Blog - Bay Center Chiropractic

Types of Diets Recommended by Chiropractors

Chiropractic Care gives great importance to a healthy and balanced diet. A lot of ailments and diseases can be avoided just by adhering to a proper diet. A good diet can help a person to lead a long, healthy life, control weight, blood pressure and heart rate.

It is a fact that Americans are overfed, while being undernourished. Scores of fast food chains have made unhealthy eating habits a part of the American lifestyle. Such high cholesterol foods coupled with a sedentary lifestyle can lead to obesity. With obesity come a lot of complications including heart diseases and blood pressure problems.

There is no doubt that a well-balanced diet consists of a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, a reduction in caffeine intake and saturated fats.

A chiropractor may recommend one of the following diets based on your body’s needs:

High Protein Diet

A high protein diet is recommended for those who aim to build muscles without accumulating too much fat. High protein foods include:

Turkey breast
Fish
Cheese (low fat varieties)
Beef (low fat)
Tofu
Beans
Eggs
Milk
Nuts

Heart-Healthy Diet

A heart healthy diet usually consists of a lot of vegetables and fruits along with large intakes of whole grains. It may also contain low-fat meats, including fish and poultry. Special emphasis should be given to fish as it is a very healthy source of protein, Omega 3 and little fat.

Following combination of fruits and vegetables are extremely nutritious and a healthy choice for heart-healthy dieters:

Pineapples
Broccoli
Tomatoes
Blueberries
Watermelon
Oranges

Vegetarian Diet

A vegetarian diet can be recommended for those who prefer to lead a meat-free lifestyle, for whatever the reason. Several types of diets are based on vegetarianism:

Lacto-Vegetarian: These diets include no meat of any kind or eggs. However they do include dairy products like butter, milk, cheese and yogurt.

Ovo -Vegetarian: This diet contains no red meat, seafood, poultry or even dairy products, however it does include eggs.

Vegan: The strictest of all, excludes all meats, fish, eggs and dairy products.

Flexitarian: As its name implies, this diet is flexible. It mainly consists of vegetables and fruits, with occasional consumption of meat, fish or poultry.

No matter which diet is recommended by a chiropractor or dietician, a balanced lifestyle that includes plenty of activities can go a long way in extending the life of a person.

Image Used under Creative Commons license. Photo Credit: Blueberry Maple Quinoa by SweetonVeg

Failed Back Syndrome – The Result of a Failed Spinal Surgery

Failed back syndrome is a term that is used to define a failed spinal surgery that causes continued pain to the patient. Not much can be done regarding a case of failed back syndrome apart from performing a second surgery. Chiropractic care has, however, introduced means of therapy and adjustment to the spine that can significantly reduce the ill effects of the syndrome with undergoing surgery.

The truth is that outcome of a spinal surgery cannot be predicted precisely. Sometimes an MRI scan can show an abnormal image which could lead to a wrong diagnosis of the problem.

Causes of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

Some possible causes of a failed back surgery syndrome may include:

A wrong diagnosis of the patient’s condition
Incorrect surgery procedure performed on the patient
Surgery performed at an incorrect level of the spinal column
A failed spinal fusion surgery that had led to other complications
Continued pinching of the nerve despite the surgery
Scar tissue formation

Symptoms of Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

The symptoms of a failed back syndrome include:

Chronic pain that continues even after the surgical procedure
Pain around the treated level of spine
Slow or no recovery from the surgery
Moving around is difficult and flexibility is compromised
Throbbing pain in the back
Spasms
High levels of anxiety leading to depression

Alternates to Repetitive Surgery

Before undergoing another surgery, chiropractors recommend trying the following:

Undergo physical therapy – Physical therapy has proven to be a great method in relieving back-pains of all kinds
Try Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation – This therapy is performed by inducing low voltage to reduce pain
Take non steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines – These medicine can help suppress inflammation which is a major factor in causing pain
Get injected with Steroids – Epidural Steroid Injections are a common method of treating inflamed spinal nerves
Carry out therapeutic exercises – Exercises help greatly in pain management
Have hot and cold compresses – Hot and cold compresses applied on the pain-stricken area can greatly reduce the inflammation and pain

Due to the vast nature of spinal surgeries, it is always best to consult with a physician or a chiropractor to find a solution that is suitable for a specific case. Professional advice is necessary when it comes to severe cases.

Image used under Creative Commons Licensing: Spine of scapula.PNG

How Lack of Exercise Affects Health

A lack of exercise results in numerous health problems, starting from seemingly harmless weight gain to cardiovascular diseases and a much higher chance of suffering a stroke. Research has concluded that as many people die because of the effects of lack of exercise as the number that die from smoking.

This is why chiropractic exercises are strongly recommended to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle and avoid all complications that can lead up to a stroke.

The following problems can occur due to lack of exercise:

1. Obesity

Obesity is one of the major effects of a lack of exercise. Various health problems can surface due to obesity such as diabetes, breathing issues, high blood pressure and a far greater risk of suffering a heart attack.

Besides the physical effects, many psychological effects also accompany obese people. Low self-esteem that leads to depression can be a devastating experience.

It is no doubt that obesity can result from genetic factors, but a lack of exercise is usually a major reason.

2. High Blood Pressure

Being overweight can lead to hypertension. The blood vessels clog up which restricts blood flow. Hypertension exposes a person to various other risks, such as heart attack, kidney failure and many other ailments. A hypertensive individual is more likely to develop diabetes.

3. Decline in Brain Function

Exercise helps in increasing the flow of blood to the brain, while lack of exercise does the opposite. A brain that is deprived of blood cannot function normally as it would otherwise. The brain can also physically shrink due to the lack of blood supply – a research states that this ‘shrinkage’ can be avoided and mental abilities can be enhanced by regular exercise.

4. Reduction in Strength of Bones and Muscles

A sedentary lifestyle can weaken the bones and muscles, thus exposing an individual to a greater chance of injury as well as diseases such as arthritis. Lack of exercise can make a person more prone to fractures in case of a fall along with knee-joint and hip problems later on.

5. Increased Chances of Developing Cancer

Research was carried over several years and the results show an increased chance of cancer from a lack of exercise. Also, people who were physically fit when they developed cancer had a far greater chance of survival than those who had led a sedentary lifestyle.

Causes of Back Pain

Back pain may occur due to various reasons; be it a sports injury, pulling a heavy object or a fall/ injury to the spine. If you are suffering from back pain, it would be wise to have a look at some of the common risk factors and causes of back pain before going to the chiropractor.

Risk Factors

The risk of back pain varies in different individuals, depending on their lifestyle. People who work in a mentally stressful job, smoke or go through strenuous physical work are more susceptible to back pain than those who don’t. Other factors such as pregnancy, anxiety, depression and obesity can also lead to this condition. Age is also a factor, as older individuals are at a higher risk than younger ones.

Causes Of Back Pain

Strain

The most common cause of back pain is strained muscles and ligaments, which may be a result of lifting something heavy or a sudden awkward movement. It can also be caused by improper posture due to a bad mattress or sitting position.

Structural Problems

The human body is a complex structure composed of bones, muscle, ligaments and joints. A fault in any of these can cause numerous problems, including back pain. Some particular structural problems that may affect the back are as follows:

Arthritis

Arthritis can cause various joint problems in the hips and lower back.

Bulging And Ruptured Disks

The vertebra in our spine is cushioned by a disk, so a ruptured disk would result in more pressure on the nerves, resulting in back aches. A bulging disk would put even more pressure on the nerves.

Sciatica

A bulging disk can also press on a nerve in the spine, causing a shooting pain through the buttocks and down the legs.

Curvature Of The Spine

An unnatural curvature of the spine can cause the space around the spinal cord to narrow, causing back pains.

Osteoporosis

A vertebra fracture can be caused by the bones becoming more brittle.

Spinal Cancer

A growth or tumor on the spine may press against a nerve.

Infections

Infection of the nerves (shingles) and spine may also cause pains.

Cauda Equine Syndrome

The growth of nerve roots at the bottom of the spinal cord can cause a dull pain, as well as lack of feeling in the upper buttocks.

Image used under Creative Commons Licensing: There’s pain in my head by Stefan Neuweger

Chiropractic Video Blog 01-10-11

Dr. Brian Wilmovsky shares with us: How Chiropractic Can Help With Migraines!

Dr. Brian:
Happy New Year for 2011, to friends and patients and people that have followed some of our work. Today I just want to share the knowledge that we have to help people out, that is the goal of chiropractic in our office certainly.

There was an article that we bring out, it’s called Optimal Health University, it is on migraines. And what we seeing with migraines is that people who take migraine medications like Imatrex, or over the counter medication – there is something called “rebound headaches.” Where the more drugs you take, the worse they get. The more drugs you have to take for headaches, it is clinically proven, we have this report here. If you’d like more information, certainly send back and we’ll get it to you from our office.

What we’re finding is the migraines are really the top of the scale of tension headaches, in literally 80-85% of them. A tension that has gotten so bad, so much misalignment in the vertebrae in the neck, so much nerve pressure, that it is now referring headache around. And we agree that results for those (this article shows) the references that show that Chiropractic really helps people who are suffering from headaches and migraines.

A lot of people that have been injured in motor vehicle accidents, that are just taking these drugs. Research is now showing us that drugs are making it worse. The drugs make you need more of the drugs. Wouldn’t be smarter to structurally fix the problem? Allow your body to heal itself.

If you have any problems with this, please let us know. No one needs to suffer with migraines. I’ve had them, chiropractic helped me with them years ago.

I’d like to continue to share the tips and tools I’ve learned over the years as a doctor to help you, your family, and friends.

And I just wanted to say “hello.”

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