Pregnancy is a time of great excitement, great anticipation, and probably great discomfort.  Many pregnant women find themselves struggling with symptoms such as morning sickness (poorly named), food cravings (or aversions), exhaustion, and mood swings (laughter and tears in abundance).  In addition to all of these joys, many pregnant women also find that pregnancy has interesting affects on their back as well.

At some point during their pregnancy, many pregnant women will experience some level of back pain.  For some women, this is limited to minor twinges and discomfort.  For others, the pain can be debilitating even with treatment.  When you consider the changes in your body, is it any wonder that your back might complain?

It is a well known fact that pregnancy messes with your hormones.  These hormonal fluctuations have been blamed for mood swings, morning sickness, constipation, etc.  Now here is another area affected by the wild changes in your hormones.  One hormone your body is producing in abundance right now is called Relaxin.  As the name would suggest, this hormone is responsible for relaxing muscles, joints, and ligaments in your body.  While this may come in handy when you are actually delivering your baby, right now it can contribute to back discomfort or pain.

Another factor contributing to potential back issues is your ever growing middle.  As your baby grows, your center of balance is thrown off.  To compensate, your body naturally tends to arch, leaning your upper torso back.  Extended periods of time in this altered posture can lead to back problems.

While certain factors of pregnancy can contribute to back pain, this is not to say that back pain is inevitable.  To help your back, be sure to practice good posture: sitting, standing and sleeping.  Also, make sure you are wearing the proper shoes for support and comfort.

And if you haven’t visited a chiropractor in awhile, now may be the time to focus once again on your health. A chiropractor can work to adjust your spine during all of these new phases of your life. With a few stretching exercises and someone to focus in on where you need adjusting, now and after you give birth, you can focus on what is most important to you – your new baby.

When you shop for the latest fashions, its easy to get caught up in the latest colors and styles. The latest jeans can be the start to a great outfit, just like those strappy sandles can finish the look.

The fashion industry is a smorgasbord of different shoes, pants, shirts, dresses, skirts, and accessories. If you are dressing merely for aesthetic appeal, you will never be without ample choices. However, the next time you head to the malls, go with a different thought in mind. Not only do your choices make a fashion statement, they can affect your health as well.

Choose your fashions wisely to avoid having aches and pains that require a chiropractic visit down the road. Here’s why.

High-heels are one of the quickest ways to back pain. While high-heels are a huge part of the fashion industry, they are not constructed in ways to minimize back pain. Instead, heels are made to look fashionable and enhance your wardrobe, and to keep you buying the latest styles to compliment the look. The continued use of high-heels can actually change the curvature of your spine and tip your pelvis forward.

To minimize the damage caused by high-heels, choose comfortable shoes with low heels instead. If you still desire heels, alternate your high-heel days with other shoes. Or bring extra shoes with you for long distance walking. While you might like the look it gives you today, the penalties down the road should make you think twice.

Also pay attention to the fit of your everyday clothes. Tight, restrictive clothing makes it difficult to move and bend, which can cause you to strain your body and joints. Choose clothes that fit comfortably and allow for normal movements.

Another important factor to remember is weight. The weight of purses, briefcases and backpacks can lead to back pain. Minimize the weight that your baggage contains by only carrying the bare essentials. You can also evenly distribute weight by wearing your purse more like a sling and sling it over your body, rather than just on your shoulder. If this is not possible, switch sides frequently to minimize the damage to each side of your body.

Being conscious of what you do today can help you stay healthy well into the future.

It has been said before that beauty is pain.  Unfortunately fashion and comfort, or even fashion and health don’t often go hand in hand.  Too often individuals must choose between fashion and comfort.  What they don’t realize, however, is that their choices also affect their overall health over time.

Is there a way to support your health and make a fashion statement all at the same time?  Here are a few tips to help you make health conscious fashion choices.

Those great stiletto heels may not be so great after all.  You already know that those amazing looking shoes leave your feet feeling less than wonderful.  Have you ever considered what they might be doing to the rest of your body?  When you stand barefoot or in flat shoes, your body is properly balanced with the muscles and joints working together in harmony.  When you elevate the heel, you throw this balance off.  Consider giving your body a break and cutting down on the stiletto use. Bring flats to wear throughout the day as you are running from place to place.

Tight clothes can lead to more than just discomfort.  When you wear clothes that are too tight (whether by design or not) you eventually will begin to adjust your positioning and your movements to reduce any discomfort you are experiencing.  These adjustments are not in your body’s best interest.  Give yourself a bit more room and give your body a chance to move.

Wallets and purses can lead to spinal misalignment.  Carrying around that massive purse can add pounds to one side of your body, making you compensate by pulling the other way. Sitting on that bulging wallet for too long can have a similar affect.  The uneven distribution of weight will eventually lead to misalignment and pain in your back. Instead, reduce what you carry. Start by decreasing the size of your purse – a smaller size will mean less fits inside – and a smaller wallet. Clean it out a few times per week, and only take along what you truly need.

You can still look amazing when you go out, just consider these few fashion no-no’s to keep your body feeling as good as you look.

Every pregnant woman knows the discomforts that come with carrying a new little life.  As that life grows, the pressure on your lower back can grow as well, leading to back discomfort or pain.  Chiropractic doctors have a few words of advice to help women in this special time of life.

1. Exercise – While almost every doctor tells you to exercise during pregnancy, a chiropractic doctor will point out the spinal benefits of consistent activity.  Regular, moderate exercise will help you avoid putting on too much weight and overly stressing out your back.  Exercise can also help your muscles (especially your back muscles) maintain tone and strength.  A strong back is less likely to be a painful back.

2. Wear appropriate shoes – Your footwear can drastically impact your balance.  Especially now as your center of gravity shifts a little bit each day, it is important that you provide your back with the proper support.  Wear flat, supportive shoes to avoid unnecessary clumsy moments and back strain.

3. Fix up your workstation – If you have to be at a computer for extended periods each day, be sure that your workstation is as ergonomically correct as possible.    You can greatly reduce your aches and pains if you allow yourself proper posture while you work.

4. Lift with your knees – Your back is already under greater strain, don’t make it worse.  If you must pick something up, lift with your knees not your back.  Even better, see if you can find someone to do the lifting for you.

5. Visit a chiropractor – Many pregnant women find that a spinal adjustment (or several spinal adjustments) can do wonders for back discomfort.  Postpartum visits can be helpful to, as your chiropractor can help the muscles and joints move back into their original, non-pregnant, location.

Studies show that in addition to the morning sickness, headaches, and frequent trips to the restroom; over 50% of pregnant women will also have to deal with some level of back pain during their pregnancy.  Doctors tell women it is normal, and most times there is little they can do to relieve it.  But for these suffering mothers-to-be there is hope.  Recent studies have shown that relief is possible.  Here are a few guidelines to help any  woman in her attempt to relieve prenatal back pain.

1. Watch your posture – Your growing abdomen and the hormone relaxin are doing their best to tax your lower back muscles and spine.  Do what you can to compensate for the extra strain by watching your posture.  If you sit all day, try to use a chair that provides good back support.  Slouching will only cause further stress to your already overburdened back.

2. Stretch often – Stretching can help give your body the bit of motion it might need to get back in proper positioning.  Not only that, but it sure feels good for tired muscles.

3. Get a chiropractic adjustment – Chiropractic has actually been proven quite effective at relieving back pain during pregnancy.  For a pregnant woman, that new bundle of joy growing daily in front of her can cause severe misalignment of her body’s greatest support system: her spine.  Chiropractic can help counteract this by realigning the spine, thus alleviating the pain.

4. Get another chiropractic adjustment – For many women, a single chiropractic adjustment can do wonders for her prenatal back pain.  But, this does not mean that the benefits of chiropractic cease when the pain does.  Chiropractic adjustment gives proper spinal alignment and helps strengthen the surrounding muscles.  What pregnant woman couldn’t benefit from an improved support system and greater muscle strength?  Chiropractic can help her get that.

Today’s women are an active, busy, health conscious group whose needs vary from those of their predecessors.  Yes, women may still suffer from the pains of womanhood as their forerunners, but their active lifestyle presents a new twist on womens health.  Which means today’s women can benefit greatly from a chiropractic approach to their health.

Chiropractic focuses mainly on the alignment of the spine.  This can benefit women in many ways.  Proper alignment of the spine leads to proper functioning of the nervous system, cutting down on the frequency and intensity of certain types of headaches.  Proper alignment can also help ease the discomforts associated with more womanly issues such as menstruation, pregnancy, and birth.  If a woman’s body is properly aligned it can help everything else function more efficiently (and hopefully, less painfully).

There are several other benefits for women undergoing chiropractic care.  Chiropractic can provide guidance for women regarding nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle.  Chiropractic can also provide strengthening and protection for women who are overweight, under extreme stress, or just desiring a greater degree of efficient, healthy living.

Chiropractic can also provide special care for women in their later years.  Women are more prone then men to develop Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s.  Chiropractic can help protect women from these debilitating diseases by strengthening the joints and bones, and keeping everything functioning together in the best way possible.

Today’s women can greatly benefit from regular chiropractic care no matter their age.  Young women can benefit from the strengthening and alignment while their bodies are still developing and growing.  Women during their childbearing years can benefit by relief from the pains of normal womanly life.  And women in their golden years can benefit from the continued care, strength, and alignment to help ward off some of life’s more crippling diseases.

Stop Killing Yourself!
Heart disease, cancer and stroke are the three leading causes of death among women. Interestingly enough, they are also preventable by healthy lifestyle choices and routine check-ups.  Mark your calendar so you won’t forget mammograms, chiropractic visits, and other annual exams. Many women are more likely to be familiar with their family history. Let your doctor know what diseases and conditions are on your family tree. Being aware of this health history will help you and your healthcare team build a plan to incorporate healthy habits in your life and the lives of your children.

Make Your Self-Care a Priority
When reviewing disaster plans of action, flight attendants on airplanes always instruct parents to fit themselves with oxygen masks first before helping their children. The lesson is simple. You can’t take care of others unless you take care of yourself first, at least in matters of health.

Today women are busier today than ever before. Demands are placed on them from every direction. More women are working and raising families, a dual role that invites incredible stress. These overbooked schedules tempt women to set aside self-care to handle other priorities such as families, careers, relatives, and communities.

Taking care of yourself will ensure that you will be strong enough to take care of others. Eating a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables and low fat foods along with a moderate exercise schedule will help you maintain your weight and keep your mind and your muscles strong. Schedule regular chiropractic visits, make time for massages, take hot baths (with the door locked and the phone turned off), and consider a vacation getaway with only yourself. Make time to be healthy.

Lifelong Learning is Key
Studies show that maintaining an active lifestyle increases health and quality of life. People in their seventies are earning college degrees, publishing books, and starting companies. Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who at 122 was the oldest person ever documented, fenced, cycled, and rapped! It’s never too late to pick up a yoga mat, violin or paintbrush.

Starting today, make self-care and health-care choices that will ensure that each day will be your best, and encourage your family to do the same.  After all, 100 years of healthy living is achieved one day at a time.

Source: Dr. Eric Plasker

Think of the spine as the control center for nerve flow. Even a slight change in your body can cause it to function at less than 100 percent. The longer you live performing at a less than 100 percent range, the more other things will begin developing throughout your body.

When a woman experiences nine months of pregnancy, everything changes. Not only is her body changing every day, it also impacts the baby.

Over the last few decades, artificial practices have changed the birth process from a natural physiological event to a very complicated medical procedure. Today, all kinds of drugs are utilized and invasive procedures carried out. These procedures are performed sometimes unnecessarily, and many are potentially harmful or damaging to the mother and unborn child alike.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Instead of relying on traditional medicine, you can opt to take a more natural approach, and include chiropractic care throughout the process. Chiropractic care can help you release unneeded tension, allowing for:

• Better function
• Decreased back and pelvic pain
• Decreased labor time
• Increased appreciation of the entire pregnancy process
• Increased ease and comfort during labor and childbirth

Chiropractic care during your pregnancy should be at a level that is comfortable to you, and that helps you get ready for one of the most exciting times of your life.

[Schedule your visit with Dr Jason Watts, and learn how chiropractic care can help you throughout your pregnancy.]

PMS
Migraine Headaches
Mood Swings
Cramps
Uterine Fibroids
Depression
Osteoporosis
Insomnia Fatigue
Allergies
Memory Loss
Breast Tenderness
Fibrocystic Breasts
Breast Cancer Risk
Fluid Retention (bloating)
Unexplained Weight Gain
Hot Flashes
Irregular Cycles
Low Sex Drive
Thyroid Imbalance
Blood Clots
Risk of Miscarriage
Inflammation
Elevated Blood Pressure
Acne
Irregular Menstrual Flow
Bone mass depletion
Infertility
Thinning Hair
Facial Hair

There are well over 80 symptoms associated with hormone balance. If you have 3 or more of these symptoms, you may have hormonal imbalance.

Hormonal imbalance is a widely searched, widely talked about occurrence. While the entire concept can take volumes to truly understand all there is to know about hormonal imbalance, there are four basic things it can be caused by:

1. Diet
2. Environment
3. Prescription reactions
4. Stress

Some you can control, some you can’t.

You can change your diet, and begin to enjoy a healthier lifestyle.

You can reduce your stress by making smarter choices.

You can educate yourself on the affects of prescription medication, and make the right choice for you.

And you can begin to put your health first, and make chiropractic care a part of your regular activities. Chiropractic care can help you enjoy a long and healthy life.