Archive for March, 2011

Fire! Fire!

March 29, 2011 at 9:35 pm · Filed under Wellness

 

 

 

Your house, a beautiful, solid structure is flawless and functional, protective and precious. Now picture this house on fire. What would you do? Possibly stand outside and look up at the curling orange flames and say, “Oooohhh pretty”? No, you would grab the nearest phone and call the fire department.

 Down your street the firefighters rush to rescue your splendid “castle”. Up your front steps they fly with ladders, hoses, and helmets. You stand aside in mixed horror and relief as you see your windows bashed out and a geyser of water spurting from a hole that wasn’t there a few minutes ago.

 At last the flames are extinguished. Firemen and appropriately aimed water are victorious. As the handsome firefighters emerge with relaxed “all in a day’s work” looks on their faces, you resist the urge to collapse at their feet in gratitude. You wrap your arms around your family and you wave like synchronized swimmers as the big red truck drives off into the sunset. You turn toward your house. Smoke rises from the ashes. You circle the perimeter and realize that this dripping mess is a shadow of its former glory. Shutters are hanging limply from their hinges, paint is burned away, and an additional entrance has been chopped through your beautiful almond siding. Your feelings straddle a long thin line between thankful joy and sorrow. The fire is out, but at what cost?

 Several days after the blaze the “investigators” determine the fire started in old wiring. The insulation, not properly protected, caught immediately. The fire alarm which would have warned you had no battery. Two silenced, naked snaps dangle from that black and red wire. You remember the “Sunday morning, bacon-burning, irritating-smoke-alarm” scenario.

 Let us shift scenes for a moment. Picture those handsome firefighters. Change their yellow jumpsuits to white coats accessorized with stethoscopes. Consider your beautiful “home” is actually the magnificent body in which you dwell. Think about some of the heroic “firefighting” that is required of our doctors and nurses. Cancer treatment? Amazing! Triple heart bypass? Heroic! Total knee replacement? Nothing short of a miracle! Do these interventions, like the firefighters bursting through your front door with a hatchet, sometimes come with repercussions? Absolutely!

 Let us return to the story of the now goopy “paper-mache” mess that was your home. Think back to the early first blush of joyful home ownership. Had you spent as much time assessing the health and wellness of your dwelling as you did picking out curtains from Pottery Barn you might find yourself still comfy in your Lazyboy watching your fine plasma screen. Maybe you should have preemptively called in an expert to assess early home maintenance issues. Had the call been made you might not be currently standing on what one could only describe as rubble. You know the person I am referring to – the one who comes with a tool belt and a smile, the one who has an inexhaustible knowledge of the inner workings of your home. That expert who can say “Yes you do need to replace that insulation and the faulty wiring, and although it might be time consuming and expensive it might be in your best interest to have your roof repaired, your dry rot addressed, and the rodent problem licked”.

This same person, if an expert at physiology and health rather than an expert at roof leaks and window repairs, might advise you not to wait to fix structural issues in your “house” until these issues are on the brink of causing mass destruction. They might offer the same sage advice – attend to health issues before they lead to bigger problems.

Who is this maintenance man you ask? You may think of your Chiropractor as your “firefighter” for back pain. I challenge you to think “tool belt” not “fire hose”. Chiropractors ultimately get better results when given the opportunity to address early postural instability, range of motion issues and nervous system inhibitions. Guess what? These early signals of potentially very significant health issues are not signaled by a fire alarm!

 I flinch when a patient responds to my recommendations with “Yeah, I think I will just call when I feel something go whacky”. I think to myself “maintenance man, not firefighter Jim”! I am your maintenance man (or woman). Chiropractors are part of the team to help you consistently achieve your long term goals of health -not just a ”hose down” on the intermittent fires.

 When seeking health and wellness goals one should also consider other experts. Think of us as a team with unique tool belts for a healthier you.  Allow a trainer to teach you proper techniques for core strength and stabilization before a serious disk issue gets your attention; employ a naturopath to aid in addressing your nutritional issues before diabetes becomes the diagnosis; speak to a professional about heading off potential stressors in your life.

You can also be your own maintenance man; improve your nutritional choices, adopt that exercise regimen and practice margin in your life.  These are all wonderful maintenance techniques to love and nurture that truly amazing gift, our glorious body.

Unfortunately many people subscribe to the firefighter mentality. Does taking an “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it attitude” with our health make sense? Does waiting until there is a serious diagnosis work? Let us consider the statistics below:

 225,000 deaths occur yearly due to the follwing: uneccesary surgery, medication errors in hospitals, infections in hospitals, and “non-error” negative effects of drugs. Iatrogenic death from medicine is the third leading cause of death in the uited States.    

15,000-26,000 deaths a year from blood pressure medications

6,900-17,000 deaths a year from cholesterol controlling medications

4,300-9,600 deaths from diabeties controlling medications                                                                                                                                                              

(See www.mercola.com “Death by Medicine: references” for all sited references)

These statistics are just a blip on the radar. There are many examples of medical intervention benefits being largely outweighed by adverse repercussions. A significant number of my patients assume medical intervention comes at little cost. This is often not the case.

The question ultimately is why are you waiting to let the “firefighters” bang on your door? The destruction caused can potentially be extremely damaging.  We must we work diligently to prevent the fire in the first place. Would I like my arm sewn back on by a qualified charming physician if it got caught in an unfortunate auger accident? Of course. Should I, aside from “arm-severing freak accidents” work daily to educate and train myself to take full responsibility for my future as a thriving healthy human so I can avoid the front doors of a hospital at all costs? Yes.

Your health is the most valuable possession you will ever have. An obvious statement perhaps, but take this opportunity to think about the attention you pay to your body, a truly amazing work of art. And think about the maintenance required to enable your splendid “castle” to give you the best opportunity to enjoy optimal health right now and always.

 P.S. To all firefighters who are my current and future patients, this was an ANALOGY. You are wonderful heroes and please come to my house if it is burning.

 Written by Heather Denniston DC, (concept attributed to James Chestnut DC)

 

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Nutritional Math I

March 23, 2011 at 3:24 pm · Filed under Nutrition

Nutritional Math I

About six years ago I started asking for a seven day food journal from my patients. Once  the assignment has been prescribed I take great pleasure in the look of sheer horror on patient’s faces. The prospect of documenting all the ingestible evils that they try to avoid ever acknowledging to themselves or others is daunting at best. As I hand the blank journal to a patient I always state “No judgment, analysis or sudden dramatic dietary conversions.  Just write it down and forget about it.” The reason for the disclaimer is because I want to see their true nutritional reality.

One question patients often don’t ask but are thinking as they leave with their food journal hanging limply from one hand is “Why would a chiropractor be interested in what I am eating?” It is an absolute truth that what they are eating will directly affect the results of their chiropractic care and the speed with which they make progress toward the goals that we set together. If I don’t address the types of foods that are going into their bodies, and the ingredients that may cause inflammation to their joints and nervous system, I am doing them a great disservice. I think it is important to shed light on any limitations we may encounter due to the sub par food choices they may make. Don’t try to deny it.  I have seen your journals. The bar is set absurdly low.

When I receive these crumpled, food-stained, journals and I spend time analyzing them several common truths emerge. The most pressing issues are not ones requiring the addressing of bad habits from patients’ diets. The most pressing issues are that these food journals are lacking: lacking in essentials. Dr. James Chestnut DC observes that, when changing a diet, it is much easier to add a healthy food behavior then subtract an offending food item. People are emotionally attached to their food choices and taking that away from the start is a recipe for failure. So in this article and in most of the initial changes I suggest to patients we are going to talk about “adding” not taking away.

When I write a Phase One Food Plan in response to these journals, I have found myself documenting several of the same “additions” over and over again. I considered that it might be helpful to write out these recommendations below. Therefore, if you want to make some simple additions to your diet to create better health and a greater response to your chiropractic care, you could get started right away.

What are people missing? We will stick to five basic “additions” in this article. The most important thing diets are missing is a good, natural, pure, non-contaminated source of omega three fatty acids: fish oil. A quality source of fish oil should be bottled at its source, infused with antioxidants at the time of extraction, collected from bottom-feeding fish to reduce or eliminate heavy metal toxicity and should be a pharmaceutical grade indicating that it is batch and lot tested on a regular basis. I assure you, taking a fish oil that is impure is worse then not taking a fish oil. It can be dangerous to your health to be ingesting rancid, heavy metal laden sources of omega three fatty acids and that is a lot of what is currently out in the market. Your options for a pharmaceutical grade fish oil are to purchase from a qualified health professional like a chiropractor or naturopath. If you must purchase over-the-counter, Carlson’s and Nordic Naturals seem to be the most reputable brands.

The second suggestion has to do with the gross absence of fruit and vegetable servings from any meal throughout the day. Most patients document that if they do eat a veggie or a fruit they consume the same one day after day after day. Our bodies crave variety! A very strong suggestion is a good greens powder supplement that provides essential phytonutrients from wide variety of sources. That is not all you have to do however. There is the concept of “Fresh Fiber First”, a wonderful rule to live by. “Fresh Fiber First” means that you take in some form of fresh fiber (fruit or veggie) before every meal. One suggestion is to keep a container of finely shopped veggies in the fridge for the week. Eat a couple of big scoops before each meal or snack. The benefits of this and a quality greens supplement taken in the morning include easier digestion, better absorption of nutrients, excellent cancer fighting agents, increased energy, and leaps in immune system ability. If you cannot get your head wrapped around the chopped veggie idea at every meal, eat at least one big multicolored (lots of different veggies) salad everyday.   

The third suggestion for healthier nutrition is water. We have all heard it and few of us get enough. A couple of recommendations to increase your water intake areas follow below:

  • Put out a full bottle of water by your bathroom sink in the morning. Get through one bottle with your morning routine.  Consider alkalizing it with a little lemon.
  • Have a good stainless steel, one liter canteen. You can then measure how much you actually drink for the rest of the day. Most people grossly overestimate their H2O consumption. Three liters, in my opinion, is a good goal. If you start early in the day, this goal is easy to reach. Water is not only hydrating on the cellular level but also acts as an appetite suppressant, a muscle relaxor and an energizer!
  • Switch your other beverages out for water or at least start with a glass of water and then still see if you want that soda or juice. Try to mix all juices with water or avoid fruit juice altogether.
  • For each cup off coffee consider yourself short a glass of water. Caffeine is dehydrating and results in a greater need for water throughout the day.

 

The fourth suggestion is bugs! Lots of bugs. Our intestines, in the past, were well colonized with bugs that helped us break down and properly digest our food. Today we are no longer exposed to as diverse a group of those bugs because of our food choices and soil and produce quality. In addition, due to our dietary choices we are overrun with “bug-strangling” yeasts that greatly reduce our ability to properly process our food. It is war and the bugs need to be the victors. They need reinforcements on a regular basis, so supplementing with a high quality probiotic is essential with the poor food choices you people typically reach for. (A good probiotic in my opinion should come refrigerated to maintain the integrity of the bugs.)

The fifth suggestion is frequency. Too many food journals show up with two of the six slots for the day filled in. When I inquire to the patient about what they forgot to write down they correct me and let me know that they indeed ate only two times that day. Anyone that eats only two times a day is denying their body essential nutrients needed to function from morning to night. They have shut off the signals from their body to eat and are overriding them with caffeine, stress, and a busy schedule. These patients are inevitably overweight due to the slowed metabolism and insulin resistance that often results from the two carb-loaded-bingy meals they do end up blowing by the kitchen for. This is not conscious eating. If we are going to be in control of our well-being we must be conscious eaters. It means spending some time planning. It means eating within an hour of getting up even if it is just your greens formula. It means eating fist sized meals five to six times a day to keep that metabolism stoked all day. It means just enough food so that your digestive processes are not overloaded and can manage what you have given them. Be nice to your body. We are designed to fight off bacteria, parasites viruses, and gashes in our flesh but we have no innate defense against overeating, obesity or feast/famine type behaviors. Eat small meals several times a day and you will experience weight management, improved energy and immunity, better sleep and an elimination of those glycemic highs and lows that come from not managing your personal fuel.

Add, not subtract. That is the first approach to conscious, wellness-minded eating. This mindset will also aid in realizing excellent results with your chiropractic care. If you are eating better, you have decreased inflammation throughout the body, less aches and pains and better ability to hold and respond to the adjustments in which you are investing. If you have questions about the five additions for healthier living ask the doctor on your next adjustment, but be careful because we might just ask you to fill out the dreaded food journal!

 Heather Dennisont DC

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Death by Medicine

March 18, 2011 at 3:10 pm · Filed under Chiropractic

A post from Dr. Devine in Seattle…Always a good reminder!

America’s healthcare-system-induced deaths are the third leading cause of the death in the U.S., after heart disease and cancer.According to several research studies in the last decade, a total of 225,000 Americans per year have died as a result of their medical treatments:
• 12,000 deaths per year due to unnecessary surgery
• 7000 deaths per year due to medication errors in hospitals
• 20,000 deaths per year due to other errors in hospitals
• 80,000 deaths per year due to infections in hospitals
• 106,000 deaths per year due to negative effects of drugs

Fortunately there are natural alternatives that are safe, and without the life-threatening side effects. First among these is Chiropractic, the largest drug-free, natural healing profession in the United States.

drdevine@seattlechiropractor.com
seattle chiropractor

http://www.downtownseattlechiropractic.com

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Yellow Pants

March 16, 2011 at 6:18 pm · Filed under Exercise

Yellow Pants Is Back ~ In Jeans

Yellow Pants

My dad had yellow pants. They were for golfing but occasionally they made an appearance off the course on social occasions. It was acceptable. It was 1976. These yellow fancies were crisp and “polyestery” and looked sharp, matched with a similarly pastel-colored golf shirt. I am confident that also hanging in his closet was an identical pair in “lime daiquiri” but I am particularly fond of the “yellow pants” memory. I can see him getting ready on a Sunday morning ready to go do that mysterious thing with sticks and buddies and a fair amount of beer. Out the door those yellow pants would walk.

I can’t think of the word golf without my dad’s face coming to mind. So when I considered penning a small article on preventative measures to implement on the golf course, I was pleasantly inundated with a brain-slideshow of my golfing dad. I think about him and I having a conversation about the benefits of warming up, stretching and counter swinging.I think he would have listened respectfully and then not changed a thing. However, I trust that all of you golfers will read attentively and heed my suggestions. Let’s call it a tribute article to Don and his yellow pants. Do it for Don.

Down and dirty tips for Golf Glory

G: Great warm up/warm down: Warming up and cooling down properly is essential for golf performance. Although golfing may seem like just a long walk, a golf game actually challenges most of the musculature in your body. Take a few short minutes before you tee off and at the end of the game to run through the following stretches. (Hold all stretches for 20-30 seconds)
Hamstring stretch: Prop one foot up on a step or bench. Gently lean forward bending at the hip, keeping your head up and looking forward. You should feel this stretch on the back of the thigh. Repeat on other side.
Quadriceps stretch: Standing, bend one knee and grasp the ankle and gently pull toward the buttocks. You should feel the stretch down the front of the leg. You should feel this stretch down the front of the thigh. Repeat on opposite side.
Front hang: Stand with your legs shoulder width apart and let your body, (bending at the waist) drop forward toward the ground. Think of a rag doll. You should feel this stretch in the backs of your legs and your spine.
Arm circles: Stand with feet shoulder width apart and circle arms (one at a time) backwards for ten repetitions and then forward for ten repetitions. This warm-up is great for lubricating the shoulder joint.
Buttock Stretch: Sit on a bench and cross your ankle over your opposite knee. Slowly lean forward until you feel the stretch in your butt on the bent knee side. You can increase this stretch by gently pressing down on the bent knee side.

O: Opposite Swings: For every golf swing you make take a step back and swing the opposite direction. The “one-sidedness” of the sport is a big reason why low back pain is so common. Opposite swings will stretch and strengthen the opposite side musculature and create the balance and symmetry the spine so desperately craves.

L: Loosen Up! On the 1st, 9th and 18th holes stop and proceed thought the following stretches. Place your golf club across the back of your shoulders and position your hands on the ends of the club. This is your starting position for all of the following stretches.
Rotation: Slowly start to swing from your trunk moving side to side. This stretch is a purely rotational stretch as if you are trying to look over your shoulders behind you on each side. Start with a very short range of motion and slowly build to a bigger and bigger range of motion. Swing slowly and in control. Perform this stretch for a full minute
Kayak: (continue to have your golf club in place over the back of you shoulders) Start in neutral and slowly start “paddling” motion forward as if you are paddling a kayak. Slowly make the circles with your arms larger and larger as you challenge your range of motion limits. Continue by reversing this stretch and “paddling backwards” The goal again is to start with small circles and slowly make them bigger. Practice this stretch for 30 seconds per direction.
Side to Side: With you golf club behind your shoulders you are going to start a very short range of motion side to side. Slowly build the range of motion to be as big as you can safely make it. Do not bend forward or back to accomplish this movement. This is purely a side to side motion. Do this side to side motion for a full minute.

F: Footwear: Properly supported feet are a key in preventing back pain and improving balance during swing and follow-through. Consider some custom orthotics to balance foot mechanics. Properly supported feet have positive repercussions for knee friction, pelvic balance and low back symmetry and alignment. Your chiropractor can assist you in determining weather custom or generic orthotics are more appropriate for your particular feet.

Final tips for Golf performance:
1) An excellent resource for golfers is: The Egoscue Method of Health through motion ~ Pete Egoscue
2) Hydrate during golfing! Dehydrated muscles are less responsive to load and therefore can strain more easily.
3) Consider a core strengthening program with a trainer or a pilates class with a qualified instructor.
4) Get Adjusted! Having your spine checked and adjusted will improve range of motion and neural integration of key golfing muscles.

My dad was a good golfer; with a little work on his core and flexibility I think he could have been great. In his era the yellow pants were his edge. Knowing what I know now I challenge you to implement the above recommendations in lieu of breathtaking golf-wear.

Should you have any questions or need clarification on any of the stretches do not hesitate to ask on your next appointment. Good luck with your game.
(Don passed away on March 17th 1997 from brain cancer. He was survived by his wonderful wife and three daughters: sadly, none of them golfers.)

Heather Denniston DC

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We are back!

March 16, 2011 at 6:14 pm · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged , ,

Watch out! We are back and will be blogging regularly. Let us know what you would like to hear about!

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