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Optimal Health.

All of my life, I’ve always thought of myself as ‘healthy’. I never really worked out or ate fruits and veggies, but I felt good. I never had pain and I never got sick like a lot of friends and family around me. I went through most of my life not changing anything in my lifestyle or diet.

Since working at Active Life Health and Wellness, I’ve learned the secret to true health. Optimal health is not just about feeling good, never having pain, never being sick. Optimal health is about living life to your fullest God-given capabilities and being the best ‘you’ you can be. Healthy organs and a healthy nervous system are essential for that. Chiropractic, rehabilitation, spinal decompression, lifestyle education, nurtritional counseling, that is what we do here. We remove the interferences in the nervous system, in the spine, in our lifestyles, and restore optimal health to the body. We revive the connection of the brain and the body through the nervous system.

Ana K.
Rehab Manager

Treatment and Prevention of Muscle Cramps during Exercise

Muscle cramps that are caused by exercise can be very painful and can cause athletes to drop out of competitions. Muscle cramps can happen in any types of sports and are usually a result of muscle fatigue, a loss of electrolytes or dehydration.

Cramps are not limited to sports, they can happen even to people who are not involved in any type of sports. Repetitive cramps can be healed by a chiropractor by aligning the vertebrae correctly in the spine using various techniques.

Causes of Cramps

The American College of Sports Medicine published a review on the causes of muscle cramps during exercise – two possible causes were identified that lead to muscle cramps.

The first was credited to muscle fatigue. Neuromuscular systems are embedded into muscles to allow control of contraction of the muscles. When this system malfunctions, contraction of muscle takes place and then causes the cramps.

Muscles that are regularly used, such as those of an athlete or a person with a very active lifestyle, are at a higher risk of experiencing cramps or spasms.

The second major cause is a result of an excessive fluid loss from the body (sweat), which decreases the body’s electrolytes level. This depletes the body of sodium.

Body’s Natural Cooling System

The body is designed to cool itself by sweating when body temperature starts to rise beyond normal levels. The loss of electrolytes due to sweating can cause depletion of body’s electrolytes and if it is not replenished properly, it will cause cramps.

What are Electrolytes?

Electrolytes are minerals including sodium, chloride, magnesium and potassium. They are dissolved in the body and directly control the required muscle contractions and nerve conductions.

Consuming bananas to treat muscle cramps has no solid ground and there is no evidence to support such a remedy.

Treating Muscle Cramps

– Fatigued Muscles

Treatment of muscle cramps depends upon the initial cause. For those people who experience a muscle cramp due to a strenuous workload such as exercise or sports, chiropractors recommend treatments such as a massage, application of cold packs to the affected muscles and passive stretching.

Proper rest must be given to those muscles which have experienced an overload due to stress.

– Cramps due to Loss of Electrolytes

For those people who suffer from cramps as a result of excessive sweating and a deficit of sodium, the same methods of treatment can be used besides replenishing the lost fluid levels.

Image Used Under Creative Commons Licensing: 111002-A-XY792-430 by Minnesota National Guard

Preventing Osteoporosis through a Proper Diet

Diet and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease which thins bone density, leading to weaker bones and a higher risk of herniated disks, which can causes back problems such as Sciatica. Osteoporosis can be very tough to endure, as there is no proper cure for it besides chiropractic, and even then some patients may not respond positively due to the damage done. Therefore, chiropractors advise that a proper diet should be followed, as it can improve bone and muscle density, consequently reducing the chances of Osteoporosis.

The Proper Diet

There are some nutrients in the diet that can help you improve the quality of your bone structure. Vitamin D for example, found in flaxseed and fish oil, strengthens your bones and makes them less susceptible to diseases. However, other substances present in food, such as phytates, can reduce your body’s ability to absorb calcium. Here are some examples of foods that can affect bone health.

High Sodium Foods

Food items high in sodium can cause your body to lose calcium, which is essential in maintaining bone health. This can lead to weakening of bones, eventually resulting in bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Processed foods usually contain a high amount of sodium, so look for their nutritional values and avoid them if they have a high percentage of salt.

Legumes

Although it is true that beans and legumes contain a high amount of calcium, they also contain magnesium and phytates. You can reduce the amount of phytate by boiling the beans before the cooking them.

Wheat bran

Just like beans, wheat bran also contains a high amount of phytates, which reduce calcium absorption.

Caffeine

Similar to phytates, caffeine also interfere with the body’s absorption of calcium. The consumption of caffeine drinks such as tea, coffee or sodas should be moderated, if not completely avoided.

Alcohol

Research suggests that alcohol, among other health problems such as liver disease, can also contribute to loss in bone density.

Spinach

Spinach, though a very healthy source for other nutrients, shouldn’t be counted as a sole source for calcium as they contain oxalates, which doesn’t allow the body to absorb the calcium effectively.

High Protein foods

We all know Protein is good for our health, but too much protein in our diets can also cause our bodies to lose calcium. Eat meat and other high protein foods in moderation.

You may also contact a chiropractor who could recommend you nutritional supplements if you are lacking any of the basic nutrients required in the daily diet.

Image used under Creative Commons Licensing: Fish for dinner by Denise Mattox

Ergonomics and Employee Productivity

Ergonomics has become a very popular field, which deals with designing suitable furniture, which is comfortable for individuals, both at home and in the office environment. The absence of ergonomically fit furniture and surroundings, results in different muscular problems in individuals like back pain, neck ache, strains, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Chiropractors provide treatment for alleviating the pain caused because of engaging in strenuous activities throughout the day.

How Is Employee Productivity Linked To Ergonomics?

Ergonomics or human factors, focuses on designing furniture and workplaces, so as to ensure convenience and ease for individuals, both at home and at the office. An ergonomically fit work environment is designed to ensure, that the working stations and the furniture used, are in accordance with the industry standards. It facilitates the functioning and activity of employees, engaged in work at the computer or at the factory floor.

Employees working in an environment, in which the work spaces and the computer equipment are stationed within easy reach, and do not cause any strain, will remain fit and healthy, resulting in efficient productivity. A considerable percentage of employees, contract different muscular pains and strains, which affects their work efficiency. In cases of extreme pain, sometimes individuals have to take time off from work in order to regain enough fitness to resume work.

Benefits of Ergonomically Fit Surroundings

An office having a work station and space, specifically designed keeping in mind the ergonomic standards prevalent in the industry, facilitates the factory workers and office employees in performing their duties efficiently and on time. This improves the overall productivity, resulting in increasing profits for the business.

By designing a safe and ergonomically fit factory production site, companies can ensure minimum accidents and absences of workers. The suitably designed production lines, with the appropriate equipment, increase productivity and worker efficiency, and reduce the wastes to a minimum.

The correct usage of lights and space in the workplace improves productivity and minimizes errors, which results in high job satisfaction.

An ergonomically fit work place is not only convenient for the employees and workers, but it also benefits the business by improving the productivity levels of the company. The improved morale and work efficiency of the employees, increases job satisfaction, and also minimizes the risk of accidents and muscular strains, caused because of inconveniently and unsuitably designed work places. Chiropractors provide treatment to employees suffering from various muscular strains and pains, contracted while working in an office.

Image Used under Creative Commons license. Photo Credit: US Navy 020614-N-0552D-001 SPAWAR award winning employee.jpg

Closer to the Community

In our office, we have decided that being an insulated little office does nothing to help our community and the Las Vegas valley at large. Along with helping people regain their true health, we also feel we need to be active members of our community. One of the things we do to achieve this is to take part in as many Las Vegas and North Las Vegas events as possible. Over the next two weeks, we will be taking part in two such events. This coming Saturday, the third, we will be at the Women’s Health Fair being held at the Red Rock Hotel and Casino. The following Saturday, we will also be participating in a health fair at the Aliante Hotel and Casino. I am personally inviting everybody to come to these two events. Many businesses in our community will be taking part as well. It is a powerful thing to support Las Vegas and North Las Vegas this way.

Barry Stanley, D.C. C.I.C.E.

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