Why Can’t the Chicken Cross the Road?
Crack! The egg bursts onto the pan and shines like the sunrise. A familiar visual for many, eggs are an integral part of the American diet, but many of us don’t think twice about what kind of hens those eggs come from. In a recent New York Times article, and across the media, the discussion of caged hens has become an important debate.
Farmers with large egg farms (farms that house 4 million hens, yielding 3 million eggs per day) believe that caged chickens are just as functional as hens kept outside of cages. However, “extreme caging methods” are being banned in California and are up for review in Ohio, calling into question the factory farming methods that are used.
Many animal rights advocates believe that the lives of these caged chickens are subpar. They can hardly move, let alone roam free as they would in their natural habitat.
The debate is contentious, especially because eggs create a large portion of school lunches and 90% of eggs consumed by the American population come from these large farms. Is there a way to feed our population while still respecting the animals that provide for us? What do you think?
Obesity: A National Epidemic That Needs to be Eradicated
As a chiropractor and healthcare provider, I cannot say enough about the crucial issue of excess weight and how it adversely affects every system of the human body. I “preach” to my overweight patients and hammer away on the subject in my blogs because in addition to the cardio-vascular diseases caused by obesity, much of the back pain, hip pain, and knee pain that people experience is influenced by the undue stress excess weight puts on the joints of the body. And, though it may not surprise you, an expert panel in a report out just today said that people in this country must slash their calories and increase physical activity because the obesity epidemic is “the single greatest threat to public health in this century.”
We all know that dieting isn’t easy, but the advisory committee for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans gave this clear-cut advice: “People in this country need to cut the calories they consume from added sugars and solid fats (butter, marbled meats) and start eating a more nutrient-rich, plant-based diet.”
The report called for many changes in the food environment. To read more, go to: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-06-15-
Chiropractic Internet Marketing Strategy: Do it Yourself or Outsource?
Here’s an interesting question for you to consider: Do you want to keep your chiropractic internet marketing in-house or do you want to hire a professional? There are pros and cons to both, and the answer lies in your particular situation. Let’s check out the advantages and disadvantages of both.
Advantages of in-house chiropractic internet marketing
- There is a lower monthly cost involved in using someone already employed by you.
- The staff knows your practice intimately. Your staff has a good understanding of your clinic’s particular services and, therefore, is able to describe your specialties easier than those who don’t know the specifics of your particular practice.
- You can communicate anytime. Being in-house it is easier to set up times to have meetings or just to chat about situations on the fly.
Disadvantages of in-house chiropractic website marketing
- The staff may not be fully aware of what SEO (search engine optimization) is, let alone how to accomplish it. In that case, a lot of education and training will be needed to make sure SEO gets done right.
- The staff may be overworked. Sometimes the time it takes to do SEO can be underestimated. It is an ongoing process that can actually be a full-time job. If a marketing manager has been told to do SEO as well as his or her full time job, obviously that person will be overworked and feel overwhelmed.
- Attention needs to be paid to detail. This goes together with Point #2. If the staff is overworked, they have no time to check out search engine news and keep up-to-date on how the search engines have changed the game each week and what needs to be done to implement those changes to keep your clinic internet presence up in the rankings.
Advantages of using an outside professional
- Chiropractic marketing companies are specialists in the field. They have experience in working on numerous clinics and their websites and optimizing them for SEO. They know, first hand, what works effectively and what doesn’t.
- There is a dedicated team at the company who will be working on your site and can give it the attention it requires.
- The company has a specific plan and won’t be just jumping around, going from short term tactic to short term tactic with no organized strategy and no clear way to reach your desired goals. In other words, they have an “integrated” internet marketing strategy.
Disadvantages of a chiropractic internet marketing company
- Let’s face it, it can get expensive, but costs vary widely from company to company. Some companies out there are charging $600-$700 a month for their services. It is definitely worth your while to shop around and research before you buy.
- There is usually a commitment. Most chiropractic internet marketing companies will want you to sign up for at least six months to a year.
- Account management can be a problem. With high turnover rates at many companies, especially the big ones, there may be a chance that you’ll get handed from account manager to account manager just when you were building a relationship of trust. You may have to start over again, maybe even have to redesign and reiterate your strategy with the new manager.
Now that you’ve taken a moment to look at the pros and cons of both keeping your internet marketing in-house or hiring a professional, the solution to SEO and your internet marketing strategy will depend on the size of your practice, the time and staffing you can devote to it, and your overall long-term goals.
Now, of course, we are a chiropractic internet marketing company that specializes in helping chiropractors with their internet presence. So, I will admit that I am a bit biased on the side of your hiring an expert to do it right. If you are thinking of hiring a company to develop and implement your internet marketing strategy, it is tremendously important for you to hire one that specializes in chiropractic clinics. Why? Because we understand the chiropractic profession intimately. Therefore, in the long run it will save you both time and money not having to explain what chiropractic is about to some general SEO company. There are several of us out there.
If you are going to go with an outside company, be sure to read the fine print. Look at the bottom of their page for a disclaimer. If they have one, read about their “typical” results. You don’t want to be fooled by outrageous claims even though such hype can be enticing. Remember, your internet marketing strategy is just one stream of new patient leads. Even though chiropractic internet marketing is fast becoming a great source for new patient leads, and even though internet marketing gets more important with every passing day, and even though it is a crucial area in which to generate new patient leads, it is still not the only source of marketing you will need to succeed in your practice.
Whether you choose to keep your internet marketing in-house or to hire a professional, you want to be sure that the time and money you spend on SEO gets you where you want to go. A member of your staff that does your internet marketing for “free,” while squeezing those efforts in-between other tasks, may “cost” you in the long run. A professional whose sole focus is internet marketing, won’t lose sight of your goals. Internet marketing is essential to your practice, so choose your chiropractic internet path wisely.
Santa Barbara Chiropractor: ChiropracticTreatment Can Ease The Pain Of Spinal Osteoarthritis (Spondylosis)
You have, no doubt, heard the old saying, “Growing old isn’t so bad when you consider the alternative.” But, if the aging process is creating pain in your body, you know that aging is no joke! As a chiropractor in Santa Barbara, when it comes to musculoskeletal problems, I see too many age-related breakdowns that probably would not have taken place if the exacerbating cause had been addressed earlier. Poor posture, improper gait, and repetitive overuse frequently create undue stress in the back, neck, hip, knees, and even the feet that can result in painful problems over time. But, as another saying goes, “Hindsight is 20-20.” If we only knew years ago how our aging body would feel today!
Back pain is number one on the list as the most common musculoskeletal problem to evolve as we get older. Age-related back pain is most commonly caused by spine osteoarthritis, or Spondylosis, a degenerative disorder.
Spondylosis is caused by increased deterioration and weight-bearing force on the spine that eventually damages discs, joints, and surrounding ligaments. The specific area(s) and measure of the degenerative process of spondylosis is individual, varying from person to person. The areas that are generally affected are the cervical (neck), thoriacic (mid-back), or lumbar (low back). Spondylosisi symptoms very from person to person and depend on the severity of the degeneration, and can extend from low-amplitude pain and numbness to gross sensory loss and muscular atrophy.
Repetitive stresses antagonistically affect the cartilage surrounding the joints and can encourage calcium to deposit in the tissues around the vertebrae. Adjacent nerves, blood vessels, and soft tissue can be constricted by these calcific deposits, also called bone spurs. This type of compression is at the root of Spondylosis.
Fortunately, whether or not you have developed spondylosis, regular chiropractic care and overall chiropractic management can noticably decelerate age-related degeneration of your spine. It may be true that “you can’t un-ring a bell” or “turn back the hands of time,” but it’s never too late to give your spine the good treatment it deserves. Chiropractors are experts when it comes to treatment of the spine. See your Santa Barbara Chiropractor today, for the health of your spine.
Helpful Practices That May Help You Avoid Hip Fractures From Falls
It isn’t news to anyone that elderly people are more prone to bone fractures, especially of the hip. Fortunately, there are a number of preventative measures that older adults can take to help avoid bone fractures, especially from falls. As a chiropractor, I recommend a number of preventative measures to my older patients, not the least of which is for them to have regular chiropractic treatment to help to improve and maintain balance and to keep their body in good alignment. As far as I’m concerned, in addition to balance challenges and poor muscle strength, an aging body that is out of alignment is a hip condition waiting to fracture.
According to a new study by Dr. Marian Hannan, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical school and co-director of the Musculoskeletal Research Program at the Institute for Aging Research, elderly people who eat more protein are less likely to suffer hip fractures. Why? Because consuming proteins such as meat, eggs, fish or cheese helps to build stronger muscles in the legs, which, in turn can reduce an older individual’s chances of falling. In addition to helping to build stronger muscles, other studies have shown that protein intake can increase bone density. For more on protein study go to: dailymail.co.uk
Work Injuries, Your Balance, and How Your Cincinnati Chiropractor Can Help
As a Cincinnati Chiropractor I treat many elders who are affected by balance problems. In fact, dizziness, “wooziness,” and other balance-related conditions affect at least nine percent of adults, aged 65 and over. Good balance is essential, of course, in helping seniors in remaining independent and in avoiding falls and encounter injuries that are often very serious or even fatal. But, did you know that falls contribute to a large percentage of work injuries for adults younger than 65 years of age, including those in their twenties and thirties? That’s right! Balance difficulties can take place at any age. In fact, those who work in”precarious locations” like construction workers, roofers, oil platform employees, windows cleaners, or any other place where a ladder is involved are in danger of serious injury if their balance isn’t good.
The most important action of good balance is to aid us in managing and maintaining our body position, whether standing still or moving, and whether on the ground or high up on a platform. Good balance helps us to walk without faltering, arise from a sitting position without teetering, and to climb stairs without tripping. To sum it up, then, good balance is essential to our health and well-being.
What may be surprising to you is that you could have a balance abnormality without realizing how serious it is. Often times someone can “shake off” a dizzy feeling and it may not return for a while. The problem is that when unexpected dizziness comes about at a consequential moment, it is too late to shake it off and a fall is most likely inevitable.
Vertigo is the medical term for the sensation that you, or things around you, are spinning. Nearly forty percent of individuals in the U.S. will have at least one episode of dizziness that is acute enough to seek out help from a health professional, like your Chiropractor at Cincinnati Chiropractic. That said, if you are involved in any of the activities listed above, it is an extremely good idea for you to have a chiropractor check your balance prior to an unexpected episode of dizziness, instead of as a response to such an episode. Why? Because as a chiropractor, I can not only check your balance, and make adjustments if needed, but can help you to maintain good balance in the future. And, of course, having good balance may save you from serious injury or worse.
Balance disorders are dangerous at any age. If you believe that you might have a possible balance disorder, it is vital for you to be examined and treated without delay. Often guidelines are helpful. Therefore, if you can answer “yes” to any of the following questions, even if the experience is seldom or infrequent, it is highly recommended that you discuss the symptom(s) with a chiropractor as soon as possible:
• Have you experienced a feeling of being “unsteady?”
• Has the room seemed to spin around you?
• Has there ever a time when you felt as if you were moving when you knew you were standing still?
• Have you lost your balance and/or fallen down?
• Have you ever felt as if you were falling?
• Has your vision ever become “blurred?”
• Have you ever felt disoriented, or lost a sense of time, place or identity?
Remember: Balance problems are not isolated to a particular age group. Our falling down is an ever-present possibility from the time we learn to walk until we take our final step If you work in a job that makes your falling down a “critical” event, you need to have your balance checked. Don’t wait until you sustain a work injury! Call a Chiropractor today, and if you’re in the Cincinnati area, I’d love to be your Cincinnati Chiropractor!
Not All Carbohydrates Are Equal
As a chiropractor who works with athletes, both young and old, and one who preaches a healthy diet in addition to regular chiropractic care, I am often asked by my more active patients about “fuel foods,” especially before a big high school football game or prior to a weekend warrior event. The most frequently asked question is: Are carbohydrates the best source to “fuel my sport”? And, my answer is “yes and no.” If you play sports, it’s important for you to know that even though carbohydrates burn off quickly, and are generally the best source of energy (and I recommend them highly), other factors come into play when the body is under the “stress” of the game. And, while pasta, energy bars, fruits, breads, yogurt, potatoes, cereals, and milk may all be great energy foods to eat before your sport, you should also include high sources of protein, including meat and peanut butter. Why? Because even though carbohydrates give you energy, proteins rebuild your cells and help you to maintain your muscle mass.
Another important thing to remember is that not all carbohydrates are equal. And while healthy fats can be an excellent source of energy during your sport, it isn’t wise before the game to eat fats that digest too slowly, like the fats contained in potato chips, fried foods, doughnuts, candy bars, and other sugary foods. Not only can hard-to-digest fats cause stomach cramping, but these types of fats are hard on the body systems for many reasons.
Maintaining an active lifestyle is important to overall health. But, doing it right and not overdoing it will make a big difference in how well you perform.
Your San Diego Chiropractor Wants You to Know That Just a Few Additional Pounds Can Make a Big Difference As You Age
As a San Diego Chiropractor, I counsel many individuals who come to my clinic who want to lose weight. I know how hard it can be, and I also know how important it is to lose those extra pounds. Before you let the seams out in those slacks or skirt, there’s something you may want to know about those few extra pounds you may have gained. Over time, those pounds can add up to a substantial number of health problems from heart and pulmonary diseases and diabetes to back problems and joint degeneration. Surplus poundage puts undue stress on organs, like the heart, as well as on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. A whopping 62% of American adults are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is a very significant percentage and a truly gigantic problem (no pun intended).
It is likely no surprise to you to learn that the human body has not evolved to transport surplus poundage in the form of body fat. Just 20 or 30 extra pounds can veritably overload and even overwhelm the joints and muscles of the body. Excess weight in the belly, for example, makes it necessary for the body to compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. This shift puts pressure on the joints of the low back. Painful inflammation results as this joint compression hinders nerve activity. Nearly all men and women who have a “spare tire”experience low back pain generated by a compressed sciatic nerve or misalignments of the spinal column that restrict nerves due to weight-bearing stresses. If left untreated, misaligned vertebra not only continue to irritate the degenerative changes that have already taken place, but can develop into new arthritic changes in the spine in the future.
Here are the ways in which chiropractic treatment can help. First of all, to be clear, a moderate body weight is necessary in order for the musculoskeletal system to perform in the way it is meant to. Chiropractic treatment can not only ease the pain generated by excess weight compensation, but it can aid in weight reduction. Here’s how. Chiropractic adjustments relieve nerve compression in the spine and help to get motion back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, especially in the low back, hips, and knees. And, naturally exercise and physical activity will be a lot easier, and more beneficial for the body, when the the joints have good movement and the spine is aligned. The added benefit of exercise the, in addition to helping with weight reduction, it can actually delay degenerative changes as the body ages.
Healthcare professionals, like your chiropractor, can talk to you about your diet and exercise alternatives. In addition to assisting people suffering from back pain and joint inflammation, chiropractors can provide trained suggestions on the particular lifestyle changes that can help a person to stay healthier, more energetic, and more active through the years. It isn’t a foregone conclusion that arthritis and immobility are just a part of the aging process. The structure of the human body is intended to carry a person through an entire lifetime of pain-free movement.
So, if you’ve been thinking that a few extra pounds won’t hurt, think again! As your chiropractor in San Diego, and someone who cares deeply about your overall health, I’d like to help you to make healthier choices. Make an appointment today!
If You’re a Woman, Take a Walk!
So ladies, take a walk! Do it for your health's sake! For more information on this interesting story, click the link provided above.
Wichita Chiropractor Wants You to Know That Chiropractic Treatment Can Eliminate Your Sciatic Pain
As a Wichita Chiropractor for over twenty years, I have helped hundreds of individuals suffering from the pain of sciatica, I’m truly aware from experience just how disabling the pain from sciatica can be. Those who suffer from sciatica are unfortunately all too familiar with the deep radiating pain that persists during the day and inhibits almost all of their daily activities.
There is a way to figure out if your low back pain is caused by sciatica. If your pain radiates from your low back, through one or both sides of your buttocks, down the large sciatic nerve in the back of your leg(s), and possibly penetrates into your knee(s), you probably have sciatica. Moreover, sitting, as well as activity, can be painful. Often lying down will lessen, or perhaps even temporarily eliminate the pain. Even so, you should be warned that sciatica cannot be corrected without appropriate treatment.
Radiculopathy
A radiculopathy is a medical term used to describe a condition where a disc has protruded from its normal position in the vertebral column and is creating pressure on the radicular nerve, or nerve root, that forms part of the sciatic nerve in the lower back. This kind of pressure is extremely painful.
Prolonged sitting, especially in an improper position, can create imbalances in the muscles encircling the spine and increased pressure on the intervertebral discs. A specific event or injury isn’t generally the cause of sciatica, instead sciatica has a tendency to develop over time as a result of ordinary wear and tear on the vertebrae of the lower spine. Over the course of time the lower spine can lose its ability to function normally during common stresses.
Ultimately, the intervertebral disc undergoes small fissures or cracks, which then permit the soft nucleus to protrude the disc outward. Pain is created as the disc pushes on sensitive tissues. This condition is often called a ruptured, or slipped, disc. Sciatica is the result of the disc pressing on the spinal nerve. Fortunately, most disc problems, including sciatica, can be significantly decreased with chiropractic treatment and therapy that frequently includes postural exercises.
Periformis Syndrome
Another cause of sciatic pain is periformis syndrome. Periformis syndrome develops when the periformis muscle, which is superficial to the sciatic nerve, goes into spasm and irritates the nerve. Along with chiropractic manipulation, this type of sciatica can be significantly relieved by sciatica stretches that your chiropractor can recommend.
It is crucial for you to see your chiropractor for treatment if you are experiencing sciatic pain. If you are in the Wichita area, as your Wichita Chiropractor, I invite you to come in to see if I can get you out of pain and help you to get your life back!