Children & Chiropractic

A Winning Combination.

How does chiropractic care work?

The answer to this is simple if I explain a few things about how the body works! When a joint in the spine or the cranium doesn't move properly (a condition called a subluxation), it has the potential to irritate the nervous system. It's the nervous system that run's our body, carrying instructions from the brain to distant body parts. If this communication system is disrupted, the affected body part may or may not function properly. Chiropractic care removes the source of irritation, allowing the body to heal and operate properly.

Once the locked joint is released with a procedure called an 'adjustment', the nerve irritation disappears and restores proper communication between the brain and organ systems.

Is chiropractic care safe for children or babies?

Many children visit chiropractors these days, I see many children at my office for chiropractic adjustments especially those who are active in sports such as soccer, badminton, tennis, softball, basketball, gymnastics etc.

What pediatric conditions can a chiropractor help?

There are a wide range of conditions that a chiropractor can help with in children such as:

Neonate-Infant:

• Colic/Irritability
  
• Poor sleep
  
• Nursing problems
• Reflux/spitting up
• Constipation
• Asymmetrical head shape
• Torticollis/head tilt
• Sutural ridging
• Sleep apnea or snoring
• Asymmetrical crawl or gait

Toddler and Preschool-Age Child:

• Ear infections
• Chronic upper respiratory infections
• Asthma
• Growing pains/foot or leg cramping
• Bed-wetting
• Incontinence (bowel or bladder)
• Pervasive developmental disorders including Autism, sensory integration disorder, ADD, ADHD, learning disabilities

School-Age Child and Adolescents:

• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Headaches
• Scoliosis
• Gait abnormalities
• Extremity injuries (chronic ankle sprains, knee pain, shoulder pain, etc)
• Constipation
• Abdominal pain
• Chronic upper respiratory illness
  

It's important to remember that Chiropractic Physicians have a scope of practice that ranges from manual adjustments, exercise and postural advice, herbal and nutritional supplements, and lifestyle and dietary advice.

Chiropractic Physicians and medical physicians complement each other; as a team, they provide complete health care for your child.

"To your Health" Magazine January 2010 issue for more information.

"To buy or Not to buy Organic?" PART 1

Hello Readers! Let's begin this year with information about your FOOD CHOICES. I would like to work with each and every one of you on your diet choices and teach you how those choices affect your lifelong health and the health of your loved ones.

This year I would like to promote healthy food choices infused with a diet rich in organic produce, healthy grains and chemical free products and services. This week let's learn about the term "Organic".

Organic foods are those produced without using synthetic pesticides, petroleum or sewage-sludge based fertilizers, bioengineering or ionizing radiation.

Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products must come from animals fed organic feed and no antibiotics or growth hormones.

100% Organic 100 percent organically produced ingredients
Organic 95% of the ingredients are organically produced
Made with Organic Ingredients 70% of the ingredients are organically produced

One of the questions I've recently struggled with is which foods I should buy organic vs nonorganic. Fruits are among the most nutritious foods on the planet. They contain almost no fats and are loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants

FRUITS YOU SHOULD BUY ORGANIC

• Apples
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Apricots
• Cantaloupe
• Grapes
• Peaches
• Pears
• Red Raspberries

FRUITS YOU CAN BUY NON-ORGANIC

• Bananas
• Blueberries
  
• Grapefruit
• Kiwi
• Tangerines
• Watermelon
• Blackberries
• Canned Peaches

Please keep these in mind next time you're in your grocery store and watch what you put into your shopping cart!

Promoting Immune Health Beyond Vitamin C

As the winter approaches, we all know the importance of getting a good night sleep, drinking plenty of fluids and taking our Isotonix® Vitamin C. Recently, research has discovered what the ancient Asian healers have known for thousands of years-- that unique nutrients not found in our typical diet can promote healthy and effective immune function. For instance, certain mushroom species such as Shitake and Maitake are now being investigated for their immune properties. After all, mushroom survival depends on a protective immune system, with the ability to resist and adapt to varied hostile environmental challenges.

Research on specific mushroom compounds known as beta-glucan polysaccharides have resulted in some intriguing findings. Healthy immune responses with beta-glucan supplementation result in healthy immune cell function involving: T-cells, B-cells and natural killer cells. These mushroom compounds can be provided as certified organic whole food ingredients, known as Mycofusions™, which combines the mushroom compounds with the antioxidant power of high ORAC grains. In addition, a patented extract of a specialized medicinal Maitake mushroom, known as Maitake Gold 404®, can also provide a rich source of mushroom beta-glucans. Studies have demonstrated that the ability of macrophages (important immune fighting cells) to engulf and destroy harmful microbes are promoted by the addition of Maitake Gold 404. (1)

Elderberry used for centuries by Native Americans and European herbalists are receiving new attention by 21^st century scientists. These blue/black berries are loaded with antioxidant compounds such as anthocyanins. Research with elderberry extracts are demonstrating a supportive role for immune responses to seasonal stress.

Double blind placebo controlled human trials with elderberry extracts are showing safe and effective results. (2)

Human trials with Andrographis, a Chinese herb used for centuries in many Asian countries and India, are also revealing the ability to maintain general health during seasonal stress. (3, 4)

Our Immune™ Maximum Defense Formula combines all of these unique nutrients in the right combinations for promoting healthy immune defenses-- in times when the immune system needs it most!

Stress & the Immune System

Stress and the immune system

Easing up on yourself over the holidays is important because the connection between stress and illness is real, says Simon A. Rego, PsyD, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and associate director of psychology training at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, N.Y.

“The controversy that stress causes disease is pretty much over. We’re now teasing out how stress does it,” he says. In fact, a new study explains how stress may weaken the immune system. Each cell contains a tiny “clock” called a telomere, which shortens each time the cell divides. To counter this effect, the body also produces an enzyme, telomerase, which protects the cell and prevents further shortening by adding more DNA to the end of the telomere.

So far, so good -- but under stress, the body pumps out cortisol, a hormone that suppresses this protective enzyme. The study found that people under chronic stress have shorter telomeres, which, researchers say, means they are more vulnerable to a host of ailments.

Health effects of stress

How to reduce the wear, tear, and misery that holiday stress can inflict? When your holiday to-do list stretches longer than Santa Claus’s beard, eliminate whatever is unnecessary. Doing so may reduce your risk of:

-Heart disease, including heart attacks

-Skin conditions, including psoriasis and shingles

-Digestive disorder flare-ups, such as symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease

-Immune disorders, including flare-ups of multiple sclerosis and lupus

-Anxiety, depression, and insomnia

-Worsening pain, if you already have a pain disorder such as arthritis, back pain, and muscle spasms

Food & Exercise for Kids!

Getting Your Kids Off to a Healthy School Start

Need some more basic tips on keeping kids healthy? Follow these guidelines:

Healthy lunches for kids

• Primary colors. Load up their lunchboxes with a colorful mix of fruits and vegetables to keep them energized and ready to learn. Apples, pears, berries, dried fruit, baby carrots, cauliflower, and edamame are easy to pack -- and fun to eat.

• Fluid motion. Drinking plenty of fluids helps active children stay hydrated. But not all drinks are created equal. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, kids who drink one can of soda a day increase their obesity risk by 60%. Offer water and limit soft drinks (some can pack 150 calories per 12-ounce can).

• The whole truth. Whole grains are an important part of a healthy diet for kids. Offer whole grain, low-sugar cereals at breakfast and low-sodium whole grain snack bars or crackers in their lunch box. Try making sandwiches with whole grain bread (look for "100 percent whole wheat" on labels to get the most grains).

• Dairy queen. Strengthen their bones and brains with non- or low-fat dairy foods, including yogurt and flavored milk (choose products with no more than 30 grams of sugar).

Exercise for children

• Class action. Don't assume your child is getting enough physical activity at school. Giving kids a chance to move and get their heart rates up before studying makes it easier for them to learn. Ask your child's teacher about having the class do jumping jacks, run in place, and other quick exercises in between classroom activities.

• Power hour. Make sure your kids run around for at least an hour each day. Don't have a full hour for exercise? Try short 15-minute bursts of running, jumping, or games that encourage these activities to keep them interested and active.

Back to School Tips for parents, kids & teachers!

How do illnesses spread among school children?

Colds and flu are typically spread from person to person from respiratory droplets. Viruses enter the body through the eyes, mouth, or nose. A sneeze can spray thousands of infectious particles into the air at 200 miles per hour, and they can travel 3 feet. If children don't cover their mouths and spray other children or an object, such as a doorknob, and other children touch it and wipe their noses or mouths, they're more likely to get sick.

What's the best way to help my child prevent picking up an illness at school?

It's important to teach kids to wash their hands before eating and after playing outside and using the restroom. Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent illness. If parents enforce that at home, we'll reinforce it at school. Talk to your kids about covering their mouths with a tissue when they cough and sneeze, and send them to school with a bottle of antiviral hand gel and instructions to use it often.

Can I send my child to school if he's not feeling well?

If your child has a temperature higher than 100˚ F, body aches, and extreme sleepiness or is coughing or vomiting, you need to keep him home until he is free of those symptoms for 24 hours. If he's not really sick, but something seems off, let the school nurse know and ask her to monitor your child.

Health Benefits of Orthopedic Massage Therapy

Are there health benefits associated with massage?

Many types of massage offer benefits beyond simple relaxation. Here are just a few of the health problems that may benefit from massage. Ask your doctor before using massage for any health condition, though.

Back Pain. Many studies have shown the effectiveness of massage therapy for back pain. Massage Therapy can also be combined with Chiropractic care and/or Acupuncture treatments for greater relief of back or neck pain.

Headache. Another type of pain -- headache -- also responds to massage therapy, as shown by more than one study. Massage therapy can reduce the number of migraines a person has and also improve sleep.

Osteoarthritis. In the first clinical trial looking at the effectiveness of Swedish massage for knee osteoarthritis, participants who received a one-hour massage either one or two times a week had improvements in pain, stiffness, and function. The control group had no such change.

Cancer. Used as a complement to traditional, Western medicine, massage can promote relaxation and reduce cancer symptoms or side effects of treatment. It may help reduce pain, swelling, fatigue, nausea, or depression, for example, or improve the function of your immune system.

Anxiety. A review of more than 12 studies shows that massage helps relieve depression and anxiety. It lowered levels of cortisol by up to 50%. And massage increased levels of neurotransmitters that help reduce depression.