The Case of the Missing Minerals!

We all know about the importance of minimum daily requirements for vitamins in our diets, but what about minerals? Do you know that minerals are actually more important to maintaining a properly functioning body? And are you also aware that more than 80% of us suffer a mineral deficiency in our diets?


Minerals are necessary for many of the body’s processes, such as energy production, bone, teeth and blood formation, the transmission of nerve impulses and enzyme production. Some minerals are more essential than others, and there are some about which little is known concerning daily-recommended intake. Known as trace minerals, or trace elements, deficiencies in these minerals have been linked to specific diseases. (Many believe cancer is related to a selenium deficiency.)


Much of the food we eat is grown in soil that has been stripped of its mineral content. Although trace minerals are naturally found in topsoil, flooding and over-irrigation, along with poor crop rotation, have eroded topsoil, affecting the mineral content of our foods.


The overuse of prescription drugs is another cause of mineral deficiency. Many antibiotics and over-the-counter pain preparations interfere with mineral absorption. Diuretics rid the body of potassium and magnesium. Sleeping pills lower the levels of calcium and magnesium in the blood. Since minerals are vital for normal immune system functioning, the use of mineral-depleting drugs has a direct affect on your health and your body’s ability to fight disease.


Aside from making sure you’re getting an adequate supply of minerals, either through the foods you eat or through supplements, obtaining regular chiropractic care can help you to stay healthy by ensuring that every system of your body (controlled by your nervous system) is functioning at its optimal level.

What is Wellness? Seven Aspects of Wellness

What is Wellness?

Simply put, we experience life through our nervous system. That’s why optimizing our spine and nervous system is the key to becoming all that we can be. Chiropractic care and other healthy habits create new possibilities (click on the image to download your free wellness wheel).








The Wellness Wheel

Print this document to use as your worksheet to take a “snapshot” of your health and well-being.

Seven aspects of Wellness:

Physical - The health of your body

Financial - Stewardship of your resources

Family - Harmony in your home

Social - Ease in social situations

Career - Fulfilling and purposeful work

Spiritual - Connection with a higher power

Mental - Emotional and intellectual development

Common Headache Triggers

Whether you’re a frequent sufferer or not, do you know what might trigger your headaches? If you’re a migraine sufferer you might have some idea, but most people really don’t know at all. They just reach for the medicine cabinet whenever one strikes instead of trying to avoid it in the first place!




Common headache triggers include:

• Stress – Hectic lives and daily work and family pressures often result in tension and migraine headaches. Try to take a break once a day just for you – to relax and unwind, stress-free!

• Sleep – Either too much or too little can trigger headaches in some people. Try to keep a regular schedule of going to bed and getting up at the same time every day – even on your days off!

• Diet – Most migraine sufferers know that certain foods, such as red wine, chocolate, MSG, aged cheese, caffeine and processed foods can bring on a headache. Keep in mind that not eating can also cause headaches – especially in women!

• Smells – Strong odors, such as nail polish, smoke, paint, perfume, and cleaning products, can cause headaches in certain people. If you can identify the odors that trigger your headaches you may be able to avoid some of those offenders.

• Eye strain – If you stare at a computer monitor all day or you squint constantly because you need glasses, you might experience frequent headaches. Take a break from staring at the computer screen every 20 minutes or so and be sure to have your eyes checked!

• Poor posture – If you walk around with hunched shoulders or hold a phone between your shoulder and chin or sit in a chair all day without proper back support – you might get frequent tension headaches.

Try keeping a headache diary that answers these types of questions:

• “What did I eat or drink right before getting the headache?”

• “Did I sleep too little/too much last night?”

• “Am I under a lot of stress in my job?”

• “Am I staring at a computer monitor for too long without taking a break?”

Chiropractic care has shown impressive results in helping patients who have frequent headaches. Please let us know if you’re having this problem so that we can offer you the help you might need! www.docross.com

 

A Real Pain in the Neck

Plenty of things in life are a pain in the neck - why live with something that doesn't　haveto be?


It's a condition called　torticollis, but it's also known as wry neck or stiff neck. It may be present at birth or may develop later, in children as well as in adults. With torticollis, the head is tilted to one side, toward the shoulder, and their chin rotates outward toward the other shoulder. Trying to straighten the head results in pain.

Congenital torticollis　affects babies and it is believed to be caused by birth trauma, a breech birth position, the use of forceps during delivery or position in the womb. Although congenital torticollis isn't painful in an infant, it can cause facial deformity if it's not corrected during the baby's first year.

Generally, a medical doctor will prescribe physical therapy to start with, along with gentle stretching exercises. If these don't work to correct the child's condition, surgery to lengthen the　sternomastoid　muscle, the muscle responsible for causing the head tilt, may be advised.

Acquired torticollis　affects older children and adults. Symptoms include muscle spasms, the head tilt and pain. Causes may include injury to the head or neck, a genetic defect, damage to the nervous system, arthritis and the use of certain medications. Women are at greater risk for the condition than men and typical onset is between the ages of 30 - 60.

In older children and adults, medical doctors may prescribe physical therapy, prescription medications (muscle relaxers, pain killers, and anti-inflammatory drugs) and ultimately surgery, if the condition doesn't resolve itself after a few weeks. Others will say, "Give it time, it will pass."

But why wait? And what if it doesn't just go away? Why should you be in pain when torticollis is a musculoskeletal condition that is caused by muscle spasms and cervical (neck) subluxation (nerve interference)? Who takes care of musculoskeletal conditions best? Chiropractors, who are specifically trained to address musculoskeletal issues, such as torticollis.

In fact, both types of torticollis respond extremely well to chiropractic adjustments. Many patients see a noticeable change in the degree of head tilt and pain after only 4 - 6 visits and complete resolution within six months.

If you or anyone you know is bothered by painful muscle spasms, the inability to turn your head or a head tilt that keeps you from holding your head normally, give us a call to schedule a thorough examination.

 

Regular Visits

Like building a muscle, repetition is the key. It's the same with your chiropractic adjustments.
After the investment of time needed for the first and second visits, many patients become concerned that every visit will be of equal length.

In a word: no. A typical office visit is shorter.

But don’t think a shorter visit lessens its value! With the groundwork laid, we can quickly size up what is happening in your spine and nervous system, adjust you and get you on your way.

Like a regular workout at the gym, each visit builds on the ones before. Miss a visit and we can lose the momentum necessary to make the desired changes.

We recognize your time is valuable. We do everything possible to run on time and minimize any imposition on your busy life