When most people think of Chiropractors, they think of someone who only adjusts your neck and back. While Chiropractors do specialize in treating the neck and back regions, they have been trained to do much more. Peak Performance Chiropractic & Sports Rehab Center and the rest of our team are dedicated to helping you achieve your long-term health and wellness goals by offering you reliable lifestyle advice. If you are not sure if the lifestyle choices you are making are worsening or improving your condition, Peak Performance Chiropractic & Sports Rehab Center is here to help. We address the typical chiropractic issues as well as coach our patients to live a healthier life by looking at the individual as a whole mentally, physically and emotionally.
Treatment is only the beginning to living a healthier, pain-free life. There are many other factors that contribute to how complete your recovery will be. For example, proper nutrition and exercise help promote the body’s natural healing process and an essential component to your chiropractic care. Living each day with a healthier perspective is easier than you think. We are here coaching and cheering you on the whole way!
Every day we are all faced with the same choices and decisions to make. Here are some topics to think about as you consider your wellness goals:
- Change Unhealthy Habits
- Get Proper Rest
- Quit Smoking
- Limit TV Time
- Read Food Labels
- Limit Stress
How to Change Unhealthy Habits
If you want to successfully change your old habits to live a healthier life, you cannot leave an open door to your old habits. You need to commit to your decision and not look back. Whenever you change anything at first, it feels uncomfortable and unnatural.
However, over a short amount of time, it will become normal and natural. The greatest demonstration of a healthy and growing self-image and self-esteems is the commitment to work on you each and every day.
Get Proper Rest
Approximately 100 million Americans struggle with difficulty sleeping. Research at ASRI suggests that the amount and quality of sleep we achieve has profound effects on our wellness. Nightly sleep is critical for proper function of the brain, immune system, endocrine system, digestion as well as for energy, recovery from injury, and restoration of health. Sleep gives us the energy, the will, and the foundation to accomplish lifestyle changes that lead to better health.
Quit Smoking
Every day someone stops smoking, let it be you today. Some people find acupuncture is helpful at reducing cravings while many use nicotine patches for the same reason. All of these tactics are helpful, but nothing is as powerful as your unwavering, commitment to want to change for the better. In as little as 20 minutes, your health is already improving. This timeline is helpful to know exactly how impactful quitting smoking is to your health.
20 minutes
Your blood pressure will drop back down to normal.
8 hours
The carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) levels in your bloodstream will drop by half and oxygen levels will return to normal.
48 hours
Your chance of having a heart attack will have decreased. All nicotine will have left your body. Your sense of taste and smell will return to a normal level.
72 hours
Your bronchial tubes will relax, and your energy levels will increase.
2 weeks
Your circulation will increase, and it will continue to improve for the next 10 weeks.
3 to 9 months
Coughing, wheezing and breathing problems will dissipate as your lung capacity improves by 10%.
1 Year
Your risk of having a heart attack will have dropped by half.
5 Years
Your risk of having a stroke returns to that of a non- smoker.
10 Years
Your risk of lung cancer will have returned to that of a non-smoker.
15 Years
Your risk of a heart attack will have returned to that of a non-smoker.
Limit TV Time
It is important to remember every hour that you spend sitting in front of the television is an hour spent being inactive. When you sit for periods of time, it results in burning fewer calories and a reduction in overall metabolism. A number of studies have shown that people who watch a substantial amount of television also eat more food. The American Academy of Pediatrics have shown that children who watch more than two hours of television per day struggle more with aggressive behavioral problems, difficulty in concentrating, sleep disturbances and a dramatically increased risk of alcohol consumption as teenagers. Other studies have shown that the results are just as valid for adolescents and adults as well.
Read Food Labels
Learning how to read food labels will help improve your health and wellness. About every food packaged in the U.S. has a food label indicating the serving size and other nutritional information. The “Nutrition Facts” are intended to give you information about the packaged food. Measurements of fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and minerals are calculated for a typical portion. By learning to understand and navigate this information will allow you to make better food choices for you and your family.
Limit Stress
Stress wreaks havoc on your whole body. Regardless of its origins, stress always takes a toll on the body. Mental, emotional, and physical stress describe any unpleasant living condition which can lead to negative effects on health; such as, increased blood pressure, depression, apathy and increased muscle tension to name a few. Many people find their modern lives are too busy with multitasking, job responsibilities, family and expenses leaving insufficient down time for relaxation. Peak Performance Chiropractic & Sports Rehab Center is here to help guide and support you to make more positive choices for your health and wellness.
Our goal at Peak Performance Chiropractic & Sports Rehab Center is to help your total health and wellness by including lifestyle advice with your chiropractic care plan. Call our office today to start your journey towards a healthier you.
Benefits of Stretching
Do you experience tightened muscles, loss of range of motion, or pain in your neck, back, and legs? You aren’t alone. Did you know that more than 80% of adults experience some form of neck or back pain that regularly limits their performance in normal daily activities? As we age, our muscle tissue begins to shorten and tighten. This puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage. Therefore, maintaining muscle flexibility and range of motion in the joints is key to maintaining long, lean, and healthy muscle structure.
Here at Peak Performance Chiropractic & Sports Rehab Center HERE we aim to educate our patients on the importance of stretching and how it can help improve your overall mobility, flexibility, balance and strength. A simple stretching routine assists in lengthening your muscles which makes the motions of daily tasks, like dressing or squatting to tie your shoes, much, much easier.
No matter your age or activity level, stretching should be a part of your everyday routine. According to Harvard-affiliated physical therapist, David Nolan, “A lot of people don’t understand that stretching has to happen on a regular basis. It should be daily.” Stretching is especially essential for those who are physically active, as well as those who work at sedentary jobs. For example, sitting in a chair all day results in tight hamstrings in the back of the thigh. That can make it more difficult to extend your leg or straighten your knee all the way, which can hinder basic activities like walking. Likewise, when tight muscles are suddenly called on for a vigorous activity that stretches them, they may become damaged from suddenly being stretched. Injured muscles may not be strong enough to support the joints, which can lead to joint injury.
Benefits of Stretching Include:
• Increased Flexibility: The more you stretch, the more you move your muscles, the more your muscles lengthen. Over time, stretching becomes easier and easier, resulting in enhanced flexibility.
• Improved Posture: Poor posture is a common and an ever increasing problem that can be easily reversed, and even healed, by a regular stretching routine. Because stretching strengthens your muscles and encourages proper alignment, your body posture will be less slouched and more vertical.
• Injury Prevention: Warm, flexible muscles are far less liking to suffer injury than tight, unused muscles. With daily stretching, movement becomes easier and more fluid. The more prepared your muscles are for movement, the risk of injury is drastically decreased.
• Increased Nutrients and Reduced Soreness: Movement and stretching increases blood supply, which in turn, increases nutrient distribution to the muscles. With an increased blood flow and nutrient supply, soreness and recovery time is decreased.
• Mental Benefits: Though many folks consider the physical benefits to stretching, there are many mental health perks that slip under the radar. Stretching provides your brain a ‘break’. It allows you time to recharge and refresh. Many people carry stress and tension in their muscles, as muscles tighten as a defensive strategy. Therefore, the more you stretch, the more time you allow for mental decompression. Stretching also allows for the increased blood flow which improves energy level and increases invigoration. All in all, stretching makes for a very effective form of meditation and stress management.
So where to start? With a body full of muscles, the idea of daily stretching may seem overwhelming. It’s important to start with the basics. You don’t have to stretch every muscle you have. The areas critical for mobility are in your lower extremities: your calves, your hamstrings, your hip flexors in the pelvis and quadriceps in the front of the thigh. Stretching your shoulders, neck, and lower back is also beneficial, as these make up your major muscle tension. When you stretch the major muscles in your body you will receive the most benefits to improve your flexibility throughout your whole body.
It extremely important to understand proper technique when stretching. Incorrect stretching can be harmful to your muscles. To avoid injury, insure that you are taking your time with the movements and paying attention to proper placement of your body. If you are injured or have an already tense muscle, be careful to not overwork the area and allow for maximum healing. If you are stretching and you feel pain or discomfort, it is absolutely crucial for you to ease up on the tense muscles in order to prevent damaging the muscle even further.
Finally, remember to keep up with your stretching routine. A good starting point would be to aim for a program of daily stretches or at least three or four times per week, for at least 10 minutes per session. The more you stretch, the more benefits your body and your mind will receive. Stretching is a great way to take a break from your busy day to recharge and strengthen your body and your mind.
It’s important to note that stretching isn’t a magic cure, and stretching once today won’t give you perfect flexibility. However, with a committed routine, proper execution, and time, stretching is proven to provide a wide variety of both physical and mental benefits to the body.
For more information on stretching or to schedule an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact us today at (435) 864-2000!