Posted on

What is Chiropractic?

So many have heard Chiropractors are great at “cracking your back” but chiropractic is about so much more. Yes, adjustments can help with back and neck pain but it can also help with so much more. Chiropractic Physicians spend three plus years learning anatomy, physiology, nutrition, biochemistry and more. So in addition to helping with chronic pain, we can also address nutritional concerns, supplementation, and help with many chronic diseases.

When you have a vertebral subluxation (misalignment in your spine) this causes interference with your central nervous system. The nervous system is our bodies control system. It helps us adapt to physical, chemical, and emotional stressors. A vertebral subluxation can compromise the nervous system interfering with its ability to regulate, coordinate, and heal. This can lead to physical pain, emotional instability, digestive problems, decreased immune system, or interfere with overall well being. Only 10% of the nerves in the body actually sense pain. This leaves 90% that do not. So instead of chasing symptoms we focus on the relationship between the spine and nervous system, restore normal function and allow you to live well and heal.

Chiropractic can help improve breathing, digestion, headaches, sciatica, disc issues, scoliosis, organ function, and so much more! This chart demonstrates how much influence your nerves have on the entire body!j

Chiropractic is very safe. Chiropractors have gone through extensive training and examinations to ensure safety. Chiropractic Physicians are required to pass four national board examinations in addition to state licensing exams. According to The National Institute of Health, “A 2007 study of treatment outcomes for 19,722 chiropractic patients in the United Kingdom concluded that minor side effects (such as temporary soreness similar to that which can be experienced after a workout) after cervical spine manipulation were relatively common, but that the risk of a serious adverse event was ‘low to very low’ immediately or up to 7 days after treatment.” Another study found that, “There was no evidence that visiting a Chiropractor put people at greater risk than visiting a primary care physician” (1).

Chiropractic care is one of the best ways to prevent problems in the future so be sure to see your Chiropractor regularly! If you are in need of a Chiropractor please give me a call 321-444-6750. How has Chiropractic helped you and your family???

DSC_0170 copy copy

Posted on

Water Fasting And The Many Benefits

So this weekend my sister and I completed a three-day water fast. I know, we party hard on the weekends. In December I completed a seven-day water fast so I knew what was up ahead. My sister was so funny trying to complete the three days.

Fasting is mentioned in the bible over 70 times! Jesus and Moses fasted for 40 days and we were struggling with three. Tiffany is convinced it was not a true 40 days because she was starving from day one.

There are many types of fasting. Some include food restrictions, intermittent fasting, and water only fast, etc.

There are so many benefits to fasting. Fasting can clear toxins, relieve anxiety, help reduce sugar cravings, increases energy, reduces inflammation, and helps promote digestion. When your fasting your body induces a cellular repair process and removes waste from the body. Because you enter a fat burning process your insulin levels are reduced (1).

Your body is made up of 60-70% water. Your cells, organs, and lymphatic system need water to function properly. By completing a water fast your lymphatic system can remove toxins from the body.

Some research has shown that intermittent fasting, when completed by cancer patients, reduced the side effects of chemotherapy (2).

When you start fasting your body switches over from burning sugar as its source of energy to burning fat. Here’s what Dr. Fung has to say about how many days you can fast:

What’s interesting is that if you take a pound of fat, that’s roughly 3,500 calories. If you eat somewhere around 1,800 to 2,000 calories a day, it takes two full days of fasting to burn a single pound of fat, which is very surprising to people. If you’re trying to lose 100 pounds, you could theoretically go 200 days of fasting just to burn all that fat … People worry about fasting for 24 hours. I’m like, ‘You could go 200 days.’ Then it’s like, ‘OK. Maybe it’s OK to go 24 hours without eating.'”

Other common obstacles people face when deciding to fast is what about starvation mode? Here is a question that gets asked a lot, “If I fast and enter starvation mode won’t my body start holding onto fat instead of burning it off?” Here is Dr. Fung’s answer,

“What they’re talking about is where the body’s metabolism starts to slow down so significantly that instead of burning 2,000 calories a day, your body might burn 1,000 calories a day. In that case, even if you’re eating only 1,500 calories a day, for example, you’re going to gain your weight back. That’s actually what happens when you reduce your calories. We know that … as you cut your calorie intake, your calorie expenditure goes down as well.

Starvation mode actually is guaranteed if you just try and cut your calories. But what’s interesting is that fasting doesn’t do that. What happens during fasting is that … after four days of fasting, the basal metabolic rate is actually 10 percent higher than when you started. The body has not shut down at all. In fact, what it’s done is it switched fuel sources. It switched from burning food to burning [body] fat. Once it’s burning [body] fat, it’s like, ‘Hey, there’s plenty of this stuff. Let’s burn our 2,000 calories’…”

Hence the increase in energy when fasting. If you start to detox then you can feel kinda drained for a few days. After that, you should feel a drastic increase in energy levels.

While fasting can benefit almost everyone, there are some people who should not do extended fasts:

  • Underweight, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 or less.
  • Malnourished (in which case you need to eat healthier, more nutritious food).
  • Children should not fast for longer than 24 hours, as they need nutrients for continued growth. If your child needs to lose weight, a far safer and more appropriate approach is to cut out refined sugars and grains. Fasting is risky for children as it cuts out ALL nutrients, including those they need a steady supply of.
  • Pregnant and/or breastfeeding women. The mother needs a steady supply of nutrients in order to assure the baby’s healthy growth and development, so fasting during pregnancy or while breastfeeding is simply too risky for the child (3).

Dr. Fung has a book The Complete Guide to Fasting which is great if you would like to learn more. This is also a great and true quote from Dr. Fung,

“The most important message, I suppose, is that health is really yours to take back, to take back from all the drug pushers and the people who just want you to take medications and who tell you that you can’t do it and you’ll always have type 2 diabetes,” Fung says.

“The solutions are all there. It’s all within your grasp. It just requires the right knowledge … As physicians, the 19th to 20th century is all about drugs because we had a lot of infections. That was a great model. You take those antibiotics, you get better.

But now as we go onto the 21st century, it’s all metabolic diseases. They’re all dietary diseases. The problem is we’re trying to use drugs for dietary diseases. Then we wonder why our drugs are no good. It’s because the premise is entirely wrong. It’s like bringing a snorkel to a bicycle race. It’s just the wrong thing. We’ve got to move on.”

Everyone has their reasons for completing a fast. For me, I’ve been struggling with Eczema for two years. I had it under control and it has recently flared up. I am going to start an herbal supplement regimen that kills fungus. So I started with a three-day water fast. I added lemons and lemon essential oils to my water as lemon is great to help detox. The first day or two is the worse and you really do feel hungry. After that, it is amazing how you do not really feel hungry anymore. As I start the herbal supplements I will keep ya’ll posted on how it goes.

Since completing our water fast we are now doing vegetables only this week. Last night we had an amazing salad with Tessemae’s Organic Avocado Ranch Dressing and butternut squash zoodles with peppers, onions, and zucchini on top. This tasted like heaven in the mouth! Fasting makes you appreciate healthy food so much more! Everything will taste delicious!

If you have not tried Tessemae’s dressings you so should! It is dairy-free, gluten-free, cage-free eggs, and sugar-free dressing.

As fun as water fasts are, I’m going to enjoy my vegetables this week! I want to know have you tried a fast before? What kind of fast? How did it go and how did you feel afterwards?

“This is the fast that I have chosen … to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke. Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth.” – Isaiah 58:6

Posted on

Summer Wellness- UnMazed Magazine

It is always wonderful to be a contributor for amazing causes. This UnMazed Magazine is a wonderful resource for teens and their parents. There is information available from study tips, academic planning, high school programs, extracurrulars, and academics to supports your students success. There is some amazing content so be sure to take a look!

My article is featured on page 36

 

Posted on

Depression and Curcumin

May is Mental Health Awareness. The CDC reports 1 in 10 Americans experience symptoms of depression. Research has been looking for a long-term natural remedy to treat depression symptoms. Current medication, when taken long term, can cause sedation, weight gain, or physical sensations of pain or numbness.

St. Johns Wort has shown to be beneficial with mild to moderate depression. However, there was not any evidence to suggest that it helped with major depressive disorders.

Research is showing promising results for curcumin blended with turmeric essential oils. Curcumin reverses stress and decreases inflammatory markers in the bloodstream. It helps support healthy levels of serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine. It may also promote neuron growth.

This research looked at Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and was published in the Journal of Phytotherapy Research. They looked at individuals on anti-depressant medication and those who took the curcumin blended turmeric essential oils. What they found was the curcumin turmeric essential oil had the same outcome as those on the medication. However, those on the curcumin/turmeric blend had no side effects of suicidal ideation or psychotic disorders.

This curcumin/turmeric essential oil blend may be the key to a more holistic risk-free intervention. If you or someone you know are experiencing symptoms of depression please seek help. Our office is always available to help 321-444-6750.

 

 

 

Sanmukhani J, Satodia V, Trivedi J, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Curcumin in Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Phytother Res. 2014;28(4):579-8.

Posted on

Sciatic Pain and Chiropractic

Many of you know the amazing benefits that come from regular chiropractic care! However, there are still many who do not and I am on a mission to change that!

Prevention magazine posted an article this week on treatments for sciatic nerve pain and guess what treatment was listed first?!?!?! That is correct, chiropractic care! They listed a research article that showed, “60% of people with sciatica who didn’t get relief from other therapies and then tried spinal manipulation experienced the same degree of pain relief as patients who eventually had surgery.”

Symptoms can clear up in 6 weeks or take years to resolve. However, with chiropractic care symptoms can resolve much faster and have lasting results! in this study, patients saw a chiropractor for 4 weeks and then began tapering off. The patients who responded to chiropractic care reported benefits that lasted up to one year!

Here is what researcher Dr. Gordon McCmorland, DC had to say, “Spinal manipulation may create a response in the nervous system that relieves pain and restores normal mobility to the injured area. It also reduces inflammation, creating an environment that promotes the body’s natural healing mechanisms.”

So do not suffer through the pain! Call your chiropractor today!

https://www.prevention.com/health/a20428216/best-treatments-for-sciatic-nerve-pain/

Posted on

Turmeric Latte Love

When my eczema was really bad I was bathing in turmeric in addition to drinking it. I was a walking human orange. Turmeric has significant anti-inflammatory effects in the body. Curcumin which is found in turmeric is a powerful antioxidant and has amazing health benefits. Curcumin is great for reducing inflammation, helping regulate blood sugar levels, and reducing pain.

In China turmeric is used to treat abdominal pain. Research has found that turmeric increases mucin secretion and may act as a protective layer in the stomach against irritants. Because of the anti-inflammatory properties patients who received turmeric/curcumin showed significant improvement in their symptoms (1).

In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study with patients who had ulcerative colitis. The patients who received a turmeric/curcumin supplements had a relapse rate much lower than those who took the placebo (2).

Turmeric/curcumin supplementation in clinical studies has also shown improvment in lipid profiles.

There are currently many studies investigating the possible beneficial effects of turmeric/curcumin in a wide variety of illnesses. Turmeric has been used in Asia for many remedies and it may prove to be a great preventative tool for illnesses including cancer, obesity, type-2 diabetes, ulcerative colitis, bacterial infections, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and end-stage renal disease (2–3).

So why not make a turmeric latte part of your routine? It is simple to make and you can drink it during any part of your day. You do not have to be a walking human orange like I was to reap the benefits of turmeric. Below is one of my favorite recipes for a turmeric latte

  • 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)

Add ingredients, heat over the stove until melted and warm. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and enjoy!

📷 credit: Dr. Axe

Posted on

Chiropractic and Chronic Pain

Every day more than 115 people in the United States die from overdosing on opioids. Deaths involving opioids have quadrupled since 1999. The CDC estimates an economic burden of prescription opioid misuse in the US alone is $78.5 billion per year.

According to the CDC 1 in 5 patients who receive prescription opioids long-term struggle with addiction. However, the pain reported by Americans has not changed.

In 2014 2 million people abused or were dependent on opioids. Opioids numb the patient’s pain and may convince patients that their condition is less severe of has healed which is not the case.

What has been proven in scientific research is that chiropractic care is effective in treating low back and neck pain.

One study found that individuals with low back pain who utilized chiropractic care were 55% less likely to fill prescriptions for opioids when compared to those who did not. They are currently completing a second study on a much larger scale.

In 2017 the American College of Physicians updated their guidelines for treatment of acute and chronic low back pain to recommend first using non-invasive, non-drug treatment before resorting to drug therapies.

The ACP based their recommendation on randomized controlled trials that stated heat therapy, massage, acupuncture and spinal manipulation as possible options for non-invasive, non-drug therapies for low back pain.

Two weeks ago the governor of West Virginia signed a bill into effect that medical doctors must refer their pain patients to either a chiropractor or physical therapist before they can prescribe opioids. This is the first law like this in the country and hopefully other states will join in.

I believe chiropractic can be a force in the fight against the opioid crisis.

Palmer’s Gallup results showed that 80% of people were willing to try an alternative to pain medication. Chiropractic is a great alternative.

Before you decide to take drugs consider chiropractic first and experience the wonderful benefits chiropractic gives. If you have had a good experience with your chiropractor let me know!  Help share the benefits of chiropractic and the difference it can make in your life! Chiropractic is the reason I did not take pain medication my whole life to combat the pain I was experiencing.

If you do not have a chiropractor ask your friends who they see or go to http://www.palmer.edu/alumni/find-a-chiropractor/ to locate a Palmer graduate.

Live well y’all!

Posted on

Nerve Function and Peripheral Neuropathy

I heard a great podcast by Ben Greenfield this week and someone asked a question about supplementation for nerve function. There are many conditions affecting nerve function and one that we treat in our office is Peripheral Neuropathy.

Peripheral Neuropathy is a condition characterized by extremity pain, numbness, burning pain, and weakness, usually of the hands, arms, legs, and/or feet. Peripheral Neuropathy refers to a condition that results when there is damage to the Peripheral Nervous System, the network of nerves outside the spinal cord. Symptoms can include numbness or tingling, pricking sensations, muscle weakness, paralysis, extreme sensitivity to touch, burning pain (especially at night), and in extreme cases organ or gland dysfunction. Peripheral Neuropathy can be acute (symptoms occur suddenly, progress rapidly, and resolve slowly) or chronic (symptoms are slight, progress slowly, may take months or years to resolve, and can be recurrent and worsening over time.)

There are many causes of Peripheral Neuropathy including physical injury or sudden trauma, diseases or disorders, exposure to toxins in medications, hazardous environmental and industrial materials, and heavy alcohol consumption. Diabetes, Chemotherapy Treatment, Spinal Stenosis, and Spinal Disc Degeneration are all common underlying conditions of Peripheral Neuropathy.

We treat Peripheral Neuropathy in our office with K-Laser. K-Laser treatment has seen a 90% improvement in symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy which is huge! K-laser is a class IV laser and a 30-minute treatment with a class IV laser is equivalent to 12 hours of continuous treatment with a class III laser. Below are some awesome studies on Peripheral Neuropathy and treatment with the K-laser

  • (K-Laser) patients experienced significant reduction in modified total neuropathy scores at all time points. There were no observed complications among patient treated with (K-Laser). (K-Laser) may improve neuropathy symptoms through a number of plausible mechanisms including prevention of neural apoptosis and enhancement of neurite outgrowth. Among patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, (K-Laser) produced a significant reduction in neuropathy symptoms. Click here for full study.
  • Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common types of peripheral neuropathy. It is considered to be progressive and irreversible. However, treatment with K-Laser has shown that may not be true. In this 4-week study patients treated with the laser had a significant increase in nerve conduction. Microcirculation (skin blood perfusion) was increased by 35.8% at the heel, big toe, and little toes. Patients reported a 26.4% decrease in pain levels. The results showed motor, sensory, and circulation improvements in just 4 weeks of treatment with the laser. Click here for full study.
  • Laser is showing promising results to treat pain in the extremities. The laser produces an anti-inflammatory effect and increases microcirculation resulting in increased healing. The increased microcirculation induces tissue repair processes and helps reduce pain. This allows increased oxygen and nutrition to the damaged area. Click here for full study.

There are supplements that you can take to help assist with nerve function and healing.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine is involved in lipid transport (important for mitochondrial function). Acetyl-L-Carnitine is neuroprotective in the central nervous system and has been shown to increase peripheral nerve regeneration. Clinically it has been shown to help with diabetic neuropathy and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy(1).

R-Lipoic Acid which is the most active form of alpha-lipoic acid. Alpha-lipoic acid seems to delay or reverse peripheral neuropathy through its antioxidant properties. It can increase glutathione which is an endogenous antioxidant. Alpha-lipoic acid has been shown to improve motor-nerve conduction velocity and also to protect peripheral nerves from ischemia in rats.  Patients treated with 600mg of alpha-lipoic acid had reduced pain, numbness, and hypersensitivity(2). 

Co-Q10 is great for a lot of condition. A study completed on rats showed treatment with Co-Q10 prevented nerve impairment, improved sensory symptoms. Co-Q10 has sown to improve endothelial function and blood flow so it improves oxygen to the peripheral nerves. Another study showed significant improvements in diabetics with peripheral neuropathies in patients with type two diabetes(3).

B-Complex which I personally love for many things including energy! One study found that higher doses of vitamin B complex resulted in significant short-term pain reduced and decreased hypersensitivity (4).

Posted on

Returning To My Alma Mater

This past weekend I had the privilege to return to my Alma Mater The University of North Carolina at Pembroke and share my story with students. Everyone’s story is unique and it is always a privilege to encourage others in their path. achieving your goals is never easy and sometimes there are hurdles that are discouraging. However, God always has a plan that is better than we could ever imagine!

I graduated from UNC Pembroke in 2012 with a B.S. in Chemistry. During my time at Pembroke, I was the Vice President and President of the Health Careers Club. I tutored as a Supplemental Instruction leader for General Chemistry I and II. I participated in research during my senior year and it was published in the Journal of Undergraduate Chemistry Research. I enjoyed my time at Pembroke. Pembroke is a smaller university with most classes averaging 30 students or less. Because of this, I was able to build relationships with my professors and many still keep in touch.

I was excited to see students come out on a Friday afternoon to participate! After the talk, we even had fun with some functional movement activities. Thank you, UNC Pembroke: Chemistry and Physics for allowing me to come speak! Thank you to all the students who come out on a Friday afternoon to participate!

#Bravenation

 

Posted on

My Soda Replacement = Kombucha

I love Coca-Cola. I love the fizzle and every completely non-healthy thing about it. However, there really is not one healthy thing about a soda so I have not had one in months. The thing about sugar in general is it makes you crave more sugar! Once sugar is removed you will be amazed at how your cravings vanish. I have not even craved a soda since I started drinking Kombucha. When I crave fizzy this is what I turn to and it has a ton of health benefits!

Kombucha has many benefits for your gut. Gut health is very important since 80% of your immune system is located in your gut! Kombucha is fermented black tea and sugar. It contains a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) that acts as a probiotic food. During the fermentation process, Kombucha becomes carbonated and produces vinegar, vitamins, and probiotics.

Kombucha contains antioxidants that help reduce inflammation. Antioxidants fight free radicals which can damage our cells.

Acetic acid is also produced during the fermentation process (also found in vinegar). Acetic acid is able to kill harmful microorganisms. In the gut, Kombucha helps balance and restore good bacteria. The B vitamins in Kombucha help increase energy levels.

One study completed on rats found that in just 30 days Kombucha improved their LDL and HDL markers (1).

Kombucha does contain some sugar content. You can make your own Kombucha at home and reduce the sugar content. If you do make your own at home it is important to prepare it properly and reduce the risk of contamination.

The key when trying to restore good bacteria to your gut is variety! There are many great fermented food options to add to your diet.