Can being grateful make you healthier? Several studies say yes. There is a great deal of evidence that shows being thankful benefits your health both physically and mentally. Researchers have found that an attitude of gratitude helps you have a stronger immune system, a healthier heart, more energy, and a happier outlook on life.
The Science of Being Thankful
When you are grateful, just like any other emotion, it affects your outlook. Gratitude is particularly powerful when used as a way of viewing the word, of interpreting and perceiving your life. Other positive emotions come attached to appreciation and these work in the body to provide powerful physical health benefits.
According to research, the simple act of thinking about the things you are grateful for, causes the parasympathetic nervous system, the part that promotes calm and peaceful feelings, to be triggered. This can cause chemical reactions such as increasing oxytocin (the hormone that helps with bonding in relationships and increases good feelings) while decreasing cortisol (the stress hormone that can cause a variety of health issues).
Studies on Gratefulness
Several studies have been done over the past few years exploring the connection between gratitude and health. One study published in the European Scientific Journal in June 2017, drew a direct line between appreciation and coping with PTSD. It found that the more gratitude increases in a person the less psychological distress decreases. A research report published in June 2017, found that gratitude could be a viable means for helping ease fibromyalgia symptoms. In
November 2016, the American Heart Association published information on a study that was conducted on heart patients who had asymptomatic heart failure. The researchers measured evaluated their levels of gratitude and found that the patients who were more grateful slept better, experienced less anxiety, and had decreased depression. These people also had healthier hearts and lower levels of inflammation. The lower levels of inflammation, as well as a more positive outlook, also help patients better manage pain.
7 Tips for Being more Grateful
Even if gratitude does not come naturally to you, it is possible to learn it. It can become a habit that can be cultivated and incorporated into everyday life. Try these tips for developing gratefulness in your life.
1. Think about being grateful. The more you think about it, the more you will find that you are thankful.
2. Avoid comparing up. There will always be someone who has more than you do or is more advantaged. Seeking them out and ruminating on what you don�t have or don�t have enough of is a recipe for discontent, anger, and frustration.
3. Keep a gratitude journal and write down the things you are thankful for. This will not only serve as a reminder, but it will also help to develop the habit of being grateful.
4. If you don�t think you have anything to be thankful for, find just one thing and focus on that. Gradually add items you are grateful for, and you will find them.
5. Change your perspective. When something doesn�t go your way, look for the positives in it. This can be internal or external. How did you grow? What did you gain?
6. Change your thinking. Choose positive language and banish negative language from your vocabulary. Don�t allow negativity to color your life experiences. Choose to be happy and maintain a positive outlook.
7. Say it out loud. Use your voice and tell people that you are grateful. Tell them you appreciate them, that you are thankful for things. Let yourself hear your positive words of gratitude so that it can take hold in you and become a part of who you are.
Being thankful makes you a healthier, happier person, so take some time to find several things that you�re grateful for (or a lot!). You�ll love the benefits.
Regular preventative care and maintenance are integral to good health. The better you treat your body, the better it will treat you. Unfortunately, you can�t always see or know when there is a problem, and regular check-ups can help you stay ahead of potential health problems that could significantly impact your quality of life. However, many people only see their chiropractor when they have a problem like pain or immobility. What they don�t realize is that they may have prevented the issue had they been undergoing regular chiropractic adjustments.
Just as they can prevent serious dental issues when they undergo regular dental check-ups.
The Importance of Regular Dental Exams
Most people get regular dental exams each year without know all of the reasons why it is so important. Dental care is more than just caring for teeth; it is a crucial part of caring for your health.
Dental visits help you maintain healthy teeth and gums. Gum disease and poor dental health have been linked to a variety of health issues, including heart disease. Researchers have drawn a direct line between tooth loss and heart disease. What�s more, regular oral exams and teeth cleaning can lead to the detection of early-stage medical conditions, some of which can be life-threatening which include:
Leukemia
Heart disease
Oral cancer
Diabetes
Kidney disease
Pancreatic cancer
Studies show that these and other systemic diseases have some oral manifestation such as dry mouth, swollen gums, excessive gum problems, and mouth ulcers.
In the long run, good oral care that includes regular dental exams can save you a lot of time and money because you will catch many problems before they get out of hand and can incur significant expense.
The Importance of Regular Chiropractic Adjustments
Regular chiropractic adjustments help to keep the body in balance which allows the organs to function more efficiently. What�s more, regular chiropractic treatments put you in frequent, close contact with a health professional who can spot potential problems or the early stages of chronic diseases.
The benefits extend beyond that though. Regular chiropractic care helps you stay flexible and mobile which prevents many conditions that are related to aging. It also naturally treats a myriad of health conditions including:
Back pain
Blood pressure
Arthritis
Headaches
Joint pain
Ear infections
Asthma
Neck pain
Scoliosis
It also improves organ function and can help you avoid surgery and provides a natural, healthy alternative to medications that can be addictive and have harmful side effects.
Another added benefit of chiropractic care is the whole-body approach to wellness. Your chiropractor will look at your lifestyle, habits, diet, and exercise regimen and recommend changes and modifications that will help you live a healthier, fuller life.
Sure, they are there to help when you have a problem such as pain, but, like your dentist, they can also be the front line to better health care decisions and a healthier you. The natural approach that chiropractors take to healthcare also means that they typically see issues from a different perspective and may pick up on clues that your medical doctor might miss.
So, while you are scheduling your next dental check-up, make it a point to visit your chiropractor as well and talk to him or her about creating a plan for regular chiropractic adjustments. Your body will thank you, and you will find that you are healthier for it.
The way a person walks, their gait, can be very telling. It can reveal problems in the feet, ankles, knees, and hips � even in spinal alignment. A problem with gait can indicate pain in a patient as well as serious conditions like diabetes and arthritis. It, is a diagnostic tool for many conditions, injuries, and syndromes including autism. When it comes to chiropractic care, a patient�s gait can offer critical clues regarding the root of their complaints, allowing for a more well-rounded, whole body approach to treatment. If you think that the way you walk or moves doesn�t matter, think again. It most certainly does matter.
What is Gait Analysis?
Gait analysis is a set of tests that are designed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of a person�s gait. It is a systematic study of human motion that involves observation as well as the use of instruments that measure body movements, muscle activity, and body mechanics.
It is intended to be used as an assessment tool and provide insight into devising a treatment plan for people who have conditions or injuries that affect their ability to walk. It is often used in sports biomechanics to aid athletes in more efficient movement and to identify problems with movement or posture, particularly those with injuries.
During the analysis, the patient may walk in a prescribed pattern or on a treadmill, that is often connected to a computer, while the chiropractor observes them from various angles. Often cameras are used, places at multiple points to capture different views including the anterior, posterior, and sides.
The patient may have markers applied to specific points on the body such as the knee, ankle, pelvis, and other areas. As they move, the computer captures specific data of the movement, providing a three-dimensional calculation of each marker. It then applies a model to assess the movement of the skeletal structure, resulting in a detailed analysis of each joint�s movement.
Factors that Affect Gait Analysis
Certain factors affect a person�s gait, and that information must be included for the gait analysis to be accurate. The gender, age, height, and weight of the person is vital because men and women move differently and as a person ages their structure changes.
Excess weight or they physique can affect a person�s posture and their gait. The individual�s shoes (or lack of shoes) is essential, as is their clothing, the terrain they are walking on, and anything they may usually carry, such as a purse. Other factors include:
Physiological factors such as body proportion
Psychological factors such as their state of mind, emotions, stress level, and personality type
Pathological factors such as neurological diseases, psychiatric disorders, trauma, and musculoskeletal anomalies
It will also measure and factor into the analysis data that includes the patients:
Getting a gait analysis can be very advantageous because it can provide invaluable insight into how your body is aligned and how it moves. It is an excellent diagnostic tool for identifying health issues related to the gait, spine, and feet and can also help provide early detection of health issues before the onset of symptoms.
If your chiropractor recommends that you get a gait analysis, it could be that he or she suspects that something is going on, or it could simply mean that they want to examine you to provide optimal care more thoroughly. If you have any concerns, you should sit down with your chiropractor and ask them any questions that you have before undergoing the analysis. Stress and anxiety can put tension on the muscles and body, affecting the results.
Cancer puts a tremendous amount of stress on the body. Cancer treatments add to that stress, affecting the organs as well as the musculoskeletal system. Pain is a common complaint among cancer patients. They experience a variety of aches and pains including headaches, neck pain, muscle tension, and back pain as well as painful peripheral neuropathy. They may also have mobility problems and difficulty walking.
Many cancer patients have found chiropractic care to be a very effective treatment for pain management and to improve flexibility, mobility, and muscle strength. They find it helps to reduce stress and helps the body function more efficiently.
It provides these benefits without the use of medication or invasive treatments. For patients undergoing chemotherapy, it is very beneficial because chiropractic�s whole body approach to wellness helps to combat the debilitating effects of the treatment.
Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Cancer Patients
There are many different reasons that cancer patients may seek chiropractic treatment. Cancer is, in itself, very hard on the body. The disease can cause headaches, muscle stiffness, neck pain, and back pain. However, the treatments can also cause problems.
Patients undergoing radiation treatment must lie on a table for extended periods of time which can be very uncomfortable. Surgery can cause pain in the joints and connective tissues. Chemotherapy drugs can cause unpleasant side effects including nausea, neuropathy, and headaches.
Often cancer patients have also reported improvements beyond the typical musculoskeletal complaints that chiropractic treats. Reduced effects of peripheral neuropathy, improved digestion, and even easier respiratory function are just some of the added benefits.
Chiropractic Treatment Approaches
Chiropractors use a drug-free, hands-on approach to treatment for a wide range of issues. It restores nerve function, corrects musculoskeletal problems, and helps to bring the body back into proper alignment. It is non-invasive and offers patients a safe, natural alternative to medications and other treatments that can have unwanted side effects.
One barrier that may prevent a patient from seeking chiropractic care is the common misconception that it is aggressive and forceful, even painful. The truth is, most chiropractic techniques are very gentle, applying very low force and some no force at all.
Most are also not painful at all and work quickly to enhance the range of motion and increase energy as well as reduce pain. It can help relieve a patient�s symptoms while helping them stay strong while they undergo treatment.
Some of the chiropractic treatment options that are used for cancer patients include:
Spinal manipulation
Ice
Heat
Hands-on adjustments
Non-force techniques
Electrical muscle stimulation
Massage
Special instrument applications
Traction
The Whole-Body Wellness Advantage
Whole body wellness is an integral part of chiropractic care. It can involve diet modification, lifestyle changes, exercise, and stress reduction practices.
When a chiropractor treats a cancer patient � or any patient � he or she will look beyond the obvious issues or symptoms to find the root of the problem and ways to help the body heal itself. Sometimes this may involve supplements, vitamins, or minerals that will aid in correcting the condition. Other times it may simply be a matter of getting the body to a healthy state where it is strong enough to combat the condition or heal from injury.
The treatment is individualized and tailored specifically to the patient�s needs and lifestyle. For instance, many conditions benefit from weight loss or exercise, and many pain issues respond well to adjustments in diet and stress reduction. Chiropractic looks at the whole body and works to provide it with what it needs to get strong and get healthy.
Back pain can be debilitating, causing immobility, inflexibility, and have a significant impact on a person�s quality of life. It can make even the most mundane daily activities extremely difficult � and even excruciating. Building the muscles that make up your core (abdominals and back) can help support your spine and reduce back pain. In many cases, strengthening these muscles can assist a patient to avoid medication with its unpleasant side effects and even avoid surgery. With just a few smart moves you can significantly decrease your back pain, increase your mobility, and take back your life.
The Role of Abs and Back Muscles
The spine is the supporting structure for the back, but it also is a vital infrastructure for the entire body. It houses the central nervous system, and neural impulses are transferred along what is�a spinal superhighway.
The arms, legs, neck, and head are all connected and stabilized by the spine through an intricate network of ligaments and muscles. The back muscles and abs, or abdominal muscles, are at the center, or core, of this muscle network. They keep the body upright and facilitate movement. When these core muscles are not in good condition, it puts stress on the spine, impacting its ability to support the body. This often results in back pain and even injury in some cases.
Postural Alignment
Postural alignment is a frequent contributor to back pain. This is often due to weak core muscles.
As the muscles fail to do their job to stabilize the spine, the body adjusts structurally to accommodate the weakness. This can result in postures that cause joint pain as well as muscular pain and even headaches.
For instance, stooped or hunched shoulders can cause back pain, but it can also create tension in the shoulders and neck. This, in turn, can cause tension headaches and migraines in patients.
A sway back, where the lower back bows, causing the pelvis to tilt up, can cause severe lower back pain, especially after standing for long periods of time. Swayback can be the result of weakened core muscles or a combination of a weak core, combined with obesity or pregnancy.
The weight in the abdominal area pulls the spine forward so that it curves. A pregnancy sling can sometimes help with the pain, but it is just a band-aid. The real cure is to strengthen the core muscles so that they are better able to support the spine and body adequately.
Foundation Training
Eric Goodman, a chiropractor, developed Foundation Training as a way to help his patients who suffer from lower back pain but are not physically able to do Pilates or yoga. It is also designed to help those who sit for long periods of time to counteract the associated adverse health effects.
Foundation training incorporates powerful yet straightforward movements that work to integrate the body�s muscular chains, increasing strength and realigning the core and spine. It does not require any equipment so the actions can be performed anywhere. The muscles are trained how to move correctly and work together so that you the body learns to move how it is designed to move. The critical, essential exercise can be viewed in this video.
Creating a strong core can help relieve back pain but also have added benefits such as increasing energy, better mobility, and an improved mood. By allowing the body to support itself, it can naturally relieve pain and heal certain conditions without invasive surgery or medication which can have unpleasant or even harmful side effects. When you take good care of your body, it will take good care of you.
Everyone knows that exercise is great for overall wellness, better health, and a healthy body. Many chiropractors will often recommend regular exercise to their patients who need to lose weight, want better mobility, or are seeking relief from depression. Some chiropractors are turning to Pilates to help their patients get stronger, more flexible, and more mobile.
What is Pilates?
In the early 20th century Joseph Pilates developed the exercise program to help World War I soldiers improve their physical fitness. It was used to rehabilitate patients who had been injured. By incorporating resistance, stretching, and target strengthening exercise, Pilates uses resistance bands, individual machines, and floor work to reshape and rehabilitate the body. Dancers, gymnasts, athletes, and celebrities use Pilates to stay in shape. However, anyone can do it for a healthier, more supple spine.
Care of the spine is at the core of Pilates. By keeping it in a neutral, or natural, position, this exercise can prevent back pain as well as help ease it. When done correctly, Pilates can:
Improve muscle control and movement efficiency through mental focus.
Make you more mindful of your body�s position, specifically, remaining aware of the spine�s position and keeping it neutral
Improve centering and mental focus through special, breathing techniques
Support and improve posture by strengthening the abdominal and back muscles.
Benefits of Pilates for Chiropractic Patients
The benefits of Pilates tremendous, but for chiropractic patients, it is even more so. By regularly incorporating Pilates into your exercise routine, you can enjoy these incredible benefits.
You can adapt Pilates to your fitness level and needs. Whether you are just starting a fitness program or you�ve been working out for years, Pilates can be tailored to your fitness needs and level.
It helps you strengthen your core. The deep muscles of your abdomen, back, and pelvic floor make up the core muscles of your body. Many of the movements focus on these muscles, making a body that is strong and the frame is supported.
Allows you to strengthen your muscles without bulking up. With Pilates your muscles get strong, but it also stretches the muscles so that they are lean and long. You will look toned and tight but not bulky and muscular.
It focuses on whole body fitness. Many types of exercise only work certain parts of the body, but this focuses on entire body fitness. It works every part of the body so that the muscle development is balanced.
It helps to improve your posture. It strengthens your body and helps to keep your spine in proper alignment due to a strong core. As a result, your posture naturally improves. By incorporating it into your exercise routine, you will find yourself standing taller, stronger, and more graceful.
You can become more connected through your mind and body by increased awareness. Pilates engages your mind and increases body awareness. It unites the mind, body, and spirit for complete coordination. Each movement is done with full attention.
It improves your flexibility. Pilates is a gentle but powerful exercise that works to safely stretch the muscles, making them longer, and increasing the range of motion in the joints.
It can protect you from injuries. By strengthening your body, Pilates can help protect you against injury. It conditions your whole body so that your muscles and strength are balanced. This reduces your risk of injury.
You get a natural energy boost. Just like with any exercise, it will give you an energy boost. However, it is increased even more thanks to the focused breathing and increase in circulation stimulating the muscles and spine.
It can help you lose weight and attain a lean, long, healthy body. It tones and strengthens the body, and if you do it regularly, it will reshape you. The body is more muscular and more balanced. It also helps you move with more grace and ease.
Chiropractic care is a respected, effective treatment for a variety of conditions as well as for promoting overall wellness. Every day patients seek it out to manage their pain, find relief from health issues, and recover from injuries. But did you know that pro athletes also utilize chiropractic for injuries, soreness, and to keep them playing at optimal levels?
What many may not realize is that an estimated 90 percent of top athletes use chiropractic to step up their game. You don�t have to be an athlete to step up your own game with chiropractic care. Here are three benefits that the pros enjoy � and so can you!
Chiropractic is an effective treatment for pain management.
Chiropractic has long been regarded as a natural, non-invasive, drug-free approach to pain management. Numerous studies have proven its effectiveness in treating pain for some conditions and injuries. Many pro athletes utilize this option to manage their pain from overtaxed muscles and ligaments to activity related injuries.
When the spine not correctly aligned it can put pressure or stress on other areas of the body. Spinal adjustments can help relieve pain in ligaments, joints, discs, and muscles. However, chiropractic techniques can be used for all parts of the body, including arms, hands, fingers, feet, hips, and knees.
Chiropractic helps in preventing injury and enhancing performance.
Doctors of Chiropractic understand that when it comes to treatment, there is not a one size fits all option. Every patient is different, and they will tailor a custom plan that benefits the entire body based on lifestyle, activity level, age, health conditions, and other factors.
The first appointment will include a variety of evaluations that help the doctor determine the best course of treatment for you, including the activities you engage in and the frequency. This way he or she can get an idea of your risk of injury and the areas to concentrate on in your treatment. So, whether you are a pro football player or a weekend warrior, chiropractic can improve your performance and help protect you from injury.
Chiropractic helps in treating many types of injuries.
For pro athletes, injuries are just part of the game. High impact sports like hockey, football, and wrestling tend to result in injuries, but even non-contact sports like baseball, cycling, and golf can lead to injuries as well.
Low impact, as well as low impact athletes, find great value in routine adjustments and spinal alignments. This alone helps to lower their risk of injury as well as improve flexibility and enhance performance. It can help reduce the stress and strain that all types of physical activity place on the body, whether you are a pro golfer or football player, or if you enjoy working in your garden or are a stay at home mom running after kids all day.
Sports equipment with a football, basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis and golf ball and badminton hockey puck as recreation and leisure fun activities for team and individual playing.
Some of the top names in pro sports rely on chiropractic to treat injuries, manage pain, and enhance athletic performance. You might recognize some of the names: Barry Bonds, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lance Armstrong, Evander Holyfield, Tiger Woods, Joe Montana, and Martina Navratilova are just a few. You don�t have to be an athlete, though, to reap the same benefits that the pros do. You can get them by scheduling an appointment with a chiropractor.
Chiropractic care is a safe, useful healthcare option that is appropriate for all ages and activity levels. Your Doctor of Chiropractic will sit down with you and work with you to create a treatment plan that is tailored to meet your unique needs.
Because this type of treatment focuses on the root of the problem instead of just managing symptoms, your treatment plan will usually involve not only adjustments and chiropractic techniques, but dietary recommendations, exercises, and lifestyle modifications as well so that you enjoy whole body wellness.
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