Chiroblog

Are you feeling bogged down after the rush of Thanksgiving? Did you overstuff yourself at the multiple celebrations? Did you spend all weekend getting the best deals at all your local stores? Or on the other side, did you spend all day sitting on the couch watching the football games? Did you travel long distances and/or sleep in a bed that wasn’t your own? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, that could be the cause as to why you are feeling a little under the weather.

Our immune systems are the basis of our health, which of course plays a big role when it comes to our overall wellness and happiness. The immune system is the body's defense against infectious organisms and other invaders. Through a process called the immune response, this system attacks invading organisms and substances as they enter the body and work to cause disease. The immune system can be weakened by sources like those alluded to before: stress, lack of sleep, sedentary lifestyle (like watching TV all day), poor diet/overeating, going from hot to cold climates and vice versa (like in and out of stores) and of course traveling (especially on airplanes).

So what can we do to help? Chiropractic focuses on making sure our brain and nervous system are clearly coordinating all bodily systems. There is a strong connection between the nervous system, the immune system and the endocrine system. When these 3 systems are functioning well together they help to keep our bodies resilient and strong. However, when one is hindered, the others have to try to compensate – leading to that bogged down feeling. Here at RFC we analyze the spine for subluxations and give corrective adjustments to reduce the stress on the nervous system, subsequently impacting the immune system in a positive way.  One study even showed that individuals under chiropractic care were found to have a 200% greater immune competence than those not under chiropractic care.

In order to stay healthy this holiday season, and make sure you are prepared for some of these hindrances to your immune system that may arise, here are some additional tips you can follow!

1. Get adjusted – come see us regularly at RFC to get checked and make sure your nervous system is free of interference
2. Wash your hands – with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
3. Stay active – find something you enjoy doing and go out and do it
4. Drink lots of water – aim for ½ an ounce to an ounce of water for each pound you weigh
5. Get a good nights sleep – try going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day and try to turn off all electronic devices at least an hour before bed
6. Make healthy food choices – skip the processed and sugary foods, try to shop the outskirts of the grocery store for more fresh options (i.e. vegetables and fruits)
7. Take in as much sun as you can – vitamin D can also be supplemented this time of year since we don’t get as many opportunities to be outside if its cold, but this vitamin plays an important role in keeping our immune system functioning at its best

Resources:

Pero R. "Medical Researcher Excited By CBSRF Project Results." The Chiropractic Journal, August 1989; 32.

https://welladjusted.co/wellness/adjustments-and-the-immune-system-how-chiropractic-helps-you-resist-colds-and-flus/

https://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/white-seeber-grogan-the-remedy-chicks/enhancing-your-immune-system-this-holiday/

America has a long history of inspired traditions.  The first chiropractic adjustment and first Thanksgiving celebration were two of these amazing celebrations of life. The very first Thanksgiving was celebrated in November of 1621 when the Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians came together to celebrate the autumn harvest of the Pilgrims, in Plymouth, Massachusetts.   It is said that their meal consisted of many trimmings including cornmeal, onions, beans, cabbage, carrots, pumpkin, blueberries, plums, gooseberries, raspberries, cranberries, and grapes. Much of these are the traditional items we see on our menu today, however historians relate that Plymouth's Thanksgiving also consisted of seafood, including mussels as they were common along the shoreline. Wild turkey and deer were also part of the menu.

Over 270 years later, the first chiropractic adjustment was delivered in Davenport, Iowa, in 1895. D.D. Palmer delivered the first adjustment to a deaf man who regained his hearing quickly after the subluxation was removed from his spine. One year later chiropractic was given its name, with its Greek roots meaning “done by hand” (cheir = hand, praktos = done by).

The years following the first adjustment given by D.D., the nervous system was more closely studied by his son BJ, and many more greats in the profession. We have a better understanding that misalignments in the spine result in decreased quality of messages going to and from the brain, thus resulting in various forms of dysfunction, including the one we call subluxation.  

This is why correcting the spine, and ultimately our brain and nervous system, is so important to us at Rubin Family Chiropractic and why we love to see pregnant moms and newborns getting checked so that they are on track for a lifetime of health!  Chiropractic and Thanksgiving...American originals!

As exciting as the holiday season can be, it can also be filled with stress. One of the biggest contributing factors is the stress of traveling.  Your body doesn’t thrive in stressful situations; which is why we end up feeling fatigued or tense.  And when our bodies are in this state we often develop headaches, neck pain, low back pain, jaw pain, and/or stomach-aches. Whether you are traveling by car, airplane or another form of transportation, holiday travel can take its toll on both your mind and body. Chiropractic is great for helping with injuries brought on by the wear and tear from traveling, but what we really want at RFC is to prevent you from having to deal with any of these injuries in the first place. Check out the below tips on how to handle some of these major stressors so you can make sure you can truly enjoy the quality time with your family and friends this holiday season. 

1. With this being the busiest time of year for traveling the lines are often long, the prices for tickets and gas are increased, and the weather is an unpredictable factor that can wreak havoc on any plans you thought you had.  It is important to remember these situations are temporary, and often times out of your control.  Take time to focus on your breath during these times rather than getting frustrated or restless.  Try these different breathing techniques linked here (https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-reduce-stress-with-breathing-exercises-3144508)
2. We often spend long hours in confined spaces during trips. Keeping our blood flowing is essential so make sure you take time to stretch while you’re traveling. Whether that be on the plane when the fasten seatbelt sign turns off, or stopping at a rest stop along your route, get up and move.  Some easy stretches are linked here (https://darlingmagazine.org/7-stretches-make-holiday-travel-less-painful/)
3. It’s a full house, but it isn’t your house. Therefore, you aren’t sleeping in your own bed, which can throw off both your sleep routine as well as your posture. If possible, bring your own pillow at least to make the disruption in your routine a little less drastic; your neck will thank you.
4. Pack light.  We’re all guilty of over packing at times but, with our bodies in a compromised state of stress the last thing we need to do is lift heavy suitcases.  Consider this: take multiple trips to the car rather than trying to carry it all into the house in one trip, pack in several small bags rather than stuffing everything into one large one and use a roller bag rather than one that needs to be slung over your shoulder.

The list goes on, but with these few tips and your chiropractic adjustments both before and after your trip we hope you will find a little less stress in your holiday travel this season!

Reference:

American Chiropractic Association https://www.acatoday.org/Patients/Health-Wellness-Information/Preventing-Travel-Aches-and-Strains

Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie! Have I gotten your attention yet? It’s no secret that Thanksgiving is quickly approaching. It is a wonderful time to spend with friends, family, and/or loved ones, enjoying a massive feast with plates piled high in a variety of flavors. It is also no secret that although some of these foods are healthy, others are not (but may be oh-so tasty). Do you have difficulty watching the plates of food being passed around, while trying not to get knocked off your typical eating habits? The aim of this post is to not overwhelm your “plate” any more, and to give you 6 simple tips you can use and remember when loading up your plate on Thanksgiving Day.

1. Eat a good breakfast. As the thanksgiving feast gets prepared, it is common to snack on the tasty treats put out during the day. Many times these treats are cheeses, crackers, and other high calorie items. A sneaky trick to avoid over-snacking is to eat a healthy breakfast in the morning. As simple as eggs, onions, spinach, and avocado will be a quick meal high in healthy fats that will tide you over until the main event.
2. Move your body. Building off of tip #1, getting some exercise before the feast will help off-set the mountain of calories you will be ingesting. It will also wake up your nervous system and metabolism to help digest your food better. This may, in fact, be the health reason for the popular Turkey Bowl Fun Runs in our culture.
3. Enjoy the seasonal foods. Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, corn, pumpkin pie. Alright, there are many reasons behind this tip, but it is a simple one to remember. Firstly, seasonal foods are the most natural for our bodies. Our ancestors ate whatever berry, crop, or game was available, and these changed with the seasons. Our bodies are happier when we eat the foods that are in season. Secondly, many of the non-season foods are things like breads, cookies, mashed potatoes, and dinner rolls that are high in calories and spike our blood sugar. If you focus on the foods that are in season, overall they are the healthier choice.
4. Proper food combining.  If you regularly get indigestion on Thanksgiving, it might be because you are mixing foods that need to be digested by 1 enzyme (like protein) with foods that need to be digested by a totally different and incompatible enzyme (like cheese or bread). Be more cautious about what you eat and space out or eliminate foods that you know or suspect may cause problems (read more about food combining here: https://heartwhispers.weebly.com/tips-for-health.html ).
5. Eat whole foods (not casserole).  There is one dish in particular to try and limit: Casseroles. Sweet potato casserole, broccoli casserole, green bean casserole, don’t let the names fool you. Casseroles are usually heavy in butters, sugars, cheeses, and occasionally marshmallows that surround the healthy ingredients. Although they are a holiday specialty, try not to load more than a small section of your plate with casserole. Stick to whole foods that you can see. These are the roasted potatoes, whole vegetables, turkey, and fruits.
6. No guilt allowed. No matter what happens, there is no guilty feelings allowed! Feeling bad about your holiday won’t do you or anyone else any good, so it is best to enjoy the day and feel good moving forward. And remember that living a healthy lifestyle is 365 days a year.  Many people feel as though they “failed” or lost control at Thanksgiving, and they let it continue through the winter holiday season. Enjoy the day, and continue living your best life.

We love and appreciate all of our RFC family. If you have any questions or would like recipe suggestions, call our office or ask at your next visit!

If you hang around the Rubin Family Chiropractic community long enough, you will see many, many pregnant women and infants get adjusted. We love to watch little babies smile and laugh after their adjustment. At some point, you may have asked the question, how can a chiropractor help all these babies? We hope this post illuminates why chiropractic care is so important for infants and newborns.

A study published in 2015 shows us how important it is for infants to get checked by a chiropractor, no matter how seemingly healthy.  Titled “Incidence of Somatic Dysfunction in Healthy Newborns”, the study looks at the incidence, or percentage likelihood, that a newborn will have dysfunction in their spine. The doctors examined the spines of 100 healthy newborns, including cranium (head), cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), lumbar (low-back), and sacral (base) regions of the spine. 51 of these newborns were male, and 49 female, all about 6 hours old.

The results of this particular study were astonishing. It found that 99%, or 99 out of 100, of these newborns had at least one somatic dysfunction, either in the cranium (or skull), the cervical spine (neck) or sacral spine (base of the spine). The study also found that the number one correlating factor to the amount of spinal dysfunction found was labor time. The longer the mother was in labor, the more spinal dysfunctions the baby would have. We chiropractors call somatic dysfunction: subluxation.  What this study tells us is that almost every child born today needs to be seen by a chiropractor, so we can address their somatic dysfunctions or subluxations!  No one escapes being born without needing their spine checked by a pediatric chiropractor.

These numbers are eye-opening, and show the importance of having a baby and pregnant mother checked. Literature has shown us that chiropractic care helps reduce labor time by as much 31%. This now shows the impact that a diminished labor time has on the health of a baby’s spine and nervous system. This 2015 study helps us understand the physical toll the delivery process has on the baby’s spine. Each of these spinal dysfunctions contribute to a less than optimal brain and nervous system in every newborn. Having your newborn checked for spinal dysfunction, or vertebral subluxation, can make an incredible difference in you and your family’s life.

Link to study: http://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2466228