Why Do We Get Osteoporosis?

Why Do We Lose Bone Density?

Gargoyles are supposed to look like this… people aren’t! There are simple steps you can take to help minimize the effects of osteoporosis.

St Paul, MN Women's Health Issues

Gargoyles are supposed to look like this… people aren’t! There are simple steps you can take to help minimize the effects of osteoporosis.

Low bone density (osteoporosis) puts many women above the age of 50 or after menopause at risk for bone fractures. While there is very little you can do to treat osteoporosis, there are preventative measures you can take to lower your risk of developing this condition.

Bone density, also called bone mass, continues to grow from childhood through to early adulthood in both men and women. After that, both men and women start to lose bone density at a very gradual rate until women reach menopause, where there is a dramatic decrease in bone density for several years.

What causes this dramatic decrease in bone density? Bones are made of calcium and other minerals that make them strong. As you grow, bones are in a constant state of repair and renewal. Once you reach your thirties, you start to lose bone mass, but there are physical processes, habits and behaviors that increase the risk of bone loss and osteoporosis, especially in women. These include:

• Decrease in levels of hormones (estrogen in women and testosterone in men)
• Smoking
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Lack of exercise
• Lack of calcium and vitamin D in diet
• Genetics
• Medications
• Chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer, especially breast and prostate cancers
• Being small and thin in stature
• Anorexia

Although osteoporosis cannot be cured once you have it, there are certain things you can do to slow down both the rate and level of bone loss. Exercise, modifying your diet, increasing vitamin D and calcium intake or taking supplements (calcium citrate), quitting smoking and closely monitoring alcohol consumption can slow down the rate at which bone loss occurs.

Many are under the false impression that you cannot have chiropractic care with osteoporosis. On the contrary, chiropractors are skilled in giving low-force adjustments to patients with osteoporosis. In addition, we may be able to suggest certain supplements or weight-bearing exercises that slow the rate of further bone loss. Please feel free to talk to us about any concerns you might have.

St Paul, MN Chiropractor

An Ear Infection… Again! What Can You Do?

An Ear Infection… Again!

St Paul, MN Children's Health

Another visit to the doctor for yet another ear infection… There’s got to be a better solution!
You wake up in the middle of the night to that piercing cry… again. It can’t be… but it is… your child has another ear infection. And while it’s heartbreaking to see any child in pain, when it’s your own and it’s the middle of the night, you feel helpless, knowing that there’s little you can do but wait until morning.

Ear infections account for more visits to a medical practitioner's office than any other illness or condition. About 50% of all children will have their first ear infection before their first birthday, while two-thirds will have had one or more by the age of three.

Ear infections can be either bacterial or viral in nature. Fever, cold or other upper respiratory symptoms may also be present along with ear pain. Although antibiotics are frequently prescribed, if the infection is viral, these are of no use at all.

Unfortunately for some children ear infections keep reoccurring, bringing yet another round of antibiotics, which encourages the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. At some point in this cycle, ear tube surgery may be recommended.

Many parents have found that the number and frequency of ear infections in their children decreased following chiropractic adjustments. And although chiropractors don’t treat ear infections, many young patients experience increased immunity that helps their bodies fight all types of infection.

In one study, 80% of the children who received chiropractic adjustments were ear infection-free for at least six months following their first visit. They also received maintenance adjustments every four to six weeks.

Chiropractic adjustments correct misalignments in the spine that can irritate nerves and interfere with the body’s ability to function properly. These misalignments can occur as the result of a fall, an injury, or even the birth process because of the amount of force that’s exerted on an infant’s neck and spine.

By adjusting your child’s neck with gentle, low force pressure the misalignment can be corrected and normal function can return. Your child’s body is then able to heal on its own, without drugs and surgery.

If you have a child who experiences frequent ear infections, please call our practice so that we may arrange a spinal examination for your child – so that maybe everyone can get a better night’s sleep.

Shoreview, MN Chiropractor Dr Douglas Yost

What Is A Circadian Rhythm & How Does It Affect Your Health?

Circadian What?

St Paul, MN Exercise and Fitness Tips

What do you do when your watch says 4:00 but your body thinks it's time for bed?
Have you ever heard the term “Circadian Dysrhythmia”? It’s hard to even say it let alone know what it means! Circadian Dysrhythmia is a fancy medical term for “jet lag”! You experience jet lag when there’s a disruption in your circadian rhythm – your body’s natural 24-hour clock – due to travel across time zones.

Circadian rhythms act as a biological “clock,” and they have a direct effect on many processes in your body. Darkness and light, body temperature, meal times, exercise and stress have an influence on an individual’s circadian rhythm.

Have you ever known a person who can wake up, full of life, at the crack of dawn, just as the sun is beginning to rise? This same person probably begins to wind down at 8 p.m. and is in bed, sound asleep at 10 p.m.

What happens when this same person travels to a destination where the time is six hours earlier? This person leaves on a plane at say 9 a.m. travelling from London to New York. The flight is 7 hours long and when they land, it’s 11a.m. in New York but it’s 4 p.m.in London! So…somewhere around 5 p.m. New York time (10 p.m. London time), this same person starts to yawn, because according to his or her internal clock, it’s bedtime, only the sun is still out!
You can see where this starts to get confusing and we haven’t even brought this person back to London yet where the same thing happens all over again!

And it’s not just frequent fliers who have circadian rhythm problems. Those who perform shift work, such as policemen and hospital workers, deal with this same issue every time their shifts change. This frequent resetting of one’s internal clock can cause sleep problems, such as insomnia or waking too early. Chronic disruption of one’s normal circadian rhythms, (i.e., shift work) can result in an increased risk for heart, gastrointestinal, emotional and mental problems.
Paolo Sassone-Corsi, researcher, professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology at the University of California, Irvine, states, “Our circadian rhythms and metabolism are closely partnered to ensure that cells function properly and remain healthy. When the balance between these two vital processes is upset, normal cellular function can be disrupted and this can lead to illness and disease.”

Research performed by Sassone-Corsi suggests that a way to correct your circadian rhythm is through proper sleep and diet. For example, establish a schedule of going to bed and waking at the same time every day (weekends included).

And… regular chiropractic adjustment may help you deal with the stress of shift work and frequent travel! Make an appointment to see us today!

St Paul, MN Chiropractic

Do You Want More Energy?

Want More Energy? Avoid Sugar!

St Paul, MN Diet Tips

Forget the calories, this sugary snack will rob you of energy and play havoc with your mood!

Feeling a bit sluggish? Anxious? Depressed? Before you reach for that candy bar or sweet roll as “comfort food,” you’d better read this!
While sugar may give you the quick “jolt” of energy you need and make you feel better initially, it’s followed by an equally quick “letdown.” Eating sugar causes erratic swings in your blood sugar levels which affect your moods and your energy levels. Many people experience continuous rapid fluctuations as they eat even more sugar to “bounce back” from the lows!

The holidays offer prime opportunities for increased sugar consumption. So… before eating another piece of chocolate, another cookie, or another piece of cake… consider these alternatives that give you energy and boost your mood – especially important during this time of the year.

• Drink lots of water (1/2 your body weight in ounces/millilitres per day) to avoid dehydration and combat fatigue.

• Eat foods that are rich in Omega-3 fats (e.g., salmon, walnuts and olive oil) that boost your mood naturally!

• Consider eating a banana or drinking a banana smoothie made with a banana, ice and skim milk. Bananas and green, leafy vegetables help to release more dopamine in the brain, a chemical that has “feel good” effects on mood.

• Try to eat 4-5 meals per day to keep blood sugar levels steady and provide the energy you need to keep you going throughout the day.

• Drink a soothing cup of black tea to calm stress and help you relax.

• Increase the amount of protein in your diet to help you stay alert. Try a grilled chicken sandwich or some black bean soup for lunch to supply the energy to stay focused through the usually “sluggish” afternoon hours.

• Eat an apple or another type of fruit that contains natural sugar, is easily digested, and provides vital nutrition to keep your engine running!

• Don’t skip breakfast. You’ve heard it many times and it’s true – breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. It gives you the fuel you need to get going after the long period of fasting while you’re asleep.

• Eat whole grains found in bread, brown rice, and sugar-free cereals. Whole grains are loaded with essential amino acids that the body isn’t able to produce on its own. Amino acids are vital to the brain because they produce neurotransmitters, which are necessary for proper nervous system function. Whole grains also digest slowly, keeping blood sugar and energy levels balanced throughout the day.

Of course chiropractic care can also help to keep your nervous system running at peak performance, especially important at this time of the year when you’re under some added stress! So make sure you schedule us in too, along with all your other holiday plans!

St Paul, MN Chiropractor