Chiropractic Care & Strokes
February 27, 2013
Strokes are one of the leading causes of death - Did you know?
Did you know that strokes are one of the leading causes of death among Americans? According to the Center for Disease Control, there are more than 700,000 people who suffer from a stroke each year. Among those 700,000, nearly 200,000 do not recover and the symptoms become fatal.
According to the National Stroke Association, strokes occur when a blood clot is blocking an artery or a blood vessel bursts interrupting blood flow to certain areas of the brain. When a stroke occurs, cells within the brain will begin to die and damage to the brain will occur. As with any neurological attack, the long-standing effects can be great. When brain cells die or become weakened the functions controlled by that portion of the brain also become diminished or completely eliminated. Common symptoms of strokes include loss of motor functions or partial paralysis to one part or one side of the body. Strokes are more commonly seen in individuals over the age of 65 but can happen at any age.
Over the past few decades, there have been controversies as to whether or not chiropractic care is safe for individuals that are at risk of strokes. Today we want to let you know that chiropractic care is not only safe but can be beneficial and valuable at any age. This misconception about chiropractic care comes from an idea that vertebral artery dissection caused strokes could have been a result of cervical adjustments of the neck.
This misconception is just that, a misconception. As chiropractors, we pay close attention to our patients, their behaviors, their symptoms and their medical histories including a history of drugs and medication, any physical traumas, possible diseases within the connective tissue and general activity within the nervous, cardiovascular and urinary systems. By paying close attention to these, we can evaluate sudden onsets and can determine the healthiest and safest method of treatment.
We do not claim to be a treatment or prevention method for strokes; we do, however, provide a safe and beneficial chiropractic care experience. Here at Rozenhart Family Chiropractic, we evaluate the needs of each client individually to ensure that the most positive experience is had by all. If you have any other questions concerning chiropractic care and conditions like strokes, we encourage you to contact us today. We are happy to help you understand chiropractic care and how to positively impact your life in the future.
Photo Credit: ConstructionDealMkting
Chiropractic Care & High Blood Pressure, Are They Connected?
February 20, 2013
Is your blood pressure high?
Did you know that according to the Center for Disease Control, one in three Americans have high blood pressure? This condition, also known as hypertension, costs nearly $100 billion in medical costs throughout America each year. Skyrocketing costs include the costs of medical care, prescriptions and time off of work, just to name a few.
With prescription medication being such a highly favorable method of treatment among many physicians, it can be somewhat difficult to find a method of treatment for high blood pressure that does not require or involve harsh chemicals or possibly damaging pills and medications.
Chiropractic care is a natural approach that embraces the body’s ability to heal itself through the connection between the neurological system and the rest of the body. The popularity of chiropractic care as a method of treatment for high blood pressure is rapidly increasing and it has been proven that regular chiropractic care can lower blood pressure better than these harsh drug and chemical treatments.
A study by the Journal of Human Hypertension proved this idea and showed that people who received regular adjustments in the upper neck region over the course of eight weeks saw an average drop of 17 points in systolic pressure and 10 points in diastolic pressure. These results were received completely free of all chemical and medication-based treatments and show the power of consistent chiropractic care and adjustments.
You may ask how? How can chiropractic care help correct a condition that is not directly related to the spine? To put it simply, high blood pressure (or even low blood pressure) can occur when the atlas vertebrae is misaligned within the spine. This misalignment can easily affect blood flow throughout the base of the neck. When this alignment is adjusted, blood flow and blood pressure is restored to normal.
Here at Rozenhart Family Chiropractic, we believe in a more natural and less drug-invasive method of relief for many common conditions including high blood pressure. If you or anyone you know is suffering from high blood pressure/hypertension, we highly encourage you to come visit us today. We love the opportunity to help our clients feel better in their everyday lives. See you soon!
Photo Credit: MeddyGarnet
Check Out “The Doctors” Today!
April 24, 2012
6 Stretches You Can Do at Your Desk
February 9, 2012
Photo Credit: eflon
Sitting at a desk all day in front of a computer can cause back and neck pain, tight hip flexors, weak gluteus muscles and hand and wrist pain. The best remedy is to get up and move around as often as possible. Instead of emailing or calling your colleague in the next office, get up and walk down the hall! Just standing up will reduce strain on your entire body. Even when you’re tied to your desk for long periods of time, simple stretches throughout the day will help relieve tension and ease discomfort. Here are a few to get you started:
- Hips. Put one foot 2’ in front of the other and drop your hips first to one side, then the other. This will stretch your hip flexors that get tight all day long as you sit.
- Shoulders, Chest. Look up at the ceiling and clasp your hands behind your back if possible. This will open up the front of your body if you’ve been hunched over your desk.
- Wrists. Holding both arms in front of you, grab the fingertips of one hand and gently pull back to stretch the wrist. Then bend your hand down and hold. Repeat with your other arm.
- Calves. Place the balls of your feet on the wall and lean forward to stretch your calves.
- Shoulders. Stretch your shoulders by raising one shoulder at a time to your ear, then rolling down and back. Do this 5- 10 times, then reverse.
- Neck. Drop your head forward, then to the side, then back, then to the other side, holding for a few seconds at each position.
Take your time! Hold all stretches for 15-30 seconds and don’t forget to stretch both sides. To learn more about making your work environment more ergonomically-friendly, call Kristina to set up a consultation at 408-979-9999.
Six Tips for Healthy Holiday Travel
December 1, 2011
Photo Credit: Vox Efx
The holidays are stressful enough – but you can double that stress when you throw holiday travel into the mix! Add that stress to the usual challenges to your immune system at this time of year and you have a recipe for illness. Luckily, we have a few tried-and-true tips to keep you feeling strong and well when you’re on the road this year so you can enjoy your holiday gatherings in good health!
- Stay well hydrated. Every cell in your body needs water to function at its best, but airports, planes and hotel rooms dry us out, so drink up! An added bonus: if you’re drinking enough water you’ll be up and going to the bathroom regularly, and our bodies love motion!
- Visualize positive family encounters! Stress about family time can have a negative impact on our health. Visualize things going well with family members and prepare yourself as best you can for those encounters.
- Get moving. Build in exercise whenever and wherever you can. Take a stroll through the airport on layovers, do some triceps dips while waiting to board or do some calf raises while waiting in line. And don’t forget to stretch!
- Bring healthy snacks. You know the food choices on the airplane will be limited at best (and full of fat and sodium), so pack your carry-on bag with fruit, nuts and veggies. They are all easy to pack and full of nutrients.
- Relieve neck strain. Try this easy stretch: bring one ear over to one shoulder, hold for 20 seconds. For a deeper stretch, bring that ear over and provide resistance from the opposite hand while bringing your head back to original position. Repeat 3 times on each side.
- Relieve back irritation. To avoid and relieve back stress, get up from your seat frequently and move around. There are no magical stretches to relieve hours of sitting, we must get up and move for our spines to be happy and healthy!
All of us at Rozenhart Family Chiropractic wish you safe, happy and healthy travels this holiday season!
Our Holiday Gift for You!!
November 25, 2011
Have you had a chance to enjoy a massage by our wonderful massage therapist Dionne? If not, what are you waiting for? As our holiday gift to you were are offering 30-40% off of 1 hour massages. You can’t beat that!
This offer expires December 23rd, so don’t wait. Purchase yours now!
You will receive 30% off for an hour of massage. That is $45.50 each for up to 4 massages. When you purchase 5 or more you receive 40% off!!! That makes each massage only $39!!!
These are transferable and make great gifts for the holidays! Let us know if you want us to mail you the certificates or if you would prefer to pick them up at the office.
The fine print:
Certificates expire June 23rd, 2012
Must be used at 4620-B Meridian Ave, San Jose, CA, 95124
May purchase a maximum of 10 certificates
Transferable
Stop Chasing Symptoms – They Can Hide the Real CAUSE
November 9, 2011
Photo Credit: Andreanna Moya Photography
Isn’t it time you stopped chasing symptoms? These signals that you get from your body are frequently misunderstood. More importantly, treating symptoms without getting to the cause of a problem can lead to mismanagement of your health and more severe health problems as you age.
When you get sick, for example, and your temperature goes up, your body is naturally fighting off the infection. Bacteria thrive in a climate that is 98.6 degrees so your body’s Innate Intelligence raises your temperature to help fight off the infection on its own. The symptoms of this elevated temperature can be muscle aches, fatigue, weakness and general malaise. At the first sign or symptom of a fever, many people will immediately panic and try to bring the temperature down with medication, treating the symptoms rather than letting the body do its job and heal itself.
The medications that are used to treat these symptoms can lead to side effects and even weaken the body’s natural immunity. In recent years, the overuse of antibiotics has created an epidemic of superbugs within individuals that are untreatable and pose a serious threat to our long term health.
The CDC states, “If antibiotics are used too often for things they can’t treat—like colds or other viral infections—they can stop working effectively. Antibiotic resistance has been a concern for years and is considered one of the world’s most critical public health threats. Widespread overuse and inappropriate use of antibiotics is fueling an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
In the U.S., antibiotic-resistant infections are responsible for $20 billion in excess healthcare costs, $35 billion in societal costs and $8 million in additional hospital days.”(1)
A report commissioned by the Canadian Coordinating Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance estimated that infections caused by antibiotic-resistant organisms increased direct hospital costs in Canada by $15-25 million annually(2).
Many experts say that it is better to give the body a chance to heal itself with rest and fluids along with chiropractic adjustments that remove pressure from the nervous system. Unless there is an extreme elevation in body temperature, and depending on other symptoms, allowing your body to heal itself naturally helps your immune system build the resistance it needs to keep you healthy and fight infections more effectively.
Consider the case for “referred pain.” This means you can feel a symptom in one part of your body while the cause or the origin of that pain is somewhere else. For example, very often the cause of arm, hand or finger pain is in the neck. Leg and foot pain will often originate from a problem in the back. Problems with the gallbladder will often refer pain to the spinal nerve roots in the middle part of the spine and vice versa.
Because chiropractic works to restore health and vitality to the nervous system, we are always amazed at how the entire body often becomes free of symptoms through our work with the spine. Since nerves control every cell, tissue and organ of your body, problems in the nervous system can cause or mimic nearly any and every symptom imaginable.
It is very common to hear our practice members say things like “I know I came because my neck hurt, and my allergies and headaches are gone too.” or “I didn’t even tell you about my menstrual cramping but since I’ve been getting adjusted, my cramps have been reduced dramatically.” or “I sleep so much better since beginning my care.”
The list goes on and on. Isn’t it time you stop chasing symptoms and get to the cause? You will enjoy a much healthier life when you do.
1 Centers for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/features/getsmartGet Smart: Know When Antibiotics Work: Dangers of Antibiotic Resistance
2 Birnbaum D, Canadian Committee on Antibiotic Resistance. Antimicrobial resistance: A deadly burden no country can afford to ignore. Can Commun Dis Rep. 2003 Sep 15;29(18):157-64.
Reprinted with permission from The Family Practice.
Find a Bra Your Back Will Love!
October 21, 2011
Photo Credit: How Can I Recycle This?
It is estimated that 80 percent of women are wearing the wrong size bra. What’s the big deal? It turns out that wearing the wrong size bra can contribute to poor posture, back and shoulder pain, neck pain and even headaches. An improperly-fitting bra can cause you to hunch your shoulders or carry too much weight on your upper back. For women who struggle with these issues, wearing the right size bra can make a world of difference!
How do you know you are wearing the wrong-size bra? One sign is if you feel better when you remove your bra. Here are a few other things to look out for:
- The straps fall off your shoulders or dig into your shoulders.
- The cups have gaps or wrinkles.
- The band rides up on your back, won’t lie flat in the center or cuts into your sides.
- Your breasts fall out of the bottom of the bra or spill over the top.
- The underwire pokes into your skin – ouch!
If you notice any of these problems, it’s a good idea to see a professional bra-fitter for some expert advice. Specialty shops often have a trained bra-fitter on staff; check with local department stores as well. Lingerie manufacturers vary, so once you know your proper size, try different brands and styles to see what works for you. Once you’ve found the right bra for your body, you’ll find that not only do you look better and feel more comfortable, but that any bra-related pain may disappear. That’s worth shopping for!
If you think an improperly-fitting bra might be contributing to your discomfort, talk to us about it at your next adjustment!
The Critical Transition Is Critical
October 7, 2011
Photo Credit: Diganta Talukdar
The Critical Transition is that period of time when an individual, you, makes the choice to become quality of life motivated versus Crisis Care motivated in the way you take care of your health. It is that critical time when you decide to get off the roller coaster ride of health, weight, or any other aspect of your life that is causing you suffering and change your priorities.
One example of the Critical Transition is commonly seen with people who are on the weight loss, weight gain rollercoaster ride. People who successfully reach their goal and then maintain their new healthy weight make the Critical Transition to have healthy eating be a part of their lifestyle. They make exercise a part of their lifestyle. This is their Critical Transition. They make their quality of life a priority and make healthy eating their new lifestyle.
People who are unsuccessful at getting off this rollercoaster go back to old bad habits which have the obvious consequence of gaining all the weight back. These people did not make the Critical Transition.
When it comes to the health of your spine and nervous system, the master control system of your body, people go through this Critical Transition by continuing with their care regardless of how they feel so their spine, nervous system and their body can regenerate.
Temporary relief is not enough for them and they shift their motivation from crisis to quality of life because they want to enjoy an active, healthy life today and every day of their life as they age.
People who do not make this Critical Transition often ride an unhealthy rollercoaster of pain and
sickness that is expensive, unpredictable and can lead to decades of unnecessary suffering. Too many people have to experience too many different crises before they get the wake up call that forces them to change. Don’t let this happen to you.
The Critical Transition is followed by Lifestyle Care which is a quality of life choice to utilize chiropractic care to keep your spine, nervous system and body functioning at its full potential. This is something that you should want.
Our aging parents’ and grandparents’ generation has taught us that you cannot afford to get sick and no matter what your age is, if you do not have your health, nothing else matters. The motto of that generation was, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This macho mentality was not sustainable for a quality long life. It was a philosophy that led to, for many of them, severe deterioration, pain and disease.
In our generation, where we know that we have the potential to live healthy lives to 80, 90, 100 years and beyond, we must redefine “broke” as being out of balance and make Lifestyle Care and quality of life health choices our priority.
Crisis Care is based on need. The Critical Transition and Lifestyle Care are based on want. Which will you choose? Every time you see a handicapped parking space, see an assisted living center, sit down to a holiday dinner with your extended family or hear about someone who is suffering from a health problem, think about the consequences of your choices.
Make this Critical Transition now. Want it for yourself and loved ones so that you can truly enjoy every day along the way to a sensational century.
Reprinted with permission from The Family Practice.
See Why Gloria Loves Rozenhart Family Chiropractic!
September 8, 2011
Thank You Silicon Valley
