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What Is The Purpose With Chiropractic Care? | El Paso, TX (2021)

Introduction

In today’s podcast, Dr. Alex Jimenez and Dr. Ruja discuss why chiropractic care is important to the body’s overall wellbeing.

 

Why Chiropractic Care Is Important?

 

[00:00:01] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Mario, hi. We’re talking here to Dr. Mario Ruja. We are the power chiropractors; what are we calling ourselves, Mario? What are we going to say?

 

[00:00:12] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: You know, I’m going to tell you right now it’s called the Bad Boys of Chiropractic.

 

[00:00:16] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: The Bad Boys of Chiropractic. Yes. All right.

 

[00:00:19] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: So we’re going to get nasty up in here. We’re going to talk about stuff that people don’t want to bring up, Alex.

 

[00:00:26] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Yeah, we are live.

 

[00:00:27] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Well, we’re live. Good. I love it live. I hate dead.

 

[00:00:32] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Well, we’re going to discuss the power of chiropractic and why people have chosen around the world to choose chiropractic as a great option for treatment protocols and things beyond most people’s experiences. But in our new modern world, we understand what chiropractic is. Mario, I know this is an excellent topic for you, and then you and I have discussed this on many occasions. And tell me a bit of why chiropractic has been impactful in your life?

 

[00:01:07] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: I’ve gone through many experiences, especially in the area of sports. Again, I played high school, college soccer. I have always enjoyed being active, from CrossFit to marathons, biathlon, and other things. That chiropractic synergize is synergistic with the movement of life, and life, in general, is straightforward. Number one, it is simple. We don’t need technology. No batteries are required, no facilities are required. You can receive chiropractic anywhere at any time with our hands. These are the instruments. These are the power tools from ancient China to the Mayans to the Egyptians. They had chiropractic but by different names and different presentations. But in those ancient worlds, chiropractic was only for the upper class. The kings and queens and their families only because they knew that chiropractic opened up and optimized the body’s energy, the energy of life and movement. So it wasn’t for the everyday folks; it was for the elite only. And so that’s the beauty of it. So when we look at chiropractic, we look at the cycle that went through, and in the beginning, it was for the elite, and then it was lost. And then with Didi Palmer and BJ Palmer and the whole lineage of chiropractors, the founders, the pioneers, the warriors, you know, that went to jail. Yeah, they went to prison to stand for the art and science of the healing art of chiropractic. And that’s amazing. I mean, it is incredible how people don’t realize that. And then coming full swing 360 to now out of that, it is accepted by all insurances, all providers. The VA is covering chiropractic. 101 percent. All I would say is every pro team in the world. OK, maybe that’s taking a little far, but I know for sure the pro teams in the U.S., all of hockey, baseball, basketball, soccer, and such volleyball, every one of the high elite athletes, they all have chiropractic in their corner. They all have chiropractic in their toolkit. Armstrong had it all of the tops. I mean, Phelps had it. I can go on. Bolt had it. You name atop gold medalist, and I’m going to tell you that they had some hands put on them to calibrate their spine, their energy. And most of all, Alex, I’m going to tell you this is what I want to share with our viewers and listeners. Chiropractic is one of the most potent tools and instruments, not just for healing when you’re hurt, but it is for optimizing energy, function, and recovery. I can tell you, and I’ve worked with powerlifters with Olympic lifters, and after the adjustment, they could squat more and bench press more immediately. I have people coming off the table. Olympic athletes come off the table, and they jump up and down. They say I feel lighter, jump faster, and run faster. So that is unbelievable. We are here to empower everyone, and it is cost-effective. Like, let me tell you, we don’t need to high instrumentation. We don’t need $2 million worth of equipment and all of that. This is the power to the people, Alex. And you are an incredible athlete and both of our families. We have astonishing athletes for children. I want to ask you this because you dealt with bodybuilding, and we have so many chiropractors that are bodybuilders, former athletes. How has chiropractic impacted your performance and recovery in terms of sports?

 

How Chiropractic Influenced Dr. Jimenez?

 

[00:06:13] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Stepping back a little bit, Mario, one of the things when I first decided to become a chiropractor, when I first had to assess what type of profession was in line with what I believed, I was an athlete. I was a bodybuilder, was a powerlifter, and we’re talking about in the 80s. And yeah, I got to say that I had my buddy Jeff Goods, and we were like the strongest guys at 16. I played in South Florida, so it’s very competitive in football in South Florida, and I was a big boy. Now, I played against Bennie Blades, Brian Blades. I played with Michael Irving. I played at Piper High School, and we dealt with high-performance athletes. Every day. I got to see up close the Miami Dolphins. I got to see Andre Franklin, Lorenzo White, who worked out in my gym. This was an amazing kind of world I lived in. When I decided to look into a profession, I was looking for a profession focused on health, mobility, agility, and things to touch people. And that’s what I was. I was a health care provider. I had no idea that the day I decided to be a chiropractor and met a chiropractor, he told me what he did, and I had no idea what one was, what I did was I asked them, Hey, can I do this? Can I do nutrition? Can I do weightlifting? Can I do plyometrics? Which was the new thing back in the day. They didn’t call it CrossFit. It was a dynamic movement. It was agility training. In that process, what I did was I asked them a couple of questions, and he checked mark every one of my boxes. I go, I can I touch people? Can I work on people? Can I do things? Can I help people become better? I was passionate about the elderly. I loved that I came from a health care background, so I enjoyed that kind of stuff. But when I went into chiropractic college, believe it or not, I had not seen an inside of a chiropractic office other than the philosophies that I had read on what there was in books. I could say LAPD of Britannica career books on what chiropractic is, but there was no such thing as the internet in 1985 to find and reference stuff and search it as we can today. I think Prodigy began around the nineteen nineties. So this is where I got the idea. When I walked into the school, I was hit with a required class, the course on the history of chiropractic. I had no idea that I would go into a profession where the leader had been thrown in jail about 60 times. You know what we learned, and we can try to figure out why only 60 where did it stopped? Why not at the sixty-one time, 60 first time that he stopped getting arrested. The world changed when they figured out what we were doing, and the arts of mobility impacted the world. We understood the dynamics of the movements. We had not understood embryology to that level. Today, we’ve learned that the first notal cord of the neural groove becomes the spine. It is the central circuit. You drop the wires, cables, and infrastructure when you look at a formed city. That’s what we were designed, and our creator designed a system that starts at the spine. And from there, it builds in the dynamic movement of the cells as they develop and grow, creating a structure that is designed for motion. It is designed to move. It is not a surprise that many of the diseases and pathologies that you and I treat are in some way linked in co-mingled together with motion itself. Now the world’s waking up to this, and as they wake up, we’re going to be the bad boys of chiropractic, and we’re going to teach people about what we do and what it is that we articulate. Because every day I get the the the the privilege to touch people in an area where they’re not supposed to be touched, their neck, their spine, their joints. You and I do that every single day. We have the pleasure of assessing and treating the dynamics of human existence and understanding that the creator loves motion. He’s got a; I’d even say a fetish. Everything moves from planet spin; light moves, joint moves, roots grow, birds sing, and the wind blows. Motion is part of all existence. So the closer we get to motion, it becomes the most important thing that we associate with God’s intention. And that’s the huge thing. So when you asked me that question, where did I begin? We have to go back and step back and kind of begin at the beginning and ask ourselves, where did this freak come out from? Which is BJ Palmer, Didi Palmer comes up with the philosophies these crazy guys that came up with that, and we’re here to kind of tell the story, at least from about 50, some almost 60 years of chiropractic treatment between you and I. We can tell the story about that, but I hope that gives you an idea of what started my belief in motion in chiropractic because it’s a passion for who we are and what we do. Our children are athletes. We have given our children to the arts of motion. No child in our families is yours, and my family has not lived with motion as part of the thing that they wake up, and they got to do something. Whether it’s volleyball, tennis, baseball, whatever they do, soccer and judo.

 

[00:11:39] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Yes. And you know, Alex, that is the reason why we are the bad boys of chiropractic because you know what, B.J. Palmer, Didi Palmer, and the whole crew. I mean the founders of National College in Chicago, St. Louis, Logan Chiropractic, all of those. They were the bad boys. They were considered outlaws. These are not real doctors. What are they doing? You know, they’re messing up the stuff, you know? And let me tell you, just like we talked about in the last conversation, you know, in the beginning, the people will look at innovative technologies and innovative thought and healing as being terrible and abusive. So if that’s bad, they try to put it out and criticize it. Then after a while, they see that it works in the results. Chiropractic is about results. The bottom line? It cannot lie. It can’t, Alex. This is the beauty of chiropractic. It either works, or it doesn’t. There’s nothing to cover it up. We cannot cover it up. We can’t give you a magic pill to make you feel better.

 

[00:13:02] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: You know, you and I got to get out of its way. You got to get out of its way because it’s steam. It’s past me. I jumped on it as a young chiropractic student, and when it took me on for a ride that I didn’t know, we got to get out of this way because it’s an intense motion is what life’s about. And this is what you and I know, and I believe that you and I have experienced a love for this science, and we probably developed it more passionately. The more the years we had, huh?

 

[00:13:30] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Oh, absolutely. And we’ve gone through a lot of what I call the roller coaster of life, the ups and downs and sideways the rocket launches and the slamming on brakes and your story. I love your story, Alex. And mine is much different, and I think every chiropractor has their own story because this is not something you just pick up. After all, someone said, Oh, you know what? I think you should be a chiropractor. Like what? We hold on. We need to pray for you. Don’t do that.

 

[00:14:01] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: No, chiropractic chooses you.

 

How Chiropractic Chose Dr. Ruja?

 

[00:14:02] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: This is it. I got smacked head-on in a car collision. Yes, I was hit in a car, spun around, and went through six months of rehab and orthopedic and all of that. And at the end, I had residual pain. I had residual issues, and I did not want to accept those limitations. I was a college athlete, and there is no way that I’m going to go, “OK, well, let’s take a pill for the rest of my life.” It wasn’t going to happen, Alex. And somehow, my buddy said, “Hey, my grandmother will see this doctor, and she feels fantastic, and she’s moving. She’s walking every day.” I said, “OK, who is this guy?” Dr. Farense in Savannah, Georgia. If he’s around, give me a call now because I love you.

 

[00:14:53] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: How do you spell Dr. Farense?

 

[00:14:54] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: I don’t know how you spell it because I can’t remember, but I’ll look it up. But let me tell you that guy. I walked to his office and said, “Look, I’m banged up. I’m jacked up. I need some help because I’m not happy. I am just not happy. I want to get back to my performance, my biking.” I cycled, I ran. I did marathons, half marathons. I couldn’t sit still. I can’t sit still even today. I’m 54, and I’m just getting warmed up.

 

[00:15:22] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: You know what? I don’t know him, and I probably have never heard of his name. But you know what you did say that you referenced a chiropractor who influenced your life. This is correct. This is a profession that we were about the fifth generation, and we honor our leaders, our teachers. And it’s nice. I mean, Dr. Farense may not have ever realized that one day, 30 years later, a chiropractor was going to mention his name because we have to honor B.J. Palmer, Didi Palmer, the teachers, and the professors that made it an influence on your life. Amazingly, we were following through with this. We have a purpose that is beyond even time itself. It’s incredible what you’re doing.

 

[00:16:06] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: It’s growing, Alex. It’s building momentum. This is about momentum, and what is momentum? Movement. You can’t build momentum sitting down. You cannot build momentum, just accepting average, accepting mediocrity, and accepting, well, that’s just how it is now. So this is where the power of breaking barriers of crushing limits is all about chiropractic. I just want to bring in that thought is that movement, that calibration. And this is where I get passionate. You know, I’ve been doing this for 25 years plus, and everywhere I go, I just got back from Chihuahua. Yeah, I just got back from Chihuahua, and I was there for four days.

 

[00:16:55] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Oh, the commercial, says “Donde Jale?” “It’s a machine.” Chihuahua commercials are pretty badass.

 

[00:17:03] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Yes, I love it. So let me tell you, wherever I go, I open my mouth, and they said, “Dr. Ruja, my neck hurts. Me duele me culo, ay si.” You know what? What can you do? And that’s it. That’s my intro, Alex. That is my intro, and I start to dance. I see myself as salsa. Merengue. Yeah, I see myself doing that, and they look at me like, “What is this guy doing?” And I’m going to tell you right now, I put my hands on them, and they’re never the same again. They will never forget that. And each one of them, they get up. I don’t care if it’s on the bed. I don’t care for it; it’s on a bench. Yeah, I said it.

 

[00:17:44] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Mario has an international license.

 

[00:17:48] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: That’s right.

 

[00:17:49] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: He is internationally known.

 

[00:17:51] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Absolutely. And let me tell you, the impact is clear. It’s about chiropractic. I don’t need it, and we do not need special equipment. The special equipment is care. It’s care. It’s called love. It’s honoring our brothers and sisters and wishing them the best. And it’s healing hands. And even in the Bible, it says, “Lay hands, lay hands to heal.” That’s what it’s about. We got to lay hands and don’t be afraid. And I’m not talking about laying some hands. You know, momma used to lay some hands on my butt when I misbehaved. I mean, even my dad, he used to lay some hands. He wasn’t a chiropractor, but he adjusted me. He adjusted my attitude. Do you know what I’m saying, right, Alex? Do you remember those hands?

 

[00:18:38] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Oh, I remember. I remember running, and it was whatever my mom had something near her, she would throw it.

 

[00:18:45]Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Oh, it was the chancla.

 

[00:18:46] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: I was talking my mouth enough, and she had a fork in her. She stuck me with a fork on my butt when I misbehaved. Corporal punishment was the way.

 

[00:18:56] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Yeah. It wasn’t abused, was it, Alex. Yeah. But we learned to move away from her quickly. That’s why you did so well in football, Alex. It’s called plyometrics, and that’s how you jump.

 

[00:19:06] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Oh, yeah, and it’s good as some of my counterparts, but they were very good. But I have to tell you, that’s it. You know what? When we look at it, I wonder about the science of chiropractic and how it’s evolved over and continues to evolve. It links so many other sciences, and there is no other word that describes what chiropractic is other than holistic. It is a holistic approach. It is a natural way of healing the body through motion. And like I indicated before, I think God’s got a fetish for it because he gives us so many damn joints, and this whole thing was our design. And in that process, we heal.

 

[00:19:51] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Now, Alex, I’m going to stop you right there, and I want you to grab this thought. Chiropractic has often been limited to back, you know, like the neck and mid-back and lower back, and that’s it. But let me tell you, I got news for you. Chiropractic for the whole body. Hands, wrists, elbow, shoulders, knees, ankles, feet. OK, chiropractic is about calibrating, balancing, aligning, and optimizing the whole body. Again, this is not something that I specialize in cranial adjustments, cranial for concussions. There are chiropractors, and we will have to talk more about this in the future. But the specialty of chiropractic goes all the way from pediatrics to geriatrics to sports chiropractic, cranial-sacral chiropractic, biomechanics. I mean, orthopedic, neurological.

 

[00:21:01] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Yes, there are so many branches that it does that today wasn’t present 20 years ago. No, it was present, but it was in its beginning. Today, the world wants it, demands it, demands specialization, even chiropractic for just a thing, a sport, a movement, a low back, a sacral technique, its cervical technique.

 

[00:21:25] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: And this is what we want to empower as the bad boys of chiropractic. It’s about getting in your face and getting real.

 

[00:21:35] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: In your face.

 

Holistic Approaches to Chiropractic Care

 

[00:21:38] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*:Yes, that’s right. We will grab your attention. OK? You’re not falling asleep tonight. So in chiropractic, we have specialists. Atlas Orthogonal. They only adjust to vertebrates, atlas, and axes. Very specific. And I love this. We will honor chiropractic, all the specialties and nuances, and all those excellent flows to segments, the atlas, and axes. These are right under your cranium with the Farina Magnum. This is where the whole area of the flow of energy from your brain is. It goes from the brain, brain stem into the spinal cord; that area is so empowering that chiropractic has gotten so specialized that they only adjust special X-rays. Very unique. It’s like high level. I don’t do that, but I tell you what, I love those chiropractors to do that, and I want them to do more of it, and we want to enlighten them. And we want to support every chiropractic in the world, not just the nation. The word chiropractic is all over the world, Alex, all over.

 

[00:23:09] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Everywhere you went, I went to school like yours. It was Palmer, and yours was Palmer. I was national, not too far from each other within a few three or four hundred miles apart from each other. We would do that there was a thirst for chiropractic from different countries and these countries, from Japan, from France. They would send their students to learn in our environments because the laws differed in those days. These were my Chinese, my Japanese cohorts that spent in the dorms just to learn what we were doing out in the world of the states. Our school was welcome. Our schools were very and always have been an international attraction to teach the students. And today, now those countries have their colleges. You know, France has its own college. England has its college. This didn’t exist. You cannot stop it. No, it is coming, and it is motion. And as you said, you know, chiropractic has always been about all joints. You cannot talk about an ankle, and then you cannot talk about the neck. You cannot deal with it. And if you want to see how well connected, well, I’d like you to walk in the middle of the night and step on a tack and see how it’s all connected, and you’ll see the body dance in its dynamics, the cerebellum, the way you mentioned it sits on the foramen magnum. That is a huge, important part. The sciences developed due to understanding the connectivity between the foramen magnum, midbrain, and medulla have been unbelievable over the last two or three decades. So we are in a world of awakening, OK? An awakening of what chiropractic is. So as we go out, as the bad boys, we’re going to go deep. We’re going to get intense. We’re going to go deep into the world of science because, in today’s world, we have nothing but confusion. Misunderstanding. Yes, today, one thing some vitamin talks about this, then in the next day, it causes this. So one supplement does this. One drug starts with a better outcome. But I’ve got to tell you the story of Bextra, Celebrex within months of each other, of all of us taking it, they were pulled. You know what? We come and go. So the bottom line is natural. Approaches of holistic dynamics are the things that heal people and prevent them before they become clinical, and that’s what we do.

 

[00:25:35] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: That’s the area that chiropractic is so powerful. I would say, in my opinion, I’m a little biased because, you know what? I’m going to get real with you. Yes. How is chiropractic the number one motion optimization, recovery, and maintenance system globally?

 

[00:25:59] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Repeat it. Chiropractic is the what? Yes, it is number one in line.

 

[00:26:06] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: That’s right. Listen carefully and replay this one. That’s right. You play it and put on your favorites. And you know, what do all this stuff? Whatever you’re going to do with this video, just put on rerun, baby. We are the number one optimization system for biomechanics from the world’s movement for maintenance and recovery. In the world, we do not wait for the pain to occur. We crush pain before it happens. This is like having your Bugatti. OK, you are the Bugatti, and there are no other parts; there’s nothing to do. There are no parts to buy and to take over. Again, there are no parts of you; whatever you’re born with is what you got. The most critical, most powerful thing you can do for yourself is to utilize chiropractic art. That means finding chiropractic in your area. And I mean find the real one and sit down and say, You know what? I want to talk to you. What are you up to?

 

[00:27:24] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: When you said real, Mario. Because there are some people out there that come on, come on, you know what, I’ve got to tell you…

 

[00:27:30] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: We are the bad boys of chiropractic.

 

[00:27:31] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: You know what? Come on; we’re going to go there. We’re going to go there, Mario, because you have got to find the right one.

 

[00:27:37] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: You got to find a real one, and you know what? This is what I’m saying. There’s deadwood in every forest. Yeah, that’s what Mama told me. Yeah, in every forest, I’m talking about chiropractic. There’s deadwood, orthopedic, everyone, teachers, and there’s deadwood. Some folks want to get some benefits, and let me tell you, get the real one. Sit down face to face, get real with them, ask them some fundamental questions, and look them up. And this is what we’re about. We’re about results.

 

[00:28:10] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Yeah, Mario, here’s the thing when you get it when you go to a chiropractor, and this is now I can say this because I am one. I would never disparage any other profession because there are significant physical medicine sciences. Physical therapists, you know, these people know what they’re doing. These people have unbelievable science. But again, physical therapists, massage therapists, orthopedics. We all wrap around the science of motion into it and embrace it. So when we look for somebody, it’s a most offensive thing for me to hear when you go to a chiropractor. Someone went to a chiropractor, and the guy pulled out a piece of paper and said, OK, do some exercises, and that guy didn’t touch. You see, we are chiropractors who touch people; we wrap around them like pythons. Suppose your chiropractor isn’t wrapping around you and working around and trying to recalibrate you, time for a new chiropractor structurally. It’s not the practice of chiropractic.

 

[00:29:07] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Why don’t we get real since we’re the bad boys of chiropractic and we’re going to get down and dirty, OK? Number one, Chiro means hand. Practic means this is practical. That’s right. Please don’t ask me to spell it.

 

[00:29:22] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Well, chiro means in atomic the carbon atoms, they’re equal mirror images.

 

How Does Chiropractic Compliments Other Professions?

 

[00:29:28] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Yes. So, the point is this. Again, you go to a chiropractor; they better lay some hands on you. You know what? It is highly recommended to remove some bones. They do all of that unless it is a specialty. Now here it is, like atlas orthogonal. And some other specialties like these are like high-end stuff. They need to do that, and it’s not about rubbing your back. That’s a different conversation for a different day. It is about creating movement calibration within the whole body. And also, I would like to add this complementing all of the healing arts around us. We complement orthopedics. We complement physical therapies, surgeons, neurosurgeons, allottees, occupational therapy. We complement psychologists, psychiatrists. We compliment teachers. We compliment coaches

 

[00:30:30] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: We compliment endocrinologists.

 

[00:30:32] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Yes, we compliment the world. We don’t interfere. We are the ones who break down the interference and create clarity in the energy flow of the body. That is that parasympathetic, sympathetic nervous system, autonomic nervous system that controls and creates harmonics, and 50 trillion-plus cells create who you are. Trillions with a T.

 

[00:31:09] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Yeah. No, it’s amazing. You and I have been a part of a movement era. You know what I share with you that we’ve seen the attempts to limit the professions, whether it be physical therapists who have been determined by different forces out there. Each century had its limitations on other practices: the chiropractors, the optometrists, and the psychologists. But what we’ve learned is that you can’t hold it down. As you said initial results, you cannot stop the movement. But these chiropractors are working in Indonesia, Africa, Ethiopia, and special areas of all over Europe. They’re treating their patients in different ways. And one of the great things is the the the bringing in of other professions. The integration where the word integrative medicine has come in, integrative medicine is the form of sciences that brings all whatever it takes. All the dynamics and all the arts together to make it work. From there, we treat it in what’s the newest world of chiropractic is functional medicine. Our functional medicine is now the connector of many other holistic approaches, and it holistically looks at the body. How can we not take joints? How can we not have psychiatric issues, psychological issues, and traumas? Well, emotion is an important part of the therapy. If it’s endocrine, a metabolic disease, or metabolic syndrome, motion is in the treatment protocol. Neurological Parkinson’s neurodegenerative issues…

 

[00:32:48] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue…

 

[00:32:51] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Intestinal issues.

 

[00:32:52] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Depression. Yes, anxiety, I can tell you right now. And this is science talking to you. This is science. Number one, you don’t move. You will get depressed. You don’t move. Let me have someone let. Let’s do an excellent little test. Let me have you stay in bed for a month. Let me see what happens to you. Yeah. Let me know what happens to you. Let me have you sit down in that chair for a month, and then you tell me you’re not depressed. You tell me you don’t sleep and tell me you don’t have metabolic syndrome. If you don’t have one, you will. And this is where chiropractic compliments the power of life and movement, creating beautiful harmonies. So we can continue. The word continues to go and workout every athlete. I will say this. We don’t have enough chiropractors in the world. We don’t have enough chiropractors, period. Every human being should have a chiropractic visit at least four or five times a year, at least. Why? Because this is the problem. You know, we get into this chronic pain management. We get into all this disease care. This is the problem, Alex. We are reactive. Our society is focused on disease and managing the disease. I would like to share, empower, motivate, and challenge the world as the bad boys of chiropractic. It’s about challenging, folks. And the challenge is this. Why don’t we decrease the number of people with diabetes? Why don’t we reduce the number of people with depression anxiety? Why don’t we decrease that by movement? Movement cost? Yes. The cost is less.

 

Conclusion

 

[00:34:48] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Yeah, you know what? Welcome to our show. This is Dr. Alex Jimenez and Dr. Mario Ruja. We are the bad boys of chiropractic, absolutely going to expose the realities of what we have learned and what we have understood in the physical sciences and how they correlate with different issues, diseases, and disorders. We’re going to develop protocols and advanced treatment dynamics that are esoteric, and we’re going to bring it in. And you know what? We’re going to use science. We’re going to use real science, and we as the bad boys because there will be a lot of thumbs down in terms of what we say. But there’s going to be a whole lot of thumbs up in terms of our dynamics. Because Mario, we have it. It is our legacy is; what do we have to do? You mentioned the other day that you know what this is, what you wanted to do. We need to teach people what we have learned. We not only need to teach people what we have to wake up those people that are willing to and want to teach and give of their lives for the future of chiropractic and physical medicine, physical therapies, orthopedic surgeons. We need a neurologist, anyone in the physical world. It seemed that even if we talk about the physical medicine doctors, we’re going to associate with all other professions. It doesn’t take you far drop in to throw here to realize that endocrinologists are linked to a rheumatologist. Rheumatologists are linked to chiropractic. Chiropractic is correlated to the orthopedist. Whether it’s neurology or the practicing of different dynamics, this whole thing of science will affect the future of what we have in health care. It will be a change, a movement, and we will be known as the bad boys of chiropractic, which we’re going to expose. We will do an exposé of many different topics, and I welcome you, Mario. We are brothers, and we have to teach the future people. So check-in; make sure you guys keep your ideas because we could talk forever, by the way. Yeah, Mario, I get to speak with them like we can sit here till four o’clock in the morning. Our families will not like that. We will come to you and teach you what we know and share with you. And I hope it matters. I know, Mario, you got a couple of thoughts.

 

[00:37:03] Dr. Mario Ruja DC*: Yeah, and this is the thought. Chiropractic is about optimizing movement. Optimize and move in a body, creating recovery, optimal recovery, maintenance, and complementing all of the healing arts. We are here to compliment all of the healing arts. Orthopedic, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychiatric psychological counseling are all here to complement educators. We’re here to complement and optimize students in their performance in school. We’re here to complement and optimize coaches and athletes to their highest level of life. And most of all, I would like to say this to create closure for our next show. There’s plenty of room at the top, the bottoms crowded, so come on with us, you got bad boys at the top.

 

[00:38:10] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: With that said, we’re all closing up here, and we look forward to making sure this works well for all of us and ensures the knowledge for all the people we’re here to come and in the future.

 

Disclaimer

Getting Started Eating Healthy

Getting Started Eating Healthy

A typical diet consists of consuming three meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in between. However, this is not always the case, depending on individual eating patterns and habits. Getting started eating healthy and losing body fat does not require severe dietary restrictions, starvation, and constantly exercising. Although achieving rapid weight loss might sound appealing, individuals often end up feeling depressed, tired, and unmotivated after some time. This is the most common cause of not maintaining a healthy balance and achieving optimal health. Individuals can still eat the foods they love by making long-term improvements that include:

  • Understanding the body’s caloric needs
  • Making smart nutritional choices
  • Adopting healthy eating habits
  • Incorporating enough exercise

Having all of the necessary information to make educated and informative choices for the body is the most effective and valuable way to getting started eating healthy.

Getting Started Eating Healthy

Getting Started

Healthy eating starts with learning and adopting new ways to eat. This means adding fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and cutting back on processed foods with added fat, salt, and sugar. Converting to healthier eating also includes learning about balance, variety, and moderation.

Balance

On most days, aim to eat more:

  • Grains
  • Protein foods
  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Dairy
  • Listen to the body
  • Eat when hungry
  • Stop when full and satisfied

Variety

  • Choose different foods in each food group.
  • Don’t reach for an apple every time when eating fruit.
  • Eating various foods every day will help you get all the nutrients you need.

Moderation

  • Don’t have too much or too little of one food.
  • Eating in moderation means all foods can be part of a healthy diet.
  • Even sweets are okay.

Paying Attention To Foods

Eating healthy will help the body get the right balance of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. It will help the body:

  • Feel its best.
  • Increase energy levels.
  • Handle stress better.
  • Prevent various health problems like:
  • Heart disease.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Type 2 diabetes.
  • Types of cancer.

Healthy Eating vs. Going On A Diet

Healthy eating is not the same as going on a diet. It means making adjustments/changes that an individual can live with and enjoy. Diets are temporary, as they are intended to cut out certain types of foods to make the body readjust and lose fat. However, during a diet, individuals can become hungrier and think about food all the time. A common side effect is to overeat after the diet to make up for the foods that are missed. Eating a healthy, balanced variety of foods is more satisfying to the body. Combined with more physical activity can help the individual get to a healthy weight—and maintain the healthy weight.

Make Healthy Eating A Habit

Think about the reasons for healthier eating.

  • Improving overall health.
  • Increase energy.
  • Feel better.
  • Set an example for kids and family.
  • Think about small changes that can be made.
  • Choose the ones that can be maintained.
  • Don’t try to change everything at once.
  • Set manageable and achievable goals, like having a salad and a piece of fruit each day.
  • Make long-term goals as well, like having one vegetarian dinner a week.

Get Support

Having a support team can help make the adjustments easier. Family and friends can help make meals, share healthy recipes and cooking tips. For more help, consult a doctor, registered dietitian, or health coach. Get started today.


Body Composition


After Lunch Energy Dip

Most individuals have experienced the moment when after having a nice filling lunch then afterward feeling the need to take a nap. Having a sleepy feeling about one hour after lunch, known as the post-lunch dip, decreases:

  • Alertness
  • Memory
  • Vigilance
  • Mood

A study in the British Journal of Nutrition followed 80 participants over 12 weeks to find whether eating almonds impacted this post-lunch dip. The results found that an almond-enriched high-fat lunch helped reduce memory decline by 58% compared to a high-carbohydrate lunch.

References

American Dietetic Association (2009). Position of the American Dietetic Association: Functional foods. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 109(4): 735–746. Also available online: www.eatright.org/About/Content.aspx?id=8354.

Dhillon, Jaapna, et al. “Effects of Almond Consumption on the Post-Lunch Dip and Long-Term Cognitive Function in Energy-Restricted Overweight and Obese Adults.” British Journal of Nutrition, vol. 117, no. 3, 2017, pp. 395–402., doi:10.1017/S0007114516004463.

Gallagher ML (2012). Intake: The nutrients and their metabolism. In LK Mahan et al., eds., Krause’s Food and the Nutrition Care Process, 13th ed., pp. 32–128. St. Louis: Saunders.

Katz DL (2008). Dietary recommendations for health promotion and disease prevention. In Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 2nd ed., pp. 434–447. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture (2015). 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans 8th ed. health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/. Accessed January 12, 2016.

Non-Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Non-Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injuries or SCI’s don’t just happen from intense force/high-energy trauma like hard falls or auto accidents. Non-traumatic spinal cord injuries are more common. However, traumatic spinal cord injuries tend to get the most attention. This can cause problems as it can delay treatment for individuals with a non-traumatic injury. Awareness is vital because spinal cord disorders tend to not get recognized for their impact on overall health.

Non-Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Non-traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Non-traumatic spinal cord injuries is an umbrella term that includes several disorders, like:

  • Degenerative cervical myelopathy
  • Degenerative spondylosis
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Paget’s disease
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Metastatic cancer
  • Developmental disorders like Spina Bifida and cerebral palsy
  • Transverse myelitis
  • Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease
  • Friedreich’s ataxia

Understanding these disorders helps determine a correct diagnosis. Degenerative cervical myelopathy or DCM is the most common form of a non-traumatic spinal cord injury. It is a slow progressive injury that causes continued compression usually brought on by spondylosis or osteoarthritis of the spine’s joints. DCM can have a devastating effect on the quality of life if not diagnosed and treated as it can have a ripple effect by raising the risk of falls, leading to a traumatic spinal cord injury. Being aware can help in preventing the damage.

Other Causes and Complications

Other causes for non-traumatic spinal cord injury include:

  • Nerve damage
  • Blood supply loss to the spinal cord
  • Compression from a tumor or blood clot
  • Infection
  • Spinal abscess
  • Atherosclerosis

One of the most significant risk factors is age. This is due to an increased risk of conditions like osteoarthritis and hypertension as individuals get older, which is why individuals with a non-traumatic spinal cord injury are, on average, older than individuals that suffer a traumatic spinal cord injury. Weakness, instability, and loss of muscle control are common complications that can develop as the non-traumatic spinal cord injury progresses. Other complications that can present include:

  • Chronic pain
  • Sleep disturbance
  • Constipation
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Impotence
  • Pressure ulcers/bed sores if immobilized
  • Possible blood clots that can lead to deep vein thrombosis
  • Depression and anxiety

Treatment

With a traumatic spinal cord injury, treatment depends on the severity of the injury. With non-traumatic spinal cord injuries, treatment depends on what type of condition is involved. The primary treatment for non-traumatic spinal cord injuries typically involves various forms of rehabilitation to minimize further damage to the spinal cord. Surgery may be necessary if the spine needs to be decompressed.


Body Composition


Extracellular Water and Intracellular Water

Extracellular Water – ECW

  • Extracellular is the water located outside the body’s cells.
  • The water in the blood falls into this category.
  • Around 1/3 of the body’s fluid is attributed to ECW, and this water is found in the interstitial fluid, transcellular fluid, and blood plasma.
  • This water is important because:
  • It helps control the movement of electrolytes.
  • Allows oxygen delivery to the cells.
  • Clears waste from metabolic processes.

Intracellular Water – ICW

  • Intracellular is the water located inside the body’s cells.
  • It comprises 70% of the cytosol, which is a mix of water and other dissolved elements.
  • It makes up the other 2/3 of the water inside the body.
  • Intracellular water is important because:
  • It helps in cellular processes.
  • Allows molecules to be transported to the different organelles inside the cell.
  • Picks up where the extracellular water leaves off by continuing the pathway for fuel/energy to be transported to the cells.
References

Badhiwala, Jetan H et al. “Degenerative cervical myelopathy – update and future directions.” Nature reviews. Neurology vol. 16,2 (2020): 108-124. doi:10.1038/s41582-019-0303-0

Handbook of Clinical Neurology (2012) “Spinal Cord Injury.” www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/non-traumatic-spinal-cord-injury

Milligan, James et al. “Degenerative cervical myelopathy: Diagnosis and management in primary care.” Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien vol. 65,9 (2019): 619-624.

Physical Management in Neurological Rehabilitation (2004) “Spinal cord injury.” www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/non-traumatic-spinal-cord-injury

Ankle Instability

Ankle Instability

The ankles provide an essential role in total body function. They work as a complex system within the feet to carry the body’s weight and support movement. Any imbalance can cause ankle instability that can cause other areas of the body to go out of balance. This is most often caused by an injury, like an ankle sprain. If not properly addressed, it can lead to chronic instability and long-term health issues throughout the musculoskeletal system. Chiropractic treatment can rehabilitate ankle injuries, strengthen the muscles to prevent instability.

Ankle Instability

Ankle Instability

The entire body is an extensive, complicated, and interconnected system. Every part influences the next as individuals go about their everyday routines. Imbalances can occur in the spine, hips, legs, and knees, leading to limping, ankle pain, or injury. The most common causes of ankle instability include:

  • Poor foot or ankle mechanics
  • Knee or hip imbalances
  • Ankle sprains
  • Muscle strain
  • Tendonitis
  • Arthritis
  • Fractures
  • Chronic inflammation from illness or injury.

Finding The Imbalances

Understanding where the imbalances are and systematically addressing them is the recommended course of action. If an ankle injury is present, local symptoms and dysfunction need to be addressed. However, it is important to assess other body areas to ensure any other dysfunctions are also addressed. This prevents unnecessary re-injury, aggravation, and other problems.

Chiropractic

One or more treatment options will be utilized for proper recovery when dealing with ankle instability.

  • Joint adjustments of the lower body and spine to support nerve and blood circulation.
  • Foot and ankle compression wraps.
  • Ultrasound.
  • Electrical stimulation.
  • Therapeutic massage of the injured and sore tissues.
  • Recommendations for activity modification to prevent unnecessary aggravation and increase stability.
  • Exercise and stretch training.
  • Health coaching on an anti-inflammatory diet and foods to promote recovery.

Chiropractic is recommended for determining any body imbalances that need to be addressed with high-quality research-based care and can expedite the recovery process.


Body Composition


Compression Garments and Socks

These were only used to treat individuals with circulatory problems but are now available to the public. Recovery is about giving the body a chance to relax, recuperate, and recover from swelling, with the objective to resume physical activity. Compression garments come in shirts, pants, sleeves, and socks. The garments and socks are used for quicker recovery time, improved circulation and oxygen delivery to the muscles, and to reduce lactic acid build-up.

References

Anguish, Ben, and Michelle A Sandrey. “Two 4-Week Balance-Training Programs for Chronic Ankle Instability.” Journal of athletic training vol. 53,7 (2018): 662-671. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-555-16

Czajka, Cory M et al. “Ankle sprains and instability.” The Medical clinics of North America vol. 98,2 (2014): 313-29. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2013.11.003

Gribble, Phillip A. “Evaluating and Differentiating Ankle Instability.” Journal of athletic training vol. 54,6 (2019): 617-627. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-484-17

Lubbe, Danella et al. “Manipulative therapy and rehabilitation for recurrent ankle sprain with functional instability: a short-term, assessor-blind, parallel-group randomized trial.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 38,1 (2015): 22-34. doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2014.10.001

Chiropractic Reset For Jet Lag

Chiropractic Reset For Jet Lag

Chiropractic Reset: Traveling is not an easy adjustment as it disrupts the body’s internal clock. When flying even just 3 hours, the body can start to experience symptoms like:

  • Fatigue
  • Confusion
  • Insomnia
  • Joint and muscle pain
  • Stiffness
  • Stomach problems
  • Nausea
  • Hunger
  • Bad mood

Not only is the flight a physical challenge, but so are the long lines, backed-up traffic, lost luggage, etc. All take a toll on the mind and body; a chiropractic reset can help restore the body’s balance and energy levels.

Chiropractic Reset For Jet Lag

Jet Lag

Jet lag happens when the brain region known as the hypothalamus or center that controls sleep cycles, appetite, and temperature conflicts with travel changes. A survey from international flight attendants found that despite being used to long air travel:

  • 90% had fatigue over the first five days.
  • 94% had a lack of energy/motivation.
  • 93% had broken sleep.
  • 70% had ear, nose, or throat issues.

Scientists have estimated that it takes a full day to recover for every hour of time difference. The direction traveled can affect how intense the symptoms are since it’s easier for the body to delay its internal clock than speed it up. Traveling east is more difficult on the body compared to traveling west.

Ways To Limit The Effects

Workout

  • Get a thorough physical workout the day before you fly.
  • It doesn’t matter; it can be an hour on an elliptical machine, a mile jog, or a vigorous swim.
  • The objective is to get the lymph system moving to help prevent edema in the legs, hands and flush toxins from the body.

Take a Walk Every Hour

  • Try and get up at least once an hour for long trips and every half hour for shorter ones.
  • This will help prevent back pain.
  • Reduce the risk of blood clots from prolonged sitting and change in cabin pressure.

Bring Familiar Food

  • Fresh fruit, vegetables can be placed in a ziplock baggie.
  • Nuts are allowed as long as there are no passengers with severe allergies.
  • If it’s a long flight, include protein-like:
  • Chicken wings.
  • Hard-boiled eggs.
  • Cooked burgers.
  • All fit the criteria for a long plane flight.

Sleep

  • Try and get a proper night’s rest the night before the flight.
  • Eye patches and music also work well if available.
  • Utilize the flying time to increase rest.

Exercise

Flight time can make a difference

  • If possible, try to get a flight that gets to your destination in the evening.
  • Then, stay up until 10 pm local time.
  • If you have to take a nap, set the alarm not to surpass two hours.

Avoid caffeine and alcohol

  • You don’t have to go without alcohol or caffeine, but they should be cut out a few hours before sleeping.
  • Both can affect the ability to fall asleep, stay asleep, and the quality of sleep.

Change sleep patterns beforehand

  • In the week leading up to the trip, start adjusting sleep time and wake time to get closer to the new time zone.
  • This way, upon arrival, the body is basically adjusted.

Skip the big meal

  • To help the digestive system, try not to eat a massive meal upon arrival.
  • Allow body functions like sleep and digestion to adjust to the changes.

Bask in the sun

  • Daylight has a significant effect on the body’s clock.
  • Get outside to wake up the brain to help the body and mind adjust to the daytime hours.

Melatonin

  • This is a hormone in the body that helps control the circadian rhythm.
  • Melatonin is dependent on the amount of light the body is exposed to.
  • When there’s light, melatonin release is stopped.
  • When dark, melatonin release is stimulated.
  • It is recommended not to take melatonin before leaving, or it will make the jet lag worse.
  • Wait until landing in the new time zone to supplement one hour before regular sleep time at the new location.
  • Continue for three nights or until the body has adjusted.

Pycnogenol

  • Pycnogenol has been studied for its effect of reducing jet lag symptoms.
  • It reduces cerebral and joint swelling, which leads to fewer short-term memory problems, fatigue, and cardiac issues.
  • It has been shown to decrease deep vein thrombosis and superficial vein thrombosis, typical side effects of long flights.
  • Recommendations are to take three times a day for up to five days maximum of seven days after landing.

Chiropractic Reset

Chiropractic reset adjustments the day before and especially after the flight can restore balance to the nervous system and the body. This will help reset sleeping and waking patterns after the stress of flying.


Body Composition


Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a name for a set of symptoms and conditions that revolve around cardiovascular health.

  • Obesity and a high amount of visceral fat are significant risk factors for being diagnosed with metabolic syndrome.
  • Individuals can prevent metabolic syndrome by:
  • Focusing on minimizing visceral fat.
  • Maximizing lean mass leads to weight loss.
  • A diet that boosts HDL is essential.
  • Proper body hydration.

Body composition analysis can be thought of as a tool for understanding the approach to preventing the onset of metabolic syndrome. Knowing how to identify the risks can support individuals in making informed decisions on their healthcare journey.

References

Belcaro, G et al. “Jet-lag: prevention with Pycnogenol. Preliminary report: evaluation in healthy individuals and hypertensive patients.” Minerva cardioangiologica vol. 56,5 Suppl (2008): 3-9.

Herxheimer, Andrew. “Jet lag.” BMJ clinical evidence vol. 2014 2303. 29 Apr. 2014

Janse van Rensburg, Dina C Christa et al. “How to manage travel fatigue and jet lag in athletes? A systematic review of interventions.” British journal of sports medicine vol. 54,16 (2020): 960-968. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2019-101635

Straub, WF et al. “The effect of chiropractic care on jet lag of Finnish junior elite athletes.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 24,3 (2001): 191-8.

Zerón-Rugerio, María Fernanda et al. “Eating Jet Lag: A Marker of the Variability in Meal Timing and Its Association with Body Mass Index.” Nutrients vol. 11,12 2980. 6 Dec. 2019, doi:10.3390/nu11122980

Changing Positions and Posture Throughout The Day

Changing Positions and Posture Throughout The Day

Changing positions and posture. Individuals who have to sit at a desk, workstation, or cubicle for most of the day increase their risk of back pain, contributing to other health issues.  GetAmericaStanding.org reports the average adult sits for ten hours or more a day. Prolonged sitting at home and work without movement, physical activity, exercise can lead to issues like:

  • Pain
  • Irritability
  • Cardiovascular problems
  • Obesity
  • Diabetes

Long periods of inactivity are associated with increased mortality as sedentariness causes the same damage related to smoking and obesity. It can be challenging to find ways to remain active while sitting at work; this is where changing positions and posture, also known as dynamic sitting throughout the day, can help.

Changing Positions and Posture Throughout The Day

Changing Positions and Posture Throughout the Day

Constantly sitting in a chair means the body remains static, causing blood and energy circulation to slow down, stressing the body’s muscles. Changing the body’s positions regularly along with short periods of activity like standing up, walking around while on the phone, and stretching helps to work out the muscles and keep circulation at optimal levels.

The Importance of Changing Positions and Posture

The body was meant to move and requires movement to stay healthy.

Staying in one position for too long can lead to loss of core strength from the abdominal musculature becoming deconditioned. Muscle deconditioning leads to weakness and tightness. The imbalance affects the spinal support system leading to back, hip, and leg pain. Moving around and doing quick mini-workouts can help strengthen the body, increase core strength, improve posture, burn calories and prevent pain and injury.

The Basics

According to a 2018 study, researchers found improvements in cardiometabolic health among individuals that would stand up, sit less, and move more. Ways to adjust the work or home office to make changing positions and posture easier include.

Medical Consultation

These small changes and adjustments can make a big difference when experiencing body pain from too much sedentariness. However, it is crucial to know if other issues are causing the health problem/s. If back or any pain is associated with any of the following, consult a medical professional.

  • Trauma from an accident or injury.
  • Balance issues.
  • Weakness in the legs.
  • Infection.
  • Fever.
  • Unexplained weight loss.
  • Overflow urinary incontinence is when the bladder fills up and empties without feeling the need to urinate.
  • Severe constipation.

Body Composition


How to Read Blood Pressure Measurements

An individual’s blood pressure includes:

Systolic Blood Pressure

  • This is the first or top number listed on a blood pressure reading and is the measurement of the pressure that the blood exerts against the walls of the arteries.
  • A normal systolic reading should be less than 120 mm Hg.

Diastolic Blood Pressure

  • This is the second number that measures the force of the blood against the artery walls when the heart is resting between beats.
  • A normal diastolic reading is less than 80 mm Hg.

Pulse

  • The pulse is the number of beats per minute the heart is beating.
  • A normal adult pulse is between 60 to 100 beats per minute.

When checking blood pressure, a doctor will read out a vital sign in the normal range of 120/80 mmHg or below. Anything above that could be an indication of an underlying health condition.

References

“Ergonomics for Prolonged Sitting.” The University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA. www.uclahealth.org/spinecenter/ergonomics-prolonged-sitting

“Workplace sitting is associated with self-reported general health and back/neck pain: a cross-sectional analysis in 44,978 employees.” BMC Public Health, London, UK. May 2021. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33957889/

“Active Sitting Guide: 6 Reasons To Really Consider It.” The Ergonomics Health Association. (n.d.) ergonomicshealth.com/active-sitting-guide/

“Cardiometabolic Impact of Changing Sitting, Standing, and Stepping in the Workplace.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Indianapolis, IN. March 2018. oce.ovid.com/article/00005768-201803000-00015/HTML

“Reducing occupational sitting time and improving worker health: the Take-a-Stand Project, 2011.” Preventing Chronic Disease, Atlanta, GA. 2012.

“Office exercise: Add more activity to your day.” The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. October 2019. www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/office-exercise/art-20047394

“The Tools: Put an End to Your Sedentary Lifestyle.” Ergotron, St. Paul, MN. (n.d.). www.juststand.org/the-tools/

Mini Workouts Over The Day Just As Effective

Mini Workouts Over The Day Just As Effective

Trying to fit exercise into a busy day can be a struggle to find a 30–45-minute window. However, research has found that mini workouts and accumulated exercises over the day are as effective as one complete session. Studies show that short workout sessions take the place of one long workout by breaking up the routine into several small ones and are just as effective.

Mini Workouts Over The Day Just As Effective

Time of Exercise

According to the CDC and its Physical Activity Guidelines, adults should focus on a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise weekly, along with strength training at least two days per week. The workouts should focus on total-body targeting the major muscle groups. However, a long session can be broken up into several mini workouts to achieve the same benefits and achieve the same number of minutes.

Benefits of Mini Workouts

The benefits of short, multiple exercise sessions are that they provide increased flexibility in an individual’s daily schedule, allowing them to focus on their health while navigating family, work, and other obligations. Performing mini-workouts throughout the day makes it easier to stay committed to an exercise program, experience the benefits, and achieve their health goals.

Increase Brain Health and Mood

  • Shorter duration workouts save time, allow multiple forms of exercise into a single day, and improve neurological, physical, and psychological benefits.
  • Performing an exercise as short as 3–5 minutes throughout the day can benefit the brain and mood.

Lower Blood Pressure

  • A study compared the effects of short aerobic exercise sessions and continuous exercise on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure.
  • The study found that doing three 10-minute walks during the day morning, midday, and late afternoon lowered blood pressure more than doing one 30-minute walk in prehypertensive individuals.

Easier to Exercise

  • Performing high-intensity workouts for a long time is not easy, even for seasoned athletes.
  • This is why mini workout sessions appeal to fitness fans of all levels.
  • Decreasing the time allows the individual to exercise at higher intensities.

Reduce the Stress of Working Out

  • Incorporating shorter workouts can reduce the stress or fear that individuals have towards working out.
  • When looking at fitness from this perspective, shortened workouts naturally become a part of the day that helps relieve stress.

Achieve Fitness Goals

  • Shorter workouts allow individuals with busy schedules to focus on what they can perform in controlled sessions throughout the day without feeling overwhelmed by committing to an entire workout session.
  • Mini workouts are easy to schedule, more sustainable to perform, and easier to commit to long-term.
  • They allow for more focused and intensive exercise, especially when easily distracted.

Plan Ahead and Follow Through

The recommended way to accumulate a balance of strength, cardio, and mobility exercises throughout the day is to set up a plan. Find a routine that is enjoyable and not a chore, then set up the office space, work area, home to accommodate the exercises. For cardiovascular and strengthening benefits, an example of Tabata or HIIT workout.

  • Five exercises.
  • Two minutes on each exercise with a work-rest ratio of 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off.
  • Depending on an individual’s fitness level, the work-rest ratio can be modified.
  • To improve mobility and strength, use weights or resistance bands.
  • Focus on proper form.

Try shorter workouts for a quick burst of exercise:

  • Pick two to three exercises like bicep curls, shoulder presses, bodyweight squats, calf raises, lunges, or planks.
  • Set a watch for 3 minutes.
  • Perform 30 seconds of one exercise.
  • Switch to another exercise for 30 seconds.
  • Alternate until the 3 minutes are up.

Body Composition


Bodyweight Workout 1

  • Ten bodyweight squats.
  • Ten pushups.
  • Twenty jumping jacks.
  • Twenty-second plank.
  • Ten glute bridges.
  • Twenty seconds of rest.
  • Repeat as many times as possible in 10 minutes.

Bodyweight Workout 2

  • Thirty seconds of bodyweight squats.
  • Thirty seconds of jumping jacks or high knees.
  • Thirty-second plank.
  • Thirty seconds of rest.
  • Repeat 4–5 times.

Yoga Stretching

References

How much physical activity do adults need? (2015, June 4) cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2014, October 10). Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2015, April 16). Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469