For Your Back’s Sake, Lift It Right
An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure
How to Check for Curvature of the Spine
When do you see a Chiropractor?
Twas the Night Before Christmas and All Through the House
What Is Chiropractic?
This is a new column which will appear on a regular basis. Because we receive so many questions about what chiropractic is and what role it plays in today’s health, these columns will explain the philosophy of chiropractic, recommended exercises for keeping fit, and talk about general health care.
A frequent question asked is, when should you visit a chiropractor? Obviously you wouldn’t go to a chiropractor for a broken leg. You must, therefore, first understand the basic principles of chiropractic.
Your spine is made up of 24 moveable segments, called vertebrae; this is the framework that houses and protects the spinal cord, the “switch board” of the nervous system. From the brain, nerves pass down the spinal cord and out to different parts of the body. The nerves leave the spinal cord through openings between the vertebra carrying messages to all parts of the body.
Sometimes a fall or a twist moves a vertebra out of its normal position. This can prevent the brain’s message from reaching its destination. The job of the chiropractor is to restore that vertebra to its normal position. So the body can once again function as it should. While this is clearly an oversimplified presentation of chiropractic, it is essentially correct.
Your body’s natural state is good health. Chiropractic is dedicated to letting the body achieve that state, naturally.
Let The Body Heal Itself
Your body is an amazing piece of complex machinery, with an intelligence on its own that would put any computer to shame. What a lot of people don’t recognize that the natural state of the body is good health. Time after time, given half a chance the body will cure itself of many of the health problems that cause discomfort to countless numbers of people.
Once a subluxation occurs (and that’s just a fancy name for a moveable vertebra being out of position), the vertebra may interfere with the nerves that reach out from between them. This may cause the nerves to inefficiently conduct messages to and from the brain. Either garbled messages or no messages at all are sent, and the result is suddenly a health problem.
Once the source of the problem is corrected, by moving the offending vertebra back to where it belongs, when the native intelligence of the body starts the healing process.
Good health is the natural condition. Poor health is unnatural, and the body resents it. Chiropractic is the healing art which dedicates itself to letting you be healthy naturally.
Your Children’s Diet
If your youngster stuffs himself with sugar-rich, calorie-loaded “junk” foods, TV ads may be to blame. An authority on nutrition at Cornell University, professor Katherine Clancy-Hepburn, estimates that the child who is only a “moderate” TV viewer is exposed to 5,000 ads for food per year, most of them for non-nutritional snack products full of fat and refined sugar.
A Cornell graduate student researched the problem and confirmed that between 50-70% of the ads on children’s shows were for food compared with only 26% of the ads on adult programs. Trouble is – parents do not seem to notice what the kids are watching and miss the connection between the TV pitch and the obsession with junk food.
Young bodies grow at an astonishing pace. Give them the best chance possible. Get them off the junk food habit.
Attitudes
Some people are funny. They like to be well thought of. They enjoy praise and compliments but seem reluctant to give praise to others. Sometimes it actually seems that they would rather pull another down than lift them up. The kind of news many people enjoy reading is the kind they wouldn’t want printed about them.
Why are people like that? Why do they seem to think negatively rather than in a positive manner? Why do they expect the worst to happen instead of the best? There are many factors. Perhaps their environment has an influence; it may be their early training or it could be the state of their health.
What is it that influences health? Why are some sick and others well? Why do some respond quickly to treatment while others seem to get worse instead of better? There are various answers. Some people are of a sturdier stock. Some develop whatever they have and make it grow stronger through proper attitude while others indulge in fear, worry, hate, and resentment, thus planting negative seeds.
What the mind perceives the body achieves. Start your day with a healthy mental attitude. Plant positive seeds and you will be rewarded with a harvest of good health.
Throw Away Your Crutches
Many people trade their health away for a moments relief. Are you one of them? For example: you may have recurring headaches. For relief you take some nationally advertised pain-relieving pills. Later you begin to have digestive problems - indigestion, burning in the stomach, constipation, and even ulcers. Now you take more pills and potions to relieve the stomach symptoms and constipation. Your nerves get “edgy” so you add tranquilizers to your list of medications. As time goes on your pill regime begins to damage other parts of your body so you take more pills to relieve these symptoms, and you go on and on in a vicious cycle. You know, that’s like turning off the fire alarm and expecting the fire to go out!
The only intelligent way to health is prevention of disease, not covering up the symptoms.
Remember this vital fact – you can only get sick when your body is not working right. Don’t cover up the symptoms and trade your health away for a moments relief. Get your body to work better in the first place.
Yours for better health, naturally.
Highway Exercises
Many Tri-Citians drive long distances each day. Here are some “sitting” calisthenics designed just for you.
-WIGGLE YOUR TOES: Seat-pressure blocks circulation. Wiggle your toes every 15 minutes, this flexes the leg muscles, restoring the blood flow.
-GRIP THE WHEEL: Grip it until the knuckles whiten, then let up. Repeat 10 times every 15 minutes.
-PIVOT YOUR HEAD: Move your head to the extreme left and right, keeping your eyes on the road.
-BREATHE DEEPLY: Take a deep breath and expel it. Repeat six times. Deep-breathing revitalizes your senses.
-CHANGE SEAT POSITIONS: If you’ve been driving well back in the seat, move forward for a while, then back to your original position.
-REST STOPS: when you’re driving interstate take advantage of the state rest stops. Pull in, and if nothing else, get out of your car and run around it a few times.
Yours for better health, naturally.
Cool For The Summer
Don’t look now but here comes summer.
Sure sunshine on your shoulder makes you happy, but too much of Ole Man Sol may make you miserable. Before exposing your sensitive skin to his blistering rays, consider the cloudy side effects of sunny weather. A serious sunburn will not only disable you for weeks, but it can produce severe systemic symptoms as well.
Sun-kissed, in other words could be hazardous to your health.
As you seek fun in the sun this summer, take proper precautions. Start with a brief exposure - no more than 15 minutes each day. Use a sun-screening lotion each time you expose yourself to Old Sol. The sun-screen to look for is one containing P A B A (para-amino-benzoil-acid). Be sure to apply it about an hour before going out into the sun so it can penetrate the top layer of your skin and continue to apply throughout the day.
If the season for bikinis and beach blankets proves too hot for you then cool it. Health wise, its wiser.
Yours for better health, naturally.
For Your Back’s Sake, Lift It Right
Every year there are millions of back injuries. The ones every one hears about the most are associated with industry. However, it can happen when a housewife decides to lift one end of a sofa to straighten the rug. It happens when an office worker tackles heavy yard work. It happens also when a physically fit younger person lifts a big weight the wrong way.
Many of the resulting strains and sprains could have been avoided if two very basic procedures had been followed. First, use common sense. If the load is too heavy for you, try to do it in smaller sizes. If this isn’t possible, then get help, even if it means waiting.
Second, you should know how to lift. A long study of back injuries showed that far too many people over-reach or twist or bend their backs when lifting. The right way is to keep your back straight and let your legs furnish the power. Even if you’re out of shape, most likely the worst that can happen is to have sore leg muscles.
As a chiropractor I deal daily with back strains and sprains that would never have happened. Use your head and your legs - and save your back.
Yours for better health, naturally.
Structure
The following is a proven principle. If the wheels on your automobile are out of alignment, all the high-test gasoline in the world will not affect the true underlying cause of the mis-alignment. If the framework of your home is not in balance, cracks will occur in the walls, and electrical systems will soon be operating under par.
If you are chiropractic minded – and I hope you are – you should realize that this same principle holds true for the human body. If the structure of the body is deficient, the body will not function as it should.
In other words, structure governs function. Any impingement or harmful irritation within your structure will eventually affect the function of your entire body.
Don’t be among the many people who complain about colds, sore throats, and lung congestion during the changing seasons. Take preventative measures.
Yours for better health, naturally.
The Master System
All essential ingredients for health and growth and self-repair are within the body itself. Your body manufactures, on the inside, its own insulin, adrenaline, pepsin, hydrochloric acid, its enzymes and juices and secretions; it’s blood, sweat, and tears – and does this merely out of the food you eat, the fluids you drink, and the air you breathe.
When you cut your skin, the severed edges are healed from the inside with materials made by the body. If a bone is broken, union of the bone ends is achieved with knitting cementum manufactured inside the body. Drugs endeavor to duplicate artificially what the body makes on the inside in natural form. But the body is capable of bringing about its own care if there is no interference with the body’s manufacture of essential ingredients all these manufacturing processes inside the body, however, must be directed by the nervous system. The nervous system is THE MASTER SYSTEM.
Your body’s natural state is good health, chiropractic is dedicated to letting the body achieve that state, naturally.
The Fizzling Physique
Sit up straights now and pay attention – you with the round shoulders, the pot belly, the turtleneck, the drooping head, or any of the other signs of the fizzling physique whether you’re eight or eighty. Good posture and good physical fitness mean more vitality and better health.
THINK TALL. Have positive thoughts. Be optimistic, happy. Look forward to something good.
SLEEP TALL. Don’t sleep on your stomach; that twists your neck shoulder and arms. Use a small down pillow on a good firm mattress. When you awaken in the morning, stretch like a kitten. Roll over your stomach and thrust your arms and legs into the air. It results in a better balanced spine and stronger muscles.
SIT TALL. A big, soft sofa or armchair is not conductive to good posture. It is too wide and causes folks to slump. Sit with your back against the chair back. Crossed legs and arms cut off circulation. The TV slump is on the increase. Unfortunately, the “over 40” slump is starting in some at age two or three.
STAND TALL. Shoulders back, stand erect, look proud. In this day when it’s fashionable to slump, be unfashionable – be healthy!
Headaches
Most of us are aware of the fact that little problems often develop into larger problems. A good example of this is the headache symptom. Diagnostic textbooks list headache as a symptom in approximately 70 diseases. The American people consume more than 21 tons of aspirin a day, mostly for headaches, hiding warning signals for some diseases, the causes of which should be corrected.
A large percentage of headaches result from neck injuries. In some cases, the neck injury may have been so slight that the patient was not aware of any injury at the time. Injury to the spine in the neck area produces a mechanical derangement of the body structures which causes a pinching or irritation of the nerves in that area. The many nerves and blood vessels of the neck exert their function on the painful areas of the scalp, face, and different areas of the head, resulting in headaches.
If someone you know is suffering from headaches, suggest that they consult a chiropractor. They may be suffering needlessly.
Tranquilizers
Statistics on the overuse of tranquilizers tell us that enough are prescribed to give everyone in the U.S. almost five pills every day, and that number is increasing.
Initially, tranquilizers are given to alleviate a minor tension. The tension appears to subdue; however, after a period of time, the tension returns and is stronger than ever. The dosage is then increased. This cycle is repeated and before anyone realizes what is happening, the person is hooked.
Tranquilizers have the ability to lure one deeper and deeper into destruction.
A decade ago, when the per capita intake was only a little more than three per day, it was estimated that they were causing more than 10,000 deaths per year. Now it is more than 25,000. Many tranquilizers labeled as safe a few years ago are now labeled as dangerous with many serious side effects.
Besides these known side effects, tranquilizers carry with them an even bigger tragedy. They can delay proper care and mask serious problems. They do not remove the cause of the problem.
If you know someone who is taking tranquilizers, urge them to seek proper care before they fall into the destruction cycle too.
You Are Pretty Smart
It is estimated that there are close to 30 quadrillion cells in the human body. Somewhere in that pile of cells is the real you – the spark we call life – the great mastermind that coordinates and controls all the functions of all the cells in your body.
At the moment of birth, long before you are given any formal education, you already know the complete chemical formula for thousands of compounds that your body will need to produce during your life time.
All this is done by the wisdom of the real you. Your great wisdom uses a tremendous system to correlate the exact and proper function of those quadrillions of cells. This system starts in the brain where the real you reside, and passes down the spinal cord, to the spinal nerves, and out to the cells. This is the nervous system. When a vertebra of the spine slips out of its normal position, it can impinge the nerves and interfere with the correlation and function of the cells involved. If this remains long enough, a situation will result in what is called dis-ease. Don’t let this happen to you. Remember your body’s natural state is good health.
Back-Saving Exercises
It is estimated that two out of every three people in the U.S. will experience some form of back problem during their life time. Here are a few exercises to hopefully help you from becoming one of those statistics.
Warning: don’t over-do
- Lie face down on floor, arms above head. Raise from the waist up and hold it a moment. Go back to original position and repeat.
- Get down on hands and knees. Arch back upwards, lower head. Now raise head and push back downward like a sway back horse. Repeat.
- Lie face down on the floor with a pillow under your chest. Raise head straight up with chin tucked under. Hold, then lower. Repeat.
- Sit in chair. Slum forward, with the action taking place in the spinal column. Then slowly straighten up, stating with the lower back and gradually moving upward. Repeat.
These are just a few of the exercises that will do a lot to eliminate back problems later on. They are especially good for those whose daily routine does not include sufficient movement of the spine…Practice them daily. Your back will really appreciate it.
An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure
Many times I point out to patients that if they took as good care of their bodies as they do their cars or other personal possessions, many serious health problems could be prevented.
Most of us know how damaging dirty oil can be to the engine and life span of a car. Yet, how many of us consider the consequences of too little sleep, junk food, lack of exercise, and constant nerve pressure?
Proper rest, balanced diet, a sound nervous system, and regular exercise can help extend your life span. Even more important, they can help you get more out of life while you’re living it. Life should be like a good candle. When lit it should burn brightly and fill the room with its glow until finished, not sputter and flicker until it burns out. Regular care of your health through natural prevention of disease can make your life so much brighter.
An ounce of prevention IS worth a pound of cure.
Yours for better health, naturally.
Condition for Golf
Every year thousands of weekend golfers charge out to the golf course on the first nice day of the year and come home tired and aching.
TO PREVENT THIS HAPPENING TO YOU, START A CONDITIONING PROGRAM TODAY.
In addition to coordination and timing, the modern golf swing relies heavily on strong leg muscles and, to a lesser degree, muscles of the forearm, arm and shoulder “girdle.”
The following are a few practical exercises someone can do to condition for golf: 1. 90-degree knee bends, and perhaps later on in the program the addition of weights, which helps the legs. 2. The hip raiser is good, too. Lie flat on back with knees bent. Arch hips upward as high as possible and hold for five seconds. Then return to starting position. 3. The back face is also helpful. Stand with your arms folded in front at shoulder level, legs shoulder width apart. Turn to your right so that you are looking behind you. Return to starting position and make a similar turn to the left.
These are just a few of the exercises that will help ready you for golf without strain. Practice them slowly at first and gently increase the workout only when your body is ready for it.
Your Good Health
The most valuable asset a family can have is good health. More and more people everywhere are realizing that good health is gained and maintained only when normal nerve energy flows from the brain, down the spinal cord, and out between the spinal vertebrae to vital body organs and tissues.
Many people say, “I wonder if it’s worth trying chiropractic? I haven’t felt good for so long. Maybe I should take a pill – it’s only my nerves.”
If health really came in bottles, there would be a shortage of bottles. Don’t be an excuse-maker or let your friends be excuse-makers. The human body, this really fantastic machine, is capable of manufacturing every drug and chemical that it is known to need, but only if it is working properly in the first place.
“The first wealth is health,” said Emerson. The person who wants to work and to live life to the fullest cannot take his health for granted. He must take care of himself.
“He who has health has hope and he who has hope has everything,” goes an old proverb. Guard your health as if it were your most precious possession. It is!
Yours for Better Health, naturally.
Hints to Prevent Back Pain
- Sleep on a firm mattress
- When you first awaken, stretch a bit; loosen your muscles.
- Sit, stand, walk, and think tall.
- Stay within your physical limitations: Do not overdo it.
- If you work in a cramped position, then get up occasionally, stretch, and loosen up those muscles and joints.
- Are you trying to lift the load of two? DON’T; get some help.
- Does your work require you to bend excessively? If so, then bend your legs, not your BACK.
- When you bend, don’t twist; keep your spine in balance.
Use your head and your legs – and save your back!
Yours for better health, naturally.
Conditioning for Tennis
Many thousands more people each year take up tennis. Far too many of them aren’t physically ready for such a strenuous activity and they suffer all kinds of sore muscles and aches and pains at the start.
THIS ISN’T NECESSARY. A program of regular exercise can avoid most of the physical discomfort and add immeasurably to the enjoyment of the game.
Alternating running and walking is excellent, but if outdoor running isn’t possible, skipping rope or rebounding are good alternatives. Remember, in all exercises, start slowly with a bare minimum of repetitions and build up slowly.
To increase agility, practice side-stepping rapidly without crossing your feet, first to one side and then to the other. Then move ahead and back the same way. You can also practice forehand and backhand swings, with the racquet cover on, while consciously going for good form. Finally squeezing a tennis ball regularly helps to develop a strong grip, essential to good tennis.
These are just a few of the exercises you can do to make this your best tennis season ever. REMEMBER, THINK SUNSHINE.
Yours for better health, naturally.
March
March is the time of year when, with great relief, we welcome nature’s renewal of the earth.
Winter-weary, we are very anxious for good weather. But a change can’t be made that quickly. Season changes, like other changes, take time. Winter lets go slowly.
Trees, flowers, and grass don’t just burst forth with new life overnight. The same is true of our bodies. New life, or recovery, doesn’t come about overnight. Time is an important element in the process of getting well.
No two people are alike, and recovery depends on various factors, such as how long the disorder has existed, and the patient’s cooperation. However, as long as nerve interference is corrected and remains absent, reconstruction in the body will go on.
As March is our bridge to Spring, so is proper nerve supply our bridge to good health.
“Germs”
I’d hate to guess how many diseases we blame on germs and viruses. If the herms theory or disease were really true, there wouldn’t be anyone alive to believe the theory. You can’t breathe a lung full of air, or wallow a mouthful of food without taking in bacteria. Your body is designed to live in a germ laden environment. Bacteria’s are normal, and they are supposed to be here. YOU can’t hide from them.
It happens to be a fact that the majority of bacteria are not harmful, but are even beneficial to man. Yet we continue to believe that bacteria cause disease. Exactly the reverse is true. Disease simply allows to accumulate and thrive. It’s the sickness that brings the invasion of bacteria.
Let’s use a little intelligence for a change and instead of blaming disease and sickness on idiotic things, try to find out the real cause of the problem, which is an improperly functioning body. Don’t kill the bacteria, get the body to work better in the first place.
Pinched Nerves
We hear a lot about “pinched nerves” these days. But, the average person seldom recognizes a case of “pinched nerves,” nor the far-reaching effects this condition can have on the human body. Actually, “pinched nerves” is a term commonly used to express the case of a condition or group of symptoms that has resulted from pressure or irritation of a nerve. This usually takes place in the spine though the pain, or discomfort, may be in another part of the body. Falls, strains, auto accidents, faulty posture, improper lifting or reaching may cause a slipping of the bones in the spine. These “slipped” bones, called vertebral subluxations, cause pressure or irritation on the nerve roots and interfere with normal nerve function. Painful symptoms and disorders may then eventually develop.
Some of the most common complaints that may develop from “pinched nerves” are: headaches, pains in the neck, face, back, shoulders or chest, pain or numbness or tingling in the arms, fingers or legs, also sciatica, muscle spasms, or muscle weakness.
Early care in these cases can usually relieve the patient of months or years of needless suffering.
Yours for better health, naturally.
Arthritis
More than half of all adults over age 35 in the U.S. suffer from some form of arthritis. Disability from arthritis. Disability from arthritis costs the national economy more than $2 billion yearly in lost wages and taxes.
Arthritis is one of the oldest of man’s diseases and is defined as an inflammation of a joint or a state characterized by inflammation of joints. The most frequent symptom associated with arthritis is restriction of movement, with or without pain and swelling.
The miracle cure drugs for arthritis, such as cortisone, have come and gone, and medicine has returned to the use of aspirin and NSAID’s to manage the symptoms. Yet, the frequent use of aspirin and similar medications can eventually cause serious side-effects within the body.
In the spine, arthritis may not be arthritis at all. Only special studies of the spine may differentiate between true and pseudo arthritis.
As soon as the restriction is addressed and movement is restored, the joints of the spine are less irritated this yielding fewer symptoms related to arthritis. Chiropractic is the profession that is dedicated to improving spinal function through specific adjustments applied to the vertebrae. Don’t just mask your arthritis…remove it!
To Dad
Along with motherhood, the greatest profession in the world is that of being a father. The business of fatherhood takes time and strength, preparation and purpose. It means hours of careful thought and constructive work with precious living materials. The opportunities and privileges of fatherhood require a lifetime of effort; however, its results may be tremendous, and its possibilities re unlimited.
It used to be that dad dealt out a stern code of discipline to junior. The electric razor took away his razor strap, elastic waistband the belt, and tax worries took away his hair and the hairbrush. So, if some kids are running wild today, it may be because dad ran out of weapons.
We want to take this opportunity to wish a Happy Father’s Day to all dads out there. The fantastic job you are doing is evidenced by the fine young people of our community. Keep up the good work. We appreciate you!
Yours for better health, naturally.
How to Check for Curvature of the Spine
If you’ve ever grown trees, you know how essential it is in the early stages to start the seedling growing straight. IN a very real sense, much of the same philosophy applies to raising children. All of us hope that our offspring will grow up straight and healthy in spite of the wrestling, jumping and falls that ae part of growing up.
One of the dangers is that the bruise or back pain resulting from, say a bike spill or a hard tackle, may go away in a day or so only to return years after in a different and more severe form.
Scoliosis or curvature of the spine is one condition that should be attended to as soon as possible, and here’s how you can test for it in your child.
Have your child bend straight forward from the waist, head level with the back and arms hanging loosely. Look closely at the muscles on both sides of the spine. If the muscles are higher on one side, it may indicate a problem.
Now have your child stand straight and relaxed. Compare the heights of the shoulders and hips. If one shoulder or hip is higher than the other, problems may exist.
Take a look at your daughter’s skirt or your son’s pants. If they hand crooked or if, when new, they have to be altered on one side, that’s another warning sign.
Remember, early detection and correction of a childhood injury can have a far reaching effect on your child’s future health.
Yours for better health, naturally.
When do you see a Chiropractor?
A common practice is to visit a Chiropractor when there are back problems. The advantages of maintenance Chiropractic care are largely overlooked.
An all too frequent pattern is that people will ignore a back problem “until it goes away.” Then at a later date (it can take years), still another health problem, occurs. Actually, the first problem has led to the second.
When a vertebra is moved out of alignment, the nerves it surrounds can be affected, often hindering them in their work in serving, directly or indirectly, the body organs. Unless the “offending” vertebra is restored to its proper position, an increase in stress and a change in body balance can result; and, the spine, pelvis, shoulders, and rib cage can become distorted. So the original “little” problem can grow into something much bigger.
Keeping the back in its normal state the way nature intended can easily eliminate many of the larger problems that can develop in the future.
When do you see a Chiropractor? Certainly when you have health problems – but also before unseen problems grow to major proportions.
Yours for better health, naturally.
Pain is a Friend
This physical machine of ours we call the body is perfect in theory only. It will do just what any other good machine will do – work all right as long as it is kept in shape.
The life force generated in the brain cannot find proper expression throughout the body unless the nerve cables to the various organs, tissues, and cells are free from interference. Since science has proven that every function of the entire body is under the control of the nervous system, this interference can disturb normal function throughout the body wherever these nerves are routed and cause suffering and pain. In fact, pain can never be experienced without some nerves being involved.
Pain is a friend; it is a warning of serious consequences to follow unless preventative steps are taken. Like other warnings, this one often is not heeded. In ignoring such warnings, we shorten the course that leads to the place where our health begins to fail.
It was not intended that man should suffer in body. Do not fail your body and your body will not fail you.
Yours for better health, naturally.
Keeping Fit
For those particularly addicted to “Jitters” here are some timely suggestions from a specialist in the field of mental health.
“Do not try to evade reality through the use of alcohol and drugs.”
“Welcome new ideas and experiences. Action is necessary to happiness.”
“Keep up your interests in your work of today, and meet the demands of every emergency.”
“Cultivate the habit of looking on the bright side of every experience.”
All of us should practice simple habits of hygiene which tends to build and maintain physical and mental health. Those who follow secondary occupations should seek especially some pastime or avocation to keep muscles in good tone. Physical exercise will relieve the mind of tension and strain. Get out-doors! Play game. Go on walks or take long hikes along the beach or in the woods. Exercise programs are fine, if you approach them in a spirit of play.
In a word, the best possible counsel is to find something that interests you, some hobby or occupation as far removed as possible from you regular job, and then give it – in order to stay well. Get fun along with your exercise, and the benefits will multiply amazingly.
Yours for better health, naturally.
EVER SINCE
Have you ever noticed how often we measure time or circumstances from some event in our lives? In speaking about health we often use this phrase, “I’ve had this pain EVER SINCE… EVER SINCE I painted the ceiling… EVER SINCE I fell off the bed or my child hasn’t felt well EVER SINCE their accident or injury.” EVER SINCE is certainly a handy peg to hang things on.
Many illnesses can be traced to some strain or injury of the spine due to a fall, an accident, or something else that seemed insignificant at the time. Either way, EVER SINCE then you haven’t felt “right”. There is a logical explanation.
The spine encases and protects the spinal cord. Spinal nerve trunks leave the spinal cord through small openings between vertebrae. A sudden strain on the spine may slip a vertebra out of its normal position and thus pinch vital nerves. This interference can disturb normal function wherever these nerves are routed resulting in suffering and pain. In fact, pain can never be experienced without nerves being involved.
Surgery
Investigators of the health professions reveal that every year there are more than 2,000,000 unnecessary operations. These operations lead to over 10,000 unnecessary deaths and close to 50,000 people maimed for life. As a Chiropractor, I believe that every organ is essential for maximum health, and with a good nerve supply to the organs they will function as God intended. This constitutes health.
Every operation, no matter how seemingly minor, is potentially hazardous and should be viewed as such. When told surgery is indicated, seek a second opinion, preferably that of a salaried staff physician.
When surgery is necessary, a few further considerations can be taken. A health body can withstand the shock of anesthesia and surgery better than a sick, weak, run-down body. A healthy body is much less apt to have post-operative complications and infections. A healthy body can repair much faster than a sick body.
So when faced with surgery do your part and prepare yourself in the best possible manner.
Yours for better health, naturally.
School Time
Summer vacations are almost over and children are getting ready to return to school. This can be a very trying time for a young child. To prepare your child in the best possible manner, do the following: A few days before classes begin, take your child to meet his teacher. Show him his room, desk, the location of the restrooms and the cafeteria. This will help rid him of that lost feeling he’s sure to have. Help him or let him help you select his supplies and clothing for the start of his school year. A child feels more comfortable and independent with belongings he has chosen himself.
Having your child familiar with his new school environment is important but even more important is having him physically sound. Before school begins take your child for a healthy head start checkup. In order for him to retain the knowledge offered to him and enjoy the other aspects of school he must be prepared physically as well as psychologically.
Don’t let your child miss the wealth of opportunity school has to offer. Give him that extra, very special, head start.
Yours for better health, naturally.
Conditioning for Skiing
There are three general physical qualities required for skiing: circulo-respiratory endurance, well-conditioned muscles, and a high degree of flexibility.
A carefully planned program of regular exercise starting NOW can help you avoid most of the physical discomfort and add immeasurably to the enjoyment of the sport.
Running, swimming or skipping rope not only build endurance but also conditions the legs. A word of caution – be sure to ease into this or any other exercises. Start slowly and gradually increase the distance or repetitions.
Further leg muscle conditioning can be done through knee bends, especially while holding weights. Push-ups and pull-ups help build the arm and shoulder muscles. Weight lifting is also very beneficial for arms, shoulders, and legs.
For flexibility, try leg crossovers, which consist of lying flat on your back, crossing one leg over the other and touching the floor with toes. Another is the overhead curl. Lie flat on your back and raise legs and hips back over your head until toes touch the floor. To stretch hamstrings, sit on the floor with legs straight. Reach forward and touch toes with your fingers. Hold toes for five seconds and return to beginning position.
These are just a few of the many exercises you can do to make this your best skiing season ever.
Remember, THINK SNOW!
Holiday Pace
At year’s end, with its meaningful and delightful holidays, it is surprising how many people do not look forward to them. The fast pace of living becomes almost frantic with the pressures to fulfill all of the family and social obligations typical of this time of year.
Physical and mental capacities are pushed to the limit. There is over-indulgence in food and beverages and the result, quite naturally, is fatigue, nervous tension, and lowered resistance.
How you weather the holidays, physically and mentally, will be determined to a great extent by how you feel now. If you haven’t been feeling up to par, by all means do something about that first. No one can be relaxed and pleasant even under normal circumstances if the body is not functioning orderly.
The key to good health and happy energetic living is normal nerve function. Since the central nervous system controls every part of the body, overtaxing the body physically can depress nerve function, and tension is one of the unpleasant results.
Twas the Night Before Christmas and All Through the House
These lines take us back to the wonderful years when we waited for Santa Claus to come down the chimney to fill our stocking.
Although the passing of the years has brought many changes, still the warmth of Christmas is in every heart. Christmas will always be the day when cares are forgotten and the world is full of smiles.
We send our best wishes to you and yours. We appreciate the chance to call you patient and friend, and we extend our hope that this Christmas will be your happiest and that the New Year will be your healthiest.
Happy Near Year!
Recently I came across ten very simple and abundantly regarding “Commandments.” Follow them and watch your world grow brighter.
- SPEAK TO PEOPLE. There’s nothing as cheerful as w word or greeting.
- SMILE. It takes 66 muscles to frown, only 16 to smile.
- CALL PEOPLE BY NAME. The sweetest music to anyone’s ears is the sound of their own name.
- BE FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL. If you would have friends, be friendly.
- BE SINCERELY CORDIAL. Speak and act as if it gives you genuine pleasure.
- BE CONSIDERATE OF THE FEELINGS OF OTHERS. No one likes to be rebuffed.
- BE THOUGHTFUL OF THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS. There are three sides to a controversy – yours, the other person’s, and the truth.
- BE GENUINELY INTERESTED IN PEOPLE. You can like everyone if you try.
- BE GENEROUS WITH PRAISE, CAUTIOS WITH CRITICISM. Praise lifts. Criticism lowers.
- BE ALERT TO RENDER SERVICE. About all that counts in life is what we do for others.