HEALTH & WELLNESS

IS STRESS RAISING YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE?

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Does chiropractic care help stress? 
Does chiropractic care help stress?

Entering early adulthood can be stressful.  Work, bills, and home-life all change and begin to take a toll on your body.  This added stress load is also associated with developing high blood pressure later on in life.

Another piece of the unfortunate puzzle with blood pressure is its association with childhood obesity and being overweight at a young age. A research study was done comparing young males with healthy BMIs and stressful lives against young males with high BMIs and stressful lives.  The study showed that the men with high BMIs were three times more likely to have high blood pressure later on in life.

Chiropractic care can help you deal with the stressors of everyday life.  Stress in good in small amounts, but long term can have negative effects on your body.  Chiropractic adjustments stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system, or in simpler terms, your break pedal system. This break pedal is where we want you to be for most of your everyday life.  This is where you rest, digest, heal, and grow.  Stimulating this part of your nervous system will help to decrease stress on your body, and also help you cope with everything that comes your way.

ANTIBIOTIC USE AND GUT HEALTH

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When illness strikes your household, often people will go to their medical doctor.  Illnesses are tricky and a lot of them present with similar symptoms with different sources (viral or bacterial). Many times you will be prescribed an antibiotic, and not always told to take a probiotic at the same time.  Antibiotics MUST always be taken with probiotics.  Bacteria in your gut are extremely important and regulates how your body functions.  Below is an excerpt about bacteria’s role in the human body, written by Marcey Shapiro, MD, from Transforming the Nature of Health: A Holistic Vision of Healing That Honors Our Connection the the Earth,Others, and Ourselves: 

IMMUNE SUPPORT:

About seventy percent of our immune system is located in the digestive tract. “Probiotic” bacteria enhance many of the functions of the immune system, acting independently as an adjunct to our cells’ immune system.

DIGESTION AND ABSORPTION OF FOODS:

The digestion of certain foods, especially carbohydrates, is facilitated by the friendly organisms of the small intestine. The foods we eat nourish their colonies. All we take in, whether food or thought, is important for determining the health of internal bacterial colonies. Each type of bacteria has its favorite diet. The kinds of bacteria most associated with vibrant health thrive upon naturally fermented foods like sauerkraut, miso, yogurt, and kefir, as well as certain fats and animal foods including saturated fats. They also require some types of fiber found in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. They do best when we are calm, happy, and relaxed.

BARRIER TO PATHOGENIC BACTERIA:

Healthy bacteria crowd out the unwelcome visitors. When beneficial microbes that evolved along with our GI tracts colonize this region, there is not much space available for imbalanced flora to take hold. Bacteria also secrete chemical mediators that support their own species and others with whom they are harmonious. These same chemical mediators suppress bacteria that are incompatible.

PREVENTION OF ALLERGIES:

Beneficial bacteria teach the immune system to distinguish between the antigens of harmless and helpful flora and foods, and potentially dangerous ones. Allergies are a type of over-sensitivity. During an allergy, the body overreacts, sensing harm in things that are not innately harmful. The presence of flourishing colonies of beneficial bacteria decreases the incidence of allergies.

MANUFACTURE OF VITAMINS:

There is evidence that healthy forms of E. coli manufacture vitamin K in the human intestinal tract. In some animals, vitamin B12 is manufactured by intestinal flora. Humans, however, must consume this vitamin from animal food sources.

ELIMINATION OF TOXINS:

Probiotic bacteria eat many of our waste products, breaking them down to component nutrients. These are recycled. What is not used is eliminated within the feces.
Stimulation of tissues: Probiotic bacteria are essential for normal development of the intestinal tract. Certain tissues like the lymphoid Peyer’s patches of the intestinal tract, and the entire large intestine, require the presence of healthy bacteria for growth and maturation.
Prevention of disease: Imbalanced and reduced numbers of healthy flora are found in people with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. There are also imbalances observed in most people with irritable bowel syndrome, asthma, eczema, and autoimmune illnesses. ”

Keeping your body healthy is a goal for many people.  If your body is unable to perform at its best, sicknesses are likely to thrive.  Your body should be able to fend off incoming viral or bacterial infections, but sometimes the organs responsible for immune function can’t keep up. If the nervous system is inhibited and doesn’t allow proper innervation to the immune organs, they can’t do their job properly.  Keep yourself healthy by making an appointment, and make sure your immune system is working its best to fend off those illnesses.  Let’s get to the point where we don’t have to reach for the antibiotics, and instead call the chiropractor and take your probiotics!

HEALTHY SPINE = HEALTHY NERVOUS SYSTEM = HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM

The excerpt above can be found in its original format at https://ahha.org/friendly-bacteria-2/

WIRED FOR LIFE

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The following article was written at The Weekly Sticky.  This explanation is a simplified way to understand how your nervous system works throughout your body.

why go to a chiropractor “Electricity flows through power lines and messages of communication flow through phone cables… but the ‘power’ that flows through Nerve fibers is far more intricate, intelligent and critical to your Life.”

Nerves carry ‘smart’ signals – organized instructions and data which relay from the brain to the body and from the body back to the brain.  this complicated loop forms the communication network needed to guide every physiological function in your body from respiration to perspiration… assimilation to elimination… tissue breakdown and tissue repair.  Innately, trillions of messages flow through your nerve system every second of your Life, in an automated effort to keep you alive without your conscious input.  So how important is it to maintain this amazing system?

reviews on chiropractic care This is the realm of Chiropractic care – the protection and preservation of these ‘Life wires; so that you can experience perfect function, abundant health and well being. The doctor inside you can accomplish just about anything as long as your internal power lines remain clear.”

Proper communication between your nervous system and every other cell/tissue/organ of your body is vital to your health.  If you are experiencing any sort of miscommunication in your body, see your local chiropractor.  Impact is proud to have two Fort Collins chiropractors.

TOP 5 REASONS TO SEE A CHIROPRACTOR

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1. PAIN RELIEF

This may be the most popular reason why people go to their chiropractor.  Misalignments to the spine cause stress to muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves throughout the entire body. These misalignments can cause pain and soreness.  Instead of taking pain medications, that just cover up the cause of the problem and can cause negative side effects, chiropractic care is a safe and effective form pain management.

2. POSTURAL CORRECTIONS

Poor posture is extremely common for people of all ages.  We spend too much time at our computers, sitting down, being sedentary, and looking down at our phones.  “Text neck” is becoming a regular occurrence in the younger generations as they grow and develop with poor posture.  Regular spinal correction chiropractic care can improve uneven shoulders, unbalanced hip height, hunched backs, and curves throughout the spine.  Proper alignment will let the body perform at its best.

3. LESS STRESS/IMPROVED MOOD

Short term stress is not necessarily a bad thing, but long term stress becomes problematic to your health.  Stress starts to wear down all systems throughout the body.  When the body is misaligned, those systems can’t replenish themselves.  By balancing these systems, your body can take on these stressors, and it won’t be debilitating.  Less stress will also improve your mood.  Hormones will balance out so you won’t have as many mood swings, irritability, anxiety, etc.

4. INCREASED SLEEP/MORE ENERGY:

Chiropractic care, again, balances out the systems of the body.  Sleep centers found in the brain, determine when a person is awake and when a person is asleep.  These nerve communications need to be undisrupted in order to work properly.  Chiropractic adjustments help to restore the proper function of the nerves, so you get a better nights rest and wake up feeling more rested.  A better night’s sleep will give you more energy throughout the day.

5. PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

Chiropractic is good for every person, of every age, at any stage of their life.  We see infants, toddlers, adolescents, adults and the elderly… anyone with a spine can benefit from chiropractic care.  The body is meant to perform at its absolute best at all times, so when it isn’t, you need to find the cause of what is going on.  Instead of chasing around symptoms that are already occurring, prevent them by keeping the body healthy.  The best way to stay healthy is to take care of yourself before problems start showing up!

PROPER POSTURE

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Proper posture is important for people of all ages.  When you have proper posture, your entire body can function the way it is intended to.  Here in Fort Collins, Impact Chiropractic knows posture is the window to the spine.  If you have poor posture, you will have a poorly functioning mind and body.

fort collins chiropractor

The ACA’s website explains all you need to know about your posture.

“WHY IS GOOD POSTURE IMPORTANT?”

“Good posture helps us stand, walk, sit, and lie in positions that place the least strain on supporting muscles and ligaments during movement and weight-bearing activities. Correct posture:

  • Helps us keep bones and joints in correct alignment so that our muscles are used correctly, decreasing the abnormal wearing of joint surfaces that could result in degenerative arthritis and joint pain.
  • Reduces the stress on the ligaments holding the spinal joints together, minimizing the likelihood of injury.
  • Allows muscles to work more efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy and, therefore, preventing muscle fatigue.
  • Helps prevent muscle strain, overuse disorders, and even back and muscular pain.

To maintain proper posture, you need to have adequate muscle flexibility and strength, normal joint motion in the spine and other body regions, as well as efficient postural muscles that are balanced on both sides of the spine. In addition, you must recognize your postural habits at home and in the workplace and work to correct them, if necessary.”

“CONSEQUENCES OF POOR POSTURE”

“Poor posture can lead to excessive strain on our postural muscles and may even cause them to relax, when held in certain positions for long periods of time. For example, you can typically see this in people who bend forward at the waist for a prolonged time in the workplace. Their postural muscles are more prone to injury and back pain.

Several factors contribute to poor posture-most commonly, stress, obesity, pregnancy, weak postural muscles, abnormally tight muscles, and high-heeled shoes.  In addition, decreased flexibility, a poor work environment, incorrect working posture, and unhealthy sitting and standing habits can also contribute to poor body positioning.”

“HOW DO I SIT PROPERLY?”

  • Keep your feet on the floor or on a footrest, if they don’t reach the floor.
  • Don’t cross your legs. Your ankles should be in front of your knees.
  • Keep a small gap between the back of your knees and the front of your seat.
  • Your knees should be at or below the level of your hips.
  • Adjust the backrest of your chair to support your low- and mid-back or use a back support.
  • Relax your shoulders and keep your forearms parallel to the ground.
  • Avoid sitting in the same position for long periods of time.

“HOW DO I STAND PROPERLY?”

  • Bear your weight primarily on the balls of your feet.
  • Keep your knees slightly bent.
  • Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart.
  • Let your arms hang naturally down the sides of the body.
  • Stand straight and tall with your shoulders pulled backward.
  • Tuck your stomach in.
  • Keep your head level-your earlobes should be in line with your shoulders. Do not push your head forward, backward, or to the side.
  • Shift your weight from your toes to your heels, or one foot to the other, if you have to stand for a long time.

“WHAT IS THE PROPER LYING POSITION?”

  • Find the mattress that is right for you. While a firm mattress is generally recommended, some people find that softer mattresses reduce their back pain. Your comfort is important.
  • Sleep with a pillow. Special pillows are available to help with postural problems resulting from a poor sleeping position.
  • Avoid sleeping on your stomach.
  • Sleeping on your side or back is more often helpful for back pain.
  • If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your legs.
  • If you sleep on your back, keep a pillow under your knees.

“CAN I CORRECT MY POOR POSTURE?”

“In a word, yes. Remember, however, that long-standing postural problems will typically take longer to address than short-lived ones, as often the joints have adapted to your long-standing poor posture. Conscious awareness of your own posture and knowing what posture is correct will help you consciously correct yourself. With much practice, the correct posture for standing, sitting, and lying down will gradually replace your old posture. This, in turn, will help you move toward a better and healthier body position.”

At Impact, our doctors can assist you with proper posture.  We can give you exercises which will improve your posture and help you stay in proper alignment. We can also assist you with choosing proper positions while doing activities at home and work, in order to help reduce risk of injury to your body.  Our goal is to have everyone in Fort Collins to have a healthy, balanced spine and nervous system.  You can’t look good on the outside if your spine doesn’t look good on the inside!

REDUCING STRESS

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During the winter months, stress accumulates in nearly all households.  It’s inevitable that life produces stress, and we need to be able manage it. Impact Chiropractic can help you and your family get back to healthy and happy lives.

“We all need to do more to overcome the effects of stress. We have to learn to find balance in our work and personal lives. Certainly there are some things that you simply cannot do anything about such as the unexpected death of a loved one, natural disasters, and accidents. However, everyone can and should carefully examine their lives and make an honest attempt to reduce the stress producing circumstances that make unnecessary demands upon them. Determine which things you can do something about and concentrate your time and energy on them rather than on things you cannot control. We need to emphasize wellness, relaxation, and positive thinking, whatever the circumstance.

Chiropractic should also play an important role in your stress management. When a stress-inducing event occurs, muscles contract, breathing becomes faster and deeper, heart rate increases, and digestion is halted. Continually contracted muscles cause subluxation, which lowers your ability to deal with stress. Of course, just as different situations produce varying amounts of stress for different people, different stress management techniques will have varying degrees of effectiveness. Some people may benefit from exercise while others respond to meditation, deep breathing, or spending time on an enjoyable hobby. Chiropractic, however, can work for everyone because it reduces nerve system stress. Reducing nerve system stress allows the body to adapt to our daily stress overloads more efficiently.

Chiropractic care, positive thinking, and other stress management techniques can create a sense of well-being and lead to a longer, more productive, happier, and healthier life.” – Jeff Ptak, DC. Pathways to Family Wellness magazine, Issue #08