The Importance of Sleep
Markian Babij, ND, FABNO
Many chronically ill patients have insomnia, or lack of quality sleep. Insomnia has been associate with many chronic health conditions. According to the National Sleep Foundation, seven out of 10 Americans report frequent sleep problems, however most are not diagnosed. So why is there so much insomnia? There are many reasons; however, insomnia can be addressed naturally with appropriate sleep hygiene and relaxation. If sleep problems persist, you need to be further evaluate by a physician to rule out other underlying causes.
Sleep: Behind the Scenes
While you sleep, your body and mind participate in many healing and restorative processes. Cytokines, messengers of our immune system, are busy while we sleep. Lack of sleep has been shown to decrease important immune cells and make people susceptible to illness. Growth hormone is responsible for for physical restoration and maintenance in people of all ages. Our bodies produce the greatest amount of growth hormone while we sleep. Melatonin is produced and secreted by the pineal gland as it becomes dark. This hormone is largely involved with inducing our sleep cycle and coordinating various immune functions that occur while we sleep. Reduced melatonin has been linked to increased rates of cancer. Cortisol is a hormone we produce at peak levels when we are waking up and when we feel stress. Chronically high levels of cortisol and associated stress impair sleep, and are not uncommon in chronic illness.
How will your immune System benefit from sleep?
Insomnia allows for a gap in restorative immune processes, resulting in less efficient immune functioning while we are awake. The immune system protects us from foreign invaders that cause disease. As we sleep, many repair processes increase our total available energy to maintain a healthy immune system.
How to Improve Your Sleep and Immunity-
Daily exercise and setting a night routine are great ways to start, however simple details such as soft night lights in the bathroom, "white noise," and creating the right sleeping environment are important. If you have been lying in bed for 20 minutes, get out of bed and try to do something relaxing other than watching TV.
There is a solution to most sleep issues, and the immune system will work more effectively if sleep is restored. Natural agents can solve insomnia; however, using a specific agent that fits your particular set of issues is optimal. Many "health tools" can build the immune system, and sleep is one of them. An uncomplicated naturopathic plan can effectively improve immune functioning when health is compromised. First, remember what we all inherently know is good for us- plenty of clean water, oxygen, whole foods, exercise, and restful sleep habits.
Article found from the Avante Times. Avante is a ND Clinic in Anchorage, AK.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Former NLF Wide Receiver Jerry Rice Reveals Secrets to Long, Healthy Career
Legendary NFL wide-receiver and three-time Super Bowl champ Jerry Rice scored a touchdown among attendees at Parker Seminars Las Vegas — the world’s largest chiropractic seminar — by sharing all the ways he is being a champion for chiropractic. He was joined onstage by fellow chiropractic supporter Linda Cohn, veteran sportscaster and one of the first women to report for ESPN. Both Rice and Cohn are spokespeople for the Foundation for Chiropractic, an organization dedicated to generating positive press for the chiropractic profession, and traveled to Parker Seminars to encourage chiropractors and their assistants to continue delivering natural, quality health care to patients around the globe.
Thinking back to his football career, Rice credits his success on the field largely in part to chiropractic care. "If I had everything in alignment, I knew I could play my best football," said Rice. His training routine included twice-weekly chiropractic adjustments which helped his body recover from all the hard hits and countless tackles. Because Rice firmly believed in the benefits of chiropractic, his teammates began to favor this natural care over the medications that trainers traditionally give. "I wanted to set the standard within football," said Rice. "I knew if chiropractic helped me put up outstanding numbers, it could help my teammates do the same."
And Rice’s accomplishments are indeed a testament to chiropractic: he was twice named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year, won three Super Bowls, and still holds nearly every record as a receiver. He retired as the league’s career receiving leader. Rice was recently announced as a 2010 NFL Hall of Fame candidate.
The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (FCP) made its own version of a "Hall of Fame" induction by presenting Rice with a medal for his commitment to chiropractic. "The Foundation for Chiropractic is getting the word out there, and [being a spokesperson] is a way for me to give back," said Rice. "Chiropractic made football great for me. I was at my best and was always at 100 percent."
- - - - -
Thinking back to his football career, Rice credits his success on the field largely in part to chiropractic care. "If I had everything in alignment, I knew I could play my best football," said Rice. His training routine included twice-weekly chiropractic adjustments which helped his body recover from all the hard hits and countless tackles. Because Rice firmly believed in the benefits of chiropractic, his teammates began to favor this natural care over the medications that trainers traditionally give. "I wanted to set the standard within football," said Rice. "I knew if chiropractic helped me put up outstanding numbers, it could help my teammates do the same."
And Rice’s accomplishments are indeed a testament to chiropractic: he was twice named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year, won three Super Bowls, and still holds nearly every record as a receiver. He retired as the league’s career receiving leader. Rice was recently announced as a 2010 NFL Hall of Fame candidate.
The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (FCP) made its own version of a "Hall of Fame" induction by presenting Rice with a medal for his commitment to chiropractic. "The Foundation for Chiropractic is getting the word out there, and [being a spokesperson] is a way for me to give back," said Rice. "Chiropractic made football great for me. I was at my best and was always at 100 percent."
- - - - -
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Seperating the Facts from the Fiction
The following is an article from the Chiropractic Wellness Magazine. Written by their fitness editor: Doug Caporrino.
Chiropractic is only for back and neck pain.
FICTION.....
Chiropractic is for overall health and well being. Anyone that is interested in having an active healthy and thriving life should make chiropractic part of their regime.
Like every other system in our body that requires regular maintenance, your nervous system is no exception. It is the "Center of Your Universe" as I like to refer to it. Your nervous system is involved in every single movement, thought, feeling and action that goes on in your body and mind. When there is even the slightest disturbance (subluxation), all other systems can be thrown off. Our bodies were meant to be in balance not out of it. With the countless amounts of toxins and stressors that we are exposed to daily, your body becomes overloaded. Chiropractic, nutrition, supplementation, and exercise all play a roll in bringing the body back into balance.
Think of your spine as the circuit breaker panel in your home. If one of those circuit breakers is switched off, then you have no power going to that area of your house. Your spine is your circuit panel, and your body is your house. When there is a subluxation, your body is not getting power to one area of it. This may effect digestion, hormone balance, muscle response, memory, eye sight, liver function, and the list goes on and on.
So the next time someone tells you that Chiropractic is just for the back and neck pain, educate them on what it really does.
If you eat a well balanced diet, you do not need supplements.
FICTION.....
If we lived in a world where we hunted and gathered our own food, and were not exposed to a countless amount of toxins on a daily basis and didn't eat fruits and vegetables that were covered with herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides, then I may agree. Oh, and did I forget to mention food that has been grown and picked, travels across thousands of miles, and stored for weeks on end before it reached your table. One more thing to take into consideration is our nutrient depleted soils that are not being replenished with organic materials. So the spinach that you thought was packed with nutrients may only be packed with half those same nutrients of 50 years ago.
Ninety-five percent of the population is likely deficient in one form of vitamin or mineral. Even at the levels that the FDA recommends, which are levels that only prevent disease, not promote health, you don't stand a chance of getting what you need on a daily basis. Yes, I am sorry to say that the cards are stacked against you. The good news is that after reading this article, you may do something about it. And I don't mean going to the store and buying of an off-the-shelf multivitamin, many of which are not formulated for proper nutrition. You should go to your local health professional and get a recommendation first. Chiropractor's Blend is an excellent place to start.
Linus Pauling, a two-time Nobel Prize winner, said that "ever illness and disease can be traced back to a vitamin deficiency in the body." Now when a medical doctor tells you that supplements just create expensive urine, maybe you can explain to him or her that the body will use what it needs and then excrete the rest. Also keep in mind that the average MD receives little to no education on vitamins or supplements. I don't believe they have ill intent, just not enough information.
The key to living healthy is addressing the cause not the symptoms. The average senior citizen in this country sees an average of 5 doctors, all of who prescribe a medication without consulting the other. Also, no one is required to do the studies on what effects medication A has on medication B that may have an effect on medication C. Pretty scary.
Yes, we are an over-medicated and over-consumptive society and most likely malnourished. We certainly were not born to thrive on cheese puffs, purple drinks and cheeseburgers.
I get all the hydration I need from coffee, soda and juice that I drink daily.
FICTION.....
With the vast amount of caffeine, which not only dehydrates you but also leaches the bones of minerals, high fructose corn syrup, which we now know contains high amounts of mercury, and sugar infused juices, which causes insulin resistance and obesity, your body is THIRSTY!!! For water.
Most of us take it for granted. But have you ever taken a moment to stop and think just how important water is to you? For the human body, water is truly a vital resource. You can go weeks without food but only 5-7 days without water. When the water in your body is reduced by just 1 percent, you become thirsty. At 5 percent, muscle strength and endurance declines significantly, and you become hot and tired. When the loss reaches 10 percent, delirium and blurred vision occur. A 20 percent reduction results in death.
There is no more important nutrients for our bodies that water. No other substance is as widely involved in the processes and makeup of the body. A man's body is about 60 percent water, and a woman's is approximately 50 percent. Did you know that the human brain is about 75 percent water?
Every day, we lose 2-3 quarts of water through urination, sweating, and breathing. Since many of the processes within the body rely greatly on water, it is important we replace our fluids regularly to compensate for this loss.
Water is needed for protection as well. It keeps your mouth moist and washes away dirt and grime on your eyes. Water even lubricates our joints, keeping them from getting stiff and making sure motion is smooth. We use to digest food in the gastrointestinal tract, to access stored energy for muscles and organs, and for countless reactions. When we exercise, water loss through sweat can reach 1-2L per hour! If you are exercising in warm weather, water should be replenished every 15 minutes in order to keep muscles strong and body temperature down. This is especially crucial for long endurance events, which is why cyclists (who strip away every unnecessary ounce of equipment) still carry water with them.
So cheers and drink up. Water can be your best friend when it comes to your health.
I can feel a cold coming on.
FICTION.....
Your body talks to you on a daily basis. The question I have for you is "are you listening?" There are people that know when their body is going into a dis-ease state. Paying attention to the signs is what makes all the difference in the world. Are you tired, thirsty, achy, and/or unable to focus or concentrate? These are all signs that something is out of balance with your body. Correcting it as quickly as possible with menu, supplements, chiropractic, acupuncture, or even just rest will make the difference between a speedy recovery and a lengthy one.
So the next time you feel something coming on, listen to that little voice in your head, it's telling the truth.
Chiropractic is only for back and neck pain.
FICTION.....
Chiropractic is for overall health and well being. Anyone that is interested in having an active healthy and thriving life should make chiropractic part of their regime.
Like every other system in our body that requires regular maintenance, your nervous system is no exception. It is the "Center of Your Universe" as I like to refer to it. Your nervous system is involved in every single movement, thought, feeling and action that goes on in your body and mind. When there is even the slightest disturbance (subluxation), all other systems can be thrown off. Our bodies were meant to be in balance not out of it. With the countless amounts of toxins and stressors that we are exposed to daily, your body becomes overloaded. Chiropractic, nutrition, supplementation, and exercise all play a roll in bringing the body back into balance.
Think of your spine as the circuit breaker panel in your home. If one of those circuit breakers is switched off, then you have no power going to that area of your house. Your spine is your circuit panel, and your body is your house. When there is a subluxation, your body is not getting power to one area of it. This may effect digestion, hormone balance, muscle response, memory, eye sight, liver function, and the list goes on and on.
So the next time someone tells you that Chiropractic is just for the back and neck pain, educate them on what it really does.
If you eat a well balanced diet, you do not need supplements.
FICTION.....
If we lived in a world where we hunted and gathered our own food, and were not exposed to a countless amount of toxins on a daily basis and didn't eat fruits and vegetables that were covered with herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides, then I may agree. Oh, and did I forget to mention food that has been grown and picked, travels across thousands of miles, and stored for weeks on end before it reached your table. One more thing to take into consideration is our nutrient depleted soils that are not being replenished with organic materials. So the spinach that you thought was packed with nutrients may only be packed with half those same nutrients of 50 years ago.
Ninety-five percent of the population is likely deficient in one form of vitamin or mineral. Even at the levels that the FDA recommends, which are levels that only prevent disease, not promote health, you don't stand a chance of getting what you need on a daily basis. Yes, I am sorry to say that the cards are stacked against you. The good news is that after reading this article, you may do something about it. And I don't mean going to the store and buying of an off-the-shelf multivitamin, many of which are not formulated for proper nutrition. You should go to your local health professional and get a recommendation first. Chiropractor's Blend is an excellent place to start.
Linus Pauling, a two-time Nobel Prize winner, said that "ever illness and disease can be traced back to a vitamin deficiency in the body." Now when a medical doctor tells you that supplements just create expensive urine, maybe you can explain to him or her that the body will use what it needs and then excrete the rest. Also keep in mind that the average MD receives little to no education on vitamins or supplements. I don't believe they have ill intent, just not enough information.
The key to living healthy is addressing the cause not the symptoms. The average senior citizen in this country sees an average of 5 doctors, all of who prescribe a medication without consulting the other. Also, no one is required to do the studies on what effects medication A has on medication B that may have an effect on medication C. Pretty scary.
Yes, we are an over-medicated and over-consumptive society and most likely malnourished. We certainly were not born to thrive on cheese puffs, purple drinks and cheeseburgers.
I get all the hydration I need from coffee, soda and juice that I drink daily.
FICTION.....
With the vast amount of caffeine, which not only dehydrates you but also leaches the bones of minerals, high fructose corn syrup, which we now know contains high amounts of mercury, and sugar infused juices, which causes insulin resistance and obesity, your body is THIRSTY!!! For water.
Most of us take it for granted. But have you ever taken a moment to stop and think just how important water is to you? For the human body, water is truly a vital resource. You can go weeks without food but only 5-7 days without water. When the water in your body is reduced by just 1 percent, you become thirsty. At 5 percent, muscle strength and endurance declines significantly, and you become hot and tired. When the loss reaches 10 percent, delirium and blurred vision occur. A 20 percent reduction results in death.
There is no more important nutrients for our bodies that water. No other substance is as widely involved in the processes and makeup of the body. A man's body is about 60 percent water, and a woman's is approximately 50 percent. Did you know that the human brain is about 75 percent water?
Every day, we lose 2-3 quarts of water through urination, sweating, and breathing. Since many of the processes within the body rely greatly on water, it is important we replace our fluids regularly to compensate for this loss.
Water is needed for protection as well. It keeps your mouth moist and washes away dirt and grime on your eyes. Water even lubricates our joints, keeping them from getting stiff and making sure motion is smooth. We use to digest food in the gastrointestinal tract, to access stored energy for muscles and organs, and for countless reactions. When we exercise, water loss through sweat can reach 1-2L per hour! If you are exercising in warm weather, water should be replenished every 15 minutes in order to keep muscles strong and body temperature down. This is especially crucial for long endurance events, which is why cyclists (who strip away every unnecessary ounce of equipment) still carry water with them.
So cheers and drink up. Water can be your best friend when it comes to your health.
I can feel a cold coming on.
FICTION.....
Your body talks to you on a daily basis. The question I have for you is "are you listening?" There are people that know when their body is going into a dis-ease state. Paying attention to the signs is what makes all the difference in the world. Are you tired, thirsty, achy, and/or unable to focus or concentrate? These are all signs that something is out of balance with your body. Correcting it as quickly as possible with menu, supplements, chiropractic, acupuncture, or even just rest will make the difference between a speedy recovery and a lengthy one.
So the next time you feel something coming on, listen to that little voice in your head, it's telling the truth.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Facts & Figures about Chiropractic
1. Chiropractors are real doctors.
Doctors of Chiropractic (D.C.) comprise the second largest health care profession with over 50,000 practitioners in the U.S. They earn the title "doctor" along with medical doctors (M.D.), doctors of Osteopathy (D.O.),and dentists (D.D.S.).
The educational process leading to the title Doctor of Chiropractic is quite similar to that of an M.D. and D.O.. In order to earn a D.C. degree, a student must complete several years of pre-chiropractic studies at colleges or universities, followed by 5 academic years of chiropractic education (totaling a minimum of 7 years of study). The chiropractic student's last year is spent in a clinical internship (similar to MD or DO "rotations"). During this time the chiropractic intern, under the supervision of a licensed D.C., will consult, examine and treat patients in a clinic setting. Upon graduation and earning the Doctor of Chiropractic degree, a state licensing exam must be passed in order to practice.
Chiropractic students study many of the same textbooks as medical and osteopathic students. As a matter of fact, a chiropractic student accumulates more course hours in anatomy, physiology, bio mechanics (how the body moves), neurology, and nutrition than their medical and osteopathic colleagues.
2. Chiropractic care is safe & effective.
The safety of chiropractic care has been well documented in professional journals of all kinds. Serious side-effects of chiropractic manipulative therapy occur approximately one out of every one million adjustments. Compare this to the serious side-effects of medicines and surgical errors to put safety in perspective. Research reveals that some 100,000 people die each year from the effects of prescription drugs prescribed by their doctors. This isn't meant to be "M.D. bashing", it's just the simple truth about the safety of presciption medications, as reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (April 1998). The article continues to say, "Discovering new dangers of drugs after marketing is common. Overall, 51% of approved drugs have serious adverse side effects not detected prior to approval. Merely discovering adverse effects is not by itself sufficient to protect the public. Each year prescription drugs injure 1.5 million people so severely they require hospitalization and 100,000 die, making prescription drugs the 4th leading cause of death in the United States." So the question was about the safety of chiropractic care?
3. Chiropractic is part of a wellness lifestyle!
Chiropractic care is like "orthodontics" for the spine. Clinically, repeated chiropractic adjustments "train" the vertebrae to maintain their proper alignment and movement. Like the time required for braces to achieve correction depends on an individuals teeth and mouth structure, the time required for proper positioning to occur depends on the condition of the patient's spine, their job, and other lifestyle activities.
Think of your spinal adjustments like maintaining your car. It's recommended that you change your car's oil every 3,000 or so miles. For how long you ask? For as long as you own the car! While some individuals drive 3,000 miles in a week, others do so in a month or two. The point is, however, that we change our oil on a regular basis. The same goes for caring for your spine. Whether to get adjusted weekly, monthly or quarterly depends on each patient's specific health condition. Remember, "An ounce of Prevention is worth a pound of cure!" Don't let your car's engine fall out before changing it's oil!
Doctors of Chiropractic (D.C.) comprise the second largest health care profession with over 50,000 practitioners in the U.S. They earn the title "doctor" along with medical doctors (M.D.), doctors of Osteopathy (D.O.),and dentists (D.D.S.).
The educational process leading to the title Doctor of Chiropractic is quite similar to that of an M.D. and D.O.. In order to earn a D.C. degree, a student must complete several years of pre-chiropractic studies at colleges or universities, followed by 5 academic years of chiropractic education (totaling a minimum of 7 years of study). The chiropractic student's last year is spent in a clinical internship (similar to MD or DO "rotations"). During this time the chiropractic intern, under the supervision of a licensed D.C., will consult, examine and treat patients in a clinic setting. Upon graduation and earning the Doctor of Chiropractic degree, a state licensing exam must be passed in order to practice.
Chiropractic students study many of the same textbooks as medical and osteopathic students. As a matter of fact, a chiropractic student accumulates more course hours in anatomy, physiology, bio mechanics (how the body moves), neurology, and nutrition than their medical and osteopathic colleagues.
2. Chiropractic care is safe & effective.
The safety of chiropractic care has been well documented in professional journals of all kinds. Serious side-effects of chiropractic manipulative therapy occur approximately one out of every one million adjustments. Compare this to the serious side-effects of medicines and surgical errors to put safety in perspective. Research reveals that some 100,000 people die each year from the effects of prescription drugs prescribed by their doctors. This isn't meant to be "M.D. bashing", it's just the simple truth about the safety of presciption medications, as reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (April 1998). The article continues to say, "Discovering new dangers of drugs after marketing is common. Overall, 51% of approved drugs have serious adverse side effects not detected prior to approval. Merely discovering adverse effects is not by itself sufficient to protect the public. Each year prescription drugs injure 1.5 million people so severely they require hospitalization and 100,000 die, making prescription drugs the 4th leading cause of death in the United States." So the question was about the safety of chiropractic care?
3. Chiropractic is part of a wellness lifestyle!
Chiropractic care is like "orthodontics" for the spine. Clinically, repeated chiropractic adjustments "train" the vertebrae to maintain their proper alignment and movement. Like the time required for braces to achieve correction depends on an individuals teeth and mouth structure, the time required for proper positioning to occur depends on the condition of the patient's spine, their job, and other lifestyle activities.
Think of your spinal adjustments like maintaining your car. It's recommended that you change your car's oil every 3,000 or so miles. For how long you ask? For as long as you own the car! While some individuals drive 3,000 miles in a week, others do so in a month or two. The point is, however, that we change our oil on a regular basis. The same goes for caring for your spine. Whether to get adjusted weekly, monthly or quarterly depends on each patient's specific health condition. Remember, "An ounce of Prevention is worth a pound of cure!" Don't let your car's engine fall out before changing it's oil!
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