Health and Wellness

Exercise at Sunset

Jan 26 2017

17 ways to finally build the life you love! (Part 2)

Exercise at SunsetTODAY is the perfect time to make a change, breaking through the obstacles and problems that have been holding you back for so long and finally building the existence you’ve always envisioned.

Whether you want to lose weight and get in better shape, improve relationships and find the love of your life, or just get that promotion at work and improve your finances, there is a specific formula for achieving the life you love!

In part one of this blog, we covered the first 8 ways to finally build a life you love. Here are the next 9:

9. Write down your goals

We ended part one of this blog by telling you how critical it is to set specific goals. The next important part of your goal setting is writing them down. It seems like a minor thing, but numerous studies show that the process of committing your goals to paper goes a long way towards actually reaching them.

In one case, a psychology professor at Dominican University in California, Dr. Gail Matthews, conducted a study on goal. She compared several test groups, breaking them down as:

Group 1 thought only about their goals but didn’t commit them to paper.

Group 2 thought about and wrote down their goals.

It went all the way up to Group 5, that not only wrote down their goals, but wrote down action steps they could take to reach them, shared their goals with a supportive friend, and finally, made weekly progress reports to that friend.

Her work concluded that Group 2 – who simply committed their goals to paper – was 42% more likely to achieve them than Group 1.

Incredible!

10. Have an accountability partner

In that same study, test Group 5 wrote down their goals but also action steps they could take to reach them, and then shared their goals with others, including a weekly progress report. Remarkably, that group achieved their goals at a 78% higher rate than Group 1 – who just set and thought about their goals.

The point is that if you REALLY want to get to the finish line with your goals, it’s paramount that you not only set them and write them down but share them with a trusted accountability partner, including periodic progress reports.

11. What can you control?

They say that about 99% of the things we worry, stress, and get anxious about never actually happen. While I don’t know if that statistic is accurate, the point is valid. If you want to achieve your goals in 2017 and beyond, focus only on what you can control, and then work towards and pursue those things. You’ll be amazed at how much time and energy you have, that you used to waste on things you can’t control.

12. Stop making excuses

We all have goals and dreams we’d love to reach in life, but too often, we find a way to create one excuse after another to discourage ourselves. I always tell my clients that making excuses is just your subconscious trying to negotiate a surrender before you’ve even tried. In fact, we’ve dedicated a whole blog to highlighting twenty of the most common excuses we make – and how to break through them for good!

13. Change your diet = change your life

It’s physiologically impossible to fill your body with garbage and poison (like processed foods, bad fats, empty carbs, sugar, toxins from pesticides, etc.) and NOT feel a long term negative effect. Honor the temple that is your body by eating a healthy, clean, natural diet, and you’ll sleep better, have way more energy, get sick less, think more clearly, be less stressed, and enjoy a whole host of other benefits that allow you to live the life you love!

14. Banish negative thoughts

You’ve probably been barraging yourself with negative self-talk and limiting beliefs your whole life, and embracing every failure while dismissing your victories. But there are ways to train your mind, just like you train your muscles, so with even the smallest step in the right direction or the first smallest victory, belief will grow from a seed into a tall tree.

15. Surround yourself with positive affirmations

Replace all of those negative, self-doubting thoughts with inspirational messages. Plaster photos, quotes, and reminders of your goals, dreams, and aspirations all over your bathroom mirror, your car, your desk, your home gym, on your phone, etc. as a constant reminder. Research shows that the mind can’t differentiate between real and imagined thoughts, so by filling your head with positive affirmations, you’ll be altering your physiology, outlook, and belief systems!

16. Take risks

There is nothing wrong with failure. In fact, we should embrace failure, because we can learn, grow, and get stronger from it. But there is something wrong with not trying new things or not adventuring out – and that choice lies entirely with you. So get in the practice of taking risks that get you out of your comfort zone and bring you closer to the life you want to live, regardless if they pay off or not. It will be so scary at first, but with discipline and practice, pretty soon you will be fearless!

17. Find your “WHY?”

Your WHY? is the overriding meaning you give to your life, your reason for existence that makes it all worth it. It’s what makes you go “Ahhhhh” and be at peace when you see a sunset or just lay your head on the pillow every night. Your WHY? can be to help others, provide for your family, your artwork, your legacy, or just a big goal that drives and motivates you. No matter what it is, keeping that big picture in mind will help you love the life you live, enjoying the journey along the way!

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Jan 13 2017

17 ways to finally build the life you love in 2017!

CoupleÕs high-fiveHow was your 2016?

If you’re like most people, you had some ups, some downs, muddled through and did OK. But is OK really good enough for the rest of your life? Do you want more? Do you feel you deserve more?

Well, the good news is that 2017 is the perfect chance to make a change, break through the obstacles and problems that have been holding you back for so long, and finally make the existence you’ve always envisioned a reality. Whether you want to lose weight and get in better shape, improve relationships and find the love of your life, or just get that promotion at work and improve your finances, there is a specific formula for achieving the life you love!

Here are our 17 ways to finally build the life you love in 2017! (We’ll start with the first 8 and cover the next 9 in part 2.)

1. Have fun!

You have to enjoy the journey or else it will all be a monotonous drag, and that includes achieving your goals and changing your life. So make sure you smile, laugh, surround yourself with good people, and sing along to your favorite song and dance a little, and that positivity will inject joy and energy in everything you do.

2. Get motivated by positive, not negative thoughts.

The mind feeds off the words “I can” and other positive affirmations, so much so that it will actually change your physical response. Too often, people who are trying to make a change in their lives or reach goals are motivated by negative thoughts like, “I’m too fat,” “I don’t have a love life,” “I’m never good with money, etc.” Holding those thoughts in your head over and over will only derail you from where you want to go, since it’s like running backward.

3. Focus on one thing that fires you up.

Did someone say you looked fat at the Christmas party? Did you lose that promotion at work to someone less qualified? Are you turning 40 soon and you don’t like where you are in life? Choose one thing that makes you more than a little angry and use that fire as fuel to keep motivated! Sometimes it’s good to be gentle, compassionate, and kind with yourself…but sometimes it’s healthy to get a little pissed off to give yourself a jump-start!

4. Think long-term and big picture.

Success and achievement aren’t always linear, so you’ll have ups and downs along the way. Instead of reacting negatively to every obstacle and setback, “zoom out” and take a big picture view of your life and what you’re trying to accomplish. It’s all a process, and the little daily habits you change will make a huge positive impact over time!

5. Forget perfect.

Guess what? You’ll never be perfect, so set that impossible goal aside and instead focus on just being better every day, every week, or every month – which includes appreciation and enjoyment for what you already have and what you already are! By the way, if you think people want you to be perfect, they don’t (they just want you to be real); and if you think others appear perfect, they’re not!

6. Start by doing one small thing (and then another).

Momentum is everything in life, and once you’re a permanent fixture on the couch, it seems excruciating just to get up and do anything. So instead of saying “I’m going to run 5 miles tomorrow,” and never getting started, focus on doing one small thing, like push-ups and sit-ups during the commercials, learning something new for 10 minutes every morning, or changing one meal to something healthy every day. Stick to it, and very soon it won’t be hard to do more and more…BOOM! You have momentum!

7. Take responsibility.

When you stop blaming other people and circumstances for the outcome of your life, you’ll have removed the first barrier to changing your life. In fact, when you take full accountability and responsibility for your life, you’re automatically empowered to control your own destiny!

8. Set a plan.

This is where the rubber meets the road, as they say – when you’re going to take all of the wishing, dreaming, and hoping and transform it into tangible action that will really change your life. And SMART, FOCUSED, and CONSISTENT action is all it takes to break through and finally achieve the highest and best version of your life. The first part of setting a plan is defining your goals – very specifically, including measurable quantifiers and timelines.

***

We’ll cover a lot more about goal setting, follow-up and how to put your wonderful and life-changing plan into place in part two of this blog!

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Couple doing push-ups in home gym

Dec 30 2016

Traveling but don’t want to miss your exercise regime? Here’s how to get a great workout right in your hotel room.

Couple doing push-ups in home gymWhether you’re away from home on a fun-filled vacation or another hard-working business trip, staying in a hotel room can easily take you out of your workout routine.

In fact, this might sound familiar: you check into your hotel after a 4:30 am wake-up call so you could get to the airport in time to catch your 8 am flight. You have a few hours of downtime before a busy afternoon of business meetings and then dinner and cocktails with clients.

You have every intention of cramming in a great workout session in that small window of downtime – you even brought your running sneakers. But once you get to the hotel, it starts raining outside, the bed looks so fluffy and inviting, and your eyes so tired from the early morning plane ride. You get as far as putting on your workout clothes before you fall asleep…

This happens more often than not for business travelers and even vacationers, who really do intend to work out as they travel, but succumb to the temptations of the road. After all, it’s hard enough to get motivated when we have a set schedule and our neighborhood gym is right down the road!

But there is a solution: getting a great workout right there in your hotel room. In fact, you can facilitate vigorous exercise in a small space with no equipment no matter what your environment and goals – from toning to building muscle, increasing flexibility and even cardiovascular fitness.

A lot of these exercises are as traditional as our gym class routines when we were trying to earn the Presidential Physical Fitness Award back in elementary school. Some are so new-age that even the most holistic yoga teacher would approve, and others are used in military basic training and even by Navy Seals. Believe it or not, but many of the principles of getting an intense, muscle-building workout in a small space with no equipment come from…you guessed it: prison, or “jail cell workouts” as they’re called.

No matter who you are or what your fitness level, always start slowly to get the form correct first, and be mindful of any injuries. If you have health conditions or are new to exercising regularly, it may be a god idea to consult your physician first. I’ll just cover the basics, but if you need better explanations of what these exercises should look like, feel free to get on YouTube (I assume your hotel room has Wi-Fi!)

Ok, with the caveats aside, we have you standing in the middle of your hotel room with no equipment and half-an-hour to get a great workout. What next?

Pushups:

You can’t go wrong with the old standard pushup (or press-up). But too many people try to do them too fast out the gate, which can diminish the intended effect and even strain your elbows. Try them slowly, really squeezing your chest at the top. Once you’ve mastered the basic pushups, start doing variations – placing your hands wider and closer together, putting your feet up on a chair to create different angles, freezing at the bottom, and even clapping at the top!

Planks:

Planks may not look like much, but it’s a really great whole-body workout that strengthens your core – which can help prevent lower back pain from sitting at your desk so much. Start timing your planks so you can always challenge your personal best, and advanced planks can even go from resting on your forearms up into a pushup and back down, over and over.

Burpees:

To be honest, you could probably just do burpees and get in amazing shape (though the hotel guests in the room below you might not be happy with the thumping!) Burpees incorporate pushups, squats, shoulders, back, and work your core really well. After 10 or 15 burpees you’ll probably also be out of breath like you just ran around the block! This is a “jail cell workout” staple, by the way.

Squats:

By working the larger muscles in your legs and hips, you really jumpstart your fitness and will see results all over your body. Don’t worry about squatting with weight – just do them correctly and all the way down to avoid stress on your knees or back. You can also do one-leg squats, jump squats, or frog squats to mix it up. A good tip is that if you’re not used to squats, and you need some help to get the form correct, hold on to each side of the bathroom door handle to help stabilize you as you go down (just don’t hold on to anything that can come out of the wall or tip over!)

Tricep dips:

Put your hands on a chair or the edge of the bed while facing out (Google a proper demonstration) and dip, which works the triceps, shoulders, and chest.

Biceps and back:

The hardest exercises to work on the road are probably your biceps and back, as they involve pulling motions. Short of having something that can act as a stable pull up bar (don’t try the shower rod!!!), you can try some more basics movements. Fill your laptop bag or the pillowcase with as many heavy books or items as you can find and curl that, or do bent-over rows to work the back. You can also take two heavy books and hold them out, and lift them up and down at an angle, which can work shoulders and back muscles.

Handstands:

There are huge fitness, circulation, and health benefits to handstands, so clear a space against the wall to aid your feet and legs and take the plunge. (Don’t try these solo unless you’ve practiced them before.)

Hotel room cardio:

It may seem like the biggest challenge would be getting a full cardio workout in an enclosed space, but there are plenty of things you can do in your room. Jumping Jacks, running in place, running with knees up, shadowboxing, and the aforementioned burpees all will get you breathing heavily and your heart racing.

Every hotel has a stairwell in case of a fire, so run up and down the flights of stairs as many times as you can, or find a nearby parking garage with plenty of steps.

I also bring a jump rope with my on the road, which takes up almost no room and weighs next to nothing, but can be used in any parking lot, stairwell landing, hotel ballroom, or even inside your room (sorry, downstairs neighbors!)

Yoga:

Take out your laptop, pull up a yoga channel on YouTube or put in a DVD you brought, and do a full yoga session right in your room. The deep breathing element will keep you fresh and relaxed amid all of the stress of business meetings, and the flexibility and circulation benefits will help you feel great through long plane rides. By the way, you can bring your own yoga mat or just use a hotel towel!

Water-filled weights:

If you want to lift some serious weight without paying extra baggage charges and lugging it through the airport, buy a couple of collapsible dumbbells that you fill with water. They make them special for business travelers, and you can fill them up with more or less water in the bathroom sink to adjust the weight.

Is this still not enough for you? Try to book a hotel with a workout room, ask the concierge where a good (and safe) loop is for a couple-mile run, or Google gyms in the area that accept guests with one-day passes.

Have a productive business trip – and a great workout!

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cup of tea at sunset

Dec 2 2016

The 15 Health Benefits of Drinking Tea

cup of tea at sunsetWhile it seems like there’s a Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee, or boutique coffee shop on every corner, Americans are starting to wake up and smell the health benefits of drinking tea, as well. In fact, the US is the third largest importer of tea in the world (behind only Russia and Pakistan,) with almost 20,000,000 pounds of tea consumed in 2015 and steady 5% projected growth every year.

“Teas contain unique antioxidants called flavonoids, known to help fight against free radicals that can contribute to cancer, heart disease, and clogged arteries,” says Mike Shaldone, “Tea Ambassador” for Sacramento’s Classy Hippie Tea Company.

“Teas also have caffeine and theanine, which affect the brain and seem to heighten mental alertness.”

But drinking tea for its health benefits (as well as the fact that it tastes great) is nothing new, as different cultures around the world – especially in the Far East – have consumed tea for thousands of years to promote health, happiness, and wellness.

Here are 15 ways drinking tea can improve your health:

  1. Tea contains high levels of antioxidants, which help the body fight off toxins and keep us healthy and young. In particular, tea contains high levels of polyphenols (a type of antioxidant) and phytochemicals that aid our systems. Regular tea drinking also boosts your immune system, helping immune cells reach their target and function faster.
  1. Tea does contain caffeine, but in fact has about 50% less caffeine than our favorite coffee drinks, giving you a boost without disturbing your nervous system or sleep patter. The important thing to know is that tea contains caffeine and theanine, which affects the brain by naturally heightening mental alertness.
  1. Research points to the benefit of tea in reducing the instances of heart attacks and strokes. Recent studies show that people who drank one to three cups of green tea every day showed a 20% reduction heart attacks and a 35% reduction in the instance of strokes. Once people drank four cups of tea or more, they were 32% less likely to suffer a heart attack!
  1. There is evidence that regular tea consumption may help with weight loss, though more research is needed to see if this is just a correlation or a direct cause. But one study showed that tea drinkers had lower waist circumferences and lower BMI’s than non-tea drinkers. By the way, did we mention that tea is calorie free? Even if tea drinking signals a healthier lifestyle – but doesn’t actually reduce weight – switching out higher-calorie coffee drinks (once you add milk, flavorings and all the sugar) can knock off hundreds of calories every day.
  1. According to data from recent animal studies, green tea helps prevent bone loss and osteoporosis.
  1. Drinking tea actually helps tooth decay and cavities, Japanese researchers found, by lowering the pH levels in your mouth and protecting tooth enamel.
  1. Tea may also help to fight cancer, although more medical research needs to be done. But what is factual is that the antioxidants in tea help combat various forms of cancer, including breast, colon, colorectal, skin, lung, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, liver, ovarian, prostate and oral cancers.
  1. Drinking herbal teas, and especially chamomile, helps soothe the digestive system because it is an antispasmodic, and ginger tea can ease nausea.
  1. Green tea can actually increase your endurance when you’re exercising, since the catechins (antioxidants) in green tea boost the body’s ability to burn fat as fuel, aiding muscle endurance.
  1. Tea also helps fight free radicals that damage our DNA and have been linked to cancer, heart disease and neurological degeneration, since it’s high in oxygen radical absorbance capacity.
  1. Unlike coffee and other drinks that leave your body dehydrated, tea is actually just as hydrating as drinking water – but with the extra bonus of a little natural caffeine.
  1. Studies have shown that there’s a link between drinking tea and a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease, even when they accounted for other health and lifestyle factors like diet, smoking, physical activity, age and body mass index.
  1. Green tea might actually provide some protection from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun, acting as a natural low-level sunscreen (but still but on sun block!).
  1. If you smoke (and don’t plan on quitting anytime soon,) make sure you drink a lot of tea since it’s been found to counteract some of the negative effects of smoke, including reducing the risk of lung cancer.
  1. Research shows that some of the compounds in green tea help diabetics process sugars better, offering a great benefit to people with Type 2 diabetes.

What kinds of teas should you drink? Which teas will help specific health issues? And are there are some things to watch out for when choosing and drinking the right tea? We’ll go into depth to answer all of these questions and more in part two of this blog!

 

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Young woman having flu and blowing her nose at handkerchief

Oct 28 2016

Chiropractic cures the common cold? How to remain healthy during cold and flu season with chiropractic adjustments.

Young woman having flu and blowing her nose at handkerchiefSniffling, sneezing, feverish, and hurting all over? Yup, welcome to flu season again, that lovely period every winter when the cold, rainy weather seems to bring out the worst in our health.

Whether it’s just feeling like you’re fighting something off, a nagging cold, or the full on flu has you bedridden, it’s no fun to get sick. In fact, each year, between 5 and twenty percent of Americans come down with a case of the flu, which adds up to 15 to 60 million people, directly or indirectly causing thousands of deaths.

If you’re like most people, you get sick as a dog at least once during the cold weather months, and sometimes feel like you’re not fully well most of the season! So imagine how amazing it would be if you stayed perfectly healthy this winter?

Chiropractic care is your best chance of making that happen, along with other preventive health and lifestyle measures we’ll cover here.

But what does chiropractic have to do with fighting off colds and the flu?

Remember that the body’s immune system has the critical function of fighting off foreign invaders – in this case, bacteria and viruses that cause colds and the flu. Once your immune system is overcome by these attackers, you fall sick. And when your immune system is weakened, it’s far less likely to be able to fight something off, resulting in your getting really sick. So boosting your immune system and keeping it running optimally is key to staying healthy.

It’s also important to note the direct relationship between the immune system and the Central Nervous System (the brain and spinal cord). If your Central Nervous System is compromised or not working right, it can affect the strength and function of your immune system. Basically, as the master control system for your body, if the Central Nervous System is under stress (called Subluxations), nothing else will work right – including your immune system.

However, chiropractic adjustments remove subluxations, allowing for proper communication in the nervous system. By improving your brain and body connection you’re allowing your system to work optimally, helping every other system in your body work properly, including your immune function.

Just how effective can chiropractic adjustments be for helping you fight off the common cold or a more harmful flu?

In a recent study published in Chiropractic and Manual Therapies, researchers found a direct and effective impact from just one single chiropractic adjustment. This aided their immune system, among many other systems in the body.

Even a single chiropractic adjustment allows:

  • White blood cell count to increase, the specialized cells responsible for fighting off viruses.
  • Sinus passages to clear naturally, which are breeding grounds for bacteria and one of the causes of infection.
  • A clear decrease in most symptoms of a cold and flu.
  • Reduced sinus pressure, headaches, nasal drainage or runny nose, sore throat, body muscle aches, and even overall fatigue or malaise.
  • In fact, patients who regularly get chiropractic adjustments become ill less often, experience far less symptoms, and recover quicker.

So how do you give yourself the best chance to stay cold and flu free this winter?

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub, especially after being in public.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth as much as possible. Viruses can live on surfaces for up to 24 hours and most people touch something that a sick person did and then touch their eyes or face.
  • Try to avoid close contact with people who are sick with the flu.
  • Boost your immune system by eating plenty of Vitamin C-rich foods like oranges and grapefruit (in season during the winter) as well as dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale. Sesame seeds, red bell peppers, and a whole host of other nutritious vegetables and foods can help keep you healthy.
  • Take Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K supplements. During the warm weather months, we’re far more likely to be outdoors, giving our bodies plenty of essential Vitamin D3 naturally. So taking Vitamin D3 (along with Vitamin K to aid its effectiveness) will increase your immune system function, helping you fight off viruses and bacteria.
  • Getting plenty of exercise and staying active will help boost your immune system and keep you healthy.
  • Cut back on coffee and drink green tea instead.
  • You’ll also want to take some probiotics, like yogurt, with natural bacteria that will help fight attacks on your immune system.
  • Come visit Dr. Casazza at Active Life Team Chiropractic and get adjusted!

What should you do if you’re already sick with a cold or the flu?

Here’s what you do to recover from the common cold or fend off the flu:

  •  Get extra sleep.

Studies show that getting at least 8 hours sleep reduces the likelihood of getting sick.

  • Take a zinc supplement.

Zinc helps your body fight off infection, reducing the duration of a common cold.

  • Try a wheatgrass shot

Wheatgrass contains huge amounts of Vitamins A, C, E and zinc

  • Eat healthy

A diet with lots of fruits and vegetables will boost your antioxidants and keep your immune system strong

  • Drink more water

Staying very well hydrated and flushing toxins helps you recover faster.

  • Once again, come visit Dr. Casazza and get adjusted – it could keep you from getting sick with colds and the flu this winter!

 

 

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1200x600

Sep 23 2016

Why don’t many Indigenous cultures suffer back pain?

1200x600If you’re like most Americans, then you suffer back pain at some point in your life. Maybe you’re part of the 33% of the population that is afflicted by chronic back pain, or the 50% of working Americans that feel a twinge, ache or pull in their back or neck each year. In fact, it’s one of the most prevalent ailments and exacts a huge toll in lost productivity, sick days, loss of quality of life, strain on relationships, and other health problems. While chiropractic care should be on the front line of treating back pain, too often the traditional medical establishment pushes highly addictive painkillers and risky surgeries.

But back pain is just a part of life and getting older, right? Believe it or not, back pain isn’t necessarily an inherent condition for all human beings. Incredibly, research now reveals that plenty of indigenous cultures throughout the world suffer little or no back pain!

Not only do people of these cultures experience almost no troublesome or chronic back pain, but research shows that the discs in their spines display very little signs of degeneration as they age, as well.

This epiphany started when a woman named Esther Gokhale from Palo Alto, California was stricken with her own debilitating back pain. For two decades, she consulted doctors, was on prescriptions and had surgeries, but none of it seemed to help. So when doctors urged her to have yet another risk or even dangerous spinal procedure, she look abroad for answers.

What she found was that many people from Indigenous cultures around the world suffered little or no back pain. She traveled all over the globe for the next ten years studying how these people stood, walked, worked and rested, as well as other diet, fitness and lifestyle factors. What she found was remarkable:

“I have a picture in my book of these two women who spend seven to nine hours everyday, bent over, gathering water chestnuts,” Gokhale says. “They’re quite old. But the truth is they don’t have a back pain.”

From Ubong tribesmen in Borneo to indigenous tribes in India; from the mountain tribes of Ecuador to villagers in West Africa and natives to tiny fishing towns in Portugal, she found that these people’s spines were essentially a different shape than most people in the west and America.

People in these indigenous cultures had spines that were shaped more like the letter “J” with a straight drop from neck to base and then a natural curve at the buttocks. Conversely, if you look at the typical American spine, they are usually shaped more like the letter “S” with a hump or curvature at the top of the back, too.

“They have this regal posture, and it’s very compelling” Gokhale said.

After taking note and comparing many other factors, Gokhale found that people with this J-Shaped spine rarely suffered back pain. But it’s not that these indigenous cultures had something different – it was the typical American spine that had changed over the decades. When she looked at anatomical drawings from Leonardo da Vinci or a Gray’s Anatomy book from 1901, she found that spines didn’t have that S-shape then, either, but were closer to the J-shape indigenous cultures now display.

It seems that a J-shaped spine is the natural and healthier human form.

“The J-shaped spine is what you see in Greek statues. It’s what you see in young children. It’s good design,” Gokhale says.

So what has changed with our western or American spines that is causing so much back pain and discomfort?

Further research concluded that a sedentary lifestyle, as we sit at desks and in car seats and office chairs and the like far more, could be a major reason why our spines are more S-shaped now. The lack of physical labor, mobility, and even recent phenomenon like “Text Neck” from people looking down at their smart phones so much are also contributors to reshaping our spines – for the worse.

While Gokhale’s research was comprehensive, it was mostly anecdotal, and there hasn’t been a real scientific or medical study into this theory of natural J-shaped spines among indigenous. But that doesn’t mean that scientists aren’t interested.

“I’d like to go and take X-rays of indigenous populations and compare it to people in the Western world,” says Dr. Praveen Mummaneni, a neurosurgeon at the University of California, San Francisco’s Spine Center. “I think that would be helpful.”

Mummaneni believes that it’s actually stronger abdominal muscles in indigenous and more active natural cultures that grant them perfect posture and protect their spines from back pain and acute degeneration.

But for most Americans, that strong physical culture has been replaced by sedentary one and overeating – and that means a lot of extra weight and belly fat, resulting in an S-shaped spine.

“If you have a lot of fat built up in the belly, that could pull your weight forward. That could curve the spine,” notes Mummaneni. “I think the sedentary lifestyle promotes a lack of muscle tone and a lack of postural stability because the muscles get weak. And people who are thinner probably have less curvature.”

It looks like getting back to basics with correct posture, a healthy diet, active lifestyle with lots of exercise, and regular chiropractic care can replicate the conditions of these indigenous cultures and result in a straighter, healthier spine without regular back pain.

If you’re suffering from back pain or any other discomfort in your back, neck or limbs, contact us to find out more!

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May 27 2016

FOCUS: 10 tips to lock in, tune out, and re-energize your concentration

Depositphotos_23614681_s-2015“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” – Socrates

Ask any expert, ultra-successful person, or even professional athlete what the key component to their achievement is, and they will probably mention focus pretty quickly. But too often, people equate focus with effort, and think if they just work harder or TRY more, their focus will improve and help get the results they want. That couldn’t be further from the truth, as having desire and effort without focus is like having a million dollar sail boat – without the sail. So how can we improve and expand our focus, boosting productivity, efficiency, and ultimately helping us achieve what we really want? There are many more strategies and techniques so contact me if you’re serious about achieving your goals, but to get started here are great 10 ways to improve your focus:

  1. Our focus determines our reality,

Positive thinking is not just a self-help mantra – it’s scientific fact. Our thought really do determine our reality, so it’s vital that we focus on the right thoughts that will help us achieve our goals and live healthier lives. It takes practice, but there is no better way to manifest what you want to achieve than setting your focus.

  1. Dwell on solutions, not problems

Too often, our thinking revolves sounds like “I’m overweight – I need to get in shape,” “I need to get a job that pays me better so I’m not always struggling,” or “I wish I could stop smoking.” But do you recognize that all of those thoughts are based around the PROBLEM, not the SOLUTION? Try rephrasing your thoughts when they pop up to solutions and you’ll be amazed the switch that’s flipped in your life.

  1. Take time off to recharge

Just like your physical energy, your focus has limits and needs to be recharged. So make sure to take some down time when you are NOT trying to concentrate. Exercise, meditation, time with family, taking a long walk outdoors, pursuing your hobbies, and even a quick nap are great ways to recharge your focus.

  1. Preparation improves focus

You studied before every test in school and college (I hope!), and preparing adequately to prepare and organize before your workweek, busy day, or even for your quarterly goals will vastly improve your focus when it’s time to execute that plan. It’s estimated that every hour you spend in preparation will actually save you two to three hours in time saved and improved performance through better focus.

  1. Don’t multitask

The human brain evolved to properly focus on one thing at a time, and research studies prove again and again that our performance actually diminished and we’re prone to make far more mistakes when juggling several tasks at the same time.

In fact, the Psychonomic Bulletin and Review showed that only about 2.5% of people are able to effectively multi-task and still function correctly.

  1. Make lists

The average person has so much information swirling around in their head, and is further over stimulated and bombarded by messages all day. No wonder we get stressed out, distracted, and can’t sleep – or focus – properly! The easiest way to solve this is to get organized and start making lists, about what you have to do at work, home, with the family, scheduling, etc. Doing so will free up your mental energy for the task at hand – including sleeping better so you’ll think more clearly in the morning.

  1. Now prioritize

Successful people don’t have less to do than the rest of us. In fact, they are exponentially busier! But they understand how sharpen their focus on what they want to achieve and get more quality work done than any two other people combined. How do they do it? They understand how to make time work for them and concentrate on the most impotent things in their life, prioritizing what requires their full focus.

  1. Find your productive routine

Research shows that the most focused people follow a routine when they’re working or chasing their goals. That might mean scheduling early morning activities, going to the same coffee shop at the same time to work, and even following the same sequence – all of which will help you lock in and concentrate. And remember that a productive routine means taking plenty of breaks to go take a walk, exercise, do some housework, or take a nap. Just be sure to schedule your exact work times so you’ll turn it into a focused sprint, not an open-ended half-speed marathon.

  1. Create an environment that fosters focus

If you want to be laser focused on the task at hand, your routine should include turning off social media, setting auto-responders for email and phone, sitting in a comfortable chair at an uncluttered desk, and even listening to the right kind of music. Research has shown that certain kinds of music actually improve cognitive function and the ability to concentrate and focus. (The Soviets used to have their spies in training listen to classical music while they studied and trained.)

  1. Lock in a crystal clear goal

If achieving your life’s dreams (or just getting through day-to-day life!) is like a race, then think of unfocused people as running as fast as they can but without knowing where the finish line is. You can imagine how a lack of a clear finish line – or specific measurable goal – can negate all other effort and talents. No wonder why most people become exhausted, frustrated, overwhelmed, and stop running the race all together! Setting crystal clear goals with a plan to achieve them that includes actionable, measurable steps is a huge component of locking in your focus and getting what you want!

 

 

 

 

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May 13 2016

Prince’s OD death highlights the need for chiropractic care over prescription painkillers

Screen Shot 2016-05-12 at 12.12.25 PMMusic fans got some crushing news last week that iconic performer Prince had passed away suddenly at his home from a drug-overdose related incident. Early reports are that it wasn’t heroin, cocaine, or alcohol that killed Prince, but prescription painkillers.

In fact, it seems Prince OD’d on Percocet only days before his death, ingesting so much of the painkiller that EMTs had to revive him with a “save shot” at an airport after his plane made an emergency landing.

Percocet, which contains a combination of acetaminophen and the opioid oxycodone, is highly addictive, and Prince wasn’t immune despite all of his wealth, fame, and access to elite medical care. In fact, Prince was a vegan who worked out and took care of his health religiously. But after a hip injury and corrective surgery in 2010, he started taking the prescription painkiller – and got hooked.

Prince’s half-brother-half-sister, and family attorney, among others, have confirmed his Percocet addiction, but stressed that by no means he was a recreational drug user. He became dependent on the highly addictive opioid painkiller to deal with the intense pain in his hips after performing, and then to come down after shows and try to sleep as the medication started to take over his life.

His fall was as devastating and tragic as any addict, as he reportedly was visiting his neighborhood Walgreens up to 4 times a week and visible agitated and unhealthy before his death. The day before he died, his people called a one of the top opioid addiction specialists in the country, seeking emergency help for Prince. But the next day, Prince was found unresponsive on an elevator in his house, and couldn’t be revived after 911 were called.

After working with the local Carver County Sheriff’s Office in Minnesota, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration have opened a formal investigation into his death, in part to determine how Prince got his prescription or non-prescription Percocet, and from whom.

Perhaps they are asking the wrong question, for if they really want to do some good and prevent this from happening again and again, they should be investigating “Why?” instead.

Why are Americans are now filling approximately 260 million prescriptions for opiate painkillers every year?

Why have deaths from prescription opioids more than doubled – to 16,000 every year – in the last decade?

Why have overdose deaths from legal prescription opioids gone up 400 hundred percent since 1999?

Why are deaths from prescription painkillers 250% higher than deaths from illegal drugs like heroin?

Why do more people ages 25 to 64 die from prescription drug overdoses than car accidents?

This is devastating and sad news, not just because it’s Prince that succumbed to a painkiller overdose, but also because it happens so often in our society unnecessarily that it’s not even newsworthy – unless a celebrity is involved.

The most tragic part of this is that chiropractic care could significantly reduce the number of painkiller prescriptions we need, and therefore the prevalence of addiction and overdoses, like in the case of Prince.

Of course there are times when prescription drugs and painkillers are needed, warranted, and the most responsible treatment option, but far too often, they become the first point of treatment – an automatic or default option for doctors and the traditional medical establishment – instead of safer, more natural, and frankly, more lasting and effective care. Unfortunately, doctors are highly incentivized by the pharmaceutical companies and medical establishment to acutely over-prescribe these drugs, abandoning other healthier, more holistic, and natural treatments that better serve patients over the long term.

Treating pain with chiropractic care, whether from migraine headaches, lower back pain, injuries – or in Prince’s case, hip injuries – is particularly effective. Chiropractic realigns your body’s natural balance, allowing it to heal the source of the pain, not just masking the symptoms. Therefore it’s also much safer and than taking prescription painkillers and risking addiction, abuse, and overdose.

***

Come talk to us if you are experiencing any pain or want to understand the benefits of chiropractic care over prescription painkillers for treatment.

 

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Apr 26 2016

Chiropractic can help runners prevent injuries and optimize performance

Depositphotos_46110259_s-2015Are you a runner? No matter if you huff and puff your way through a mile on the treadmill at your local gym or regularly put in big miles to ready yourself for races or marathons, running is one of the most rewarding and beneficial exercises we can do – but can also lead to common injuries.

Why do running injuries occur?

Our bodies are naturally equipped to handle the shock and strain from running, but when our mechanics are out of whack or something is out of alignment, subtle imbalances can lead to overcompensation and eventually, big injuries. Likewise, most running-related injuries are also related to over-stressing our supportive tissues, like muscles, tendons, fasia, and ligaments. Some of us have genetic conditions – like flat feet – that exacerbate injuries, and our sedentary lifestyles sitting at a desk at work make us even more prone to hurt something once we hit the pavement.

The good news is that with a little know-how, smart planning, and practice, we can eliminate the conditions that cause injuries and strength and prepare our bodies to be more resilient.

Tips for preventing running injuries:

Take heed of what your body is telling you. If you are feeling persistent pain, tightness, or a disruption of your gait while running, you may be facing an injury that needs to be addressed, or will be soon as the body overcompensates.

The majority of runners stick to one terrain and surface like roads, trails, treadmill or beach, etc. But it’s important to both rest and strengthen your body by changing up the surface you run on at least a couple times a week.

If you’re running along the beach or on an uneven trail, try to run on the most even part of the terrain as possible – like the sand closest to the beach, and change direction to balance out the uneven strain on one side of your body.

Get tested at a specialty running shoe or athletic store to see what kind of sneaker is best for you based on your type of foot and gait. To avoid wear and tear on shoes that can impact your body and cause injuries, buy two pairs of your favorite shoes and switch them up a couple times a week when you run, just like you’d alternate the tires of your car.

Loosen your hands, fingers, wrists, neck and shoulders as you run. Too often we squeeze them or exert tension unnecessarily, and even a little strain will be magnified throughout the body. Think of holding a potato chip in your hands that you don’t want to break in order to keep them loose.

Maintain good upright posture and concentrate on an even, fluid proper running form as you stride.

It’s probably not just running that contributes to injuries, but how you’re sitting the rest of the day. If you have an office job, sit at a desk or drive long hours, the muscles in one side of your body may lengthen while the other side may shorten, and that causes tightness, which your body then will compensate for once you start taking strides. Focus on correct and even posture at work, get up and walk around, vary the way you sit, make sure you’re not leaning into your computer or bowing your back, and do some simple stretches or loosening exercises throughout the day. You could even try sitting on a stability ball, which will help you strengthen your abdominal muscles and core.

Over-training or trying to increase mileage or speed too quickly is a huge reason why runners get injuries. As a rule of thumb, only add a 5-10% increase in distance every week, or less if you’re just starting out or not running daily. Time yourself and try to beat your time by small increments only so you don’t feel the urge to start sprinting or running too fast, which will cause an unnatural stride that your body isn’t yet equipped to handle.

If you do encounter nagging pain, minor injuries or discomfort from running, remember the RICE principal – Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate.

Warming up and stretching:

One of the worst things a runner – or any athlete – can do is to go through their regular workout without warming up properly first or stretching throughout or afterwards. Failing to do so puts a tremendous strain on the muscles, ligaments, joints, and tendons, and may be the leading cause of injury.

Here are some tips on proper warm-ups for runners:

-Make sure to warm up the hips and spine, moving them in big circular and rotary patterns. You should also do dynamic movements to warm up the glute medius – or outer muscles of your buttocks – which will help keep your pelvis stable as you run.

Warm up for about two minutes, doing 10 reps of each of these exercises from a standing position, making sure to reverse direction and use both legs and arms.

Diagonal leg swings

Hip gyros

Side lunges

Pelvic rocks or swings

Thoratic twists

Of course runners focus on warming up the feet, legs, buttocks, back, and pelvis area, but don’t forget to take time to loosen the shoulders, arms, back and especially your neck.

You might be tempted to start stretching before you go for a run, but you never want to do that. Stretching “cold” actually de-activates the very muscles you’ll be using to propel you forward during you run, increasing the risk of injury.

But you should ALWAYS stretch after a run. The good news is that it doesn’t need to be the moment you stop running, but feel free to stretch any time within an hour or so after your run, or throughout the rest of your day.

You’ll want to stretch:

Hamstrings

Calves

Quadriceps

Hip flexors

Quadratus lumborum

Piriformis and low back

Stretch for about 30 seconds on each side for each movement, without bouncing. You should feel some discomfort but stop if you feel pain.

If you send me an email I’ll be happy to explain these stretches and recommend a warm-up and stretching routine that’s great for runners.

Common running injuries:

The most common running-related injuries include:

Foot and lower leg injuries

Plantar fasciitis and other foot problems

Achilles tendonitis

IT Band Syndrome

Patella (knee) tracking problems

Runner’s knee (Patella Femoral Pain Syndrome)

Hip bursitis.

Shin splints

Hip injuries

Spine injuries

Stress fractures

Strengthen your core and other training:

Too often, runners put in scores of miles every week but neglect to work and strengthen their whole bodies. While the legs, feet, and back may take most of the pounding when you’re out there running, it’s crucial that you strengthen the muscles that stabilize the body, especially your core and pelvic musculature to prevent injury.

Make sure you balance out your training schedule with core stability and strength training exercises on a regular basis. By cross training and using yoga, pilates, swimming, biking, weight training, mobility work and other core-centric exercises, you’ll help your body absorb the rigors of running, stay injury free and increase performance.

How chiropractic helps runners prevent injury and improve performance:

Chiropractic care will help the body move efficiently, easing the stress and strain of impact from running and relieving any blockages, imbalances, or misalignments that occur. With those out of the way, the body can return to its normal optimal function allowing it to heal, strengthen, and grow as intended.

Chiropractic will also help you fend off pesky injuries by identifying and alleviating muscle imbalances, joint restrictions and other issues associated with the wear and tear of running, so you’ll be able to stay out of the MD’s office and out there running instead, where you belong!

 

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Casazza Chiropractic
2716 V Street, Sacramento CA 95818
Office: (916) 447-2200 – Fax (916) 447-7930
Email Dr. Casazza: doctorlance@hotmail.com

Hours
Mon. 8-1 and 3-5;
Tues.-Thurs. 8-1  and 3-6;
Fri. 8-1 and 3-5; Sat. 8-12

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