PODCAST: Dr. Alex Jimenez and his crew focus on making several facts about the COVID-19 pandemic clear. Currently, there is no definitive cure for COVID-19. But what can we do then you may ask? Dr. Alex Jimenez, chiropractor in El Paso, TX, and his crew presents Antiviral Strategies that have scientific substantiations from healthcare professionals around the world. In a moment where information is spread without scientific support, we must look into the research studies that have sound science evidence in order to understand non-fiction from what the true science has presented. These are difficult times and very scary times. We present a body of information present from the works of Dr. Alex Vasquez. His information at time cryptic and found in his writings do shed some light and direction which many of us can take in order to prepare for optimal support from our own immunity. The scientific community is clear. Again, at this time there is no cure for COVID-19. This does not mean we must not look at a way to optimize our immunity. Specifically, since there is much that has been studied in the ways the Antiviral Stategies can prepare our bodies. Dr. Alex Jimenez and his crew continue to discuss Antiviral Strategies and how these can improve our immune system. – Podcast Insight
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Thank You & God Bless.
Dr. Alex Jimenez RN, DC, MSACP, CCST
When dealing with back pain, it’s not just the pain that has to be dealt with. It is stress, anxiety, and depression that can make coping even harder. Learn how to manage pain and mental health. Dealing with chronic back pain is difficult for anyone.
All-around mental distress can exacerbate pain and worsen the stress you are already experiencing creating a vicious cycle. There are treatments available for mental health and chronic back pain that can help get a handle on both at the same time. What you should know about the connection, along with the therapies that can help.
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Dealing with Chronic Back Pain and Mental Health
Back pain is very common and it is estimated that about 90% of Americans will experience back pain. A small portion will develop chronic back pain or pain that continues more than 12 weeks. Chronic back pain can be caused by a variety of medical problems. Injuries to illness are all are pathways to chronic pain. Pain is different for everyone, depending on the cause, the area affected and the individual. For some, the pain might feel like a mild, persistent ache. While others, the pain could be a continual throbbing.
One factor of chronic back pain is the emotional response that happens when it presents. If you stress or fixate on the pain, you are perceiving it to be much worse. This can lead to more stress, and:
Anxiety
Appetite changes
Depression
Fatigue
Mood swings
Sleep issues
These problems then feedback into the pain and together significantly affect relationships, work, ability to function and your quality of life. The single step to take is to reach out to a doctor. They can check for mental health issues, begin treatment for your psychological/physical issues and refer you to specialists.
Therapy
There are many approaches to treating chronic back pain and the psychological issues that come with it. Not every treatment regimen works for everybody. The best approach is usually a combination of techniques. Psychotherapy, specifically the talking therapy can help treat both physical and emotional pain. One of the most-researched forms is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
During a session, you learn how to identify negative reactions and work to change them into positive thoughts and actions. The idea is to alter the initial response to better manage how the pain affects you. This therapy is directed by a therapist and can be done individually or in a group.
Medication
For many medications are an effective way to manage mental health issues and some can help relieve the pain itself.
While these drugs can be helpful, many can come with side effects. Antidepressants can cause:
Blurry vision
Drowsiness
Dizziness
Bathroom issues
Pain Rehabilitation
Chronic pain rehabilitation programs are another option. With rehab, a team of doctors/physical therapists from different areas of medicine, work together addressing the medical, physical and mental issues that come with the pain. Every treatment program is customized to the patient, and while treatments are usually conducted at a medical clinic, they can also be done online.
Pain rehab includes:
Addressing any underlying conditions
Improving physical function
Reducing reliance on pain medication
Helping you cope with stress, anxiety, and more
Integrative Health
Alternative health approaches can help control back pain and ease the mind. Research has shown that certain alternative practices do work to relieve pain. There is evidence that the following therapies can help reduce chronic back pain, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health:
Acupuncture
Chiropractic
Low-level laser therapy
Mindfulness-based stress breathing exercises and imagery
Muscle relaxation
Tai chi
Yoga
Other treatments
Electromyography biofeedback is a therapy where low-level electric signals are used to help gain control over muscle movement. Some patients find journaling, massage, prayer and other relaxation techniques to be helpful in coping. Speak with your doctor if you have questions or health issues before beginning complementary treatments.
Lifestyle
A most effective and widely recommended method for relieving stress, anxiety, depression and chronic pain improving physical function is regular exercise and a healthy diet.
Low-impact workouts like:
Stretching
Walking
Swimming
Yoga
These all are helpful for people with chronic back issues. Talk with a doctor about physical exercises that are safe. Proper sleep can help, like poor sleep and sleep deprivation increase stress, which leads to more pain. Adults should go for 7 to 9 hours regularly, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Wake up and go to bed at the same time every night and turn off electronic devices.
Eating healthy can boost mood and help relieve back pain by promoting weight loss. Enjoy complete meals full of lean proteins, whole grains, and vegetables while limiting the intake of processed foods, added sugars, and saturated fats. Avoid excess alcohol and smoking, as both are linked to chronic back pain. Learning and dealing with chronic back pain along with re-searching successful treatment options can be a long and frustrating process. Understanding the condition and cutting yourself plenty of slack can go a long way to helping you feel better.
Kinesio taping method is a therapeutic technique that offers an approach of supporting the individual and rehabilitating the condition or affected area. Kinesio tape can stimulate or relax muscles, depending on the technique and type of tension that is put on the body. It raises the skin in microscopic increments that aid in lymphatic drainage.
It decreases inflammation and swelling reducing pressure in the area, allowing the blood and lymphatic fluid to flow naturally and more effectively in and out of the affected area.
This helps the body return to homeostasis. It can be applied in a variety of different configurations, but usually, applications are single:
I
Y
X
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Kinesio Taping
There are unique taping shapes specialized to address certain areas of the body and conditions.�Providing stability and support for the body�s joints and muscles, it does not restrict the body’s range of motion. The techniques are designed to address soft tissue injury/s by manipulating the area and promoting natural healing, alleviating pain, reducing swelling, and providing all-around relief.
Kinesio Taping can Treat
A variety of conditions benefit from Kinesio taping. Chiropractors and physical therapists use it for:
Athletes use it for additional support and injury prevention.
Taping and Chiropractic
The tape uses the body�s own natural healing process with many individuals finding it, as the preferred treatment for many conditions. When combined with chiropractic care, Kinesio Taping is highly effective. A chiropractor may use a variety of techniques, depending on the condition or injury.
They can use spinal manipulation, physical therapy, massage, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, heat, and ice, combining them with recommendations for lifestyle and diet modifications. As aforementioned it encourages the body to heal itself, thus eliminating the need for medication/s� their undesired and invasive surgery. Kinesio Taping is safe, natural, and a perfect complement to chiropractic treatment.
Foot Levelers Custom Orthotics Reduce Low Back Pain
Smart supplementation along with proper nutrition is one of the biggest factors and plays a large role in an individual’s health. You are what you eat is true. Feeding the body with vital vitamins and minerals promotes growth and healing. Filling up on processed, fatty foods does the opposite. The bones in the spine and throughout the body need nutrients to continue to rebuild and maintain strength throughout life.
A balanced diet rich in:
�Calcium
Vitamin D
Magnesium
This is the best way to nourish the body’s bones and ward off spinal problems, like spinal fractures, and osteoporosis. Inadequate diets or medical issues can create nutritional gaps. This is where vitamins or mineral supplements come in. Supplements are not a cure-all, but they can create a safetyhealth net when taken properly.
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Supplement Smart
These supplements for bone health, fill in nutritional gaps. They are not necessary if the key nutrients the body needs from a proper diet are already there. However, individuals use supplements as a replacement for certain foods, this is not how they should be used. Actual food supplies multiple nutrients, along with minerals, and vitamins that are beneficial for health and are not found in supplements.
Taking a Supplement to Strengthen the Spine
The body’s dietary needs change throughout life, so adding supplements as you age or during pregnancy can help maintain health. Calcium and vitamin D requirements vary based on age and sex.When it comes to protecting spine bone health, certain individuals may need supplements to ensure their bodies are processing calcium and vitamin D properly.
This includes:
Individuals who had intestinal bypass procedure
Those with food absorption conditions, like Celiac or Crohn�s disease
People who eat few or no dairy products, like vegans or those that are lactose intolerant
Is a calcium supplement right for you?
The only way to definitively know is by having a conversation with your doctor. Then you can supplement smart.
Supplement Safety
Because nutritional supplements can be purchased over the counter, individuals assume�incorrectly�that they are completely safe. Dietary supplements can interfere with absorption, other supplements, medications, and can be toxic if taken in high doses.
For example:
Calcium and iron supplements can prevent each other from being fully absorbed when taken together. This is true of many minerals, including magnesium, because they get into�absorption�competition with each other and so are best taken separately.
Supplements taken together can cause too much of either one to be absorbed. This is the case with high-dose vitamin D supplements, which can cause too much calcium absorption.
Too much calcium can increase raise the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Taking more than 1,000-1,200 mg of calcium per day is pointless because the body cannot process that much calcium at once.
Are your supplements helping or hurting you? The best way to know is to talk to your doctor whenever you change medication or a supplement program, even when just adding a new vitamin to the mix. An underused resource for supplement advice is a pharmacist. They will know whether the mix of supplements and medicines being taken pose any risk of negative interaction. And a pharmacist can help recommend a trustworthy product.
Supplement Success
Here are a few tips to get the most benefits if you and your doctor think a calcium supplement can help support spinal bone health.
Buy supplements with the USP symbol. This indicates that the supplement has been independently evaluated and certified.
Take your supplement as directed, ideally with a meal.
Take doses no higher than 500-600 mg, no more than 2-3 times a day, for a maximum of 1,000-1,200 mg.
Drink plenty of water as some supplements can cause constipation.
Do not take calcium supplements with a high-fiber meal or laxative. This can interfere with calcium absorption.
Supplements Support Spine Health
Remember that supplements are exactly that supplements. Eating foods rich in calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium is the best way to build/maintain strong healthy spinal bones and prevent debilitating health problems. If you are concerned about your diet, talk with your doctor or a health coach about a smart supplementation regimen to meet your nutritional needs.
Exercise is defined as a physical activity that is structured, planned and done at a�certain intensity level, frequency, and duration�carried out to�maintain or improve health and fitness. Physical activity is defined as any movement of the body produced by skeletal muscles and resulting in the�expenditure of energy. �Physical activity can be doing something fun that involves moving. Exercise is thought of as something people don’t like because it’s good for you. Therefore if you hate exercise, think of physical activity instead.
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Exercise, Health, and Fitness
Question: Dr. Jimenez, I’ve heard that we should get 30 minutes of exercise a day, but can it be broken up, and does this have the same effect?
Answer: Absolutely. A recent study found that nine weekly 10-minute exercise sessions offer the same health benefits as three weekly 30-minute sessions. This is great for beginners, who may find it easier to stick to short workouts.
Q: What about for burning fat? 30 minutes of exercise at a quick pace or longer sessions at a slower pace?
A: The higher the intensity the individual can sustain without exhausting themselves burns more fat. The faster you walk, swim, cycle, etc., the more calories you burn per minute.
However, with a sedentary lifestyle, you won’t last long at a higher intensity and might hurt yourself, so you need to start slow and gradually work up to a higher pace.
Q: What about doing only one set of a certain exercise, is it as good as doing two or three?
A: Several studies have shown improvements in strength and muscle size for groups of untrained people performing one set per exercise as compared to doing three sets. For people just starting out, or who want to maintain the strength they’ve achieved, one set of each exercise is enough. For athletes and anyone trying to achieve greater strength, 2-3 sets are better.
Q: Do crunches help lose the fat around the stomach?
A: You can’t reduce fat just in certain spots, except through liposuction. Crunches tone the abdominal muscles, but the same layer of fat on top of these muscles will remain unless a healthy diet reducing calories is incorporated and by burning more calories than are consumed. Don’t look for quick fixes. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
Weight Gain
Q: I started exercising like walking, stationary bike, etc., to improve my health and lose weight, but I have gained weight instead. What’s going on?
A: It depends on the weight we are talking about. Scales are poor indicators of changes in body composition because muscle is more dense than fat. This means that a pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat. Instead of the changes on the scale, look for changes in how clothing fits. Gaining weight is not bad as long as it’s muscle/s that are being built up. Plus it gets the metabolism going. For every pound of muscle added to the body, at least 35 more calories get burned up per day. Three pounds of muscle will burn plenty of calories in a month to lose a pound a fat.
If there was some weight gain, look for anything that changed that could contribute to the extra pounds like quitting smoking, going on hormone replacement therapy, or stress. Remember aerobic exercise is only one of several factors in weight management. Strength training, a healthy diet along with healthy lifestyle habits also contribute to a healthy weight.
I would suggest investing in a few sessions with a health coach and fitness coach who are knowledgeable in diet and exercise.
Reduce stress, reduce pain. Life creates stress, and while some stress can be good, too much causes health problems. Everyone experiences stress. However, now it is becoming a new normal in today�s hectic, fast-paced, high-pressure society. Most individuals equate stress with high blood pressure, heart attacks, or stroke. However, neck and back pain, insomnia, and weight gain can be stress-related, as well. And a lot of stress can make already-existing back/neck pain worse.
73% of individuals report experiencing stress-related psychological symptoms including anxiety and depression. These are not accurate numbers because most do not seek help for their stress issues. Stress symptoms should not be taken lightly. It is important to address the symptoms and find ways to reduce stress. Chiropractic is an effective stress reliever.
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Stress
Financial pressures, kids, long work weeks, and medical problems are common anxieties. Prolonged stress can become chronic, which results in muscle tension that can feel stiff, achy and uncomfortable. Stress can develop into neck or back pain.
Stress is the state of:
Emotional
Mental
Pressure
Tension
That results from difficulties, adverse situations, or extremely demanding circumstances. The very nature of stress by definition makes it very subjective. A “stressful” situation for one person might not phase another. This makes it difficult to pin down a precise definition.
More often, the term stress is more often used to describe the set of symptoms that are caused by stress and those symptoms can be as varied as the people who experience them.
Symptoms
Stress symptoms can affect the entire body physically and mentally. Common symptoms include:
Anxiety
Chest pain
Depression
Fatigue
Gastrointestinal problems
Irritability
Lower back pain
Muscle tension
Overeating
Headache
Restlessness
Sleep problems
Unable to focus
Undereating
Health
Technically, stress itself does not have a negative impact on health. Some individuals deal with situations that others would consider to be stressful, yet they never exhibit symptoms. This speaks to the subjective nature of stress. Different people experience different symptoms and are a combination of stress symptoms, how the person handles those symptoms that adversely affect health.
Ultimately, stress symptoms can lead to some very serious conditions including:
Heart disease
Hypertension
Diabetes
Obesity
Cancer/s
Psychologically, it can lead to social withdrawal and social phobias and is directly linked to alcohol and drug abuse.
Tips
These can help you reduce stress, and reduce pain.
Vital Signs
Get a medical checkup if possible through Telemedicine and talk to a doctor/therapist about your stress, along with medical history. Side effects from medications (prescription or over-the-counter), herbal products, or other supplements can cause restlessness, insomnia, and anxiety.
Physical therapy combines pain-relieving non-invasive treatments with therapeutic exercise, posture correction, and preventive body mechanics.
Consider conversational therapy with a stress counselor, psychologist, or support group online.
Get Moving
Yoga and relaxation movements help reduce stress and stretch muscles. Viniyoga blends breathing and movement together to quiet body and mind. These movements are less precise and adapted to a person’s physical condition. Talk to a doctor about trying yoga or other stretches.
Swimming combined with a sauna or steam bathing can relieve stress-induced pain.
Take frequent stretch breaks to loosen up tight neck or back muscles.
Go for short walks at break or lunchtime to get the circulation going.
Learn to Relax
Kick back, put your feet up, and empty your mind of everything.
Wrap an ice pack and hot pack (or hot water bottle) individually in towels. Apply the ice pack for 10 minutes and then the hot pack for 5 minutes. Alternate several times.
Massage, aromatherapy and spa treatments you can do at home.
Aromatic massage oils containing eucalyptus can help ease muscle pain.
Meditation or visualization therapy combines meditation practices that focus on breathing and calming the mind.
Visualization techniques combine imagery with breathing exercises.
Take Control of the Little Things
Break up problems into smaller manageable pieces and work on resolving the easier parts first.
Learn your limits, how to delegate responsibility and not take the entire load on your shoulders so as not to get overwhelmed.
Allow yourself to fail, we all have to fail in order to learn in order to apply what was learned.
Eat and Drink for Life
Make mealtime less stressful. Pick nourishing foods, eat slowly, and savor each other’s company.
Caffeinated coffee, soda, and other drinks do not help reduce stress or promote restful sleep.
Avoid drinking at night because it can make falling and staying asleep a challenge.
Proper sleep or naps can help relieve stress.
Dealing with Stress Is Good for Your Back
We may not be able to control life’s stressors, but don’t let everyday demands interfere with your health. Incorporate exercise, relaxation techniques, and healthy foods to reduce stress and pain and promote stress prevention.
Reduce stress reduce pain with chiropractic
Chiropractic cannot get rid of stress, but it can help relieve stress symptoms. The more stress the body endures, the more sensitive it becomes to pain and physical imbalances. Chiropractic helps by bringing the body back into balance, aligning the spine, and relieving pain.
The simple act of aligning the spine helps relieve stress in the body that you may not even be aware of. The physical stress of a misaligned spine can exacerbate symptoms and make a person more susceptible to stressful stimuli in their environment. Chiropractic helps to improve circulation which is essential in relieving muscle tension and helps shuts down the fight or flight response allowing the body to rest and heal.
Facet joint syndrome also called facet joint sprain is a common cause of back pain. The joint/s in our bodies connect two or more bones and their primary function is to promote motion. In the spine, the joints connecting each vertebra are known as facet joints. Like any other joint, each facet joints� job is to generate healthy movement and provide stability for each motion segment.
The disc/s function as spacers that support motion between the vertebral bodies. This creates a tri-relationship between the intervertebral disc and the facet joints. Degeneration or damage/injury to one affects the other. The effects of aging and/or traumatic injury can damage the facet joints and is the leading cause of back pain known as facet joint syndrome.
There are a variety of treatments that are used, but the most mainstream involves pain medication which can have undesirable side effects and can lead to addiction. Chiropractic is a proven, reliable treatment for pain relief and discomfort of facet joint syndrome. It restores mobility and flexibility while providing pain relief. Individuals notice significant alleviation from the pain and inflammation with chiropractic and is often recommended to those with the condition.
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Facet joint syndrome
The joints are located at the back of the spine. At each level, there are two joints, one on each side of the spine. The facet joints are enclosed in a capsule. The capsule contains synovial fluid and the surface is covered with hyaline cartilage. These joints are constructed in this fashion because of their role in the body. This role is to control excessive or extensive movement, which includes hyperextension and rotation. This helps to stabilize the spine.
Facet joint syndrome happens when there is an injury or damage to the joints. There are a variety of causes, but basically, it is a sprain that is brought on by excessive movement. This damages the joint capsule and results in inflammation, swelling, and pain.
The pain triggers a protective mechanism in the spine called a reactive muscle spasm which causes difficulty moving comfortably and severe, sudden pain. It is difficult to sit and rest because of its integral function of supporting the body. Severe sprains can take weeks to heal, normally 2 to 6 weeks. The�daily pain and lack of mobility make everyday activities difficult and a normal lifestyle almost impossible.
Chiropractic/Physical Therapy
Chiropractic is a proven, effective treatment for facet syndrome.� A chiropractor will conduct a physical exam, discuss medical history, and send you for diagnostic tests like x-rays and MRIs. Once they have a clear picture of the condition and a facet joint syndrome diagnosis has been confirmed, they will discuss a recommended course of treatment that can include:
Exercise
They recommend exercises�specific�to the condition that helps relieve the pain while strengthening the muscles in the back.
Poor Posture
Posture is extremely important for spinal health and general wellness.
A chiropractor will help you achieve a proper, healthy posture along with exercises to do at home to maintain posture and retrain your body.
Heat/Ice
Heat wraps, hot showers or ice packs and cold pads can be recommended to help control pain and swelling.
Changes
Depending on job type, you may be advised to take frequent breaks if you sit all day or shorten your commute. Certain activities won�t be do-able for some time until your back heals.
Spinal manipulation
Spinal manipulation is the most standard chiropractic treatment. A chiropractor may include other treatments/therapies depending on the specific condition and lifestyle.
Chiropractic is a safe, effective, non-invasive, and drug-free way to treat facet joint syndrome, relieve back pain, and help you regain mobility. Talk to your chiropractor about treatment options. Our uplifting southwest community surrounded by its infinite beauty is a fantastic place to live and enjoy our families; it is, therefore, our mission to help each of our patients to live,�to�love,�to�matter�and�to�thrive�pain-free�in this beautiful special place.
Digestive problems subside with rest and relaxation?
Crave sweets during the day?
Eating sweets does not relieve the craving for sugar?
Stomach pains, burning, or aching 1-4 hours?
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then something is disrupting your gut system. Why not try some aloe vera to dampen the symptoms.
Aloe Vera
Whenever someone thinks of aloe vera or aloe itself, the mind goes to sunburns and inflamed redden skin in general. Aloe vera has claimed its way to fame by soothing sunburnt skin; however, this long-celebrated medicinal plant has many properties and potential applications that go way beyond soothing inflamed skin.
Throughout the recent years, there was a surge in research about the gut microbiome and how it both affects and is affected by various diseases. The various research showed that SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids) producing a byproduct of colonic bacteria and fermenting dietary fibers, thus having critical signaling functions and playing a role in the gut-associated immune response. Studies have shown that butyric acid or butyrate may be beneficial for brain health in the body. Furthermore, the study also mentioned how SCFAs could contribute to reducing the inflammation in the gut while also associating between high-fiber diets and reducing the risk of colon cancer.
Aloe Vera�s Prebiotic Effects
Other studies showed that aloe vera has impressive prebiotic effects when it is being incubated within the human gut bacteria cultures. When a culture of mixed bacteria is being incubated with aloe vera, it shows a linear increase in butyric acid and an increase production of acetic acid when Bifidobacterium infantis is incubated with aloe vera. Studies show that when people have an increased intake of their dietary fibers, it can bring negative consequences to their bodies. The research talks about how having an increase in fiber is an obvious way to help support SCFAs, but for people who want to increase their fiber intake, they should consume aloe vera.
Aloe’s prebiotic effects are fantastic due to the chemical structure of some of its components. Surprisingly the aloe vera gel is about 55% polysaccharides and contains a compound called acemannan. With acemannan and the other polysaccharides in the aloe plant, many researchers have believed that these components are a significant contributor to aloe’s prebiotic and gut supportive effects. Since acemannan contains sugar molecules that are being linked to glycosidic bonds, they cannot be digested by human enzymes. However, with the body�s intestinal bacteria, studies have found that it can cleave the bond that acemannan has created and making acemannan digestible for the colonic flora. Another compound that aloe has is known as barbaloin. This compound contains other bonds that are inaccessible to the human digestive enzymes but is cleavable by the GI flora in the body.
Aloe Helping with Insulin
Aloe supplements can provide beneficial properties to battle against diabetes. A study from India stated that individuals who tale aloe vera gel powder for three months showed a substantial improvement in their glycemic control and cardiometabolic health.
Earlier studies have found out that aloe supplementation can improve the biomarkers of cardiometabolic health in the body as well. The study found that individuals who are pre-diabetic or have metabolic syndrome were given the standardized aloe extract for about eight weeks, and the results were astounding. The results showed that the consumed aloe supplement leads to a significant reduction in total cholesterol and LDL-C in the body as well as fasting glucose and fructosamine. Consuming aloe can cause a reduction in insulin in the body so people can start feeling better.
There is a more recent study that confirmed that aloe supplementation helps improve glycemic control and lipid profiles for pre-diabetic individuals. The results showed a decrease in triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL-C, as well as an increase in HDL in the body. Research found out that low-carbohydrate and the ketogenic diets are highly effective for improving blood glucose and insulin, especially for anyone who has type 2 diabetes. By adding aloe supplementation, it can be a powerful adjunct, especially for those who have a difficult time sticking to a strict low-carb regimen when a person’s dietary change is absent.
Conclusion
Aloe vera is an exotic plant that has many beneficial properties that can not only reduce red, inflamed skin but can provide support to the gut system and help individuals who may be pre-diabetic. Aloe vera can help the body’s gut system by making sure that no disruption and inflammation can affect the intestinal barrier, causing leaky gut. By consuming aloe vera in plant form or even using it as a supplement can provide fantastic health benefits for the body. Some products can be taken with aloe vera in order to make sure the gastrointestinal is being healthy by supporting the metabolic system and the gastrointestinal. These products offer hypoallergenic nutrients, enzymatic cofactors, and phytonutrients for overall health and wellness.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Quezada, Maria Paz, et al. �Acemannan and Fructans from Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis Miller) Plants as Novel Prebiotics.� Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 26 Oct. 2017, pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.7b04100.
Alinejad-Mofrad, Samaneh, et al. �Improvement of Glucose and Lipid Profile Status with Aloe Vera in Pre-Diabetic Subjects: a Randomized Controlled-Trial.� Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders, BioMed Central, 9 Apr. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4399423/.
Bourassa, Megan W, et al. �Butyrate, Neuroepigenetics, and the Gut Microbiome: Can a High Fiber Diet Improve Brain Health?” Neuroscience Letters, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 20 June 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4903954/.
Choudhary, Monika, et al. �Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidemic Effect of Aloe Vera L. in Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetics.� Journal of Food Science and Technology, Springer India, Jan. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857397/.
Devaraj, Sridevi, et al. “Effects of Aloe vera supplementation in subjects with prediabetes/metabolic syndrome.” Metabolic syndrome and related disorders�vol. 11,1 (2013): 35-40. doi:10.1089/met.2012.0066
Jurgelewicz, Michael. �Diversity Is the Key to a Healthy Gut.� Designs for Health, 5 Apr. 2018, blog.designsforhealth.com/diversity-is-the-key-to-a-healthy-gut.
Pogribna, M., et al. �Effect of Aloe Vera Whole Leaf Extract on Short Chain Fatty Acids Production by Bacteroides Fragilis, Bifidobacterium Infantis, and Eubacterium Limosum.� Society for Applied Microbiology, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 19 Mar. 2008, sfamjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1472-765X.2008.02346.x.
Sivaprakasam, Sathish, et al. �Benefits of Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Their Receptors in Inflammation and Carcinogenesis.� Pharmacology & Therapeutics, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4942363/.
Team, DFH. �Alternative Applications for Aloe.� Designs for Health, 5 Mar. 2020, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1209.
The University offers a wide variety of medical professions for functional and integrative medicine. Their goal is to inform individuals who want to make a difference in the functional medical fields with knowledgeable information that they can provide.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might want to try astaxanthin.
The body needs specific vitamins, minerals, and supplements from food, in order to function correctly. The variety of these nutrients can be found in healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains are precisely what the body needs. One of the essential nutrients that the body needs is antioxidants. Antioxidants help the body get rid of free radicals that can cause the body to become overly stressed and leading it to develop chronic illnesses. There is an antioxidant that can help the body and can be found in berries and pomegranates, and it is called astaxanthin.
Astaxanthin
Astaxanthin is a xanthophyll carotenoid that can be found in various microorganisms and marine animals. Astaxanthin is common for humans to apply and consume into the body while also being different. This red, fat-soluble pigment is quite different from the other kinds of food that contain carotenoids. Astaxanthin surprising does not contain vitamin A like all the other food containing carotenoids, and astaxanthin is an impressive antioxidant. Studies have shown that astaxanthin can not only be beneficial for the eyes but can provide nutritional support as well as having potential health-promoting effects in preventing and treating various diseases that can harm the body. Some of the various diseases that can harm the body when there is an excessive amount of free radicals can include:
Various cancers
Chronic inflammatory diseases
Metabolic syndrome
Diabetes
Gastrointestinal diseases
Another study found that astaxanthin was superior to fish oil due to astaxanthin having the ability to enhance the body’s immune response and thus lowering the risk of vascular and infectious diseases that can harm the body, causing it to dysfunction.
A Powerful Antioxidant
There are some fantastic beneficial properties that astaxanthin can provide for the body and help improve the body�s systems as well.
Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant since various chronic diseases are rooted in a disproportionate balance of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species to antioxidants. Studies have shown�that astaxanthin has been known to scavenge free radicals more effectively out of the body than beta-carotene. There was another study showing how the body�s DNA was damage due to low plasma 8 -OHdG (8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine) levels.
Boosts the Immune System
The publication of the immunomodulatory effects of astaxanthin is not getting enough attention as they should be. A test study has reported that dietary astaxanthin was able to stimulate mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation. This will help increase the natural killer cell cytotoxicity and even delay the hypersensitivity response in the body while also increasing the numbers of total T and B cells in the peripheral blood in the body. Another study showed how astaxanthin could help significantly enhanced lymphocyte proliferation in vitro and ex vivo. The studies also found that astaxanthin can be consumed in high concentrations without the risk of cytotoxicity.
Controls Glucose and Lipids
Surprisingly there has been new research that has been revealing about another unique but vital role that astaxanthin has. The studies show that it can modulate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors or PPARs. What this function does is that it may have various applications in human health, including producing glucose and lipid homeostasis. Since PPARs are members of the nuclear hormone receptors in the body, they are a superfamily that plays roles in the expression of many genes that are regulating cellular differentiation and many other functions in the body.
There are at least three subtypes of PPARs that helps the major organs and help the metabolism of glucose and lipids. PPAR? can primarily be expressed in the liver, kidney, heart, and skeletal muscle, where it can be involved in lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity to the body. Another subtype of PPARs is PPAR?, which plays a role in glucose and lipid homeostasis but also is the site of action in the adipose tissue in the body. When astaxanthin is being involved, astaxanthin is a PPAR? agonist but can act as either an agonist or antagonist to PPAR? receptors. Studies have found that PPAR? agonist and PPAR? antagonist in astaxanthin can decrease cholesterol and triglycerides in loaded HepG2 cells, while changing several enzymes expressions that are being involved in lipid and glucose metabolism pathways, thus resulting in a hypolipidemic effect in the body.
Exercise Enhancement
Surprisingly astaxanthin can be used to prevent exercise-induced free radical production and is a lesser-known application. Astaxanthin can enhance exercise performance and even improve the recovery process. The increase in the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species or RONS are being produced during an exercise regime is deleterious to the health. It is often combated with a matching increase in the endogenous antioxidant enzymes. However, when a person is doing excessive exercises, it can cause RONS to rise above the body’s natural capacity to eliminate them. This will cause an increased risk of oxidative damage in lipids, protein, and DNA molecules. In a review study, it showed the ability of astaxanthin to squelch the RONS generating during exercising. It reported that the antioxidant effects of astaxanthin could provide a variety of benefits to athletes.
Conclusion
Astaxanthin is a powerful immunomodulatory antioxidant that can support numerous biological pathways that are in the body. It can dampen the effects of a variety of chronic diseases and illnesses that can harm the body. Astaxanthin is useful for being a therapeutic and powerful nutraceutical while also being an excellent addition for someone who needs supplements to support their general health and well-being. Some of the products here are beneficial to the body as they help support the immune system while providing more excellent stability.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Ambati, Ranga Rao, et al. �Astaxanthin: Sources, Extraction, Stability, Biological Activities and Its Commercial Applications–a Review.� Marine Drugs, MDPI, 7 Jan. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3917265/.
Brown, Daniel R, et al. �Astaxanthin in Exercise Metabolism, Performance and Recovery: A Review.� Frontiers in Nutrition, Frontiers Media S.A., 18 Jan. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5778137/.
Brown, Daniel R, et al. �Astaxanthin in Exercise Metabolism, Performance and Recovery: A Review.� Frontiers in Nutrition, Frontiers Media S.A., 18 Jan. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5778137/.
Choi, Chang-Ik. �Astaxanthin as a Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR) Modulator: Its Therapeutic Implications.� Marine Drugs, MDPI, 23 Apr. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6521084/.
Lin, Kuan-Hung, et al. �Astaxanthin, a Carotenoid, Stimulates Immune Responses by Enhancing IFN-? and IL-2 Secretion in Primary Cultured Lymphocytes in Vitro and Ex Vivo.� International Journal of Molecular Sciences, MDPI, 29 Dec. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4730289/.
Park, Jean Soon, et al. �Astaxanthin Decreased Oxidative Stress and Inflammation and Enhanced Immune Response in Humans.� Nutrition & Metabolism, BioMed Central, 5 Mar. 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2845588/?report=reader.
Team, DFH. �Applications of the Antioxidant, Astaxanthin.� Designs for Health, 27 June 2019, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1047.
Yuan, Jian-Ping, et al. �Potential Health-Promoting Effects of Astaxanthin: a High-Value Carotenoid Mostly from Microalgae.� Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Jan. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21207519.
The University offers a wide variety of medical professions for functional and integrative medicine. Their goal is to inform individuals who want to make a difference in the functional medical fields with knowledgeable information that they can provide.
Chiropractic is more than spinal manipulation. More people are choosing chiropractic for their pain symptoms, conditions, and injuries. Many are exchanging pills and surgery for all-natural non-invasive medicine known as chiropractic. Chiropractors do not prescribe medications and do not perform surgery. But they are trained to recognize when an injury is outside the scope of their practice and will refer an individual to the appropriate medical specialist.
Here are a few reasons why individuals are trying out chiropractic:
Contents
Doctors recommend chiropractic
The American College of Physicians recommends chiropractic and other non-drug treatments, as a first-line treatment for chronic and acute low back pain. Spinal manipulation is strongly recommended as a natural remedy. It is highly effective when combined with gentle exercises like Pilates, yoga, and tai chi.
Studies show spinal manipulation highly effective
The Journal of the American Medical Association cited spinal manipulation to be highly beneficial in treating lower back pain. Results are consistently showing that chiropractic treatment, specifically spinal manipulation, is effective in helping low back pain and improving function while minimizing pain.
95% Return for treatment
In the 2016 Gallup-Palmer College of Chiropractic Annual Report, 95% of people who used chiropractic say that it is an effective treatment. 97% said that if back or neck pain returned they would seek chiropractic treatment again. More than half of adults that have never seen a chiropractor said they would seek chiropractic treatment if they developed neck or back pain.
Chiropractic rated higher than All other treatments for back pain
A Consumer Reports survey ranked chiropractic as a top treatment compared to medications for back pain, osteoarthritis, and neck pain relief.
Individuals prefer a whole-body approach that includes:
Lifestyle recommendations
Dietary advice
Supplements for pain, immobility, and range of motion problems.
Many said they opted for natural treatments like chiropractic to avoid harmful and undesirable side effects of prescription medication.
Opioids
With the Centers for Disease Control declaring prescription abuse an epidemic, individuals are searching for safer options. Natural treatments are becoming more popular to avoid the potential for addiction. And not just addiction but the often side effects that come with prescription meds, like constipation, brain fog, nausea, dry mouth, etc.
Spine surgery rising Individuals seeking the less invasive option
Spinal fusion surgery has been on a steep rise, increasing by about 500%. Therefore many are going for natural treatment like chiropractic to avoid surgery. Chiropractic looks at the whole person along with advice on lifestyle habits, dietary adjustments, and exercise programs. The bottom line is it works. It is less invasive, and yes, it is drug-free, but most of all, it is effective.
How adjustments work
When the vertebrae become misaligned, they place pressure on the nerves and cause pain, swelling, awkward movement/s, etc. This is called a subluxation. Chiropractors use their repertoire of techniques that equal a form of spinal adjustment to treat the subluxations. An adjustment means that the vertebra is returned to the proper position in the spine. When the vertebrae are adjusted, tiny pockets of gas are released from the joints, sometimes make a popping/releasing noise. It is the same sound when cracking knuckles.
The benefits
Individuals with the following conditions have found chiropractic to be helpful:
Arthritis
Bursitis and
Fibromyalgia
Headaches
Leg pain
Pain or stiffness in the neck, shoulders, back, arms, hands, chest, abdomen, hips, legs, feet.
Sciatica
Scoliosis
Sports injuries
Tendonitis
Trauma injuries like auto accidents
Other Services
The main method of treatment is spinal adjustment, many chiropractors use a variety of therapies to treat patients, including:
Health Coaching
Exercise
Diet
Massage
Weight loss
Stress management
Chiropractic medicine is more than just spinal manipulation. Chiropractors use a variety of treatments to help the body heal itself and return individuals to a pain-free and healthy life.
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