How to Fix Bad Posture

A lot of people think bad posture is mostly how you look—and that’s not unreasonable. It’s noticeable, right? It’s the difference between looking tired vs. alert, and for some, confident vs. uncomfortable. But there’s so much more going on with bad posture than meets the eye.

Here’s what bad posture actually means for your body and what you can do to fix it.

The Bad Posture Breakdown

Are you hunched over at your desk right now? Looking down at your phone, neck craned? Yep, we see you—and it’s OK. Most people don’t exactly make good postural habits a priority. But trust us, it’s definitely having an impact on your body.

Appearance benefits aside, good posture can help you maintain the correct alignment of bones and joints, reduce stress and inflammation on your ligaments, minimize risk of injury, prevent muscle strain and overuse, conserve energy and decrease wear and tear on the joints.

And that’s a big deal! Your muscles, ligaments and bones are all a part of your musculoskeletal system, and if they aren’t operating correctly, they can affect the rest of your body—most noticeably your spine. We’re talking slipped discs, misaligned vertebrae and more. These issues open you up to a whole litany of mechanical and symptomatic problems!

Bad Posture Can Lead To:

• Poor circulation
• Exacerbated arthritis
• Fatigue
• Neck and shoulder pain
• Chronic headaches
• Breathing problems

How Can I Tell My Posture Is Off?

So… how do you know if there’s a problem with your posture? How can you even begin to tell if your poor posture has affected your health enough to develop symptoms? It’s actually really easy to spot. You just have to know how.

Consider whether or not you notice any of these symptoms in your daily life:

Slumped Shoulders

86 percent of Americans work a desk job, and sitting for such long periods, especially improperly, leaves many of us wide open for pain and dysfunction. Slumped or hunched shoulders are one of the most common postural problems of sedentary work. This is when your shoulders are more rounded with a tendency of your biceps turning inward.

• When you look at photos of yourself, are your shoulders more hunched and curved into the body?
• Are you suffering from frequent headaches, neck aches or shoulder tension?
• When you’re standing with your arms at your sides, are your palms facing behind you?

Forward Head Carriage

This is a big one that we see often in our offices, and in today’s tech world, it’s an easy pattern to get into. When your head is too far forward, it can put up to forty extra pounds of weight on your cervical spine, leading to pain and dysfunction. Your ears should line up directly above your shoulders.

• Are you experiencing pain or inflammation in the neck or shoulders?
• When you’re texting, driving or on the computer, do you crane your neck forward?
• Are your ears not aligned with your shoulders?

Uneven Weight Distribution

When one side of your hip is higher than the other, it can force you to put more weight on one side of the body. Uneven weight distribution can cause a structural imbalance in the body, forcing more wear and tear on the joints.

• When standing, do you tend to favor one leg over the other?
• Have you ever noticed the soles of one of your shoes more worn than the other?
• Do you ever experience pain on only one side of the body?

If you’ve said “Yes!” to any of these questions… it may be time to have a chat with your chiropractor.

How to Have Better Posture

Routine chiropractic care can not only help you correct your posture, it can also help you maintain it throughout your lifetime. Regular chiropractic adjustments and some advice from your chiropractor can make all the difference.

Here are some helpful tips from the American Chiropractic Association that may help you out:

Posture 101: Sitting

• Keep both feet on the floor, or if your chair is too high, a footrest
• Uncross your legs, and keep your ankles in front of your knees
• Keep a gap between the back of your knees and the front of your seat
• Make sure your knees are at or below the level of your hips
• Adjust your chair to support your low back
• Keep your forearms parallel to the ground
• Stay active! Take a five minute walk every thirty minutes

Posture 101: Standing

• Focus your weight on the balls of your feet
• Keep your knees slightly bent
• Place your feet around a shoulder-width apart
• Let your arms hang naturally
• Keep your shoulders back
• Stand with your ears aligned with your shoulders

Posture 101: Lying Down

• Find a proper mattress
• Sleep with an ergonomic sleep posture pillow
• DO NOT sleep on your stomach
• If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your legs
• If you sleep on your back, keep a pillow under your knees

Perfecting Your Posture During Your Daily Habits

Driving, texting, sitting at a desk or even walking a dog all have one thing in common—posture.

You may not actively think about it, but how your body is positioned throughout the day greatly contributes to your overall health. How you sit, stand or move your body can lead to chronic back pain, headaches, and possibly poor circulation in your legs and feet.

What Is Good Posture?

Good posture is your body putting the least amount of strain on supporting muscles, bones, joints and ligaments. Proper posture is just one element of good spinal health, encouraging the brain to communicate more effectively with the rest of the body.

How to Improve Your Posture During the Day

Adopting healthier posture habits and at-home ergonomics can improve your overall health. These practices can provide more efficiency in daily tasks and an improved quality of life. Good posture isn’t just limited to standing or sitting. Training your body when you sleep, watch TV, stand in line or even text is important.

Here are a few tips for improving posture during your daily routine:

Netflix and chill. Who doesn’t love a good movie in bed? However, binge watching can do a number on your spine. Add a pillow behind your back for added support, or underneath your knees to relieve any stress on your neck, legs and back.

Sleep tight. Sleep posture is important since you put so much pressure on your spine. Regardless of sleep position, always use a pillow with enough thickness so that your head maintains a neutral position.

Back - Only 8 percent of people sleep on their backs. Sleeping on your back is the best option, because it puts no extra pressure on your head, neck or spine. Use a pillow to keep your head slightly elevated and aligned.

Side - Sleeping on one’s side, especially with the knees drawn up in a fetal position, can help open up the joints in the spine and relieve pressure by reducing the curvature of the spine.

Stomach - Approximately 7 percent of people sleep on their stomachs. Unfortunately, this position can aggravate the spine and other medical conditions. Avoid it if possible.

Supermarket sweep. You can practice perfect posture anywhere! Standing in line while at a grocery store, or any store, is a great time to think about your posture, learn to notice how you regularly stand and make note to avoid slouching. Position your feet shoulder-length apart and let your arms hang naturally at your sides. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet. This will allow your body to naturally align and evenly distribute your body weight.

Texting. Text neck is real and a result of having bad postural habits. While texting or cruising through social media, position your phone at eye level. This will help reduce the amount of pressure being applied to your neck and spine. And remember, while a great starting point, changing your habits isn’t quite enough! That’s where chiropractic comes in. Incorporating routine adjustments can help improve posture, increase flexibility, and prevent backache and muscular pain.

An 8-Minute Workout to Restore Your Flexibility & Strength

Getting back into a regular exercise routine after the holidays can take a lot of work. Because of this, your body may have lost some strength and flexibility in your joints. Enjoy this quick 8-minute workout to help restore muscle memory and strength.

Knee Tuck

1. Start by lying on your back with your legs extended. Keep your arms straight and to your sides.
2. Bring your knees to your chest while keeping your hips to the ground.
3. Hold for 8-10 counts. Repeat 4-6 times.

Straight Leg Crossover

1. Start by lying on your back with your legs extended. Keep your arms out to your sides.
2. Lift your left leg toward the ceiling. Then, slowly lower your leg to the right side while crossing your other leg over your body.
3. Hold for 8-10 counts and repeat 4-6 times on each side.

Swimming

1. Start by lying face down on the floor with your arms extended past your head.
2. Lift your right hand and left leg slightly off of the ground.
3. Keep your body straight and your stomach pulled into your spine.
4. Return to your starting position, and repeat with your left hand and right leg.
5. Continue for 30 seconds.

Always consult with your doctor or chiropractor before adding new workouts into your routine, especially if you have a serious medical condition, physical limitations or experience chronic pain.

3 Posture-Building Yoga Poses

There are plenty of ways you can better your posture in 2020—most importantly, routine chiropractic care, habit changes, a proper diet and more. But, what is another valuable tool in your arsenal? Exercise! Building strength in your core and lower back can be especially useful for maintaining proper posture. Let’s take a look at three helpful yoga poses to get you started.

Legs Up the Wall

1. Sit flat on the ground with your side close against the wall.
2. Lean back onto your hands, spinning your body slightly and sliding the back of your legs up the wall. Recline onto your back with your feet facing the ceiling.
3. Slowly inch your bottom closer to the wall, keeping your hands in place on your stomach.
4. Close your eyes and relax. Hold for two to three minutes.

Bridge Pose

1. Lay on your back with your arms at your sides, palms down. Put your feet flat on the floor with your knees up.
2. Lift your hips to the sky, on the inhale, while pressing down on the soles of your hands. Hold for three breaths.
3. Release this tension on an exhale, lowering your body one vertebra at a time.
4. Repeat three times. Once complete, sway your knees gently back and forth to release any tension in the spine.

Downward Dog

1. Starting from the Plank Pose, press the hips up and back. Press your chest towards your knees.
2. Make sure your heels are hip-width apart, and your fingers are spread wide with weight evenly distributed through your hands.
3. Relax your head and neck, and shoulders away from your ears, sending your gaze towards your toes.
4. Stay here for anywhere between 30 seconds to a minute.

How Chiropractic Care Helps Posture

Posture is position of the body while standing, sitting or lying down. Good posture, also referred to as neutral spine, has many health benefits, including the avoidance of injury-induced back pain. Chiropractic can help improve and maintain posture.

Why is Posture Important 

Appearance benefits with good posture are obvious, but there are many less-obvious health benefits you should know. Good posture can:

• Maintain correct alignment of bones and joints
• Reduce stress on ligaments, minimizing risk of injury
• Prevent muscle strain, overuse and pain
• Conserve energy as muscles are used more efficiently
• Decrease abnormal joint wear

Research has shown that poor postures may increase feelings of depression, affect your digestive tract and influence confidence and stress levels.

Signs You have Poor Posture 

There are many indicators of poor posture, but some of the more common are hunched shoulders, rounded shoulders, rounded upper back, forward head carriage and arched lower back. Another indicator is back pain. Unsure if you have good posture? Talk to your chiropractor or schedule an appointment for a spinal examination.

Factors that Contribute to Poor Posture 

There are several common factors linked to poor posture:

• Stress
• Obesity
• Pregnancy
• Weak postural muscles
• Abnormally tight muscles
• High-heeled shoes

How to Maintain or Correct Posture 

The first step is awareness! Bring your attention to your posture as you sit, stand or lie down. If you're sitting, keep both feet on the floor or a footrest, don't cross your legs and use low-back support. While standing, keep your knees slightly bent, relax your arms and pull your shoulders back. When lying down it's critical to choose the right mattress and pillow, and avoid sleeping on your stomach.

Importance of Chiropractic Care and Therapies

Your chiropractor can help you to maintain and correct your posture through chiropractic adjustments, exercises and recommendations on proper positions during different activities.

What is Stress Doing to Your Body?

We all know what stress is—we experience it every day in ways both big and small. As it turns out, a little bit of stress is actually good for you… but what about when you get overloaded? Too much stress can throw the body into chaos—mentally, physically and emotionally.

Here’s a quick, whole-body look at how stress can affect you—in ways you never knew!

Stress and Your Body

Brain/Head: Anxiety and depression, irritability, low energy, insomnia, headaches and migraines

Jaw:
Clenching, teeth grinding, TMJ/TMD symptoms

Shoulders and Neck:
Muscle tension and tightness, aches and pains

Heart:
Increased heart rate, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack and hypertension.

Lungs:
Frequent sickness and infections, trouble breathing

Stomach:
Upset stomach, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, heartburn, loss of appetite

Having trouble managing physical and emotional symptoms of stress? Sit down with your chiropractor to chat about possible treatment options and lifestyle changes.
Remember—they’re here to support you!

What Heart Healthy Foods to Eat

It’s hard to believe heart disease is still the leading cause of death in the United States, especially with all we know about preventing this silent killer. One of the most important components in your prevention arsenal is a heart healthy diet. Rather than getting really specific with a diet, it can be easier to look at the big picture and eat as healthy as possible.

Juicing Veggies and Fruits

Juicing is an ideal form of nutrition because it starts with eating large quantities of raw food. This means the body receives maximum amounts of nutrients consumed with minimal calories. Juicing vegetables and fruits makes it much easier to consume ideal quantities of them throughout the day, while allowing your body to extract and utilize the most nutrients.

Other heart healthy foods to consider:

Raisins

These petite bites help prevent inflammation and gum disease, two factors that contribute to heart disease. Kids love them because they have just enough sweetness and a meaty texture many people crave in a snack. Grab a handful of organic raisins next time you need an afternoon pick-me-up.

Fish

Studies show that adding fish to your diet twice a week or more can lower your risk of heart disease by as much as 30 percent, due to the good work done by a fatty acid called Omega-3. Omega-3’s prevent blood clots, lower blood pressure and prevent irregular heartbeat. But keep in mind, not all fish are created equal. Where your fish comes from is important, too. Fish caught in cold waters, such as salmon from Alaska, have much lower levels of dangerous mercury than those from warm waters, like catfish or tilapia.

Walnuts

The walnut, a funny looking, flavorful nut, delivers a powerful blow to heart disease. A recent study performed at Penn State University showed the oil found in walnuts fortifies the strength and function of blood vessels, an important factor in preventing heart disease. Snack on them between meals, add them to healthy salads and sprinkle them into your morning oatmeal.

Avoid Salt

Salt can be tough on your ticker as it increases blood pressure. In fact, a recent Harvard study blames one of every ten American deaths on salt. Avoid canned and processed foods, which both have added salt. Preparing meals at home is great way to control the quality of your ingredients and keep sodium intake down.

Make a Plan

We understand that not everyone can just hop into the kitchen and prepare a healthy, delicious meal after a long day at work. That’s where meal planning comes in. Sitting down for a few minutes to plan out the meals for your day or week will save you money at the grocery store and ensure you’re making meals that are good for everyone’s heart.

Should I Use Heat or Ice for Pain?

Did you get hurt during your workout? It’s time to grab the heating pad… or the ice pack… or both—who even knows! There’s a lot of confusion when it comes to using heat or cold to help treat common exercise injuries like strains, sprains, pulled muscles, shin splits, knee injuries and tenderness. Let’s put an end to it once and for all! Here’s your temperature care breakdown, so you know when it’s time to sing a song of fire or one of ice.

Ice, Ice, Baby

As a general rule, always choose ice for injuries and inflammation. Cold restricts blood flow and reduces inflammation and swelling. Whenever there’s bleeding in underlying tissue—think sprains, strains or bruising—ice treatment is the way to go. You can use cold therapy in two ways: immediate or rehabilitation.

Immediate treatment: helps prevent the injured area from becoming stiff by reducing tissue fluid.

Rehabilitation: aims to restore normal function to an affected area by reducing pain and spasms, which in turn allows for better movement.

If you have bad circulation, then cold therapy probably isn’t for you. If you apply ice for too long (or directly!) then skin, tissue or nerve damage becomes a possibility. Folks with cardiovascular disease should always consult with their doctor before using cold therapy.

Turn Up the Heat

Usually, heat is the best method for relaxing—whereas ice restricts blood vessels, heat opens them, increasing blood flow to an affected area. This is perfect for most aches and pains, and it’s also really great for repairing damaged tissue since increased blood flow stimulates healing. Minor stiffness and tension can usually be relieved with about 15-20 minutes of heat therapy.

Do not feel the burn! When using heat therapy, you want to keep a nice, even warmth. If you have swelling or bruising, heat isn’t the right call. Never use it near open wounds, and for people with heart disease or hypertension, always ask your doctor before using this treatment.

The Ultimate Treatment

When it comes to injuries caused by physical activity, cold and heat are super beneficial, but they’re not long-term solutions. A healthy musculoskeletal system is critical to overall health and healing, affecting how the entire body functions. Regular adjustments of the spine help return the body to a normal state, reducing tension and pain by utilizing the body’s natural healing process. Choosing chiropractic as the first line of defense once injured decreases the likelihood of surgery and further injury!

How to Avoid the Painful Side Effects of Gift Giving

The holiday season is a popular time to buy the latest technology for loved ones, but if you have a new phone or the latest video game system wrapped beneath your tree, you may also be giving pain along with it.

Text neck, a condition in which the continual use of technology causes neck pain and discomfort, can cause serious health risks. It happens most often when you bend over to read text message, browse the internet or gaze at video game screens and controllers. And with the large amount of technology and gadgets gifted over the holiday season, cases of text neck will be rampant.
The severity of text neck symptoms will vary from person to person, but tend to be more prominent with an increased level of activity on the phone or device used.

These symptoms may include:

• Soreness
• Stiffness
• Pain to the shoulders, neck and upper back
• A slight curving of the spine
• Increased headaches

There are solutions for this type of pain. Of course, curbing technology use might be the most obvious one, but if you can’t pry the controller from your child’s hands this winter break, there are other options, as well:

Lift Your Device

Try lifting your device to eye level. You might feel silly at first, but you’ll be protecting the health of your neck and spine for the long term. If you don’t want to lift the device, then leave the device low, but avoid bending your neck and look only with your eyes. Another option is to rest your neck while using your device. Use a headrest, a pillow, or even a wall to hold your head up instead of holding it bent for hours at a time.

Limit Your Time

This is a harder one, but giving yourself and your family members time limits for device use will ease neck pain. Try to only use your phone when you have somewhere to rest your head at the same time.

Chiropractic Care

Since text neck often causes actual misalignment of the spine, chiropractic care can help. A chiropractor can use spinal manipulation to properly align the spine and keep it healthier and pain free. And at Franklin Chiropractic & Accident Clinics, Inc., we treat children, as well as adults, so aligning the spine of the child who is never without his phone is no problem.

To get some help and care from a chiropractor, walk into Franklin Chiropractic & Accident Clinics, Inc. any time. Walk-in appointments and affordable pricing make it possible for everyone to get the care they need to protect their neck and back this holiday season and in the year ahead. A chiropractor at Franklin Chiropractic & Accident Clinics, Inc. may be able to align your spine and put your neck in better shape so that you can enjoy your technology now and for years into the future.

How to Take Meaningful Breaks from Your Phone

For those of us who clearly remember a time before smartphones, it’s easy to see how this technology has changed us and our relationships. 
 
In the morning, instead of quietly waking and adjusting to the light of day, so many of us grab our phone and check our alerts—before we even set our feet on the ground. During coffee or meals with loved ones, we incessantly check our devices—only half listening to the conversation. When hiking through a beautiful landscape or witnessing a life-changing event, we’re peering through our screens to get the best shot for Instagram. And that’s just a snippet of how our lives have changed.

5 Ways to Take Breaks

While this technology is certainly here to stay, it doesn’t mean it has to take over the world around us. You are in control of your day, your relationships and your habits; so harness that willpower and use these ideas to tune out the noise and enjoy the life in front of you.

1. Whenever you get home, leave your phone in your bag or drop it in a basket by the door. If you’re worried about missing an important call or an emergency—think about getting a landline or digital home phone. If you have kids, having a home phone isn’t a bad idea.

Tip: If you have a smartphone, set up an auto-text reply to go out to people who call or text, asking them to reach you at your home phone.

2. Put your phone in the backseat (the trunk is even better) when you’re driving. Not only does the phone distract you, but you’re missing out on some great downtime to listen to music, think or just take in your surroundings.

Tip: Auto-text replies come in handy here, too. Set up a reply alerting people you are driving and will get back to them shortly.

3. Set designated “shut-down” times. Before dinner, have everyone drop their phone into a basket or leave them in their rooms. When you head outdoors for some quality family time, don’t bring them along. We did survive in a time before cellphones!

Tip: If you make this a regular thing—it’ll become easier for your family to break the habit of using phones during family time. And hopefully it’ll carry-over to the next generation!

4. Leave your phone in the car when you’re meeting a friend. If you’re concerned that someone at home may need you, let your family know where you’ll be. If it’s truly important, they can call the place of business to get ahold of you (that’s how we did it in the old days!).

Tip: Ask your friend if you can both go “phone-free” for your coffee or lunch date and enjoy some genuine, uninterrupted conversation.

5. Too hard to leave the phone behind completely? Set it to airplane mode or turn off all your notifications. Then pick times you can check your phone—perhaps every two hours or at 42 minutes after every hour. Find what works for you.

Tip: See if your smartphone has a feature to set “quiet hours.” On most Apple devices, this feature is called “Do Not Disturb,” which only allows calls from specific people to come through. You can also set it to ring if a number has called twice in less than three minutes.

Your Guide to Easy Neck Pain Relief

When you’re in pain, it can take away from every other aspect of your life.
Time with family, your social life, hobbies, even your work—it’s so hard to focus, to really get through the day.
Not to mention, well… it hurts. And neck pain is its own special sort of suffering. We know how hard it can be, and we’re here to help you. Let’s run through it: why you’re in pain, what’s causing it, and what you can do.
Here’s how you can start feeling better right now.

Let’s Talk About Your Pain

Do you work a desk job? Have you been in a recent car accident? Maybe you just text a lot and you’re constantly looking down at your phone.
Depending on the cause, neck pain can come in a variety of different forms and severities—from a pinched nerve to whiplash or postural problems to major injury.
If you’re reading this guide, chances are you know this kind of pain well, and it’s not just central to the neck, but can affect the shoulders and even cause headaches. It can be relative to one spot or it can radiate and fan across your whole upper body, including the arms. You may also experience numbing of the arms, muscle weakness and mobility issues.

Sound Familiar?

According to the American Chiropractic Association, here are some of the most common neck pain instigators:

• Injuries and Whiplash
• Growing Older
• Osteoarthritis
• Spinal Stenosis
• Degenerative Disc Disease
• Poor Posture/Daily Habits

How Do I Know if It’s Serious?

When you type “Neck Pain” into Google, one of the most frequently asked questions that pops up is “Is a sore neck a sign of cancer?” Rest assured—that’s actually pretty rare. In fact, neck pain is something that will likely affect most adults at one point during their lifetimes. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, but… that doesn’t make it normal.
Simply put: It’s serious. Any amount of pain is serious.
That nagging tension? That knot on the top of your shoulder? It’s all a big deal, because the truth is that we’re not meant to live in pain.

5 Natural Ways to Ditch Neck Pain

So, what can you do to feel better? A lot of people reach for those muscle relaxers or anti-inflammatories, which can actually do more harm than good. Here are some all-natural methods that may be able to help you out.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Not only does inflammation make your muscles more susceptible to pain and injury, but it can also slow down the healing process. When your neck is inflamed, it limits your range of motion, overall strength and flexibility. Since food fuels the body, and can be some of the best medicine around, consider adopting an anti-inflammatory diet that will do the body good.

Inflammatory

• Refined sugars and grains
• Processed meat and red meat
• Alcohol and soda
• Packaged foods
• Margarine, shortening, lard

Anti-Inflammatory

• Green, leafy vegetables
• Wild-caught salmon
• Bone broth
• Healthy fats like organic, unrefined coconut oil
• Probiotic foods (yogurt)
• Fermented foods

 

ICE Therapy

For tension and muscle soreness, ice therapy is a great form of pain relief! Cold restricts blood flow and reduces inflammation and swelling. Whenever there’s bleeding in underlying tissue—think sprains, strains or bruising—ice may help! But keep in mind, too much cold can hurt you. Don’t put bags of ice or packs directly on the skin, because that could risk skin, tissue or nerve damage. Instead, wrap it in a soft towel and set it on the area in question. And remember—no longer than 20 minutes a session!
Note that if you have bad circulation, then cold therapy probably isn’t for you. People with cardiovascular disease should always consult with their doctor before using cold therapy.

Essential Oils

Many people find success using essential oils topically when they’ve got sore or strained muscles—and it’s definitely worth looking into for natural pain relief. Depending on what kind of pain it is, there are a variety of options to choose from. Here are only a few!

• Peppermint Oil: Cooling and anti-inflammatory
• Lavender Oil: Relief from pain and swelling
• Sandalwood: Tension relief

But wait! Here’s a little bit of essential oil best practice. Most oils must be diluted with a carrier oil, like coconut or almond. There are some oils you can apply “neat” (directly on the skin), however, do your research first and test a small part of your skin to ensure you don’t have a reaction. Also, the essential oil industry is incredibly unregulated; be sure to purchase from a well-known brand that sells certified therapeutic grade oils. For individual recipes, take to the web! There are tons of tutorials you can find on YouTube as well as recipe guides provided by the brand you purchase your oils from.

Bedtime Neck Support

The kind of pillow you use absolutely has the ability to hurt or strain your neck. It’s time to invest in a quality pillow. Look for one that’s made of firmer foam and materials that press back, effectively supporting the head. It’s also crucial that your pillow contours to your head, neck and shoulders, offering built-in cervical support.
Pillows that support your cervical spine actually look a lot different than the ones you’re used to seeing. The center cavity provides support for both your head and neck. This can help you avoid experiencing or exacerbating headaches, neck sprains and strains, tingling and numbness in the arms and hands and more.

The Text Neck Stretch

A common reason for neck pain? Excessive texting! As you look down at your phone, it can push your head forward and hunch your shoulders. This puts strain on the spine and may result in headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain and loss of lung capacity. Of course, working on your posture is key, but stretching can be important too! Let’s open it back up with a quick stretch that may help you find relief:

1. Sit or stand with your hands behind your head.
2. With your elbows out, slowly squeeze your shoulder blades back.
3. Bring your head and shoulders backward, arching the upper middle back.
4. Hold this position for 10-20 seconds and then slowly release.

 

What If It’s Not Enough: Fixing the Root Problem

The tips listed above will help you manage your symptoms, and they’re great for temporary relief, but honestly, they won’t fix anything. In order to eliminate your symptoms for good, treatment needs to address the root of the problem.
So, why are you in pain? What’s actually causing it? The answer may go a little deeper than you expect—namely, your spine.
The neck houses the uppermost part of your spine (the cervical spine) and has the important job of holding up your head. Not only does it have this constant weight placed on it, but it’s one of the most utilized parts of the body.
Think about it—not a day goes by where you don’t actively use your neck. It bends, twists and moves in every way you need it to, and that really opens up its susceptibility to injury, strain and wear and tear.
This constant stress can affect the cervical spine itself, causing misalignments (subluxations) in the spinal vertebrae. These misalignments can wreak havoc on your entire body, because when the vertebrae are knocked out of alignment, it can effectively mute you brain-to-body communication system.

Fixing the Root Problem

They key to reducing joint pain long term is to adjust the cervical spine where vertebrae may be out of alignment, thus causing the nerves to be pinched. A chiropractor utilizes the chiropractic adjustment to manipulate the spine back into optimal alignment—taking pressure off the nerves and allowing the body to function at its best.

Should I Use Heat or Ice for Pain?

Did you get hurt during your workout? It’s time to grab the heating pad… or the ice pack… or both—who even knows! There’s a lot of confusion when it comes to using heat or cold to help treat common exercise injuries like strains, sprains, pulled muscles, shin splits, knee injuries and tenderness. Let’s put an end to it once and for all! Here’s your temperature care breakdown, so you know when it’s time to sing a song of fire or one of ice. 
 

Ice, Ice, Baby

As a general rule, always choose ice for injuries and inflammation. Cold restricts blood flow and reduces inflammation and swelling. Whenever there’s bleeding in underlying tissue—think sprains, strains or bruising—ice treatment is the way to go. You can use cold therapy in two ways: immediate or rehabilitation.
Immediate treatment: helps prevent the injured area from becoming stiff by reducing tissue fluid.
Rehabilitation: aims to restore normal function to an affected area by reducing pain and spasms, which in turn allows for better movement.
If you have bad circulation, then cold therapy probably isn’t for you. If you apply ice for too long (or directly!) then skin, tissue or nerve damage becomes a possibility. Folks with cardiovascular disease should always consult with their doctor before using cold therapy.

Turn Up the Heat

Usually, heat is the best method for relaxing—whereas ice restricts blood vessels, heat opens them, increasing blood flow to an affected area. This is perfect for most aches and pains, and it’s also really great for repairing damaged tissue since increased blood flow stimulates healing. Minor stiffness and tension can usually be relieved with about 15-20 minutes of heat therapy.
Do not feel the burn! When using heat therapy, you want to keep a nice, even warmth. If you have swelling or bruising, heat isn’t the right call. Never use it near open wounds, and for people with heart disease or hypertension, always ask your doctor before using this treatment.

The Ultimate Treatment

When it comes to injuries caused by physical activity, cold and heat are super beneficial, but they’re not long-term solutions. A healthy musculoskeletal system is critical to overall health and healing, affecting how the entire body functions. Regular adjustments of the spine help return the body to a normal state, reducing tension and pain by utilizing the body’s natural healing process. Choosing chiropractic as the first line of defense once injured decreases the likelihood of surgery and further injury!

The Verte-Breakdown: Your Lumbar Spine

The Importance of Your Lumbar Spine

The lumbar spine is the lowest region of your spine! It’s comprised of five vertebrae in the lower abdomen and hips, and is built for power and stability, bearing the weight of the entire torso and giving the hips and legs the ability to flex and move. It is a strong coat of armor, protecting the base of your spinal cord so it can do its job without interference.

When Your Lumbar Spine is Misaligned

Most people think of the spine in regards to posture, movement and stability, and while those are all important functions, it’s got another crucial role to play—protecting the spinal cord. Messages from the brain travel down the spinal cord, branch out into the nerves and are transmitted to the rest of the body. This is how your organs know how to function and heal.
However, when there’s a misalignment in the vertebrae of the spine, also known as a subluxation, this process is disrupted. And unfortunately, these misalignments can happen at any time; an accident, daily habits and behaviors, nutritional intake, stress and even toxins and chemicals can move your vertebrae out of place.
This puts pressure on the spinal nerves and effectively cuts off communication within the nervous system. When left unchecked, these misalignments can affect the body in unexpected ways. Take a look at each vertebra and how it connects with different organs and areas in the body. And most importantly, identify any possible symptoms that could arise from a subluxation in that vertebra!

Lower Back

Lumbar Spine

Vertebrae	Parts of the Body	Possible Symptoms
L1	Large intestines and inguinal rings	Constipation, colitis, dysentery, diarrhea and ruptures or hernias
L2	Appendix, abdomen and upper leg	Cramps, difficulty breathing and minor varicose veins
L3	Sex organs, uterus, bladder and knees	Bladder troubles, painful or irregular periods, miscarriages, bed wetting, impotency and knee pain
L4	Prostate gland, low back muscles and sciatic nerve	Sciatica, lumbago, difficult or painful urination and back aches or pain
L5	Lower legs, ankles and feet	Circulation problems, weak legs, ankles and arches, cold feet and leg cramps

How to Curb Sugar Cravings

Culturally speaking, women are the ones with the sweet tooth—and there might actually be some truth to that. A 2004 study showed that women may crave sweets more often than men due to the female hormone estradiol. This hormone is an important part of reproductive and sexual function—which also might explain why some women report sugar cravings around the time of their period or during menopause or perimenopause (pre-menopause).
Other reported causes of sugar cravings could be due to a sluggish or overloaded adrenal gland, a yeast infection, an underactive thyroid gland, an imbalance of beneficial gut bacteria and stress.
Of course, eating healthy can help alleviate many of these issues—and there are also other ways to help curb your cravings.

Use the Salty Sweet Visualization Exercise

Sounds silly—but try this: When you find yourself faced with the temptation to eat something sugary that you’d rather not and your willpower is waning, imagine that you’ve poured salt all over it. For real! Let’s say you’re full but can’t stop eyeballing that plate of cookies on the counter; take a moment and visualize yourself shaking salt all over a cookie and then taking salty bite after salty bite. Experts say this works because, believe it or not, humans have a natural aversion to overly salted foods. This trick works well for a lot of people!

Avoid Processed Foods

Research has shown that sugar lights up the food-reward network in the brain more than fat. This means that high-sugar foods may cause the body to crave more food—and more sweet foods. This is not unlike addictions to drugs like cocaine; the brain becomes wired to crave more and more. Many processed foods contain high levels of sugar among other undesirable ingredients. The more you can avoid these foods, the less likely you are to crave them.

Eat More Fermented Foods and Probiotics

Some experts consider adding fermented foods and probiotics into the diet to be one of the best ways to reduce sugar cravings. Fermented foods, fermented liquids and probiotics will help restore a balance in your healthy gut bacteria. (There are millions of microbes in your stomach and intestines. If you have bad gut bacteria/microbes, they can actually influence your cravings through nerve pathways linked between your stomach and brain. Crazy, huh?)
Pickles, sauerkraut, Korean kimchi, miso soup, kombucha tea and live cultured yogurt, like Kefir, are great options. If you’d rather supplement or aren’t getting enough of these foods, select a probiotic that is dairy-free with 5 billion microorganisms per capsule especially containing Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria, and Streptococcus thermophiles.

Keep Your Blood Sugar Stable

Sounds like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t keep their blood sugar stable. This instability can cause a lack of energy, an increase in cravings, mood swings, memory issues and imbalanced hormones. To balance your blood sugar eat foods low on the glycemic index (veggies, berries, nuts and seeds), eat several small meals throughout the day, make sure to get protein with every meal, don’t skip breakfast and ditch the sodas.

5 Natural Ways to Ditch Joint Pain

Our bodies carry us through this world—they help us achieve, touch and experience all aspects of being alive. But what happens when you can’t move… when it hurts? Time with family, social life, hobbies, work and even sleep can suffer. It’s so hard to enjoy your days when they’re full of pain or when your own body limits what you’re able to do. This is especially true for those dealing with chronic joint pain and arthritis. Depending on the individual, it can be mild to extremely painful, occasional to chronic and it can even limit mobility. It can happen anywhere there’s a joint—affecting the cartilage, bone, ligaments, tendons or muscles—and sometimes in multiple places at once.
We know it’s hard, but we want to help—naturally! Here’s how you can start feeling better right now.

1 Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Inflammation makes your joints more susceptible to pain and injury, and it can also slow down the healing process. When a joint is inflamed, it limits your range of motion, overall strength and flexibility. Since food fuels the body, and can be some of the best medicine around, consider adopting an anti-inflammatory diet that may help with pain relief.

Inflammatory

• Refined sugars and grains
• Processed meat and red meat
• Alcohol and soda
• Packaged foods
• Margarine, shortening, lard

Anti-Inflammatory

• Green, leafy vegetables
• Wild-caught salmon
• Bone broth
• Healthy fats like organic, unrefined coconut oil
• Probiotic foods (yogurt)
• Fermented foods

2. Epsom Salt Soaks

Epsom salt is an old classic for good reason! Taking a nice relaxing bath may offer a lot of relief by itself, but adding Epsom salt can help lower inflammation, reduce muscle spasms and relax tense, sore muscles. It’s high in magnesium and sulfates and easily absorbed into the skin! Add two cups of salt to your warm bath (not hot!), and soak for at least twenty minutes. If you’d like, you can also turn it into a warm compress—just dilute your salt in some warm water, soak a towel in it to absorb the liquid and apply directly to the skin.

3. Ice Therapy

For inflammation and joint discomfort or pain, ice therapy is a great form of pain relief! Cold restricts blood flow and reduces inflammation and swelling. Whenever there’s bleeding in underlying tissue—think sprains, strains or bruising—ice may help! But keep in mind, too much cold can hurt you. Don’t put bags of ice or packs directly on the skin, because that could risk skin, tissue or nerve damage. Instead, wrap it in a soft towel and set it on the area in question. And remember—no longer than 20 minutes a session! Note that if you have bad circulation, then cold therapy probably isn’t for you. People with cardiovascular disease should always consult with their doctor before using cold therapy.

4. Essential Oils

Many people find success using essential oils topically when they’ve got sore or achy joints. Depending on what kind of pain it is, there are a variety of options to choose from. Here are only a few!

• Peppermint Oil: Cooling and anti-inflammatory
• Lavender Oil: Relief from pain and swelling
• Sandalwood: Tension relief

But wait! Here’s a little bit of essential oil best practice. Most oils must be diluted with a carrier oil, like coconut or almond. There are some oils you can apply “neat” (directly on the skin), however, do your research first and test a small part of your skin to ensure you don’t have a reaction. Also, the essential oil industry is incredibly unregulated; be sure to purchase from a well-known brand that sells certified therapeutic grade oils.

5. Collagen

Isn’t that a skincare thing? It’s so much more! Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and works to connect tissue. It’s found predominantly in our bones, muscles, skin and tendons. Increased levels of collagen have been shown to help those with rheumatoid arthritis, reducing joint pain and degeneration.
There are numerous ways to get the collagen your body needs, but the best way is by incorporating it back into your diet. Here are some all-natural foods that either contain collagen or boost its production:

• Bone Broth: A huge source of natural collagen—mainlines into the cells.
• Leafy Greens: Protect against free radicals that break down collagen.
• Red Veggies: Boost collagen levels and protects against sun damage.
• Fish: Helps protect the fatty membrane around skin cells.
• Citrus Fruits: Aid production of collagen.
• Beans: Help retain collagen by boosting the body’s ability to produce hyaluronic acid.
• Garlic: Rebuilds collagen fibers that have been damaged.

Fixing the Root Problem

It's important to note that everything listed here can and should help reduce the severity and frequency of your joint and arthritis pain BUT it won't fix the root cause of the problem. To truly get to the cause, we have to look a little deeper—the spine.
They key to reducing joint pain long term is to adjust the spine where vertebrae may be out of alignment, thus causing the nerves to be pinched. A chiropractor utilizes the chiropractic adjustment to manipulate the spine back into optimal alignment—taking pressure off the nerves and allowing the body to function at its best.

Offers Ultrasound Therapy

Many of us have heard about how Ultrasound is used as a diagnostic test to explore disease process and injury in the human body. Diagnostic ultrasound, for example, can be used to look at joints, nerve roots, tendons, ligaments and muscles and pinpoint signs of inflammation and scar tissue. In some cases, ultrasound helps the chiropractor identify the proper course of treatment.

But ultrasound has another exciting application in the form of deep heat therapy. Therapeutic ultrasound uses heated sound waves and applies the energy to soft tissues and joints. The fast-moving waves essentially massage soft tissues effortlessly, and in most cases, painlessly.

Therapeutic ultrasound:

• Alleviates muscle spasms
• Reduces inflammation and swelling
• Improves range of motion
• Helps increase blood flow
• Lowers pain and stiffness

Therapeutic ultrasound is typically applied using a small, hand-held wand. Therapeutic ultrasound is often used as one method to treat Lower Back Pain. It is not used to treat acute inflammatory conditions or in patients who have had a laminectomy.

Offers Massage Therapy

Therapeutic Massage involves manipulating the soft tissues of the body to prevent and alleviate pain, discomfort, muscle spasm, and stress.

As in many kinds of therapy, therapeutic massage is one part of your overall chiropractic treatment plan.

Massage therapy:

• Alleviates headache-associated pain
• Helps improve your ability to walk with a normal and balanced gait
• Helps lower your blood pressure
• Improves your breathing as a result of a more relaxed diaphragm
• Improves your range of motion, muscle tone, and flexibility
• Increases your blood flow, which aids in the healing process and allows muscles to work more efficiently;
• Reduces stiffness, pain and muscle tension

Stimulates the body to release helpful chemicals such as endorphins. Massage has been shown to be an effective treatment for a wide variety of health problems, including:

• Stress
• Sleep apnea and insomnia
• Sinusitis
• Range of motion
• Pain (chronic and temporary)
• Myofascial pain
• Jaw disorders
• Injuries such as pulled or strained muscles and ligaments
• Headache
• Digestive disorders, including spastic colon and constipation
• Circulatory problems
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Asthma and bronchitis
• Arthritis
• Allergies

In some cases, devices may be used to perform massage. Traction massage entails lying on your back on a special table with a pillow under your knees. The table has small rollers that glide up and down your spine. Traction massage helps stretch and massage the muscles in your back, and is not a form of spinal adjustment. In fact, traction massage may sometimes be used to make an adjustment go more smoothly.

Offers Lumbar Stabilization

When the muscles supporting the lower spine need to be strengthened, lumbar stabilization may be used in your chiropractic treatment as a form of Physical Therapy. Lumbar stabilization helps you develop strength, flexibility, and endurance and also has been shown effective in alleviating Lower Back Pain.

The key to lumbar stabilization is achieving a "neutral spine" position. The neutral spine position is that which is the least painful but most sound posture for your lower back.

When your spine is in a neutral position:

• The discs and vertebrae are able to absorb shocks and other forces acting on the spine in an optimal way.
• There is less tension on the ligaments and joints of your spine.
• Your posture is centered.

Once your learn how to go to your neutral spine position, lumbar stabilization teaches you how to maintain that position through a technique called "proprioception." Proprioception teaches you how to know where your joints are at any given time.

Lumbar stabilization helps you:

• Better control the movements affecting your spine
• Heal muscle strains, sprains, and damaged ligaments
• Know how to avoid future injuries
• Reduce pain in your lower back

Ice Therapy

Ice massage, or Cryotherapy, is effectively used to treat many kinds of injuries, including those associated with back or Neck Pain.

Ice causes the veins in the affected tissue area to constrict. This reduces the flow of blood while acting as kind of anesthetic to numb the pain. But when the ice is removed (and this is key), the veins compensate by opening large, allowing a greater volume of blood to rush to the affected area. The blood brings with it important chemicals that aid in the healing process.

Back and neck injuries frequently involve muscle sprains and strained ligaments, which can spasm and become inflamed.

Ice massage can provide a number of benefits, including:

• Assisting the body in minimizing tissue damage
• Mitigating muscle spasms
• Reducing or eliminating pain by numbing sore soft tissues
• Slowing and reducing inflammation and swelling

 

Ice Therapy is not recommended as a form of treatment for any kinds of rheumatoid arthritis, Raynaud's Syndrome (a circulatory disorder of blood vessels of the extremities), colds or allergic conditions, paralysis, or areas of impaired sensation.