Do babies get cracked, too....uh...I mean adjusted?

Babies get adjusted.  Eggs get cracked.  There's a HUGE difference.

Do babies get adjusted?

Of course they do!  Keep in mind that it's VERY different than how I adjusted you.  In fact, light pressure is about all it takes! 

Let me answer some of the most frequent questions I get about pediatric chiropractic.

• Why should my baby have a check up?

Some of the most common reasons new moms have me check out their little ones is to make sure they didn't sustain any trauma from birth.  This ensures a super healthy advantage to the vast amount of growing they are going to do.

• What are some things that I should look for?

Does your baby have trouble with nursing, with latching on? This is quite common and extremely easy to check and correct.

Colic, reflux and constipation are also quite common in many newborns.  These conditions  respond extremely well to chiropractic care, usually in a very short period of time, too!

• What if my baby doesn't have any issues?  Does he or she still need a check up?

I always recommend a newborn check up.  Here's a good guideline to follow regarding regular check ups:

• At Birth
• Upon developing good control of the head (around 2 months)
• Upon sitting unsupported (about 4 months)
• Upon crawling (about 6 months)
• Upon standing (about 9 months)
• Upon walking (about 11-12 months)

• I would be honored to care for you baby!  Please let me know if you have any questions.  Schedule your baby's checkup today.  
• More information

Nursing Mother's Neck - What a pain!!

Nursing Mother's Neck?  Is that a "thing"?

Yes it is a thing. In fact, almost ALL of my new moms have neck pain and headaches!  I know I did when I had BOTH of my kids.   

Plus, if you had neck issues or headaches BEFORE you delivered, chances are it's even worse now.  Sure, your low back "stuff" may have resolved, but now you might have a pain in the neck! 

How did I get it?

The posture we adopt when we feed our babies is usually very bad for our cervical spine (neck).  We are holding the baby in one arm, looking down and to the left or right and, very often, falling asleep in a chair.  This position (and others that are even worse!) put a lot of strain on the nerves and muscles of the neck causing pain, numbness and tingling.  It's especially bad for those who had pre-existing neck issues before having your baby.  

By the way, dads, non nursing moms and grandparents can get the same thing.  It's the prolonged poor posture that does it - oh and lugging those super heavy car seats all over creation doesn't help either!

What if I have it?  What do I do?

Luckily the answer is ultra simple.  I bet you even know what it is before I tell you.

Getting your spine adjusted and aligned is the single, most effective way to help with nursing mother's neck.  When you schedule your appointment (click the button below) let me know you are having issues with "Nursing Mother's Neck" so I can show you some exercises you can do at home to help keep your neck in tip top shape.

If you or someone you know has "Nursing Mother's Neck", 

getting adjusted is the 

BEST THING POSSIBLE!

Schedule a check up

When life gives you lemon oil

The latest item I've been asked to sample (for free, by the way) is the Lemon Essential Oil pictured here.  I was sent a HUGE bottle and couldn't wait to try it.  Lemon oi is great for a multitude of things and this one is no different.

I use all natural cleaners n my home.  Concentrated, unscented, very effective, but otherwise boring cleaners.  I added a few drops of this lemon oil and use it for everything from countertops to floors to glass cleaner.   I also use it in my essential oils diffuser for an instant air freshener.  I have a couple of cats and fresh air can be hard to come by.  This stuff is great for clean air.  I've added a couple of drops to my drinking water - yes you can ingest certain essential oils.  Lemon is one of them.  This is a food grade oil made from lemons, so....

The oil, not only makes water taste, well, lemony...it is purported to boost your metabolism and help burn fat.  I can't report on that at the moment, but I thought it was worth a try.  It's also supposed to boost your energy.  Who couldn't use more of that?  I haven't noticed more of that either, but I haven't been ultra consistent, to be perfectly honest.  I'll keep at it though, and if somehow, I become a size 2 in the next week or so, I'll be back to tell all about it!

In a nutshell, I love this stuff and will be using for a long time to come.    

Frogs and Flu Shots

If you remember high school biology class, you most likely remember the animal specimens you reluctantly had to dissect.  Worms, sheep brains and frogs – all preserved in an odiferous chemical solution of formaldehyde.  Formaldehyde is also known for its use in the funeral industry as an embalming fluid.

In June 2011, government scientists expressed concern for formaldehyde exposure after finding ‘worrisome quantities’ of the chemical in plywood, particle board, mortuaries and hair salons.  Several human studies went as far as reporting an association between formaldehyde exposure and lung and nasopharyngeal cancer.  It is now considered by the EPA a probable human carcinogen (Group B1) – it’s also a trace ingredient found in your flu shot.

For chiropractors, it is ‘worrisome’ that millions of flu shot recipients have no idea of what’s being injected into them every year.  Inevitably, we’re all going to get a dose of formaldehyde when we die.  The question is, do you feel comfortable having it injected artificially into your body when you’re still alive?

Distributed with permission © The Weekly Sticky

Did You Hear?

Did you know the very first Chiropractic adjustment wasn't for back pain?  Here's how it all started as told by our founder Dr. D.D. Palmer in September of 1895…

"Harvey Lillard, a janitor, in the Ryan Block, where I had my office, had been so deaf for 17 years that he could not hear the racket of a wagon on the street or the ticking of a watch.  I made inquiry as to the cause of his deafness and was informed that when he was exerting himself in a cramped, stooping position, he felt something give way in his back and immediately became deaf.

 An examination showed a vertebra racked from its normal position.  I reasoned that if that vertebra was replaced, the man's hearing should be restored.  With this object in view, a half hour's talk  persuaded Mr. Lillard to allow me to replace it.  I racked it into position by using the spinous process as a lever and soon the man could hear as before.

There was nothing 'accidental' about this, as it was accomplished with an object in view, and the result expected was obtained.  There was nothing 'crude' about this adjustment; it was specific, so much so that no Chiropractor has equaled it."

 And that’s how Chiropractic was born - good thing D.D. was a great persuader!

Distributed with permission © The Weekly Sticky

To schedule a chiropractic checkup, visit
https://drkarengardner.acuityscheduling.com/
www.pregnancychiropractic.com

Walking in one shoe

No one would entertain the thought of walking around with just one shoe on.  Not only would it look funny, but it would be really bad for your feet, knees, hips, back and even your neck.  Unfortunately, many people have been doing this very thing for years without knowing it!

When an otherwise healthy spine is forced to function in a Subluxated state (one or more vertebrae become misaligned and create biophysical deficiency) the resultant imbalance creates poor body mechanics and a higher risk for long term soft tissue damage.  Postural distortions like uneven hips or a 'functional short leg' are signs that 'something's off' in your spine and needs to be evaluated.  So much so that many Chiropractors use Leg Length Inequality checks as a means to confirm the presence of Subluxations in your spine.

Just like driving a car with bad alignment can cause premature wear and tear on tires and brakes - walking around with a functional short leg from subluxations can cause premature wear and tear on your joints and discs (degenerative disc disease).  If you're experiencing the warning signs of this type of imbalance (like leg, hip or back pain), get to your Chiropractor ASAP and have your leg lengths professionally checked before more serious damage occurs.

Distributed with permission © The Weekly Sticky

Schedule a check up
www.pregnancychiropractic.com

Plaque and Chiropractic

If health is our most precious treasure, stress is a menacing thief trying to rob us of it every day. And if you're not diligently protecting your health against potential break-ins, chances are you'll lose it without any warning.

Stress negatively affects our health in many ways, but perhaps the most devastating is its effect on our Nerve System. Studies have shown a link between stress and a phenomena called
Sympathetic Dominance - a condition where the 'fight or flight' functions of your Nerve System become chronically overactive, leading to overload in organic functions, fatigue and eventually
disease (1). The good news...

When stress is trying to rob you blind, Chiropractic care is the vault protecting your most valuable assets. Just don't use it for bad backs and bad necks. You can rely on regular adjustments to safeguard your nerve system and preserve your WHOLE health. It's for so much more than pain relief.

(1) Chronic Activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System Journal of Applied Physiology 12/2010 Vol 109 Esler. et al.

Distributed with permission © The Weekly Sticky