Steps to Better Health

1. GET PLENTY OF REST

The body heals when it rests. Sleep with one pillow , ask your chiropractor about a cervical pillow (it’s good for stiff necks and headaches.) Sleep preferably on your back or side. DO NOT SLEEP ON YOUR STOMACH.

2. EXERCISE

However, it must be the right type of exercise for you. Skydiving may be exercise, but not necessarily the ideal exercise for you. There are specific abdominal, neck and low back exercises that everyone can do to strengthen their spine. Cardiovascular (CV) exercise, the type of exercise that increases your heart rate is a MUST . Examples of CV exercises are brisk walking, swimming bicycle riding, stair stepper, stationary bike, treadmill etc. 20-40 minutes 3-4 x’s per week will improve your overall health and burn off excess fat. Studies show those in better cardiovascular condition heal faster!

3. POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE

Your attitude and outlook affect how you feel and how you heal.

Laugh, smile. Set goals for yourself. Figure out what it is that you want in life, write it down and visualize it. With a positive attitude, goal setting and some action steps ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

4. EAT RIGHT

What does that mean? Here are some quick tips. Read labels. If the first ingredient is one of the “three whites” STAY AWAY. They are 1-sugar (also known as glucose, fructose. Sucrose, etc.) 2- salt (also known as sodium, sodium chloride) and 3-enriched flour.

Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day. Remember not tea, not lemonade, not juice, WATER!

Eat plenty of veggies and fruit. Remember fresh is best, then comes frozen. Canned veggies lose most of their nutritional value- you’re probably better off eating the can!

Decrease your fat intake and make smart choices . MODERATION IS THE KEY!

5. GOOD POSTURE

1. Proper lifting. Always bend at your knees.
2. Avoid poor telephone habits such as holding the phone between your ear and shoulder, without your hands
3. Men: Don’t sit on your wallet while driving.
4. MOMS: Avoid holding your baby on your hip while cooking and talking on the phone.Better Posture leads to a healthier spine and nervous system.

6. MAINTAIN INTEGRITY OF YOUR SPINE & NERVOUS SYSTEM

What? You probably never heard this before. All functions of your body are controlled by you brain and nervous system. That’s how you feel things, how your organs and immune system function and how your muscles operate, through your nervous system. The nerves come out from your spinal cord to the rest of the body in order to do their job. The vertebrae or spine surrounds the spinal cord. Anytime there is a subluxation (misalignment) of the vertebrae, it causes interference in the nervous system and function of the body. Back pain and neck pain are a signal that there is nerve interference occurring. However, misalignments or subluxations, occur often, interfering with the way your body functions and killing off cells, without pain occurring.

It is important to get your spine checked by a chiropractor to make sure that you don’t have spinal misalignments (subluxations) especially if you are not having any pain. This can prevent future pain, and KEEP YOU HEALTHY . Chiropractic is about being healthy, and about having a proper functioning nervous system and spine.

If you follow all six steps, you’ll be on your way to a happy healthy lifestyle. Remember lots of small steps and small changes add up. Make positive changes in your life and tell others!

FIDEL CHIROPRACTIC CENTER

410-484-5642
1866F Reisterstown Rd
Pikesville, MD 21208

You’ve probably been told as a child, to sit up straight and stop slouching. But it was not until the start of my professional career that I truly began to understand the importance of proper posture and the difficulty of fixing it once it’s become problematic. Specifically, the problem with prolonged sitting is that it often leads to muscle imbalances in the neck, shoulders, lower back and hips. With prolonged sitting muscles are not only placed in shortened positions, but are also neurologically facilitated and programmed to become increasingly short and tight. Over time these muscle imbalances can cause tension headaches, low back pains, disc herniations and even an increased chance for arthritis.

With all of these muscle imbalances the body loses the ability to keep it’s joint’s centered as it moves through a given motion. Depending on the region, this can cause arthritic changes to the neck and back, it can wear through soft tissue structures like spinal discs, rotator cuff muscles, or lead to an increased incidence of tension headaches originating

The simplest recommendation is that you stand up at least once an hour and move around. Not only will this get your blood flowing but it will help to combat against creep– the gradual onset of muscle contracture with prolonged sitting. Following good ergonomics can be another important step as well as taking micro-breaks. One of the best known micro-breaks was widely popularized by Dr. Stuart McGill at Waterloo University. The brief exercise involves standing up, stretching the arms up over the head and briefly reaching one arm, and then the other arm, toward the ceiling.

Prolonged sitting and lack of movement reeks havoc with your posture and nervous system thus lowering your state of health.

FIDEL CHIROPRACTIC CENTER

Poor posture is the leading cause of neck pain!

When individuals consider neck pain, they generally associate it with careers in the hard labor industry such as construction or farm work. Although, those who sit in front of a computer often suffer from neck pain that is just as painful and, in some cases, debilitating. Individuals who perform office work on a daily basis often suffer from excruciating neck pain. Poor posture at the computer can cause neck pain! There are several steps these victims can take to combat this discomfort and work toward a healthier state.

The US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health has reported that about 46% of individuals suffer from neck pain associated with sitting at a desk, and nearly 20% of these complained of chronic pain issues. This takes its toll, not only on physical and mental conditions, but on the wallet as well. In some cases, it means missing days from work and therefore a decrease in pay each week. In other cases, individuals not only miss work, but also must seek medical attention effectively increasing their monthly of medications, prescriptions or over-the-counter, and/or herbal remedies.

Another measure they suggest is the traditional heat and ice therapy that is commonly used for children who participate in school sports. Ice should be applied to the area for the first 48 to 72 hours, followed by heat thereafter. Rest and relaxation is also strongly recommended. A day or two of simple rest can prevent a week or two of missing work. After some adequate rest, these professionals recommend slow range motion exercises. It is important to be cautious while performing these, or any type of exercises. Slow and methodical motions are best so as not to over use the afflicted muscles and prevent further damage with poor posture neck pain.

Chiropractic care is the most cost effective, holistic way to relieve neck pain. Gentle techniques can be used to work out the kinks and restore function. You will learn some basic posture correction to cure poor posture! Combining chiropractic care and physical therapy can be the fastest way to feel relief from poor posture and neck pain.

FIDEL CHIROPRACTIC CENTER

5 HELPFUL REMEDIES FOR Rheumatoid Arthritis

(Aside from getting adjusted and physical therapy)

ICE MASSAGE. Simply rubbing an ice cube or a paper cup of frozen water in small circles over a painful area reduces swelling, slows pain signals and inhibits the production of inflammatory chemicals. The American College of Rheumatology recommends doing it 5 to 10 minutes several times a day.

FISH. The omega-3 fatty acids in some fish reduce inflammation by halting the production of pro-inflammatory enzymes – and they can ease pain, too. The best sources include salmon, sardines, herring and tuna. Eat several servings per week.

WALKING. Few therapies can match walking for reducing pain and stiffness, building muscles around the joints and improving flexibility. Start as slowly as you need to, and work up to 30 minutes a day.

GREEN TEA. Studies show a potent antioxidant in green tea called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) blocks the production of molecules that cause joint damage in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To reap the health benefits, drink two or three cups of green tea a day, researchers suggest.

PROBIOTICS. In studies, certain strains of probiotic bacteria – “good” bacteria found in some foods, such as yogurt – significantly reduced pain and disability in people with RA. Though research is still preliminary, try eating yogurt every day for two or three months to see if it’s effective for you.

Call, if you have any questions:

410-484-5642

410-358-0060

Dr. Ilene Fidel