Heartburn is that not so fun sensation felt in the upper chest that is a burning or gnawing type pain. If you experience heartburn I am sure you are already saying to yourself that heartburn is your worst enemy… well look no further because here is some reasoning behind what causes heartburn especially during pregnancy and how to help diminish the symptoms!! 
 
How to know if you might be experiencing heartburn 
Here are just a few symptoms you might feel if you have heartburn 

• Feeling warmth or heat in chest 
• Burning sensation in your chest 
• Bitter or acidic taste in mouth 
• Pain that is worse when lying down 

​The hormone progesterone which has high secretions during pregnancy to support baby and all processes in the body happening during pregnancy can have an effect on the sphincter in your esophagus (throat). The hormone causes relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter who’s role in the body stops food from flowing in the wrong direct. However, if it cannot do its job as well because progesterone is telling it to relax, this causes heartburn and reflux because stomach content gets backed up into the esophagus. 

​Heartburn is most common to be experienced in the third trimester as baby is growing in the uterus. The growing uterus starts to put pressure on the stomach and the intestines causing stomach contents to push back up into the throat which causes reflux and heartburn. 

​Did you think I would leave out chiropractic… no way!! Chiropractic during pregnancy is completely safe and very beneficial. We are able to help you with digestion while working with the spine and nervous system to allow the parasympathetic nervous system to do its job!! Certain adjustments geared towards relaxing the diaphragm can help with the valves in your esophagus to help with reflux and heartburn. 

​Let’s first talk about the simple truth about grains… grains are an important source of nutrients like fiber, B vitamins, and minerals like magnesium, iron, and selenium. But now you’re going to laugh when I say but grains aren’t necessarily good for you. When I say this I mean certain types of grains which we will talk about later specifically refined grains. For now let’s talk positive and talk about what are the good grains out there!

​When thinking about your diet and it including grains you should think about what kind of grains you are going to fill a portion of your plate up with. You want the grains that have nutritional value and good health benefits like aiding in digestion, helping lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and helping with weight loss.  These healthier grains include grains that fall under the “Ancient or Heritage grain” category which are grains like quinoa, amaranth, barley, teff, millet, and sorghum.
 
The reasons why these are considered “good grains” is because they are grains that are not genetically modified or are unaltered in the planting and growing process. These grains are not only high in minerals and vitamins, they are rich in omega-3's which is a healthy type of fat we want in our diets.
 
The real question it comes down to… does “good grains” mean that they are what should only be in your diet? NO. We love to say the phrase “moderation is key,” this fits this topic… we don’t want to fill our diet with all grains because there are other foods that are rich in vitamins and necessary fats and minerals. This includes good fats like lean meats and fish as well as leafy green vegetables.
 
The reason behind the satisfaction of grains is that they expand once they hit the stomach which then gives you a feeling of fullness even though the body has not reached its adequate nutrient load so it is very important to have moderation with grains so you are able to optimally receive nutrients. 

We already know in life that if there is a classification of “good” there is also a classification of “bad” which leads us to talk about the grains that are not necessarily terrible for you but they just aren’t bursting with nutritional value. The most common ones to try and avoid are corn, rice, and wheat. You might think well those are all my favorite foods and that is because most processed foods are filled with these grains that add no nutritional value. The main thing we see today is that people who primarily eat these grains have issues with vitamin B12 deficiencies. 

Let’s first talk about what the Webster Technique is!! The technique is a way to check the bones, ligaments and muscles of the pelvis for any imbalances/restrictions. Since your ligaments are looser than normal, you can thank the hormone Relaxin for that, and you have a new life living and growing in your uterus, it can become a lot easier for your joints and muscles to go out of whack on you. This is why we use the Webster Technique on ALL of our pregnant mommas, whether you have low back pain, pubic pain, sciatica, and/or a mal-positioned baby which is a baby that is not head down. 

​The eustachian tubes in kiddos are more horizontally placed in the ear canal than adults (more vertical). This allows for things like bacteria and breast milk to get stuck in the canal and cause a bacterial infection called otitis media, a fancy name for middle ear infection. This is why if you have seen me in the office I always stress about how to correctly breastfeed/bottle feed a baby. It is important that we feed our babies at an angle so that there is a smaller chance for bacteria to get trapped and build up causing recurrent infections. However, anatomy can only explain one part of ear infections. 

Nutrition history is riddled with nonsense. People have been advised to do all sorts of strange things that challenge common sense. Some of these things are not only useless, but potentially harmful. The worst part...a lot of this misguided advice is still being pushed. Here are the top 5 contenders for the worst advice in history.

2. Everyone should eat a low fat, high-carb diet...even diabetics. Several studies have shown that low-fat diets can adversely affect some the key risk factors for metabolic syndrome and heart disease. 
3. A calorie is a calorie, food quality is less important. Eating a high protein diet can boost metabolism by 80-100 calories per day and healthier foods have varying effects on feelings of fullness so it takes less good foods to appease your hunger than junk foods, or those 100-calorie snack packs. 

For more information visit: 
eatlocalgrown.com/article/12863-the-worst-nutrition-advice-in-history-here-s-top-5-contenders.html?c=cure

We see it everywhere we look around today, somebody on their phone, and not talking, but looking down on it because their either texting, or maybe chasing after a pokemon or some other creature. In today's society it seems like everyone has a phone glued to them and are constantly looking down at some kind of screen. So it's no wonder more and more people are experiencing shoulder and neck pain and maybe even headaches. As Family Wellness Chiropractors, your family's overall health and wellness is our biggest priority. If you are using your cell phone or tablet a lot then be sure to consider the following information. 

An adult head weighs between 10-12 pounds in the neutral position. As the head tilts forward the orces seen by the neck surges to 27 pounds at 15 degrees, 40 pounds at 30 degrees, 49 pounds at 45 degrees, and 60 pounds at 60 degrees. These changes are what actually causes Forward Head Posture of "text neck". 

Many times, it's just not logical to put your phone or tablet down until your finished with it, so taking breaks is vital. 

Stand up or change positions every 15-20 minutes to reduce neck and shoulder muscle fatigue. This can include just looking up and stretching your neck. Just as looking down for long periods of time is all about repetitive stress to the cervical spine, looking up and stretching in the opposite direction may relieve the pressure on the neck/spine. 

If All Else Fails
Prolonged texting with your neck craned forward, without taking a break, may cause irritated nerves and, over time, disc degeneration, headaches, and other problems. If you are in pain after using your cell phone or tablet for prolonged periods of time, then be sure to get in and see your chiropractor. Pain in the cervical spine or shoulders may be an indication that there is some form of cervical spine issue brought on by repetitive stress syndrome leading to spinal misalignments.