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HOW TO SPEND YOUR SPRING BREAK IN FOCO

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IT IS ALMOST SPRING BREAK!!! Since spring break is right around the corner we have created a list of reasonably priced family events and activities to keep you and your family having a blast all week long!

Lucky Joe’s St Patrick’s Day Parade– Start your spring break off with a big ol’ celebration by taking your kiddos out to watch the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Downtown Fort Collins! They will get to enjoy the creative floats, performers, and family fun for all.

The Summit- The Summit is a mecca for family fun! With options like laser tag, bowling, arcades, and pizza what more could rambunctious spring breakers want? The Summit has daily specials including:

Gaming fun for four which includes Laser Tag, Game Cards, Pizza, and a Pitcher of Soft Drink for $69.99

Or if your family is into laser tag like Dr. E and her family: They have Tag Tuesday which offers Unlimited Laser Tag All Day Long for only $9.99

Fort Collins Museum of Discovery– This museum provides enjoyable, hands-on explorations in science and technology along with different musical instruments, science, animal and history exhibits. The museum also offers a Toddlers discovery area that allow younger children to learn by interacting with various displays. Ticket prices are 9.50 for adults, 7.00 for senior citizens and students with a valid school ID, 6.00 for juniors (ages 3-12) and Free for children 2 and under.

Great Plates- The perfect event for “Foodies” of Fort Collins! This event lets participants indulge by trying out various unique and delicious restaurants in Fort Collins! Great Plates returned to Old Town Fort Collins on March 1 and goes through the 14th. The annual Food Bank for Larimer County fundraiser features multicourse specials at 28 downtown restaurants for only $25. The event begins each night at 5:00pm until close at participating dinner restaurants. Restaurants include: Austin’s American Grill, Beau Jo’s, Mainline Ale House, Melting Pot, Rare Italian and Blue Agave.

For all restaurants included and more information go to: https://downtownfortcollins.com/events/great-plates-of-downtown

Cinemark Movie Bistro and XD– This is the newest movie theatre in Fort Collins that brings movie watching to a whole new level! The theatre includes all the classics that movie goers enjoy like popcorn, soda and candy but also includes a wait staff that hand delivers items from the movie theater’s bistro to your comfy, reclining seat. The items include pizza, sandwiches, salads, burgers, appetizers, beer, wine, mixed drinks, coffee and ice cream. The new theatre is located near the Foothills Mall in Fort Collins and would be the perfect venue for a relaxed activity with your spring-breakers!

A SPECIAL BLOG POST FOR OUR HARDWORKING WOMEN

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Since March 8th is International Women’s Day, it is important to take a minute to acknowledge one of the most common things that women suffer from, chronic stress. The National Institute for Health Research from the University of Cambridge did a study to identify what groups experience the most stress. They looked at gender, age, medical conditions, addiction and mental disorders. Their research showed that for every one male, 1.9 females are affected by anxiety disorders related to stress, and women younger than 35 are increasingly affected. Another study by the American Psychological Association showed that women are much more likely than men to report physical and emotional symptoms of stress including indigestion, fatigue, and headaches. In fact, studies consistently show that women score higher on the stress-o-meter than men. In a survey conducted in 2006 by the American Psychological Association (APA), 51 percent of women reported that stress had an impact on their lives. For this rising level of stress what are some ways stress affects our bodies and how can chiropractic help?

Many of us can see that physical stress can be associated with spinal misalignments but something one might not consider is how emotional stress can affect the spine. How is this possible? When a person is experiencing emotional stress several hormones are released. Initially, adrenaline is released which is also known as the fight or flight hormone. Adrenaline is produced by the adrenal glands after receiving a message from the brain that a stressful situation has presented itself. Adrenaline, along with norepinephrine, are largely responsible for the immediate reactions we feel when stressed. Adrenaline causes your muscles to tense up, you’re breathing to hasten, and can even cause your body to sweat. Norepinephrine is also released to assist in your fight or flight reactions that stem from stress. A steroid hormone, cortisol, is also produced by the adrenal glands and is commonly referred to as the stress hormone. Cortisol is continuously released with chronic stress which can lead to suppression of the immune system (which makes it easier to get sick), increased blood pressure and sugar, decreased libido, acne production, obesity, and more. As you can see the muscles and glands of the body are highly impacted by chemical factors. Today, more than ever, we are hearing about the effect that emotional stress can have on the body which can result in spinal misalignment (subluxation) along with the severe nerve impact those misalignments have on the functioning of the nervous system.

How can Chiropractic help?

Chiropractors are trained to assess the bio-mechanics of the body in its current state and treat the disorders of the musculoskeletal system by realigning misaligned joints to increase the overall function of the nervous system and ultimately the entire body. As we learned earlier, chronic stress often causes misalignments throughout the spinal column especially in the nerves that control cognitive functions as well as immune function and digestive functions (these are the most common systems that chronic stress affects). Chiropractors focus their attention on realigning those areas of interests which can help to relieve the symptoms one might feel when chronically stressed. Chiropractors also use stress relieving therapies including essential oil therapy and referring out for massage therapy, yoga or meditation to help the patient’s overall wellness. Getting adjusted can help decrease chronic stress thereby relieving frequent headaches, digestive dysfunction and the overall improvement in an individual’s quality of life.

International Women’s Day is a day to say “thank you” to all the hardworking women in our lives. Each job is important and each causes a different level of stress in a woman’s life. A simple thank you or a gift of health to help relieve some of the symptoms of stress could help make her life even more rewarding. If you are a patient at Impact Chiropractic stop by the front desk on your way out to get the gift of health card to give to the special women in your life, they will be able to get their new patient exam and x-rays for huge discount!  Call the team at 970-223-5501 for more information.

Here at Impact Chiropractic, we support our hardworking women!

strong women quote 1.jpg

https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-body.aspx

https://impact-chiropractic.com/

NATURAL RELIEF FROM MORNING SICKNESS

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According to morning sickness statistics, about 75 percent of all pregnant women experience morning sickness throughout the beginning of her pregnancy (the first 12 weeks). Morning sickness includes feelings of nausea, headaches, and sometimes vomiting that typically peak around the 9th week. Although there is not a definitive cause of morning sickness; researchers believe these symptoms occur when the baby’s organ development is most vulnerable to chemicals and is also around the same time that the baby’s organs are developing (8-10 weeks). Essential oils have proven to help expecting mothers get through the first few weeks of pregnancy with decreased symptoms of morning sickness. However, it must be pointed out that we don’t recommend ANY essential oils during pregnancy unless they are 100% PURE Therapeutic Grade Oils, therefore we use DoTERRA products at our office.

The top 3 essential oils suggested for morning sickness include: Peppermint, Lemon, and Lavender.

Peppermint oil is beneficial for headaches during pregnancy along with nausea, indigestion and heartburn. Peppermint should not be used while breastfeeding because it can decrease milk supply.

 

 

 

 

 

Lemon also helps to fight of nausea along with other citrus smells. Lemon can also be used to decrease swelling and water retention during pregnancy.

 

 

 

 

 

Lavender is an essential oil beneficial for calming a mother and helping with insomnia. However, this oil should be used only occasionally in your first trimester, as it may stimulate contractions. Lavender is also helpful in decreasing swelling and stretch marks and yeast infections during pregnancy.

Essential Oils are most safely used when diffused or mixed with coconut oil when applying topically.  Let us know if you need any help or more information about using essential oils. https://doterra.com/US/en/using-essential-oils

SUCKING OUT LIFE

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“JUST LIKE LIQUID MOVING THROUGH A STRAW, THE ENERGY OF LIFE FLOWS FROM YOUR BRAIN THROUGH YOUR NERVE SYSTEM AND PERMEATES EVERY PART OF YOUR BODY.  THE MORE “OPEN” AND UNRESTRICTED YOUR NERVE PATHWAYS ARE, THE EASIER LIFE ENERGY FLOWS AND THE HEALTHIER YOU’LL BE.

SUBLUXATIONS (MISALIGNED SPINAL BONES) SQUEEZE NERVES AND RESTRICT THE FLOW OF LIFE ENERGY.  THE EFFECT IS LIKE TRYING TO SUCK FLUID THROUGH A TWISTED STRAW.  SURE YOU MAY GET A TRICKY THROUGH, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE YOUR DRINKING EXPERIENCE VERY COMFORTABLE.  WHEN SUBLUXATIONS CONSTRICT NERVE PATHWAYS, LIFE ENERGY FLOWS AT A WEAKER RATE, MAKING EVERYDAY TASKS, JOB AND EXPERIENCES MORE DIFFICULT.”

The above statement was taken from https://theweeklysticky.com/sucking-life/

AT IMPACT CHIROPRACTIC, WE AGREE WITH THIS ANALOGY.  YOUR NERVES CONTROL EVERYTHING IN YOUR BODY, AND IF THERE IS A “TWISTED NERVE” IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR IT TO COMMUNICATE PROPERLY.  YOUR BODY WILL STILL WORK IF ITS TWISTED, BUT THINK OF HOW GOOD IT WILL WORK IF ALL OF YOUR NERVES ARE COMPLETELY OPENED UP! THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS: LESS FATIGUE, IMPROVED DIGESTION, STRONGER IMMUNE SYSTEM, BETTER MUSCLE TONE!

Natural Remedies for Hypothyroidism

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Feeling fatigued, stressed out? Do you notice that you’ve also been gaining weight for no apparent reason?  Constantly depressed and can’t get yourself out of this feeling?  These may be signs that you have hypothyroidism.

Over 20 million Americans have problems with how their thyroid is working.  Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid is under-active and hyperthyroidism is when the thyroid is over-active. All hormones in your body work in sync with one another and need to have a delicate balance.

When looking into the thyroid function we recommend getting your thyroid levels checked, and specifically ask for T3, T4, Reverse T3, Antithyroglobulin Antibody (TG) & Antithyoidperozidase Antibody (TPO).  These are all important to truly know how your thyroid hormones are working with one another.  If you do have an imbalance, instead of only taking synthetic hormone replacement medications, try some of these natural remedies.

essential oils for hypothyroidism

Top 10 Natural Hypothyroidism Remedies

  1. Ashwagandha (500 mg/day) – Helps lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels and balances T4 (thyroid hormone) levels
  2. Iodine (150-300 mcd/day) – Helps to resolve thyroid dysfunction.  Do not take if you have Hashimoto’s disease.
  3. Selenium (200 mcg/day) – is vital for the production of T3 (thyroid) hormone, get this through the food you eat.  A great source of selenium is Brazil nuts.
  4. L-tyrosine (500 mg 2x/day) – amino acid necessary for production of numerous thyroid hormones
  5. Fish Oil (1,000 mg/day) – essential fatty acids critical for the functioning of the thyroid
  6. Vitamin B Complex (1 complex capsule/day) – Especially B12 & thiamine are important for neurological function and balancing hormones
  7. Probiotic Supplements (50 billion CFU/serving) – Help to heal the gut and aid in nutrient absorption, necessary to properly take in your vitamins/minerals
  8. Frankincense essential oil – helps increase function of the thyroid gland, can rub directly onto the lower part of your neck
  9. Lemongrass and Myrrh essential oils (2-4 drops) – Mix them together, and can also rub directly onto the lower part of your neck
  10. Conservative Care – nutritional therapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic all have benefits for relieving hormonal imbalances.

At Impact Chiropractic in Fort Collins, we help people with all sorts of health conditions find balanced hormones & their healthiest bodies. Book an appointment today to start your journey to wellness!

SPEED UP YOUR RECOVERY TIME

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When you keep your body healthy and active, exercise-induced muscle pain is common.  Rest, good nutrition and keeping your body hydrated are all important; one area that is commonly overlooked is the state of your nervous system during recovery.

During exercise it is easy to understand that our muscles, lungs and heart are working… but what controls those muscles?  Your nerves.  You not only need recovery to those tissues and organs, but you need to be able to reset the nervous system as well.

Your parasympathetic nervous system is the center of control where your body rests, digests, and heals itself.  The body is designed to spend most of the day in parasympathetic control.  Stress (physical, mental, and chemical) to the body starts to shut off the control of that parasympetic nervous system, and the body shifts into sympathetic control.  Many times people get stuck in sympathetic (flight or fight) due to prolonged stressors and their bodies do not have the capability to heal itself.  The parasympathetic nervous system needs to be working properly in order for your muscles to heal.

Exercise is a physical stress to the body, even if you don’t feel sore.  Looking at it short term, it is a good stress; but it’s stress nonetheless. Make sure you take care of yourself post-workout. Stretch your muscles.  Drink half of your body weight in ounces throughout the day.  Eat a nutrient dense diet.  Do relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga.  Get your nervous system checked by a chiropractor.  Get a good nights sleep, aim for 8 hours.