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Are Health Scares Required for Change?

June 14, 2017 By Pam Rezai Leave a Comment

Imagine what the world would be like if everyone was healthy, without any health scares. There is no cancer, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes. Could this world ever exist? If it did, what would happen to the pharmaceutical industry, the weight loss clinics, diet fads, bariatric surgeons, and oncology practices. The world as we know it would be vastly different. Multi-million dollar companies would fail to exist. If only this could be a reality. Life would be easier and without pain.

Unfortunately, society is filled with individuals who have choices on how to live, what to eat, drink, and smoke. Choices about exercise, work, and entertainment. All choices. Many of the choices we are making today lead us down a path of disease and a lower quality of life. Whether we realize it or not.

The question that perplexes many healthcare professionals is why. Why is this the trend today? It’s like sitting on a train track as the train is quickly approaching and not moving. Companies can claim they are doing their part to build awareness regarding this epidemic through advertising campaigns, new product development and charitable giving. However, just because a fast food restaurant adds skim milk and apples to their kids meals, does that make it healthy? Is that enough to make us change our eating habits?

What about the NBA and the NFL encouraging kids to get healthy through their specific initiatives? While this is certainly commendable, why does either organization need to tell us how to raise our children? Isn’t this something we should already be doing? Meanwhile, we continue to attend games and eat the processed foods served there. And our obesity trend continues to climb. Perhaps the extra weight people are carrying is now seen as the norm? We look around and this is what we see.

We need to realize that a company that advertises a campaign for healthier living is just that. An advertisement. Yes, it is talking about being healthy, but it is about the company itself and it’s own visibility among its target audience. Much like a corporation sponsoring an event. The corporation does it for visibility and branding purposes. Unfortunately, human nature typically requires an ultimatum to change, like significant health scares tend to bring. You just need to watch “My 600-lb. Life” to realize that.

In the end it comes down to choice. Our choice. Every day, making the right choices for ourselves to live healthier. It means taking awareness and doing something with it. Action. Deep down we know we are hurting our body when we smoke, drink in excess, eat processed foods, stay sedentary. The real question we need to ask ourselves is why don’t we care to stop when we see the train barreling down the tracks at us? Do we really need health scares to take action?

Reversing Sedentary Lifestyle Health Risks

June 6, 2017 By Pam Rezai Leave a Comment

Physical inactivity is on the rise, both at home and work. If we compare ourselves to older generations, access to technology and convenience has encouraged this lack of movement. Not to mention commuting to work and school in increasingly congested areas. Then sitting for hours at a desk each day only to head back home to sit for dinner and finally go to bed. Modern society almost requires a sedentary lifestyle. And we have accepted this wholeheartedly. However, research is revealing a direct correlation between this inactive lifestyle with certain health risks.

It requires effort to exercise regularly. We also need to dedicate time to do it. And while it does not provide immediate results, like what we are conditioned to expect with our digital world, we need patience, too. All things our modern day society does not promote. Yet, this same research is also looking at what it will take to change this unhealthy trend. For example, to reverse the health risks of sitting for eight hours a day, 60 minutes of exercise may be required. Think about that for a moment.

Perhaps you are wondering what could be so bad about sitting for extended periods of time. Well, let’s take a look:

Heart Disease
Muscle Degeneration
Leg Disorders
Back Pain
Foggy Brain
Neck and Shoulder Strain

So, now you are probably thinking to yourself, “This can’t be true, I’m just sitting.” Truth is that our bodies are designed for movement. And extended periods of inactivity don’t allow it to function as it should. When muscles are slow to burn fat and blood flow decreases, fatty acids have more opportunity to clog arteries. Extended periods of sitting have been linked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.

Muscles that have been restricted in use begin to degenerate. Also, slumping while sitting puts strain on muscles to compensate where they shouldn’t. Leaving a person with a poor posture and pain, not to mention poor circulation especially in the legs. In terms of brain function, decreased blood flow also affects the oxygen getting to the brain, hence we experience brain fog. It is more difficult to concentrate on the task at hand, plus we feel sluggish.

We do not need to let this be our outcome if we take steps today to change our sedentary lifestyle. To counter the affects of a sedentary lifestyle requires awareness of our daily schedule. In other words, how much time we are spending sitting each day. Choosing to break the monotony with walks, exercise, taking the stairs, stretching, and seeing a chiropractor for periodic adjustments all help.

While we may not be able to change our commute, our job, or even the conveniences of modern society, we can change what we do in our free time.

Gout and Chiropractic Care

May 2, 2017 By Pam Rezai 1 Comment

When cells die, which happens at a rate of millions per second, they release substances called purines. Purines are broken down into uric acid which is then removed by the kidneys. Sometimes there is more uric acid than the kidneys can eliminate. When this happens, the uric acid content in the body steadily increases. This condition, called hyperuricemia, can lead to the development of crystals in the joints and tissues. It is these crystals that cause the pain and inflammation associated with gout.

It is common for the pain to register at a 9 or 10 by those who suffer from this condition. This pain can last for several days, too. In addition to pain, other symptoms of gout include:

stiffness
swelling
redness
tenderness

The occurrence of gout has been documented for over 4,000 years. It was once considered a king’s disease due to the foods that triggers its onset, which are all high in purine as well:

alcohol
red meat
shellfish
organ meats

Gout is a form of arthritis that typically manifests itself in the joint of the big toe. Other areas include the joints of the knees, feet, and ankles. The first common sign is pain and swelling of the big toe, with men over the age of 45 more likely to suffer from this condition. However, other health issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart or kidney disease are present first. But gout does not discriminate. Both young and old, male and female can develop it.

Chiropractic care is an often overlooked treatment option for gout sufferers to alleviate pain with adjustments, therapeutic medical massage, and dietary supplements. Unfortunately, many of the medications prescribed to treat this condition come with serious side effects. These include stomach pain, headache, nausea, diarrhea, rash, elevated blood pressure, and decreased kidney function.

A chiropractor can help a gout sufferer manage their symptoms holistically and without side-effects. Including help with diet and exercise. The ultimate goal is improving quality of life, minimizing or eliminating pain, and improving mobility.

Myth #7: Chiropractors Only Treat Back Pain

April 21, 2017 By Pam Rezai 1 Comment

It’s natural to associate seeing a chiropractor when experiencing back pain. This medical professional works with the spine, or back. Yet, what most people don’t realize is that back pain is only one of many ailments and conditions that a chiropractor can treat.

Think of a chiropractor as you would your primary care doctor or pediatrician. You don’t see either just for the flu or seasonal allergies. You visit these two doctors for various reasons. The same is true for a chiropractor. Granted the spine, or back, connects the body. So, it makes sense to only think of back pain when seeing a chiropractor. But, because the spine connects the body, a chiropractor treats the entire musculoskeletal system.

If we look at the Grey’s Anatomy “Chart of Body & Anatomy” we can see that the spine is comprised of vertebrae. Each vertebrae connects nerves to specific parts of the body. For example, vertebrae 1C in the cervical spine contains the nerves connected to the head, brain, middle and inner ear, and the sympathetic nervous system. Irritated nerves in 1C can create symptoms such as headaches, insomnia, migraines, and high blood pressure. Relieving that irritation with chiropractic adjustments alleviates the symptoms. This is one of the biggest differences between how a chiropractor treats an ailment and how a medical doctor treats one.

Traditional medical doctors typically treat the symptoms. In other words, if are suffering migraines, you may only receive a prescription for pain relief medicine. The symptom may be addressed, but not the cause of it. With chiropractic care, the cause is determined and addressed, not just the symptoms. And not with the use of prescription medications either. The goal is to eliminate the cause of them problem, not just mask the symptoms.

Chiropractors treat the entire body, not just back pain. Think of it this way, your spine is the central piece that connects your entire body. So, whether you have pain in your shoulder, hip, neck, or back, a chiropractor can provide you the care you need.

Advertising Unhealthy Lifestyles

January 31, 2017 By Pam Rezai Leave a Comment

We will never live in a world without commercials. It would be nice, but commercials pay for the programming we watch and listen to on the radio. Companies that use this form of advertising for their product or service are hoping to attract more business. Regulations are in place to ensure that what is advertised is safe; however, there are no regulations in place to ensure that the product is not unhealthy. We must decide that for ourselves.

Recently, I heard a radio ad for life insurance asking if I enjoyed eating wings, mashed potatoes and gravy. If I was then this life insurance was for me. I could get the coverage I wanted for my family, yet still enjoy the lifestyle I wanted. As an added bonus I could also receive the company’s recipe for fried chicken! I kept waiting for the punch line, thinking it was obviously a joke, but none came. Here is a company leveraging American’s unhealthy lifestyle and increasing obesity rates to benefit their bottom-line. Is it safe? Yes. Is this product in our best interest? No.

We must be smarter than the companies that are advertising to us. Making assumptions that simply because the product or service is advertised it is in our best interest. This situation has contributed to the health crisis we face today from obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and a sedentary lifestyle. Instead, most of us chose the path of least resistance, allowing companies to make millions on unhealthy choices and the consequences that follow. Perhaps it’s time to hold ourselves accountable and change this trend.

Think about the various commercials and advertisements you see and hear each day. What comes to mind? Cars, pharmaceuticals, weight loss products, chain restaurants, colas. Only those companies with the highest revenue can afford to invest in this form of marketing. Does this mean these products are safe? Not necessarily. Does this mean these products are in our best interest? Not necessarily. Advertising does not equal best or ideal. It only means the company had enough money to invest, whether or not the product is good.

Think about all the healthy things that are not advertised from organic produce, water, cage-free eggs, toxin-free cleaning products, and even chiropractic care. Should the benefits be discounted due to lack of high profile advertising? Should we let ourselves be swayed by what we see on television and hear on the radio? At what point do we assume responsibility for ourselves and our health?

Medications Are Not Our “Norm”

January 3, 2017 By Pam Rezai 1 Comment

Have you ever been in a situation where someone leaves you speechless? And not speechless in a good way, either. While at a recent holiday gathering, a friend was talking about her recent health scare. However, the way she said it, one could tell it wasn’t a scare at all. It was almost as if it was her “norm”, therefore she was okay with it. You see, she was admitting that she had a problem, but was acting as if she didn’t because nothing changed. She continued to live her life as she had been, medications and all.

Prescription medications offer us a chance to cover up what is wrong with us, rather than correct it. From type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and pain. This approach gives us a false sense of reality and the impression that life is full of quick fixes. It also sends the false message that we can continue to treat our body poorly and get away with it. We cannot help that we feel this way because modern media has inundated us with this incorrect message. It’s almost as if big business never wants us to think for ourselves.

The scary truth is that a vast majority of our society thinks this way. In 2015, the north american pharmaceutical industry represented almost 50% of the global market, which totals $1072 billion! What would happen to this industry if people treated their bodies differently? If they fed themselves whole foods, exercised regularly, drank alcohol in moderation, didn’t smoke, got sufficient sleep, and watched their weight. Would we behave differently if we didn’t have a safety net in medications?

In this new year, perhaps one of your resolutions should be one that seeks the truth, while also one that stops you from settling for less than. Rip off those band-aids you are using to cover up the real problem, be it your excess weight, chronic pain, high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes. Empower yourself to live your best life without the crutches. If you are on any medications, ask yourself why? Do you have control over whether or not you are on them? Or can you change your life in such a way that you no longer need them?

Stop settling and making assumptions about your health, but most of all love yourself enough to do something about it.

How Fear Keeps the Extra Weight On

November 29, 2016 By Pam Rezai Leave a Comment

Fear. It comes in different forms. There’s the fear you feel when watching a scary movie. Or the fear you have of being stung by a bee. Fear can also be somewhat healthy, like the fear in making that big presentation at work. However, there is another type of fear that holds us back. Prevents us from living our best life. That fear is difficult for many of us to even admit. Because if we do, then we are admitting we are aware of our situation yet have denied its existence. A great example of this type of fear is with our weight.

There is absolutely no denying that a majority of us are not healthy. Statistics validate this fact time and again. Many times the trends in data show an increase in the number of people who are overweight and obese. This extra weight causes several weight related conditions, too, from type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and inflammation. If we know this to be true, why does the trend continue to grow? In one word, fear.

It is difficult to admit that there is a problem. If we do admit that there is a problem then that means we must do something about it. Otherwise, we look and feel worse. We may think that people perceive us as failures or that we let them down by acknowledging we need to lose weight but don’t. Revealing our health issues to others and ourselves means we accept responsibility for our current state of affairs. We look awfully foolish if we own our obesity yet continue with life as if we never did.

The fear of admitting to ourselves how unhealthy we are creates a ripple affect that can be overwhelming. So, rather than deal with the problem, we bury ourselves in life. We pretend we are fine with our body. Fear can keep us stuck exactly where we are. But that fear can rob us of a longer life. It can also rob us of living pain-free. Choose to look at your current health as an opportunity to become the best version of yourself and put your fear in a corner. Today.

Has Obesity Made You a Spectator In Life?

November 8, 2016 By Pam Rezai Leave a Comment

No matter what the season, there is always plenty of sports to watch from the professionals to little league. We love being spectators, too. Unless, of course, our team loses. As a result, we somehow believe that as a spectator we can change the outcome of a game. Cheering intensifies in a close game, rally hats come on when our team is down, and booing erupts in an attempt to change a bad call. Even fights erupt between rival fans over something they are powerless to change.

Ironically, there is a parallel between this spectator phenomenon and our approach to health and wellness. The evidence rests in the most recent health statistics from the American Public Health Association:

29.6% of the population is obese
10% of the population has diabetes
there has been a 4% increase in drug deaths

Almost a third of the U.S. population seems to be sitting on the sidelines with obesity as a spectator. This passive approach to life has a domino affect on our life as obesity leads to other health conditions such as heart disease and stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, some cancers, and osteoarthritis. However, many cases of obesity are preventable and treatable.

Sitting on the sidelines is like sitting in the passenger seat of a car, because we are simply along for the ride with no control over which direction the car goes, how fast or slow, or its destination. Why would we consciously choose to be a passenger, especially in life? Taking ownership of ourselves means we want a say, that we care about the journey. Having an active role in the game of life elevates our quality of life because we are living on our terms, not limited by external forces. Ironically, these outside forces are something we subject ourselves to voluntarily by:

Eating fast food.
Living a sedentary lifestyle.
Relying on medications to relieve symptoms.
Consuming too many highly processed foods.
Limiting fresh fruit and vegetables in our diet.
Making countless excuses to not exercise regularly.
Not holding ourselves accountable to a healthy weight.

If you are one of the almost 30% who are sitting on the sidelines acting like a spectator to your own life, perhaps it’s time to change that. The first step is deciding to join the game. Commit to yourself.

Commit to Your Health

September 22, 2016 By Pam Rezai Leave a Comment

Bringing a child to the grocery store is challenging. A battle typically ensues that is a balancing act between food that promotes good health and food that does not. When we grow up things are no different. We battle ourselves over how much we should indulge ourselves and how well we should eat. As an adult the difference is there is no one telling us ‘no.’ We are left to make decisions for ourselves; countless ones, each and every day.

We can face making too many bad choices over a long period of time. Things like too much fast food, not enough water or exercise, eating processed foods, and skimping on sleep. At some point in our life we second guess our bad choices. We want to change, but change can be difficult and it take time to see results.

However, change can happen if we are committed to ourselves. After awhile, poor lifestyle choices ultimately have a domino effect on our bodies from weight gain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. It can even then lead to conditions like chronic pain in places like our back, neck, and legs.

A healthier life means surrounding yourself with others that have the same wellness goals as you. That doesn’t necessarily mean joining a health club (although those are fantastic places to find those people) but rather doing simple things like:

walking with a friend.
heading to the local farmer’s market and talking to the farmers about their produce.
packing a lunch for you and a co-worker instead of going out to eat.

It’s amazing how surrounding yourself with the right people in the right environment can inspire you. At Damron Chiropractic & Wellness (DCW) we work hard to create an environment of wellness. We work hard to be a positive influence in people’s lives through weight loss, alleviating pain, strength training and healing gut issues. We are committed to your health, but are you committed too?

The Truth About Stressors

August 30, 2016 By Pam Rezai Leave a Comment

Stress has become normal in today’s society. In fact, we have become so accustomed to living with it that we take it with us on vacation. Do we mistakenly believe that the level of stress in our life equates to how successful we are? Or that there is nothing we can really do about it? Perhaps we believe it really isn’t harming us because everyone is living this way. Maybe it’s time to seek the truth about stress, understanding the causes of it, and it’s impact on our body.

Stress is a natural response to something we find difficult, scary, worrisome, frustrating, or demanding. It is a survival mechanism that is physical in nature. However, it was never intended to be a constant state of being like it seems to be today. The adrenal glands, located on top of each kidney, allow our body to cope with the effects of stress through the release of hormones. One of the most important hormones released is called cortisol, because without this our body is unable to deal with the effects of stress.

You might be asking yourself, “what type of stress can cause problems?” Listed below are some of the more common stressors:

Chronic conditions such as fatigue, illness, infection, and pain
Excessive behaviors such as exercise, sugar consumption, and caffeine
Sleep deprivation
Late hours
Surgery
Depression

When faced with stressors, the body responses by stimulating the production of cortisol. You may recall the term “fight or flight.” The cortisol provides the energy necessary for the body to deal with the stressors. Over time, the continual release of cortisol exhausts the adrenal glands, yet cortisol is still produced. Our body is designed to help us survive, so this is the one hormonal system that does not shut down, especially during prolonged stress. This is not a good situation for our body and here’s why:

A consistently high cortisol level creates reduced insulin sensitivity which over time can lead to diabetes.
A lowered ability to fight infections.
An increased loss in bone mass which can lead to osteoporosis.
Increased fat around the waist.
Increased water and salt retention which can lead to high blood pressure.
Higher levels of estrogen which is linked to breast cancer and uterine fibroids.

The next blog post will focus on the progression of adrenal fatigue as a result of our chronic stressors.

Are Health Scares Required for Change?

Reversing Sedentary Lifestyle Health Risks

Gout and Chiropractic Care

Myth #7: Chiropractors Only Treat Back Pain

Advertising Unhealthy Lifestyles

Medications Are Not Our “Norm”

How Fear Keeps the Extra Weight On

Has Obesity Made You a Spectator In Life?

Commit to Your Health

The Truth About Stressors

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