Are Drugs the Answer?

With today's profuse advertising for drugs, when a child is unwell most parents look upon pharmaceutical products as a torch in the dark, a reputable "savior."  We often gain security from smart packaging and advertising.

Do you allow your children the opportunity to strengthen their immunity or you panic at the first sign of an infection and reach for antibiotics?  When your child has a runny nose, a temperature, or an earache...Do you run for a prescription? 


Unfortunately, most parents have little appreciation for the nature of the chemical compounds found in these commonplace drugs.  Potentially harmful chemicals are often prescribed unnecessarily for minor, self-inflicting ailments.  Antibiotics in particular are extremely powerful and should be reserved for the rare occasions that actually require them!


If we interfere with the innate intelligence of the body by consistently lowering a child's temperature, we can compromise their immune system and make them less capable of mounting immune responses in the future.  Inexperienced immunities then take offense to natural allergens, rendering the child susceptible to chronic illness. 


I encourage you to think twice before asking your physician for an immediate prescription for your child's infection. Their body is smart, and knows how to adapt. It just takes time!

Cracking the Case of Infertility

Infertility. If you haven't struggled with it yourself, chances are you know someone who wants to become pregnant but can't...

While many traditional medical alternatives are mainstream in today's society, they are often focused at the symptom rather than the cause of the problem.

Infertility occurs because the body is out of its natural state of balance.  This could be a physical, chemical, or emotional imbalance- and can be in either the female or the male!   Factors that may influence fertility include: diet (including allergies to certain foods), obesity, insulin resistance, thyroid dysfunction, adrenal exhaustion, inactivity, prior history of STD's resulting in damage to reproductive organs, environmental toxins and chemicals (which may decrease sperm count or influence a woman's cycle), and contraceptives. 

While Chiropractic cannot magically allow you and your spouse to "get pregnant" per se, your Chiropractor can identify and correct subluxations, which can improve the function of your reproductive system, and thus result in fertility! Your Chiropractor can also assess your lifestyle habits and try and get you on a healthier track to conceiving naturally, and maintaining pregnancy. 

Getting adjusted on a regular basis has been found to improve autonomic and motor system function as demonstrated on her sEMG and thermography scans.  While many different techniques have been studied- Diversified, Gonstead, Sacro-Occipital Technique, etc- the concept remains the same! Chiropractic adjustments remove nerve interference and allow the body to attain a state of balance, resulting in optimal functioning of all the body systems! 

Pregnancy & Chiropractic!

I'm sure any mother-to-be would agree that pregnancy put's a great amount of stress on the body- chemically, physically, and emotionally. Often women learn to just accept pregnancy discomforts such as nausea, heartburn, shortness of breath, constipation, hemorrhoids, frequent urination, when in fact they don't need to.  The purpose of regular Chiropractic Care is to reduce the amount of stress on the nervous system, and to allow the body to function optimally.   A well functioning nervous system enables a mother to easily combat many of the hurdles of pregnancy.

As your pregnancy progresses, the weight of your baby can become a major load to bear and hormonal changes begin to relax the supporting tissues of the spine.  It is vitally important that your spine maintains correct alignment for both the mother & baby.  Having your spine checked by a chiropractor ensures that your pelvis is sitting correctly to allow optimum room for your baby to grow and move. Maintaining the integrity of the thoracic spine (mid back) with chiropractic adjustments can help alleviate mid back pain (due to an increase in breast size), shortness of breath and heartburn. Maintaining thoracolumbar (mid-to-low back) and lumbosacral (lower) flexibility free of subluxations can help with other unnecessary discomforts such as constipation, frequent urination, sciatica, lower back pain, symphysis pubis pain and pelvic pain.  And of course having your neck checked ensures that you have a proper mind-body connection through this joyous, yet stressful time.

In addition to adjusting your spine and clearing your nervous system, a wellness oriented chiropractor may talk to you about the importance of stretching, yoga or physical activity.  They may also discuss the importance of increasing your water and fiber intake to prevent hemorrhoids.

Research shows that correct alignment of the pelvis and spine contributes to a more straightforward labor with less pain and trauma for mother and child.  It is also reported that women who received chiropractic care in their 3rd trimester were able to cary and deliver their child with much more comfort.  Chiropractic care has been shown to significantly reduce labor time (~average 24% for first time mothers, and ~39% for those who have given birth before) for women who had care throughout their pregnancy. 

These maternal subluxations have also been implicated in fetal constraints (constraint within the uterus within you pelvis).  These constraints can interfere with your baby's presentation at birth and natural delivery, and studies have now begun to look at the more long-term effects of constraints in the uterus and the development effects on infants.

As you can see there are many benefits of chiropractic care for both the mommy & baby pre, during, and post pregnancy! Ask a chiropractor how he or she can help you today!

Please Note: X-rays of your spine will NOT be suggested by the chiropractor (acknowledging that you are pregnant) and techniques will be modified to accomodate for your growing belly.

Understanding Allergies

Many people suffering from allergies have reported benefits they have experienced from regular chiropractic treatments even though chiropractic care is not a specific allergy treatment...Why you ask? Because chiropractic is an alternative method of health care with the purpose of restoring neural integrity and allowing your body to function at its best! 

Why do people suffer from allergies?  Let me remind you that your immune system is influenced by nervous system- by chemical (diet), physical (activity & mobility), and emotional (feelings) stressors. If unhealthy, your immune system may fail to recognize and remove abnormal cells (such as cancers), may not overcome infection, may overreact to foreign substances (bee stings, penicillin, foods or drugs), become depressed (as in AIDS), or even attack itself! 

What causes allergies?  There is no specific cause to allergies, but many years of research has suggested that specific ingredients of childhood vaccinations, mother's who didn't breast feed, exposure to various foods too early before the gut is lined with the proper bacteria to aid in digestion, etc.

How does Chiropractic Work?  By releasing stress on the nervous system, chiropractic permits the immune system to function more effectively-something all allergy sufferers need. A nervous system without stress functions more efficiently. Recent understandings in psychoneuroimmunology reveal that when the nervous system functions better the immune system benefits. Chiropractors correct a basic cause of body malfunction to improve the function of your immune system. Please note that the chiropractic approach is to remove vertebral subluxations, a common spinal distortion that puts stress on your nervous system. Freed of nervous system stress, your body will work more effectively to neutralize the allergy-causing chemicals in your environment. 

REFERENCES: 

http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=139183

http://www.demosschiropractic.com/chiropractic-allergies.cfm

Chiropractic & Immunity

After getting adjusted for some time, Chiropractic patients usually report increased energy levels, decreased stress levels, more restful sleep, and improved concentration!  These are all healthy "side effects" of being well-adjusted.

Many Chiropractors fail to explain the physiology changes following their Chiropractic treatment. They also forget to explain the relationship of the nervous system to the immune system. Again, I want to emphasize that the central nervous system is the master control system of the entire body, and therefore is going to influence all other 10 body systems (Circulatory, Endocrine, Digestive, Integumentary, Lymphatic, Muscular, Reproductive, Respiratory, Skeletal, Urinary) 

So what is actually happening during the chiropractic adjustment?! 

There is an increasing body of evidence that the nervous system is capable of modulating the immune response. Receptors for neuromodulators and neurohormones have been found on human T lymphocytes. Activation of these receptors can be stimulatory or inhibitory depending on the neuroactive substance. The immune system may be able to communicate with the nervous system using neuromodulators and neurohormones secreted by lymphocytes. Sympathetic innervation of lymphoid tissues is not restricted to blood vessels and smooth muscle, but directly supplies lymphocytes and blood precursor cells. It is theorized that spinal fixations (subluxations) may adversely affect the immune response through somatosympathetic reflexes. Spinal manipulation (adjustments) can correct the spinal fixations (subluxations) and may eliminate the adverse affects of somatosympathetic reflexes. 

Make sense? Well what this is basically saying is that Chiropractic adjustments are actually influencing the specific T and B lymphocyte numbers, Natural Killer cell numbers, antibody levels, phagocytic activity and plasma beta-endorphin levels, which in turn increase your immunity and prevent you from getting sick! Remember, removing the subluxation restores neural integrity and allows for happy, healthy functioning body! 

So when you, your spouse, or your child is feeling under the weather, don't hesitate to bring them to their Chiropractor!  This may help you fight off the little bug thats under attack... and don't worry, we are all well adjusted and have very strong immune systems:)  For additional Questions ask your current Chiropractor!

REFERENCES:

http://www.chiro.org/research/ABSTRACTS/Effects_of_Chiropractic.shtml

http://www.chiro.org/research/ABSTRACTS/An_Overview_of_Neuroimmunomodulation.shtml

Chiropractic for CHILDREN?!

Children are highly susceptible to trauma in their spines.  In addition to the physical distress of the birth process, your child will endure general knocks and falls as they grow and develop, which will typically result in multiple subluxations of the spine (nerve dysfunction).  Since spines grow rapidly during the first 5 years of life, checking for abnormalities during this time is critical for proper growth and development.  Though symptoms may not surface until years later, injury to vital nerves can result in a lifetime of serious health problems.


Research shows that many of the spinal and health problems experienced by adults start very early in life.

Physical causes for vertebral subluxation include being placed in car seats for extended periods of time, or sleeping in a car seat with inadequate support of the spine and neck.  As your child grows, sporting activities can include physical trauma.  Accidents while learning to ride a bicycle, rollerblading, skateboarding, skiing or playing football are just a few of the ways subluxations can occur in children.

Repetitive or prolonged postures while watching television and playing computer games can impact a developing spine.  The aches and pains your child may experience can often be brushed off as "growing pains."  However, we need to appreciate that any ache or pain is a message from the body needing to be addressed rather than dismissed.

Chemical deficiency and toxicity is also a common cause of nerve dysfunction.  This typically includes: exposure to vaccines, antibiotics, pesticides or hormones in our foods and general pollutants in the atmosphere which are all common cause of subluxations.

Nerve dysfunction may also result from emotional trauma in children during times of mental distress.  This includes major life events such as separation anxiety while starting school, divorce, loss of a loved one, or delayed social skills causing your child to have difficulty getting along with his or her peers.

A healthy child's body is resilient, but just as any machine or engine requires maintenance and service to help it run smoothly, so does your child's nervous system require care.  The top reasons reported for parents to send their children to alternative healthcare providers were for the following health complaints: symptoms of respiratory tract dysfunction (27%), ear/nose/throat dysfunction (24%), allergies (15%), skin conditions (6%), gastrointestinal complaints (6%), prevention (5%).

Today Chiropractic awareness is shifting from being an intervention for symptom and pain-relief to a more proactive, wellness oriented healthcare choice!  Chiropractic care allows children to have better nerve function affecting all of other body systems, and develop to their highest potential! Ask how your Chiropractor can help lead your children on a better path to health!

Adjustments for Babies?!

When you were in elementary school what did you learn was the master control system of the body? (Answer: the nervous system)  And what are the 2 organs that make up the central nervous system? (Answer: the brain and spinal cord) I think we can all agree that without the nervous system we would no longer survive! Sixty-Five percent of neurological development (i.e. development of the brain and nervous system) occurs in your child's first year of life.  It is therefore imperative to ensure that your baby has every opportunity to maximize their nerve function during this critical period in their development. 

The purpose of Chiropractic care is to free the nervous system of subluxations, which cause nerve interference and therefore symptoms of dis-ease.  In this post I want to discuss the importance of chiropractic care and being “well adjusted” at the beginning of life – that is in the neonate, infant, and the child.  

Parents often ask why a newborn baby should be "checked" by a chiropractor?  The first trauma that a human being suffers is birth.  I’m sure that the mother and baby would both agree that this is quite a traumatic experience, which soon becomes a blessing.   Ideally, babies should be checked and adjusted as soon as possible after birth to help alleviate spinal problems caused by constraint or abnormal positioning in the uterus, or by spinal distress from the journey through the birth canal or during the delivery process itself.  Unfortunately, since a majority of children are not getting checked and adjusted by a Chiropractor, many infants suffer the consequences for an extended period of time.  This can lead to further complications during your child’s growth and development.

Many health problems may arise from subluxation of the first vertebrae in the neck (C1), including a lowered resistance to infections with the ears, nose, and throat.  Nerve dysfunction associated with birth trauma may result in breathing weakness, irritability, colic, difficulty with feeding and attachment, sleeping problems, and neurological defects.  Undetected, these problems may develop into learning difficultites, asthma, ear infection, hyperactivity and other health problems.

Clinical experience and an increasing amount of scientific research have shown that removal of vertebral subluxation associated with birth trauma and childhood accidents can dramatically affect the health of your child!

Parents often are shocked by the fact that Chiropractors treat children- But why wouldn’t they?  This is the most critical time that a child should be adjusted.  Let me put this in perspective.  The neonate has spent 9 months in the mother’s womb, and then experienced a major traumatic event during birth.  The infant, while learning to crawl and walk, falls approximately 15 times per hour – this adds up to over 100 falls a day! The child, begins to go to school and is exposed to physical (falls and sports injuries), chemical (foods, different environments, bacteria, and viruses), and emotional stressors.  And as they develop into adolescence, adulthood, and so on... they are bombarded with increasing physical, chemical, and emotional stressors which can lead to multiple subluxations, thus creating increased nerve interference!

Symptoms occur when your body can no longer adapt to the stressor.  Symptoms then become expressed, for example: colic, ear infections, asthma, allergies, eczema, bedwetting,  and of course, the “seasonal” cold and flu, among many more.  Chiropractors do not specifically treat these conditions, but do specialize in the maintenance and prevention of health by identifying and eliminating the subluxations that may be causing these symptoms and diseases!

Don’t you want your child to live their best life? Ask your Chiropractor how they can help & have them checked today!

Below are some research conclusions from various Chiropractic Associations around the world….Check them out!

THE BRITISH CHIROPRACTIC ASSOCIATION — "As children grow, chiropractic can help not only the strains caused by the rough and tumble of life but also with some of the problems that children can suffer in their first years: Colic—sleeping and feeding problems—frequent ear infections—asthma—prolonged crying."; THE

CHIROPRACTIC ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND — "Even today's 'natural' childbirth methods can affect an infant's spine. Preliminary studies suggested that colic, unusual crying, poor appetite, ear infections or erratic sleeping habits can be signs of spinal distress";

THE McTIMONEY CHIROPRACTIC ASSOCIATION — Irritability, fractiousness, feeding problems, continuous crying, sleeps little, difficult to settle, colic, sickness and wind — all of these could indicate that there is a misalignment in the baby's skeletal system and that the baby is uncomfortable as a result";

THE NEW ZEALAND CHIROPRACTOR ASSOCIATION — "Parents and teachers often report children dramatically improve their attention span with Chiropractic care. Others report Chiropractic care as being the main reason for improved academic performance";

THE SCOTTISH CHIROPRACTORS ASSOCIATION — "Chiropractors are able to examine and evaluate a child's spine to determine if they can help problems such as colic, asthma, bedwetting, eczema and sleeping difficulties. Chiropractors advise that a child's spine be checked for subluxations and postural distortions before any symptoms are even present.""

Pediatrics, Vol. 122 No. 5 November 2008, pp. 1161 (doi:10.1542/peds.2008-2620)