Win With Wellness – How Do You Know If You Have A Subluxation?
As you recall if you have read earlier articles, a subluxation is a misalignment or loss of normal movement of the spinal bones that leads to alteration and stress on the nervous system. There is really only one way to know whether you have subluxations in your spine; get checked by your chiropractor. At Chiropractic Health and Wellness we use a combination of physical examination and x-rays to locate subluxations.
In healthcare, the usual circumstance is that people do not go to the doctor until they hurt, and if the pain is bad, they go quickly. The problem with this approach is the flip-side of it- people often believe that if they are not in pain, then that means that their health is good and that their spine is functioning well. That, unfortunately, is not the truth in a lot of cases. If you have subluxations in your spine there is a very good chance that you will have no symptoms at all. This is just like going to the dentist and being told that you have a cavity in your tooth when you have no symptoms. Under those circumstances would you tell the dentist to ignore the cavity until it was hurting you? Of course not…you would go ahead and have him fix the tooth.
Once a subluxation becomes established, it begins a process of decay in the disk and surrounding joints, all-the-while impacting the ability of the nervous system to communicate efficiently and accurately. This process continues until that subluxation is corrected. Subluxations start by affecting the way the muscles work and the spine moves. When the spine does not move properly the disks are deprived of nutrients and begin to deteriorate. This happens because movement pumps fluids and nutrients into and out of the disks. Spinal joints, known as facet joints, also begin to get mechanically irritated and can begin to degenerate. After a time there may be inflammation, the formation of scar tissue in the surrounding tissue and even the development of bone spurs and arthritis. The problem is that you might not feel any of this until there is enough inflammation, muscle spasm, restriction and even degeneration to trigger symptoms. This is when most people seek out a chiropractor in order to get some relief.
Once a person begins under care it is quite common for the symptoms to disappear very quickly, far sooner than the subluxation is corrected. Be aware that if the subluxation is not corrected, the symptoms will likely return and the process of degeneration will continue. At Chiropractic Health and Wellness the real work begins when the patient is free of symptoms, because that is when the corrective phase of care begins. Our job is not merely to make you feel more comfortable while your spine and health deteriorate, but to increase your overall function and health.
Yours in Health,
Dr. Jeremy Faue
Win With Wellness- Can you have a health problem without any pain or symptoms?
By Dr. Jeremy Faue
Over one million Americans have a heart attack every year and sadly, over one third of these are fatal. What is even more startling is that, in the majority of these cases, this is the first sign of heart disease in an otherwise “healthy” individual. The word ‘healthy’ is significant here because these people were obviously not ‘healthy’ the day before they had the heart attack. This is where the current standard of health in America is wrong. The current standard of health says that in the absence of pain and symptoms, a person is completely healthy. Wrong! The health of our nation is in very poor condition and that can be seen in the rising costs of health care and the increasing rates of disease. Not to mention that now, for the first time in history, the current generation of children is not expected to outlive their parents! How can we accept that?
If pain and symptoms are not a good marker of health, then what is? Pain and symptoms are the body’s response to a significant decrease in function: they are a warning. Think of symptoms just like the oil light in your car. That light does not turn on when the car is only a cup or two low on oil. The oil light turns on when the oil level is so low that there is serious danger of doing damage to the engine. The human body works in the same way. Symptoms do not show up at the first sign something is wrong. Instead, the human body adapts and changes until it reaches a point that it can no longer adapt and change without incurring serious damage to tissues, cells and organs of the body. This is why it is so important to find these functional issues before they become a problem presenting with pain and symptoms.
Health is not a destination that can be reached with a miracle drug, fad diet, or super-food. Health is a continuous journey that must be addressed daily with every decision you make. Everything you do affects your health in either a positive or a negative way. On a daily basis, you are in charge of making sure that the decisions you make are benefitting your health and not destroying your body. This means you are getting adjusted, eating nutritious foods, drinking plenty of pure water, moving your body and eliminating toxins from your life. If you applied these five things to your life on a more regular basis you will enjoy better health in no time.
Win with Wellness- What is a Subluxation?
By Dr. Tim Fargo
If you have been a patient in our clinic for more than a day then you have doubtless heard the term “subluxation” before. This is not a new concept in healthcare as it has been used in Medicine to describe a circumstance where there is a major structural misalignment in a joint without the joint actually becoming completely dislocated, something just shy of having the ends of the bone come apart. In chiropractic the term “subluxation” has been expanded to include a range of other aspects and effects.
Chiropractors began using the term “subluxation” right around 1900; chiropractic as an art and science marks its beginning with Dr. Daniel David Palmer’s first documented adjustment in 1895. Its basic definition is that it is a misalignment or loss of normal movement of a spinal joint which then causes an alteration or interruption of the normal flow of communication through the nervous system. Subluxations are not confined to the spine, as a person could have one in his wrist or knee or any other joint, but chiropractors tend to focus on the spine because this is where the subluxation has its greatest impact.
Historically it has been thought that a subluxated spinal joint actually “puts pressure on a nerve”, but this is not actually true in most cases. Rather there are some more complex mechanisms at work that have to do with tension on the cord and the associated nerve roots and changes in the messaging coming from areas of the spine and nervous system under stress. Suffice it to say that empirically (through observation and experience) it has been consistently observed that when the spine does not function well it has an impact on health in a number of ways.
First, a subluxated joint and the tissues surrounding it become much more prone to deterioration through simple mechanical means; they become irritated, inflamed and often arthritic. Second, when a joint is subluxated it impacts the surrounding muscles causing some of them to become tighter or spasmed and others to lose strength. Third, the inflammation that often occurs causes the development of scar tissue which can impact joint movement, cause pain and accelerate deterioration. Fourth, a subluxated joint loses its normal movement which affects mobility, athletic performance and activities of daily living. Fifth, and perhaps most importantly, a subluxation can affect the way the nervous system works. Since the nervous system is a “two way street” with information flowing from the brain to the tissue and from the tissue to the brain the impact can be felt in both ways. I have often seen the functioning of organs like lungs, bladder, uterus, stomach or others be affected by adjusting a subluxation in areas of the spine related to those organs. Similarly I have seen muscles turn on and off like flipping a light switch with a simple adjustment. On the flip side, I have seen how subluxations raise stress levels through the negative body messages that they send to the brain. This can have tremendous impact on stress hormone production, blood pressure, sleep patterns, depression/anxiety, immune function and a host of other problems. The bottom line is that when you are subluxated you are not going to be as healthy as you could be and neither will your children. Make sure you get you and your children get checked for subluxation regularly.
Win with Wellness!
The Doctors and staff at Chiropractic Health and Wellness are dedicated to helping you learn about wellness. We strive to motivate and inspire you to make choices that result in a lifetime of vibrant health for yourself and your family. As part of that mission, we are now offering a program called ‘Win with Wellness’. Every week we will post a wellness article written by one of our amazing Doctors in the clinic and on our Facebook page. Answer the question of the day for an opportunity to WIN a $25 Gift Card to Whole Foods. We will enter your name into our drawing for every question you answer correctly. Drawings will be held monthly. This is a great opportunity for you to introduce your friends and family to chiropractic and natural healthcare because everyone is welcome to participate. Join in on the fun and Win with Wellness!
Debugging Your ‘Bug’
As winter approaches and coughing, sniffling and sneezing increases, we do our best to protect ourselves from the bacteria and germs that can lead to the dreaded common cold. However, if you already have a bit of “The Bug” or a sore throat, here are some natural home remedies that you can do to make yourself feel better and recover faster.
Get extra sleep- Get good sleep with no disturbances. Shut off all the lights (unplug even dim lights such as electronics).
Drink plenty of water- Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces. For example if you weigh 140 pounds, drink at least 70 ounces of water daily.
Gargle with salt water- Sinus drainage can lead to a sore, scratchy throat, especially during the dry wintery season. You can gargle with a mild salt water solution to help moisturize and soothe that irritation. The solution should taste a little salty, but not ‘pickled’. Salt water gargle works because:
• It can wash the throat membranes free of bacteria (such as strep) that often reside in the mucus layer.
• It dilates the blood vessels, bringing white blood cells (which produce natural antibodies) to the throat area.
• If you have a swollen throat, chances are you have edema fluid causing the swelling and discomfort. If the gargle solution’s salt concentration is higher than your cell’s, it will help draw out the edema fluid in your throat resulting in temporary relief of sore throat symptoms.
Exercise – Regular, moderate exercise stimulates immune function and can help keep you healthy. However, be careful not to over-exert yourself when you are under the weather.
Make sure your spine and nervous system are working properly- When your spine does not work properly it negatively impacts your immune function. This is because spinal malfunctions increase the production of stress hormones in the brain and decrease immunity.
We hope these tips help you enjoy a happy and healthy holiday season!
Dr. Tim Fargo, Chiropractor and JoCee Ramsey, Doctor’s Assistant
Supplements for Life
We all want to make choices that are beneficial to our overall health. However, in the day of this “magic” pill or that “cure all” supplement, it’s easy to be confused about what is truly good for you. While every individual has specific health concerns and needs, there are a few general supplements that cover a person’s basic needs that everyone should be taking to boost their overall health and wellness.
1. Multiple Vitamin
Did you know that you should be consuming five servings of fruits and veggies a day? A failure to meet these needs, in combination with soil supplies that are depleted of nutrients, requires supplementation to fill in the gaps. A high quality multiple vitamin will ensure that your body is getting a base line of vitamins and nutrients.
2. Fish Oil
Fish oils, which are a tremendous source of Omega-3 fatty acids, are the mighty anti-inflammatory. The appropriate ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 consumption should be about 4:1. However, in the typical western diet, that ratio is currently around 20:1. This creates a situation ripe for chronic inflammation in the body. Regular consumption of fish oils helps get this ratio back in check, therefore reducing systemic inflammation.
3. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is produced in the body via exposure to sunlight. Here in Minnesota, we do pretty well creating D in the summer when we’re out and about, but tend to fall quite behind in the winter months. Vitamin D is required for the absorption of calcium, and has therefore long been associated with bone health. While this is a critical function of Vitamin D, more recent research has shown that deficient levels of D are strongly associated with certain cancers such as ovarian, testicular, and breast. Additionally, they have found that these cancers are more prevalent in the northern part of our country, where we clearly have deficient level of sunlight exposure in the winter months.
4. Probiotics
Did you know that the largest portion of your immune system lies within the lining of your gut? This micro-environment contains 100 trillion organisms from 100 species, most of which are bacteria. Due to a lack of appropriate nutrients to feed these bacteria, as well as long term damage from certain foods we eat, the gut can be left in less than desirable condition. This can result not only in digestive issues, but can also leave your immune system weak. Probiotics feed these bacteria and make the environment thrive and keep you protected.
In Health,
Dr. Breanna Tivy
On Living Well
On Living Well
Some of you may know that my father is in the final process of dying of cancer and I have been going back and forth to Milwaukee to be with him. There are, of course, all kinds of dismal and sad things to say about this experience, but that would not do justice to the more inspiring aspects of his life. He is currently 84 years old. He was born in Hungary and was raised in a Jewish family, which has great relevance for the time and place. He was educated through the 8th grade but then, not being a particularly good student, was sent to learn a trade. He became an apprentice, then journeyman and eventually a master pastry chef in the finest of European tradition. Though he was a very talented athlete and had great aspirations, all opportunity for participation and advancement was barred to him because he was Jewish. Then came the war in Europe and because of his religious heritage he was forced into a Jewish labor camp, escaping boldly and luckily before the Nazi’s took over the Hungarian government in October, 1944, and set about to exterminate every Jew in Hungary. The war was already all but lost for them, but they figured they would at least finish one job properly. After his escape, he and his brother were hidden by a sympathetic acquaintance on the outskirts of Budapest. He survived the Holocaust only to be swept up by the Soviet “liberators” and, once again, pressed into a labor battalion. Through luck and boldness he and a few friends managed to escape the Russians too.
The war ended and he was smuggled out of Hungary as the Iron Curtain fell, first living as a Displaced Person in Linz, Austria, and eventually making his way to Canada by claiming that he was a skilled carpenter- he cannot pound a nail to save his life. The Canadian government was looking for laborers to help with a hydroelectric project north of Thunder Bay, Ontario. As so many like him, he came to North America with nothing and hardly spoke any English. He settled in Montreal where he met my mother and fathered me. Eventually we all emigrated to the US where he became a traveling salesman. He drove 60,000 miles a year for 40 years or so and managed, through saving and investment, to amass a small fortune. He survived the death of his wife and one of his daughters: my mom and sister. He met and fell in love with someone new and together they travelled the world. He never lost his love of sport and up until last year we still skied together as a family in Colorado. He played singles tennis and walked 18 holes of golf until just last year. He ate what he wanted, never smoked, and drank only in moderation. He never took vitamins and always made gentle fun of me for doing so and for all the other crazy “health nut” things that I have done over the years.
I won’t catalog all the illnesses that he was afflicted with or the number of organs that he had removed- you wouldn’t believe it if I did. Through it all he took great pride in the fact that he was never on any medication- he said that it shocked his doctors and I think that gave him some satisfaction. As he became sicker and I implored him to take better care of himself by changing his diet and taking supplements he simply refused to change a thing. His wife, Jennifer, summed it up best when I asked her if she thought he wanted to die. She said, “No, I think he just wants to live the way he wants to live”. Frustrating as that conclusion is, I think there is a lot to admire in it.
Over the past months of watching this process with him, I have become more impressed with the power of sheer persistence in the face of adversity. I probably do not need to tell you that he is dying the same way he lived- his way. I am also not going to tell you that throughout his life he was a rosy optimist or even that he had a positive outlook-far from it. What I will tell you is that he just kept going and sometimes that is what it takes in life. Having courage, being bold and making decisions even when there is much at stake, persisting on a given course and then being able to change when needed, being pragmatic and willing to bend the rules that thwart your survival- these are some of things that got the guy through. Though he was not particularly joyous, he did find joy in family and close friends. Even though he was quite frugal, he was very generous when it mattered. He valued education, travel, health and vigor. All these qualities were tempered and refined by an often hard life, but they got him through and I am grateful that I had such a great and heroic example in my own life.
One thing is clear to me in all of this: no matter the hand you are dealt, you can make something out of it. The life you are living is yours to live. Decide how you want it to be and then go out and make it happen. You will encounter all kinds of difficulty because it is rare that things just fall into a person’s lap without effort and travail. Just know that with persistence, courage, hard-won talent and a little bit of luck you can create what you want. Finally, at the end of your life you can proudly show your battle scars and tell your children and grandchildren that you lived well in spite of everything. That is how a warrior lives and that is how a warrior dies.
My wish for you is that no matter how you choose to live, that you are fulfilled and surrounded by people who love you.
Dr. Tim Fargo
Not Another Fish Story
Not Another Fish Story
Those of us with fishermen in the family know that most fish stories consist of a lot of exaggeration with a little bit of truth. Fishermen have the unique ability to transform an average sunfish into a record-breaking walleye, and it never fails that an extraordinary circumstance prevents any witnesses from verifying. There is also a mix of truth and fiction surrounding another type of fish story; the story of fish oil’s role in personal health. When used correctly fish oil can be a potent ally.
As the name implies, fish oil is fat. However, despite the name, this is not the same fat associated with cardiovascular disease or poor fitting clothes. The fat contained in fish oil is unique in that it contains omega-3 fatty acids. There are 3 different kinds of omega-3 fatty acids: EPA, DHA and ALA. Fish oil contains EPA and DHA, while ALA is found in vegetarian sources like flaxseed oil. The body can only use ALA if it converts it to EPA or DHA. Most people will not get enough of the recommended amount of omega-3 fatty acids through ALA consumption because the body can only convert 1-2% of it.
Many people have heard omega-3 fatty acids are important, but don’t understand why. The human body is a collection 70 to 90 trillion tiny cells that we recognize, in aggregate, as a person. A cell’s health is dependent upon omega-3 fatty acids; they contribute to the cell membrane structure, fluidity and function. Unfortunately, saturated fats consumed from animal foods replace the omega-3s on the cell membrane which decreases cell fluidity and function, contribute to superficial skin problems, inflammation and disease.
Omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in preventive health and therapy due to their role in the human cell. Omega-3s are used as an aid to prevent and treat:
· Coronary heart disease, heart attack, stroke
· High blood pressure
· High blood lipids
· Bronchial asthma
· Diabetes
· Hyperactivity
· Obesity
· Alzheimer’s, Dementia
· Autoimmune, rheumatic, inflammatory disorders
· Migraine Headaches
· Osteoarthritis
· Cancer
· Skin disorders
Historically, humans have eaten cold water marine fish to get sufficient amounts of EPA and DHA in their diets. They have also gotten omega-3 fatty acids from eating land animals that ate grasses or animals who ate those grass eaters. However, with the rising amount of water pollution today fish contain toxins like Mercury, PCBs, dioxin and arsenic. The FDA now recommends no more than 2 meals per week contain fish. Fish that are lower on the food chain are generally lower in toxins. These include small fish such as herring, anchovies, and some medium sized fish like salmon, and some tuna. Conversely, fish higher on the food chain like shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish are more toxic. As for meat from land animals, you are better off with grass fed meats and game such as venison, elk, bison.
To supplement deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids the recommended intake of EPA and DHA varies:
1. As a daily supplement in healthy people who rarely eat fish, used to maintain a balanced intake of fats, supplement dosages are usually in the range of 0.5-1.0g/day.
2. People with chronic ailments may benefit from increased omega-3 supplementing 2-4g/day.
3. Acute therapy for serious illness or recovery from injury or major surgery requires a high-dose of fish oil supplements in the range of 3-30g/day.
There are a few contraindications or side effects that may arise with the use of fish oil. High-doses of omega-3 use can deplete the body of vitamin E and may require additional vitamin E supplementation. At high-doses omega-3 supplementation also acts as a blood thinner and blood clotting should be monitored. Individuals with bleeding disorders or taking anticoagulant medication should consult a doctor before supplementing with omega-3. In diabetics high-doses of omega-3 can sometimes reduce insulin action and elevate blood sugar; a doctor should be consulted prior to use.
While omega-3 supplementation is not an excuse for poor diet or lack of exercise, it can be a great tool in improving individual health. If you are not currently supplementing your diet with fish oil, take this information and ask your doctor if you can benefit from our underwater friends.
Happy Fishing,
Todd Seidl
Chiropractic Intern
