Obesity Begins Early and Shortens Late Life
As a chiropractor who is concerned with the overall health of my patients, I keep extensive files on new health discoveries and important healthy studies. Sometimes, though, it seems to me that some studies are unnecessary as the result is pretty much a foregone conclusion anyway. A case in point, here’s a study that I was about to add to my “You think?” file. A Danish study found that men who are obese by age 20 die eight years earlier on average than their non-obese peers. Hm-mm, you think? Naturally this finding, in and of itself, is not surprising. Obesity leads to early death (barring any unforeseen accidents and Acts of God that cut short general longevity). Excess weight leads to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and a whole slew of musculoskeletal problems that I treat every day. Obesity is just not a healthy condition for any living being, including the human being. But, the research also indicated that obesity usually develops before the age of 20 and that most people are unlikely to develop obesity later in life. Now, that is surprising.
The study was conducted at the Copenhagen University Hospital at the hospital’s Institute of Preventive Medicine. The researchers there included more than 5,000 men took part in the study, starting from age 20 through to age 80. Of these, nearly 2,000 were obese when they began the trial. The research took into account influences such as smoking, year of birth, and education, but did not consider other factors, such as hereditary diseases.The study concluded that the risk of premature death in already obese men increased 10 percent for every point surpassing the healthy level of 25 body mass index points. Body mass index (BMI) is used to determine an individual’s body fat using height and weight calculations.
“At age 70 years, 70 percent of the men in the comparison group and 50 percent of those in the obese group were still alive and we estimated that from middle-age the obese were likely to die eight years earlier than those in the comparison group,” said Esther Zimmermann, who led the study. Though the research did not include women, it confirmed findings made in similar studies.
The most surprising part of this study was not elaborated upon. Was research done as to why obesity was unlikely to develop later in life? In any event, a healthy diet later in life is important whether or not extreme weight gain is an issue
If You Suffer From Hip Pain, Your Corona Chiropractor Offers Chiropractic Care That Can Help You Get Out of Pain Now!
When it comes to hip pain relief, your chiropractor in Corona offers potent non-invasive, drug-free treatment. Hopefully, it goes without saying that surgery should be a last resort whenever possible. So, before you decide on hip surgery, consider the following questions: Does hip pain keep you up at night and make a good night’s sleep unattainable? When you get out of bed in the morning, and/or when you get out of your car, are you stiff and do you find it difficult at first to move your legs? Do you feel pain in one or both hips when you cross your legs or rotate or twist your hips? If these symptoms sound familiar, it is likely that you have imbalances and alignment problems in your lower extremities that are not only causing your hip pain, but can over time lead to osteoarthritis in your hips if not treated. The good news is that chiropractic treatment can help whether or not degenerative changes have already started!
You may be getting older and it may be true that your hip joints aren’t what they used to be. Nonetheless, are you aware that your hip pain (and related problems), which normally are thought to be age-related degenerative conditions, may not actually be created by osteoarthritis? That’s right. In fact, instead of being the root cause of your condition, osteoarthritis of the hip joint is more often than not the outcome of a previous injury (or injuries) to your hips.
Frequently, hip problems have to do with asymmetry or imbalance when you are in motion, as in the case of walking. If you “pronate” when you walk, like a duck, with your toes pointing away from your body, sooner or later you will develop pain in your hips as a result of the asymmetrical tension on your hip joints and your body’s efforts to compensate. Thankfully, you can make changes in your gait pattern at any age, and your chiropractor in Corona can show you how to do it.
In addition, you may have developed gait changes because of an ankle sprain or knee strain, and since “the knee bone’s connected to the hip bone,” these biomechanical changes generate pain in the hip(s). Of course, if not remedied, your hip joints will suffer further consequences, i.e, wear and tear that causes degenerative changes.
Other situations that can occasionally impact the hip joints are starting a new job or beginning a new sport that necessitates your moving your body in atypical ways. Also, ferrying a child (or grandchild) on one hip can generate hip pain. Even your sitting position or driving for long periods of time on a regular basis can cause hip injury and pain.
Isn’t it good to know that not every pain is caused by “old age,” even though we may experience more pain due to the progressive activity of untreated injuries.
Your chiropractor in Corona will treat our hip problem directly, and as part of your chiropractic management will recommend individualized rehabilitative exercises that include gentle muscle stretching and strengthening, and will also study your gait and may recommend simple pattern changes.
Your hip pain won’t vanish on its own. Hip pain is a symptom letting you know that something needs correcting. If ignored, more than likely that at some point you will require that hip replacement surgery. So, don’t put off until tomorrow, what truly needs to be done today. Your Corona Chiropractor can get you out of pain, get your body back into balance, and help you get to back to enjoying your life again!
Sacramento Chiropractor: Be Prepared to Deter Golf Injuries!
With any sort of sport, injuries are not uncommon. You can frequently avoid getting injured in a particular sport by determining what injury is likely to occur, and then do whatever it takes to avoid it. Sadly, sports injuries can’t always be avoided. As a result, it’s beneficial to take conscientious care of your body to make getting injured less likely, or less traumatic. The most valuable thing that you can do is to be certain that you have an appropriate fitness level before starting to play a sport, such as golf. By perpetuating a healthy lifestyle, keeping your joints mobile and your muscles limber, warming and stretching your body before activity, using proper form and good postures while actively playing, and allowing yourself sufficient cool down and relaxation time, you will probably keep your body safe from injury.
Golf injuries don’t only happen to amateurs. Approximately, one-third of pro golfers play injured at any given time. Fortunately, general good health and fitness can reduce how many injuries you may incur and could actually prevent them altogether.
It is vital for you to have good body strength in the muscle zones most used during golf. However, before you try to build muscle strength, it’s prudent to make certain your spine is aligned and has good mobility. A successful golf swing relies on your spine’s ability to efficiently rotate adequately. Back injuries are the most common type of injuries experienced by golfers. Your Sacramento chiropractor will establish that your spine is in healthy alignment and that there is efficient movement of the vertebrae. Chiropractic treatment can go a long way in helping you to avert back injury.
It’s time to strengthen once you’re “straightened.” A safe, injury-free day on the green is contingent upon your being prepared for your golf game. You can warm up your muscles and make muscle strain less likely by doing golf stretching and flexibility exercises. Flexibility in all parts of the body can be escalated fairly quickly as the result of full body range of motion (ROM) exercises. Additionally, elastic band conditioning affords functional golf range of motion benefits and can build needed energy in the shoulders, hips and deep muscles of the core. Since elastic band training supplies the dynamic resistance that general weight lifting does not, sports professionals, like your chiropractor, are adding them to their golf conditioning programs.
Besides back injuries, many golfers have painful “Golfer’s Elbow.” There is a minute difference between golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow despite the fact that they are almost the same. Tennis elbow impinges the outside of the upper arm whereas golfer’s elbow disturbs the inner arm. Golfer’s elbow, like tennis elbow, can result from a single violent action, such as (in golf) striking the mat at the driving range or thrusting down on a hard fairway surface. Repetitive stress from smaller shocks, however, is most often the cause. Furthermore, it can happen to those who abruptly start playing too much golf. For instance, if individuals that usually play golf once or twice a month decide to play in a tournament, they are potentially at risk for developing the injury.
Golf makes distinctive demands on our body. The game is usually longer than the majority of other sports and that can result in fatigue. Poor posture and lack of coordination are frequently the consequences of a fatigued body. These two factors combined can cause an assortment of injuries. Additionally, the shoulder muscles are susceptible to injury because of the repetitive swinging of the golf clubs. Just as attention should be given to make certain that your muscles are stretched and warmed up before starting your golf game, be sure that you rest your body appropriately between games.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is, sometimes, a surprising injury connected with golf. But, as it a problem that occurs as the result of repetitive stress, many games of golf played over several months repetitively may produce this injury. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be a an extremely damaging injury causing incapacitation and sometimes necessitating surgery. However, if a health professional, such as your chiropractor, discovers it at an early stage, chiropractic management and, frequently, the use of a brace will relieve the problem.
The majority of golfers appear to think that injuries are merely an unavoidable part of a golfer’s life. But, a healthy, mobile spine, dedicated preparation, proper exercise and muscle conditioning, attaining and maintaining a a suitable fitness level, and reasonable rest and recuperation after your game is over, can help to make injuries a good deal less a part of your golfing experience.
Dr. Yong Kim is a Sacramento chiropractor with over thirteen years of experience helping thousands of patients get out of pain and get their lives back. His office is located at 1707 Professional Drive, Sacramento, CA 95825. He has special training in the area of sports injuries. Dr Kim is himself an avid health enthusiast. For more information go to his website at http://www.sacramentochiropractor.org
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yong_J_Kim
Obesity: A National Epidemic That Needs to be Eradicated
As a chiropractor and healthcare provider, I cannot say enough about the crucial issue of excess weight and how it adversely affects every system of the human body. I “preach” to my overweight patients and hammer away on the subject in my blogs because in addition to the cardio-vascular diseases caused by obesity, much of the back pain, hip pain, and knee pain that people experience is influenced by the undue stress excess weight puts on the joints of the body. And, though it may not surprise you, an expert panel in a report out just today said that people in this country must slash their calories and increase physical activity because the obesity epidemic is “the single greatest threat to public health in this century.”
We all know that dieting isn’t easy, but the advisory committee for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans gave this clear-cut advice: “People in this country need to cut the calories they consume from added sugars and solid fats (butter, marbled meats) and start eating a more nutrient-rich, plant-based diet.”
The report called for many changes in the food environment. To read more, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-06-15-
Chiropractic Internet Marketing Strategy: Do it Yourself or Outsource?
Here’s an interesting question for you to consider: Do you want to keep your chiropractic internet marketing in-house or do you want to hire a professional? There are pros and cons to both, and the answer lies in your particular situation. Let’s check out the advantages and disadvantages of both.
Advantages of in-house chiropractic internet marketing
- There is a lower monthly cost involved in using someone already employed by you.
- The staff knows your practice intimately. Your staff has a good understanding of your clinic’s particular services and, therefore, is able to describe your specialties easier than those who don’t know the specifics of your particular practice.
- You can communicate anytime. Being in-house it is easier to set up times to have meetings or just to chat about situations on the fly.
Disadvantages of in-house chiropractic website marketing
- The staff may not be fully aware of what SEO (search engine optimization) is, let alone how to accomplish it. In that case, a lot of education and training will be needed to make sure SEO gets done right.
- The staff may be overworked. Sometimes the time it takes to do SEO can be underestimated. It is an ongoing process that can actually be a full-time job. If a marketing manager has been told to do SEO as well as his or her full time job, obviously that person will be overworked and feel overwhelmed.
- Attention needs to be paid to detail. This goes together with Point #2. If the staff is overworked, they have no time to check out search engine news and keep up-to-date on how the search engines have changed the game each week and what needs to be done to implement those changes to keep your clinic internet presence up in the rankings.
Advantages of using an outside professional
- Chiropractic marketing companies are specialists in the field. They have experience in working on numerous clinics and their websites and optimizing them for SEO. They know, first hand, what works effectively and what doesn’t.
- There is a dedicated team at the company who will be working on your site and can give it the attention it requires.
- The company has a specific plan and won’t be just jumping around, going from short term tactic to short term tactic with no organized strategy and no clear way to reach your desired goals. In other words, they have an “integrated” internet marketing strategy.
Disadvantages of a chiropractic internet marketing company
- Let’s face it, it can get expensive, but costs vary widely from company to company. Some companies out there are charging $600-$700 a month for their services. It is definitely worth your while to shop around and research before you buy.
- There is usually a commitment. Most chiropractic internet marketing companies will want you to sign up for at least six months to a year.
- Account management can be a problem. With high turnover rates at many companies, especially the big ones, there may be a chance that you’ll get handed from account manager to account manager just when you were building a relationship of trust. You may have to start over again, maybe even have to redesign and reiterate your strategy with the new manager.
Now that you’ve taken a moment to look at the pros and cons of both keeping your internet marketing in-house or hiring a professional, the solution to SEO and your internet marketing strategy will depend on the size of your practice, the time and staffing you can devote to it, and your overall long-term goals.
Now, of course, we are a chiropractic internet marketing company that specializes in helping chiropractors with their internet presence. So, I will admit that I am a bit biased on the side of your hiring an expert to do it right. If you are thinking of hiring a company to develop and implement your internet marketing strategy, it is tremendously important for you to hire one that specializes in chiropractic clinics. Why? Because we understand the chiropractic profession intimately. Therefore, in the long run it will save you both time and money not having to explain what chiropractic is about to some general SEO company. There are several of us out there.
If you are going to go with an outside company, be sure to read the fine print. Look at the bottom of their page for a disclaimer. If they have one, read about their “typical” results. You don’t want to be fooled by outrageous claims even though such hype can be enticing. Remember, your internet marketing strategy is just one stream of new patient leads. Even though chiropractic internet marketing is fast becoming a great source for new patient leads, and even though internet marketing gets more important with every passing day, and even though it is a crucial area in which to generate new patient leads, it is still not the only source of marketing you will need to succeed in your practice.
Whether you choose to keep your internet marketing in-house or to hire a professional, you want to be sure that the time and money you spend on SEO gets you where you want to go. A member of your staff that does your internet marketing for “free,” while squeezing those efforts in-between other tasks, may “cost” you in the long run. A professional whose sole focus is internet marketing, won’t lose sight of your goals. Internet marketing is essential to your practice, so choose your chiropractic internet path wisely.
The Importance of Good Posture
It’s a great time to be alive, isn’t it? Science and technology have literally put the world at our fingertips. And, in addition to the unlimited access we all have to information and communication, there are computer games, video games, and round-the-clock TV shows. Unfortunately, the “pros” of most things arrive hand-in-hand with the “cons.” Now, there are plenty of “cons” to be addressed here, but as a chiropractor, I’m going to focus on the adverse effect that our bad posture is having on our musculoskeletal system, not only while we’re engaging in these activities, but even after the work and play is done. All you need to do is to take a look at the majority of teenagers to see that posture, in general, is in a slump.
Why is posture so important? Poor posture causes headaches, neck pain, and back pain, just for openers. And, since the back bone is (eventually) connected to the hip bones and knee bones, bad posture can create a lot of painful movement from your head to your toes.
Joe Donofrio, dean of clinical services at Sherman College of Chiropractic in Spartanburg, offers some great posture tips. Check them out at goupstate.com
Social Media Marketing, Your Chiropractic Clinic, and You
Social Media is the “hottest” buzz word on the Internet today. For those of you who would like to explore Social Media marketing as an adjunct to your overall chiropractic internet marketing strategy, but aren’t quite sure what all the buzz is about, let’s talk a little about the “Who, What, When, Where, and How” of social media and you, that’s “Who.”
Social media marketing may be very much like, and entirely unlike, any chiropractic marketing strategy you’ve thought about. In the “very much like” category, you’d never consider trying any sort of marketing plan without making an effort to understand what you’re doing and what you want to get from it. What are your goals? Once you’re clear about what you want, it’ll be easier for you to use social media to your greatest advantage.
When you are ready to begin your social media venture, but before you start, you will need to make sure that you “own your name” on all the social media outlets, that is to say, make sure that your name or the name of your clinic is available so that you can use precisely same name on every one of the social channels you decide to use. When you’re ready, there’s a service, which is totally free, that will help you with your search. Knowem.com is the who to go to. This service will check where your name is and/or if it’s available or not on a sufficient number of social media sites.
The next step, once you have all your social media accounts “locked up”, is to decide where you would like to be active. Because you have a clinic to run and patients to see, initially only a few social media sites is preferable and may actually be all you’ll need. That way you won’t get unduly busy in too many channels. How do decide which sites are best for you? Choose the social media site where the most action is, which are facebook, twitter, linkedin, and Youtube
What your social media activity goal should be is to build a genuine presence in your community. What is definitely a no-no is for you to try to “sell” on your social media sites, in other words don’t sell your chiropractic services, don’t sell products, don’t sell anything! The benefit of social media is for you to go out and network with the community. Of course, let them know what you do, but do it by participating in the conversation. Social media works the same way as social networking offline. People on social media sites don’t want to be sold to, plain and simply. Social media sites are a lot like a neighborhood backyard barbecue. People are standing around having a conversation about who they are and what they do, and then a participant asks you what you do. Or, maybe you begin the conversation by (just) saying, “Hello, I’m Dr. ____. The same dynamics apply with social media. Social media sites should be handled the same way you’d “work” offline networking opportunities to promote yourself, i.e., answer the questions and concerns that get potential patients interested in the who that’s you!
“Re-Inventing” Activity
If you’ve been reading my blogs, you know that as a chiropractor I am very concerned about excess weight and obesity when it comes to people’s health in general, and my patients’ health in particular, especially since I observe first hand every day the damaging effects to the musculoskeletal system that take place when a person carries around unneeded, and therefore unhealthy, poundage. The damage begins early and affects young and growing bones structures as well as those that are on the other end of the spectrum and aging. So, I was very happy, indeed, when I read today on nationalpost.com that U.S. schools and childcare programs could be required (by law!) to include daily exercise as part of the new National Physical Activity Plan released on Monday.
It is no secret, though still shocking, that two-thirds of adult Americans and one-third of children are either overweight or obese. Obviously, along with a poor diet, inactivity is taking its toll on the U.S. population. Most research shows that both adults and children absolutely need at least one hour of moderate physical activity a day to stay healthy and to keep from gaining weight. And, in addition, regular exercise helps to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and other cardio-vascular diseases. (Plus, regular exercise stimulates the brain and promotes learning!) The NPAP plan, along with changing medical school curricula and adding guidelines for doctors on counseling patients, local regulations will “encourage” the construction of sidewalks, playgrounds, and parks, and (hurray!) a return of organized exercise in schools.
Nancy Brown, Heart Association CEO, stated: “Unfortunately, nearly a quarter of the U.S. population does not participate in any physical activities.” It is vital to get our country back on track moving the human body as it was designed to move. And, it is important to start early by encouraging our children to be active once again, as children used to be before video games, computers, and 24-hour TV programs. Putting PE back into our children’s daily school activities will not only help them to get and stay healthy, it will help them to get and stay smarter, too!
A Family That Plays Together…
As a chiropractor I am always interested in new studies that emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy body weight and getting regular exercise. In addition to regular chiropractic care, I recommend a nutritious diet and exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle whether my patients are children, adults, and seniors. There are enormous health benefits to staying active through the years and we, humans, can neither start too early nor quit too late. In fact, in my years as a chiropractor I have witnessed the positive results on the musculoskeletal system of my older patients who’ve stayed active and don’t carry around excess weight. Not only are they generally more healthy, but they seldom develop the arthritic changes that often accompanyboth a sedentary lifestyle and wear and tear on the joints from extra poundage.
Many organic diseases, in fact, might well be avoided through early exercise and weight maintenance. As a case in point, Cancer Researchers in the UK estimated that more than 19,000 cases of cancer could be prevented each year in the UK, alone, if everyone maintained a healthy body weight. And, they found that the amount of exercise children get is mainly influenced by their environment, especially their immediate family influences, but also their neighborhood and school environments. The researchers discovered that even though some children may inherit certain genes that make them naturally more likely to enjoy sports and exercise, environment is the most powerful factor in determining how active they actually are. So, really, it all boils down to this: A family that plays together and weighs together, stays healthier together!Live Pain Free “For Real”
If you are suffering from the pain of sciatica, chiropractic treatment can help. How? Chiropractic adjustments can help to take pressure off of your spinal nerve caused by a misaligned disc. In addition, your chiropractor can give you postural exercises and sciatica stretches that will help you to avoid painful sciatic problems in the future.
Sciatica is an intensely painful condition that can be eliminated and avoided in the future with proper treatment. But, it takes your participation. Through dedicated stretching and specific exercises you can change, for good, the negative postural influences that created the general wear and tear on the structures of the lower spine in the first place.
Imagine the relief you will feel when you no long experience the deep pain that travels from your low back, through your buttock(s), and down the down the large sciatic nerve in the back of your leg(s). Imagine the kind of pain relief that allows you to actually enjoy your daily activities.
Now, that you have imagined what your life would be like without the debilitating pain of sciatica, pick up your phone and call a chiropractor in your area. Live pain free “for real.”