The statistics are sobering. The typical American lifestyle consists of a diet that far exceeds the daily recommended intake levels in calories from sugars and solid fats, sodium, refined grains, and saturated fat. It is also lacking in the recommended amounts of fruits, vegetables, dairy, whole grains, and oils. The result is obesity and experts project that by 2030, in the United States alone, half of all adults will be obese.

That’s when people start dieting – and that is what gets them into trouble.

Diet vs. Lifestyle Change

Bottom line, diets are temporary. There are some serious consequences that can come from dieting, especially fad or crash diets. The effects of these types of diets can also seriously impact your chiropractic care, hindering your progress.

Also, because diets are temporary, once you return to your regular eating habits the weight usually comes back.

A lifestyle change is a far better choice. It involves making smart, healthy eating choices – choices that you maintain for the rest of your life. This also impacts your chiropractic care by strengthening your body and keeping it healthy so that it is in an optimal state for healing and responds well to treatment.

Types of Diets

There are all sorts of diets out there. Some are blatantly unhealthy but others are sneaky. Diets come with claims of being healthy, of being created or endorsed by doctors, or include tons of vitamin supplements but very limited food intake. It is important to be able to spot these destructive fad diets so you don’t get suckered into their hype.

Some of the most common types of fad diets include high protein, low or no carb, liquid, cabbage, grapefruit, broth or juice, and food combining. Some of these can cause serious health problems including vital organ damage. Others can cause vitamin deficiencies and dehydration. None of them can (or should) be maintained over a long period of time, much less the rest of your life.

The Dangers of Diets

Unhealthy dieting can come with some pretty scary dangers. Because they typically omit key foods or food groups your body can become imbalanced. Some of the dangers of dieting include dehydration, fatigue, weakness, vitamin and mineral deficiency, headaches, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, mental fogginess, loss of muscle mass, organ damage, and even heart attack and stroke.

One popular diet restricts carbs, often cutting them out completely. This includes all whole grains (which have vital minerals and fiber) as well as many fruits and vegetables. The result is a diet that is mostly protein and fat.

While the dieter may lose some weight on this plan, it is at a great cost. The extremely high intake of protein which exceeds the levels that the body should have can cause liver and kidney failure. The omission of vital grains, fruits, and vegetables can lead to serious vitamin deficiencies while the increased fat intake can lead to heart attack and stroke.

If a diet eliminates any of the key foods (lean meats, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables), it advocates losing more than 2 or 3 pounds a week, or it restricts caloric intake to less than 1,200 calories a day it is potentially unhealthy and should only be done 1) under a doctor’s close supervision, and 2) on a very temporary basis.

Healthy Eating is a Lifestyle

When you make the life changing commitment to adopt a healthy eating lifestyle you open yourself up to a world of better health, more energy, and better focus. Your body will heal faster and you will feel better.

A diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, fresh fish, and whole grains, along with lots of water should become a way of life. It is far healthier than the temporary diets that are out there and more effective too.

If you or a loved one need additional dietary guidance, give us a call. Our Chiropractor is here to help!

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In Health,
Dr Dawn Webster

If you have ever had a migraine before then you know that it is much more than a simple headache.

The symptoms of a migraine can be debilitating, lasting hours and even days. According to the Migraine Research Foundation, it is the eighth most disabling disease in the world. An estimated 38 million people in the United States alone suffer from migraine headaches. That’s around one in every ten people.

According to the Migraine Research Foundation, migraine headaches are extremely difficult to treat and even more difficult to control. This is mainly due to the fact that doctors still don’t know exactly what causes it. This leaves it undiagnosed in many patients and often terribly undertreated in those with a diagnosis.

Many medical doctors are only able to prescribe pain medication that has undesirable side effects in an effort to manage the symptoms, and hope for the best. Several studies show chiropractic care is not only effectively manage the pain of migraines, it also helps stop and prevent them.

Anatomy of a Migraine Headache

There are two types of migraines, those with an aura and those without an aura. An aura can appear up to an hour before the onset of a migraine. It is a warning sign that usually presents as a disturbance that is either visual or olfactory. The person may see flashes of light, called an aura, or smell particular odors before the headache begins.

Once the migraine itself begins, the pain is typically on one side of the head, although this is not always the case. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to noise, sensitivity to light, and sensitivity to smell. Some patients experience an inability to concentrate, hot or cold flashes, stiffness in neck or shoulders, slurred speech, loss of coordination, and in rare cases, loss of consciousness.

The migraine can last several minutes, hours, or even days. Afterwards the patient may feel fatigued or washed out. They may be unable to concentrate and either lethargic or extremely energetic.

Studies Show: Chiropractic as Migraine Care

There have been several clinical studies on chiropractic as a form of care for migraine headaches. These studies show that of the patients who received chiropractic treatment, twenty-two percent reported that their attacks were reduced. With forty-nine percent reporting that the intensity of their migraines was significantly reduced.

Chiropractic for Migraines Headaches

Adjustments are very effective as a method of care for migraines. The whole body approach of chiropractic also utilizes dietary recommendations, including foods to avoid, as well as lifestyle changes.

Patients are counseled on managing stress, increasing exercise, and adding supplements to their diet. Adjustments are used to reduce pain and severity of a migraine once it begins, and prevent migraines and reduce their frequency.

Chiropractic is a safe alternative to prescription medications, and is quickly becoming the leading choice for many migraine sufferers. As the studies show, it works! So if you or a loved one suffer from migraines, give us a call. We are here to help!

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In Health,
Dr KayLynne Gasiorowski

Facet joint problems are among the most common sources of lower back and neck pain. They can cause debilitating, chronic problems with the neck and back and can lead to other more serious conditions and symptoms that can be disabling.

Cervical facet joint syndrome, or cervical facet osteoarthritis, is a degenerative condition marked by stiffness and pain in the cervical region (neck) of the spine. Patients are able to gain relief from various types of treatment, including chiropractic care.

What is Cervical Facet Joint Pain?

The spine is comprised of a chain of bones known as vertebrae. Each one has two facet joints on the back side and a large disc on the front side. This allows the vertebrae to stack neatly, one on top of the other, providing stabilization for the entire body.

The facet joints are synovial joints, like other joints in the body and sometimes they can become inflamed or injured, causing pain and stiffness. Cervical facet joint pain is, quite literally, a pain in the neck. It means that the joints in the neck area have become injured or inflamed. Pain from this condition can make it difficult for the patient to turn their head from side to side, or to move it up and down.

The cervical facet joints are almost always working. They undergo repetitive, constant motion and over time they can become torn or worn down. Problems within the joint can cause movement to be restricted or it can have too much movement, both of which can cause pain.

Injury, such as whiplash, to the area can also cause problems. If the condition is not treated appropriately, it can be degenerative and the patient can lose both flexibility and mobility, as well as suffer from chronic pain.

Symptoms of Cervical Facet Joint Pain

The symptoms of cervical facet joint pain tend to vary from patient to patient. A patient may experience one or several of these symptoms:

• Tingling, weakness, or pain in the hand and arm
• Neck pain
• Upper back pain that can affect the shoulders
• Pain between the shoulder blades
• Headaches, typically located in the back of the head
• Swelling and tenderness at the site of the inflamed facet joint
• Decreased range of motion and flexibility in the neck

Care for Cervical Facet Joint Pain

When a patient is diagnosed with cervical facet joint pain the treatment is usually fairly conservative. Their doctor may recommend soft tissue massage, physical therapy, and posture correction. This is usually combined with medications such as an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen, or muscle relaxers to ease muscle spasms in the muscles that surround the affected joint.

If those methods do not give the patient relief, the doctor may take a more aggressive approach, prescribing facet joint injections that use steroid medications injected into the affected joint. This approach is intended to keep the pain localized while reducing it. The procedure can be performed in an outpatient setting and has a good record of being effective, but the results are temporary.

Chiropractic for Cervical Facet Joint Pain

Chiropractors have had much success in managing cervical facet joint pain. They are able to adjust the areas that are affected, restoring painful, restricted facet joints to a point where they are able to move much easier and without pain. Over time, with regular chiropractic adjustments, they can help to reestablish a normal range of motion in the neck area for their patients. This is all done without any medications or injections. It is a natural, gently, effective method for relieving the pain and helping the patient enjoy a better quality of life.

I hope you found this article helpful and gained some new knowledge from it. Please, leave a comment or feel free to ask questions. Also, Let your Friends and Family know about the article by sharing it on Facebook.

In Health,
Dr. Ashlin Gasiorowski