Do you have Back Pain?

Eating For Success

DON’T SKIP MEALS: Make sure you eat all six meals each day to keep your body well-nourished and your metabolic rate high. That’s how you’ll burn calories.

EAT EVERY TWO TO THREE HOURS: Eating on a regular basis will keep you feeling full and help you lose weight/maintain a healthy weight.

EAT SLOWLY: Spend at least 15 minutes eating each whole-food meal; eat snacks and drink your meal replacement shake as slowly as possible.

DRINK WATER: Drink at least eight cups (64 ounces) of water every day.

A healthy body starts with a healthy weight. When you incorporate a healthy meal plan into your daily routine, you’re taking an important step toward long-term health and wellness while losing those extra pounds your body doesn’t need and you certainly don’t want. With each pound you lose, your confidence will grow. Good luck! Talk to your doctor for more information.

Source: Donald L. Hayes, DC

Rules For Success

You will never achieve anything great in life until you start believing that something inside you is bigger than the circumstances you face.

You can become great by making a decision to pursue your dream in life and refusing to quit.

Every success you’ve ever had or will ever have is the product of your courage to act and the courage to endure.

Success is not about how much talent you have. It’s about what you do with the talent you do have.

Successful people love the battle, the challenge and the journey. It’s about knowing that you did your best.

You’ll always go further with the help of a coach or mentor.

If you do whatever it takes for however long it takes, success is only a matter of time.

Source: Ruben Gonzalez

6 Tips For A Successful Parent Conference

Whether in elementary, middle or high school, parent conferences can be emotional

1. BRING YOUR STUDENT WITH YOU so everyone hears the same message.

This way, the information cannot be misconstrued or misinterpreted.

2. WRITE DOWN YOUR CONCERNS in order of importance the night before.

It helps if you and your student can talk together about what is going on before meeting with the teacher instead of walking in cold.

3. BE READY to listen.

If you are ready to listen along with your student, all concerned can negotiate a plan to follow at home.

4. GIVE YOUR CHILD some credit!

He might surprise you by describing his own needs or understanding of the situation at hand. Remember that your child must learn how to work through difficult circumstances on his own, and it is your role as parent to guide him in doing this.

5. THE FACT IS YOUR CHILD is one of several students that the teacher sees during the school day.

In middle and high schools, classes may be as high as 35 students.

6. KNOW YOUR STUDENT IS accountable for assignments.

It is crucial that your child know what assignment or test is due on what date.

Now this sounds like the teacher is in complete control of the parent conference and that the parent and student are helpless victims of the institution. Not at all. When you walk out of a parent conference, there should be a concrete plan.

Source: Karyn Rashoff, High School Counselor

Key Hormones: What They Are, What They Do and What Happens When They’re Unbalanced Part 2

Thyroid

WHAT IT DOES: A group of three hormones produced by the thyroid gland control metabolism (conversion of oxygen and calories to energy), a critical function in the human body.

WHEN UNBALANCED: Fatigue, apathy, short-term memory problems, depression, and in extreme cases, hallucinations.

Insulin

WHAT IT DOES: Regulates blood glucose (sugar) levels.

WHEN UNBALANCED: Cells cannot absorb glucose molecules well when insulin is too low or when there is resistance to insulin. Without treatment, effects on the body are catastrophic.

Adrenaline

WHAT IT DOES: Increases blood flow and heart activity, making the body ready for extra exertion and energy.

WHEN UNBALANCED: Often caused by undue stress, high adrenaline levels result in anxiety attacks, chronic fatigue syndrome, weight disorders, fibromyalgia, arthritis, and shortness of breath.

Cortisol

WHAT IT DOES: Helps regulate blood pressure and cardiovascular function, as well as the body’s use of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

WHEN UNBALANCED: Stress can cause high cortisol levels, which can lead to high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and lowered libido.

Source: To Your Health

Key Hormones: What They Are, What They Do and What Happens When They’re Unbalanced Part 1

Estrogen

WHAT IT DOES: Responsible for female characteristics and sexual functions. Also present in men, but at much lower levels.

WHEN UNBALANCED: Low estrogen levels are the primary culprit in hot flashes, night sweating, dryness, loss of sex drive, and mood swings associated with menopause. Low levels can also increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and bone fractures.

Progesterone

WHAT IT DOES: Important for ovulation and menstruation.

WHEN UNBALANCED: Low progesterone levels can lead to insomnia, foggy thinking, mood changes, joint and muscle pain, and weight gain.

Testosterone

WHAT IT DOES: Responsible for male characteristics and sex drive. Also found in low levels in women.

WHEN UNBALANCED: Lower sex drive, decreased muscle mass, increased risk of heart disease. Lethargy and weight gain can also accompany low levels.

Source: To Your Health

Staying balanced… in unbalanced times

These are certainly turbulent times. With less available work, lower pay, bills, demands of children and family, it is harder than ever to maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle. If you’re like most people, you are working longer hours and are busier than ever, so it’s important not to overlook your personal health. Here are some tips to maintain balance:

Be sure to eat well.

A good guideline is: “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” A bad diet interferes with sleep and promotes weight gain.

Don’t stop exercising.

We all have the same 24 hours each day, so you have to prioritize time to take care of yourself. It doesn’t have to be a big block of time, even walking 15 minutes twice daily will greatly help. Everything counts. Get a pedometer and try to do 10,000 steps daily.

Make time for family and relationships.

Schedule a date with your spouse or significant other at least weekly. Tons of things to see and do in Orange County are practically free.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

If your life feels out of control, talk to a friend, a pastor, physician, or therapist. If you have serious anxiety or depression symptoms, don’t ignore them.

Source: Kevin M. Kinback, M.D.

“Learning from Old Men and Starfish… and Chiropractic” Wisdom and chiropractic works for all, if we give it a chance.

Dear Friend,

What a story. It’s a story that I heard long ago that I should tell you about, too. It may help change a life.

At the first glimmer of light of dawn, a young man walked at the edge of the seashore. There had been a storm the night before, and he knew this would be a good morning to find seashells. With pants rolled up above his ankles, he walked along looking down for what treasures he might find.

Then the young man looked up and could barely make out a figure of a very old man ahead of him. The young man watched as the old man bent down to pick up an object from the sand, and toss it into the surf. As he got closer, and the light of morning began to turn the sand pink, he noticed that the old man was picking up starfish that had been tossed up on the beach by the storm. There were thousands of them, but one by one the old man picked them up, and tossed them back into the surf.

Nearing the old man the young man introduced himself, and said, “Excuse me, but there are thousands of starfish stranded here on the beach. You can’t possibly make a difference?”

The old man smiled and looked at him, then picked up another starfish. He tossed it back in the sea. “I certainly made a difference to that one, didn’t I, son?”

It’s strange how life is, because now people come to see me with their carpal tunnel syndrome problems. Also they come to me with their headaches, migraines, chronic pain, neck pain, shoulder/arm pain, whiplash from car accidents, backaches, ear infections, asthma, allergies, numbness in limbs, athletic injuries, just to name a few.

There are millions of people who suffer from health problems, and many do not know where they can turn. For over one hundred years, chiropractors have been helping those people and making a difference to them, one by one.

You should know that I don’t heal anyone of anything. What I do is perform a specific spinal adjustment to remove nerve pressure, and the body responds byhealing itself. We get tremendous results. It’s as simple as that!

Forty-eight million Americans no longer have health insurance, and those who do have found that their benefits are reduced. That’s where my chiropractic comes in. I have a significantly lower exam fee plan so that more people are able to afford the care they need. Another way to save… studies show that chiropractic may double your immune capacity, naturally and without drugs. The immune system fights colds, the flu, and other sicknesses. So you may not be running off to the M.D. as much. Studies show that many people actually pay less for their health care expenses if they are seeing a chiropractor.

My assistants Sue and Candice are really great people. Our office is both friendly and warm and we try our best to make you feel at home. We have a wonderful service, at an exceptional fee. Contact me through this blog. We can help you. Thank you.

Bob Moulas, D.C.

Keep the Kids Safe Part 2

An Easy Way to Reduce Injury Risk

Focus on Prevention.

Whether providing prevention education, structural adjustments or ancillary care, your chiropractor has a role to play with young athletes. Chiropractors will typically take more time to assess the injury site, provide appropriate care, and most importantly, recommend/teach how to prevent future injuries. Chiropractors can provide extremity adjusting, stretching and rehabilitation, and even recommend nutritional protocols to help performance and injury recovery.

The larger role the chiropractor can play involves developing a schedule of care for your child that’s not pain – or relief-based only. Your child will definitely benefit from regular spinal and extremity examinations and screenings. Rather then waiting for an injury to take place, why not introduce your young athlete to a proven prevention model that will keep them pain-free and in the game? After all, that’s what it’s all about: keeping them safe and able to participate in the activities they most enjoy.

Source: Claudia Anrig, DC

Keep the Kids Safe Part I

An Easy Way to Reduce Injury Risk

Teach your child to listen to their pain.

Athletes, whether professional or in grade school, place a tremendous amount of stress on their bodies. The running, jumping, tackling and falling that is a fairly frequent part of many competitive sports tend to result in sprains, strains and chronic injuries. These injuries can sideline an athlete and cause considerable pain, typically for only days, but sometimes for months or even longer.

The concept of pain should be taught to children as an important warning signal from the body that something is wrong and should be checked out. Taking prescription or over-the-counter pain relievers essentially masks the warning signal, which means children will tend to overextend themselves, resulting in a worsening of the underlying problem. This is why forward-thinking coaches, athletes and doctors (and parents) have come to realize that painkillers are not the answer. Painkillers merely cover up the pain and deceive the athlete into believing that they can do more than they actually should.

Source: Claudia Anrig, DC

DANGER ZONE Is Your Workspace Putting You at Risk for Injury?

More than 90 percent of office workers use a personal computer, but whether they use it correctly is debatable. By “correctly,” I’m not referring to whether they know how to troubleshoot error messages or prevent e-mail viruses from attacking. I’m talking about having your computer monitor, keyboard, chair and workspace organized in a way that promotes pain-free work and discourages repetitive-stress and ergonomic-related injuries.

· Adjust Your Keyboard Height

When you are in a seated position and sitting up straight, the position of the keyboard should be at the height of your elbows or below. Most people will sit with a keyboard height approximately level with their abdomen. This forces the shoulders to remain in an elevated or shrugged position.

· Adjust Your Monitor Height

Another common problem is the height of your monitor. The top of your monitor should be at the level of your eyebrows or top of your head.

· Adjust Your Chair Height and Sitting Position

Attempt to maintain flat-footed placement on the floor to help with overall balance while sitting. Your objective is to maintain proper posture while sitting by allowing as much contact between your body and the chair.

· Small Changes, Big Benefits

It may seem like an oversimplification, but learning to sit up straight, suck in your stomach, and keep your keyboard at the level of your elbows and below, and your monitor at the proper level, are easy ways to minimize your risk of chronic and repetitive-stress injuries at the workplace.

Source: David Ryan, BS, DC

Misc. Chiropractic Trivia Part 1

As a chiropractor, I am asked a lot of the same questions. I assume that the general public may need a bit of help on some health issues?

Question 1: Should I use hot or cold packs on my body?

Answer: New injuries i.e. sprained ankle, etc. should be treated with ice for 20 minutes every 2-3 hours. Overall if your body feels tight, heat can be used for 20-30 minutes as needed. If you are in pain and have inflammation, ice the area 20 minutes every 2-3 hours.

If in doubt, always consult a professional in the health field.

Dr. Bob Moulas

8 tips to make TRAVELING FUN

1. Allow your family to help plan the trip.
This can be fun for everyone.

2. Have an itinerary.
It can help you stay organized.

3. Bring easy to carry snacks or transportable picnic lunch.
Bringing snacks and drinks can keep pit stops to a minimum.

4. Organize your bags ahead of time.
Packing the night before the trip will help you to remember what you need.

5. Bring activities for long road trips or flights.
Puzzles, magazines, coloring books, and/or a CD or DVD player can help ease the tension of a long trip.

6. Stop along the way.
Take some time to see sites and capture the memories.

7. Expect the unexpected.
Being prepared for road blocks, will prevent unforeseen events from spoiling your fun.

8. Bring a camera and don’t forget the charger.
If you don’t have one, you can purchase a disposable one at the nearest grocery or convenience store.

Source: OC Health

What to know before boarding a plane.

1. What can I do about jet lag?

Get plenty of sleep before you leave, don’t drink a lot of alcohol, eat well-balanced meals, avoid overeating, exercise as much as you can on your trip, use sleep medicines for only a few days.

2. How to ease pain in my ears?

If your ears hurt when you fly, try taking a decongestant medicine (such as pseudoephedrine) before you get on the plane. You can also swallow often and chew gum during the flight. Babies can suck on bottles or a pacifier during the flight.

3. What else should I do?

Even healthy people can get blood clots in their legs after long flights. Try to walk every now and then during your flight. It’s dangerous to fly immediately after scuba diving. You’ll need to wait 12 to 24 hours after diving. Ask your doctor or diving authorities for guidelines on flying after scuba diving.

4. While you’re traveling try to avoid taking overcrowded transportation. Try not to ride in vehicles without safety belts. Wear a helmet if you’ll be riding a motorcycle. Try to avoid driving at night or in unfamiliar areas without local help and directions.

Source: OC Health

Orange County Chiropractor Speaks Out

Chiropractic is a great natural way to relieve many pains in the body. The spine is the lifeline of the body, and the nervous system controls all bodily functions.

Chiropractic care may help people get off addicting pain managing drugs, so they can move on and lead a happy, healthy, and pain-free life.

Many of my patients have tried all traditional therapies that include: epidural injections, physical therapy, traction, and finally unsuccessful back surgery.

Chiropractic treatments may be the solution you have been seeking to eliminate your ongoing, chronic pains.

Dr. Moulas

Metabolism Booster # 5 Consistent Exercise

At present, exercise is the closest thing to an anti-aging pill that exists. Just 30 minutes of exercise each day can reduce a person’s risk of developing heart disease by up to 50 percent, according to the World Health Organization. And research has shown that three 10-minute bursts of activity are just a beneficial as one long session, so the recommended daily exercise quota could be achieved simply by taking a few short walks during the day, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or parking your car a few minutes from school and walking to pick up your kids. According to the WHO, such simple measures to incorporate 30 minutes of exercise into our daily life could halve our risk of developing chronic inactivity-related disease such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Source: To Your Health

Metabolism Booster # 4 The Right Nutrition

Potassium is important for intracellular chemical reactions and regulates the transfer of nutrients to the cells. Potassium is required for proper carbohydrate metabolism. Severe potassium deficiency can lead to a heart attack. Studies have found that potassium can reduce high blood pressure and help to prevent heart attacks. Potassium supplementation also may help prevent type 2 diabetes in people taking thiazide diuretics. Research published last year suggests depleted blood potassium levels may explain why people prescribed diuretics for the treatment of high blood pressure run an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Always discuss dosing with your doctor before taking potassium or any other supplement, particularly if you currently take any medication for a pre-existing health condition.

Source: Ronald Klatz, MD, and Robert Goldman, MD

Metabolism Booster # 3 The Right Nutrition

Magnesium is essential for life, as it plays a major role in the metabolism of glucose. It is also used in the production of cellular energy and to create protein. In addition, magnesium may help to protect against cardiovascular disease. Epidemiological studies have found that eating a diet low in minerals, specifically calcium, potassium, and magnesium, is associated with hypertension (high blood pressure). Studies have also shown that people with diabetes tend to have low magnesium levels. In one study, middle-aged people with the lowest serum magnesium levels were twice as likely as those with the highest levels to develop type 2 diabetes.

Source: Ronald Klatz, MD, and Robert Goldman, MD

Metabolism Booster # 2 The Right Nutrition

Green tea: Unlike black and oolong tea, green tea (Camellia sinensis) is not fermented, which means the active ingredients remain unaltered in the herb. Green tea increases fat metabolism and helps to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels. A study involving overweight and obese people found that drinking a beverage containing 625 mg of green tea catechins enhanced exercise – induced weight loss – particularly in the abdominal area – and reduced fasting serum triglyceride levels. A study of green tea and weight loss in obese Thai men found the compound increases energy expenditure and fat oxidation.

Green tea is also thought to prevent cardiovascular disease by way of lowering cholesterol levels, inhibiting LDL cholesterol oxidation, and reducing the tendency of blood platelets to stick together. It also is a potent antioxidant. Green tea compounds not only directly scavenge free radicals, but also enhance the effectiveness of the body’s natural antioxidant systems.

Source: Ronald Klatz, MD, and Robert Goldman, MD

Metabolism Booster # 1 The Right Nutrition

Chromium is an essential trace mineral that helps the body to make glucose available for energy and to maintain normal blood sugar levels. It is also important for the metabolism of amino acids and fats. People ages 55 and older who exercise regularly are at risk of deficiency and therefore may benefit from taking supplementary chromium.

Chromium is widely believed to be useful in the treatment of diabetes. Chromium also may lower the risk of heart disease. People with higher blood levels of chromium are at lower risk of developing heart disease, and chromium may also lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, while also raising levels of HDL cholesterol.

Source: Ronald Klatz,MD, and Robert Goldman, MD

Stronger knees Chondroitin helps treat knee osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is estimated to affect 20 million people and may double over the next 10 years. A promising treatment therapy is supplementation with chondroitin sulfate, a natural compound found in healthy cartilage.

Although short-term trials look promising, few long-term studies have been published. A group of international researchers participated in a massive study examining the effects of long-term supplementation with chondroitin sulfate on structural and symptomatic changes in people with knee osteoarthritis. A total of 622 patients with knee osteoarthritis randomly took chondroitin sulfate (800 mg per day) or placebo for two years.

The chondroitin group showed significantly less joint space narrowing, a sign that supplementation slowed the progression of the disease. The chondroitin group also responded to treatment faster as shown by lower rating of pain. There were also no differences in side effects between supplementation and placebo.

The significant improvement in structural changes associated with chondroitin as well as reduced pain provides strong evidence for this therapy as a method to slow the progression of knee osteoarthritis.

Source: Arthritis Rheumatism

Gout in men Vitamin C lowers risk and may prevent gout

Gout is a type of arthritis that occurs when excess uric acid – a natural compound in the body – builds up in the blood. In a 20-year study of about 47,000 men, those who consumed over 1,500 mg of vitamin C per day from all sources were nearly half as likely to have gout as were men who got less than 250 mg per day.

In gout, excess uric acid forms sharp, needle-like crystalline deposits in the joints, causing inflammation and pain. Doctors believe vitamin C may help the kidneys excrete excess uric acid and may keep excess uric acid from forming.

Source: Archives of Internal Medicine

YOUR BRAIN – A Human Computer

The human brain has the potential to be faster and store more information than any computer ever developed. Unfortunately, we have only learned to use a tiny percentage of our brain’s capacity. Even so, your brain receives and interprets thousands of signals from every nerve in your body during every second of the day. The largest part of the brain, the cerebrum, relays messages from the sensory organs, such as the nose, eyes, ears, tongue and skin, to the various parts of your body. Certain areas of the cerebrum are responsible for specific functions, such as memory, reading comprehension, physical movement and so on. Another part of the brain, the medulla oblongata, controls automatic processes like breathing and keeping your heart beating. The cerebellum, is responsible for balance and motor coordination.

Your brain is connected to all parts of the body. The tail of the brain – the spinal cord emerges through an opening in the skull called the Foramen Magnum (a large hole). The spinal cord goes through the twenty-four bony rings or vertebrae and the spinal nerves branch out from the various vertebrae to carry information to and from every part of the body. As stated before, when the nerves are impeded because the vertebrae are out of alignment, the result is a lack of normal function.

Source: Chiropractic First

Dr. Harry Llwewllyn’s Experience

I was reading when I first felt a dull ache in my lower back. The ache continued on and off for days. I knew that a car accident in my childhood had caused a severe lordosis or abnormal inward curvature of the lumbar vertebrae, but the injury had never affected me until now. Being a medical doctor, I followed the typical route of back x-rays and orthopedic surgeons. I was told I could avoid lying down on my back, tolerate the pain or try surgery. Not one of these answers appealed to me.

My brother-in-law advised me to visit a chiropractor. After a month of adjustments, I could read without any back pain. After five months of adjustments, I drove 18 hours back to New Jersey without any back pain. Until then, my limit in a car was 30 minutes.

Source: Chiropractic First

A Chiropractic Patient Testimonial

My name is Steve T. and the major problem I had was vertigo and nausea.

I went to the movies and had a bad episode of dizziness for the next few days. I was very dizzy anytime I looked up. I went to a regular doctor and he gave me pills that did not work, only made me dizzier.

My friends referred me to a chiropractor. I came and saw Dr. Moulas and had only one visit, and I never had the dizziness again. He is a miracle worker! Dr. Moulas is great!

STRESS FRACTURE SYNOPSIS

How Stress Fractures Develop

1. Casual event

2. Pain after exercise only and relieved by short rest

3. Pain tolerable during exercise but more marked after exertion and relieved by longer rest

4. Pain intolerable during and after exercise and partially relieved by long rest

5. Constant pain not relieved by rest

Signs of Stress Fractures

1. Point tenderness of bone (except well-shielded femur)

2. Soft-tissue swelling

3. Palpation of callus (with time)

4. Alteration of gait

5. Muscular atrophy, especially anterior tibial and gastrocnemius-soleus groups

6. Full and painless range of motion of adjacent joints

7. Painless resisted active movement of joint

Treatment of Stress Fractures

1. Rest from running

2. Relieve symptomatic inflammation with ice and anti-inflammatory agent

3. Maintain strength (especially foot dorsum and plantar flexors)

4. Maintain cardiovascular fitness with swimming and/or biking

5. Orthotics tailored to need

6. When asymptomatic, gradually reintroduce running

Source: The Physician and Sportsmedicine

Does Coffee Improve Your Performance?

Marathon racers, bicycle racers, cross country skiers, and other endurance athletes may benefit from the caffeine in coffee. The studies by David Costill, an exercise physiologist at Ball State University, indicated that trained cyclists worked 7 percent harder in two hours of cycling when they were given caffeine. In a second test they had 19 percent more endurance.

Caffeine’s stimulant effect is not responsible for increasing your endurance. Rather, caffeine lessens the amount of glycogen burned by the muscles. It stimulates the release of fats from the tissues into the bloodstream. When more fats are available, the muscles burn them in preference to the glycogen. This spares the glycogen stores, and the muscles are able to work longer.

Caffeine overdose is common with athletes who drink three to four cups of strong coffee. Two cups does the trick. The suggested dose is about one and a half to two milligrams per pound. A 150-pound runner may benefit from 300 milligrams of caffeine, the amount in two average cups of coffee.

Source: Sports Health