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Showing posts from August, 2011

Morning Sweats

In a small study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine's annual meeting in June 2011, 15 adults worked out for 30 minutes on a treadmill at 7 am, 1 pm, or 7 pm, then had their sleep and blood pressure monitored.  The morning sessions correlated with better and longer sleep and lower blood pressure compared with the afternoon and evening workouts.  Conclusion, it is better to exercise in the morning.

Healing Herbs for Pain and Inflammation

  When you injure yourself, your body takes action to heal the wounded or damaged areas. You might think it counterintuitive, but inflammation is actually a necessary part of your body’s recovery process. Without some inflammation, wounds would never heal. If inflammation becomes severe or chronic, then serious health problems can emerge. Arthritis, asthma, and colitis are just a fewv of the health conditions classified as inflammatory diseases.    However, are drugs the only solution to dealing with the problems of inflammation? New research reveals that some spices, including those you might find in a household spice rack, might actually work as well as traditional drugs. Frankincense   You may only know of frankincense (boswellia ) from the biblical story of the three wise men, but there is a lot more to the tale of frankincense. It was one of the most popular edicinal remedies of the ancient world, and its healing legacy continues today.     Several species of the frankince

What should I use, heat or ice?

What do you do if you are in pain ice or heat? This is a question that I get asked frequently. The number one rule is if you've injured something and it hurts, ice it. When you injure yourself blood rushes to the injured spot to promote healing. When you ice you not only numb the area so you don't feel the pain, but also cause the blood that is pooled there to leave. When you take the ice off fresh blood will come back to the area. The rule of thumb when icing is 15 minutes, or less, if the area becomes numb. If you are stiff and sore and just are not sure if you should ice or heat, alternate heat and ice three times, end in ice. If your muscles are tight heat is best. Remember that moist heat is better as water is a good conduit. Hot showers, sea salt baths ( the sea salt will help bring out toxins from your body), moist heat packs that you can put in the microwave or even a wet wash cloth heated in the microwave. When you are injured you should also pay attent

Core Stabilization – Foundation of a Healthy Lower Back

  We often hear our doctors, therapists and trainers discuss core stabilization and how integral it is for the function and health of our bodies, especially for our lower backs. But what is it? And why is it considered so important?   Core stabilization refers to your ability to keep your core structure (torso, abdomen and spine) relatively stable as the appendicular skeleton (legs, arms and connecting structures) is recruited to do physical work like walking, running, throwing and lifting.   Consider what would happen if you did not possess core stability. Every time you wanted to move – bringing either an arm or a leg away from your midline to perform a task – your body would be pulled in that direction and you would fall over. If you did not fall, you would most likely strain the holding elements of your joints (i.e. the ligaments) instead, once the load became too great. Not a good scenario. What are the essential components of core stability?   When most of us think of t

Diet, Exercise & Chiropractic Can Ease PMS

  Bloating. Cramps. Headaches. Anger. Depression. Low back pain. These are just a handful of the symptoms women endure when dealing with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). For many women, the symptoms are annoying but manageable. For others, PMS can be so severe it seriously disrupts life. About 75% to 85% of females will suffer from various degrees of PMS during their lifetime.1 Science is still not clear on why some women suffer from PMS and others do not. The severity of PMS can vary greatly among women, but as they get closer to menopause, women often encounter more intense PMS symptoms. Health researchers have identified hormonal change as a key component in the development of PMS. Hormones are complex. They impact both physical and mental well-being. In fact, an entire field of medicine – endocrinology - is devoted to the study of hormones and their impact on health. Another intriguing angle to PMS is its possible link with a depressed nervous system. A Japanese study revealed that

Northwest Sunny Days

  In the Pacific Northwest we are not used to experiencing many summer days above 75 degrees.  And when they do occur we find ourselves over heated and wondering how to stay cool?  Here are some tips on how to beat the heat this summer!   Avoid foods that are hot or create heat: spices, hot peppers, garlic, lamb, and shrimp.  Eat foods that are cool such as Asian pears, melons, salads, mint or chrysanthemum teas.  Avoid heavy outdoor activity especially between the hours of 11 AM and 2 PM.  Try an afternoon nap, the body naturally cools down when we rest.  If you do get overheated, massage the acupressure point on your outer elbow crease, or spray water with a few drops of lavender essential oil on your legs and feet, or an ice pack wrapped in a pillow case on the back of your neck.  lastly, we have air conditioning here at Doyle Chiropractic Clinic!  Come and visit your favorite Chiropractor and Massage Therapist to get your spine aligned and a relaxing massage on a hot summer day.

New Research Reveals Numerous Benefits of Tai Chi

  Tai chi is an activity that is growing by leaps and bounds, especially among older adults. As more of them retire, baby boomers continue to look forexercise methods that can improvehealth but have a low risk of injury.  Tai chi perfectly fits the bill. The slow, flowing movements of this supple martial art - along with the emphasis on deep breathing - help gently stretch the body, improve balance and slash stress.    New research released in the last two years boosts support for tai chi improving health. Long known for its musculoskeletal benefits, tai chi shows it can help heart patients, stroke victims and depression sufferers.   In this issue of Wellness Express, we jump into the latest research on this topic. The Origins of Tai Chi   Tai chi was first developed as a martial art in China over 1,000 years ago. It is closely associated with qigong – an ancient Chinese system of meditative breathing and movement. Practitioners of tai chi seek to cultivate the universal healing en