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Belly Fat: The Silent Killer

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Remember the movie WALL-E (Disney, 2008)? A waste collecting robot, named WALL-E, is left on Earth after all humans have left. His only purpose for the past 700 years is to clean up the massive amounts of trash on the planet. Yet, despite the debris, he finds a living plant within the rubble. WALL-E then leaves Earth to save his love interest, EVE, and is brought to a space cruise ship where the humans live. Everyone on board is so fat that the only thing they do is recline in hovering chairs, watch t.v., video chat, and drink their meals through a straw. There is much more to the story, but the parallels to our present day society is somewhat disturbing.

Recent statistics suggest that more than two-thirds of Americans are either over-weight or obese. 92% of the world’s population living in areas with polluted air (World Health Organization, 2016). Over 5 trillion pieces of plastic are floating in our oceans (Science, 2/2015) and our landfills are overflowing. Perhaps a scenario similar to WALL-E isn’t too far fetched? However, unlike the movie, there are huge health concerns associated with this weight epidemic:

  • type 2 diabetes
  • coronary heart disease
  • hypertension
  • cancer
  • asthma
  • sleep apnea
  • non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
  • osteoarthritis
  • infertility
  • metabolic syndrome

Most people don’t realize that not all fat is created equal. In fact, the most deadly is the fat around our waistline, also called visceral fat or belly fat. Research has shown that belly fat is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation. This inflammation is a known precursor to the health conditions listed above.

To avoid this health risk, the following recommendations have been established by the National Institutes of Health:

  • Males should have a waistline less than 40 inches, when measuring from the tops of both hip bones.
  • Females should have a waistline less than 35 inches when measuring the same.

Wellness is definitely a journey, with many obstacles on our path. Using this guideline to navigate your journey is a great place to begin. You can easily take steps today that will help you avoid conditions that are preventable. Don’t let belly fat dictate where your journey takes you.

Bad Foods Can Lead to Preventable Deaths

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Sometimes things are so obvious that we miss it altogether. Like when we look all over the house for our glasses only to look in the mirror and find them sitting right on top of our head. Life has a tendency to keep us very busy, causing the obvious to escape us. Getting caught up in our daily responsibilities can mean overlooking the obvious for the sake of convenience. Yet, we still know the flaws in our thinking. A recent article in the Cincinnati Enquirer highlighted this scenario quite well. Titled, “Too much bacon, not enough nuts lead to deaths,” this article told the reader the obvious. Too much of anything is a bad thing, right?

Bacon is good. So good in fact that we can enjoy bacon ice cream, bacon cupcakes, and even candy. Bacon has become very trendy. But bacon is high in salt, typically cured, and very fatty. Common sense would tell us that something like that is probably not the most beneficial to us nutritionally. So, eating too much bacon is unhealthy. Nuts, on the other hand, are a whole food. Made from nature. Something our body can easily recognize, breakdown, and use to sustain itself.

Essentially, the article broke down food into two groups – good and bad. However, it added American food habits and links to deaths from heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. There is a link between bad food and these conditions. Probably not surprising to most, if not all, of us. The kicker is not that we eat bad foods, but the sheer amount that we consume and not eating enough of the good stuff. So, what are the bad foods that we like so much in the U.S.?

  • Bacon
  • Bologna
  • Hot dogs
  • Steaks
  • Hamburgers
  • Sugary drinks

The good foods that are under-eaten include:

  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Salmon
  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Whole grains

We like the bad foods so much that 45% of the deaths from heart disease, stroke, and diabetes are attributed towards the overeating of those “bad” foods. Those deaths were preventable. Yes, preventable. Now rather than beat ourselves up because we’ve enjoyed “too much bacon,” we can choose to use this article as a reminder. A reminder of what we already know to be true about what is healthy and what is not. We can change our actions today to affect an outcome tomorrow. Awareness is the first step in moving ourselves in the right direction.

The White Flour Epidemic

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Refined grains negatively impact the entire body, from head to toe. Western society is fully immersed in refined grains. Grains that are stripped of any nutritional content in order to give food products increased shelf life. There is a trade-off though. For the modern convenience of eating on the run, we pay with our health. Unfortunately, many Americans are not aware they have made a compromise like this.

It is very easy to over-consume flour-based products because most require little chewing and go down quickly because the only thing left of the grain is the endosperm. This white powder can last on the shelf for months. Using this form of flour, refined, in processed foods is a staple in the Western diet. In fact, Americans consume 10 servings of refined grains per day! Over-consumption affects the brain, blood, pancreas, gut, colon, and the waistline.

Food cravings come from the brain. With the advent of high-yield wheat strains, grain now grows faster to keep up with demand. However, one of the biggest changes to this new form of wheat is a modified form of gliadin. Gliadin is a wheat protein that causes the “feel good effect” in our brain. We then associate eating with feeling good, which in turn causes over-consumption. On average, people eat 400 more calories per day from wheat now. Scariest of all, no one knows for certain if this new form of wheat is safe for human consumption!

Blood sugar spikes faster with refined grains than with sugar. Eating two slices of bread is like eating 6 teaspoons of sugar in terms of the effect it has on blood sugar levels! Also, you are hungry two hours later and you are increasing your risk for type 2 diabetes. The diabetes risk is due to the overproduction of insulin from the pancreas, which is necessary to combat the spikes in blood sugar. Additionally, inflammation becomes evident throughout the entire body.

Inflammation causes particular harm to the gut as another protein, called zonulin, creates holes in the intestines. These holes allow food particles to pass through undigested. The gliadin in flour causes the body to overproduce zonulin which in turn creates the holes and an immune systems that is in overdrive. This manifests itself with food allergies and sensitivities, not to mention skin conditions. Finally, the colon takes its toll over time, too, with a slower passage rate and blockage.

However, the most concerning is the waistline as the size is a risk factor for not only type 2 diabetes, but coronary heart disease, hypertension, some types of cancer, asthma, sleep apnea, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis, infertility, and metabolic syndrome. In males, the ideal is a waistline less than 40 inches, and women less than 35 inches. By measuring at the top of the hip bones, around the waist, is the correct way to determine where you fall. Remember to keep the tape snug, but not tight.

This simple test can help you gain a realistic perspective on your overall health. If your range is above the ideal, that’s okay. The first step is acknowledging there is a problem. Once you are aware, steps can be taken to correct it.

 

 

Refined Grains vs Whole Grains

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There seems to be a lot of confusion when it comes to eating healthy, otherwise why are we in the midst of an obesity crisis? If we truly understood what healthy meant, perhaps there would not be an epidemic. Walking down any health food aisle, the sheer number of products available can be overwhelming. We want to get healthy but hesitate because we don’t know where to start. Which product is best? How do I know what to look for? A great place to start is with what the average American consumes at least 10 servings a day of – refined grains.

Refined grain is what flour is made from. This is the flour that is used to make bagels, donuts, cakes, bread, pancakes, waffles, buns, rolls, pizza, and cereal. Think about your typical day and all the refined grains around you. But why is refined so bad for us? The answer lies within how it is made. During this process, the oil inside the grain is released with grinding. Prior to mass production of breads, this released oil caused spoilage. With the advent of industrialized milling, the hard outer shell is removed and the rest pulverized into a fine white powder, giving it a much longer shelf life. However, there was also a down-side, too.

Creating this fine powder by eliminating the hard outer shell also meant removing the nutritional content as well. Whole grains contain vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and fiber, all contained within the hard outer shell. What is left causes the health problems we are experiencing today.

  • Spikes in blood sugar which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes.
  • Food cravings that cause overeating and obesity.
  • Inflammation which in turn causes conditions such as cataracts, heart disease, and arthritis.
  • Gastrointestinal disorders.
  • Food allergies and intolerance.
  • Bone density loss.

Refined grains are like a poison to our bodies. Understanding the difference between refined grains and whole grains we can preserve our good health. Choosing whole grains provides our body with the essential nutrients it needs to thrive. Use these tips to make healthier choices at the grocery store:

  • Look for whole kernel grains such as quinoa, wild rice, rye, millet, barley, oat, spelt, corn, and wheat.
  • Try sprouted grains.
  • Use flour that is whole-grain only.
  • When baking, replace some of that whole-grain flour with nut or seed meal (almond, cashew, flax, or coconut).

Advocate for your health. Do not be a bystander, casually observing the food that literally surrounds you. Question the food’s integrity. Learn what different foods do to your body and why. We will focus on what refined grains do different parts of your body in the next post.

Inflammation Foods

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Inflammation is a word that makes a person think of a response to an injury or infection. We suspect a problem when we see skin that is red and swollen. This type of inflammation is obvious. However, there is another type of inflammation that we cannot see that is much more problematic and dangerous. It is the inflammation that lies beneath the surface that can create health risks such as heart disease, stroke, and even cancer.

Food is the main contributor to this type of inflammation, specifically the Western Diet.

  • Sugar (also known as fructose, sucrose, or any word ending in -ose)
  • Saturated fats (pizza and cheese are the biggest contributors)
  • Trans fats (fast food restaurants, processed snacks, frozen breakfasts, donuts, crackers and cookies)
  • Excess omega-6 (most salad dressings, mayonnaise, and oils such as corn, soy, peanut and vegetable)
  • Refined carbohydrates (white flour products, white rice, and white potatoes)
  • Mono-sodium glutamate, or MSG (added to some prepared Asian foods, soy sauce, deli meats, and salad dressings)
  • Gluten and casein (wheat, rye, and barley products; whey products)
  • Aspartame (sodas, gum, candies, yogurt)
  • Alcohol

To know if you are suffering from chronic inflammation, your Chiropractor can perform specific testing. But, maybe you’d like to know what to look for first. While these symptoms are not definitive, they do give you a reason to look further:

  • You’re feeling depressed.
  • Your stomach is hurting quite often.
  • Tired is your middle name.

These clues do not mean you are suffering from chronic inflammation, however, they do potentially indicate a problem. Look at what you are eating each day. Is it filled with many of the inflammatory foods listed above? Have you ever done a cleanse? Many times, the first step is realizing there is a problem. Once you know, steps can be taken to remedy it.

Do You Have Enough Melatonin?

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Melatonin is a vital hormone necessary to sustain life.

Cutting your sleep short due to an early flight or studying for exams and you will most certainly feel it the next day. Sleep plays a vital role in our daily life, mess with it and you know. From tissue repair to restoring energy, sleep allows us to function each day, both inside and out. But what about those times when you have trouble getting to sleep? One night might be okay, however, what about several? What can a person do to remedy their situation that is not only safe but effective?

Most healthy adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. Children and teenagers need even more. To help you determine if you are getting enough sleep, answer the following questions:

  • Do you have difficulty getting out of bed in the morning?
  • Are you feeling sluggish in the afternoon?
  • Do you need to nap to get through the day?
  • Have you been falling asleep watching television in the evening?
  • Are you relying on the snooze button too much?
  • Are asleep within 5 minutes of going to bed.

There are serious consequences to our health if we are not getting sufficient sleep that include premature skin aging, a weakened immune system, and impaired motor skills. To avoid this it’s imperative that we are aware of how we feel each and every day. If we know that we are suffering from sleep deprivation, we can then be proactive and do something to remedy the situation.

While there are many prescription sleep-aids on the market today, all have the potential for serious side effects. Familiar brand names include Lunesta, Ambien, and Sonata. A good night’s sleep comes with the risk of developing a side effect like changes in appetite, difficulty keeping balance, constipation and even compulsive behaviors such as gambling and eating. Even scarier is the fact that some users have experienced sleepwalking, sleep eating and sleep driving. The good news is that there are natural and effective options available for those who suffer from lack of effective sleep.

Melantonin is a hormone created by our pineal gland in our brain that regulates our sleep and wake cycles. The amount produced is influenced by our internal clock and how much light we are exposed to throughout the day. As the evening progresses, our melatonin levels increase, remaining elevated all through the night. It is this period of time that our body needs to repair and recharge itself for the following day. If we are unable to fall asleep, or stay asleep, this essential work is compromised, leaving us vulnerable to health problems. So, what are we to do if we are having sleep difficulties without resorting to prescription medications and the potential for more harmful side effects by using them?

The U.S. Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 allows melantonin to be sold as a supplement. By naturally being found in some foods such as pineapples, rice, and tomatoes, melatonin is the only hormone that is available over the counter. This wonderful supplement, when taken as directed, helps a person to fall asleep naturally when occasional sleeplessness occurs.

There are times in our life when we need a little help getting the sleep that we need. It’s normal, especially as we age and our supply of melatonin decreases. Quality sleep is essential to how well we thrive.

What To Expect When You’re Cleansing

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You’ve heard about cleansing and about going through one, however, you are hesitant to try one. The reasons are varied, yet it all comes back to one thing – you don’t know what to expect. Not knowing what to expect with anything is enough to stop someone in their tracks and prevent them from trying something new. Misconceptions prevail about what a cleanse actually is. People may think it means popping a bunch of supplements and drinking nothing but shakes for a week to ten days. Still others think it will leave them starving and miserable. Seriously, who wants to sign up for something that will only make them miserable for a week or two? No one. So, to set the record straight, this post will share with you the truth. That is, what to expect when you cleanse, or detoxify, your body when you use a reputable program.

First, to answer the question regarding supplements. Yes, there are certain supplements to take, but they serve several purposes:

  • To support healthy organ function, specifically kidney, liver and gallbladder.
  • To promote healthy digestive function.
  • Supporting the body as it rids itself of toxins.
  • Assisting with healthy elimination.
  • Aiding with whole food nutrition.

Supplementation plays a supporting role throughout the cleanse. The primary source of nutrition comes from REAL food. Yes, food that you can purchase at your local supermarket. Food like fresh fruit and vegetables, chicken, eggs, turkey, salmon, lentils, and quinoa. The key, however, is how you prepare your food, when you eat, and moving your body. Just like using a map to get to your destination, a reputable cleansing program should provide you with a map. A useful tool to guide you through every day, to minimize confusion, and offer clarity.

But, will you be HUNGRY during a cleanse? No. You will GET hungry, signalling that it’s time to nourish your body, however, you will NOT be hungry throughout your cleanse. Again, a reputable program will provide a map, telling you when to eat, why types of food you can eat, and how much. You are essentially retraining your body to eat healthy foods and portion sizes. Before the cleanse, you trained your body to crave certain foods, to eat more than you probably should. Cleansing cleans out all the junk from the unhealthy foods you at, resets your body’s systems, and primes you for a healthier lifestyle. All the while helping you to do things like lose weight, get better sleep, promote great skin, and simply feel better!

Health Hazards with H Pylori

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Bacteria surrounds us both inside and out. To minimize our exposure to it we know we should wash our hands, cook food properly, rinse produce, and not share a drink. Yet, despite our best efforts, bacteria does find its ways into our bodies. Helicobacter pylori, or H pylori as it is commonly called, is a bacteria that resides in our stomach. This bacteria was discovered in 1982 by Australian scientists, Barry Marshall and Robin Warren, as they conducted research on patients who suffered from gastritis and ulcers. While bacteria was known to inhabit the stomach, it was believed that it came about from contaminated food. Not so.

H pylori is found in more than half of the world’s population; however, a vast majority never experience any symptoms or complications. However, how would you know if you were suffering from this type of bacterial infection? Below are several symptoms associated with an H pylori infection:

  • Bloating
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea
  • Frequent burping
  • Abdominal pain that becomes worse when your stomach is empty
  • Weight loss
  • An ache or burning in your abdomen

To determine if you have an infection, a simple stool test can provide the answers. Unfortunately, most medical doctors will prescribe antibiotics which destroy the delicate balance of the gut. They will also be given prescription acid reducers because of the heartburn. This, too, is a problem, as it creates an environment that allows the H pylori to thrive. At Damron Chiropractic & Wellness (DCW), after conducting the stool test, a course of natural/herbal supplements is recommended to help kill the bacteria.

In addition to an infection, studies are correlating H pylori with an increased chance of developing ulcers, gastritis, and even cancer.  A recent study also found a connection with the heart condition atrial fibrillation, or AF.  This disorder affects over 2 million Americans and causes the chambers of the heart to flutter or quiver rather than beat. Blood then pools in the chamber, increasing the potential for clots to develop. If the clot finds itself lodged in a brain artery, a stroke can occur. In this particular study, individuals were 20 times more likely to show levels of H pylori.

Why Dieting Just Doesn’t Work

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Dieting and detoxing are very different. Yet, initially, both produce the same results in terms of lost weight and inches. As a result, many people look no further than the latest diet trend – Adkins, Weight Watchers, South Beach, Jenny Craig, or Slim Fast, for example. Buy into the program, lose weight and feel great! The ads are so convincing that we can actually see ourselves in that bikini or with six-pack abs. Simply believing the product’s claim to lose weight is not enough. There still exists a truth about the real effects of dieting on our body and why most fail.

New body fat is created when there is an over-abundance of fatty acids within us. Our body is simple decides that it must store the excess in a place (i.e. hips, stomach, butt) in case it is needed later. However, let’s begin with why we need fat in the first place. Fat plays a significant role in our daily lives by providing energy for everything that takes place inside of us. It also is needed for physical activity, providing us warmth, protects our vital organs, producing heat, and filtering out toxins.

Fat cells are lost with dieting and there’s no denying that. However, the toxins that are present in the fat cells are released into the body as weight is lost creating an increase in toxic density. Eventually, enough toxins are present in the body that the body begins producing fat cells to remove them. This is commonly referred to the rebound effect, where weight is gained back once the diet is over.

Detoxing, or cleansing, takes a different approach to weight loss. This process flushes the toxins out of the body as the fat is lost, rather than having it remain in the body as it is with dieting. Removing the toxins helps to create leaner muscles and fat still melts away.

Look at the effect of detoxing as you would a clogged drain. Before a cleanse, your body’s fat cells have been accumulating. How much fat? Well, that depends on what you have been eating and your level of exercise. If you are carrying an extra 20 or 30 pounds, then you know that your body has been storing the access fat. In this case, your body with the extra 20 or 30 pounds is that clogged drain. It might still be working, just the water is draining a lot slower. When you put your body through a cleanse, you are essentially unclogging that drain. By allowing the drain to work as it should, there is no back-up.

With a cleanse, the clog (toxins) are slowly flushed out. As more and more toxins leave the body the “clog” becomes less and less. As a result, the body is able to re-calibrate itself and work more efficiently. Hence the leaner muscles and no more rebounding with the weight returning.

De-clog that drain. Re-calibrate your body and lose weight at the same time.

Why Put Yourself Through Detoxification?

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Why would anyone want to eat clean, eliminate caffeine, cut carbs, and drink lots of water? Because we need to help our body rid itself from a build-up of harmful chemicals and toxins. Purification, detox, cleansing, and detoxification are all words that describe this ridding process. However, isn’t our body designed to do it internally?

Of the 80,000 chemicals registered for use in the U.S., many invade our body with simple exposure. This, in addition to the waste that is produced by our metabolic functions, overburdens our body’s natural detoxification process. Thus creating problems for our immune, endocrine, nervous, and reproductive systems. Detoxing is a great solution to combat this unhealthy situation that many of us find ourselves in today.

In any given day, we are exposed to a significant number of toxins from cigarette smoke (first- or secondhand), pesticides, household cleaning products, preservatives and additives, air and water pollutants, plus trans-fats. Some of the toxins are out of our control because they are in the environment. Yet others we voluntarily expose ourselves to by choosing to eat foods that are highly processed, fried, sugary, and boxed. Furthermore, many of us engage in unhealthy habits such as smoking, alcohol, caffeine, and not exercising. We then make the assumption that our body can handle this attack because we cannot see the internal damage it causes.

Our liver, kidneys, and intestines are responsible for removing toxins from our body, with the liver carrying a bulk of the work. We are designed to handle toxins, but in a amount that is far less than what we are exposed to. Advances in food shelf life, farming methods, and convenience foods have put significant strain on our detoxification organs that they were not designed to handle. The end result is a body that is overworked, under-performing, and leaving our body carrying the overflow of toxins that cannot be disposed of properly.

How can you tell if this is happening to your body? Here are a few questions you can answer to help if your body is on overload and in need of detoxing:

  • Do you have any joint discomfort?
  • Is your head usually stuffy?
  • Do you crave certain foods and gaining weight despite your best efforts to lose it?
  • Do you experience indigestion frequently?
  • Any temporary gastrointestinal upset?
  • Have you been experiencing a low libido?
  • Do you feel foggy during the day?
  • How does your skin look? Are you experiencing break-outs or puffiness? 
  • Are you feeling tired throughout the day or having difficulty sleeping?

Detoxifying your body with a cleanse is similar to going on vacation because you are giving yourself much needed rest and relaxation. Detoxing allows your body to go on vacation, too, by giving it the tools it needs to purge itself of the excess toxins it has not been able to before. This re-calibration helps to sustain weight loss, increase your vitality, and improve overall wellness. So, the next time you feel the need for a vacation, think of your liver. Use that as a sign to give your liver a vacation too with a detoxification program. If you are unsure of where to begin, Damron Chiropractic & Wellness would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

OUR TEAM

Dr. Andrew Damron, Chiropractor

Why ChiropracticProfessional Experience Personal Information
Dr. Damron established DCW because he was fed up with the current health model. Statistics continue to show an increase in pharmaceutical prescriptions to patients every day. Although he does believe some medications are necessary, he believes the majority of what is prescribed is actually harmful to the patient’s long-term health, creating another set of healthcare issues as a result. Dr. Damron believes DCW’s unique approach to achieving overall wellness will revolutionize the healthcare industry through collaborative care utilizing chiropractic, massage therapy, rehabilitation, and nutrition. The DCW focus addresses the whole person versus a only symptom and uncovers the root cause. He also believes that education is vital to sustaining a healthier more vibrant lifestyle as well. His goal is to create a healthier society and a better place for our children to live.
Dr. Damron began his medical career with a Biology Degree from Wright State University in 2002. He went on to receive his Doctorate of Chiropractic from the prestigious Palmer College of Chiropractic in Port Orange, Florida in 2007. While attending Palmer, he had the opportunity to travel abroad to Madagascar and provide chiropractic care to the native Malagasy people. Dr. Damron has continued his post-graduate studies with a focus on nutrition, rehabilitation, and functional medicine.
Dr. Damron and his wife, Kristy, reside in West Chester with their two young children, Graden and Isabelle. An avid Buckeye fan, Dr. Damron enjoys playing the guitar in a band with his college friends, watching/playing any sport, cooking, reading, and attending concerts, especially the Dave Matthews Band and Foo Fighters.

Dr. Greg Washam, Chiropractor

Why ChiropracticProfessional Experience Personal Information
Dr. Washam was introduced to Chiropractic by his mother at the age of 16. She was working for a Chiropractor at the time, experiencing all the benefits that Chiropractic care had to offer, and thus began taking Dr. Washam and his siblings in for regular adjustments. Dr. Washam had been experiencing painful bouts of Strep Throat from the age of 8, which always included a 10 day course of antibiotics. While under Chiropractic care his doctor convinced him to avoid the antibiotics and receive Chiropractic adjustments instead. To his amazement, Dr. Washam’s strep throat symptoms had vanished within three days and he never had an issue from that point forward. He was so astounded by his experience that he fell in love with Chiropractic and decided that was the path for him. He wanted to commit his life to helping people through the power of Chiropractic, just as it had helped him.
Dr. Greg Washam began his college education at the University of Cincinnati, studying biology. After he made the decision to become a Chiropractor, he attended Logan College of Chiropractic in St. Louis, MO. While at Logan, he received his Bachelor of Science in Biology and Life Sciences in 2009. He received his Doctorate of Chiropractic in 2011. Dr. Washam was presented with various awards upon graduation. These included Dean’s List honors, the Senior Intern Assistant Award, and the Award of Excellence from the Division of Research. He has completed many hours of post graduate education focusing on nutrition, supplementation and injury recovery.
Dr. Washam and his wife Kassie reside in Mason, Oh with their two daughters, Lillian and Wren. In his free time, Dr. Washam enjoys cooking, exploring new restaurants, touring local craft breweries and reading. He also spends a great deal of time outdoors with his family and his Beagle, Willow. Dr. Washam is a music enthusiast and listens to all genres of music. He especially loves classic rock from the 60’s and 70’s. His favorite band of all time is Led Zeppelin.

Brooke Snyder, Operations Manager

Why DCWProfessional Experience Personal Information
Brooke had never been to a medical office where she really felt like they cared more about her than her money until she came to DCW as a patient. DCW made it so easy to arrange financial payment with, they were compassionate, dedicated and most importantly 100% honest. The team addressed all aspects of her health and well-being, above and beyond chiropractic care. Her initial impression of chiropractic offices were that they would only adjust then send her on her way. She realized that she was wrong. Because of her experience as a patient at DCW she realized she wanted to pursue a career within it. She saw everything she wanted in healthcare at DCW. Finally, a place where patient care really comes first! She comes to DCW with a degree in Nursing and a background in finance. When someone asks her “Why DCW?” she cannot think of one reason why not.
Brooke has a background in business finance and computer technology prior to the start of her medical career. She attended Southern State and obtained an Associate’s Degree in Science, R.N. Sh began working from DCW in December of 2014.
Brooke has five beautiful girls from 15 to 6 years old. She is married to Jamey Snyder who has two boys of his own. She lives on a two acre farm in the country with horses, dogs, cats, and a pot belly pig. Brooke enjoys spending time with her very active family and watching their kids play sports.

Nicole Foreman, Licensed Massage Therapist

Why MassageProfessional Experience Personal Information
Nicole always wanted a career that was focused on helping people. It wasn’t until she drove past the Dayton School of Medical Massage on a daily basis that it became clear what she was meant to do. She enrolled as soon as she could and it has been the best decision she has ever made. She loves the feeling of knowing she has alleviated someone’s pain and possibly made their day better in some way. She had been working alongside chiropractors for over 7 years before joining the DCW team. Before DCW she never really felt her opinions and insights were valued or even asked for, which she felt hindered patient care and the effectiveness of each treatment. At DCW she feels valued and part of a practice that is focused on changing the approach of wellness with cohesive and effective patient care.
Nicole is a graduate of the Dayton School of Medical Massage and obtained her license in 2008. She utilizes Deep Tissue, Swedish and Thai massage techniques to relieve pain, tension, and stress while increasing range of motion and flexibility.
Nicole is married to her husband of 5 years and they one daughter, Rylee, and one child on the way due in September 2016. As a family they enjoy camping, hiking and spending time at the lake during the summer.

Erika Pantona, Insurance Specialist

Why DCWProfessional Experience Personal Information
Erika started coming to DCW in 2010 after spending two years in substantial pain after an injury. She had spent those two years at various specialists and taking medications to simply get up in the morning due to the pain. She was 18 when she found herself facing a major, life altering surgery (SI Fusion) and realized there must be another way. When she began her treatment plan at DCW she started to have days with little or no pain. She stopped taking her medications and realized they had been affecting her overall mood. In 2015 Erika joined the DCW team because they allowed her to live her life once again. She wants to prevent others from living in pain like she did unnecessarily, and to receive the benefits of chiropractic care.
Erika is well versed in the insurance industry with her previous employment at Express Scripts and Anthem.
Erika has two siblings and resides in Liberty Township. In her spare time she enjoys traveling and hiking with her family.

Amy Faris, Patient Care Coordinator

Why DCWProfessional Experience Personal Information
After moving to Ohio in 2010, I was in need of some relief from minor pain associated with working in customer service fields for 15 years. I was interested in seeking alternative forms of therapy and found a chiropractor in our small town. After going for a few visits, the therapy seemed somewhat outdated compared to what I had researched. In talking with my husband, he remembered that he knew someone who was a chiropractor. After just a few visits with Dr. Damron, I definitely noticed a difference in his techniques and style. It was nice to see results and feel like I was being listened to as a patient, not just heard…something you don’t always feel with doctors. After being a patient for several years, the opportunity came about to join the DCW team. It would be something different from what I had done in my past, however I knew my passion for working with people would translate well into helping patients receive the best care possible. I believed in the mission of DCW as a patient, and I am excited to be part of living that mission every day. 
 I am originally from St. Louis, MO. I graduated from the University of Missouri – Columbia with a degree in Secondary Education – Language Arts. I worked in restaurant/catering management for several years before starting a career in retail management and training.
In that position, I met my husband, Matt, who is from Wilmington, OH. After we got married in 2010, I moved to Wilmington. Realizing retail wasn’t where my heart was any longer, I began working as a substitute teacher in the Clinton County area. Matt and I live in Wilmington with our 6 year old German Shepard, Dale. I enjoy camping, boating, riding 4-wheelers, and spending time with family and friends. I love St. Louis Cardinals baseball and am a recently converted Cincinnati Bengals fan.

Hours

Monday 9-1 & 2-6

Tuesday 9-1 & 2-6

Wednesday 9-1 & 2-6

Thursday 9-1 & 2-6

Friday 8-11

Saturday and Sunday CLOSED

Contact information

 3187 Western Row Road Suite 114
    Maineville, OH 45039

Office:
     (513) 770-3434

Email:
    info@damronchiropractic.com