My Technology Runs Well, but my Body Needs an Upgrade.

Somewhere along the line technology transformed from tool to necessity. In some cases it has climbed to the top of the food chain highjacking our reward centers and demanding outright priority. I've seen the toll that it can take on the spine when left unchecked over a continued duration.

Technology feels like an extension of one's self. I wondered "do I have a technology obsession?" I definitely have my moments, but overall I have a healthy relationship. It did get me thinking. As a society we upgrade our cameras, computers, phones and other electronics with each improvement or killer feature. We cringe and pushdown anxiety when our computer's speed wanes or wifi signals are poor. If we're not careful we'll check our social media more times than not. We've all experienced the phantom pocket vibration (right or am I alone), yet many people struggle to perform a legitimate body weight squat. Moreover, studies show that out every 100 employees:

• 29 have obesity
• 21 have hypertension
• 17 have high cholestrol
• 9 have high blood glucose (this seems low to me)

As our tech acumen rises our necks stiffen (without intervention). We rely on our laptops at the cost of our spines and hips. Some have said that technology allows us to experience a sort of increased acceleration towards certain aspects of our lives that can come easy and it becomes obsessive.

What would change if we looked at our physical and mental health with the same enthusiasm for which we regard our technology? Better technology has a way about it. It's always upending its predecessor. However, our physical body seems to be on a path of deconditioning without investing time and energy to care for it. Believe it or not, overall health can improve, if not maintain as we age.

Inherently, people understand that we need to eat less, move more, and choose a healthy lifestyle. Which brings me back to this idea of an upgrade. Perhaps if we start to think about our health differently (as a tool or an asset) we can rework the approach and redefine expectations. A healthy high functioning body may be the best upgrade of all.

An Ounce of Spinecare

An Ounce of Spinecare

From my perspective, I think it's fair to infer that the general population's understanding of chiropractic is steeped in misinformation and ludicrous youtube videos.

However the chance to better educate, improve utilization, and delivery quality care doesn’t always propel chiropractors forward.

Definition by its opposite

Chiropractic is not roller tables, tens machines, kinesio tape and 5 minutes of popping with the doctor. It's not meant exclusively for infants, kids, adults, or geriatrics. While there are treatment protocols - chiropractic is not a one-sized fits all approach. In my opinion it’s not a room with five tables where five different patients receive the same five adjustments. When performed in line with a proper assessment and true to biomechanical concepts the risks associated with chiropractic care are very small.

So what is chiropractic

It is a health platform tasked primarily with holistic spine care, but responsible for integrative or coordinated care (in-house and referring out) that includes physiotherapy, massage, nutrition, mental health and other holistic constructs. At its core chiropractic is about assessing the spine and providing adjustments to decrease pain, increase function and facilitate the body’s capacity to heal.

Chiropractic may be medically necessary for infants exposed to birth trauma. You might be surprised to learn that the force used to adjust babies is comparable to the force one would use to check the ripeness of a tomato. I once had a parent ask me if it’s too soon to treat her son as he was only 16 years old. I was not that surprised because she had no prior experience with chiropractic. Kids, especially those participating in gymnastics, dance, marital arts, and all of the traditional sports (i.e. lacrosse, football, baseball, basketball, etc.) can reap the benefits of identifying an injury prior to pain,  quicker healing and injury prevention (both acute injuries and wear and tear from repetitive stress).

Most people do not think about the mobility of their spine or joints such as the hip or ankle. Spinal degeneration has become so common (due to our lifestyles -there are outlier circumstances) that your orthopedist or radiologist will refer to it as normal aging. In many ways chiropractic care is a way to realign and remove abnormal stress placed on the joints, muscle and neural tissues.

Should everyone see a chiropractor

Chiropractic comes at a cost that is both financial and psychological. The former mainly due to poor insurance reimbursement and the latter because most outcomes require some degree of patient accountability.  The cost leads to a large majority of patients accessing chiropractic care as a means to resolve pain. Pain truly is the great motivator and presents differently for each individual.

Pain can be simple or complex. It can be multifaceted and may involve the following components:

• neurovascular
• psychological
• neurological
• muscular
• mechanical

Here are 3 different scenarios and how chiropractic care could be used to correct the problem and prevent future injury.

Hip pain

A 45 year old female patient complains of intractable hip pain for the last 5 months. She believes that it began after a session of interval training with her personal trainer. The pain is sharp and she notes that now she has some numbness along the lateral portion of her thigh.

The pain makes it difficult to sleep. A thorough exam reveals that she has a rotated sacrum on the same side that she is having hip pain. In this case the patient was adjusted, underwent soft tissue release, and was prescribed a few exercises. The pain resolved after the first visit and has not returned over the course of 4 months. 

Wondering what is a "sacrum"

Sacrum in in Red

Upper back pain

A 37 year-old mother of 2 complains of pain where her neck and shoulder meet. At times the pain radiates up into the neck and down between the shoulder blades. Picking up her 2 year old gives a burning feeling and rotating her head to the left has become painful and more difficult. During our history taking she notes that she sprained her left rotator cuff while in high school (volleyball injury). We found a misalignment in her thoracic spine (T2) and a misaligned scapula on the left side. Both areas were adjusted and the patient had immediate relief (90 %) improvement. Over the course of 2 additional treatments the patient regained full range of motion in her neck and was free of pain. 

Picture of the thoracic vertebrae.

Jaw and shoulder pain

A 14 year old male lacrosse player complains of jaw pain and associated neck and upper trapezius pain. During a game he was kneed in the jaw. He was able to turn his head to the right, but only about 60 % compared to rotation to the left. Evaluation of his neck and upper back  revealed a misalignment of the first cervical vertebra. Once this bone was adjusted the patient regained full ROM and a decrease in pain of 50-75%. Moreover, if this patient had not addressed the misalignment in his neck there is a possibility that the abnormal alignment can lead to a handful of symptoms and changes in postural control down the line.

First cervical vertebra (green) aka "atlas"

Summary

What’s the goal of chiropractic?

Zero in on the primary cause of pain and implement a treatment plan so that it does not return. This is predicated on a proper evaluation of the spine and neuromuscular system. 

Who should see a chiropractor?

All ages infants to geriatrics

Athletes across a wide spectrum

Those with pain or those looking for a holistic wellness approach

If you have a spine it can be evaluated.

Why do I have pain and what should I do?

Start with the least invasive therapy first. If you have muscle and joint pain or headaches find a well-reviewed chiropractor and have them perform an evaluation. That information will help you make an educated decision and understand your options. (Disclaimer: pain related to cardiovascular problems, stroke, cancer, etc ay require emergency medicine or the immediate attention of a medical specialist.)

What sort of commitment should I expect if I undergo care?

By and large true health is becoming increasingly collaborative. You may be asked to return for several visits, undergo additional diagnostic tests and follow a tailored treatment plan. Corrective care exercise may be prescribed and you may be asked to make specific changes in your behavior i.e. postural control, activity levels, nutritional choices, etc.

Podcast

My interview with Mikhail Alfon: Taking Ownership of Your Health

A while back one of my patients invited me to do an interview for his podcast "A Day in the Life Podcast." He is the cofounder at Blue Light Media, OC native, and a leader in brand building. You can find Mikhail on Instagram @miqk or at on LinkedIn .

If you are an OC resident and enjoy hearing interviews from other professionals in your community here is the link to A Day in the Life on Itunes (feel free to subscribe).

Link to Interview

The Conscious Professional Series: Fernanda Mello

I had the pleasure of meeting with Fernanda Mello, a Health Coach (Institute for Integrative Nutrition) and Certified Specialist in Fitness Nutrition (ISSA) in Orange County. She is a business owner, traveler, surfer, jiu jitsu competitor, cook, photographer and abides by the tag line “healthy choices with real food” Trust me when I say that you need a mobile spine to be effective and injury proof while training Brazilian jiu jitsu.

As a non-native orange county resident, it never ceases to amaze me the quality and number of health conscious professionals in our OC community. I'm finding that the area is rich with those seeking and helping others live a healthier lifestyle. 

From what I can tell Fernanda has a unique approach and wisdom when it comes to health. Even more she brings passion to her work, with emphasis on awareness and smart dietary solutions.

Check out her answers from our min-interview.

At what point did you decide to prioritize your own nutrition? 

I decided to prioritize my own nutrition around the time that I finished my bachelor's degree . However, I began to fully understand the power of nutrition when I started to cook all my meals and this happened when I moved to California, 5 years ago. 

You have a great list of principles that guide your overall philosophy. Of the 8 principles which one do your clients grasp first and which can be more difficult to sustain? 

My clients are usually really good at getting active, not all of them can easily stick to an active schedule, but most of them can. I guess the most difficult thing to sustain is making their own meals at home, because people tend to overthink making food at home and end up eating out in restaurants too often. I try to teach my clients that they can create easy and healthy meals without being a chef! I help with grocery shopping guides, grocery shopping lists and some tips such as good brands, places to purchase such as local farmers markets and healthy food stores.

If I’m not mistaken, you have experience recognizing and treating clients with Candida overgrowth? In your experience does a recent round of antibiotics set off your alarm? Or is there more to it and what can you share with people unfamiliar with this condition?

Yes I have experienced a lot of clients struggling with candida overgrowth and I believe it is a combination of both: use of excessive antibiotics and unbalanced lifestyle. Antibiotics kill not only disease-causing bacteria; they also kill beneficial bacteria that control our inner ecology. Friendly bacteria are so important to our immune system, ensure absorption of nutrients from the food we eat, help our mood, and many other heath benefits. Candida is a pathogenic yeast or fungus normally present in our inner and outer body, in small quantities along with good bacteria. The problem is when candida starts to thrive due to a high-sugar, low-nutrient, and low fiber diet. Fungus is an opportunist microorganism and they can spread fast if we don’t control them. A balanced diet and controlling stress can be a really successful and low invasive treatment to prevent candida.

It’s pretty clear that you practice what you preach in terms of life balance and activity. Is food the source of your activity levels or does getting out (surfing, jiu jitsu, yoga) act as a catalyst for eating healthier?

For sure!! Eating real food is always a good way to keep my energy levels steady, provide enough vitamins, mineral, and phytochemicals to help better recover results and performance! Eating natural food is also an amazing self-care practice and keep us more in tune with nature!

What sort of nutrition programs do you employ with your clients (duration, macros, elimination, etc.) 

I mostly encourage more real food consumption and minimize industrialized food. I focus on quality rather on quantity. It depends on people’s body type, energy levels, lifestyle, and regular schedule. I don’t focus only on what people eat, but how they manage their stress, self-care, etc.
I try to keep track of food intolerances or allergies as well, so sometimes elimination diet can be super helpful.

Okay, on a serious note. Favorite yoga pose and Jiu jitsu submission?

I love crow pose and child’s pose (amazing reset and resting pose)
Jiu Jitsu submission: cross collar choke. 

Finally, can you speak to what your ideal client looks like from a mutual fit perspective.

I believe that being healthy can have many definitions! It depends on each person and their lifestyle. But most importantly, being healthy is a constantly practice of self-care. Food plays a huge role in how we balance our inner ecology and overall energy levels, but it also important to balance other important aspects of life (physical activity, spirituality, personal relationships, work environment, increasing nature contact, and more). I love to see my clients having healthier choices, feeling more energized, sleeping better, having more energy, and loving themselves for what they are.