Back and Spine Health Exercise: Exercise is one of the most significant ways to increase longevity, improve health, and decrease pain and suffering. A proper exercise program can improve flexibility, mobility, increase strength, and reduce back pain. Knowledge of the best exercises to improve health or decrease pain is essential to a workout plan or pain management program. Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for overall health. The many benefits include improved health and fitness and reduced risk of chronic diseases.
There are many different types of exercise; it is important to pick the right types. Most benefits from a combination of exercises: Endurance or aerobic activities increase your breathing and heart rate. They keep your heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy and improve your overall fitness. Examples include brisk walking, jogging, swimming, and biking.
Strength or resistance training, exercises make your muscles stronger. Some examples are lifting weights and using a resistance band. Balance exercises can make it easier to walk on uneven surfaces and help prevent falls. To improve your balance, try tai chi or exercises like standing on one leg. Flexibility exercises stretch your muscles and can help your body stay limber. Yoga and doing various stretches can make you more flexible.
Detoxifying does not necessarily mean juicing and going on a diet. Detoxing is about cleansing the whole body of environmental pollutants, food waste, bacteria, and toxins. Things like medications and alcohol also need to be flushed from the body. When the body becomes unhealthy and overweight, it can put its systems in a chronically stressed state, leading to nerve energy production failure, fatigue, a weakened immune system, and disease. The body constantly works to cleanse itself. Exercise helps expedite the process.
Exercise To Detoxify
Exercise removes harmful toxins by getting the lungs and the blood pumping and increasing sweat production, which encourages detoxification. More blood circulating throughout the body allows the liver and the lymph nodes to flush out toxins properly. With exercise, fluid intake increases, allowing more sweat production to release toxins. Drinking more water during workouts also helps the kidneys function at optimal levels to flush out toxins, fats, and waste.
Aerobics
Any low-intensity aerobic exercise that increases heart rate and increases heavier breathing is recommended as long as the breathing is within the fat-burning heart rate. Exercises can be anything from:
Bouncing on a mini-trampoline, also known as rebounding, is another form of exercise that promotes toxin release. The low-impact motion stimulates the lymphatic system. Lymph nodes filter substances and fight off infections by attacking bacteria/germs that travel into the lymph fluid. Twenty minutes on the trampoline two or three times a week to detoxify.
Yoga
There are yoga poses that help to detoxify specific organs. Yoga can help the body cleanse inside and generate more energy.
This pose improves circulation, stretches, and strengthens the low back, hips, hamstrings, and calves.
Step with the feet 3 to 4 feet apart.
Hands-on hips.
Lift tall through the whole torso.
Fold slowly over the legs.
Bend from the hip joints without rounding the lower back.
If the back starts to round, stop folding forward.
Sweating and Detoxing
Sweat is one of the body’s primary ways of eliminating toxins. However, more sweat does not mean more toxins are being flushed. Excess sweat could be caused by the body overheating and can lead to dehydration. This is why it’s vital to maintain the body’s hydration levels while working out. Fluids like juice and sports drinks can help maintain hydration, but they contain sugar and other ingredients that could interfere with thorough detoxifying.
Body Composition
Before Starting A Detox Diet
Individuals are recommended to talk with their doctor, nutritionist, health coach about detox diet methods to lose and maintain weight.
Talk with a doctor
Seek consultation with a physician before starting any body detox cleanse, especially if there are underlying medical conditions like diabetes or kidney disease.
For individuals struggling with obesity, a physician can recommend alternative diet approaches and exercise programs.
Realistic expectations
Detox diets work primarily through caloric restriction like a conventional diet.
Individuals could feel better from a body cleanse because they will likely be avoiding processed foods and empty calories.
Adopt a long-term frame of mind
Diet and exercise to achieve and maintain a healthy weight is a lifelong journey.
Detox diets can be a helpful tool to get going in the right direction.
References
Ernst, E. “Alternative detox.” British medical bulletin vol. 101 (2012): 33-8. doi:10.1093/bmb/lds002
Klein, A V, and H Kiat. “Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence.” Journal of human nutrition and dietetics: the official journal of the British Dietetic Association vol. 28,6 (2015): 675-86. doi:10.1111/jhn.12286
Obert, Jonathan et al. “Popular Weight Loss Strategies: a Review of Four Weight Loss Techniques.” Current gastroenterology reports vol. 19,12 61. 9 Nov. 2017, doi:10.1007/s11894-017-0603-8
Chiropractic can enhance the effectiveness of an exercise program. Chiropractic works on the neuromusculoskeletal system, which comprises the nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems. It produces an indirect effect on the immune system, involving the body’s processes resulting from exercise and muscle development. Most individuals are familiar with the benefits of regular exercise and physical activity. Regular physical activity and exercise:
Increases circulation
Improves strength
Increases immune system function
Produces brain-boosting endorphins and chemicals
Improves mood
Increase muscle mass
Contributes to enhanced flexibility and mobility
Exercise-boosting practices can multiply the effectiveness of a workout program. Exercise-enhancing methods that are well known include:
Incorporating rest days
Staying hydrated
Consistent and high-quality sleep
Utilizing supplements that enhance the body’s ability to produce and sustain muscle.
A chiropractor can develop a personalized treatment plan to support and enhance an individual’s workout/exercise program. This plan can include specific interventions to improve alignment or maintain muscle relaxation and prescribed stretches and movements to decrease the strain from an exercise regimen.
Nervous System
Chiropractic helps to balance the nervous system. Treatment allows pressure to be removed from compressed, bruised, and severed nerves. Chiropractic decreases and eliminates pain originating from inflamed muscles, joints, and tissues. When it comes to exercising, nerve pain usually originates from vigorous movement. Swelling and inflammation in the body can cause nerves to become inflamed or compressed. Misalignment in the spinal structure and joints can occur during strenuous exercise, particularly when weight resistance is involved. It can also constrict/pinch nerves, contributing to sciatic pain, which originates in the lower back and spreads down the gluteal muscles and back of the legs. Chiropractic can help:
Reduce pain and discomfort
Improve physical responsiveness
Decrease inflammation
Improve immune function
Muscular System
The muscular system is interconnected with the nervous and skeletal systems. Manual chiropractic manipulation helps to:
Reduce pain in inflamed muscles that have been utilized during exercise
Release tense and strained muscles
Remove muscular knots
Accelerate muscle repair
Improve exercise performance
Skeletal System
The skeletal system is the foundation for all physical movements and activities. It plays a role in physical activity/exercise, recovery, and the development of strength and musculature. During exercise routines, the joints can become misaligned, especially with weight-bearing or lifting activities. Chiropractic for the skeletal system can:
Rebalance the system
Realign bones and joints
Decrease muscular strain
Improve posture and form
Reduce and eliminate pain in the knees, wrists, and shoulders
Increase the body’s capacity for taking on additional weight healthfully
Keep The Chiropractor Informed
To receive enhanced exercise and performance-related benefits from chiropractic care, individuals must keep their chiropractor informed of goals and style of physical activity. The more the chiropractor knows about the types of exercises, the more they will provide a customized treatment plan for an individual’s specific needs. Any injury or strain experienced during an exercise session or a specific part of the body seems to be recovering at a slower rate than the rest of the body, inform the chiropractor. They can survey posture, stance, determine imbalances, and discover other body areas that may be over-straining to compensate.
Time Sessions Appropriately
Depending on the type of physical activity and exercises, individuals may be advised to seek care on rest days or the same days of the workout. Discuss with the chiropractor what days of the week are best for treatment and before or after workouts.
Health Goals
Movement and exercise practices are unique and vary with each individual. Individuals have different goals for their regimens that range from:
Increasing flexibility and agility
Building strength, endurance, and muscle mass.
Identify health goals and share them with the chiropractor. Depending on the purpose of the exercise routine, treatment may vary to support and enhance specific objectives.
Body Composition
Improve Insulin Sensitivity
When consuming carbohydrates, it is broken down into sugar. The body needs a certain amount of sugar to function. However, cellular damage occurs if the levels become too high for too long, like in diabetes. Insulin’s role is to guide excess sugar – glucose into the safety of the cells. However, more individuals are experiencing high blood insulin levels, called hyperinsulinemia. It’s dangerous to let glucose levels remain elevated, which is why more insulin is produced to bring the blood sugar down. After a time, constant hyperinsulinemia results in a condition called insulin resistance, where the cells become resistant to the effects of insulin and less effective.
Insulin Sensitivity and Weight Loss
A high insulin level in the blood can trigger weight gain and make it difficult to shed excess fat. Research shows that high insulin:
Erion, Karel A, and Barbara E Corkey. “Hyperinsulinemia: a Cause of Obesity?.” Current obesity reports vol. 6,2 (2017): 178-186. doi:10.1007/s13679-017-0261-z
Hawk, Cheryl et al. “Best Practices for Chiropractic Management of Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline.” Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) vol. 26,10 (2020): 884-901. doi:10.1089/acm.2020.0181
Hoogvliet, Peter et al. “Does the effectiveness of exercise therapy and mobilization techniques offer guidance for the treatment of lateral and medial epicondylitis? A systematic review.” British journal of sports medicine vol. 47,17 (2013): 1112-9. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2012-091990
Peluso, Marco Aurélio Monteiro, and Laura Helena Silveira Guerra de Andrade. “Physical activity and mental health: the association between exercise and mood.” Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil) vol. 60,1 (2005): 61-70. doi:10.1590/s1807-59322005000100012
In today’s podcast, Dr. Alex Jimenez and PUSH Fitness owner, Daniel Alvarado discuss how PUSH was created and demonstrate how the right motivation can help people achieve their goals as well as, improving their overall health and wellness.
Discussion
Dr. Alex Jimenez and PUSH Fitness owner, Daniel Alvarado introduce today’s podcast.
[00:00:01] Daniel Alvarado: You know what keeps them moving and growing and living? Tell me. It is another catfish or that predator. So we never have predators in our lives. We stay stuck, and we don’t progress anything. So every time we ask God to take away the stress or God take away this issue. We’re asking God to make us weaker, not stronger. OK. Because instead of asking like, “Hey God? Make me more creative. Make me more passionate, make me more patient.” We ask for, hey, take away this, but then we still want everything else that comes along with it. How does that work? It’s not easy.
[00:00:41] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: I don’t know. I mean, if you think about it’s from the first time we’re born. It’s not easy. You got to be one in a trillion sperm, really, and only God is very clear that if you don’t get to that egg first, you’re done. So from the moment where we’re given a chance, we’re on the point of destruction from the beginning. Exactly. So, in essence, why did that sperm get to that egg? So you can pass and fight through it.
[00:01:19] Daniel Alvarado: All right, so then you think of everything else as far as how people complain, how people say, you know, I want more money, I want this, but they don’t look at everybody’s backstory, the backend and the behind the curtains. They think, “Oh man, Jimenez, you are a doctor?” You don’t know how many times you’ve lost and rebuilt your practice or if you’re a gym owner and you haven’t made it. You don’t know how often you have to go in at 4:00 in the morning to get a workout in because you have to train people all day long to ensure that this business stays afloat. You know, people don’t see the back. You see, they’re quick to say, Oh, must be easy. No, it’s not easy until you step into the person’s shoes because you’re the one that has to sign the checks. You’re the one that has to stay up at night and figure out payroll. You’re the one that has to be creative and figure out how you’re going to make ends meet. You are the one that constantly has to be on it. You know, as much as you want to kick back and say whatever and do this, and I would love to work out four or five hours a day. That’s my passion and your passion.
[00:02:23] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: It’s my passion too.
[00:02:24] Daniel Alvarado: And can we? No, right. What do we have to do? Do we have to be meticulous? We have to be disciplined and ensure we have a proper order to stay on top of the schedule. Yes or no? Absolutely. Exactly. You know, so I’m saying at the end of the day that if you don’t have something chasing you, I mean, you become fat and dormant and become lazy.
[00:02:45] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: I think nature is designed to eliminate you. Alex would say, you know, it’s survival, the fittest limiting the species or whatever he’d call it when he’s in biochemistry. You see, I got to tell you it’s not easy to be a business owner. It’s not. It’s not easy when you have no sleep. Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve put the time in from early hours, and you here at 4:30 in the morning and here what time it is? Now you’re here, and we’re here sharing some stories. You know, it’s one of those things where it’s going to be nonstop all our lives. But here’s the thing if you don’t do it, it doesn’t stimulate you to become good at what you do, right? You become lethargic. Everything goes bad. You slowly begin the process of ceasing to exist.
[00:03:36] Daniel Alvarado: Right. So we all need rest to rejuvenate. Get creative. It’s scientifically proven. You need that to reset. You have to. Otherwise, you burn out. Right? But after how many days of rest, one or two where you get this disconnect spastic. Then afterward, you are like, “Alright, cool. I rested enough.” So you don’t stay stuck there.
[00:04:04] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: No, and I pray for vacation, right? And when I get it, after about three days, I’m like, OK, all right. I’m done.
[00:04:10] Daniel Alvarado: Let’s go.
[00:04:11] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Yeah, OK, what I’m going to break. What am I going to do? That’s how we are.
[00:04:15] Daniel Alvarado: Exactly. But that’s what makes you so successful.
[00:04:17] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Yeah. Well, it drives us, and it drives us to create who we are. And it also gives us a vision as to what we’re going to do. When we start this podcast, you know, Daniel, we want to get or tell the people a bit of the story of what you do and tell them about, you know, where you’ve been and what’s been happening with you. OK. So for me, it’s very important to share with the people what is happening. I’ve always been one to say, you know, I see how hard you work, and I see how much effort you put into things. But I’d like to know a bit of you as to what made you and what kind of makes you click a little bit. When I discuss these things, I want to ask you what made you begin PUSH? What made you start this massive organization?
How PUSH Fitness Started
PUSH Fitness owner, Daniel Alvarado explains how PUSH started.
[00:05:16] Daniel Alvarado: I want to reach the masses of people and help people. So in all reality, my sister, my brother-in-law, my brother, we’ve all come from platforms as far as I’m speaking, preaching, singing, whatever it is. I was always kind of the black sheep. And I mean it in a good way because I wasn’t trained differently. I just was very rebellious. That makes any sense. I wanted to create my own. So if someone is going right, I go left. If the people go right, I go left. I was always trying to find a different way, and I was stubborn enough to become the most successful by the end. But that’s what allowed me to create this place to reach the masses of people and have my platform of change in people’s lives.
[00:06:14] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Let me ask you when you first started PUSH; what was your reason you started it out? You were always into fitness ever since I’ve known you; you’ve always been into a deep understanding. You see, I love sharing that story with people about when I first met you; you were driven. I mean, you were hunting for knowledge. You were trying to figure out what it was that made people tick, and you wanted to teach people… A little cocky, I’d say. But being 18 years old, I mean, who isn’t right at that age? You haven’t been thumped in the head a couple of times. But you did, and you shared it with people, and you did that. But what made you? What drove you? Because I got to tell you, I’m a big believer, Daniel, about when you evaluate families, I see how hard your dad works. I see how your mom’s incredible in terms of what she does. She wins these CrossFit competitions just on meer drive. You have to turn off the lights to get her off the wall because she keeps on going, right? I mean, what is it that what do you feel drove you and what started the whole philosophy of trying to help people out?
[00:07:24] Daniel Alvarado: I mean, you put in my parent’s work ethic; they just never stop. They still don’t stop and try to move forward despite what life throws at them, and they’re successful in their way. They never stop working towards their marriage, towards their love, towards serving each other. They showed me that we always have to help people, and they serve each other. They serve at the church, and they serve wherever they go. No matter where my dad is, he’s always trying to help. It doesn’t matter. You try to take out your trash can and table; whatever it is, he will help. But that’s where I learned it from him. You don’t just go anywhere and just be wherever you go. You always serve. And that’s my interfaith mentality. You know, it’s biblical. Wherever you are, we are supposed to serve people as husbands and wives. We’re supposed to serve each other. That’s what makes us so successful. You know, you look at Jesus in the Bible, and what do you do? You serve people. He helped people. Not the norm. The most unorthodox, nonreligious people. You know, all the people there that needed the most help, not the most religious. And I think that’s what I love to do. I love helping the people that need the most help. The unconventional. Not the people that are all ready to let go. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I do love helping them. But I guess I like helping the unorthodox.
[00:09:08] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Yeah. You know what, when you mentioned that about your dad, one of the things I noticed is that I came here to work out at around six o’clock in the morning and it was freezing outside, literally freezing. You had a flat tire. Your dad was lifting in the car by himself to get that tire up. Yeah, it was crazy. By the time I got there, I was like, Is this guy working on it? There was no jack, and he was picking up the car himself. He’s pushing that thing up and lifting the vehicle to fit the tire on. I was like; You got to be kidding me. You didn’t even know until I told you, and you said, “Man, my dad never asked for help.”, you know, he does it. That’s one of the things you said, and that’s who we are. We are our parents. We eventually become our parents to some extent, and that’s very much how you are. Your philosophies have guided the PUSH fitness entourage, and the people who come here have been like extreme athletes. Tell me a bit of that in terms of what drove you to pick athleticism as your way of serving.
[00:10:11] Daniel Alvarado: I think I’ve seen the potential of what people can be pushed to if you believe in them. Often, people will, you know, people do believe in themselves, but it’s amazing what you see people become or individuals or athletes. When you say, Hey, I believe you. Someone that is not your mom, not your dad, because it’s kind of expected. You know, not that they have to tell you that, but you know, it’s kind of sometimes expected. You’re right. Yes, exactly. But then you have this stranger saying, I believe you genuinely wholeheartedly, and it brings out that much more in you. I know that’s how I was, and I still remember various times where you tapped me on the shoulder and said, you know. What are you doing? You can, and I’m very different; I don’t need someone to preach to me. It might get going, and that gets you going to move on to the next level of the mountain. And that’s what I love seeing as a potential that you could bring down in all individuals.
[00:11:32] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: When you see it, pretty much you’ve been able to see everyone crack. What is it you look for when you see them kind of hit that wall when you start working with an individual with a specific set, whatever sport they’re in, or whatever their dreams are? Weight loss or whatever it is. What is it you look for?
[00:11:50] Daniel Alvarado: To see the reason why they’re quitting. Are they genuinely tired, or have they been babied so much by society that they don’t know how to push for themselves anymore? It’s a sensitive society nowadays; you can’t push kids because they get their feelings hurt or feel this way or that way. And sometimes it’s like you got to wake your butt up; if not, you will not make it in this life. Nothing comes easy, and I think we’re expecting things to become easy because we’re, you know, microwave generation, where everything wants to be done so quickly. So I look for the reason as to why they’re quitting. This is genuinely why they are tired, and are they going to throw up? All right. But you remember firsthand that when I worked out with you, I went to the restroom and threw up. I came right back. Why? Because it’s what you build with that person that respect, you know, why would you want someone who is an equivalent you when he gets hard, you know?
[00:12:59] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Yeah, exactly right.
[00:13:00] Daniel Alvarado: How are you going to count on them? How do you depend on them? When it gets tough, they are going to jump off the wagon; that’s it. You are left alone.
The Right Motivation
PUSH Fitness owner, Daniel Alvarado explains to Dr. Alex Jimenez how the right motivation can influence not only kids but adults as well.
[00:13:09] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: You know you’re given responsibility. A huge one with a lot of the El Paso kids in whatever sports they do and whatever the sport, whether it be agility, sport-based or just some sort of sport-based system where they’re just kind of, you know, let’s say, hockey or even things like tennis or golf. But they all have a moment of reaching within. I love how you do that in terms of going ahead and seeing the depths of what is wrong with them, and you can connect with them like no other. I’ve noticed that every single time with my kids, too, when you train them. Did you ask why? So really, at that point, you know, no one cares what you know, they care that you care and that caring allows them to open up, huh?
[00:13:55] Daniel Alvarado: Right? Yeah, it does. You know, it makes them feel like, you know, I do have it in me. I need a quit babying in myself. And I need to get up and get after this because no one will give it to me, and I got to get up after it and work for it. Period.
[00:14:11] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: I would tell my daughter when they would come in and say, “You know what? I’m not coming in, you know, I’m not going today.” And I said, All right, well, let me call Daniel. “No!” Now they sense the obligation and trust you have put into their hearts like no other? Because that’s what they want. They want someone to believe in them.
[00:14:35] Daniel Alvarado: Exactly, to push them.
[00:14:37] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: That’s why the push to PUSH, you know, there’s another way there’s the adage the push. You know, these are vital points. Do you have to deal with the mind-stuff while working with them? How do you work on developing a child’s mind or working them through their mental impediments or their mental kind of dynamics to make them better of who they are? If that makes sense.
[00:15:04] Daniel Alvarado: You had to build a foundation with them. First, you had to build trust with them. You can just go in and yell at them, Hey, let’s go. Move your butt! You know, you can’t do that. You have to build a relationship first, have them trust you, and understand why you’re pushing them. And then when they’re at the brink of giving up, and you yell at them, and they know why you’re screaming at them. A good parent after they spank them and ground them. They’ll tell them the reason why they did that. But they don’t stop loving them. They appreciate it because they know they’re wrong. Right? It’s the same concept here. Obviously, I yell at them after they know, like, hey yeah, I was sulking, and you start feeling sorry for myself and get after it, right?
[00:15:53] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: You know, from my own experience with what you did. You see, you have a lot of moms watching you train their kids. Moms are sharp. There’s nothing more intelligent than a mother in this world. And they intuitively, they understand, and they feel the depths of the change in the child. Right? So when they see the depths of the difference in the child, they trust you. And this is in mass because I have like a whole wall of families, moms, dads. They bring their kids no matter what. Tired, cold, sleet, rain, snow. They bring their kids here to train with you and your entire crew with the philosophies of pushing to those limits. You know, how does that feel when you see those kids excel?
[00:16:45] Daniel Alvarado: I feel proud. I’m pretty much over the moon because you see the hard work you took to instill that time into them and make sure their full potential came out. So it’s rewarding, and it’s inexplicable.
[00:17:03] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Let me ask you this. You’re not young, and you’re in your 30s, which is a very young age. However, you’ve lived long enough to see some of these kids go on in to do their thing. Tell me how that feels in terms of you watching them develop in terms of their they’re who they are, and what they develop because of the foundation, or at least influenced by the foundation of just don’t give up and keep on pushing through it. How does it feel? What do you think?
[00:17:36] Daniel Alvarado: In a lot of sense, a lot of pride, because you can see what they could have been in there, what they couldn’t have been in times. Some kids do come from poor extremities. And so to see them excel believing themselves, go to college, get a successful job, and be something of a higher profession that otherwise they thought they couldn’t build or settle for less and not letting them settle for less is amazing. That’s why I keep doing what I’m doing.
[00:18:17] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Do these kids keep calling you and talking to you personally?
[00:18:21] Daniel Alvarado: Yeah, they do. They still keep up with me as far as what they’re doing, how they’re doing. They’ll come in and work out. So, you know, to share with me everything. It’s fun. You build that long-lasting relationship.
[00:18:35] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: If you could come up with a couple of words indicating what makes PUSH unique and you can look deep inside your heart and figure out what it would be a word to get an obituary being read about you. What would they say about PUSH and you, huh? Would you want them to say?
[00:18:55] Daniel Alvarado: Honestly, that they had somebody other than their parents believe in them.
[00:19:03] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: That’s amazing. That’s a considerable component of everything that’s going on. When do you think someone actually should be coming out to this place and enjoying the kind of lifestyle that this place, you know, helps enhance their lives with? When is that time?
[00:19:21] Daniel Alvarado: Whenever. Whenever you want to be a better version of yourself.
[00:19:25] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: What do you think people sometimes think about, you know, why shouldn’t they come in? What should not be an impediment of them coming in here?
[00:19:35] Daniel Alvarado: Their image. They can’t do it, that they’re not like, you know, they’re obese, having problems, low back problems, and looking foolish. You know, the whole thing is that in the day, we’ve all looked foolish to an extent or another. But the point is if I always assumed what others thought and paid attention to how I felt this was for members and not being good enough, then I wouldn’t be where I’m at.
[00:20:03] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: I tell you, I’ve learned a lot from you, and if anything, my kids have learned a lot from you by just your persistence. You know, I can honestly tell you that my son is better as an athlete because of your relationship with you. But let me ask you, what kind of physical and emotional changes have you watched your clients attain their goals?
[00:20:34] Daniel Alvarado: Hearing people say. “He saved me from diabetic medications.” We hear people say like I would have died, been in this obese state, and you saved my life. And that’s how do you not get emotional with things like that? How do you not get emotional and people saying, like, you know, I thought I couldn’t walk or had this muscle imbalance, or how do you say where I have this one client that couldn’t build muscle? I can’t remember the terminology, but the fact that she can build muscle now, where the doctor told her she wouldn’t be able to squat a bar, and now she’s squatting over one hundred and thirty-five pounds, that’s phenomenal. How does that not keep you motivated to get up every day when you don’t feel like getting up? You know, and I’ll repeat it, in King David’s words. You know when you had to encourage yourself because somebody is not always there to inspire you. So you do have to encourage yourself so you can be the best or somebody else that needs it more than you. Ultimately, someone has more complicated than you, and you can always help somebody under you.
Conclusion
Dr. Alex Jimenez recaps today’s podcast.
[00:21:52] Dr. Alex Jimenez DC*: Well, Daniel, you said it is very short and essential keywords. You know, we appreciate you. We’re here at the push fitness center. You know you got some information there that you can use to find Mr. Alvarado. The PUSH fitness center is a monster center with many people who care and change people’s lives. Suppose you guys have any questions, comments, or ideas about what we do for people. Let us know, and we’re here to serve as Daniel is. Thank you very much, brother, and I appreciate everything you’ve done. And God bless, brother.
Reaching, twisting, walking, and driving are everyday activities that require upper and lower back strength. An aching back can easily affect daily activities, generate frustration, anger, and affect all-around health. The more back muscle strength an individual has, the more they can accomplish far more without injury. Immense power is not required to protect the body from a back injury. All that is needed is regular, consistent physical activity and exercise. A balance of body strength is vital for preventing injury. However, overdoing one fitness exercise or physical activity can imbalance musculature, leading to injury. Because the back/spine is the central part of the body, complete and proper care is necessary for optimal health and wellness. For individuals experiencing sore, aching, and tired muscles, here are some exercises that will help in the process.
Alternating Arm and Leg Extensions
Alternating extensions help build strength and coordination in the core areas. The back muscles increase their efficiency by creating muscle memory that supports the work shared by all the torso muscles. Upper and lower back muscles must work together to maintain a healthy balance and not overwork each other, causing strain and fatigue.
Start by placing hands and knees on the floor with the head directly between shoulders and facing toward the floor.
Feet are directly in line behind the buttocks and resting on the floor.
Hips and shoulders rest above the knees and hands.
Raise the right hand straight ahead with the arm at full length.
At the time same time, raise the left leg straight behind the body.
Try to keep the arm and leg as straight as possible.
Hold for 10 seconds.
Switch sides.
Repeat three to eight times, depending on strength level.
If it is difficult, a modified option is to raise the arm and leg separately.
Plank Hold
These can help build back muscles and strengthen the arms, legs, and the front torso area. Plank holds are a recommended starting point. Plank holds can be done on the elbows, palms of the hands, or closed fist hands. The key is to keep the shoulders, hips, and ankles straight like a wood plank parallel to the floor.
Place hands and feet directly on the floor like doing a push–up.
Toes should be on the floor.
Keep the abdominals tight and buttocks lifted to prevent straining the lower back.
Face straight down.
Hold for a count of 10.
Repeat three times.
For those with an aching back, keeping the hips level with the shoulders could be challenging at the beginning.
With practice, it will become easier; then, the individual is recommended to increase the length of time until 30 seconds is achieved.
Then increase the challenge to try more than three repetitions.
A modification for beginners is to start with the body resting on the floor, stomach down.
Then raise the body into the start position from the floor.
Hip Raises
Hip raises help to strengthen the lower back muscles to unite and support the lower half of the body. Training the body to work cooperatively is critical for reducing the aching and pain from muscle imbalance.
Rest the body flat on the floor, facing upward.
Place the hands flat at the body’s sides.
Knees should be about shoulder-width apart.
Keep the feet flat on the floor
Pull the feet toward the buttocks.
Look straight up.
Raise the hips as high as possible while pressing down with the hands.
Physical activity that keeps blood moving throughout the body. Examples include yoga, gardening, and dancing.
While the back is healing, go at a gentle even pace for any activity. Jerking and quickly stopping can be hard on joints and discs. When injured, the other muscles try to compensate to avoid causing a flare-up that could worsen the injury and/or create a new injury.
Aching Back Muscles
Strength-building exercises are great for preventing injury and avoiding re-injury. However, avoid overreaching or overstretching with any of the activities. Continuous aching or painful back muscles could indicate something else is occurring that could be:
The beginning of an arthritic condition causing inflammation.
Back muscle tear/s.
Pregnancy.
Body Composition
Sarcopenia – Loss of Skeletal Muscle Mass and Strenght Causes
Decreased Physical Activity
Physical inactivity is one of the primary contributors to sarcopenia.
Sedentariness can exacerbate the effects of sarcopenia.
Regular resistance exercise can help maintain muscle mass and build muscular strength.
Decrease in motor neurons
Aging is accompanied by a loss of motor neurons caused by cell death.
This can lead to a decrease in muscle fibers and size.
This decrease leads to:
Impaired performance
Reduced functional capacity
Decreased ability to perform everyday tasks.
Increase in Pro-inflammatory Cytokines
Poor diet and exercise also promote the storage of visceral fat.
This type of fat tissue produces pro-inflammatory cytokines.
This can accelerate muscle breakdown.
Obesity and muscle weakness are associated with high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
References
Alfuth, M, and D Cornely. “Chronischer lumbaler Rückenschmerz : Vergleich zwischen Mobilisationstraining und Training der rumpfstabilisierenden Muskulatur” [Chronic low back pain : Comparison of mobilization and core stability exercises]. Der Orthopade vol. 45,7 (2016): 579-90. doi:10.1007/s00132-016-3233-1
Kim, Beomryong, and Jongeun Yim. “Core Stability and Hip Exercises Improve Physical Function and Activity in Patients with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine vol. 251,3 (2020): 193-206. doi:10.1620/tjem.251.193
Smith, Benjamin E et al. “An update of stabilization exercises for low back pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis.” BMC musculoskeletal disorders vol. 15 416. 9 Dec. 2014, doi:10.1186/1471-2474-15-416
Suh, Jee Hyun et al. “The effect of lumbar stabilization and walking exercises on chronic low back pain: A randomized controlled trial.” Medicine vol. 98,26 (2019): e16173. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000016173
Finding the right physical activity that elevates heart rate and maintains it for 30 minutes a day increases the amount of oxygen delivered to the heart, brain, and muscles. Some form of aerobic activity will keep individuals moving in a healthy direction. This benefits the:
Heart
Muscles
Mood
Self-esteem
Amount of energy
It helps to lower:
Blood pressure
Cholesterol
Blood sugar
Body fat
Anxiety
Depression
Fatigue
Finding What Works For You
Doctors and health experts agree that individuals need to perform normal/moderate activity balanced with vigorous/intense activity. Some ideas for both types include:
Sports – soccer, field hockey, tennis, basketball, flag football, volleyball
Hiking
Cycling
Mountain biking
Skating and skateboarding
Horseback riding
House and Yard Work/Chores
Moderate house and yard work exercises:
Sweeping
Vacuuming
Mopping
Washing the car by hand
Sweeping the garage, walkways, sidewalk, or patio
Mowing the lawn
Raking the lawn
Labor intense gardening
Vigorous house and yard work exercises:
Shoveling dirt, rocks, etc
Carrying groceries upstairs
Carrying boxes
Moving furniture
Cleaning and organizing the house
Mix it up
Finding the activities that work for you are important. But mix them up, so you don’t get bored and tired of them. For example, if getting bored with walking, try a light aerobics class, dancing, or something similar.
Try new routes for walking and biking.
Change the room for exercising or stretching.
Exercise at different times, so it doesn’t just become a chore.
Mix up the amount of time exercising. Do a full 30 minute or longer workout one day, then break the workout into smaller 15, 10, 5-minute workouts other days.
Having options allows you to pick and choose what suits your mood and schedule.
Job Physical Activity
If job occupation includes sitting for long periods, try adding short bursts of activity throughout the day:
If the commute permits, walk, jog, or bicycle to work.
Park several blocks away or the furthest in the parking lot to get some walking in.
Use the stairs instead of the elevator for a few floors.
Get coffee or use the bathroom on another floor using the stairs the farthest from the office.
Need to talk to a coworker, take a walk to their office or station instead of e-mail or phone.
Finding breaks to take quick walks and stretch out.
Get Involved In Competition
Competition can motivate individuals as it:
Requires specific and measurable goals to work toward. An example could be training to walk or run a race.
Learning the details of an event and preparing/training can generate or restore the excitement and challenge of the activity.
Instead of entering a competition, an individual can help with organizing and planning. This can provide friendship with other individuals interested in the same activity that can lead to working out together and staying motivated.
CrossFit Training
CrossFit training is a combination of various exercises to work out various muscle groups. CrossFit can be beneficial because:
It prevents boredom by providing a variety of workouts.
It helps maintain balance among various muscle groups.
For example, runners that have powerful leg muscles cross-train to strengthen the upper body.
It reduces the risk of injuries because the combination of exercises allows muscles to recover while working out a different set of muscles.
Whatever the case, it’s all about finding what works for you. But the objective is to keep the body moving to maintain overall health.
Body Composition
Why the brain needs sugar?
The brain needs half of the body’s energy supply because of its complex system. The brain needs glucose for brain cell energy. As neurons cannot store energy, they need a constant fuel supply to function properly. The ability to think, learn and recall information is connected with the body’s glucose levels. When blood glucose levels are low, the ability to think clearly is slowed down as the production of neurotransmitters is reduced, leading to communication disruption. Natural sugars can increase brain health for optimal functioning. When consuming naturally occurring sugar like apples and bananas, sugar is released incrementally into the bloodstream. This maintains energy levels at a steady pace, and the body does not crave more sugar.
References
Berg JM, Tymoczko JL, Stryer L. Biochemistry. 5th edition. New York: W H Freeman; 2002. Section 30.2, Each Organ Has a Unique Metabolic Profile. Available from: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK22436/
Ainsworth BE, et al. (2011). Compendium of Physical Activities Tracking Guide. Columbia, SC: Prevention Research Center, Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina. Available online: prevention.sph.sc.edu/tools/compendium.htm.
Poor spinal health in adolescence can lead to chronic pain in adulthood. Teenagers, just like adults, can experience back pain from accidents, sports injuries, a sedentary lifestyle, part-time jobs, chores, etc. However, sitting too long in school along with heavy backpacks can also contribute to compromised spinal health. Chiropractic professionals can help these young individuals address and prevent spinal issues/injuries to maintain a healthy spine.
Teenagers Spine Issues
If discomfort or pain is present, much push through, as they and their spines are young. There are common spinal dysfunctions that teens and parents should be aware of. These include:
Disc injuries
Teenagers can put a serious strain on the spine from various forms of physical activity, jumping, dancing, and playing. This pressure gets transmitted through the spine. During a teenager’s development, this can result in permanent disc damage.
Scoliosis
A spinal deformity or exaggerated curvature of the spine is common and affects young children and teens. It usually happens during the growth spurt just before puberty. This is why it is important to have a teenager’s spine checked regularly and analyzed for signs/symptoms of scoliosis.
Spondylolysis
This condition is often associated with sports injuries. It happens when teenagers overextend/overreach their backs. It’s most common in gymnastics, weight lifting, tennis, football, diving, and other similar sports.
Protection and Prevention
There are several ways that parents and healthcare providers can help teenagers make healthy decisions to achieve and maintain optimal spinal health.
Sitting less, moving more.
Children are taught to sit from a very young age. In school, watching t.v., or doing homework, teenagers spend more time sitting than their bodies should. Teenagers need to stand, walk and move around just like adults to protect their spines from degeneration and injury.
Playing sports is healthy. However, there is a risk associated with teen sports. Although they are taught to play safely, encourage them to continue to educate themselves about sports injuries and know how to address them.
Chiropractic Support
At Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic, we’re committed to helping young adults and adolescents overcome and prevent spinal injuries that could turn into chronic pain conditions. We are continually developing our chiropractic, and physical therapy treatment approaches to achieve optimal results.
Body Composition
Sleep and Growth Hormone In Children
Growth hormones primarily control growth. The hypothalamus and the pituitary gland regulate this hormone. Sleep plays an important role in the proper function of these glands. A review showed that:
Growth hormone levels rise and peak at the onset of deep sleep
Multiple but smaller peaks were seen during other sleep stages
Individuals that have a delay in the onset of deep sleep have delayed peaks in growth hormone levels
For children to grow properly, they need to have adequate levels of growth hormone. This means they need to have a sufficient amount of sleep. The proper amount of sleep is vital for healthy body composition. A study measured the body composition of preschool-aged children. The study found that children who had proper sleep levels had less overall fat mass and reduced body fat. Children and teenagers need to get the proper amounts of sleep for their bodies to grow healthily.
References
Clement, R Carter et al. “What are normal radiographic spine and shoulder balance parameters among adolescent patients?.” Spine deformity vol. 8,4 (2020): 621-627. doi:10.1007/s43390-020-00074-9
Driehuis, Femke et al. “Spinal manual therapy in infants, children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis on treatment indication, technique, and outcomes.” PloS one vol. 14,6 e0218940. 25 Jun. 2019, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0218940
Manansala, Christian et al. “Change in young people’s spine pain following chiropractic care at a publicly funded healthcare facility in Canada.” Complementary therapies in clinical practice vol. 35 (2019): 301-307. doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2019.03.013
Children and adolescents are experiencing back pain. Why it happens, and how parents can help prevent it is the objective. When thinking of back pain the image is typically a man or woman, hunched over grabbing their backs and wincing in pain. However, back pain in children and adolescents is not that uncommon.
According to a 2020 study published in Spine, around thirty-four percent of children report having back pain, with almost nine percentexperiencing severe back pain. By the time they are fifteen, 20 to 70% of children will have experienced back pain at some point. Developing chronic back pain increases with age and is more common in girls.
The study found those that sought out early treatment, physical therapy, and chiropractic being the most prescribed lessened the need for more invasive treatments, like spinal injections, and surgery. Back pain can have a major impact on an adult’s life, and more so on a child. Prevention and treatment are important to help restore overall health and wellness.
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms can vary, the most common:
Pain increases with movement, like bending or twisting
Increased pain after sitting or standing for an extended period
Sore and tender muscles around the spine
Tight muscles
Muscle spasms
Most back pain in children is mild. However, there are times when the child will require medical attention. A child should see a doctor if back pain persists for more than two or three days, if there is a fever, or if there is any numbness or weakness in the arms and legs.
Common Causes
Like adults, muscle sprains and strains are the most common cause of back pain. Strains are more common in the low back than around the neck or middle back and usually occur from overuse injuries, poor posture, poor body mechanics, and falls. Other common causes include:
Sitting and slouching in front of the computer for too long
Carrying an overloaded backpack
Spinal Conditions
Recreational and sports activities with injuries sustained are the most common causes of developing back pain. However, back pain can be brought on by underlying health and spine-related conditions. About a third of adolescents with low back pain could have a spinal condition. The most common conditions include:
Idiopathic Scoliosis
This is an abnormal curvature of the spine. This is usually not a painful condition. Some curvatures can be severe enough to cause pain and require medical care. Scoliosis can include the middle, low spine, or the entire spine. It is most common in adolescents 11-17 years of age. Symptoms include:
Tilted shoulders
Uneven hip bones
One side of the ribs projects out more than the other
Scheuermann�s kyphosis
This is a growth disorder of the vertebrae. It happens when the front of the spine does not grow as fast as the back of the spine. This can produce a humpback curvature. The spine bends forward but the child cannot stand up straight. Usually, it happens during accelerated growth periods.
Spondylolysis
The vertebrae can break in children and kids that do repetitive exercises involving bending and twisting. Sports like gymnastics and football create a heightened risk for spondylolysis. It usually affects the low back and presents with non-stop low back pain. The most common treatment is rest. Other causes include:
Spinal cord tumors
Sickle cell anemia
Infection
Tumors and infections are highly uncommon in children. They often present with pain and fever. If the nerves are pinched numbness, tingling, and weakness in the extremities can develop.
Common Treatments
Back pain in children is usually a short experience and can be treated with ice, rest, and over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen for children and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen. A playing/exercise program can significantly help reduce child back pain.
However, there could be a need to modify the activity, so as to not worsen the injury or create new injury/s. The activities could be made to be lighter or a brace could be utilized. A specialist like a chiropractor/physical therapist can provide treatment, along with exercises, stretches, and lifestyle changes that will help reduce the pain. Complementary therapies like massage and acupuncture can enhance the child�s healing/recovery time and knock out the pain quickly.
Parental Prevention
Proper posture can and will prevent back pain. Children’s and adolescents’ musculoskeletal structures continue to develop at this stage. Therefore, sitting, standing, and lifting properly is paramount to preventing back pain. Along with this is avoiding activities that place repeated strain on the spine. An example is an overexertion while playing sports. Tips for keeping kids back-pain free:
Avoid activities that generate repeated strain on the same muscles
Stretching breaks need to be incorporated when sitting for a long time
As much as possible make the home a stress-free environment
Maintain a healthy weight and diet with balanced meals and snacks
Help promote overall mental and physical health
Children and kids that are stressed out or depressed have a greater risk of developing back pain. Encourage the kids to stay active, get proper sleep, stretch out, and eat foods that are healthy for the spine. If back pain is presenting, a customized treatment plan along with lifestyle changes will get the child back to their favorite activities.
Lower Back Pain Chiropractic Treatment
Dr. Alex Jimenez�s Blog Post Disclaimer
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, and sensitive health issues and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate and support directly or indirectly our clinical scope of practice.*
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. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation as to how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900. The provider(s) Licensed in Texas& New Mexico*
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