Tingling Numb Fingers

The following post Tingling Numb Fingers is republished from www.americanchiropractors.org

Do you ever wake up with tingling numb fingers? I certainly have had a problem with this at times. Tingling numb fingers are one of the most common complaints in my office. Fingers that are tingling and numb can be cause by multiple different problems.

Diagnosing the Problem
The first step when someone visits my Plymouth chiropractic clinic with tingling numb fingers is taking a detailed history. My questions revolve around investigating which fingers are numb and tingling. Different nerves affect different fingers. Each nerve that supplies your hand takes a distinct path. Your radial, ulnar and median nerves can all be caught in different places. Each nerves will cause different symptoms. A quick google search will provide you with many interesting diagrams detailing the nerve pathways throughout your upper body: https://www.pinterest.com/explore/axillary-nerve/?lp=true

Once someone explains their problem in a detailed way, I can determine the potential problem areas. Nerves can be caught as they run through your spine. Nerves can be entrapped as they run down your arm. They can become entrapped through your cubital or carpal tunnel. If you have tingling in your hand, pay attention to which fingers are tingling and numb. Also, pay attention to where in your arm you feel the symptoms.

Developing a Treatment Plan
After we gather all the information, I can work with my patient to develop a treatment plan. Depending on which nerve is entrapped the treatment is different. On some of my patients we need to do deep muscle work to make all the tissues in the arms glide better. Some people need to make changes in how they sleep; perhaps not falling asleep with their elbows bent or their neck scrunched up. Some people need their necks adjusted and others their wrists bones.

The bottom line is that you can’t resolve your tingling numb fingers on your own. If this problem affects you, please see a highly recommended chiropractor to help resolve your problem. I am always happy to help you at my Plymouth chiropractic office if you call me. 763-553-0387 www.activefamilychiropractic.com

The post Tingling Numb Fingers appeared first on Active Family Chiropractic Blog.

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/tingling-numb-fingers/

Lower Back Pain from Sitting

The blog post Lower Back Pain from Sitting Read more on: www.americanchiropractors.org

Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints that chiropractors address. Lower back pain from sitting seems inescapable in our tech driven world. There are however plenty of ways to combat it. Common sense goes a long way in improving your lot and there are a lot of tools that will improve your life and your spinal health.

The first thing you can do is free.  Keep a bottle of water at your desk and drink; a lot. Nature’s call will force you get up from your desk regularly AND you will stay hydrated. Making sure you get up and take a small walk around the building every hour is a great way to make sure you prevent lower back pain from sitting.

Exercise is also an important tool to combat lower back pain. Strengthening your core keeps your body more stable and resistant to injury. Here is a video that I made with basic core exercises: https://youtu.be/bUWDEvZxj9Y While it’s clear I will never star in Hollywood, doing these regularly will go a long way in strengthening your body.

If you really want to avoid lower back pain from sitting, the obvious answer is don’t sit. Does that mean I think standing desks are the perfect cure? No. Standing desks come with their own challenges. The key to avoiding lower back pain is varying your position frequently. If you have a standing desk, get a thick mat to stand on and go back and forth between sitting and standing frequently throughout the day.

One of the best things you can do to relieve the damage that comes to your lower back from sitting is to get adjusted by a chiropractor regularly.  A weekly adjustment is the best insurance policy you can buy to combat the long term effects of sitting. It will help your nervous system work properly to fire your muscles in patterns that your nerves are meant to fire and activate. It will also help knock the “fuzz” out that builds within your fascia and winds everything up into muscular patterns that cause compensation and pain over time.

At Active Family Chiropractic, we are always here to help. Conveniently located in Plymouth, we are just a quick phone call away.

The post Lower Back Pain from Sitting appeared first on Active Family Chiropractic Blog.

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/lower-back-pain-from-sitting/

Relieving Headache Pain

The following post Relieving Headache Pain is available on ACC Blog

What causes headache pain?

Patients commonly visit chiropractors for help relieving headache pain caused by tension headaches and migraine headaches.  What is the difference?  Tension headaches start in your neck and refer to your temples, your jaw, what we refer to as the “hat band” (the area of your head a hat band touches). Even tension headaches can pound like crazy and cause excruciating pain. This type of headache respond very well to chiropractic care.

Many people think that because a headache is severe, it must be a migraine.  Not so.  Migraines are special headaches with neurological components, vascular components or both.  People who get migraines can frequently have one without having a headache.  Some get nauseous and vomit, some see weird spots that float in the visual field and some people develop speech problems.  Severe migraines can even mimic strokes. Depending on the type of migraine, what triggers it and how severe it is, I have found true traditional migraines frequently but not always respond to chiropractic care.

Why does chiropractic help relieve headache pain?

Chiropractic help relieve the pain of a headache by gently improving the alignment of the spine and natural curve in the neck. Chiropractic encourages the bones of the spine to move better.  When those two things happen, the nerves that come out of the spine and control your muscles fire differently. Normal muscle tone can then return. If your muscles were spasming before an adjustment, they should start to relax after we are done.  Spasms in muscles refer pain to your head. When that happens, it is called a trigger point.  The trigger point is a knot in your muscles that refers pain to other places. Trigger points can happen all over your body.  Most commonly, tension headache pain is caused by trigger points in the neck, upper back and shoulders.

What do you look for when finding a chiropractor to treat your headache pain?

First, look for someone through a referral or by reading online reviews.  You can get a sense of who the doctor at the clinic is from what patients write.  Second, look for someone with experience.  While everyone is new at some point, leave the care of your neck in the hands of an expert. Third, look for someone who is honest and upfront about fees and who is not promising quick fixes.  Healing takes time.  Focus on finding a clinic who provides wellness chiropractic care. If there is a florescent neon sign in the window that says “auto accidents come here”, you are NOT in the right place.

Is our office Active Family Chiropractic the right place for you?

With nearly 18 years of experience I offer personalized and individualized care based on what you need.  I don’t push my patients into giant, expensive care plans that they don’t want to do.  It’s my feeling that if you like what I do, you will be back.  Our doctor – patient relationships are based on trust and authenticity. After this long in my Plymouth practice, many of the kids I used to adjust have families of their own and bring them too.

You are always welcome to call and talk to me about the problem you are experiencing. If I can help you, I will tell you that on the phone. If I can’t, I will figure out who can.

The post Relieving Headache Pain appeared first on Active Family Chiropractic Blog.

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/relieving-headache-pain/

Neck Exercises to Relieve Neck and Upper Back Pain

Neck Exercises to Relieve Neck and Upper Back Pain is courtesy of AmericanChiropractors

I recently made this video for a patient. She was having some pinching in her upper back and shoulder blade area. She’s been adjusted twice this week. The adjustments are slowly improving things her pain. While the time for my Hollywood film career is long past, hopefully the exercises in this video will help her and you. These exercises are designed to support chiropractic care. The exercises will not replace a quality skilled adjustment.

Here is today’s feature film:
https://youtu.be/5SliT_91QZY

If you have any questions on how to relieve your neck pain, or you are looking for a chiropractor, I would love to have you as a patient. You can reach me at 763-553-0387 or email me at drlorigoodsell@gmail.com

The post Neck Exercises to Relieve Neck and Upper Back Pain appeared first on Active Family Chiropractic Blog.

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/neck-exercises-to-relieve-neck-and-upper-back-pain/

Do most doctors practice like me?

The blog post Do most doctors practice like me? was first seen on American Chiropractors Blog

I believe that healthcare today has evolved into requiring a patient to have to choose between far more options of healthcare specialties and physicians to accomplish the simplest of healthcare needs.

In determining which type of healthcare professional to see and which actual physician to choose from within a particular health profession, the top priority must be to establish the most effective treatment for the fees being charged (essentially choosing the option that provides the most bang for the buck) when a patient is choosing a health care professional.  This concept should also be kept in mind when a healthcare professional knows there is a more cost effective way to treat a specific health condition for a patient that comes to them for treatment, yet does not reccomend it in order to personally gain from eliminating other options.

Ultimately, we are talking about a lot of money being spent in healthcare that a patient is paying out of pocket for and/or an insurance company or employer is paying for its employees.  Unfortunately, the majority of healthcare facilities and professionals will not step up to tell patients that their is a more effective way to treat their health condition other than their recommendation of services when a patient presents themselves to such facilities and doctors. 

As a practicing doctor of chiropractic for over ten years, I have heard countless of stories of patients who have been given recommended plans of care involving exaggerated procedures and frequency of visits that cost ridiculous amounts of money and produce little to no results.  What may be surprising to the general public is that these unethical recommendations are not just coming from other chiropractors, but from most pain management clinics and physical therapists along with certain MDs as well. 

The point I am making here is that not all chiropractors, physical therapists,  MDs, psychologists, and dentists are the same in the recommendations they give their patients when they come through the doors of their facilities'. It is important to note that all these specialists and primary care providers within our health care system are specifically educated, trained, and board certified experts in their specialties of healthcare; yet they are human beings that have different morals, lifestyles, motivations, and philosophies in their personal lives as well as their professional careers.  For example, no one physical therapist has the exact same procedures and way of communicating to their patients as another physical therapist.  To stereo-type an entire profession for being the same way, giving the same recommendations, and creating the same results is ignorant and results in patients having a limited scope of healthcare options and produces inefficient healthcare results.

My name is Dr. JJ Anthonijs.  I am the owner and practicing chiropractor at Complete Family Healthcare in Alpharetta, GA.  I am a board certified doctor of chiropractic that has been practicing for over ten years seeing hundreds of patients per week.  The volume of patient evaluations, Xrays, treatments, and outcomes involving every type of demographic from babies to centurions that I've been responsible for treating in this action-packed ten year career of mine thus far has given me a one of a kind experience level.  The kind of experience level to confidently diagnose, treat, and recommend my services or refer patients to the appropriate healthcare professional if need be in the most cost-effective and time efficient way.  Under my care, you receive results immediately within 2 visits if your examination reveals that your condition is most likely to be most effectively treated through chiropractic care.  If by the 3rd visit, you do not receive full relief or at least a respectable amount of improvement in regards to your condition, then you should not continue care with me and I will tell my patients that on their third visit if that ever happens.  When a patient is satisfied with the results they have received from my chiropractic care after 2 visits, we sit down and decide together what the most appropriate frequency of care should be going forward for them.  My recommendations for my patients are provided on a week to week basis with the majority of my patients deciding for themselves when they should receive treatment.  I do not do treatment recommendations of longer than two weeks as I feel a patient's condition should change enough within a two week period that my recommendations would not be accurate past two weeks time.

Does your doctor practice like me? Are you surprised to hear of a chiropractor that practices this way? I assure you that I am not the only one, but there are not many like me out there.  As the owner and practicing chiropractor within my business, your results are directly related to my success and I strive to be the most cost-effective healthcare provider I can be for my patients.  My success in business comes from referrals which are given to me when I produce the results people are satisfied with. You will not see me advertising and selling things that other chiropractors in the area do because I am too busy seeing patients and producing results for my patients and the people that they refer to me every day to even do anything else...and isn't that the type of doctor you want to be a patient of?

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/do-most-doctors-practice-like-me/

Back Pain from Gardening

The following post Back Pain from Gardening Read more on: ACC Blog

This time of year, my every Monday is filled with patients with back pain from gardening and yard work. In Minnesota, where summer is slow to arrive, this is the season for gardening. It’s also the season for back pain. If you’ve been sitting on the couch all winter long waiting for a warm up, now isn’t the time to start doing 12 hours of manual labor a day.

We are all tempted when we look outside just to get ‘er done. If you over do the gardening, I can assure you, you will have back pain. To avoid back pain from gardening, I recommend several simple tips.

1) Break your job out into 30 minute chunks. Then take a break. A 5 hour marathon weekend session is going to hurt.

2) My neighbors will tell you that I have hired nearly every kid in the neighborhood to help me with gardening. Despite what people think about kids; many of them love working, making money and helping people. My eleven year old neighbor took two car fulls of huge rocks and made a border for me last month. He was happy with the $8 an hour I paid him and it only took him four hours. My back didn’t hurt for two weeks like the last time I did something stupid. The best part about it was getting an opportunity to bond with my neighbor kid.

3) Vary your tasks, two hours bent over at the waist pulling tall weeds, is predictably going to be a problem. Change it up. Do some squatting, digging, bending, pulling so that you vary your tasks.

4) When you finish, don’t go flop on the couch in a heap of exhaustion. Take the dog on a short walk. It will help you activate your muscles again and loosen up.

If you follow these tips and remember to stretch afterwards, you will avoid a lot of the back pain from gardening that is common in the spring. I always end with this: if you hurt, call my Plymouth Chiropractic Office. I can help you.

The post Back Pain from Gardening appeared first on Active Family Chiropractic Blog.

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/back-pain-from-gardening/

Does your doctor care really about you or how you pay for their services?

The article Does your doctor care really about you or how you pay for their services? was originally published to AmericanChiro

This week, I have had a lot of conversations with patients about how they were treated by their previous doctors, physical therapy clinics, or pain management centers that they have encountered in the past.  It amazes me how common it is for doctors to not even flinch at stopping treatment or services for patients just because their insurance benefits change, or become exhausted.  It's as if the patient's condition and need for the doctor's services doesn't matter and when the time comes each year that a patient's insurance no longer pays for services, they are just supposed to stop treatment all together until next year when they magically achieve medical necessity again.  This is not how we do things at Complete Family Healthcare.

As an in network provider for every heath insurance in GA, I make sure that I do all I can to provide multiple affordable options for patients to utilize my services whether insurance covers care or not.  More importantly, I explain and plan out the most cost effective and successful course of care with patients so they are able to incorporate my services effectively into their lifestyles without inconsistent interruptions due to insurance limitations or financial restraints. 

So what I am trying to say is that I care about my patients and try to be straight forward by clearly explaining how much things will cost to get the most out of their chiropractic care regardless of how big or small their budgets are or how great or how poor their insurance benefits are...AND I ENCOURAGE THEM TO PAY PER VISIT NOT IN LARGE PRE-PAYMENT PROGRAMS SO THEY SEE THE VALUE OF THEIR CARE EACH AND EVERY VISIT.  Another words, I actually care about my patients and want to see them get the most out of what I have to offer rather than me getting paid the most money from each and every one of them...

It is truly amazing how common it is to see this type of inconsistent recommendations by doctors to their patients throughout healthcare centers today.  I think it is important for patients to be educated about this trend and to ask your doctor/nurse/therapist to their face, "Are you providing recommendations to me based off of how well you are going to be paid, or are you providing recommendations to me so that I achieve optimal success now and into the future?"

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/does-your-doctor-care-really-about-you-or-how-you-pay-for-their-services/

Back Pain from Computer Work

The following article Back Pain from Computer Work See more on: http://americanchiropractors.org/

Experiencing back pain from computer work is an all too common complaint. Every day I see patients with back pain due to working on a laptop, tapping away on a keyboard or text neck from near constant device use.

Self Help:
While back pain from computer work isn’t going away anytime soon, its effect on your life can be mitigated. An ergonomics assessment is the number one thing you can do to eliminate pain. Check to see if you are reaching your elbow past 90 degress to get to your keyboard or mouse. If you find that you are leaning forward in your chair towards your screen by the end of the day, that needs to change. Having an adjustable chair and desk is critical to you feeling better. Make sure the arms of the chair are allowing you to rest your arms while working.

Another thing I strongly encourage my patients to do is to take an exercise break in the middle of their day. If fitness is your priority, the best time to do it is in the middle of the day. This will get you out of that seated posture that is hurting your back and neck. If fitness isn’t your priority, you need to examine your priorities. Bodies aren’t designed for constant sitting.

Getting the help you need:
Often to sit up straighter, your muscle activation patterns have to change. To do that, you need good joint function throughout your spine. Your nervous system has to activate your muscles properly so they don’t spasm or go flaccid when your spine needs support.

Chiropractic adjustments help your spine move better so that there is less tension on your nervous system. When that happens, you will experience less fatigue and back pain from computer work. That is because it allows you to sit up with better posture for longer periods of time without fatiguing.

Contact my office today if you would like your ergonomic questions answered. I am always available to answer your questions by phone 763-553-0387

The post Back Pain from Computer Work appeared first on Active Family Chiropractic Blog.

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/back-pain-from-computer-work/

Family Day at Complete Family Healthcare

The post Family Day at Complete Family Healthcare is courtesy of http://americanchiropractors.org/

This Saturday from 9-12 is FAMILY DAY at Complete Family Healthcare where I, Dr. JJ, will be seeing patients including many families.  Family Day started out as a one time event idea that has really taken off to become a 1x/mo event at our office.  I do not know of any other clinics in the area that set up their fee structure like this so that people are able to bring in their entire families for a capped fee of $75 during this one Saturday each month.  It definitely pushes my limits as to the amount of people I can see in a 3 hour shift and with the discounted fees some people choose to wait until Saturday vs. during the week to save money to come to family day, but when it is all done I really feel like I am helping people for the right reasons.  With family day, all insurance benefits and rules are thrown out the window and its about helping people and creating value for them and their families that they notice for a month at a time.  Call 770-772-3500 or email us through the website for more information...

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/family-day-at-complete-family-healthcare/

Questions about Acupuncture

The following blog post Questions about Acupuncture was first published on http://www.americanchiropractors.org/

I am often asked questions about acupuncture. To get you the best and most accurate answers to your questions about acupuncture, I turned to Ashley Robillard at Firefly Acupuncture. Ashley is an acupuncturist right here in Plymouth and I have seen her myself.

Here is what she had to say about acupuncture:

There are a couple of questions that come up frequently when I tell people I am an acupuncturist. Often times people know that acupuncture is a natural therapy that includes needles. And they typically know somebody who has tried it, but has never met an acupuncturist before. So naturally, they are curious about a few things.

“Oh is that when you stab people with needles!? I hate needles!”

Agh! I do not want people associating a stabbing with what I do! Acupuncture needles are very fine, flexible, sterile and disposable. Each needle is used only one time and barely felt with insertion. Once the needles are inserted, the patient will rest for about 30 minutes and many times are sound asleep when I return to the room.

“I know somebody who had acupuncture for headaches, do you treat headaches?”

Yes! But there is so much more than just treating a headache (or back pain, or stomach pains, or joint pain). Why do you have this pain? What is the underlying cause? I will treat the symptom of the moment to give relief, but I will also ask many questions to get to the root of the problem. Then I will tailor the treatment specifically to you. We will go through your daily routine to notice triggers, look at your diet and find patterns that could be contributing to your pain. I will place needles in specific points that either tonify the deficiencies in your system or reduce the stagnation, or many times both! It is all about balance.

Many people think acupuncture is only about pain relief. But it is so much more than that. It is about bringing your system back into balance. Life is hard and exhausting and many of us do not stop to take care of ourselves, or to just breathe. Yes acupuncture helps with pain, but it also helps create a more restful sleep pattern, it helps balance mood swings and boost metabolism. When all systems in the body are regulated, the pain will decrease significantly.

“Do you like what you do?”

I can’t even explain how happy my job makes me. I absolutely love working one on one with people, hearing their stories and finding a way to make their life better. To see a patient walk out of the office relaxed and pain free when it was a struggle to walk in. To ask about a lifelong symptom and have the patient realize that it is no longer a concern. To have a woman struggling for months or years with fertility tell me she is pregnant. I am so thankful to be part of each journey.

If you have concerns that you would like to address with Ashley, she is right here in Plymouth. She also does acupuncture facials. I’ll let her explain that one to you herself. You can reach her at Ashley Robillard, L.Ac. Firefly Acupuncture
www.fireflyacu.com 763-300-1399

The post Questions about Acupuncture appeared first on Active Family Chiropractic Blog.

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/questions-about-acupuncture/

Should you see a chiropractor when you are pregnant?

Should you see a chiropractor when you are pregnant? is courtesy of www.americanchiropractors.org

During pregnancy, a woman's center of gravity shifts forward to the front of her pelvis. This additional weight in front, causes stress to the joints of the pelvis and low back. As the baby grows in size, the added weight causes the curvature of her lower back to increase, placing extra stress on the fragile facet joints on the back side of the spine. Any pre-existing problems in a woman's spine tend to be exacerbated as the spine and pelvis become overtaxed, often leading to pain and difficulty performing normal daily activities.

Studies have found that about half of all expectant mothers develop low-back pain at some point during their pregnancies. This is especially true during the third trimester when the baby's body gains the most weight. Chiropractic care throughout pregnancy can relieve and even prevent the pain and discomfort frequently experienced in pregnancy, and creates an environment for an easier, safer delivery. It is one safe and effective way to help the spine and pelvis cope with the rapid increase in physical stress by restoring a state of balance. In fact, most women have found that chiropractic care helped them avoid the use of pain medications during their pregnancy, and studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments help to reduce time in labor. Your  chiropractor should be your partner for a healthy pregnancy. They can provide adjustments, as well as offer nutritional, ergonomic and exercise advice to help address your special needs.

Chiropractic tips for pregnant women:

Be sure to get adjusted regularly. Chiropractic care is important to help maintain a healthy skeletal structure and nervous system function throughout a pregnancy and childbirth.

Do some gentle exercise each day. Walking, swimming, or stationary cycling are relatively safe cardiovascular exercises for pregnant women. Avoid any activities that involve jerking or bouncing movements. Stop exercise immediately if you notice any unusual symptom, such as nausea, dizziness or weakness.

Wear flat shoes with arch supports. Your feet become more susceptible to injury during pregnancy, partially due to a rapidly increasing body weight, but also because the ligaments that support the feet become more lax.

When picking up children, bend from the knees, not the waist. Your low back is much more prone to injury during pregnancy.

When sleeping, lay on your side with a pillow between your knees to take pressure off your lower back. Full-length "body pillows" or "pregnancy wedges" are very popular and can be helpful.

Eat several small meals or snacks every few hours, rather than three large meals per day. This will help alleviate nausea, stabilize blood sugar and allow your body to extract the maximum amount of nutrients from the foods that you eat.

Take a prenatal vitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid every day; 800 micrograms is even better. Folic acid has been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of neural tube defects in a developing fetus. Be sure to check with your doctor before taking any vitamin or herbal supplement to make sure it's safe for you and the baby.

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/should-you-see-a-chiropractor-when-you-are-pregnant/

Know your farmer, know your food!

The article Know your farmer, know your food! was originally published on http://americanchiropractors.org

One little known fact about me; I was a vegetarian for six years. It wasn’t a health kick, I simply read a book about food that grossed me out. The book was called, Diet for a New America, written by the Baskin Robbins heir, John Robbins. He walked away from his family’s food empire and inheritance because he didn’t like how the animals were processed and raised. Specifically, he was disgusted by the hormones and drugs used in dairy production.

Many years later, I am back to eating meat. I am now incredibly picky about the source of my meat. I will happily spend an extra few dollars a month to insure that Mad Scientist practices aren’t used on my food and that the animal isn’t tormented while it is living. I was recently turned on to Hilltop Pastures Family Farm. Last summer, I would drive down to the midtown farmers market just to stock my freezer. Last month, as I was running low on meat that I had purchased at the fall farmers market, I realized they delivered twice a month to the Ridgedale Target. How nice to not have to leave the Plymouth or Minnetonka area! What I like about Hilltop Pastures Farm is knowing the animals that I eat were humanely treated and humanely butchered. They were raised with regular farming practices that I grew up with, not within disgusting factory farms.

Humanely Raised

I asked Sarah, the farmer, how her animals are raised and this is how she answered:

“We are a truly small-scale family farm where all of our animals are raised sustainably and organically. All of our animals are raised in the open air, sunshine, and on grass. Farming practices such as these utilize the natural symbiotic relationships between the different species. On our pasture-based farm, cattle, lambs, and goats (ruminant animals) are solely grass-fed and finished. They receive no grain at all. Our chickens, laying hens, turkeys, and pigs are also raised on pasture in addition to receiving a non-GMO grain. This is because they are a non-ruminant animal. Our animals receive no antibiotics or growth hormones, ever! We offer genuine, true farming practices that heal the land and soil and keep our animals and family healthy. We use organic principles when raising all of our animals. The multi species farming practices that we use versus single species is good for the land and the animals. All animals move around on the farm so that they are always receiving fresh grass and its wonderful nutrients. Our animals don’t just have access to the grass, they are on the grass, always. All the animals follow the cows on the farm. The hens are the last to follow so they can scratch at the manure piles. That break up the larva cycle sanitizing the pasture. The hens love the fresh grass and bugs that they find out there.”

Is it just labeling?
As a consumer, one of my big concerns when shopping for groceries is whether I am paying more for pretty advertising, or am I paying for sound farming practices? Finding Hilltop Pastures Farms solved this for me. Since I know my farmer, I know that the money isn’t spent on packaging. It doesn’t have fancy graphics, and it doesn’t have buzzwords. When I asked Sarah about this, she had a lot to say about advertising and farming practices of the fancy big box groceries.

“Our mission statement is: Know Your Farmer Know Your Food. I know in this day and age, life is chaotic and busy. We look for the most efficient ways to get things done. We definitely shouldn’t do that with our health. I know it takes time to research and find good food, but it is so worth it! We aren’t a factory farm pushing out animals every day to keep up with the profit margins. We are small scale. Animals are raised with care and attention. They are allowed to grow at the rate needed for their health and well-being. We are face to face marketing with our customers. We truly feel that you need to know who is growing your food in order to know for sure that it is raised right.

Our mantra is that as consumers we shouldn’t just put our faith in a label! A label on a fancy package in the grocery store doesn’t necessarily mean that the source of that meat was truly being raised in a healthy pasture based system! Eggs and chickens are often “labeled” as free-range, organic, cage-free, vegetarian or any of the other buzz words. The reality is that the chickens are often raised in massive barns with only a small access door to a little area outside that hasn’t seen a blade of grass in years! Chickens eat bugs! They love them! So they are not naturally vegetarians… Beef labeled as Grass-fed is often raised in large feed lots that finish the animals on grain or other high gaining rations. The animal is only exposed to pasture for a few months of its life so it’s allowed to be “labeled” as grass-fed. You get the point, labels are deceptive. The big boys in the food industry are seeing the food revolution happening. They don’t want to give up any of their profits. They are buying organic companies and heavily influencing labeling and production models. Bottom line is if you really want to know how your food was raised you must KNOW YOUR FARMER.”

If you are interested in ordering meat from Hilltop Pastures Family Farms, check out their website Hill I love their brats and bacon. Let them know I sent you.

The post Know your farmer, know your food! appeared first on Active Family Chiropractic Blog.

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/know-your-farmer-know-your-food/

20 Tips for a Healthy Spine was first published to www.americanchiropractors.org

20 TIPS FOR A HEALTHY SPINE

Keeping your spine healthy is a great way to keep the rest of your body healthy, too. Back pain is difficult to overlook; after all, we’re talking about the core of our bodies, and every move we make – including breathing – can be felt in our back. Movements are magnified when we’re living with pinched nerves, sore muscles, spine misalignment, pain from an auto injury, or chronic illnesses.

Issue 1: Use the Mattress That’s Right for You

If you don’t feel good before you even get out of bed in the morning, chances are you’ll lack energy and suffer aches and pains the whole day through. Although there are many ways to improve your well-being, a great starting point is getting a restful night’s sleep – consistently – and that starts with the right mattress giving you proper back support.

It could be easy to feel overwhelmed by the myriad of ads on TV and the radio, plus all of the mattress brands and their different lines. Fortunately, there are excellent resources you can take advantage of to help you pick not only a consumer or doctor recommended mattress, but the one that’s actually the right fit for you!

The key to choosing the right mattress isn’t merely to listen to what everybody else is telling you, though. You wouldn’t buy a pair of jeans just because they looked good on somebody else, right? You’d try them on first. That’s right; you have to test each mattress out for yourself. And just like finding the right pair of jeans, you can’t simply put on a pair that feels comfortable – you have to move around in them for a while to see if they’re truly the right fit. Now, some of you may feel socially uncomfortable with the prospect of “trying on” a mattress, but the stores expect and encourage it, and it certainly beats the discomfort of sleeping with the wrong mattress night after night.

When you go shopping for that new perfect-for-you mattress, plan on spending some time in the store. Once you locate a mattress you’d like to try out, lay flat on your back and spend at least 10 minutes in this position. Then lay on each side, on your stomach, or in any other position combination in which you prefer to sleep, spending at least 10 minutes in each position. Take notice, too, that what may be comfortable at first may not be offering the proper support for your spine in each sleeping position. Although the call of a soft, plush mattress may be appealing and comfortable to lie down on for a small period of time, many doctors recommend a mattress on the firm side because they offer support to keep your spine in alignment. Of course, you want your mattress to give a little, with a balance of hugging and supporting not just your spine, but the rest of your body’s curves – whether you’re a side-sleeper needing to keep your spine straight or sleeping on your back and looking for your mattress to allow for natural curvature. A medium-firm mattress or a firm mattress with added padding better adapts to the natural curvatures in the spine.

"The spine is not a straight line, and padding or a moderately firm mattress 'gives' better to the concavities and convexities of the spine,” George McClelland, DC, spokesman for the American Chiropractic Association told WebMD in 2003. “Traditionally, what we have recommended is that a moderately-firm works best, or when using a firm mattress, you should add a 1½- to 2-inch thick padding on top of it."

Consumer Reports Magazine recently concluded their first-ever mattress study. Testing 12 mattresses by various means to show how each stood up to daily use, conformed to weight and curvature of different body types, adjusted temperature, and best supported the spine in different sleeping positions, they put together a list of the top three mattresses in both Innerspring and Memory Foam categories.

The Top Innerspring (or coil mattress) is the Simmons Beautyrest Glover Park Firm Pillowtop while the Top Memory Foam is the Tempur-Pedic Tempur Simplicity.

“Mattresses should allow for natural curvature when you’re lying on your back,” said Bob Markovich, Consumer Reports Home & Yard Editor on CBS News. “But side sleepers need the spine to stay straight, and these top two provide both.”

Here are the other top four mattresses:

• Serta Perfect Sleeper Elite Pastel Firm Pillowtop (#2 Innerspring)
• Novafoam Memory Foam Collection Serafina (#2 Memory Foam)
• Stearns & Foster Lois Luxury Firm (#3 Innerspring)
• Sealy Embody Insightful (#3 Memory Foam)

Of course, a great night’s sleep isn’t only good for your back, but for your overall health. Lack of sleep increases your risk of stroke, can make you add larger portions to your plate, and even negatively affect your memory.

And while many mattresses have tag lines and words that would lead you to believe they’ll feel a certain way, remember that you really must try them out for yourself as the descriptions used to label a mattress' firmness vary from maker to maker (what is “firm” to one may be “plush mediumfirm” to another). Also, speak with your chiropractor for personalized recommendations regarding your spine before you head to the store to make the experience even more productive.

Dont worry that the top recommended mattresses will save your back but break the bank;these mattresses are wallet-friendly to begin with and its recommended that you change yourmattress only every seven to ten years, making the initial cost even less daunting.If youve done your hands-on or, in this case, back-on research properly,

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/20-tips-for-a-healthy-spine/

WHO NEEDS CHIROPRACtIC CARE?

The following post WHO NEEDS CHIROPRACtIC CARE? is courtesy of ACC Blog

SO WHO NEEDS CHIROPRACTIC CARE?    

The babies / the children / the athletes / the pregnantwomen (for them and their child) / the hard workingstressed out man or woman / the car accident
victims / the elderly... as these people all experiencephysical, chemical, and / or emotional stress from thebirth process itself and throughout life.

The average American spend 6-8 hours per day sitting at a desk/in a car/on an airplane. Chiropractic care is the mod cost-effective, logical, healthcare option for these people to relieve symptoms and/or prevent future problems.

WE ARE A FAMILY CLINIC,WHICH MEANS I MAKE IT EASYFOR FAMILIES TO BE HEALTHY TOGETHER!

Why leave a loved one at home (or even sitting in thewaiting room) suffering from subluxations while you areenjoying the benefits of being subluxation free? ...Whenyou bring your husband / wife and / or children to theclinic, Dr. JJ will not charge to have your family memberschecked for subluxation. We just ask that you scheduleextra time during your appointment when you want todo this so that other paying patients are not waitingwhile Dr. JJ provides this free service to your family. (ByLaw, Medicare patients do not qualify for this offer) 

Whether you need symptom RELIEF or you are seeking WELLNESS and preventative care, give us a call and let us customize a program for you.

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/who-needs-chiropractic-care/

Pilates is the perfect exercise for your back

Pilates is the perfect exercise for your back Find more on: AmericanChiropractors

Why is Pilates the perfect exercise for your back? It is an exercise system specifically designed to strengthen your deep internal stabilizers, especially your spine. After years of working out at thebig gym, I’ve seen all types of dangerous exercises performed on the main floor to “strengthen” someone’s back or neck. I have all I can do to not walk up to them with a business card since they are going to need me at some point.

The scariest things I see are individuals with poor posture performing weight training exercises. If it’s at the gym, it doesn’t mean it’s safe. Individuals pulling their leg to their head in an attempt to “stretch” their hamstrings; and people who complain in my office about back pain but never change their exercise routine – still doing yoga and weights but never feeling better… Even worse, all the money spent at Orthopedic and PT clinics when learning how to use your body correctly is the key. It’s PreHab – Not Rehab. There are better ways.

I highly recommend Deb Dodge at The Pilates Advantage in Medina, MN. I have been referring her clients for quite some time and she and her competent staff are great at developing strengthening programs that work for each person. Her instructors are Pilates Method Alliance certified and this is important in the Pilates field of exercise.

Pilates isn’t going to make you sweat like crazy or build your cardio endurance. It is going to build the muscles that keep your body safe as it moves. While I don’t feel like I have earned a big cheeseburger after my workout, I do feel like it is the most important hour I spend each week. When I leave it as if all my joints have been lubricated.

Again, if you are looking for a knowledgeable, helpful and convenient Pilates studio, call Pilates Advantage. They will get you on the right track for feeling good!

The post Pilates is the perfect exercise for your back appeared first on Active Family Chiropractic Blog.

from American Chiropractors Directory - Feed http://www.americanchiropractors.org/chiro/pilates-is-the-perfect-exercise-for-your-back/