The Well-Adjusted Spine

How many visits does it take to have a well-adjusted spine? It depends on your definition of well-adjusted. For many patients who experience complete pain relief after their first adjustment, the answer might be one. But if you understand you can have a problem even without pain, you’ll see that it takes a lifetime of minor tune-up visits to be at your best. These minor tune-ups also prevent many of the problems that can show up in your 40s and 50s.

It‘s important to look at the big picture to understand what is going to take place during your lifetime. This can help you see how chiropractic can work to preserve many of your body’s functions and prevent degeneration of your spine.

Childhood and the Teen Years: In your first two decades of life, you will have indirect and direct stresses. Indirect stress is poor posture and direct stresses are sprains and strains from sports activities or other childhood traumas. These stresses, if left untreated, can lead to degeneration and other problems - such as arthritis - down the road.

Your 20s and 30s: This period of time is when your chiropractor can start to see the early stages of degeneration and arthritis that actually had its beginning in your childhood and teens. You may begin to experience diminished flexibility and joint aches and pains. Athletic performance typically begins to decline. The early signs of joint degeneration begin to appear on X-ray. These are all signs of long-standing physical decline, yet you still don’t have pain most of the time.

Your 40s and 50s: This is the time frame during which we start to see the effects of arthritis. Generally this is when your activities start to become limited because of reduced muscle flexibility and joint pain. Chronic pain is commonplace and destruction of cartilage in the knees and hips often results in joint replacement surgery. 

How to Prevent or Slow the Damage: Using a combination of proper diet, exercise, regular chiropractic adjustments and custom orthotics if necessary, you can have an active role in preventing damage (or slowing down the wear-and-tear process). Your chiropractor or nutritionist can suggest what you should be eating, but it’s up to you to actually follow this plan and choose a healthy lifestyle. The five keys known to contribute to longevity are:

1.	Don’t smoke.
2.	Eat 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
3.	Drink plenty of water.
4.	Drink alcohol in moderation.
5.	Get regular exercise.

Getting exercise on a regular basis goes hand-in-hand with proper nutrition in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Here are some easy tips to get you started:

	Start slow, gradually increasing the intensity of your workout.
	Always warm-up and cool down when working out.
	Drink plenty of water (8 ounces before you work out, 8 ounces while you work out and another 8 ounces after).
	Listen to your body - stop exercising if you experience pain or dizziness.
	Wear proper-fitting, supportive athletic shoes.

Being evaluated by your chiropractor even when you are pain-free can have a very valuable payoff in the later years. Healthy joints, muscle flexibility and a healthy nervous system will allow you to continue to exercise and be active, which we all know contributes to overall health. The key to a well-adjusted spine is starting early and continuing to keep your body in balance. This is a lifetime’s approach to overall wellness and health.

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Don't Delay, Start Today

The time to start working toward that beach-ready body is now. Summer may seem off in the distance, but the best way to start prepping for it is by starting way ahead of time. Bodybuilder.com has some good advice on how the average person can maintain their waistline and exercise regimen.

1.	Keep a food journal. Write down everything you eat. It’s amazing how many calories we take in without realizing it. You need to be aware of exactly how much you are putting in your mouth each day.
2.	Clean out the pantry and fridge. Replace those cookies and chips with healthier snacks like raw, unsalted almonds, granola, raw vegetables and high-fiber fruit such as apples and bananas to fill you up.
3.	Restock with healthier foods. Here are a few recommendations:
4.	Drink alcohol in moderation.
5.	Get regular exercise.

	Brown rice, oatmeal, steel-cut oats, whole-wheat bread
	Eggs
	Canned tuna
	Lean protein such as chicken, fish and beef
	Green vegetables (peppers, broccoli, celery, green beans and cucumbers)
	Fruits (make sure they are low on the glycemic index, such as strawberries and melon)

6.	Good eats. You’ve gotten rid of the bad stuff and restocked with the good. Now what? Here’s a sample menu for the day:

	Breakfast: Steel-cut oats, whey protein and blueberries; or egg-white omelet, whole wheat toast and melon; or oatmeal, cottage cheese and strawberries.
	Snack One: Protein bar; or whey protein and small piece of fruit; or cottage cheese with fruit; or yogurt with strawberries.
	Lunch: Grilled chicken, beef or fish, with salad and brown rice; or tuna on rye bread; or oven-roasted turkey with sweet potato and green vegetables.
	Snack Two: Choose one of the Snack One options (see above).
	Dinner: Grilled chicken or fish with salad and green vegetables.

7.	Vitamins for fitness. Healthy food is great, but you may still need a boost. A strong vitamin regimen will help boost your immune system and build healthy bones and muscles. The Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health has a comprehensive list of vitamins, what they do and the recommended daily doses at www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamins.html.
8.	Cardio counts. Obviously, eating right is only part of the equation. The other part is to get moving. Bodybuilder.com has a beginning cardio routine that almost anyone can adopt.

	Begin by walking three to five times a week (moderate pace).
	By the end of the first week, start increasing the speed or duration of the walk.
	As your pace and endurance increase, start interval training - alternating between very fast and moderate levels of walking (one minute on, followed by one minute off).
	Eventually, transition from walking to a slow jog, and alternate between the two.
	Increase the duration of the jog to five minutes of jogging, followed by one minute of walking.
	Keep increasing the amount of time you jog vs. walk, to 10 and then 15 minutes.
	When you can jog for 20 minutes at a time, start interval training again, alternating between short bursts of running (faster than jogging) and a quick recovery jog.
	Increase the length of time you run.

Strong body and a strong mind. OK, so now we are eating right and have a cardio routine. Anything else? The American Council on Exercise recommends starting a strength-training/resistance program. Just 20 minutes of basic strength exercises two days a week will help firm and tone your whole body. Strength training also can increase your metabolism, which will cause you to burn more calories, even when resting. You can find a list of simple exercises at www.acefitness.org/getfit/freeexercise.aspx.

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Believe the Hype About Oats

We’ve all seen the commercials claiming a morning bowl of oats lowers cholesterol, but does it really do the job? Yes, and definitively so, according to a recently concluded University of Kentucky review study.

Dr. James W. Anderson, a professor of medicine and clinical nutrition at the university, found that studies conducted during the past 15 years have, without exception, shown that regular consumption of oatmeal lowers total cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein (or LDL, the "bad" cholesterol) without adverse effects on high-density lipoprotein (or HDL, the "good" cholesterol), or triglyceride concentrations.

"Whole-grain products like oatmeal are among some of the best foods one can eat to improve cholesterol levels, in addition to other lifestyle choices," Anderson said in a university press release. "Lifestyle choices such as diet should be the first line of therapy for most patients with moderate cholesterol risk, given the expense, safety concerns and intolerance related to cholesterol lowering drugs."

Recent data also suggests whole-grain oats, as part of a lifestyle management program, just might offer health benefits that extend beyond total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol reduction. Anderson’s studies suggest eating a hearty bowl of oatmeal every morning just might:

	reduce the risk for elevated blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and weight gain;
	reduce LDL cholesterol during weight-loss;
	provide favorable changes in the physical characteristics of LDL cholesterol particles, making them less susceptible to oxidation, which is believed to lead to hardening of the arteries);
	supply unique compounds possibly leading to the reduction of early hardening of the arteries.
	Since the 1980s, oatmeal has been scientifically recognized for its heart health benefits, and the latest research shows this evidence endures the test of time and should be embraced as a lifestyle option for millions of Americans at-risk for heart disease," said Anderson.

So whether it’s a bowl of oatmeal to start your morning or an oat muffin as a snack later in the day, make oats a part of your daily diet. Your heart and arteries will thank you for it.

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