San Leandro Chiropractor

Natural Ways to Keep Your Immune System Strong

June 17, 2012 by drburt

Natural Ways to Keep Your Immune System Strong

This is a guest post by Janna Rogers. Because our bodies face so many infectious challenges from day to day, it’s wise to keep your immune system strong and healthy. If you give your body the tools it needs to have good health, you will be able to enjoy a long and prosperous life! There are many ways to boost and strength our own immune systems naturally, but here are my favorites.

Sugar and Allergens

Completely removing allergens and sugars from your diet will help your immune system immensely. It’s been proven that sugar can impair white blood cells for a brief time period after consumption. Find out what your food allergies are and take those out of your system as well.

Managing Stress

Learning how to deal with stress will help our immune systems in many ways. When we handle stress in a negative manner, our body responds the same way. Research has proven that a positive outlet for stress yield big results when it comes to health, so figure out what you need to do ASAP!

Regular Exercise

An appropriate program will help the immune system, but an exercise program that is too intense may suppress your immune system. If you’ve never worked out before, get to the gym, but take it slow. Start out with reasonable exercise, and don’t be afraid to barely do anything your first couple of times. You need to wake those muscles up before training them!
Good Sleep

Sleep is your weapon. When we are sleeping, the body naturally releases substances that help to enhance the immune system. If you don’t get enough rest, your immune system could become erratic and not function at its best. A good night’s sleep will boost your immune system immensely and will also help repair the body.

Filtered Water

Water is the magical cure-all for almost everything, and best of all, it’s natural. It’s great for helping boost your immune system and it’s essential to look and feel good. Without adequate water, you’re more prone to headaches, irregular bowel movements, dry skin, and (you guessed it) diseases! Take it upon yourself to get hydrated now!

All of these tips are great ways to enhance your own immune system naturally. These are so timely because in today’s world of processed food, inactivity & crazy antibiotic-resistant organisms, we must do everything we can to stay healthy. Why not start feeling better and protecting your body today?

Chiropractor and Signs You Should See One

June 10, 2012 by drburt

Signs You Should See A Chiropractor

This is a guest post by Michael Valhalla about Chiropractor. How many times have you caught yourself saying, “it will just go away”, or “I’ll just take some pain pills”? It’s always the easiest way out to think that your pain is going to go away. Maybe it will! But letting a pain go on and on is like saying that the check engine light on the car will just go away. Letting pain linger can bring more damage to the body than you may really know. To prevent further damage to the body, below are some signs that indicate you should see your chiropractor for help.

Trauma Pain – Accidents that are caused from sports injuries or car accidents or even a hard fall can result in some underlying problems that a chiropractor can detect. Auto accidents can have long lasting injuries to the body and treatments need to begin soon after an accident to limit inflammation and help to restore normal movement. These things can lead to nerve damage, broken bones, herniated disks and torn ligaments. Many of those issues will go away by themselves, but most will need some chiropractic help to get rid of. Remember that just because your car looks fine, doesn’t mean you are!

Extremity Pain – When you have constant pain in the arms and legs you should see a chiropractor. Pain in the extremities is a sure sign that something is inflamed and could mean a possible disc problem, nerve problem, or other serious problem that needs to be diagnosed by a chiropractor.

Range of Motion – This is one of the most clearcut signs that you should see a chripractor. If you can’t move your arm in your shoulder socket as much as you usually can, or you feel a pinch everytime you bend your ankle a certain way. It would behoove you to make an appointment!

Waking Pain – Pain that is so painful that it wakes you up at night could be a sign of a serious problem that a chiropractor needs to evaluate. Rest assured that these will not go away with simple rest – you’ve already proven that that’s definitely not the case!

Numbness/Tingling – Frequent numbness or tingling (especially in the legs or back area) is a serious sign that you need to get help. Most of the time, this is some type of issue with a nerve, and a doctor is the only one that can tell you what this is. Not doing so could result in irreversible pain and/or damage.

When it comes to seeing a chiropractor, keep an open mind. Many people are misinformed at what they can do and there is more than enough evidence that proves the therapeutic benefits, as well as safety benefits, of a chiropractor. They have the same education as a medical doctor, they accept insurance, and they are very helpful for many common injuries. So, don’t even spend another minute in doubt. When in pain, see your chiropractor.

Anxiety and 5 Little Strategies for Prevention

May 22, 2012 by drburt

Anxiety and 5 Little Strategies for Prevention

Most people use drug and alcohol as a coping strategy for the stresses of life. When you suffer from anxiety, you need to be able to find more effective coping strategies and ways to control your anxiety in order to cut down on the desire to revert back to your old habits. To help you with that process, here are several strategies for coping with it.

Preventing Relapse with Anxiety Coping Strategies

Factor in Minor Triggers

When most people think of anxiety causes, they focus on the larger issues like a breakup, a death in the family, job stress, etc. But on the road to recovery, it’s often the smaller triggers you need to account for. Watching horror movies, for example, may sound like an interesting idea, but the little bit of anxiety you get after watching the movie can add up with other life stresses, and ultimately make your anxiety feel more overwhelming. Any little thing that causes fear should be avoided, especially early in your recovery.

Find Positive, Optimistic People

Positivity is an important step toward remaining anxiety free and experiencing social support from those around you. Your old friends, your workplace – even your family – if they are negative people that don’t seek out happiness and positivity in their own lives, you may need to cut ties and focus on finding those that will promote better wellness.

Staying Physically Active

Exercising is a shockingly effective and an important reduction technique, and an important part of drug recovery. Just 10 to 15 minutes of running can relax your entire body, and maintaining good health helps reduce some of the feelings that may trigger a relapse. You can also consider playing more sports with your friends or strangers, as this puts you in a social and productive situation with some friendly competition and a goal – all of which are useful for both anxiety and recovery.

Developing an Anxiety Coping System

You should also consider developing a method of coping that you can do immediately if you feel any anxiety or stress in your life. One idea is to create a space in your home that’s 100% designed for relaxation – a space that is drug free, technology free, and distraction free. Any time you feel any level of anxiety, acknowledge it and go directly to your coping space. If you don’t have room in your home, finding a location (park, backyard, etc.) that offers the same type of relaxation and go there immediately.

Create Network

When you’re in recovery, you often have a sponsor or someone you call when you’re worried about relapse. Develop something similar for your anxiety, because it can lead to relapse if it is not coped with effectively. Make sure you have backup people to call if you feel yourself getting anxious so that there is always someone available and make sure those people are positive and ready to help you no matter the time or day. There may be no such thing as a cure for this condition, but having people around to contact can go a long way toward reducing the effects of stress on your mind and body.

Dealing with this condition to Prevent Drug Relapse

Anxiety on its own may not promote a relapse. Yet, it isn’t controlled can add up, creating stress that pushes you toward your previous, unhealthy coping strategy. If you’re experiencing severe anxiety you should seek out immediate help, calling a therapist and making sure this condition doesn’t make you do something you regret. But the little tips above can also be a big help, by preventing the likelihood of experiencing severe tress in life and focusing your attention on activities that are far more productive.

Food Allergy vs. Food Intolerance In a Human Body

May 21, 2012 by drburt

Food Allergy vs. Food Intolerance In a Human Body

With awareness of food allergies becoming more common, many people may be confusing the food-induced symptoms they have for allergies when in fact they have an intolerance. What is the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance?

Allergies are triggered by the immune system mistaking food proteins as an infection threatening the body. The immune system produces chemicals to combat the supposed infection, and these chemicals cause the allergic reaction. Symptoms commonly include itchiness of the mouth, throat, or ears, hives, and facial swelling around the eyes, lips, tongue, or roof of the mouth. Severe reactions can cause life-threatening breathing problems with anaphylactic shock. The severity of a reaction can vary with each exposure.

Common childhood allergies include dairy, nuts, and eggs. Adults are often allergic to various fruits, nuts, and vegetables. The majority of children with food allergies also have eczema. The earlier the onset of eczema and the worse it is, the more likely the child has a food allergy. Asthma and hay fever are also commonly associated with food allergies. If a child’s parent or sibling has asthma, dermatitis, or a food allergy, then the child is more likely to have a food allergy, though not necessarily to the same foods as the relative.

There are two basic versions of food allergies. The most common version is triggered by the antibody known as immunoglobulin E. The symptoms occur rapidly after exposure, often within minutes or even seconds, and there is a greater likelihood of anaphylactic shock. The other version is called non-immunoglobulin E, with symptoms exhibiting hours or even days after exposure.

There is no cure for food allergies, but milder symptoms can be treated with antihistamines. Adrenaline pens are prescribed to patients at risk for anaphylactic shock. There are home tests available, but it is critical to properly identify the allergic foods in order to control reactions, so you should be properly tested and diagnosed by a specialist. Many children outgrow their allergies by the age of five, particularly allergies to milk, eggs, soy, and wheat. Allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, and those that began in adulthood are generally lifelong allergies.

Food intolerance, on the other hand, is not an immune system issue but a digestive issue and is never life-threatening. Symptoms commonly include diarrhoea, bloating, and cramps. It is caused by the body’s inability to digest certain substances. One of the most common intolerances is to lactose. This is caused by the body’s lack of the lactase enzyme which breaks lactose down, so the lactose remains in the system long enough to be fermented by bacteria; the fermentation creates the symptoms.

Intolerance symptoms usually start several hours after the food was consumed. While a trace amount of an allergic food can cause a reaction, intolerance usually happens after larger amounts. Elimination of triggers may not be necessary; sometimes small amounts digest fine. It is up to you to determine what you can handle, but be aware the amount may change with age.

Dr. Gillian Hart is a Scientific Director for YorkTest Laboratories who specialise in food intolerance testing and allergy testing to help people who suffer with irritable bowel syndrome symptoms and wheat intolerance symptoms.