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Grains.... Friend or Foe?

12/2/2019

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​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!

Good Grains 

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​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. 

​Now For the Negative, Not So Good Grains 

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. 

Bottom Line 

Check the labels of the foods you like to eat that include grains. You want to see foods that have labels with organic, meaning that the grains aren’t processed or are genetically modified. If you are wanting to avoid grains completely, stick to grass-fed beef, organic fruits and veggies, and healthy oils like coconut, avocado, and olive.  Stay away from processed foods in packages! One easy tip is to scan the  outside isles of the grocery store and stay away from the inner isles filled with packaged foods. 
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Author

Dr. Kayla McVay

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The Webster Technique... Why Is It Essential During Pregnancy?

11/5/2019

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​This blog post is for all the mamas out there to read about what all the talk is about the Webster Technique!! Look no further, this blog will explain all the ins and outs about your pelvis and sacrum during pregnancy, all the changes happening, and how chiropractic can help. 

What is The Webster Technique?

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. 

Why Should You Seek Out a Chiropractor

​By balancing the sacrum through a series of adjustments the sacrum and uterus can be in their optimal position and function properly. However, that’s not it, the round ligament that stretches as your uterus doubles and eventually triples in size may be tighter on one side, creating tension in your abdomen. But wait, there is more… there’s a small but mighty muscles called the psoas (near the groin) that can also be tight for which we as chiropractors can treat!

The Culprit... The Round Ligament 

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Author

Dr. Kayla McVay

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​With the round ligament becoming tight and taught this can sometimes lead the baby not being in the most optimal position. This can be a very distressing feeling to many women.  If you suffer from any round ligament pain (diagonal from your belly button towards your hip) act on it and seek out a chiropractor. With using the Webster technique the pelvis and sacrum are properly aligned allowing the baby to shift comfortably and freely within the belly so that he or she may get into proper position for he/she to start their life in this amazing world. 
Both of the doctors in the office have special training in the Webster Technique as well as treating the pregnant and pediatric populations!
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Does Your Child Suffer From Chronic Ear Infections?

10/16/2019

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The Eustachian Tube (Ear Canal) in Kiddos

​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. 
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Dairy.....Yes or No? 

Dairy, dairy, dairy.... this one word brings up a lot of discussions. The big question is why is dairy bad for you? I am here to tell you the reasoning behind dairy and why it can be stated as "bad" for you. Dairy is an inflammatory food which means when it is in your diet/consumed, it can lead to a cascade effect in your body of inflammatory mediators which in return causes widespread inflammation in your joints and tissues of your body. How does this have to do with ear infections you might ask? Since dairy is inflammatory, this can causes inflammation and mucus production in your sinuses and your ear canal which then can lead to more bacteria production and then middle ear infections. 
There is another issue with kiddos these days being allergic or sensitive to the protein in milk called casein that not only causes inflammation in these kiddo's but also causes an autoimmune response where the body sees this as an invader and attacks causing more damage to the gut flora causing more infectious bugs to attack in the future. 
If your child is suffering from ear infections that do not seem to disappear I recommend cutting out dairy. If you are a breastfeeding mama, you will have to cut it out of your diet and if you supplement with your child or if they are cow's milk drinkers you might want to supplement with either a healthy juice or water instead of milk. If this is something you are wanting to do just keep in mind you might not see results immediately because it takes about 8 weeks to get rid of dairy in your body. 


​Chiropractic Care

Are you receiving chiropractic care? If so, go you!! If not, a lot of the kiddos seen in our office who have recurrent ear infections have joint restrictions in their cervical spine (neck) and soft tissue tightness that can be treated by one of our doctors to help drain these ear canals and prevent bacteria from pooling in the ear canal. Bringing your kiddo in to get their spine checked is a great idea to prevent any issues from progressing like tubes being put into the ears! 

Author

Dr. Kayla McVay

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Did You Know...

5/8/2017

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There are 5 Pieces of Nutritional Advice that You Should Ignore Completely? 

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.
1. Throw away the egg yolk. This is the most nutritious part of the egg. Many studies have looked at whole egg consumption and blood cholesterol...in 70% of people, eggs have no effect on cholesterol levels. In the other 30%, egg yolks raise HDL (the good) cholesterol. 
Bonus points for egg yolk: it makes a great first baby food, cook an over easy egg and crack the yolk and spoon feed it to baby as one of his/her first foods! 
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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. 
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4. Use polyunsaturated vegetable oils for cooking.
A study on canola and soybean oils found that 4.2% of the fats in the were trans fats. So instead use saturated oils for cooking like coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil. 
Bonus points for coconut oil: it can be used as skin moisturizer, sunscreen, and even diaper rash ointment. 
5. Replace natural butter with margarine. 
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Margarine is processed and full of trans fat. Studies have shown that margarine actually increases heart disease risk compared to butter, not the other way around. Also the molecular structure of margarine is one molecule away from being plastic...yuck! 
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For more information visit: 
eatlocalgrown.com/article/12863-the-worst-nutrition-advice-in-history-here-s-top-5-contenders.html?c=cure
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Text Neck?

4/19/2017

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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. 
Cervical Spine Issues
A study was performed in 2014 by Kenneth Hansaraj, MD, the chief of Spine Surgery at the New York Spine Surgery & Rehabilitation Medicine. The study determined that the weight seen by the spine dramatically increases when flexing the head forward at varying degrees. 
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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". 
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How to Resolve Text Neck
Obviously the first recommendation would be to stop using cellphones or tablets for lengthy work related tasks such as emails, editing, or research.

Bringing the cellphone or wireless device to eye-level to read or increasing the text size and font to reduce leaning into the screen may also help.
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. 
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Did You Know...

4/12/2017

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A study published in 2007 found that chiropractic care may help manage blood pressure?

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Since the early 1940s, a small group of chiropractors have chosen to specialize in the care of only the C1 or atlas vertebra. While most chiropractors adjust the entire spine, members of the National Upper-Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA) and others like them have chosen to focus purely in this one area. 

Unlike the other vertebra, which interlock one to the next, the atlas relies solely upon soft tissue (muscles and ligaments) to maintain alignment; therefore, the atlas is uniquely vulnerable to displacement. Displacement of C1 is pain free and so typically remains undiagnosed and the health-related consequences will generally be attributed to another cause. 
Minor misalignment of the atlas can potentially injure, impair, or compress and/or compromise the brain stem neural pathways. The relationship between hypertension and the presence of circulatory abnormalities in the area around the atlas and posterior fossa of the brain has been known for more than 40 years and manual correction of the atlas misalignment has been associated with reduced arterial pressure. 
Based on the hypothesis that correcting misalignment of the atlas reduces and maintains a lower blood pressure, this study used a double blind, placebo-controlled design at a single center, 50 drug naive patients with stage 1 hypertension were randomized to receive a NUCCA procedure or a sham procedure. Patients received no anti-hypertensive medications during the 8-week study. At the tend of week 8, the study concluded that restoration of atlas alignment is associated with marked and sustained reductions in BP similar to the use of two-drug combination therapy.  
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For more Information visit:
www.chiro.org/research/ABSTRACTS7Atlas_Vertebra_Realingment.shtml
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    Authors: Drs. Ali & Kayla 

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