August is here and so begins the ‘sneezing season’ for some allergy sufferers.  Ragweed wreaks havoc on many this time of year.  Itchy eyes and ears, sneezing, scratchy throats – it can be crippling.

What many people don’t realize is there is high levels of stress can cause your allergies to become worse. This has been confirmed by research in the field of psychoneuroimmunology.  Mental stress can upset the balance of your nervous system and immune system. If your nervous system is overstimulated with stress, it can affect the response of your immune system to an allergen.

How is that possible?

Our nervous systems have two divisions – the sympathetic (gas pedal) and parasympathetic (brake pedal).  You probably remember the terms ‘high or flight’ (sympathetic) or the ‘rest/digest’ (parasympathetic) from high school health classes.  Both of these systems work simultaneously to keep us constantly adapting to changes in our bodies and outside our bodies every second of the day.  Think of both systems working together like two kids on a teeter totter.  Sometimes the sympathetic system needs to be ‘up’ and at other times, the parasympathetic system takes a turn working harder.  Both offset each other to avoid one system becoming dominant.

So here’s how it affects you as an allergy sufferer.  The sympathetic system is responsible for our response to allergens.  When pollen or dust contacts the membranes of the nose or eyes, the body launches an immune assault to resist it.  This drives up histamine.  If the sympathetic system is overly dominant, then the histamine levels can be greater than necessary.

Schedules, finances, workloads, not enough exercise, poor diets, chemical stress and more can press down on our ‘gas pedal’ causing our system into sympathetic dominance.

So with that understanding, by decreasing mental, physical and chemical stress, your immune system can function better and head off many allergies at the pass.

Why it Matters:

Exciting new research has showcased how stress reduction can reduce the symptoms we associate with seasonal allergies. Meditation and chiropractic adjustments have been shown to reduce stress levels. And with reduced stress levels, your immune system has the potential to function at a higher level. Feeling more relaxed is something all of us could benefit from- and it may even help reduce your seasonal allergies.

– Physical, chemical, and emotional stress can cause your immune system to become hypersensitive.

– A hypersensitive immune system often overreacts to a potential threat resulting in worsening allergies.

– Reduce stress, and allergies, with a stress-reducing activity like exercise, meditation, or even getting chiropractic adjustments!

Next Steps:

Aside from putting you in a bad mood, being over-stressed has far-reaching effects on your body. If you “start to feel your allergies coming on” find stress-reducing activities that you enjoy. It may be reading a book, meditating, getting a massage, or perhaps even getting a chiropractic adjustment. Feeling better mentally and reducing your seasonal allergies are just a few of the benefits you can expect by lowering your stress levels!

Take a moment and think about one thing that you could do to reduce your stress and plan how you intend to do just that.

Science Source: Stress and Allergic Diseases. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2011.

Dr. Craig Hazel’s mission is to help families THRIVE. After graduating from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education, he went on to earn a Doctor of Chiropractic degree and a Bachelor of Science in Anatomy from Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas Texas. He is passionate about seeing children and families in his private practice at Synergy Chiropractic in Kanata Ontario. A sought after speaker, he has been featured regularly on TSN Team 1200, CTV and Rogers TV. He is also the Chairman of the Alliance for Chiropractic of Ontario.

Your shoulder is one of the most complex joints in your body. It is surrounded and supported by a complex network of nerves, tendons, muscles, and ligaments.  Many of these structures tie back to your spine or mid-back and neck.  Your posture, or position, directly impacts the motion of your shoulder and scapula.  When the shoulder and scapula are moving properly, they work together.  When they aren’t, the arm does more of the work leading to more stress on the rotator cuff leading to strains and possibly tears over time.

Long hours at a desk or computer can lead to postural changes and muscle imbalances. Poor posture and a forward head position can lead to “upper cross syndrome.”

Upper cross syndrome is an imbalance of the muscles in your upper back, neck, and shoulder that can lead to neck, back, and shoulder pain with restricted range of motion.  The head translates forward shortening the muscles and tissues on the front side of the body and lengthening the muscles on the back.

Good posture is a necessity for good health.

Suppose you held a five pound weight out in front of your body for hours at a time.  You’d undoubtedly feel tired and sore from trying to hold it up, right?  Well, the reason why your shoulders and upper back are ‘barking’ at you is because your posture is losing and gravity is winning.

Simply trying the rehabilitate the shoulder only isn’t going to help since the problem is more global than regional.

Why it Matters:

Whether it’s working at a computer, long hours in a car, or using a tablet/smartphone, just about everyone is susceptible to developing upper cross syndrome. However, you don’t need to suffer or change your career to find relief.

A combination of Chiropractic adjustments, stretching, and specific postural exercises can make a huge impact on your ability to stay happy and healthy. Taking short breaks every 20-30 minutes to lightly extend your arms and move your neck through a comfortable range of motion will help your body “reset” while working. Also, periodic Chiropractic adjustments will help you maintain an optimal range of motion and reduce restrictions that can occur in your spinal joints.

Here are some simple exercises you can do RIGHT NOW to help yourself.

1. Wall Slides –
   1. Place heels, buttocks, upper back, and head against wall
      

      Wall slides will help your Anterior Head Syndrome.

   2. Bend elbows to 90 degrees and rotate outwards so that the backs of your hands touch the wall (or as close as you can)
   3. Slide arms up the wall while keeping elbow bent at 90 degrees and keeping the elbows against the wall (or as close as you can)
   4. Tuck chin slightly to create flexion in upper neck.
   5. Relax and inhale, exhale slowly while pressing back of head and arms against wall.
   6. Progress slowly in terms of number of repetitions and force applied; Hold for 30 seconds.
2. Pec Stretch:
   1. Stand in a doorway with arms bent to 90 degrees.
   2. Elbows and forearms are held against door frame.
   3. Step/lean through doorway to stretch.
   4. Inhale, then relax and exhale as you press a little further.
   5. Hold for 30 seconds
3. T Exercises
   1. Stand or sit upright.
   2. Extend arms straight out in front of you and palms facing upwards.
   3. Pull arms out to the sides fully keeping arms parallel to the ground.
   4. Extend arms back behind you until.
   5. Squeeze shoulder blades together at the back.
   6. Hold for 5 seconds.  Repeat 8-10 repetitions.

In review:

• The shoulder is one of the most complex joints in the human body.
• Your posture greatly impacts the ability of your shoulders to move through their full range of motion.
• It’s important to address the neck and mid-back when treating a shoulder injury.

Next Steps:

Upper cross syndrome is one of the most common complaints we see in our practice. Far too many people suffer from pain for years before discovering Chiropractic care. Millions of people end up taking medications just to get through the day.  The trouble is, the medications don’t solve the problem.

So like you, we believe there is a better way.  Share this information with a friend at work.  We are excited to share how the challenges of upper cross syndrome can be overcome without drugs or surgery!

Science Source:

Upper Crossed Syndrome and Its Relationship to Cervicogenic Headache. JMPT 2004 MedicalNewsToday.com

If you have a sweet tooth, you know it can be difficult to avoid sugary foods like pastries, candy, or even soda. Which sugary food is your weakness?

Researchers have proven that sugar is a key contributor to weight gain. But how?

Well, sugar is made up of two molecules: glucose and fructose. Glucose is what your body uses for energy. Fructose, on the other hand, is a molecule that your liver turns to fat and is a key contributor to weight gain and disease.

When you eat carbohydrates/sugar, it causes your blood glucose to rise, which can be toxic if it is in large amounts. So your body produces insulin to get the glucose out of your blood and into the cells to be used for energy. Over time, when your body is chronically and your body can actually build a resistance to insulin which means that your pancreas works harder to create the same balance. When the resistance to insulin reaches a critical point, it can result in type II diabetes. But first, your body begins storing an overabundance of fat in your fat cells. The worst part? Not only do you start “gaining weight” but your body has a tough time getting the energy out of the fat cells, which means your brain thinks you are hungry, and you eat even more. What a vicious cycle!

• Excess sugar can lead to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and weight gain.
• Eating sugary foods can result in your body storing away more fat.
• Sugar can trick your brain into thinking it’s still hungry (even after you’ve eaten a full meal).

Enter the Ketogenic Diet

The Ketogenic diet is a very strict and significant cutting out of carbohydrates and replaces them with higher amounts of fat and protein. Ketogenic diets have been shown to reverse type II diabetes, changed the lives of those with epilepsy and shows great results for those with Alzheimer’s. The effects of massive reductions in blood sugar have huge implications in all sorts of other health conditions. Some of these conditions are greatly helped by reductions in blood sugar levels:

• cholesterol
• triglycerides
• metabolic syndrome
• stroke
• cardiovascular disease
• syndrome X
• brain injuries
• PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)
• acne

By drastically reducing the carbohydrate intake, the body reduces its production of insulin. Body fat is then highly mobilized for energy production (yay fat burning!). But the key players here are another less well known fuel source – KETONES.

What are KETONES?

What are ketone bodies?

Ketones are a metabolite that the brain and body can use as an efficient energy fuel source. Ketones are a type of fuel produced by the liver. Getting the liver to produce ketones is challenging unless you are able to cut out carbs almost entirely. It may take a few days to actually get into ketosis and you have to watch the quantity of protein you are eating as well.

So how do you follow the keto diet?

Ketogenic diets rely on a large intake of fat. Eating fat at every meal is essential. In a typical 2000 calorie per day diet, one might strive for 165 grams of fat, 75 grams of protein and 40 grams of carbohydrates.

OK, OK – stay with me. Eating quality fats is advantageous for many reasons. Once vilified for its supposed negative effects on cardiovascular disease, fats are not all equal. In the ketogenic diet, saturated fats (lard, coconut, palm, butter and cocoa butter) are consumed in high quantities. Unsaturated fats like almonds, walnuts, avocados are all great too. Trans fats like hydrogenated oils are definitely out. These are the ones highly connected with inflammation and disease.

Carbohydrate source like low glycemic vegetables like leafy greens (spinach, chard, etc), broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, asparagus, pepper, garlic, etc are amazing choices. Fruit is allowed but restricted to low glycemic types like berries and only in small amounts.

Risks associated with Ketogenic Diets

There are some inherent risks with the diet that require you to pay attention to.

Liver and Kidney problems. By consuming large amounts of fat and protein, any existing liver or kidney problems may worsen.

Constipation. Cutting out lots of fibrous foods can shut down your digestion. It’s important to maintain good electrolyte levels. Consider adding salt to drinking water to avoid problems.

Mental Health. Cutting out carbs can can cause ‘fuzzy’ brain and mood swings. While these typically only occur at the beginning, many people report higher levels of mental clarity once they achieve ketosis.

Nutrient Deficiency. Maintaining adequate nutrient intake is paramount to human health. Consuming large levels of a variety of vegetables is critical to maintaining proper nutritional mineral and vitamin levels.

Where do you go from here?

Staying fit and healthy can be challenging, but we’re here for you. How you choose to eat is one of the most important aspects of living a healthy life. When you make good choices about how you eat, how you move, and how you think – you are set up for a healthy life.

Dropping the Winter Weight

If you are looking to lose a few extra pounds this month, you are not alone. Many of our patients are working towards a similar goal.

How you move, eat, and think every day will determine your success. All three are part of maintaining an active lifestyle.
So where does Chiropractic fit in?

Unfortunately, no Chiropractic technique takes off 10 pounds with each adjustment; but people just like you have been able to maintain a healthy weight by adding Chiropractic care into their active lifestyle.

Research has suggested that periodic Chiropractic care can help evaluate, detect and treat emerging problems. So, by reducing injuries, you will be able to stay active and keep your exercise routine on track.

Also, many people report reduced stress after getting adjusted. This makes sense because research studies have shown reduced muscle tension in the body after an adjustment.

And finally, we firmly believe that healthy food choices make a significant impact on your body’s ability to be well and stay well. Eating healthy whole foods and sometimes even using select supplements can give your body the fuel it needs to get through the day.

Join us for our Weight Loss Workshop March 26, 2019 at 6:15PM.

Click here to Register!

Dr. Craig Hazel’s mission is to help families THRIVE. After graduating from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education, he went on to earn a Doctor of Chiropractic degree and a Bachelor of Science in Anatomy from Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas Texas. He is passionate about seeing children and families in his private practice at Synergy Chiropractic in Kanata Ontario. A sought after speaker, he has been featured regularly on TSN Team 1200, CTV and RogersTV.He is also the Chairman of the Alliance for Chiropractic of Ontario.