Whiplash and Chiropractic

If you have suffered a whiplash-type injury to the neck, chiropractic care is the best choice to reduce pain and return proper mechanics to the cervical spine.

Whiplash is characterized as an injury to the the neck and upper back (sprain) from the traumatic rapid forward and backward motion of the neck during an accident.

Chiropractic emphasizes a comprehensive picture of the mechanisms of neck sprain. Even more important than muscle injury is the response of the nervous system to the trauma, and the injury to deeper tissues of the spine with resulting restriction or fixation of the spinal joints.

The severe pain and restricted motion you experience after a whiplash injury is a product of injured tissue, and the protective response of the nervous system as it locks up spinal joints to protect you from possible injury to the spinal cord. This can occur immediately, but research has shown that it may sometimes not show for up to 2 months following the injury.

Chiropractic care emphasizes mobilizing restricted spinal joints and freeing nerve impingement using spinal manipulation, including gentle techniques. Your chiropractor will address the stiffness and pain of the neck injury and return full function to injured spinal joints.

The goal of chiropractic care in treating whiplash injuries is to remove nerve pressure, optimize motion in the spine, treat the spinal discs, reduce muscle spasm and improve muscular strength.

King Fruit?

Originally referred to as Chinese Gooseberries or Yang Tao, kiwifruit was first cultivated in Chang Kiang Valley of China approximately 700 years ago. Kiwifruit was first exported from China to the United States in 1904, but it was not until 1935 when kiwifruit was grown for commercial use in the U.S.  California has since become the largest producer of kiwifruit in the U.S., producing 95 percent of all kiwifruit consumed in the U.S, with New Zealand making up the other 5 percent.

Before California became a large cultivator of kiwifruit, New Zealand was already exporting kiwi to the U.S. In fact, back in 1961, Trader Vic's in San Francisco was the first restaurant to serve kiwifruit on its menu. Kiwifruit experienced a surge of popularity in the 1980's and has since remained a popular fruit.

Nutrition

In a study conducted at Rutgers University, scientists found that kiwifruit is the most nutrient dense of all fruits, with papaya, mango, and oranges falling right behind. Kiwifruit contains the highest amounts of magnesium and vitamin C than any other fruit, containing approximately double the vitamin C of an orange! Furthermore, kiwi, papaya, and apricots outweigh the banana in terms of potassium levels. Kiwifruit is also a good source of vitamin E, which is a difficult vitamin to obtain from the diet. Unlike many other fruits, kiwi is available year round because of California's late fall harvest and New Zealand's summer harvest.

Selection & Storage

To select the best-tasting kiwi, hold the kiwifruit between your thumb and forefinger and apply gentle pressure to the fruit. A perfectly ripe kiwi should yield to the pressure just enough to make a small dent. An overripe kiwi will yield too much to thumb pressure, and an under ripe kiwi will not yield enough.

Ripe, ready-to-eat kiwi can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. When stored in the refrigerator, be sure the kiwi is stored away from other fruits and vegetables because they release ethylene gas which can speed up the ripening process and cause the kiwi to become overripe. If you purchase under ripe kiwi, they can quickly ripen within a few days by placing them at room temperature inside a brown bag with an apple, banana, or pear to speed up the process.