experienced severe trauma, infection or surgery.

Fortunately chiropractic has been shown to stop the progression of degenerative changes in most individuals in phases 1-3. The adjustment accomplishes this by re-establishing proper alignment and movement in the affected motion segments of the spine. The abnormal tension is removed from the joints, discs and nerves.

Acute episodes of subluxation can sometimes be alleviated with one adjustment but most spinal conditions require weeks, months or years of regular, consistent care to create total correction. It's important to have Dr. Chris assess your spine for this degeneration and get adjusted to prevent smaller problems from progressing into more serious health problems.

D.D. Palmer observed that "A subluxated vertebra is the cause of 95 percent of all diseases...the other 5 percent is caused by displaced joints other than those in the vertebral column".

I hope everyone is happy and well! Stop in next month to learn more about how Chiropractic applies to your life! We'll be featuring different topics every week and extending some new patient specials for the month of October as well, so share us with a friend! Call to find out details.

Take care,

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Work Place Ergonomics - September 16, 2010

2011-01-21T12:19:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Did you miss me?? I know I didn't write last week. I do apologize, but I'll make it up to you by starting this week's missive with a vocabulary quiz. Oh, don't worry it's only one word.

1. Ergonomics
        A. It's the economics of sitting.
        B. The study of your workplace.
        C. How to move from sitting to standing.
        D. The study of the worker, the work and the workplace.

Ok, I tried to make it easy. The answer is D, congratulations to everyone who got it. Ergonomics is the study of the relationship between you, your work and the environment you must complete that work in. It's an important topic as it has a tremendous impact on your health, poor ergonomics can lead to repetitive strain injuries, lower back pain and headaches.

Here are some things to consider when setting up your workspace.

1. The amount of time you're required to stay in one place sitting or standing.
2. The accessibility of items you use a lot in relation to where you are.
3. Lighting
4. Air quality and circulation
5. Background noise.

Sitting position and chair design - Tips to reduce strain

1. Feet should rest flat on the floor, if necessary use a footrest.
2. Legs should remain uncrossed
3. A small gap should remain between the back of your knees and the front of your seat.
4. Backrests should be adjustable to support your lower back and midback
5. Armrests should be positioned so your forearms remain parallel to the ground.

Standing and posture - Tips to minimize stress

1. Place one foot higher than the other using a foot stool.
2. Stand on a stable, shock absorbing surface.
3. Use comfortable footwear that is biomechanically supportive.
4. Minimize bending or stooping by using work surfaces that are the proper height.
5. Bend your knees slightly to take some stress off of your joints.

Bending and Lifting - Know how to use proper lifting techniques

1. Keep your nose between your toes. By keeping your nose centered on the body, you can minimize twisting-related injuries, especially disc trauma.
2. Maintain a neutral, vertical spine when retrieving objects from locations below your waist. By bending the knees instead of the waist, you can use the strength of the large muscles in your legs to reduce strain on your lower back.

Common workplace injuries related to poor ergonomics:

1. Sprains and strains - these account for 43% of 1.3 million injuries and illnesses that require recuperation away from work. Commonly caused by lifting, bending or twisting movements. Lower back pain can also be started by poor sitting or standing postures, which cause strain in the muscles supporting these positions.

2. Carpal tunnel syndrome - This is a repetitive strain injury involving the hand and wrist. It is most often caused by repetitive injuries using the smaller muscles of the hand and forearm. Symptoms include pain, numbness or tingling in the first 3 fingers, including the thumb, weakness in the hand that makes holding objects difficult.

3. Headaches - The most common trigger for headaches in the workplace is occupational stress associated with excessive workloads, unrealistic expectations for performance and conflict. However, environmental and ergonomic issues can also make you prone to headaches. Factors may include improper lighting, poor sitting or standing posture, glare or eyestrain from using a poor computer screen, toxins in the work environment (air quality) and noise pollution.

According to some experts one of the main triggers for stress and strain in the workplace is static posture. So, that said, as a general rule of thumb, do not stay in one position any longer than 20 minutes without moving around. Take regular stretching breaks to keep your joints and muscles mobile, flexible and functional.

Hope this is helpful!
Take care and be healthy.

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Safe Labor Day Travels - September 2, 2010

2011-01-21T12:18:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

It's almost upon us, the unofficial last weekend of summer. Collective wistful sigh...
Ok, so Labor Day weekend is here I can't say I'm unhappy to have a long weekend, although it would be great to have a road trip planned or tickets to fly somewhere interesting for the weekend. Regardless of my inability to make proper plans, I will assume that most of you out there do in fact have some travel in your plans for this coming holiday. So, just in case, I thought I'd share some good tips for comfortable and healthy travel.

We all know what it's like to sit for a extended periods of time while en route to a travel destination, but prolonged sitting and certain pressures from awkward positions can result in restricted blood flow. The biggest assault on your system from long periods of sitting is the build up of pressure in the blood vessels in your lower legs.

The ACA (American Chiropractic Association) suggests the following tips to make your travel as comfy as possible.

1. Treat travel like an exercise or athletic event. Warm up your muscles and get blood flowing before you settle into a car or plane. When you reach your destination take some time to cool down by taking a brisk walk to stretch your hamstring and calf muscles.

In the Car --

1. Adjust the seat so you are as close to the steering wheel as is comfortably possible. Your knees should be slightly higher than your hips. Place four fingers behind the back of your thigh closest to your knee. If you cannot easily slide your fingers in and out of that space, you should readjust your seat.
2. Consider using back support. Using a support behind your back may reduce the risk of low back strain, pain or injury. The widest part of the support should be between the bottom of your rib cage and your waistline.
3. Exercise your legs while driving to reduce the risk of swelling, fatigue or discomfort. Open your toes wide and count to ten. Count to five while you tighten your calf muscles, then thigh muscles, then gluteal muscles. Roll your shoulders forward and back, making sure to keep your hands on the steering wheel and eyes on the road.
4. To minimize hand and arm tension while driving, hold the steering wheel at approximately 3 and 7, periodically switching to 10 and 5.
5. Do not grip the steering wheel. Instead tighten and loosen your grip to improve hand circulation and decrease muscle fatigue in the arms, wrists and hands.
6. While always being careful to keep your eyes on the road, vary your focal point while driving to reduce the risk of eye fatigue and tension headaches.
7. Take rest breaks. Never underestimate the potential consequences to yourself, your passengers and other drivers.

In an Airplane --

1. Stand up straight and feel the normal "S" curve of your spine. Then use rolled up pillows or blankets to maintain that curve when you sit in your seat. Tuck a pillow behind your back and just above the beltline and lay another pillow across the gap between your neck and the headrest. If the seat is hollowed from wear, use folded blankets to raise your buttocks a little.
2. Check all bags heavier than 5-10 percent of your body weight. Overhead lifting of any significant amount of weight should be avoided to reduce the risk of pain in the lower back or neck. While lifting your bags, stand right in front of the overhead compartment so the spine is not rotated. Do not lift your bags over your head, or turn or twist your head and neck in the process.
3. When stowing belongings under the seat, do not force the object with an awkward motion using your legs, feet or arms. This may cause muscle strain or spasms in the upper thighs and lower back muscles. Instead, sit in your seat first, and using your hands and feet, gently guide your bags under the seat directly in front of you.
4. While seated, vary your position occasionally to improve circulation and avoid leg cramps. Massage legs and calves. Bring legs in, and move your knees up and down. Prop your legs up on a book or bag under your seat.
5. Do not sit directly under air controls. The draft can increase tension in your neck and shoulder muscles.

Safe travel for children --

1. Always use a car seat in a car when traveling with children below the age of 4 and weighing less than 40 pounds.
2. Ask airline for their policy on child seat safety. Car seats for infants and toddlers provide added resistance to turbulent skies, and are safer than the lap of a parent in the event of an unfortunate accident.
3. Make sure the car seat is appropriate for the age and size of the child.
4. Car seats should always be placed in the back seat of a car - ideally in the center. This is especially important in cars equipped with air bags.
5. Make sure the car seat is properly secured to the seat of the vehicle and is placed at a 45-degree angle to support the head of the infant or child.

I know this a lot of information and much of it is common knowledge but it's good to share anyway just in case. I hope every has a very safe and happy Labor Day weekend.

Take Care!
Karla H.

Back to School Issue - Back Packs and Back Pain - August 26, 2010

2011-01-21T12:17:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

I'm going to start off by saying I'm in denial. It's not possible that school has started back up, and it's even more impossible that my niece has started HIGH SCHOOL! Nope, no way, I'll embrace denial for a little bit longer.

While I'm swimming in that river lets talk about this whole back to school thing. I'm sure all you parents out there have been "back to school" shopping for a couple weeks now and one of those purchases was surely a backpack. These sacks of knowledge and bologna sandwiches can take a hefty toll on the backs of your little ones, even the little ones that think they're grown up (like my niece). Even if you buy them a two strap bag there is no guarantee that they'll ever use it properly and if by chance they do, if it's packed too heavy its still going to wear down your child's musculoskeletal health.

I could quote studies that prove this detrimental affect of back packs, but I think we all see why and how this could happen. All you have to do is drive by a school when it's letting out to see that some of these bags are so big the child could probably fit into it (not that I'm suggesting that, in any way). So, what can be done to help?

1. Choosing the right backpack
The size of a backpack relative to the size of the child is mucho importante The top of the backpack should not extend higher than the top of the shoulder and the bottom of the backpack should not fall below the top of the hipbone.

The material of the backpack should be as light as possible, nylon or vinyl instead of leather.

The shoulder straps should be at least two inches wide, adjustable and (ding ding ding!) padded! The straps need to allow for ample movement of the arms. The back portion of the bag should also be padded for protection and comfort.

Another important factor is the presence of a hip strap so that it can be belted around the child's waist, this strap alone can distribute as much as 50-70% of the weight onto the pelvis and off of the upper back, neck and shoulders.

If you can choose a backpack with several smaller pockets instead of just one large compartment, it will allow you to distribute the weight more evenly.

2. Packing a backpack
The total weight of a backpack plus the contents should never exceed 15 percent of the person's body weight. For elementary students reduce this to 10 percent.

Pack contents so that the weight is evenly distributed. Place heavy items closer to the body. This allows for the child to maintain balance without leaning forward.

To help stay under the recommended weight, only pack items that are needed for that day. Load odd shaped items on the outside to prevent them from digging into your child's back.

3. Carrying a backpack
Both shoulder straps should be adjusted so that bag fits snugly to the body but not too tight. A parent's hand should be able to slide between the backpack and the child's back. Always fasten the hip straps.

Well I hope this helps in your quest for the right backpack for your children! Enjoy these beautiful days! Stay healthy.

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Swimming Isn't Just For The Kiddies! - August 19, 2010

2011-01-21T12:16:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

This cooler weather may have many of you thinking of fall, but it is still summer for a little while longer and in a desperate attempt to hold on to summer, I'm going to talk about swimming.

The benefits of swimming stem from it being a NON-Impact exercise. For people who generally participate in impact sports like running, aerobics, or tennis, swimming can give your bones and joints a needed rest. Also, just by including swimming into your fitness routine can provide great cross-training. Water supports the body's weight and lets you receive the same aerobic exercise without the stress on bones and joints associated with other sports. This is especially good for those suffering from injury.

Swimming can also have a beneficial effect on those suffering from Osteoarthritis. Swimming in water that stays around 80 degrees F allows for movement that is often without pain and restriction unlike the same movement outside of water. This allows for Osteoarthritis sufferers to benefit from exercise without the pain they'd usually feel.

Research also concludes that swimming has definite benefits for people who suffer from Asthma. It is less likely to trigger an asthma attack than activities like biking or running. It is speculated that the high humidity of the air at water level reduces respiratory heat loss which can also stave off asthma symptoms.

Exercise in general has been shown to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. Swimming as a daily exercise can be as effective as an anti-depressant medication without the side affects! The benefits can be had, even if you don't get your heart rate up while swimming, in fact it was shown that non-aerobic conditions were superior to the aerobic conditions for enhancing self-concept.

Aside from the general benefits of exercise, swimming is incredibly healthy for your heart! The key to maximizing the cardiovascular benefit is getting your head wet! Swimming with full body immersion offered superior heart friendly benefits according to one study. Regular swimming reduces blood pressure and also increases the good form of cholesterol in your body.

The obvious benefit of any exercise is weight loss and control. Swimming plays a significant role in a weight loss goal. It fits the criteria for a good weight loss plan: Low to moderate intensity for a long duration and done often is best for weight loss. This fact also bears true for children and weight control goals.

I hope we all have several more weeks of weather conducive for swimming so we can all put these health benefits into action!

Thanks for reading and stay healthy!

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Inflammation Soothing Foods - August 12, 2010

2011-01-21T12:15:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

First of all what exactly is inflammation, what causes it and why do people get it? Most people associate inflammation with conditions like arthritis, sore joints and broken bones, but due to some recent studies there is more information regarding inflammation in other conditions.

Inflammation is a protective response of the body to remove damaged cells. Without inflammation wounds and infections would never heal, it is chronic inflammation that can cause other problems. With that in mind some studies have shown inflammation could be a contributor to heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, inflammatory bowel disease, Alzheimer's and chronic fatigue syndrome. The studies are relatively new so more information is surfacing in regards to these conditions and the exact role that inflammation may play.

Here are some foods to mix into your menu that can help reduce inflammation.

1. Vegetables - Specifically green veggies such as kale and spinach, pungent veggies like garlic and onions or if you like potatoes choose sweet potatoes over white potatoes.

2. Fruits - Not all fruits are good anti-inflammatory foods, in fact some fruits may exacerbate inflammation, namely bananas and mangos. Instead, opt for raspberries, blueberries and strawberries or pink grapefruit, cantaloupe and apples.

3. Whole Grains - As a general rule the less processing the food goes through the better it will be for you. So choose brown rice and bulgur wheat over white rice or pasta.

4. Legumes and nuts - These are a good source of protein and a way to avoid inflammation producing protein sources like red meat. Try soybeans, lentils and kidney beans or nuts like almonds and walnuts.

5. Spices - Add curry, turmeric or ginger to your recipes.

6. Fish - The richness of the Omega 3 fatty acids help stop inflammatory producing proteins called cytokines. Choose wild caught salmon over farmed salmon. Other good choices are halibut, sardines, herring and rainbow trout.

7. Beverages - Red wine in moderation is a good anti-inflammatory. One or two a day is plenty. Otherwise some non-alcoholic choices are tea - green or white or herbal and pure fruit and vegetable juices.

Take care everyone and have a good week. Stay cool today it's a scorcher!

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Smoking and Back Pain - August 5, 2010

2011-01-21T12:14:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Smoking seems to get a pretty bad rap, awe, poor tobacco companies having to fight the truth all the time. I jest, but really, it should get a bad rap because it's actually really terrible for you. I'm going to point out a few things that correlate smoking with back pain, just to show again why you shouldn't smoke.

Tobacco smoke contains around 4,000 chemicals and 50 of them are linked to cancer. Ingredients like nicotine and carbon monoxide constrict the arteries and interfere with circulation. If you have poor circulation then oxygen and other nutrients are not being circulated throughout your body. Without oxygen and nutrients your nerves waste away. Its imperative that your spinal nerves receive these things otherwise it cannot heal and repair itself. That alone convinces me, but then again I've never been a smoker so I'm sure I don't entirely understand the draw.

A study from John's Hopkins University showed a definite link between smoking and the development of lumbar spondylosis (huh?) in other words degeneration of the spine and pain in the neck and back. Smoking is also a component in artheroscleroris, this is a condition where plaque builds up in your arteries, hardens and reduces the space available for your blood to circulate. This can cause heart attack or stroke, but (if that isn't enough) is also known to disrupt the blood flow to the abdominal arteries that feed the spine causing the spinal discs to become brittle and painful.

Some other smoking related causes of back pain come from the coughing which often accompanies smoking. This consistent coughing causes stress in the spinal discs and over time can cause pain.

Just by quitting smoking all of these horrible afflictions can begin to be reversed. If you'd like tips on how to quit smoking Dr. Chris would be happy to talk with you!

I hope everyone is well and pain free this week!

Get outside and enjoy this beautiful day.

Take care,
Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Sit up Straight! - July 29, 2010

2011-01-21T12:11:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

It's more than just advice your mom used to give you, having good posture, whether it be sitting, standing or laying down, has some pretty big implications on your overall health. Studies show that holding your head forward due to poor posture is one of the leading causes of pain in the neck and shoulders. This consistent incorrect positioning can lead to wearing away of the joints and soft tissues, chronic pain, headaches and TMJ issues! Studies have also shown that not only are your bones and tissues affected, but also your respiration, circulatory and digestive systems can be negatively affected by poor posture.

We know that getting adjusted will help with all of these things and can correct the muscle memory and subluxations that resulted from poor posture. However, if poor posture is the cause of your pain or health issues, an adjustment cannot cure it unless you take steps to correct your posture.

Ideal posture is when the physical structures of your body line up correctly with your center of gravity. Here are some tips for checking your posture.
1. Look in a mirror. Ears, shoulders and hips should line up horizontally from left to right.
2. Stand with your back and buttocks against a wall. Place your feet approx. six inches away from the wall. Does your head rest easily against the wall too? If not, you have forward head posture.
3. Lie down on your back on a hard surface. With your head on the floor, you should be looking straight up to the ceiling. If you feel your head tilt backward, or aren't looking straight above you, chances are your upper back curve is the a cause of your faulty posture.

If you're not sure how to check this or prefer a more accurate diagnosis, Dr. Chris can easily do a posture assessment with you during a regular visit to the office.

Some symptoms of bad posture include:
* Muscle Pain (aching or burning) and tightness
* Nerve Pain (shooting, sharp or aching) traveling down the arm or leg.
* Joint Pain (aching, sharp or stabbing) and restriction.
* Ligament or tendon pain (aching, sharp or diffuse).

Here are some ways to improve your posture:
1. Be aware. Just noticing when you are slouching or leaning can help you correct it .
2. Take regular breaks from sitting.
3. Check the ergonomics of your workstation or desk.
4. Use a proper pillow for sleep and avoid sleeping on your stomach.
5. Stretch muscles that are too tight and strengthen the postural muscles that are weak. Dr. Chris can show you techniques to use.
6. Get adjusted. When your spine moves properly, it has it's best chance to position itself properly.

Thanks everyone, I hope this was informative and helpful. The information in this email was found in a handout available at the office! I hope everyone has a safe and healthy week.

Take care,

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Decipher Your Headache - July 22, 2010

2011-01-21T12:10:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

It's time for a small testimony on the effectiveness of chiropractic. I started seeing Dr. Chris in December because of some upper back/neck stiffness and pain along with headaches. I have been getting headaches since I can remember. I would get at least one headache a week and I had kind of just gotten used to it. I deemed myself a "person who just gets headaches". I met Dr. Chris and he encouraged me to come in and see him because he was positive he'd be able to help me. After dragging my feet for several weeks I finally made the appointment. I've been seeing Dr. Chris now for just over 6 months, I do get adjusted weekly still, but I can't remember the last time I was layed out with a headache. Within weeks of beginning treatment I stopped getting headaches regularly and now I can't place when I last had one. I can also turn my head to the left again. I was never able to properly check a blind spot while changing lanes because my head simply wouldn't turn that far without pain. It's amazing how long we let things go because it seems like there is nothing that can be done. I'm a much happier person now and probably a safer driver at that. :)

So what I want to talk about briefly today is how to distinguish what type of headache you get, for those of you out there who "just get headaches", like I used to.

1. Tension Headache: This is the most frequent type of headache. It occurs in people who are susceptible to stress, it starts with tightness in the neck and shoulders and progresses to pain at the base of the skull. Your forehead and temples may also ache.

2. Cervicogenic Headache: This headache originates from disorders of the neck. It is often preceded by awkward neck movement or positioning (painting a ceiling). It is accompanied by restricted range of motion in the neck and pain in your shoulder, neck, or arm.

3. Cluster Headache: These are relatively rare. They feature intense bouts of stabbing pain felt in very specific focal areas of the skull. The pain occurs in clusters and can last from minutes to hours. The discomfort occurs around one eye and can include nasal congestions and watery eyes. It's thought that cluster headaches are related to the sinuses. Chiropractic is less effective in treating this type of headache but it's always a good idea to have a chiropractor check your neck to rule out problems in this area.

Tension and Cervicogenic headaches are frequently caused by irritation of the nerves leading to the scalp. Those nerves exit the spine at the base of the skull and pass through several layers of muscle tissue. If this area of the spine is restricted or the muscles are tight it can irritate the nerves in the scalp and cause a headache. As you know, chiropractic helps to loosen the muscles in the shoulders and back and adjust any distortions in the spine that could be irritating those nerves. Often relief from chronic headaches is immediate and dramatic!

I didn't cover Migraine headaches in this email because they are considered to be in a category all their own. I have information available to anyone who would like it, regarding migraine headaches. Thanks for reading this week!

If anyone would like Dr. Chris to come into their workplace and conduct an informational talk on any variety of topics (headaches, workplace ergonomics, stress, fybromyalgia, etc.) please contact us at the office and we'd be happy to set something up.

Take care and be healthy!

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Ten Ways Chiropractic Can Improve Your Life - July 15, 2010

2011-01-21T12:09:00.001-08:00

Dear friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Well, I think summer is here, for anyone who had any questions about it. I hope everyone is finding ways to stay cool this week! This week I'll keep it short and sweet and simply share 10 ways that Chiropractic can improve your life.

1. Chiropractic Alleviates Pain

Instead of covering up that pain with medication, chiropractic addresses the underlying causes.

2. Chiropractic Prevents Other Conditions

As nice as it is, chiropractic isn't just for pain -- research shows that chiropractic adjustments may aid in warding off a variety of conditions such as infantile colic, ear infections, PMS, high blood pressure, and behavioral problems.

It's speculated that chiropractic adjustments help in these areas because it addresses the nervous system's function which controls all of the body's processes.

3. Chiropractic Boosts Productivity

Regular chiropractic care helps to stave off work-related injuries like carpal tunnel and low back pain associated with sitting for long periods of time at ergonomically incorrect work stations. By correcting these injuries or preventing them altogether productivity is elevated.

4. Chiropractic May Make You Smarter

Researchers have mapped the brains activity before and after a chiropractic adjustment of the upper spine/neck (cervical spine) and it revealed that cognitive function was stimulated after the adjustment.

5. Chiropractic Boosts Immunity

Scientific research shows that regularly scheduled chiropractic care may boost the body's immune response. This also ties back to the nervous system function.

6. Chiropractic Reduces Stress

Chiropractic care allows the body to achieve balance and thus reduces stress. By alleviated the body of aches and pains related to spinal distortions it helps keep patients free to exercise regularly, which is important in reducing stress-related anxiety and depression.

7. Chiropractic Increases Physical Activity

Many patients have found that chiropractic care has a tendency to jump-start a more wellness oriented lifestyle.

8. Chiropractic Allows Patients to Avoid Many Medications

People who maintain regular chiropractic care are far less likely to overuse or misuse medication. This is due, in part to a focus on prevention.

9. Chiropractic Improves Sleep Quality

Due to the reduction in pain and anxiety, which are generally the culprits in sleeplessness, people who utilize chiropractic get a better, more full nights sleep.

10. Chiropractic Creates Wellness

Chiropractic can empower it's patients. It's a way for an individual to take control of their health and begin making positive decisions for their life.

Thanks everyone for reading! The information in this email is available in a handout we have available in the office upon request. Stay healthy!

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

How Effective is Chiropractic Really? -- July 8, 2010

2011-01-21T12:07:00.001-08:00

Dear friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Here's to hoping everyone had a marvelous Independence Day and enjoyed the perfect weather last week/end. Last Friday I was perusing the headlines on Yahoo! and came across a health article outlining tips for common ailments. Back pain was listed and I read eagerly on to find out what options they offer as treatments for common back pain. I suppose I shouldn't have been terribly surprised but they proudly listed over the counter drugs, prescription drugs and then surgery as the options to take care of your back pain. They didn't even offer any "alternative" treatments as options. Not that you or I, see Chiropractic as alternative but apparently it's not even worth mentioning. I meant to save the link and forgot, but I did a simple Google search on "back pain treatments" and while this article does offer three sentences or so on Chiropractic on the last page of the article, it wasn't until they listed 4 previous pages of drugs and types of surgeries you should get first! Feel free to check it out, it's kind of funny in a scary way: http://www.spineuniverse.com/conditions/back-pain/back-pain-treatment-acupuncture-chiropractic

I say scary because so many people do not know the many benefits of Chiropractic not just for back pain but a myriad of other areas of overall health. Then they read these articles that throw it in not as a real, viable option but as something "alternative" and unproven and instead peddle them drugs and expensive, possibly dangerous surgeries as their only "real" options. This is clearly my own opinion but I'd like to share some studies that show that Chiropractic is more effective in low-back pain treatment than other medical care.

The study was published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine and it compared chiropractic care to medical care for patients with chronic low back pain. It is important that this study looked at chronic back pain because it is already pretty widely proven that chiropractic is effective alleviating acute back problems from injury, so this study focused on the long term less specific issues of chronic back pain. The patients all entered the study with back pain for 12 weeks or longer and similar levels of pain. They were split randomly into a medical treatment group and a chiropractic treatment group.

In the medical treatment group the patients were treated with oral and injected medications and electrical nerve stimulation. In the chiropractic treatment group the patients received standard adjustments to alleviate vertebral subluxations. The findings from this study showed that the chiropractic patients "enjoyed significant improvement" over those in the medical treatment group, in the reduction of disability as well as a reduction of pain intensity. The findings were supported by identical patient evaluations given throughout the duration of the study for both groups.

I know the language in those findings is vague but please feel free to look up the actual study for more specific numbers, the title is as follows:
A Comparison Between Chiropractic Management and Pain Clinic Management for Chronic Low-Back Pain in a National Health Service Outpatient Clinic. June 2008 in the aforementioned journal.

I hope you found this as interesting as I did, especially looking at how the general populations views chiropractic, its kind of up to those of us who are "in the know" so to speak, to share it's benefits with those we love, otherwise they may get their information from some article they googled.

I hope everyone is well! Take care and stay cool in this hot weather.

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Chiropractic Adjustments Can Make You Happy...no really! - July 1, 2010

2011-01-21T12:06:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Have you ever missed a scheduled appointment with Dr. Chris and then got so busy it was difficult to reschedule. It's happened to all of us at least once. Eventually you feel it though and end up back in to see him, but here is an interesting addition. Getting regular adjustments not only helps you feel better physically but can also improve you overall well-being and mood.

Studies actually show that well-being may be directly tied to vertebral subluxations (for those who don't know what that is: it's when your vertebrae have restricted mobility). The studies showed that after nine months of chiropractic care a woman who had previously scored low on a quality of life measurement had a significantly improved score. What does this mean?

Well it could be that her pain had subsided and that alone was enough to improve her mood. It also may have something to do with improved communication in her Nervous System via her spine. Unknown factors could be that her interest in Chiropractic also sparked an interest in improving her wellness in other ways (exercise and diet). No matter how you look at it her adjustments improved her quality of life and lifted her mood. This is a good thing! It is shown that patients of chiropractic have a tendency to choose healthier lifestyles in general than people who do not see a chiropractor.

It is also shown that chiropractic adjustments can help relieve Depression and Anxiety. By restoring normal nerve function with specific adjustments, symptoms of depression and anxiety can be alleviated. This is big news because these mood disorders are extremely common and are treated almost solely with medication that generally carries a variety of side-affects.

Unlike medication, chiropractic is a long-term, all natural approach to being healthy in mind and body. It is something that should be seen as integral to your health as your diet and exercise. Keeping your spine healthy is important in a variety of aspects of your overall-well-being.

If you're interested in more information Dr. Chris is holding bi-monthly spinal health workshops. They are held on the first and third Monday of each month at 7:15pm. There is no cost and we encourage everyone to come at least once! Talk to me if you'd like to sign up. The first one will be on July 5th at 7:15pm.

I hope everyone is well and gearing up for a great Independence Day Weekend.

Take Care,
Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

10 Week Plan to Wellness - June 17, 2010

2011-01-20T10:52:00.001-08:00

Dear friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

I don't know about you, but when I see a subject line like the one above about "Wellness Plans" I think OK fine, yes exercise and better nutrition -- what else could there be? I'm so glad you asked! Here are a few things you can begin to implement in your life to help you feel better across the board. They suggest you split these up into weeks so as not to be overwhelmed. It's probably a good idea for the sake of actually sticking with any of it as well.

Week One: Spinal Health
We've all got this one in the bag, right? Haven't seen Dr. Chris recently? Schedule an appointment and get $12 off if you haven't been in yet this month. :)

Week Two: De-Stress!
This is a tough one to accomplish in only a week, so start by re-evaluating your daily schedule and cut some stuff out that is causing you to be overly busy.

Week Three: Re-think that pain killer
Take stock of how much you medicate. This includes caffeine. Come up with other options for staying alert or alleviating pain (generally this includes being pro-active instead of re-active).

Week Four: Say hello to your bed at a reasonable time
Going along with re-adjusting your daily schedule -- make sure you have adequate time to wind down and get some good shut eye every night.

Week Five: Here it is -- NUTRITION! <-- It had to be there... ;)
Spend a week cutting out the junk food! It's not easy at first but once you realize the hold it has on you, you'll probably feel pretty convicted about getting rid of it. Brainstorm healthy alternatives to these foods that you'll enjoy just as much.

Week Six: Ha ha -- EXERCISE < --- it wouldn't be a complete list without it.
Regular exercise is daunting challenge...at first, but I can promise it becomes the part of your day you look forward to if you just push yourself in the beginning. Find something FUN that you can do to begin this process.

Week Seven: Get outside
Well, don't just get outside, go somewhere green. Take time this week to go the forest preserve or Beckman Mill. Nature has a way of making us slow down and appreciate the beauty around us.

Week Eight: Financial Health
Ooo, icky, this is something so many people avoid and it is such a huge source of stress. Take some serious time and review your budget and maybe get a handle on extra spending. Set a goal to save -- even if it's $5 a week until you can afford more. Just knowing you're putting the effort out there will help you feel better about your finances.

Week Nine: Find your spiritual side
Research shows those that engage in regular spiritual pursuits enjoy longer lives, reduced blood pressure and a lower likelihood of disease. Prayer is healthy. :)

Week Ten: Be a glass half full person
Adjust your perspective and attitude. If you have a tendency to be negative about your life it will be much harder to be happy. It is entirely up to you how you handle your life situations. You can choose to be positive, even if you have to fake it initially, you will end up actually feeling good about things. :) Try it, it works.

This is a lot of stuff to digest so if you want more information I would be happy to offer some print outs of this information! Now get off the computer and go outside to enjoy this gorgeous day! Stay well!

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

The Skinny on High Fructose Corn Syrup - June 11, 2010

2011-01-20T10:50:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

Just this morning I was perusing my pantry (which at the moment is fairly sparse) while trying to find something quick to eat for breakfast. I picked up a box of fiber granola bars and almost as an afterthought I glanced at the ingredients, bad idea, the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th, and 10th ingredient either were sugar or contained sugar. So I picked up the box of generic rice crispy cereal, and shockingly the second ingredient was sugar! I grabbed the box of organic fiber cereal that I picked up in the natural foods aisle and spent $4 on, and sure enough..added sugar. Needless to say I didn't eat any of those things this morning (if you really want to know, I cut up some strawberries because I figured if I was going to eat sugar for breakfast it may as well be natural sugar.).

Now I know the subject line is about High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), but the idea is the same, added sweeteners and what they mean for our health. Some may say that the controversy over HFCS is all conspiracy theory about the FDA's desire for money over care for the citizen's health, but lets take a look at it anyway.

Most HFCS is found in soft-drinks so if you don't drink soda you probably avoid a large portion of this hidden sweetener (I personally cut out soda about two months ago in favor of more water...remember the email on H2O?). You might be surprised to find that HFCS is used in all kinds of processed foods like cereal, bakery products and dairy. Ultimately the use of HFCS is economic because it's cheaper to covert cornstarch into HFCS than it is to use cane sugar or beet sugar, it's also easier to transport and has a much longer shelf life.

Here is the question: Is HFCS natural? HFCS is being marketed as natural because it's derived from corn, however what you don't always know is what kinds of chemical processes that corn had to go through to become HFCS. The FDA does not regulate the use of the word "natural" so they can apply it to products that contain a laboratory developed sweetener that isn't found in nature at all.

Here is the next important question: Does the body process HFCS in a different way than table sugar or sugar in fruits and vegetables? Sugars and complex carbohydrates are broken down in the digestive tract, transported to the liver and released into the body as glucose. In order for the body to use the glucose it needs a corresponding amount of insulin. The argument FOR HFCS is that it is largely metabolized in the liver and negates the need for insulin. Straight to the liver means that it discourages the production of leptin which lets your brain know you are full.

Now we see a problem. The lack of insulin production needed and the lack of leptin being produced prevent the body from knowing when to stop eating. You can come to your own conclusions but it sure seems like there is a growing problem with childhood obesity (and obesity in general) and this COULD possibly be a contributing factor.

There is MUCH more to learn about HFCS, if you are still interested in learning more about how the brain processes HFCS and it's links to diabetes and obesity just let me know and I can get you a print out!

Thanks for joining me this week! Hope everyone is well. Stop in this month and get $12 off your first adjustment in June. Tell your friends and family to try us out this month and they'll get their first exam and x-rays free (monetary discounts are not applicable to medicare, a/a or w/c).

Take care,
Karla Harmon
Roscoe Chiropractic Centre

Parsnips Anyone? - May 20, 2010

2011-01-20T10:49:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic,

A parsnip is a carrot-like vegetable that has a sweeter, more tangy flavor than the carrot. I only know this because two weeks ago I helped plant a garden and I think this fall there are going to be about 709 parsnips to harvest after the first frost. Let me know if you want some.

After all that tilling and planting and weeding I did a couple weeks ago, I woke up the next day feeling like I'd done a really intense exercise routine. It surprised me because it was such low intensity activity. Well, for those of you who enjoy planting and maintaining a garden this is good news. It's difficult to keep up a proper exercise routine, I know that as well as the next person, but if you choose an activity that is enjoyable it won't feel like exercise and you're more inclined to stick with it.

One study found that low-intensity activities like gardening can help prevent cardiovascular disease and extend an individual's life-span! These activities also just help boost your level of wellness and make you happier.

Aside from those benefits gardening has it's obvious perks, such as improving your diet with the addition of fresh fruits and vegetables. In general homegrown fruits and vegetables are more nutrient-dense than store bought items.

Gardening affords a lot of health benefits but it's also a great way to bring your family together for a fun, healthy activity you can all take part in.

I hope everyone is enjoying this cold, rainy week, it might be the last we see of it for a few months!

Take care,

Karla H.
Roscoe Chiropractic

How Running Late can Affect Your Potassium Levels... - April 29, 2010

2011-01-20T10:47:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic

Stay with me and I'll explain. :) This morning I was running ever so slightly behind and I left home without eating breakfast. About half-way to work I decided I couldn't wait until lunch to eat so I began the search for somewhere quick I could stop and grab something. Well, of course my choices consisted of McDonalds, Wendys, and a couple convenience stores. I won't divulge my breakfast choice but I will clarify how this has any bearing on my potassium levels.

In the not so distant past the human diet contained plenty of potassium but as our diets have changed to contain more and more processed foods and fewer fresh foods like fruits and veggies the potassium intake has dropped and the sodium intake has risen.

Potassium occurs naturally in a wide variety of foods so it is very unlikely that anyone would suffer from a severe deficiency but there is concern about the lack of potassium rich foods in the average diet. Potassium is an element (and electrolyte) that is essential for the body's growth and maintenance. It helps to ensure a normal water balance between the cells and body fluids. It also helps with the nerves response to stimulation and the contraction of muscles.

One study showed that an increase in potassium intake showed a positive effect on the lowering of blood pressure, decrease in the risk of kidney stones and osteoporosis, as well as the slowing in the progress of renal disease. The best part of this is that the easiest and fastest way to increase your potassium is to eat more fruits and vegetables.

Here are some good foods to eat (beside bananas) to help increase your potassium intake: spinach, baked winter squash, broccoli, celery, molasses, tomato, raisins, carrots, papaya, avocado and beans. To get the most out of your produce, raw is best or cooking it as little as possible.

Happy Spring everyone and hope to see you all in the office soon.

Take care!
Karla H
Roscoe Chiropractic

Did Somone Say Pollen? - April 15, 2010

2011-01-20T10:46:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic!

It seems spring has sprung. I hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine! I know I am. Just a quick update before I share on the topic. Dr. Chris and I decided to postpone our Stress Management Seminar. So if you were interested in coming but had a conflict with the date or time, please check your calendar to see if you can make it on the new date. It will be Thursday April 29th at 6pm. The location will be right here at the office on Main St. in Roscoe. Again, please RSVP as space is limited!

As I sit here, inside, on this beautiful day, I can't help but look out the window and imagine what I would be doing were I out there. But then I see a woman walking by, she pauses, and ACHOO! Oh...allergies. If anything can take the wind out of your sails on a gorgeous spring day, allergies would be it.

The technical term for allergies is Allergic Rhinitis. This just means you're having an allergic reaction to airborne particles and it primarily affects the nose and eyes. Allergies seem simple enough unless you're a constant sufferer, and then studies show that allergies can affect quality of life, interfere with work and school and even depress mood and self perception.

There are two types of Allergic Rhinitis: Seasonal (Hayfever) and Perennial (year-round). Hayfever is triggered by outdoor allergens and Perennial Allergies are usually upset by indoor allergens. The allergic reaction is caused when the immune system overresponds to harmless substances - like pollen, mold, and pet dander - and then launches an assault to rid the body of the substance.

I'm going to share some natural ways to help relieve Allergic Rhinitis:
1. Keep your Immune System in Top Form with Chiropractic
Preliminary research indicates that chiropractic strengthens immunity by influencing the nervous system. The spine houses the nervous system and if there in interference in the nervous system from the spine it can impair your immune system. Since allergies are tied to a dysfunction in the immune system, chiropractic is a good place to start to prevent these dysfunctions.
2. Allergy Prevention
Reducing your exposure to allergens is the most obvious solution to preventing symptoms. For Hayfever sufferers, pay attention to the pollen counts and try to stay indoors in air-conditioned rooms on days those counts are high. For Perennial Allergy sufferers use dust-mite covers for pillows and mattresses and invest in an air purifier.
3. Exercise
Regular exercise boosts the immune system response and helps to ward off allergies.
4. Stress Reduction
Stress and fatigue can exacerbate allergies. It is key for allergy sufferers to keep their emotional stress in check. Things like meditation, prayer, yoga and getting adequate sleep can help.
5. Dietary Supplements
    A. Antronex - This supplement contains Yakriton which helps keep histamines at acceptable levels. It also supports your immune system. This is a good supplement for all types of allergies.
    B. Allerplex - This is a supplement to help protect you during those seasonal changes that can aggravate allergies. It contains a variety of whole-food ingredients to promote healthy prevention of seasonal hayfever.
    C. Omega-3 Fatty Acids - These oils have been associated with decreased risk of hay fever. Good sources are Fish Oil Capsules, flaxseed oil and walnuts.

Check with Dr. Chris if you are interested in any of these supplements and he can recommend which would be the best for you.

Get out and enjoy the weather today! Stay healthy, happy and sneeze free.

Take care,

Karla

Stress and Back Pain - April 8, 2010

2011-01-20T10:44:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends of Roscoe Chiropractic

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and enjoyed the nice weather we had! With the Easter Holiday over the next thing on many minds is April 15th -- Hopefully many of you are not worried about this sometimes dreaded day. But just in case you are, say, a little "stressed", this weeks email will address the topic of Stress and Back Pain.

The question arises which comes first: Stress or Back Pain? Well it can obviously go either way, pain will create stress and stress, it turns out, does cause pain as well. There are a wealth of studies that show the cyclical nature of these two beasts.

One of the bigger factors in the cause of stress and back pain is work. Studies from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm found that burned-out and mentally exhausted employees have the highest rate of back pain and the same employees also reported elevated levels of psychological stress, anxiety and depression.

How do we break this cycle? It's important to address both the issues simultaneously. If you only treat the pain, the psychological factors will simply re-exacerbate the pain and start the cycle over. So it's necessary to treat both stress and pain together. Chiropractic focuses on the vertebral subluxations which cause interference in the brain's ability to communicate effectively with the body. Correcting these subluxations helps not only with pain but also with mental well-being.

There are other strategies that help to alleviate stress, if you are interested in learning more about this pertinent topic please join Dr. Chris and myself at the Roscoe Public Library on Tuesday April 13th for a Stress Management Seminar. It begins at 6:30 and the space is limited, so please call the office to RSVP (815.623.8000). Bring your friends and family and receive a free adjustment! Any new patients will qualify for a free first exam and x-rays.

Stay healthy and stress free.

Take care this week!

Karla