Valentine’s Day …. or Vitamin’s Day?

By | athletes, Benefits of Chiropractic, Ear Infections, emotions, energy, fibromyalgia | No Comments

Valentine’s Day….or Vitamin’s Day?

In the present day many of us spend majority of our time indoors whether that is working, being on screens or hiding from the frigid weather. For many people, especially in Montana with long winters, we tend to forget about an important aspect of health, vitamin D intake.

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the body maintaining strong bones and overall health. It’s known for its role in absorbing calcium, maintaining bone density and supporting the immune system. Additionally, vitamin D affects mood regulation, muscular functions and can even reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as osteoporosis or autoimmune diseases. Something unique about our body is that we can produce it naturally when exposed to sunlight because UV rays trigger production of vitamin D in our skin. The good news is that most people are not deficient in Vitamin D, instead, they are deprived of it for various reasons such as low light environments, long workdays inside.

Although chiropractic care does not directly impact vitamin D in our bodies, it supports overall health and wellness as you manage your vitamin D intake. In people who suffer from Vitamin D deficiency they may become more susceptible to pain and fractures, chiropractic care can improve the function and mobility of the spine and joints, which can reduce musculoskeletal discomfort.

Your body’s immune system relies on adequate Vitamin D levels, and low levels can leave you more susceptible to sickness and infections. Chiropractic care helps to optimize the function of the nervous system which is responsible for coordinating your body’s immune response. By adjusting the spine, and relieving nervous system interference, we improve the body’s ability to strengthen our immune system.

One of the many forms of love is SELF LOVE. Treat your body right by investing in all aspects of health, like taking your vitamins and getting spinal check ups!

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) (2022). “Vitamin D Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.”

Haas, M., & Nugent, F. (2010). “The chiropractic profession’s approach to pain and dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 33(1), 31-45.

Holick, M. F. (2007). “Vitamin D deficiency.” The New England Journal of Medicine, 357(3), 266-281.

Mior, S., & Lee, J. (2015). “Chiropractic care for musculoskeletal conditions.” The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 45(4), 254-264.

Weaver, C. M., & Heaney, R. P. (2006). “Calcium and vitamin D in bone health.” The Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 25(2), 110-121.

It’s Cold and I Have a Cold

By | Benefits of Chiropractic | No Comments

It’s Cold and I Have a Cold

Here in Montana, we are used to different seasons. Spring, summer, fall and winter, the only season we are not used to is cold and flu season. When cold and flu season hits, many of us turn to over-the-counter remedies and stay home to rest. But did you know this is the best time to get a check-up? Chiropractic care is great when flu season arrives, those stuffy nose and clogged sinuses, let us take care of that.

Chiropractic care focuses on subluxations of the spine, particularly the relationship between the spine and the nervous system. Chiropractic treatment is effective for colds and flu because spinal misalignments, or subluxations, can interfere with nerve function, directly affecting the nervous system. By correcting these misalignments, we can help optimize the body’s ability to fight off infections.

Several studies have explored the connection between spinal adjustments and immune function. For example, a 2011 study published in Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that chiropractic adjustments led to improved immune system function by increasing the number of white blood cells, which are crucial in fighting infection. Another study indicated that spinal manipulation enhances the body’s response to viral infections, playing a role in reducing both the duration and intensity of symptoms.

Although chiropractic care may not directly cure the cold or flu, many patients report experiencing fewer symptoms or shorter illness durations after receiving adjustments. Additionally, regular chiropractic treatments help strengthen the immune system over time, reducing the frequency of infections.

Additionally, to getting checked-up, here is a recipe with immune boosting properties. Using fresh sliced ginger, we can boil it in water and honey to make a ginger and honey bomb. Ginger has some of the best anti-inflammatory and immune properties and so does honey.

“Healthy Spine, Healthy Mind”

-Dr. Tyler

https://www.clinicalkey.com/#!/browse/journal/01614754/latest

Inflammation The Body’s Silent Alarm

By | Allergies, athletes, Benefits of Chiropractic, gonstead chiropractic, gut problems, High Blood Pressure, immune system | No Comments

Inflammation The Body’s Silent Alarm

Understanding Inflammation and How Chiropractic Care Can Help

Inflammation is a natural response by your body to injury or infection: When it becomes chronic, it can lead to pain, discomfort, and other health issues. Whether it’s from an injury, repetitive stress, or even poor posture, inflammation can cause the body to react in ways that affect your overall well-being. As chiropractors, we focus on helping the body restore its natural balance, and understanding inflammation is key to that process.

Inflammation is characterized by redness, heat, swelling, pain, and sometimes loss of function. While acute inflammation is a protective mechanism, chronic inflammation, when it lasts for weeks, months, or even longer, can contribute to a variety of health conditions such as arthritis, digestive issues, cardiovascular diseases, and more.

Chronic Inflammation and Its Effects

When inflammation lingers, it can lead to long-term pain, stiffness, and dysfunction in the body. For example, if you have misaligned joints, nerves may become irritated, which can trigger inflammation and exacerbate symptoms like back pain, headaches, or sciatica. Over time, this can create a cycle, where the body is in constant stress, making it harder to heal.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help

Chiropractic care offers a natural approach to managing inflammation. Through spinal adjustments, chiropractors can help reduce nerve irritation, improve joint mobility, and promote healing. By restoring proper alignment, we can reduce the inflammation that often causes pain and discomfort. In addition, chiropractic care helps improve circulation, which supports the body’s natural ability to heal and reduce inflammation.

If you’re struggling with chronic inflammation or pain, now is the time to see a chiropractor to help address the root causes and start your journey towards a healthy body.

“Healthy spine, healthy mind”

-Dr. Tyler

Gevers-Montoro, C., Provencher, B., Descarreaux, M., Ortega de Mues, A., & Piché, M. (2021). Clinical Effectiveness and Efficacy of Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation for Spine Pain. Frontiers in pain research (Lausanne, Switzerland)2, 765921. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2021.765921

Montana Heartbeats

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, chiropractic adjustment, Chiropractic Myths, gonstead chiropractic, inflammation | No Comments

Montana Heartbeats

Have you ever wondered why we use the HRV scan and what it’s all about? What does putting fingers into a device for 3 minutes have to do with chiropractic?

Heart rate variability (HRV) is the precise measure of micro-changes in the amount of time between heartbeats, measured in fractions of a second. Different from pathologic “arrhythmias” with large differences in the rhythm, this healthy variability in the heart’s sinus (normal) rhythm is vital to our capacity to adapt to our external and internal environment. Assessing heart rate variability gives us an overall picture of the health and balance of the autonomic nervous system. (1).

The autonomic nervous system controls unconscious functions such as breathing rate, blood pressure and flow, skin temperature, digestion, stress hormones, and of course heart rate. It’s divided into two branches: sympathetic (“fight or flight”) and parasympathetic (“rest and digest”). Ideally, they work in perfect combination, like two children riding on a see-saw, enabling our bodies to quickly and quietly adapt to physical, chemical and emotional stresses in our environment. This concept of adaptation is fundamental. Biologically speaking, one of the seven characteristics true to all life is the ability to be responsive to the environment. Without adaptation, life cannot exist.

Not only does an HRV scan provide a helpful baseline of the body’s stress-response reserve, it can also show differences in adaptability over time. A highly micro-variable heart rate is evidence that our body is equipped to more effectively adapt to changes and be less stressed and feel happier. Low heart rate variability demonstrates lack of resilience and that our nervous system may struggle to respond in challenging situations.

Research shows that HRV scores can change with chiropractic care (2). High and low frequency HRV readings represent how both the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system can be influenced by chiropractic adjustments. (2) One small study found that “Patients receiving continuous chiropractic care to correct vertebral subluxation demonstrated a sustained improvement in HRV. This novel finding objectively demonstrates long-term change consistent with improved neurophysiological regulation, adaptability and resilience in patients undergoing chiropractic care, and suggests the utility of chiropractic care for outcomes greater than only musculoskeletal improvements.” (3) The benefits of chiropractic care include much more than back and neck pain!

Get checked, and keep the Montana heartbeat adapting!

References:

1) Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21773-heart-rate-variability-hrv

2) Effect of chiropractic care on heart rate variability and pain in a multisite clinical study

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16690380/

3) Sustained Improvement of Heart Rate Variability in Patients Undergoing a Program of Chiropractic Care: A Retrospective Case Series. (2017) Chiropractic Journal of Australia

www.researchgate.net/publication/323934481_Sustained_improvement_of_heart_rate_variability_in_patients_undergoing_a_program_of_chiropractic_care_A_retrospective_case_series

Tics and ChiropracTIC

By | Allergies, Asthma, athletes, Benefits of Chiropractic, depression, Ear Infections | No Comments

TICS and ChiropracTIC

“Look to the nervous system as the key to maximum health”. – Galen

When we think of motor tics, they are quite the inconvenience when trying to perform daily activities, especially in children when they have less control than adults. Motor tics stem from built-up tension and stress in the nerve system and that is displayed in the form of involuntary motor movements. There are several different varieties of motor tics, they can occur with shrugging of the shoulders, twitching of the face or mouth clenching and opening. The intensity of the tics is usually affected by external factors such as emotional stress, growth spurts, the changing of seasons, or compromised immune systems can all amplify the effects of motor tics. These motor tics often occur with anxiety, Autism, and ADHD due to the bombardment of stress and tension on the nerve system.

The central nerve system is made up of the brain and spinal cord and they are responsible for relaying messages throughout the body. When there is a misalignment of the spine (subluxation), there is a decrease in the connection between the brain and the rest of the body. For example, when a lightbulb is glitchy, it’s a connection issue. The same goes for the body, when there is a glitch in our body, it is either becoming bombarded with information or lack thereof. As we’ve stated before, we live our life through our nerve system. When a muscle spasms, the muscle is not responsible, the nerves innervating that muscle are the cause of the spasm because there has been a disconnect in that area and the brain is having trouble controlling that region due to the lack of communication in the nerve system.

Do not wait for something to go wrong before seeking care, be pro-active and give your body the best chance at combating the stresses of life! Your body will thank you!

https://www.elevatechiroaz.com/addressing-motor-tics-in-children/

Use That Grey Matter Between The Ears!

By | Benefits of Chiropractic | No Comments

Use That Grey Matter Between The Ears!

“The brain is a muscle that can move the world.” -Stephen King

We are going to discuss the most important component and main control center of our bodies, thee brain! There are four lobes which make up the brain: the frontal lobe (anterior aspect) the parietal lobe (mid superior aspect), the occipital lobe (posterior aspect) and the temporal lobe (lateral aspect). Each of these lobes partake in a different role on processing information and perceiving the world around us. The frontal lobe is responsible for initiating thoughts, decisions on actions, initiating actions, reasoning, and personality. The frontal lobe is pretty much who YOU are. The brain does not develop until the age of 25 and it develops beginning from the posterior aspect and making its way to the frontal lobes which are the last to develop and structure connections.

The parietal lobe gathers information from the frontal lobe, cerebellum, and brainstem. It helps process your sense of touch whether it be temperature, pressure, vibration, or pain. The parietal lobe also helps you understand your relation to other things around you such as self-perception or proprioception. For example, if you raise your hand above your head, you know where your hand is at in space, you don’t have to look up and see your hand above your head to know it is there. The parietal lobe helps with learned movements that improve with time such as writing which is why you become better at writing the more you do it. Location awareness is another contributor of the parietal lobe meaning if you see a stove and a fridge, you can conclude that you are in the kitchen.

The temporal lobe is responsible for memory processes as well as language by understanding the meaning of objects, words and forming sentences. If you saw a shovel, you would know it was for digging. This lobe also processes sight and sound.

The last lobe is the occipital lobe. This lobe mainly contributes different forms of vision such as spatial processing with shapes textures, color processing to distinguish different colors, distance and depth perception to differentiate how near or far an object is. The occipital lobe is further responsible for facial recognition as well.

There’s been a myth about using only 10% of our brain at any given time and that myth has been debunked. We use all of our brain all the time even when we’re sleeping. Our brains are constantly staying active.

Get checked to stay healthy!

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321060#the-10-percent-myth
https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/11-fun-facts-about-your-brain
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24628-parietal-lobe
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/16799-temporal-lobe
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24498-occipital-lobe

X-rays: You Pose. We Expose

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, gonstead chiropractic, High Blood Pressure, immune system, inflammation, kids chiropractic | No Comments

X-rays: You Pose. We Expose

“To see is to know, to not see is to guess.” – Unknown

Does one build a house without blueprints? Absolutely not. That would be a clown show trying to build a house without being able to reference blueprints. The same goes for our spine. Chiropractors want to see the big picture of what they are dealing with. X-rays give chiropractors more insight on the shape of a patient’s spine and what should or should not be adjusted.  A seasoned chiropractor can have years of experience and have very gifted hands to feel up and down the spine for issues but there is a limitation to how much a chiropractor can feel. Therefore, it is the utmost importance to acquire visuals such as the x-rays films to know exactly what the patient’s spine is presenting with. People are born with congenital abnormalities that they may have no knowledge of until x-rays are taken of their spine and a chiropractor’s goal is obviously not to cause more harm, but without x-rays, increased risk is on the table.

X-rays dictate many factors when it comes to the proper care of a patient. The way chiropractors adjust is heavily influenced by x-rays involving what direction of the adjustment, how much force, and what table or instrument is used. Since our bodies are so good at masking pain because pain is usually the last thing to show up, people can live with subluxations (misalignments of the spine), fractures, anomalies or other contraindications without even knowing they are present or have been present for months to years. One cannot emphasize enough the importance of x-rays. They are a major piece to our puzzle of care and patients benefit the most with results when x-rays are performed.

Gravity: The Undercover Force

By | Benefits of Chiropractic, chiropractic adjustment, Chiropractic Myths, depression, Ear Infections | No Comments

Gravity: The Undercover Force

“It’s only when gravity starts to take over, you begin to think about your body.” – David Soul

When we think of causes of subluxation, we usually focus on the three T’s: Thoughts, Traumas, and Toxins. Thoughts can be any sort of mental or emotional stress especially with inflation nowadays, financial stress would be a common stress which wreaks havoc on the nerve system. There is also intense mental stress such as events causing PTSD. Traumas are usually anything to do with the physical realm such as falling down the stairs or falling off a ladder. Any type of external force on the body is going to cause our nerve system stress and take time to process that stimulation overdrive. Toxins are another cause of subluxations and those can vary from the consumption of medications, vaccines, processed foods and the preservatives that are within them. Our bodies are continuously meant to have natural ingredients and therefore the reasoning for a significant amount of side effects that are consistently stated when it comes to vaccines or medications.

What keeps us grounded on this earth? GRAVITY! This force is necessary or else we would be floating around and our muscles would begin to atrophy because if you do not use it, you lose it. With that said, the constant forces of gravity can be detrimental on our musculoskeletal system as it is continuously pulling down on our bodies and compressing our joints as well as the discs in between our vertebra. This force contributes to misalignments of the spine and degeneration of those intervertebral discs. When one claims they don’t need chiropractic because they don’t feel pain is like saying their engine doesn’t need oil since their engine has not been ruined yet, it does not make sense. One does not wait until their teeth are rotting to go to the dentist. It is all about being preventative with pro-active care rather than re-active care. Our spines and therefore our nerve system need maintenance because we live our life through our nerve system.

Get checked, stay healthy!

https://capecoralfamilychiropractic.net/blog/1128700-the-greatest-stress-on-the-planet-gravity
https://www.piercechiropractic.net/blog/gravity-got-you-down#:~:text=That’s%20what%20Chiropractic%20care%20helps,equally%20across%20your%20skeletal%20system.

Debunking Myth Part 3: Chiropractic Kids

By | ADHD, Allergies, Benefits of Chiropractic, Chiropractic Myths, Ear Infections | No Comments

“Truth is only harsh if you’re unable to face it.” -Stewart Stafford

We are going to continue our journey of chiropractic myths! Most people think chiropractic is just for adults, but again, that could not be further from the truth. Infants/kids not needing chiropractic care is the next myth we will discuss. Chiropractic is publicly known as the profession which focuses on back pain, but that myth is such a disservice to the wellness of every citizen. When a child is born, the contact point is the head, but with that contact point, there comes the twisting and torqueing of the neck. So, none of us stood a chance since birth because we more than likely came out of the womb subluxated (misalignment of the spine). Most people don’t think babies or children need chiropractic care. I am here to tell you with the utmost confidence that your little ones should not only have chiropractic care, they need it! When it comes to adjusting babies or toddlers, there is no thrust involved, it is simply a sustained contact on their atlas (C1) or a vibratory contact. The baby stage is so crucial since they are so new to life and development.

Adjusting the atlas on your little one will help with immune function giving their body the best chance at combating illnesses, ear infections, calming colic, brain develop as it restores that communication from the brain to the body since the atlas contributes to 35% of vital organs, increasing blood supply, and improving behavior. “The power that made the body heals the body”- BJ Palmer. We have an innate intelligence that was built into us that is always operating at 100%. Just to show how crucial this miracle segment is, I know two different true stories where children were in comas for months to years and when the chiropractor on site adjusted their atlas’s (C1), both those children woke up in the chiropractor’s arms! “Nature needs no help, just no interference.”-BJ palmer

Give your little one the best chance at thriving and developing throughout their life. They will thank you!

https://www.drchrisharlan.com/5-benefits-of-infant-chiropractic/
https://wellhealthcenters.com/7-reasons-why-chiropractic-care-benefits-infants

Debunking Myths

By | athletes, Benefits of Chiropractic, Chiropractic Myths | No Comments

Debunking Myths!

“The truth is still truth, even if no one believes it. A lie is still a lie even if everyone believes it”. – unknown

What was your first thought when thinking of a chiropractor? It probably went one of two ways: Either you love chiropractors or dislike them immensely due to a poor experience. People have pre-conceived notions about everything new that enters their life. It’s okay to question things and their validity but sometimes “herd mentality” isn’t always the most effective method for legitimacy. We’re going to discuss a variety of myths associated with chiropractic that have had a hard time exiting the public mind.

The first myth we’ll cover is “self manipulation” . There is an epidemic of people who think “self-adjusting” is harmless and relieving, not realizing how detrimental it can be to their spine. That popping or cracking people hear or feel when they turn their neck or body a certain way is called a cavitation and what takes place is the release of nitrogen gas from the joint which provides temporary relief and sort of a euphoric feeling. The discomfort comes right back because the main cause of the issue is not corrected. When there is a subluxation or misalignment of the spine, that area is fixated decreasing the proper biomechanics. To compensate for that fixation, the body will make regions above or below that subluxation hypermobile to create more movement. When people “pop” or “self-manipulate”, they are not correcting the issue but instead are manipulating the compensation rather than the root of the cause. If that is continued and left unchecked, it can cause degeneration of the vertebral disc and arthritis in the joints involved. In other words, one is creating self-destruction without realizing it.

The next myth is “I’ll have to keep going forever”. Like all things, the body needs maintenance. We don’t stand a chance because we are constantly fighting the forces of gravity without realizing it. It does not take just a fall to become subluxated. We can acquire subluxations through the three T’s: Thoughts, Traumas, and Toxins. Thoughts are the emotional stress that most of us undergo daily whether it be financial stress or grieving the loss of a loved one. Traumas is the most obvious to the public because it is so sudden and easy to correlate where the issue initiated from. For instance, if you fall of a ladder and feel pain instantly or shortly afterwards, it’s a fair assumption the cause of pain was falling off the ladder. Toxins include medications we put in our body along with processed foods and preservatives we intake daily which are not meant to process and usually have difficulty processing.

Debunking myths will be continued! Be PROACTIVE, NOT REACTIVE! Get checked, stay healthy!