Being overweight or obese is assumed to be the primary factor for people to develop type 2 diabetes. Excess weight is generally associated with insulin resistance and diabetes, however, it’s this insulin resistance, not the excess weight, which can cause the disease to develop.
Because of this, many individual’s who maintain a healthy weight may not necessarily be metabolically healthy, which can in turn increase the risk of diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, regardless if they’re overweight or obese. According to researchers from the University of Florida, one of the greatest risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes is actually inactivity, which can increase the risk or pre-diabetes even if you have a healthy weight.
Inactivity and Pre-diabetes
If you were looking for motivation to get moving, this study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, is as good as it gets.1
In a research study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a survey of more than 1,100 healthy-weight individuals, those who were inactive, or physically active for less than 30 minutes per week, were more likely to score an A1C test level of 5.7 or higher, which is considered to be pre-diabetic.
The researchers suggested that people who live a sedentary lifestyle yet have a healthy weight may have �what is referred to as normal-weight obesity or skinny fat, which they described as a high proportion of fat to lean muscle.
�Don�t focus solely on the scale and think you�re OK. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, make sure you get up and move,� lead author Arch Mainous III, chair of health services research, management and policy in the University of Florida�s College of Public Health and Health Professions, stated in a news release of the subject matter.
Weight May Not Reveal a Person�s Metabolic Health
Dr. Robert Lustig, professor of pediatric endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco, USCF, explains that weight isn’t necessarily an accurate tool to determine a person’s metabolic health. Dr. Lustig is best known for speaking out about the health risks of sugar. In a 2015 interview, he declared the issue of “judging a book by its cover” in terms of weight and health.
Approximately more than two-thirds of the American population is overweight or obese. About 50 percent have pre-diabetes or diabete and 1 out of every 3 have high blood pressure. Many of these individuals additionally have high serum triglycerides, which can be a huge factor when it comes to heart disease and stroke. Insulin resistance is a component of all of these health issues. According to Dr. Robert Lustig, at least 50 percent of the American population has some form of insulin resistance, regardless if they have an excess of weight or not.
Exercise is Essential to Prevent Diabetes
A variety of research studies and other evidence have concluded that regular participation and engagement in exercise and physical activity, which includes reducing time being spent sitting, can be crucial to help lower an individual’s risk of developing diabetes. Exercise can even help treat the disease once you’ve been diagnosed.
Sitting for more than eight hours a day has been shown to increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 90 percent, while people with diabetes who participated in a six-month moderate-intensity exercise program experienced considerable health improvements, including decreased fat in the abdomen, liver and around the heart.
How to Determine if You�re Pre-Diabetic
If you’re uncertain on what your fasting insulin and glucose levels are to determine if you’re pre-diabetic, there are various blood tests which are recommended to receive annually. The fasting insulin level reflects how healthy a person’s blood glucose levels are over time.
A normal fasting blood insulin level is below 5, but ideally, you will want it to read below 3. A fasting glucose level below 100 mg/dl suggests you�re not insulin resistant while a level between 100 and 125 confirms you may have pre-diabetes. If these results, or your A1C level, confirms you either have or are at risk of pre-diabetes or diabetes, its fundamental for you to take action. Furthermore, a hip-to-waist size index chart can also be helpful to help determine the proper diagnosis for pre-diabetes or diabetes.
When it comes to evaluating whether the individual is overweight or obese, the previous tests may be better than utilizing the body mass index method, or BMI, as this test fails to factor in both how much muscle and intra-abdominal fat mass, or the visceral fat that accumulates around the inner organs, an individual may have. These can be indicators of insulin/leptin sensitivity and other associated health problems.
Insulin Sensitivity Improvements in Two Weeks
Fortunately, with proper exercise and a carefully balanced diet, people can reverse the course of type 2 diabetes. These benefits have been documented in as little as two weeks, in some instances, occurring just after one exercise session. During a research study for example, inactive but healthy middle-aged adults improved their insulin sensitivity and regulated their blood sugar over two weeks of interval training, about three sessions per week. A follow-up study also found that interval training positively impacted insulin sensitivity.
The research study was conducted involving people with type 2 diabetes and after only one interval training session, the individuals experienced an improvement in the regulation of their blood sugar for the following 24 hours. By exercising in short, high-intensity bursts, known as intervals, you can exercise for longer periods of time at a slower, steady pace and still experience the benefits.�A recommended high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, approach is the Peak Fitness method, which consists of 30 secons of maximum effort followed by 90 seconds of recuperation, for a total of eight repetitions. Very slow weight lifting for your resistance training is also recommended.
Standing Up From Sitting is Also Essential
Moreover, it’s important to understand that exercising for 20 or 30 minutes a day but sitting for the rest is not enough physical activity to begin categorizing yourself as an active individual. In fact, sitting for an extended period of time has been linked to the development of chronic diseases such as diabetes, primarily because it can increase aging at a cellular level.
In a research study involving women ranging from 64 to 95 years of age, those who were sedentary and sat for more than 10 hours a day who engaged in only 40 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise experienced shorter telomeres. In addition, the sedentary women were biologically about 8 years older than the active women in the research study.
The telomeres are utilized to measure biological aging because every time a cell divides, these become shorter. Shorter telomeres have also been associated with other chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Furthermore, the body’s ability to properly respond to insulin can be tremendously affected by only a single day of excessive inactivity. Sitting for extended periods of time can cause the pancreas to produce increased amounts of insulin. A research study published in Diabetologia, found that individuals who sat for long periods of time were twice as likely to develop diabetes of heart disease compared to individuals who sat for short periods of time. It’s recommended to replace the majority of your sitting with exercise or physical activity, keeping sedentary habits to three hours a day or less.
What to Do if You Have Pre-Diabetes or Diabetes
Being thin doesn’t necesarily mean you have more lean muscle than fat in your body. Having a higher percentage of fat than lean muscle can set the stage for insulin resistance. It’s not as simple to assume you’re metabolically healthy just because you’re not overweight or obese, especially if you live a sedentary lifestyle. Thin people who are also sedentary have as much risk of developing type 2 diabetes as someone who has excess weight.
The good news is, there�s plenty you can do to not only reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes but also to improve your metabolic health at the same time.
During the three-year Diabetes Prevention Program study, lifestyle interventions were found to be more effective than the diabetes drug Metformin at preventing or delaying the development of the disease in people at higher risk. A follow-up research study monitored the group for 15 years and lifestyle interventions were still more effective than Metformin at preventing diabetes.
One of the most important dietary recommendations is to limit net carbs, or total carbohydrates minus fiber, and protein, replacing them with higher amounts of high-quality healthy fats, such as seeds, nuts, raw grass-fed butter, olives, avocado, coconut oil, organic pastured eggs and animal fats, including animal-based omega-3s.
If you�re insulin resistant or diabetic, its also suggested that you limit your total fructose intake to 15 grams per day until your insulin/leptin resistance has improved, increasing to 25 grams, and then begin intermittent fasting as soon as possible.
In conclusion, exercise and physical activity while reducing the amount of time spent sitting, together with a balanced diet, including optimized levels of vitamin D and gut health, as well as proper sleep, are crucial towards preventing or improving type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes. Taken together, this plan will �also substantially lower your risk of diabetes and related chronic diseases, helping you to avoid becoming victim to a health condition you might not even realize you have.
Type 2 diabetes is commonly described to develop in overweight or obese individuals, however, recent research studies have demonstrated that slim, healthy people are also at risk of developing the disease. In fact, a sedentary lifestyle has been linked to be the major factor behind the development of type 2 diabetes in American adults.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Neck pain is characterized as the most prevalent symptom after being involved in an automobile accident. During an auto collision, the body is exposed to a sheer amount of force due to the high speed impact, causing the head and neck to jolt abruptly back-and-forth as the rest of the body remains in place. This often results in the damage or injury of the cervical spine and its surrounding tissues, leading to neck pain and other common symptoms associated with whiplash-related disorders.
A combination of vitamin D supplements and certain dairy foods may protect against age-related bone loss, a new study indicates.
Consumption of milk, yogurt and cheese was associated with higher bone mineral density in the spine and less bone loss in the hip among older adults — but only if they also took vitamin D supplements, researchers said.
Vitamin D stimulates calcium absorption, which aids in bone building and prevention of bone loss, according to the researchers from Harvard-affiliated Hebrew Senior Life, and the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.
This study is significant because it looked at dairy products other than just milk, and it “clarified that the association of dairy foods with bone density is dependent on adequate vitamin D intake,” said lead author Shivani Sahni.
“However, additional studies are needed to confirm these findings,” she added in an institute news release. Sahni is director of the nutrition program at Hebrew Senior Life’s Institute for Aging Research.
An estimated 10 million Americans older than 50 have osteoporosis, a disease marked by low bone mass and progressive deterioration of bone tissue. Osteoporosis increases the risk of fractures, loss of physical function, decreased quality of life, and even death.
Another 44 million Americans have low bone density, increasing their risk of fractures, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Study participants were enrolled in the long-running Framingham Study, which began in 1948 and followed the health and habits of residents of Framingham, Mass.
The study was funded by the U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. The results were published March 1 in the Journal of Nutrition.
Squinting while texting? Always losing your reading glasses? An eye implant that takes about 10 minutes to put in place is the newest in a list of surgical repairs for the blurry close-up vision that is a bane of middle age. But who’s really a good candidate to toss their specs?
“It’s not bringing anybody back to being 20 again,” cautioned Dr. Shilpa Rose, a Washington ophthalmologist who tests whether patients’ eyes are healthy enough to qualify. “But it decreases the need to rush to get that pair of reading glasses every time you want to send a text or read an email.”
Nearly everybody will experience presbyopia at some point, usually starting in the mid-40s. At first you may notice yourself holding restaurant menus at arm’s length. Eventually, even in good light, reading becomes a blur.
How well you see has to do with how light is directed through the natural lens to the back of the eye. That lens stiffens with age, losing its ability to shift and bend light so that it becomes more difficult to focus close-up.
The usual options are magnifying drugstore reading glasses or, for people with other vision problems, bifocals, multifocal contact lenses or what’s called monovision, correcting for distance vision in one eye and near vision in the other.
“I have glasses everywhere — the bedroom, the office, the kitchen,” said Christianne Krupinsky, 51, of Marriottsville, Maryland, who’d never needed them until presbyopia struck. “Getting ready in the morning, even to put on jewelry I can’t see the clasp. It’s so frustrating.”
And while surgery always carries some risk, corneal inlays that are implanted into the eye’s clear front surface are getting attention because they’re removable if necessary.
“It’s not magic. It’s surgery. People have to remember this is not one and done,” but requires post-surgical exams and care, said Dr. Deepinder K. Dhaliwal of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, a corneal specialist who is watching studies of the inlays.
Krupinsky was a little nervous while lying on the operating table to receive the new Raindrop near vision inlay.
“The most you’re going to feel is pressure,” promised Washington refractive surgeon Dr. Mark Whitten, applying numbing drops to her left eye.
A gel-like device that looks like a miniature contact lens, the Raindrop is smaller than the eye of a needle. It’s the first implant to treat presbyopia by changing the cornea’s shape, making it steeper to alter how light passes through.
It’s placed in only one eye; both eyes still see at a distance. Patients can test-wear a single contact lens to be sure they’ll like the effect before choosing surgery.
Rose, the ophthalmologist, checked for dry eye, underlying diseases like glaucoma, and whether the corneas were thick and healthy enough to implant before turning Krupinsky over to her surgical partner.
“Just look straight up,” Whitten said as he used a laser to slice a flap in Krupinsky’s cornea. He centered the Raindrop inlay over her pupil and lowered the flap to seal it in place.
Minutes later, Krupinsky read lines on an eye chart she previously couldn’t make out without glasses, albeit still a little blurry. She’ll need eye drops for several months as her cornea heals so vision can sharpen.
Maker ReVision Optics Inc. is gradually training eye surgeons to use the Raindrop properly, after the Food and Drug Administration approved it last summer based on a study of 373 people whose only vision problem was moderate presbyopia. Two years later, 92 percent had good near vision, 20/40 or better without glasses, in the implanted eye.
Potential side effects include infection, dry eye, glare, or corneal problems such as scarring. About 7 percent of study participants had the implant removed, mostly because they weren’t satisfied with their vision or experienced a haze or clouding of the cornea. Most returned to their pre-surgical vision, although one had lingering haze.
Other surgical options:
—Another FDA-approved corneal inlay, the Kamra, is a doughnut-shaped device, also used in one eye and removable. It works like a pinhole camera, improving vision by focusing light through the center of the pupil.
—A more invasive operation replaces the natural lens in each eye with an artificial one, named Symfony, that can focus both near and far. Approved for cataract surgery, it also is being offered as a presbyopia fix for the middle-aged who don’t yet have cataracts. Unlike inlays, artificial lenses can’t simply be removed.
Insurance doesn’t cover elective presbyopia surgery. Rose said the inlays average about $4,000 to $5,000, while the artificial lens in both eyes can cost twice as much.
Patients should consult a surgeon experienced with all the options who can determine which best suits their eyes, advised Pittsburgh’s Dhaliwal.
Each has pros, cons and unknowns. For example, elective lens replacement isn’t for the very nearsighted because they’re at higher risk for a vision-threatening complication, Dhaliwal said.
And the Raindrop hasn’t been studied in people who years ago underwent LASIK surgery to correct nearsightedness. That didn’t deter Mike Gray, 52, of Haymarket, Virginia, who lost his reading glasses so often that he bought bulk packs. To implant the inlay, Whitten had to avoid cutting the cornea in the same place as Gray’s long-ago LASIK, and advises such patients to pick a surgeon experienced in both procedures.
“Everything is very clear and getting better every day,” Gray said about a month later.
If you want to add years to your life, 10 daily servings of fruits and vegetables may be the best recipe you can follow, a new analysis suggests.
The benefits appear to come through lower rates of heart attack, stroke, cancer and early death. And if everyone found a way to get 10 daily servings of produce, 7.8 million premature deaths would be avoided each year worldwide, the British researchers estimated.
Exactly how much in the way of fruits and vegetables is that? Anywhere from 10 small bananas or apples to 30 tablespoons of cooked spinach, peas, broccoli or cauliflower — or roughly 800 grams of produce, the researchers said.
At least five servings (400 grams) of fruits and vegetables each day is what is currently recommended by many health agencies.
“Although five portions of fruit and vegetables is good, 10 a day is even better,” said study author Dagfinn Aune, of the School of Public Health at Imperial College London.
But even just over two portions a day made a difference in the review, the researchers added.
Eating 2.5 portions (200 grams) of produce on a daily basis was associated with reductions in: heart disease (by 16 percent); stroke (18 percent); cardiovascular disease (13 percent); cancer risk (4 percent); and premature death (15 percent).
The results for 10 daily servings were even stronger: a 24 percent reduced risk of heart disease; a 33 percent reduced risk of stroke; a 28 percent reduced risk of cardiovascular disease; a 13 percent reduced risk of cancer; and a 31 percent reduction in premature death risk.
“Fruit and vegetables have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and to boost the health of our blood vessels and immune system,” Aune said in a university news release.
“This may be due to the complex network of nutrients they hold. For instance, they contain many antioxidants, which may reduce DNA damage, and lead to a reduction in cancer risk,” Aune explained.
However, the study did not prove a cause-and-effect link between eating more fruits and vegetables and longer life.
“Most likely it is the whole package of beneficial nutrients you obtain by eating fruits and vegetables that is crucial in health,” Aune said.
“This is why it is important to eat whole plant foods to get the benefit, instead of taking antioxidant or vitamin supplements (which have not been shown to reduce disease risk),” Aune noted.
Together, the 95 studies the Imperial College London scientists analyzed included almost 2 million people.
In their review, the researchers also found signs that these types of produce seemed to confer the greatest benefits: apples, pears, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower), and green and yellow vegetables (such as green beans, spinach, carrots and peppers).
The study was published Feb. 22 in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
We all want to relax. In our hectic lives, it’s hard to find time for R&R. If you deal with this in your life, a massage is in order. The article below has what you must know about the fine art of massage.
The Basics of Massage
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First of all, make sure to drink plenty of water following a massage. With massaging procedures, the tissues of your body will be stimulated, resulting in the release of toxins. Drinking at least 10 glasses of water throughout the day will flush out the toxins. Aim to drink 2-3 glasses within the first hour or so and then at least 8 more within the next 24 hours.�In the hour following the massage, drink several glasses and then continue with eight more in the next 23 hours.
As for those giving the massages, when performing the procedure, it is important to use your thumbs. They are strong, and can be great for muscle stimulation. Don’t overdo it, though, as you could hurt the recipient.
Also, don’t eat just before a massage. Eating before a massage can leave you feeling bloated and can make you uncomfortable when lying down. Let food fully digest first. You’ll feel much better and more relaxed during the massage.
Massages once or twice per week are a great idea. When people take the time to have regular massages, they experience overall mood improvement and health. This is more than likely attributed to the simple fact that massages are natural stress reducers which help both relax your mind and body. Try to go to the massage parlor twice a week, or more.
Experiment with different types of oils on the person before you massage them. Each person is different and will have a different reaction to oil; you must find what works for them. The massage will be better if you have lubrication, which is what the oils provide you with.
If you do not like the stretch marks you received from pregnancy or weight fluctuations, you will likely have given most removal options a try. You should massage your stretch marks with some cocoa butter on a daily basis. Massaging the area stimulates tissue regeneration, lessening the appearance of stretch marks.
If you’re the person getting a massage, be sure you watch what you eat before it. Eating a lot may make you feel uncomfortable during your massage and that can make the experience go badly. To make sure you feel good, eat something light and healthy beforehand.
Analyze how your partner is reacting to the massage as you do it. Check out how they are reacting to different motions and levels of pressure. This reading ability will provide a great deal of benefits for you as a masseuse. Let their reactions guide how you massage them.
Do not hesitate to pose questions as you receive a massage. Your massage therapist will welcome questions. What you must do is attempt such comfort, so ask the masseuse and find out what you need to do.
If the lights are not dimmed when you go for your massage, request this. A dark room will enhance the relaxing environment you want to experience during a massage. Try to keep the room dim to resemble the night and a quiet atmosphere.
Massages are not only relaxing, but also healing. Kids that have asthma can find massages to help them, they can reduce stress and headaches as well. They can also help with easing tense muscles in all areas of the body. To get the most of a massage, you must concentrate on relaxing fully.
If you’re receiving a massage, you shouldn’t hesitate to talk to your massage therapist. Let your therapist know if there’s a part of your body you want her to focus on more. If no enough pressure is being applied on you, those deep knots will not budge and you will not get relief.
Don’t underestimate the power of massage. Massages tend to alleviate pain and stress and increase energy levels. No matter what your personal situation is, a massage could be the answer to many of your problems.
Remember the hands and feet when you are massaging someone. These are two of the most sensitive areas on the entire body and can produce some of the best feelings throughout the whole massage. You should be firm when massaging to loosen the muscles.
Bear hugs can help with shoulder tension. Just wrap yourself with your own arms. Put one hand on each shoulder and rub. This simple action can relieve tension and provide a quick massage whenever needed.
Massaging your own stomach can help with digestion and any stomach pains. After a big meal, try rubbing your abdomen clockwise with both hands. This simple technique can aid your stomach in the digestion of your food. It is important, however, that you don’t apply a lot of pressure in the abdomen area until digesting has finished.
When getting a massage, one should shave in advance. This creates a smooth surface which will make your job a lot easier, particularly if oil is being used. Your hands will be able to glide much more easily over their skin, maximizing the pleasure and sensation of the massage.
Be open with your therapist about all of your medical conditions before you start. Let your masseuse know about important things such as pregnancy. The more your therapist knows about your body, the more he or she will be able to make a plan for the most effective treatment. If you don’t let your massage therapist know of your situation, you could worsen your aches.
Any athlete that has hard works outs knows about sports massages. Those who enjoy exercise, even if they are not a pro, can take advantage of good sport massages. These types of massages are meant to help build you up to prevent injury.
Speak up during a deep tissue or sports massage. If you feel discomfort or pain at all you should tell your massage therapist, because the only way they will know is if you speak up. Your therapist has a right to know if you are experiencing anything uncomfortable.
The pain of a migraine headache can shut down your world. If you’ve ever had a migraine, then you know how terrible they feel. Fortunately, massages can be beneficial to migraines.
Make sure that your hands are following the body’s curves, when you are massaging someone. Work out the palm and fingers of your hand. Use your palm to apply gentle pressure on bony areas. For deeper curves of the body, you can press further in to get out any kinks.
What area should you concentrate on with a massage? Anyplace you have pain! Begin with areas that have aches and pains and head outwards from there. If you locate new pain, work that out as well. When the good feeling stops, you can end the massage.
If you apply oil to someone’s body during the massaging process, make sure you allow them to clean up in some way. The shower will wash the oil away and provide a soothing effect. It can also help their skin, keeping pores from becoming clogged and forming blemishes.
Eliminate stomach pain and improve your digestion by massaging your stomach. After you have eaten, put your hands on your stomach and rub it in a clockwise motion. This simple technique can aid your stomach in the digestion of your food. Be gentle and keep pressure off the abdomen until digestion has finished.
Always warm the oil with your hands before applying it on the patient’s skin. Cool oil feels unpleasant on the skin and it is not going to start off the procedure correctly. Pour a few drops of oil in the palm of your hands so you can warm the oil by rubbing. Friction is enough to warm the oil to the right temperature.
Massage Therapist
Prior to exercise, give your muscles a massage to increase blood flow and make recovery faster. Before you start exercising, use fists to do a pommeling motion on the muscles to encourage blood flow in your arms and legs. After you finish exercising, rub your muscles with palm or fist towards the direction of the heart.
If you like giving massages, think about obtaining a massage therapist license. Getting your licence should only take a few months and you will be able to earn a good living as a massage therapist. You could either go work for a clinic or invest in a massage table so you can receive clients at home.
Be sure to immerse yourself within a relaxing environment while giving massages. The focus is on stress relief and relaxation. Noise just leads to more stress. You should be in a place that is good for sleeping in. You can achieve a calming effect by dimming the lights and providing soft music.
Don’t be afraid to use pressure and even thumps on tense muscles as throughout massages. Start softly and communicate while you do it. If you are careful, the pressure that you use can rid the person of pain and stress. Don’t use these techniques near an articulation or very close to their spine.
If you sustained an injury while practicing a sport, you should get deep tissue massages besides using efficient recovery therapies. Seeing a chiropractor or getting acupuncture are good therapy examples. These are good activities to combine for a complete experience that involves the nervous system, the skeletal system and musculature. They may shorten healing times and help you return to the activity that you love.
You are deserving of a massage, and you now know how to receive one. You can use the information that has been provided to you to help you find the right specialist. Enjoy the pleasure of massage for life by applying the knowledge shared here.
Don’t be afraid to tell your masseur what it is you want. Some massage therapists will press your body too hard while others too less that is why you should not hesitate to let them know. You’re paying for the service, so you should get what you’re looking for.
Your body is designed to work well and take care of itself, as long as you take care of it. In part, this means eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting the right amount of sleep. But sometimes you do need outside help to keep your body working at peak efficiency. Chiropractic care serves as an excellent example. Your chiropractic visits�do more than crack your back. Your treatment sessions can help improve your overall body structure and health.
1. Better Posture
If you work in an office or over a machine during the day, you likely develop a slump in your workplace. Your back starts to curve, your shoulders droop forward, and soon you start feeling a bit of an ache to your torso at the end of every day. If you let it go for long, you soon discover you don�t stand or sit as tall as you used to. You can almost feel your body deteriorate around you, from your spine out to your arms and legs.
Chiropractic care helps head this off at the pass. You stretch your body out and stretch and straighten your�back. The small curves that start to set in on you unfurl, and you soon feel your whole body relaxing as a result. The treatment soon has you standing taller, working more comfortably and moving into your evening feeling stronger than ever.
2. Better Body Movement
As you stand straighter and move through your day with your back set more correctly, you begin to see the benefits extend into other areas. One is your overall range of motion. A straighter, better aligned back gives your arms and legs a better base from which to move. You can move more comfortably and freely through your day and your whole body responds, adjusting to your centered, realigned core.�Your body is meant to be flexible;�designed to bounce back and recover quickly and freely from exertion.
Stiffness in the center stifles this natural state throughout the body and chiropractic care brings you back to where you should remain. Instead of movements beginning out of place, you can move your arms and legs with a fuller range of motion. Your body no longer fights itself for you to move. Everything flows in concert, and you feel better with every step and arm swing.
Football & Chiropractic
3. Greater Strength
Beyond flexibility, you also generate strength from your core. Personal trainers and fitness gurus explain this theory from their perspective of toning stomach and back muscles- and they are correct. However,�strength runs deeper than even the muscle groups, extending to your skeletal structure underneath it all. Your spinal column and hips underlie and support the movements you make at a basic, foundational level. When your spine is misaligned, the system of bones and muscles cannot create and work in the harmony with which they were designed to act.
A chiropractic alignment returns the natural order and base of your strength. It allows your vertebrae to work together, each bone supporting and adding to the strength of the next. The result? A body working as one powerful unit, creating and building strength from the center, rather than relying on a less complete support system. You work less to do more, and have more power to use when you need to use it.
�A Healthier You
4. More Effective Nervous System
The body needs a straight, free spine for more than just physical support. Your spine protects the spinal cord, the center (with your brain) from which all communication through your nervous system emanates. If the bones contract or move out of place, that communication system works less efficiently. You cannot react as quickly or respond as well to the world around you.
A chiropractic realignment helps return your body to peak functional capacity. The nerves no longer get pinched off or otherwise interrupted in the process of moving impulses and stimuli though the body. Your senses sharpen and work better, resulting in an improved reaction time. Your internal safety systems and mechanisms work better, and your whole body functions more smoothly. You start to heal yourself more quickly, from physical aches and pains to infections because your signaling mechanisms and pathways are more clear. You can respond to issues inside your body more quickly, and fight off issues more readily.
Whole Body Wellness
5. Pain Relief
In the midst of all of this, some of the symptoms that may initially drive you to a chiropractor can start to diminish. Pain does not come directly when you are not aligned properly. The body has a remarkable tolerance to small changes, and at times,�big changes. This generally works to your advantage, but it has the downside of masking smaller problems and concerns until they become bigger ones. Your body starts to cover up alignment issues with shifts in posture and resilience. By the time you feel the discomfort, you have likely shifted dramatically out of place.
Because of this, expecting immediate relief from chiropractic treatment may be setting yourself up for disappointment. You sometimes do feel instantaneous improvement, but the more likely scenario is to feel your physical symptoms gradually improve. With the help from your body, time heals. Maintaining your body to help�it do its job more effectively goes a long way toward making your life more comfortable.
Your body can do amazing things for you if you let it. Unfortunately, the stress and the wear and tear we put it through over time can diminish its effectiveness in handling everyday experiences and events. When you take the time and effort to maintain your physical condition, you free your body up to do the things it was meant to do: support, protect, and take care of itself. We are remarkable beings, designed to achieve incredible things both mentally and physically.�Chiropractic care�helps you maintain your body, as a support system and a base for everything else that you do.
Sometimes you need outside help to keep your body working at peak efficiency. Chiropractic care serves as an excellent example. Chiropractic �does more than crack your back and treatment can help improve your overall body structure and health.
Tony Robbins, the #1 personal growth and business leader, talks about his experience with�Network Chiropractic and Donny Epstein.
Network Spinal Analysis� could be described in this way, arising as it did when in 1982, New York Chiropractor, Dr Donald Epstein began �networking� various chiropractic techniques. Through meticulous observation and by comparing the findings and results of one method with another, he began to see the efficacy of marrying certain techniques in a manner which enables the practitioner, through the use of light touch, to release large amounts of spinal tension from a patient. Although this might not sound very dramatic, it is a fact that the absolutely remarkable �life-changing� ways in which patients respond to this method of care has become a hallmark of NSA. This unique approach to health is a synthesis of long standing chiropractic methods, quantum mechanics, neuroanatomy and neurophysiology while also acknowledging changing perspectives in health care. In Dr Epstein�s case, these changes involve an expanded interpretation of the concept of �wellness�.
What is Network Chiropractic?
Here is an interview with Dr. Epstein from the Positive Health Online website:
Dr Epstein: �Network Spinal Analysis� sits within a new paradigm which I have been developing internationally and that�s called the Wellness Paradigm. Wellness is not about whether a person has disease. It�s about their internal experience of their body, the ability to make constructive healthy choices, and their ability to enjoy life and be well. Wellness is that state of concern in which you are relatively invincible, nothing can ruin your day, you feel alive, vital and confident and experience a high state of well-being. When you experience wellness, your circumstances of the moment do not easily upset your internal state.�
Findings from Network Care have been documented in major university studies which examine the social science and bio-medical indicators of wellness by looking at a variety of different things people do to increase their health levels. A person who meditates daily, has buns of steel from exercise and the most expensive urine on the planet from supplements, and who has stopped doing the destructive things, will double their perceived wellness factor. However, if that person then adds Network Care, their wellness factor � their ability to make healthy life choices and stick to them � trebles!
Dr Epstein: �What we are looking at here is an experience of life beyond the usual form. A more subtle engagement with the parts of the brain that allow a person to express their higher level of humanity and function occurs so that a greater capacity to express more connections of compassion and love arises. I call these �higher end social changes�, because there are spiritual connotations involved. The individual is different in the way they relate to others and their environment. They can be instrumental in helping create a more compassionately productive community.
�To understand the �mechanics� of NSA, we must first remind ourselves that the spine is composed of bones sitting on top of each other with discs or pads in-between. These bones or vertebrae have holes like donuts in them. These holes create a spinal-canal for the spinal cord which extends from the base of the brain to the tail-bone. The central nervous system comprises the brain and the spinal cord, and is supported by an intricate system of tissues called the meninges that are filled with fluid which nourishes and protects the nervous system, all of which sits within the spinal canal, protected by the bony vertebrae. Connective tissue attaches this system to the top and bottom of the spine and this tissue is subject to stresses, tension and distortion.
�We perceive our world through the nervous system. It is also through the nervous system that we coordinate the function of every cell, organ and tissue in the body. Every region of the body and every emotion is expressed through the nervous system. Also, it�s the part of us with which we reason and which adapts us to stress and it�s the vehicle we use to create our conscious reality. So, when an event occurs that our brain decides is not safe for us to fully experience at that particular time, the energy and information of the event is translated into vibration and tension, which is then stored in the body. This tension begins to distort the spinal system: Spinal bones (the vertebrae) lose their normal alignment, and muscles and ligaments strain and pull. Nerves can become compressed or stretched and irritated which results in abnormal function. As the nervous system is put under pressure, the spine is no longer able to right itself without outside help. Our body then �closes off� the offending energy and tension, but over time, muscular tightness, spinal distortion, reduced breathing into the area occurs and consequently reduced movement results. Until it is safe to experience that energy again, and digest the information from the trauma, we cannot really feel whole or well.
�This is a very real thing � anyone who is at the crossroads of life, physically, emotionally or spiritually, or anyone who cannot get further than they were before, needs Network Care to help their brain to move from stress physiology which results in a person�s structure being fixed in defense posture. In fact, most of us remain in defense mode throughout our lives and this can retard the higher, more evolved area of the brain from developing its unique properties and evolving new strategies for experiencing and responding to life. There are many people whose vertebrae, ligaments and tissues are locked into stress patterns, creating so much tension, that their focus in life is just getting through another day! Network care allows the brain to move from the stress physiology into safety.�
So How Does The Practitioner Go About Relieving This Stress?
Dr Epstein: �I found that by using gentle and specific touches in a consistent sequence, where the spinal cord attaches to the spine, a patient�s own body learns to release complex patterns of tension and areas of disablement. Once this has been achieved, a further unwinding of deeper tensions from the spine occurs. These �touches� consist of gentle finger or hand contacts applied at �spinal gateways�� or �access points� along the neck and lower spine. They are applied in such a way as to engage the higher part of the brain, the frontal lobes of the cerebral cortex. This is the most recently developed region of our brain and is the area through which we observe ourselves and make choices regarding our behavior. This is the area through which we can reach a higher level of humanity, one which embraces spirituality and evolution.�
During Network Spinal Analysis� Care, two �healing waves� develop. One is a breathing wave which releases tension throughout the spine and body and relaxes a person. The other is called somatopsychic (or body-mind) wave, which is associated with undulation or movement of the spine.
Dr Epstein: �The mathematics of this wave are unique because it appears that this type of wave has not been reported anywhere else, so it has to be a signature in Network care. The theory being purported now suggests that as the individual progresses through levels of care, that wave, that signal along the spine is organizing high levels of complexity. That means there�s more letters in the language � more words available and ultimately more information becomes accessible. There is an evolutionary aspect to this in that there is an increase in the ability of the system to self-organize so it can have more appropriate views about the environment and become more energy efficient. Thus an outcome is produced, that is significantly beneficial to the species and that was not there before.
�What we are looking for in Network is for the system itself to reorganize and develop strategies for experiencing and releasing tension on its own. In the first level of care, which may last a few weeks, the person develops a strategy to connect the brain to the body more effectively and to develop a capacity for self-correction of the tension patterns. The care program encourages the development of spontaneous stretching movements and breath movements which help release tension in the spine. In the second level of care, we are looking for the brain to be aware of the person�s tension, and actually temporarily amplify that tension and redirect it so that the tension actually becomes the fuel for further healing and transformation. Tension is what holds a person anchored in a position of non-safety. Lack of safety is the basis for all physiological stress and the way we accumulate this stress is directly associated with the way we experience our world.
�I would like to see Network Spinal Analysis� practitioners in places like cancer clinics and working with people who have had recent heart attacks; serious trauma patients and those who have had emotional traumas as children. I see Network Care not as competing with the existing medical paradigm, but instead offering a totally different approach that says no matter what you do about the disease, allow that person to be upgraded from say a 64k computer to a Pentium. Allow them to develop new strategies that they never had before and that person will make healthier choices. They will become more at peace and ease with their life and they will have a greater capacity to heal, which often means the disease going away. And if the disease doesn�t go away, at least that person�s life is going to be richer than it was before. Network Care is an approach to wellness that embraces everyone. Babies, children, seniors. All can develop these strategies which allow a higher level of function.
�A man who came to a talk I was giving, told me he had metastatic prostate cancer. He had had surgery and radiation treatments and the cancer had gone away but now it was back and spreading and he was very worried. I asked him what he was afraid of and if he was afraid of dying. He said, �No, I�m afraid of the way I have to die if I go for further chemotherapy and radiation.� It is upsetting that the treatment has to take away a person�s dignity which in my opinion can never heal. But I asked him what he would have to do differently if he was going to die. He said that he would have to get his affairs in order so I asked him what he meant by that. �Well,� he said, �I haven�t spoken to my son in 20 years and I never forgave my wife for dying�. And he went through a variety of things. I asked him why he would have to do these things. He said so that he could die in peace and I said, �Sir, this is a mistake, it�s so you can live in peace�. For some people, the only way they can make the changes which will enable them to live in peace is at the very end of their life.
�And the point of this is � there are people who have cancer who never know it and who live full and perfectly wonderful lives. I know of one Network doctor I met at a seminar recently who told people that she is more alive, more compassionate and responsive with more feelings of gratitude than ever before. Six months previously, she had a breast removed, and for six weeks before that she had received chemotherapy. The other people who had had chemotherapy and surgery at the same time were not receiving Network Care. Her internal state of wellness was so high irrespective of her circumstance, that she could be well and produce the physiology that would allow for a person to heal.
�When someone comes to me for care, I do not have to know what it was that caused that person�s problem. What I do know, is how to intervene, to help their system to observe itself and to make a change. I have clinically dedicated myself to furthering the knowledge of the biological links which will help us express a greater range of our humanity. I believe that by optimizing an individual�s biology, Network Spinal Analysis� will facilitate positive transformation on a global scale, changing the world, a spine at a time�.
In 1982, New York Chiropractor, Dr Donald Epstein began �networking� various chiropractic techniques. Through observation, comparing the findings and results of one method with another, he began to see the efficacy of marrying certain techniques in a manner which enables the practitioner, to release large amounts of spinal tension from a patient. �Dr. Jimenez is proud to be a practitioner that combines not only the “Network Techniques” discussed above as well as the established “Advanced Diversified Procedures.“
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