A Change In How Many Are Running

This article was in this month's ChiroHealth newsletter put out by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). I thought this was an interesting topic and wanted to share it. I also included some additional links below for anyone wanting to know more:

Until recently, most of us considered athletic shoes an important and essential part of our athletic training gear. Every year since the mid-1970s, the big running shoe companies have introduced new product lines based on shoes with increased cushion and support. Today, however, there has been an uprising among subgroups of runners, cross-fitness enthusiasts and weight lifters: Less shoe is better, and no shoe is best.

The premise behind barefoot running is essentially that the intrinsic muscles, joints, ligaments and mechanoreceptors of the feet require stimulation to function properly. And this optimal function is inhibited by highly supportive and cushioned shoes.

If you’re interested in trying out barefoot running, consider this advice before you begin.

* Start with walking barefoot or in minimalist shoes, and gradually work into running.
* Progress to short runs. Begin running only five minutes per run, and gradually increase.
* Rather than going totally barefoot, use a minimalist shoe to protect your feet from thorns, glass, nails, stones and other debris.
* Stop barefoot running at the earliest sign of pain.
* Avoid running barefoot in freezing temperatures. Shoes protect us from frostbite if nothing else.
* Be prepared for blisters and calluses to form as you transition to barefoot running.


Additional Links:
Barefoot Running
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barefoot_running

Runblogger's Guide to Minimalist Running Shoes
http://www.runblogger.com/2010/07/runbloggers-guide-to-minimalist-running.html


2011 Minimalist and Barefoot Style Running Shoes
http://www.dailymile.com/blog/review/coming-soon-to-a-store-near-you-preview-of-new-2011-minimalist-and-barefoot-style-running-shoes

Something We Should All Know About Nutrition!

This is a video that I saw today and wanted to share (you can also find it on our facebook page). This video does a great job of illustrating some of the numerous reasons why our nutrition is so vital to our bodies and overall health. The knowledge you will find in this video needs to be widespread in our country before we are ever able to be healthier as a nation. Share this with someone that you care about and want to see have a better, healthier life.

Stressed?

Our latest Chirotoon takes a look at stress, which is something in today's society that we all must deal with. Stress has many effects on the body, one of the main ones being increased tension of the muscles in the neck, shoulders and spine. Even after the stress is gone the tension often remains. Luckily chiropractic treatments are great for this.

Subluxation Free

This video is a great tool in illustrating both the importance and power of chiropractic care. It has some great visuals that are used to show the wide spread effect the nervous system has on the human body. So keep in mind that chiropractors are not 'back doctors', instead we use the bones of the spine to ensure that the bodies' nervous system is able to function with out interference. Thank you and enjoy the video. [PS If the music in the video is not to your liking please turn it down and still watch, it is worth it.]

Study links vertebral misalignments with allergic diseases

I just wanted to share the following study that a fellow chiropractor shared with me. It is a research study called “Relationship Between Vertebral Deformities And Allergic Diseases” by Yasuhiko Takeda and Shouji Arai published in The Internet Journal of Orthopedic Surgery.

This study shows a correlation between two types of allergic diseases (atopic dermatitis and bronchial asthma) and immune dysfunction that is secondary to vertebral misalignments. They found a common area for misalignment of the spine in the patients with these two types of allergic diseases to be the lower thoracic spine or mid-back. This study links the misalignments as a cause by pointing out that this area of the spine is what innervates the adrenal glands. It was shown that the patients they studied had chronic decline in the adrenal function that was impart due to the nerve compression (from the misalignments of the spine).

This study is quoted by saying:

“There is an expectation of alleviation, and prevention of development of symptoms by correcting the changes in the vertebrae caused by chronic vertebral misalignments, which is common in allergic disease patients.”

One can gather from this that not only do these researchers believe that there is benefit for patients with allergic diseases from chiropractic care but that by correcting these misalignments early in life there might be a prevention of the symptoms in the first place.

Chiropractors have known about the effect that a well functioning nervous system can have on the entire body now for decades, but it is great to finally see more and more studies like this one that confirm this.

Citation: Y. Takeda & S. Arai : Relationship Between Vertebral Deformities And Allergic Diseases . The Internet Journal of Orthopedic Surgery. 2004 Volume 2 Number 1.

Body Talk

Here is the latest Chirotoon for the first week of April. I really think this might be one of my favorite Chirotoons so far. It is funny and is something most of us can relate to from time to time. I am a believer that once we take the time to slow down from our busy schedules and listen that it is easy to notice the subtle ways our bodies use to tell us we are in need of an adjustment.


As always you can check out this blog for the latest Chirotoons or find them twice a month in the Dyersville Commercial.

Sleeplessness

There have been numerous patients that have had complaints of sleeplessness as of late, so it seems that our latest Chirotoon is very fitting.






If you can relate to this call us for an appointment today and also check out our previous post that has plenty of helpful sleep tips: 'A Better Night Sleep'.