Archive for June, 2010
Obesity: A National Epidemic?
June 15th, 2010 | 
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As a chiropractor and healthcare provider, I would be remiss if I didn’t address the vital issue of excess weight and how it negatively affects every part of the human body. I explain the health challenges to my overweight patients and hammer away on the subject in my blogs because in addition to the cardio-vascular diseases caused by obesity, much of the back pain, hip pain, and knee pain that people experience is influenced by the undue stress excess weight puts on the joints of the body. And, though it may not surprise you, an expert panel in a report out just today said that people in this country must slash their calories and increase physical activity because the obesity epidemic is “the single greatest threat to public health in this century.”
We all know that dieting isn’t easy, but the advisory committee for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans gave this clear-cut advice: “People in this country need to cut the calories they consume from added sugars and solid fats (butter, marbled meats) and start eating a more nutrient-rich, plant-based diet.”
The report called for many changes in the food environment. To read more, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-06-15-
Your Santa Barbara Chiropractor Can Help Ease Your Age-Related Back Pain
Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “Growing old isn’t so bad when you consider the alternative.” But, if the aging process is causing you pain, you know that aging is no joke! As a chiropractor in Santa Barbara, I give care to many individuals suffering from age-related challenges that might not have occurred if the exacerbating cause had been taken care of earlier in life, particularly when it involves musculoskeletal breakdowns. Poor posture, improper gait, and repetitive overuse often produce needless stress in the back, neck, hip, knees, and even the feet that can produce painful problems over time. If we only knew then how our aging body would feel today, eh? But, as they say, “hindsight is 20-20.”
Back pain is number one on the list as the most prevalent musculoskeletal problem to take place as we get older. Back pain that is age-related is most commonly the result of a degenerative disorder known as Spondylosis (spine osteoarthritis).
Spinal osteoarthritis is caused by advanced deterioration and weight-bearing pressure on the spine that, over time, undermines discs, joints, and surrounding ligaments. The location and measure of the degenerative process of spondylosis is individual, varying from person to person. It might affect the cervical (neck), thoracic (mid-back), or lumbar (low back) areas of the spine. Depending on the severity of degeneration, Spondylosis symptoms vary from person-to-person as well, and can run a spectrum from negligible pain and numbness to extensive sensory loss and muscular atrophy.
Repetitive stresses adversely affect the cartilage surrounding the joints and can induce calcium to deposit in the tissues around the vertebrae. These calcific deposits, known as bone spurs, can constrict adjacent nerves, blood vessels and soft tissue. This kind of compression is at the root of Spondylosis.
Even if you are not suffering from spondylosis, regular chiropractic care and overall chiropractic management can considerably slow the aging process of your spine. It may be true that “you can’t un-ring a bell” or “turn back the hands of time,” but it’s never too late to give your spine the attention it deserves. When it comes to treating the spine, chiropractors are experts! See your chiropractor in Santa Barbara today, for the health of your spine.
Posted in arthritis, back pain | 
Tags: age-related back pain, chiropractic, chiropractor, spine osteoarthritis | 
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