Could One Conversation Change What You Eat?

Posted by Author on Aug 21, 2010

via Integrative Nutrition Blog by Integrative Nutrition on 8/10/10

Many people shop labels.  Whether its high fashion or expensive cars, a label costs more; it means something to the consumer.  Food is no different.  People who care about the quality of the food they put in their body read labels.  If a label reads “high fructose corn syrup” or “trans fat” an informed consumer will bypass this product.  Whether a food has an organic label or not is also important information for today’s foodies.  If a product has the seal “USDA Organic” the consumer knows that the food was grown or prepared using organic practices and ingredients; however, the producer has paid a fee to the government to obtain that certification. 

Many small farmers cannot afford the high cost of the government’s organic label.  According to the Organic Trade Association, referenced in this article on Change.org, 92 percent of organic food sold in this country is sold by mass markets, like Wal-Mart, Costco, or grocery store chains.  By comparison, only 8 percent comes from farmers markets, co-ops, or CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture). 

Quite often the small farmers have organic growing practices; they just don’t pay for the expensive label.  How do you get this important information?  It’s easy; simply start a conversation with the person you are buying your food from.  When you visit the farmers market and you see they do not have an organic label, ask why?   Ask them about their growing practices.   Do they use pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals?  You won’t know until you ask. 

Do you only shop for products with the “USDA Organic” label?  Do local farmers in your area provide an opportunity to talk about their growing practices?  What are your conversations like?

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San Jose Chiropractor States That Chiropractic Therapy Will Likely Remove Lumbar Pain Due to Arthritis

Posted by admin on Jul 19, 2010

Right now there are a variety of treatment options from which you are able to go with when it comes to your back pain and soreness in various other parts of your body because of arthritic transformations, not to mention visiting your San Jose chiropractor. But, the majority of people who are encountering debilitating arthritis and low back pain all the same think that they should always search for a medical doctor as the most suitable way to find a remedy for their pain. Even so, you may be surprised to know that hardly any medical doctors are able to be beneficial people correct, or organically minimize the difficulties of low back pain as a result of arthritis. As opposed to being accustomed to determining and treating the cause of the pain you are feeling, medical doctors perpetually start treating mainly your symptoms, that you could do not just for pain relief, but to actually slow down arthritic changes in your body.

Visiting a chiropractor in San Jose is truly among the finest things that you can do to help your arthritis and back pain. Chiropractors are doctors who focus exclusively on working on the musculoskeletal system, and arthritis is a joint affliction. Chiropractic attention has aided many people in slowing the process of arthritis by getting their joints moving. Movement is vital for joint health. A good chiropractor is highly knowledgeable in treating back pain, even when it is because of arthritis

If you have never gone to a chiropractor previously, you might be slightly concerned about what will happen once you are in the office. It might be beneficial to offer a quick overview of what you can look for. You’ll be asked about your medical history, that may nearly in all cases include a family account of arthritis. The chiropractor will likely inquire about your daily diet and lifestyle and may suggest explicit modifications that may be very helpful in decreasing the inflammation brought on by arthritis. And, finally, you will receive a in depth examination. After the assessment is complete, the chiropractor will let you know if chiropractic treatment can assist your back pain, as well as alleviate your hurtful arthritic discomforts. your visit Then you will be told about the exact treatment solution you are going to should have.

A chiropractic adjustment reduces pain safely and organically, and it is a painless procedure. And, essentially the most splendid feature of going to a chiropractor for your low back pain and arthritis is that you can feel sure that the cause of your pain is being attended to, and that the ease you experience doesn’t involve hiding the warning sign of pain, but genuinely getting rid of the source of your problem.

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Repeated Concussions a Big Risk for Student-Athletes

Posted by Author on Jun 15, 2010

As a chiropractor I believe in exercise, whether it’s aerobics, bike riding, or team sports. Keeping the body active keeps the body healthy and strong. However, when it comes to sports activies, it seems that sports injuries are inevitable among young and old alike. And, though many sports injuries can be very serious, I was especially happy to see that there is a current focus on concussions among young athletes who participate in school sports. The question people are asking is: Are schools doing enough to protect their student-athletes? Do you, as a parent, feel that your child is safe when participating in sports at school?  Many parents worry that their young athletes are at risk for serious sports injuries, especially concussions. In fact, the latest C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health found that nearly two-thirds of parents of young athletes between the ages 12 – 17 worry that their children will get a concussion while playing school sports.

To make matters worse, researchers have found that youth athletes are more likely to sustain concussions and to take longer to recover from concussions than adults. Furthermore, if a second concussion occurs before a child’s brain recovers from the first, there is a possibility of long-term neurologic conditions.

When surveyed, most parents indicated that they would strongly support school requirements, such as:

    * If a student-athlete sustained a concussion, he or she would need to be evaluated and cleared by a doctor before returning to sports – 84 percent

    * Coaches should to receive education about the risks of concussions

    * After a concussion there should be a mandatory period of non-participation in sports

    * A certified trainer should be on-site for practices and games

High school athletic organizations, injury prevention groups and professional sports leagues have become increasingly active in promoting policies to minimize the risks of repeat concussions among young athletes. But, let’s face it, parents are in a unique position to recognize concussion signs and symptoms that occur outside of school, and to work with coaches, trainers, and other health care personnel to ensure that their child is appropriately monitored throughout his or her recovery and return to play.

Source: University of Michigan Health System

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Chiropractic Internet Marketing Strategy: Do it Yourself or Outsource?

Posted by admin on May 16, 2010

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

  1. There is a lower monthly cost involved in using someone already employed by you.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

  1. 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.
  2. There is a dedicated team at the company who will be working on your site and can give it the attention it requires.
  3. 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

  1. 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.
  2. There is usually a commitment. Most chiropractic internet marketing companies will want you to sign up for at least six months to a year.
  3. 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.

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More Evidence of the Efficacy of Chiropractic Treatment for Relieving Low Back Pain

Posted by Author on May 12, 2010

Chiropractors everywhere will tell you the same thing: Conservative chiropractic treatment should always be considered prior to any back surgery. In fact, an entire chapter in a newly released textbook published by Springer Science+Business Media, Surgery For Low Back Pain, is dedicated to chiropractic treatment. The book was edited by a consummate group spine surgeons from Europe. The inclusion of chiropractic methods in clinical decision marks another example of the global growth and acceptance of healing benefits of chiropractic treatment.

Low back pain is one of the most prevalent conditions contended with in clinical practice, and the pathologies thought to be its cause are the main signals for spine surgery. But “true evidence” about indications actually remains elusive and, therefore, the very different techniques used need to be discussed and (re)evaluated.

Whether or not you are considering back surgery, for more on the chapter, “The place of chiropractic care in the treatment of low back pain,” written by Christopher J. Colloca, D.C., a Phoenix, Arizona based chiropractor with affiliations in the Department of Kinesiology at Arizona State University, log on to chiroeco.com

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A Pill Can’t Cure Obesity-Related Conditions

Posted by Author on May 5, 2010

I was talking with a new patient of mine, a fifty-year-old woman who’d come to my chiropractic clinic for relief from hip pain, and as we were discussing her health history, she mentioned that she “used to have” high blood pressure, but now that she was on medication, it was “normal.” She said that she was very happy that she no longer needed to worry about her high blood pressure. She was surprised when I explained to her that her medication merely “regulated” her condition, but that it did not eliminate problem. As this woman was obese, I explained to her that her weight, in addition to causing her hip pain, was also the culprit that continued to cause the high blood pressure for which she needed the medication. I told her that as a chiropractor, I could temporarily relieve her hip pain with chiropractic treatment, but that it would likely come back again unless she lost some of the excess poundage she carried around each day.

Obesity is a serious condition that causes innumerable health problems such as heart disease, risk of stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and a plethora of musculoskeletal problems that, more often than not, lead to osteoarthritis. The only prevention is weight loss. The only “cure” is weight loss. The only hope for a healthy outcome is weight loss. Pharmaceuticals may regulate the symptoms of conditions caused by obesity, and chiropractors can help to temporarily relieve the pain, but there is not a traditional or alternative therapy that can rectify obesity.

There’s no getting around it, either. Losing weight is hard work and the more an individual needs to lose, the harder it can be. And, the indisputable fact is that no one can lose weight for you. But, the health “rewards” are worth it. Just ask anyone who’s lost a significant amount of weight. Health-wise, it’s a life-changer. And, studies have shown that many people with high blood pressure problems who lose their excess weight are often able get off their blood pressure medications altogether.

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Chiropractic Marketing: Is Social Media Necessary for Your Clinic?

Posted by admin on Apr 28, 2010

Chiropractic Marketing

The “hottest” buzz word on the internet today is Social Media. For those of you who would like to explore Social Media marketing as part of 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 seem familiar in some ways to other chiropractic marketing strategies you’ve engaged in in the past, and yet unfamiliar at the same time. In the “familiar” category, you wouldn’t try any type of marketing plan without taking the time to understand what it is and what you want to get from it. What are your goals? Once you know what you want, you’ll be more capable of using social media to your best advantage.

Before you begin your social media endeavor, it will be highly important for you to make sure that you “own your name” on all the social media outlets, that is to say, make sure that your name or your clinic’s name is available so that you can use the identical same name on every one of the social channels you desire to use. There is a service that is free and will assist you with your search when you’re ready. Knowem.com is the who to go to. This service will check where your name is and/or if it’s attainable or not on a substantial number of social media sites.

When you have secured all of your social media accounts, the next step is to choose where you ought to be active. Because you have a clinic to run and patients to see, initially only a few social media sites will benefit you most and may end up being all you’ll need. That way you won’t get caught up 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 intention should be is to build a genuine presence in your community. What you don’t want to do is “sell” on your social media sites, that means don’t sell your clinic, don’t sell services or products, don’t sell anything! The purpose of social media is for you to have an addition channel through which to network with the community. Of course, let them know what you do, but do it by becoming a participant. Social media works the same way as social networking offline. It is important to be clear on this point, people on social media do not want to be sold to! Social media sites are very much like a neighborhood backyard barbecue. People are standing around chatting about who they are and what they do, and then a person asks you what you do. Or, perhaps you start the conversation by simply saying, “Hello, I’m Dr. ____. With social media marketing, the same kind of interaction applies. 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 let people know who you are and gets them interested in the who that’s you!

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April is Foot Health Awareness Month

Posted by Author on Apr 27, 2010

Did you know that April is Foot Health Awareness Month? As a chiropractor, I think that it is always good for us to have special days set aside to look at the various areas of our health that we might improve upon. That said, if you are someone who experiences foot pain, you are, no doubt, aware of your feet every single day, week, and month of the year, especially if you are on the run for fun or fitness. Running, though “naturally” good for us, can be hard on our lower extremities for all sorts of reasons from bad gait and poor running shoes to the surfaces we choose to run on.

The impact forces during running can be two-three times your body weight and this, in and of itself, makes your feet particularly vulnerable to injury. Add to this general vulnerability the frequent reasons for foot pain and injury mentioned above, and its no wonder that so many people suffer from foot problems. Pain-free feet are important whether you run or not, but if you’re a runner (or thinking of becoming one) it is critical for you to make sure that your feet, and the rest of your body as well, are in good shape for it. As experts in restoring and improving motion in the entire musculoskeletal system, your chiropractor can examine your feet, analyze your running mechanics, and determine if certain conditions need correction before you continue, or begin, a running regime.

With summer just around the corner, more runners than ever will be hitting the roads, parks, and tracks. If you’re planning on being one of them, whether you currently have foot pain or not, it’s a good idea to see your chiropractor, just to “run” on the safe side.

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Cincinnati Chiropractor Advises: Get Your Balance Checked to Avoid Work Injuries

Posted by admin on Apr 27, 2010

Cincinnati Chiropractor

As a Cincinnati Chiropractor I treat many older adults who suffer from balance problems. In fact, 9% of adults, aged 65 and older, have episodes of dizziness, “wooziness,” and other balance-related conditions. Good balance is crucial, of course, in assisting elders to continue to be independent and to avoid falling down and sustaining injuries that are frequently extremely serious or even fatal. But, it may surprise you to know that falls contribute to a large portion of work-related injuries for adults younger than 65 years of age, including those in their twenties and thirties. That’s right! No one is “invulnerable” to balance problems, no matter how young they may be. It is for this reason that those who work at “dangerous heights” like construction workers, roofers, oil platform employees, windows cleaners, or anywhere else where a ladder is required are far more likely to sustain serious injury if their balance is “off.”

The most important function of good balance is to aid us in managing and maintaining our body position, whether we are standing still or moving, and whether we are on the ground or high up on a platform. Good balance helps us to walk without staggering, arise from a sitting position without tottering, and to climb stairs without missing a step. In other words, good balance is vital to our health and well-being.

What may be shocking to you is that you could have a balance abnormality without any idea of how significant it may be. On occasion a person can “shake off” a dizzy sensation and the sensation may not return for a while. But, when precipetous dizziness comes about at a consequential moment, it is too late to shake it off and a fall is often inevitable.

The feeling by some individuals that they, personally, are spinning or that things around them are moving is known as “vertigo.” About forty percent of people in the U.S. will have at least one incidence of dizziness that is distressing enough to seek out a health professional, such as your Chiropractor at Cincinnati Chiropractic. That said, if you are involved in any of the activities listed above, having a chiropractor check your balance before an episode of dizziness, make adjustments if necessary, and then aid you in maintaining good balance, may save you from serious injury or worse.

Balance disorders are risky at any age. If you feel as if you may have a possible balance disorder, it is essential for you to be evaluated and treated without delay. In fact, if you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions, even if the experience is seldom or infrequent, it is highly recommended that you discuss the symptom(s) with a chiropractor as soon as possible:

• Have you experienced a feeling of being “unsteady?”

• Has the room seemed to spin around you?

• Has there ever a time when you felt as if you were moving when you knew you were standing still?

• Have you lost your balance and/or fallen down?

• Have you ever felt as if you were falling?

• Has your vision ever become “blurred?”

• Have you ever felt disoriented, or lost a sense of time, place or identity?

It is important for you to remember that balance problems are not specific to a particular age group. From the time we learn to walk until we take our final step, our falling down is possible. If you work in a job that makes your falling down a “critical” event, you need to have your balance checked. Don’t wait until it’s too late! If you’re in the Cincinnati area, give Cincinnati Chiropractic a call today!

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Intervention When It Comes to Junk Food?

Posted by Author on Apr 17, 2010
Recent scientific research found that junk food is addictive. Hm-mm, what a surprise! Of course, it won't come as a surprise to anyone who has children and has had to deal with the "drama" that takes place when a "fix" at McDonald's is passed over for a nutritious home-cooked meal that might include (yikes!) vegetables. And, it won't come as a surprise to those who've tried to lose weight by eating a healthy diet of fresh fruits and veggies and then found themselves at a midnight In-N-Out Burger drive-thru. In fact, it probably won't come as a surprise to most people that the study found that eating junk food can change the chemistry in your brain. Though, food addiction is nothing new, this particular study found that because high-calorie foods affect the brain in much the same way as cocaine and heroin, and it leads to compulsive eating habits that resemble drug addiction, foods stripped of its nutrients, i.e., junk food, makes us more hungry because our bodies "think" we need more food when, in fact, we need more nutrients.

As a chiropractor, I work with my patients to achieve overall health through regular chiropractic care, a nutritious diet, good hydration, and daily exercise. If any one of these components is missing, as far as I'm concerned, good health and longevity are at risk.

For more on this study, go to reuters.com.

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