Protect your heart! February is National Heart Month and it's important to take care of yourself, especially your heart. Exercise and a healthy balanced diet are essential, but did you know that chiropractic care can also help people take care of the heart. Regular chiropractic care helps keep the nerves in the thoracic region free from interference ensuring the heart works properly. Here are a few other heart-healthy benefits of chiropractic care.
Chest pain is a common symptom that causes people to visit a medical facility. While chest pain is concerning, a great deal of chest discomfort is musculoskeletal in nature. Rather than visiting a medical facility, chest discomfort can be cleared up with regular chiropractic adjustments. However, if you’re worried you are having a heart attack seek emergency assistance immediately or dial 911.
One way to control your heart rate is to increase the range across which it beats, this is known as heart rate variability. Heart rate variability is the difference in time between the start of one heartbeat and the start of the next. For those with severe heart problems, it can be hard to get the heart rate to an optimal level. Chiropractic adjustments can help by improving heart rate variability and strengthen your heart muscles.
One of the most important jobs of the autonomic nervous system is to control heart contractions. The autonomic nervous system is responsible for protecting your heart's nerves and stimulating your heart and other organs. To keep these nerves healthy, it is recommended that you receive regular chiropractic
adjustments. These adjustments will protect your heart as well as other organs and provide relief for many different types of pain and illness.
Inflammation throughout the heart is one of the leading causes in chronic cardiovascular issues in people. Chiropractic adjustments can help reduce that inflammation, which helps to prevent cardiovascular problems from developing.
One of the most common medical conditions that people experience is high blood pressure, or hypertension. It can take a toll on the arteries, veins, and chambers of the heart. With the help of a chiropractor, it can be reduced. When chiropractors adjust the first vertebra (called the Atlas) on your spine, stress on your arteries and veins is relieved — and it's a great way to help you control your blood pressure.
A heart is a muscle. It needs oxygen. The lungs provide oxygen to the heart. If your lungs are not functioning properly, then you will have a hard time getting the right amount of oxygen into your heart. This is important for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who are at risk of heart failure. Chiropractic adjustments can help these patients to protect their lung function, which keeps their heart healthy.
Heart disease can cause a lot of anxiety, but that's why we're here - to help you live a healthy lifestyle and protect your heart. Regular chiropractic care is not just for back pain, it can also help with the health of your heart. During National Heart Month, visit FLEXX and we'll find out together if it's the right path for you. This year, take care of your heart. Give us a call today!
As we age, concerns surrounding our health often intensifies. By paying close attention to the signals our body sends and incorporating some healthy habits into our daily routines, we can improve our quality of life and avoid more serious health problems down the road. Remember, you don't have to go all out to get the most of your Health and Fitness. Flexx recommends, starting with this simple step that can make a world of difference, especially if you don't yet have a set exercise regimen.
Stretch
Gone are those carefree childhood days free from stiff muscles and uncooperative joints. As we get older, it seems to be faster and easier for our muscles to shorten and tighten. Flexibility, dexterity, and balance feel like relics from the past. Then, a slight wrong movement can cause a cramp or pain.
Stretching keeps the muscles lean and extendable so that exertion is less likely to cause pain and damage. Adopting a regular (ideally daily) stretching routine provides so many benefits:
Reduction of risk of injury to muscles and joints
Lower likelihood of accidental falls
Improved range of motion
Optimal muscle strength
Ability to maintain good posture and balance
Decrease in chronic pain
Ultimately, these benefits lead to:
Better performance in fitness and everyday actions/movement
A healthier, more youthful appearance
More independence during your later years
How Much Do I Have to Stretch?
Our body is full of muscles, so trying to work all of them may feel overwhelming. The good news is that you don't have to stretch every single muscle, although working your way up to a routine that encompasses stretching for your entire body would definitely bring positive effects. The most critical areas in terms of mobility are part of your lower extremities:
Hamstrings
Calves
Hip flexors/pelvis
Quadriceps
Start with those, as well as your neck, shoulders, and lower back. You should complete your stretch routine at least two to three times a week minimum. Doing it daily would be even more beneficial.
Some Simple Stretches
Here are a few stretches you can do for the parts we have listed above.
Hamstrings— Sit on the floor, legs in front of you. Slide your hands down the front of your legs until you feel "burning." Hold this position for 30 seconds. Return to your sitting position, but do it slowly.
Calves— Stand, placing your hands against the wall or the back of a chair. Move one foot in front of the other while keeping your back leg straight. Your front knee should be slightly bent, and both feet should be flat on the ground. Bend your front knee towards the wall or chair until you feel the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
Pelvis/hips— Lie on your back and bring one knee to the side. Rest the foot against the opposite leg. Gently push on your bent knee until you feel the resistance. Hold 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.\
Quadriceps— Stand or lie on the floor, on your side. Bend your knee so that your foot goes behind you. Take your foot in your hand (or use a towel or belt if you are unable to reach your foot) and pull it towards your body until you feel the stretch. Hold this position for 30 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.
Neck— Slowly bring your chin down to your chest. Hold 15 seconds. Turn your head to one side slowly. Hold that position for 15 seconds. Turn your head to the other side, slowly. Hold for 15 seconds.
Shoulders— Hold a towel with one hand and bring it over your head and back so that it drapes down behind the head and back. Grab the other end of the towel with the other hand, gently tugging down until you feel the resistance.
Lower back— Lay down on your back with your knees together and bent, your feet together and flat on the ground. Twist your torso, lowering your legs to one side until you feel the resistance. Make sure your knees and feet stay together throughout. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Don't Push Too Hard
It's not a contest. If you are not used to stretching or exercising, start small. Never push yourself to the point that you feel pain. It should only be a mild "burning" or stretching feeling. Start with repetitions of three to five, and work yourself up to 10 or more. If you feel any pain or have any questions, contact us — we are here to take care of it.
You are probably sitting somewhere right now as you read this article. Hopefully, you are sitting up straight with your shoulders back—although if you're not, that's okay too. Now, look down and observe the state of your neck. Is it flexing?
Most people don’t regularly think about the importance of neck health. Neck pain is one of the major musculoskeletal disorders that affects adults. Over thirty million Americans suffer from neck pain each year. The average lifestyle—especially at work—encourages people to stay in the same position for long periods of time, and this can cause our necks to ache from poor posture, slouching, and holding our necks in unnatural positions. The bones, vertebrae, ligaments, and muscles in your neck support your head and allow for movement. Any abnormalities, inflammation, or injury can cause neck pain or
stiffness.
Take a look at the 5 commonly reported symptoms of neck pain:
While most people suffer through their neck pain using over the counter medication for relief, it’s extremely important to seek effective treatment. Fortunately, chiropractic care can effectively reduce, or even eliminate, your neck pain. The practitioners at Flexx are very knowledgeable about the anatomy of the neck, spine and nervous system. They specialize in treating the root cause of your pain and not just the symptoms – to properly realign your spine and strengthen your neck.
Neck pain can range from mild to severe. Acute neck pain lasts for only a couple of days or weeks, while chronic neck pain may last for years. Moderate neck pain may not interfere much with your activities or daily living, but severe pain may lead to disability.
FIND RELIEF WITH A NATURAL, NON-INVASIVE APPROACH TO NECK PAIN
Although you may have been suffering with neck pain and dealing with this unpleasant annoyance, know that chiropractic treatment can help reduce its occurrence and severity. It is a gentle, non-invasive approach that can deliver life altering results. Flexx Chiropractic uses healthy, evidence-based treatment and techniques for reducing neck pain. The treatment of your neck pain includes an in-depth analysis of your spine and neck area looking for misalignment's and/or stiff joints. A series of targeted adjustments, spinal manipulations, massage therapy and daily exercise recommendations from the doctors at Flexx help realign you and get you back to feeling like a better you. Chiropractic treatment is not just limited to pain. In order for your body to function at its fullest potential, a healthy spine is key. There are many benefits associated with a regular chiropractic care plan, including an improved range of motion, less nagging pain, and a greater ease of function. When you feel better on the inside, you’ll feel better on the outside! Give your body what it needs to be free from pain by scheduling an appointment today.
Maxwell Maltz, a plastic surgeon in the 1950s, noticed a weird pattern among his patients, one that he found in himself. Whenever he would make a change to someone’s face or arm, he noticed it would take about 21 days for the person to adjust. Similarly, after a person had a limb amputated, they would sense a phantom limb for about 21 days before adapting. These experiences prompted Maltz to think about his own adjustment period to changes and new behaviors.
In 1960, Maltz published his thoughts on behavior change in a book called Psycho-Cybernetics. The quote that prompted the book stated, “These, and many other commonly observed phenomena tend to show that it requires a minimum of about 21 days for an old mental image to dissolve and a new one to jell.” The book went on to become a blockbuster hit, selling more than 30 million copies. In the decades that followed, Maltz's work influenced nearly every major "self-help" professional from Zig Ziglar to Brian Tracy to Tony Robbins. And as more people recited Maltz's story — like a very long game of “Telephone” — people began to forget about his original quote, which was "a minimum of about 21 days." Soon enough, people changed the quote to "It takes 21 days to form a new habit.
The 21 Day Myth is easy to understand, seems believable - and who doesn't want to change their life in just three weeks? But the problem is that Dr. Maxwell Maltz was simply observing what was going on around him, not making a statement of fact. Furthermore, he made sure to say that this was the minimum amount of time needed to adapt to a new change.
So what's the answer? How long does it take to form a habit? How long does it take to break a bad habit? Does science have an answer? What does this mean for you and me?
According to Phillippa Lilly, a health psychology researcher at the University College London, you can’t develop good habits in just three weeks. It takes you at least triple that time. Her research team conducted a 12-week experiment in which 96 people tried to form new habits. The participants reported each day whether or not they followed through with the behavior and how automatic the behavior felt.
This experiment showed that the average person needs 66 days, or about 2 months, to make a new behavior automatic. But how long it takes to form a habit can depend on many things, like the behavior and the person's circumstances. One of the most interesting findings from Lally's study is that "missing an
opportunity to engage in a behavior does not affect the habit formation process." In other words, it is okay to make mistakes! As long as you keep at it, you'll be able to build up better habits in no time. Simply put, if you wish to establish your assumptions properly, the reality is that it will most likely take you anywhere from 2 months to 8 months to develop brand-new habits into your life — not 21 days. Constructing much far better practices is not an all-or-nothing procedure.
Discovering Motivation for the Journey
At the start, one should keep in mind that forming a habit can be a journey. You should not have any reason to get down on yourself if you attempt something for a couple of weeks and it does not ended up being a practice. It is expected to take much longer than that! Welcome the lengthy, leisurely stroll to
achievement. Lastly, accepting much longer timelines can help us recognize that routines are a procedure and not an occasion. All the "21 Days" buzz can make it simple to believe, "Oh, I'll simply do this and it'll be done." However routines never ever work this way. You need to accept the procedure. You need to dedicate yourself to the system. Comprehending this from the start makes it simpler to handle your assumptions and dedicate yourself to taking little, step-by-step enhancements — instead of pressuring yourself into believing that you need to do it at one time.
For many of us, going barefoot is something that only happens at home. Increasingly though, people are turning to walking and exercising shoeless on natural surfaces such as soil, grass, and sand. The reason? Better health.
Walking barefoot, along with other “earthing” or “grounding” practices, offers remarkable health benefits, studies have shown. This is because skin contact with the Earth's natural electrical charges has positive effects on the body.
Here’s a look at a few of the incredible benefits of going barefoot.
Earthing Therapy
As shown above, earthing offers valuable health benefits, especially to adults. It’s an effective therapeutic lifestyle strategy for preventing and managing disease and discomfort. Looking to improve your health? Going barefoot is an easy, no-cost way to do it. 30 to 40 minutes a day of shoeless walking is enough to promote healing and protection. Professional grounding methods work really well, too. Contact us to learn more about earthing benefits and discover the grounding services our chiropractic practice provides.
Studies have shown that for millions of people who suffer from back pain, traveling to and from destinations can be painful and cause some challenges. Your overall health and well-being are dependent on the musculoskeletal system. So, if you are experiencing pain or discomfort due to driving, visiting a chiropractor can be an excellent addition to your regular wellness routine. Regular chiropractic care is a natural and effective way to keep your spine in good health and prevent issues from developing. When your spine is in proper alignment, you will feel much better and will not experience the same discomforts. Schedule an appointment today with Flexx, and we’ll put together a comprehensive and individualized plan to improve driving discomfort based on your unique needs.
2. Proper Seat Adjustment
Are you sitting comfortably while driving? You may not be, and you may not even realize it. The position of your seat can have a big impact on your posture and comfort levels while driving. If your seat is too close or too far from the steering wheel, or if it's too high or low, it can cause pain and discomfort. Making just a few simple adjustments to your seat can make a big difference in your level of comfort. To have the best posture while driving, ensure your wheel is within easy reach and your headrest is at a comfortable angle. Your knees should be level with your hips, and the back of your seat should be at a 100-110 degree angle for proper support. Get comfortable before you pull off!
As the temperatures start to rise and the days get longer, we can all start to feel the excitement of summer vacation coming our way. For most, this means hitting the road for vacations, relaxing adventures of following the road wherever it leads, and of course a routine drive for work. Whatever the meaning is for you, for those that suffer from back pain; it may mean a difficult and uncomfortable ride.
Let’s face it, most of us get in the car and off we go. Many don’t take the time to position themselves correctly in the seat causing an increased strain on the back, neck and arms. Did you know that most discomfort that some feel while driving comes from improper seat placement and positioning? If you
find yourself experiencing back pain after short or long periods of time spent behind the wheel, know that you are not alone. This is a fairly common complaint, regardless of whether you
regularly suffer from back pain or not.
Luckily, there are some steps you can take that will minimize or prevent back pain discomforts while driving. If you like me, are ready to hit the beach this summer, keep reading to find out
how to comfortably get to your destination!
3. Empty Your Pockets
Whether you are hitting the road for vacation or driving a short distance to work, make sure to empty your back pocket first. Otherwise, you risk misaligning your back and putting unnecessary strain on your spine. Sitting on a thick wallet or other bulky items is one of the worst things you can do for your back health. Make sure you refrain from sitting on something that raises one side of your hip to 1⁄4 to 2 inches. Over time, this offset can pinch the sciatic nerve and lead to pain, slipped discs, and other issues. NEWS FLASH! Placing your items in your front pocket is not the solution either since this can actually cause a pinch between your thigh and torso. Instead, take all items out of your pocket when you sit, especially before you drive.
4. Lumbar Support
Lumbar support is vital for people who spend a lot of time driving. It helps to keep the spine in alignment and prevents pain in the lower back. If your car does not have a lumbar support feature, you can try to mimic it by rolling a cloth towel into a tube or using a cushion specifically designed for support. Just be sure to place it properly at the small of the back, at about belt level. It may take some effort as well as trial and error on your part to find what works best for you, but your back will thank you.
5. Get Your Ice Packs
If you suffer from back pain while driving, there are some simple things you can do to ease the discomfort. Prior to getting on the road, pack a couple ice packs in the cooler for use during the trip.
Every couple of hours, stop for a stretch and then apply an ice pack to your back while sitting. Ice reduces blood flow by constricting blood vessels helps relieve back pain by numbing the area and reducing inflammation. Take this simple step to ensure your discomfort levels are at a minimum.
Whether you're looking forward to a break from school or work, or just some time to relax and enjoy the warm weather, keep these tips in mind while behind the wheel this summer. Remember, the best way to ensure a successful and enjoyable road trip is to plan ahead. By addressing any underlying issues that could be aggravated by travel, you can avoid potential pain and suffering. Our team of experts are just a phone call away and ready to help you get the most out of your well-deserved summer road trip!
Don't suffer from back pain any longer than necessary. – Make an appointment with Flexx today!