Over the past 15 years, MANY patients have come into the office complaining of headaches, migraines, sinus/allergy problems, neck pain, shoulder pain, and/or back pain that are causing severe soreness in the muscles and instability in their spine. They usually complain of broken sleep and inability to either get to sleep, or fall back asleep, after they wake up in the middle of the night. They also usually come in with weakened immune systems, making them more susceptible to getting colds, flus, and infections.
When I ask my patients about all the various stresses they have in their lives which may be weakening their bodies, I usually find that the most acute and chronic patients are the ones suffering with the most emotional and mental stresses on a daily basis.
Whether it is home and family stresses and conflicts with spouses, significant others, children, parents or siblings, or intense work pressures and deadlines at their work, emotional and mental stresses are highly destructive and unrelenting, unlike physical stress.
When a person performs a physical act that is stressful, usually the stress load to the spine dramatically reduces after the work is done. However, with unrelenting emotional stresses, the stress load usually stays in their system 24 hours a day, even throughout the night. Because their bodies are so tense and spastic, they are unable to get to sleep well or stay asleep, especially if anxious, negative thoughts return during the night.
The MOST important thing to do when someone is under tremendous stresses, whether physical or emotional/mental, is to first identify what it is that is creating this situation, and to create a plan that will efficiently reduce or eliminate this conflict. Whether it is to finally ACT on that painful decision one has been procrastinating on, face the person who needs to be confronted, or ASK for what you need, making actual proactive steps can start the healing process.
However, if the situation one is in can NOT be changed, then resources have to be sought to help minimize one's REACTION to these stresses. Whether it is seeking counseling, reading spiritual books, listening to meditation/visualization tapes, meditating, doing deep breathing exercises, exercising, having a positive mental attitude, yoga or stretching, or just talking with supportive family and friends, do whatever you can to minimize the mental anxiety.
Finally, seek the care of a great chiropractor who can assess your spinal/health problems and create a care plan to help correct the areas of the spine that are misaligned, causing dysfunction, muscle soreness, spasms, and fatigue. When nerves are irritated, the body is physically unable to relax, even when the emotional stresses have resolved. However, remember that a person under extreme stresses may need a much more aggressive treatment plan than the average because they are much more unstable and prone to relapses.
Take the time to heal yourself this year. Find out what areas in your life needs to be changed and make action steps to correct or minimize the impact of this situation. And, if things cannot be changed, then find ways to ACCEPT this fact. Living life fully in this present moment, not in the past or the future, will also change the level of your stress and increase your joy and peace.
Plan to have a great year ahead!
Showing posts with label good health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label good health. Show all posts
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
NEW YEAR, NEW BEGINNINGS!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! It's the new year once again and it's time to start thinking about what kind of life you want to create this year. Do you want to lose weight, get healthier, start good habits or eliminate harmful ones? As popular as New Year's Resolutions are, they are equally famous for being put aside before mid February when the excitement of achieving those goals become eclipsed by the reality of the HARD WORK that is involved in achieving them.
It is so easy to get distracted by the many responsibilities and stresses of the day, caught captive by the tyranny of the "urgent." There are so many pressing, urgent matters to attend to every day. It never seems to be completely resolved. Furthermore, the lists of things that have to be done RIGHT NOW grow steadily higher as the year progresses. Children need to be cared for, family need to be supported, friends need our attention, work duties need to be accomplished, and our own personal needs have to be met. In the many lists of important matters to attend to, often the very last on the list is our own personal needs.
Sleeping at least 6-7 hours every night is an essential component to health. But how many of us are able to do that while we are running around trying to check off every item on our many lists?
Exercising is critical to good health, and yet how many people are too tired and stressed, discouraged, or have too little time to squeeze it in with their current schedule?
Preventative health check-ups and treatments are essential to creating and maintaining a healthy, attractive body. But how many people procrastinate in going to see their health care providers until the pain or dysfunction becomes so acute, that it then becomes the most URGENT?
What often occurs is that we become slaves to the most urgent matters in our lives, often neglecting the MOST IMPORTANT, like health, spending quality time with family and friends, rest, and taking time for spiritual growth or self-development.
We need to reassess our lives and our commitments. We need to start writing a different kind of New Year's Resolution lists. We need to start prioritizing our lives and not getting stuck by the tyranny of the urgent. We need to set and accomplish daily, weekly, and monthly goals which detail the most important aspects of our lives. We need to FIRST RECOGNIZE what is most important in our lives.
Without emotional, physical, spiritual and mental health, it does not matter how rich you are or how many people love and respect you, because you will not be able to fully appreciate all the gifts you have received. Also, without complete health, you will not be able to give fully of yourself to others and share your love, talents, energy, and physical presence.
When we do not make HEALTH our priority, then all else suffers. We, especially women who often care for others' needs before our own, have the most important job of caring for ourselves FIRST! Without our health and energy, we will not be able to fully give all the love and attention our loved ones deserve.
Make 2011 the year to end the guilt over making ourselves the TOP PRIORITY in our lives!
The greatest gift you can give to others is the gift of YOUR own great health. Only when you make the commitment to do whatever it takes to GET and STAY healthy, will you be able to find the time. It needs to become the most important item on your "urgent" list every day.
Do you have any health issues that a chiropractor could address? Have you ever had your spine checked to see if there are vertebral subluxations (vertebral misalignments which impinge on nerves and decreases function) which could be causing some, or all, of the pain, immobility, discomfort, or conditions that you are currently suffering?
You can have a new beginning this year. Make 2011 be the year you achieve optimal health and wellness, without the use of drugs or surgery, if possible. Commit to eating wholesome food in healthy portions, drinking 8 glasses of water daily, exercising at least 3 times per week, sleeping at least 6-7 hours every night, spending quality time with your loved ones, taking time for spiritual and personal development, and seeing health care providers who will help you in this journey of wellness and function.
I hope you have an amazing year ahead, filled with peace, joy, health, happiness, and abundance of all kinds!
It is so easy to get distracted by the many responsibilities and stresses of the day, caught captive by the tyranny of the "urgent." There are so many pressing, urgent matters to attend to every day. It never seems to be completely resolved. Furthermore, the lists of things that have to be done RIGHT NOW grow steadily higher as the year progresses. Children need to be cared for, family need to be supported, friends need our attention, work duties need to be accomplished, and our own personal needs have to be met. In the many lists of important matters to attend to, often the very last on the list is our own personal needs.
Sleeping at least 6-7 hours every night is an essential component to health. But how many of us are able to do that while we are running around trying to check off every item on our many lists?
Exercising is critical to good health, and yet how many people are too tired and stressed, discouraged, or have too little time to squeeze it in with their current schedule?
Preventative health check-ups and treatments are essential to creating and maintaining a healthy, attractive body. But how many people procrastinate in going to see their health care providers until the pain or dysfunction becomes so acute, that it then becomes the most URGENT?
What often occurs is that we become slaves to the most urgent matters in our lives, often neglecting the MOST IMPORTANT, like health, spending quality time with family and friends, rest, and taking time for spiritual growth or self-development.
We need to reassess our lives and our commitments. We need to start writing a different kind of New Year's Resolution lists. We need to start prioritizing our lives and not getting stuck by the tyranny of the urgent. We need to set and accomplish daily, weekly, and monthly goals which detail the most important aspects of our lives. We need to FIRST RECOGNIZE what is most important in our lives.
Without emotional, physical, spiritual and mental health, it does not matter how rich you are or how many people love and respect you, because you will not be able to fully appreciate all the gifts you have received. Also, without complete health, you will not be able to give fully of yourself to others and share your love, talents, energy, and physical presence.
When we do not make HEALTH our priority, then all else suffers. We, especially women who often care for others' needs before our own, have the most important job of caring for ourselves FIRST! Without our health and energy, we will not be able to fully give all the love and attention our loved ones deserve.
Make 2011 the year to end the guilt over making ourselves the TOP PRIORITY in our lives!
The greatest gift you can give to others is the gift of YOUR own great health. Only when you make the commitment to do whatever it takes to GET and STAY healthy, will you be able to find the time. It needs to become the most important item on your "urgent" list every day.
Do you have any health issues that a chiropractor could address? Have you ever had your spine checked to see if there are vertebral subluxations (vertebral misalignments which impinge on nerves and decreases function) which could be causing some, or all, of the pain, immobility, discomfort, or conditions that you are currently suffering?
You can have a new beginning this year. Make 2011 be the year you achieve optimal health and wellness, without the use of drugs or surgery, if possible. Commit to eating wholesome food in healthy portions, drinking 8 glasses of water daily, exercising at least 3 times per week, sleeping at least 6-7 hours every night, spending quality time with your loved ones, taking time for spiritual and personal development, and seeing health care providers who will help you in this journey of wellness and function.
I hope you have an amazing year ahead, filled with peace, joy, health, happiness, and abundance of all kinds!
Monday, November 29, 2010
GIVING AND RECEIVING LOVE IS CRITICAL TO HEALTH!
Many people take giving and receiving love from their loved ones for granted. As a child, most of us have been showered with affection, hugs, kisses, and love from our parents. If not from our parents, then most of us have had love given to us from close friends, lovers, or pets. And, if that didn't happen, then most of us had people to whom we could express OUR love. However, if all of that failed to occur, then the quality of one's life seriously deteriorates.
Receiving love, and being able to express love for others, is an integral part to our mental and physical health.
Babies who do not get enough touch, comfort, and love as newborns fail to thrive, and in some instances, can actually die from this condition. Also, if a child grows up without an adequate amount of love and touch, then he/she can get sick more often, have mental deficiencies, and have severe personality disorders.
WE HUMAN BEINGS DESPERATELY NEED LOVE AND TOUCH. We need to express love and receive love. As children, we are more easily able to ask for what we want and need, in terms of affection and touch. But, as we get older, it becomes more and more difficult, especially in this fast-paced modern world where family and friends are often separated by thousands of miles.
How many times have you had, or seen, children and animals come up to you when they needed to have hugs or a sit on our laps or to be "petted?" How many children or animals, once they have had enough, just walk away until they need it again? It is so easy for a cute, affectionate child to melt the hearts of grumpy old men and women who have had too little love in their lives. Children and animals have that amazing gift of giving and receiving love so effortlessly, trustingly, and frequently. If these children and animals have not been severely abused and hurt and taught to mistrust others, then they are able to express their true God-like nature of innocence, wholeness, love, and peace.
Giving and receiving love becomes more and more difficult as we get older and our family/close friends pass away, our relationships with lovers/spouses disintegrate, or we become more geographically isolated.
AND, unlike children, we are often afraid to ASK for the love and touch that we so desperately need, for fear of rejection! Sometimes, all we may need is a hug, a comforting shoulder to cry on, or a sympathetic ear to lighten our loads. But, when we feel insecure and worthless or distrust others, then we often cannot reach out to others as much as we need.
If you are feeling this way at all, please seek the help of counselors, ministers, doctors, or a trustworthy person who can give you some advice and guidance. It takes courage to let others into your heart and your life. There are no guarantees that love will come back to you once you give it. But, that's not the point. Your job is to keep giving love. Then, eventually, love will come back to you, in many different ways, and often not from the people you gave it to in the first place.
I have an incredible need to give and receive love. WE all do. Some of the ways I give and receive love is by giving warm smiles, deep hugs, listening, and sharing words of encouragement. However, the most important way I show love to humanity is to give a specific chiropractic adjustment, filled with care, love, and concern. I know that I have been given a gift to help others who suffer with pain, disability, illnesses, or a diminished quality of life, and my mission is to do everything in my power to improve the quality of life of everyone around me.
SO, what is your mission in life? How can YOU give and receive love more today? Who do you need to forgive today? Who needs to forgive you? Never be afraid to ask for forgiveness, and never be afraid to forgive others who have done horrific things to you. Release the negative emotions in your life and your body. Seek help from others who you trust, or you think could be trustworthy. Take a risk.
Great happiness, peace, and love can only happen when you are willing to take great risk!
Receiving love, and being able to express love for others, is an integral part to our mental and physical health.
Babies who do not get enough touch, comfort, and love as newborns fail to thrive, and in some instances, can actually die from this condition. Also, if a child grows up without an adequate amount of love and touch, then he/she can get sick more often, have mental deficiencies, and have severe personality disorders.
WE HUMAN BEINGS DESPERATELY NEED LOVE AND TOUCH. We need to express love and receive love. As children, we are more easily able to ask for what we want and need, in terms of affection and touch. But, as we get older, it becomes more and more difficult, especially in this fast-paced modern world where family and friends are often separated by thousands of miles.
How many times have you had, or seen, children and animals come up to you when they needed to have hugs or a sit on our laps or to be "petted?" How many children or animals, once they have had enough, just walk away until they need it again? It is so easy for a cute, affectionate child to melt the hearts of grumpy old men and women who have had too little love in their lives. Children and animals have that amazing gift of giving and receiving love so effortlessly, trustingly, and frequently. If these children and animals have not been severely abused and hurt and taught to mistrust others, then they are able to express their true God-like nature of innocence, wholeness, love, and peace.
Giving and receiving love becomes more and more difficult as we get older and our family/close friends pass away, our relationships with lovers/spouses disintegrate, or we become more geographically isolated.
AND, unlike children, we are often afraid to ASK for the love and touch that we so desperately need, for fear of rejection! Sometimes, all we may need is a hug, a comforting shoulder to cry on, or a sympathetic ear to lighten our loads. But, when we feel insecure and worthless or distrust others, then we often cannot reach out to others as much as we need.
If you are feeling this way at all, please seek the help of counselors, ministers, doctors, or a trustworthy person who can give you some advice and guidance. It takes courage to let others into your heart and your life. There are no guarantees that love will come back to you once you give it. But, that's not the point. Your job is to keep giving love. Then, eventually, love will come back to you, in many different ways, and often not from the people you gave it to in the first place.
I have an incredible need to give and receive love. WE all do. Some of the ways I give and receive love is by giving warm smiles, deep hugs, listening, and sharing words of encouragement. However, the most important way I show love to humanity is to give a specific chiropractic adjustment, filled with care, love, and concern. I know that I have been given a gift to help others who suffer with pain, disability, illnesses, or a diminished quality of life, and my mission is to do everything in my power to improve the quality of life of everyone around me.
SO, what is your mission in life? How can YOU give and receive love more today? Who do you need to forgive today? Who needs to forgive you? Never be afraid to ask for forgiveness, and never be afraid to forgive others who have done horrific things to you. Release the negative emotions in your life and your body. Seek help from others who you trust, or you think could be trustworthy. Take a risk.
Great happiness, peace, and love can only happen when you are willing to take great risk!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
ERGONOMICS AND GOOD POSTURE, CRUCIAL TO GOOD HEALTH
"Stand up straight! Have good posture!" How many times have we heard that before? Why is good posture and good ergonomics (the science of adapting the job and/or equipment and the human to each other for optimal safety and productivity) such important topics? We all know that people who slouch throughout their lifetimes usually end up with slumping spines and mid back humps later in life. Not only does it look bad, it feels bad, too!
Muscles, bones, ligaments, and discs get moved out of their proper alignment, causing much higher incidences of degenerative arthritis, inflammation, irritation, immobility, and pain. Spines that are continually put under improper postures are suffering from repetitive stresses or micro-traumas. Those little traumas that seem so insignificant on a daily basis can add up to big problems later in life. Not only does bad posture and improper ergonomics cause spinal degeneration and improper curvatures, it also causes multiple levels of nerve interference, called vertebral subluxations.
When vertebrae are misaligned out of their proper positioning, the nerves and spinal cord can be impinged, causing pain, numbness, dysfunction, and dis-ease. Many conditions can arise from this state, such as asthma, allergies, sinuses, headaches, neck and back pain, numbness, digestive problems, colic, ear infections, arm/leg pain or weakness, fatigue, and stress.
What does great posture look like? Your head should be up, eyes level and looking straight ahead, shoulders back and relaxed, and stomach pulled in tightly. Looking from the side, a straight line should be able to be drawn from the ears, side of the shoulders, and middle of the hips. Sitting posture should look exactly the same, with the addition of hips being equal to or slightly higher than the bent knees. The lower back should have proper cushions or support so that no slumping of the mid back or lower back occurs.
Proper ergonomics create an environment of ease and efficiency, minimal pain and discomfort, and optimal performance and safety for the person. Whether it is an ideal computer and office set-up, work station or equipment lay out, good ergonomics is critical to your health. Also, symmetry is key to attaining great health and function. Whatever is done to one side must be done to the other side, or else imbalance will inevitably occur over time. If you have to bend or lean to one side, then give the other side as much time as possible. If you slouch, lean back, or cross your legs, make sure to keep moving and changing sides, always returning to good posture. Make sure you take stretch breaks if you are forced into bad positions, and whenever you can, do the mirror image of your improper work. These little tips for balancing and minimizing the impact of bad posture and ergonomics will pay big dividends in the future.
Just remember that each time you change your posture or spinal alignment can cause soreness and pain, even if it's for the better! It can take days to weeks for your body to get accustomed to any new exercise, posture, or spinal alignment. Be patient in the beginning when you feel fatigued from trying to stay in the correct position. Eventually your body will adapt to this new optimal state, and will reward you with greater energy and vitality!
Muscles, bones, ligaments, and discs get moved out of their proper alignment, causing much higher incidences of degenerative arthritis, inflammation, irritation, immobility, and pain. Spines that are continually put under improper postures are suffering from repetitive stresses or micro-traumas. Those little traumas that seem so insignificant on a daily basis can add up to big problems later in life. Not only does bad posture and improper ergonomics cause spinal degeneration and improper curvatures, it also causes multiple levels of nerve interference, called vertebral subluxations.
When vertebrae are misaligned out of their proper positioning, the nerves and spinal cord can be impinged, causing pain, numbness, dysfunction, and dis-ease. Many conditions can arise from this state, such as asthma, allergies, sinuses, headaches, neck and back pain, numbness, digestive problems, colic, ear infections, arm/leg pain or weakness, fatigue, and stress.
What does great posture look like? Your head should be up, eyes level and looking straight ahead, shoulders back and relaxed, and stomach pulled in tightly. Looking from the side, a straight line should be able to be drawn from the ears, side of the shoulders, and middle of the hips. Sitting posture should look exactly the same, with the addition of hips being equal to or slightly higher than the bent knees. The lower back should have proper cushions or support so that no slumping of the mid back or lower back occurs.
Proper ergonomics create an environment of ease and efficiency, minimal pain and discomfort, and optimal performance and safety for the person. Whether it is an ideal computer and office set-up, work station or equipment lay out, good ergonomics is critical to your health. Also, symmetry is key to attaining great health and function. Whatever is done to one side must be done to the other side, or else imbalance will inevitably occur over time. If you have to bend or lean to one side, then give the other side as much time as possible. If you slouch, lean back, or cross your legs, make sure to keep moving and changing sides, always returning to good posture. Make sure you take stretch breaks if you are forced into bad positions, and whenever you can, do the mirror image of your improper work. These little tips for balancing and minimizing the impact of bad posture and ergonomics will pay big dividends in the future.
Just remember that each time you change your posture or spinal alignment can cause soreness and pain, even if it's for the better! It can take days to weeks for your body to get accustomed to any new exercise, posture, or spinal alignment. Be patient in the beginning when you feel fatigued from trying to stay in the correct position. Eventually your body will adapt to this new optimal state, and will reward you with greater energy and vitality!
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