Jul
Posted by shawn ·
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Tagged with Health and Wellness, Menopause, sympthoms, The Specific
Managing Menopause
Menopause: Just Another Stage of Life
Sometimes people toss around the word “menopause” like it’s some sort of bizarre condition or disease. They blame the way a woman acts or what she might say on that elusive medical term “menopause,” as if this provides some sort of scapegoat and explanation for the way a person is.
This isn’t the case, though. In fact, menopause is just a natural transition in a woman’s life, and half the population will personally deal with the symptoms that go along with it (and the other half will probably have to learn to deal with it too). But to manage its side effects, we first need to demystify this life transition.
What is menopause?
Women are born with a finite number of eggs, which are stored in the ovaries. They also produce hormones that cause menstruation. When the ovaries stop producing eggs and women stop menstruating, this is when menopause sets in. It generally happens after the age of 40, though menopause can occur earlier in some cases.
What are the symptoms of menopause?
Due to the change in hormones, women going through menopause may experience a wide range of symptoms, though some women may feel the effects more than others. The most common symptom of menopause is hot flashes, which are sudden surges of warmth throughout the body accompanied by blushing and sweating.
Other common symptoms include insomnia, fatigue, mood swings, depression and irritability. Women may experience irregular or skipped periods, a racing heart, headaches, joint and muscle aches, vaginal dryness, irregular bleeding, night sweats and bladder control problems. Some women gain weight as well. There may also be a change in sex drive during this time.
Are there any medical problems associated with menopause?
Due to the drop in estrogen that occurs during menopause, women may experience a myriad of other medical issues during this time and throughout the remainder of their lives. These conditions include osteoporosis and heart disease. Women might also develop poor bladder control, an increased risk of Alzheimer’s, poor muscle power, possible degeneration of vision and an increased likelihood to develop wrinkles.
How do I treat menopause?
Here’s the kicker. Menopause is a perfectly normal phase for women to go through. It is just another part of life, not a disease or condition that can be “cured.” That said, there are some things that women can do to help manage the effects of menopause.
Medical doctors can work with patients to devise a hormone therapy plan that helps to replace the lost estrogen and mitigate the severity of symptoms. Other natural supplements, such as vitamin E, black cohosh and licorice are also said to help alleviate the side effects of menopause.
And then, of course, there are the lifestyle changes that women can make. Symptoms of menopause may be lessened or go away altogether with regular exercise and proper nutrition. For women who are smokers, this is the time to quit.
Take the time to understand the complex life transition known as menopause at The Specific’s health and wellness lecture being held July 28. Call today to reserve your spot for this important conversation.
REFERENCES
Menopause Basics. WebMD.com. Retrieved June 23, 2010 from http://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/menopause-basics.
Menopause (Perimenopause). MedicineNet.com. Retrieved June 23, 2010 from http://www.medicinenet.com/menopause/article.htm.
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Jul
Posted by shawn ·
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Tagged with Health and Wellness, Menopause, The Specific
5 Good Reasons To Embrace Menopause
5 Good Reasons to Embrace Menopause
In American society, we’ve done a great job at placing negative emphasis on menopause, the natural transition that women go through sometime after the age of 40. We equate menopause with old age, loss of youth and the point at which a woman’s life begins a downward spiral.
It’s true that menopause can come with seemingly unpleasant side effects—feelings of depression, mood swings, fatigue, hot flashes—but, just like any other transitional period in life, a woman’s mindset and personal resolve to make the most of a not-so-wonderful situation can make a big difference in how menopause is perceived.
Instead of dwelling on the negative things that are often equated with menopause, let’s consider for a moment just a few of the good things about this natural life transition:
- Time to focus on you. Instead of letting our culture force you into thinking about how little time you have left, take time during menopause to consider all that you’ve achieved and done so far in your life. Think about all of the good friends you’ve made, the positive moments you’ve had with family members, the incredible places you’ve traveled on vacations and all that you’ve learned along the way. What a great journey! Now, look at your future as a blank slate. Carry those positive memories from the past with you as you embark on another journey in your life. This isn’t the end of the good times … this is just the start of new ones!
- Time for education. Help break down the misconceptions of menopause by sharing your experiences with other people. Talking about what you are going through can help others cope once they, too, reach this stage in life. Also, spend time with other menopausal women. It can be both therapeutic and empowering to bond with others who are going through the same thing you are.
- No more periods. Let’s face it, most women are more than happy to give up what many consider to be an inconvenient, messy and often painful part of every month. You no longer have to worry about the extra costs and preparation of menstruation once you’ve hit menopause.
- Side effects associated with menstruation go away. When you say hello to menopause, you also get to kick PMS and hormonal headaches to the curb. In addition, uterine fibroids stop growing or shrink when women reach menopause and estrogen levels decline. For women who experience pain or other symptoms of fibroids, menopause can be very welcome indeed.
- Embrace greater self assurance. Many postmenopausal women feel empowered by menopause, and rightly so. This is a great point in your life to kick old routines, rekindle your passions and pursue your professional and personal goals without worrying about raising kids. This might also be the ideal time to switch careers, turn a hobby into a business or pursue new physical challenges. By this point, women have gained enough life experience that they don’t have to spend time figuring out how to live … they can just do it!
Take control of and redefine menopause this month at The Specific Chiropractic Center. Reserve your spot for our session on July 14. Seating is limited.
REFERENCES
Weeg, Carol. 10 Reasons to Look Forward to Menopause. EverydayHealth.com. (Nov. 7, 2008) Retrieved June 24, 2010 from http://www.everydayhealth.com/menopause-pictures/positives-of-menopause.aspx.
What’s Good About Menopause? TheHealthCareCenter.com. Retrieved June 24, 2010 from http://www.thehealthcarecenter.com/menopause.html.
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CALL NOW to schedule your free 15 minute consultation 1.888.722.4467
Dublin, CA • Chico, CA • Daly City, CA • Oakland, CA • Elk Grove, CA • Livermore, CA • Draper, UT Scarborough, ME
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May
Posted by shawn ·
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Filed under Get Hope , Wellness , Workshops
Tagged with Arthritis, Health, The Specific, Wellness
Take Control Of Your Arthritis
Take Control of Your Arthritis
It’s starts with stiffness in your fingers and eventually leads to discomfort in your knees and elbows. Your grandparents had it. Your parents had it. And now, you figure, it was just a matter of time before you, too, developed arthritis.
Well, you think, this is it. So much for my days of care-free movement.
Arthritis is an inflammatory joint disorder that affects roughly 350 million people around the world. Men, women, children and adults all suffer from arthritis. Because so many people develop arthritis, most people just assume it is a sign of aging and do nothing about it, but, in fact, early diagnosis and management is important to help prevent irreversible damage or permanent disability.
The disorder is often accompanied by a pain, stiffness, swelling, tenderness and warmth in the joint area. There are many different causes that lead to the disorder, but there are two different types of joint pain which are classified as arthritis: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease. It is caused by injury or through an inherited protein defect, and it causes the cartilage at the ends of the bones to break down. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, which develops because the immune system believes the membrane between the bones is a foreign substance and inflammation occurs as a result. This damages the cartilage in and around the joint.
Knowing this, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of developing arthritis with two key things: a proper diet and low-impact, consistent exercise.
A balanced, healthy diet provides your body with the essential vitamins and minerals it needs to build and maintain tissues and the fluid around joints. Prostaglandins, which help reduce inflammation, are generated through the absorption of essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6.
Exercise helps joint mobility, prevents loss of lean muscle tissue, helps maintain muscle strength and reduces pain and stiffness. When exercising, it is important that the full body is engaged in movement. This means that only taking a leisurely evening stroll is not enough. To properly control pain and inflammation, do an assortment of low-impact activities, such as walking, swimming and lifting weights, and make sure all joints go through a full range of motion at least once a day.
Though taking care of your body with a proper diet and workout regimen are the keys to managing arthritis, there are treatment options available as well. Treatment depends on the type of arthritis present, but medications, splinting, cold pack application and physical therapy are all relevant options for controlling the disorder.
This month at The Specific Chiropractic Center, we’ll be providing further information on how you can cope with arthritis. Join us Wednesday, May 26 at 6:30 p.m. for our monthly health and wellness lecture that puts you back in control of your body.
REFERENCES:
Aschan, Stefan. Managing Arthritis with Diet and Exercise. ABCNews.Go.Com. (April 15, 2008) Retrieved May 5, 2010 from http://abcnews.go.com/Health/PainManagement/story?id=4650107&page=1.
Stoppler, Melissa Conrad, M.D. Arthritis. MedicineNet.com. (September 10, 2008) Retrieved May 5, 2010 from http://www.medicinenet.com/arthritis/article.htm.
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Visit one of our clinics for a personalized meeting with one of the doctors to find out how the latest technology may be the key to getting you well.
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CALL NOW to schedule your free 15 minute consultation 1.888.722.4467
Dublin, CA • Chico, CA • Daly City, CA • Oakland, CA • Elk Grove, CA • Livermore, CA Draper, UT • Scarborough, ME
www.thespecific.com • 1.888.SCC.4HOPE
May
Posted by shawn ·
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Filed under Get Well
Tagged with Exercise, Health, Posture, Straight, The Specific, Wellness
Importance of Good Posture
Importance of Good Posture:
Even if they didn’t realize it at the time, all those years of our parents telling us to sit up straight and not slouch not only helped us look poised as we were growing up, but they also had a positive effect on our posture.
Posture refers to how the body is aligned and positioned in conjunction with the force of gravity acting upon it. Regardless of whether we are sitting, standing or lying down, there is always a gravitational force that applies pressure on our ligaments, joints and muscles.
In ideal conditions, the back view of the spine should have no lateral curve and the legs should be symmetrical. From the side, the spine should form an S-shaped curve. An imaginary line should drop from the apex of the head through the center of gravity in the body and pass through the tip of the shoulder, the center of the hip joint, the center of the ankle joint and slightly behind the knee joint. This proper posture is a sign that we’ve evenly distributed gravity’s force throughout our body so that no one part is fatigued or overstressed.
Indications of poor posture include a slouching of the shoulders or forward leaning of the head. Poor posture impedes lymphatic drainage in the neck and causes strain on the posterior neck muscles. The extra weight on the discs can lead to premature arthritis of the neck. Poor posture can also include a forward tilt of the pelvis. This causes weight to shift in the body and can increase the curvature of the spine, which is associated with muscle weakness. Posture of this sort can lead to chronic lower back pain, muscle pain, weakness in the legs and premature spinal arthritis of the joints and discs.
Poor posture can result from car accidents, sports injuries, loss of bone density and sitting or standing improperly. Many people today have posture problems due to the way they sit. When we drive or use a computer, we frequently have the tendency to lean the head and neck forward, which causes the spine to round forward too. The weight of the head and upper body becomes heavy, and we must exert muscular energy and strain on the spinal ligaments to hold ourselves in this leaning position.
The first step to correcting poor posture is being aware of what causes it and what we can do to correct it. We need to be conscious of how we sit when we drive or work at our desks. Take frequent breaks to do neck exercises and stretch shoulder muscles. Use ergonomic gear to create a work environment that puts less stress on the spine. Invest in a neck pillow for sleeping.
If we’re unsure of what steps we should take for our particular posture problems—or if we feel pain in the neck and shoulders—an upper cervical chiropractor may be able to help with the issue. Upper cervical chiropractors are trained in proper body alignment and can provide us with suggestions and solutions for maintaining healthy posture throughout our daily lives.
References:
Correcting Neck Posture: A Key To Pain Relief. NeckSolutions.com. Retrieved October 27, 2009 from http://www.necksolutions.com/neck-posture.html.
O’Hara, Dennis. Chiropractic and Posture. PosturePage.com. Retrieved October 27, 2009 from http://posturepage.com/chiropractic/index.html.
D’Ambrosio, Frank J. Posture is Important. SCOI.com. Retrieved October 27, 2009 from http://www.scoi.com/posture.htm.
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Visit one of our clinics for a personalized meeting with one of the doctors to find out how the latest technology may be the key to getting you well.
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CALL NOW to schedule your free 15 minute consultation 1.888.722.4467
Dublin, CA • Chico, CA • Daly City, CA • Oakland, CA • Elk Grove, CA • Livermore, CA Draper, UT • Scarborough, ME
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May
Posted by shawn ·
1 Comment
Filed under Get Well , Wellness
Tagged with Health, Scoliosis, Screening, The Specific, Wellness
Straighten Up with a Scoliosis Screening
Straighten Up with a Scoliosis Screening
The human spine has a natural curve that can be seen when looking at it from the side. Sometimes, however, the spine develops an unnatural curve in which it is bent forward, backward or to the side which results in an “S” or “C” shape.
This unnatural curvature is known as scoliosis, and it often develops in children. In fact, three out of 100 people develop the condition. Irregular curvature of the spine may be a result of problems somewhere else in the body or when bones in the spine fail to form completely or separate from each other.
In most cases, the cause of scoliosis is unknown; this type is known as idiopathic scoliosis and early diagnosis in children can often be managed and treated before it becomes a lifelong, debilitating problem. Managing scoliosis includes observation, bracing and surgery. Because the spine is such an integral part of a well-functioning human body, it is important to address scoliosis as soon as it is discovered.
Scoliosis is more common in girls than boys and is often first noticed by a family member who is familiar with the way a child’s body looks and moves. The head may appear off-center or one hip or shoulder might look higher than the other. In more severe cases of scoliosis, a person may have shortness of breath and chest pain. For the most part, however, scoliosis is not painful and can be easily detected with the help of a medical practitioner or chiropractor.
Early diagnosis in children is important because as they continue to grow, there is a chance that scoliosis may worsen over time. For children with idiopathic scoliosis, treatment depends on the age when it develops. If scoliosis develops in children under three years old, in most cases, the condition will improve without any treatment.
For children who develop the condition between the ages of three and ten, there is a higher risk that it may get worse because these children are in their prime years for growth. During this time period, the goal is to keep the curvature in the spine from getting worse until the child stops growing.
The most common type of scoliosis develops in children after the age of ten. Treatment for scoliosis at this stage of life depends on the severity of curve. Braces are effective to keep any spine curvature from getting worse and don’t actually treat scoliosis. Only once a child has stopped growing will it be possible to tell if his or her scoliosis can be managed as is or needs to be treated with surgery.
Don’t wait to have your children checked for scoliosis. May is National Correct Posture Month, and in celebration, The Specific Chiropractic Center is offering free scoliosis screenings throughout the entire month. Stop in to have your children screened today.
REFERENCES:
Eck, Jason C., DO, MS. Scoliosis. MedicineNet.com. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://www.medicinenet.com/scoliosis/article.htm.
What is Scoliosis? KidsHealth.org. (June 2009) Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://kidshealth.org/kid/health_problems/bone/scolio.html#.
Complimentary Nervous System Consultation
Visit one of our clinics for a personalized meeting with one of the doctors to find out how the latest technology may be the key to getting you well.
The Specific Chiropractic Center is a focused office providing specialized technology and treatment to help care for a variety of chronic ailments and health problems to find true resolution.
CALL NOW to schedule your free 15 minute consultation 1.888.722.4467
Dublin, CA • Chico, CA • Daly City, CA • Oakland, CA • Elk Grove, CA • Livermore, CA Draper, UT • Scarborough, ME
www.thespecific.com • 1.888.SCC.4HOPE
