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LWC would like to introduce Alicia Johnson, our afternoon front office assistant. Alicia was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, lived in many other parts of the United States, and now happily resides in New Castle with her adorable four year old son named Landon. Alicia is also engaged to her fiance, Brian, who is an apprentice electrician. Her enthusiasm, energy, and willingness to take on new tasks have been an excellent addition to the Lifetime Wellness team. Alicia's special talents include an uncanny ability to quote movie lines, recieving marked injury during the team retreat (and living to tell about it), and inhaling helium for the team's entertainment during lunch hour. Please say hello to Alicia the next time you are visiting us in the afternoon.
Check the bottom of this newsletter for a special offer from Lifetime Wellness Chiropractic.
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Two Minutes and the Brown Rice Tortilla
I enjoy a brown rice tortilla spread thick with cashew butter and a perfectly ripened, squishable banana. I spread the cashew butter from one end to the other and then "mushspread" the banana to match the dimensions of the cashew butter. I slowly roll it up burrito style, approximately 3/4 of an inch thickness, and then eat from one end to the other, no plate, wiping any excess on my jeans, standing over the sink in my kitchen. Pure joy. Total elapsed time, one minute, and fourteen seconds.
I was watching the news online the other day and I was assualted with intense negative messaging on many topics from politics, the environment, and world economy all the way to Hollywood starlets. That was just the MSN homepage! Pondering the world news, I realized that after twelve years of practice, current world conditions are resulting in a constant elevation of overall tension in my patients. Intense heightened muscle tension throughout the whole spine. Tightness and spasming that vibrates off a patient at such an unusual intensity it seems to flow up my arms as I place my hands on them. Extending beyond this global tension I have, of late, had an inordinate amount of tears in my office. Men and women crying spontaneously while lying on my table. Tears for struggling marriages, loved ones dying, job losses, financial failure, and generalized fear. No question, people are hurting.
At that moment while MSN was scrolling newsbytes, one after the other, I thought of tortillas. Brown rice tortillas to be exact. I thought we are in a time where taking two minutes to enjoy something simple with your whole entire being could be it. It could be the one thing that makes or breaks the hour, the day, maybe more. It could change the next moment from turning away from our kids to tickling them. It could change an outcome of yelling at someone on the road to waving a thank you for them letting you in. It could turn a wave of despair into a moment of peace. On a bigger scale, those two minutes could even save us from a compromised immune system, illness, fatigue, or depression. I thought, I am going to eat more brown rice tortillas with cashew butter and a squishy banana. I am going to do it real time, not thinking about what's next, with my mind clear and my feet firmly planted on the hardwood for two full minutes. What happens after that I don't know or care. Right now, it is just the tortilla and me.
What is your two minute treasure that places you back in the now focusing on the beauty of the moment? Is it sitting on your deck with your feet up on the rail, drinking your favorite coffee. Do you find your IPOD, turn it up to an unreasonable level and close your eyes? Do you take the long way home and drive 3 miles under the speed limit?
I would love to hear your Two Minute Treasure. Next time you are on the table, if you are so inclined, spontaneously share your way of grounding yourself, getting back to the present and focusing on the simple things that bring you pleasure.
Heather Denniston, DC |
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Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJD) 
The most physically active joint in the body is the TMJ. TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint, or to put it into more simple terms, the jaw joint. The TMJ is a hinge joint, allowing it both simultaneous rotation and glide making it possible for us to speak, chew, and yawn. The joint can be found on each side of your head, just in front of your ears, where the lower jawbone meets the skull. The lower jaw has two rounded knobs that fit into sockets formed by the upper jaw bone. A shock absorbing cartilage disc can be found in the joint space allowing for the smooth glide of the joint as the jaw opens and closes.
TMJD, or Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction, is an umbrella term that is used to describe pain that can be attributed to dysfunction of the TMJ, be it true TMJD or Myofacial Pain Syndrome associated with spasmed jaw muscles. TMJD can occur for a number of reasons. The cushioning disc in the joint space can be inflamed or damaged by arthritis. The disc can also erode or be displaced. In both of these situations, the disc is damaged and cannot provide adequate space within the jaw and can lead to bone on bone grating and grinding. The TMJ may be damaged by an external impact or blow to the jaw offsetting it's proper position and motion. Lastly, the muscles that stabilize the jaw can become fatigued by jaw clenching and teeth grinding (Bruxism). Exacerbations can occur with stress, eating hard, crunchy, or chewy foods, and dental work.
According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 5-15% of people in the United States alone experience pain associated with the jaw. Women between the ages of 30-50 years are the most common sufferers. Individuals who grind their teeth, clench their jaw, or have had significant facial or jaw trauma have a higher susceptability to developing TMJD. Diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia also pose a higher risk.
TMJD sufferers can experience a variety of symptoms:
Pain or tenderness of the jaw
Achy pain in or around the ear
Difficulty or discomfort with chewing
Facial pain
Locking of the joint or difficulty opening and closing the jaw
Headaches
Hearing loss
Uneven bite
Clicking, grating, or grinding sensation of the jaw
Not all TMJD cases require surgical intervention. There are some successful non-surgical ways to manage TMJD and its symptoms:
Avoiding crunchy and chewy foods
Nightguards to prevent teeth grinding (see your dentist about this option)
Sleep on your back with your neck supported by a cervical curve pillow
Use ice to decrease inflammation (freeze water in a paper cup, peel away to expose ice, and massage jaw in a circular motion for 10 minutes)
Heat can be used for 30 minutes if pain is chronic (damp heat is best. Wrap a damp towel around a hot water bottle)
Get ADJUSTED! Chiropractors can adjust the TMJ.
Even if you do not have pain in or around your jaw but have noticed clicking or grinding within the jaw, an uneven bite, difficulty opening or closing the jaw, or an incidence of jaw locking, let your Chiropractor know. Pain is almost the always the last symptom to show up.
Sarah Deam, DC
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Importance of Core Strength
For too long we focused on improving the appearance of our body's musculature physique. We dieted to look thin. Lifted weights to improve arm and leg tone. Pounded out thousands of crunches and situps to develop our abs, and spent countless hours on cardio equipment in exercise classes, all to appear and feel strong.
Fitness equipment became more advanced as the years progressed. We went from hand held free weights and flimsy looking universal gyms, to Nautilus, Hammer Strength machines and other lines of weight loaded equipment. Through all of the fitness buzz and fancy equipment, it is very possible that we may have been missing out on an essential workout component to strengthen a portion of our body that is absolutely crucial for improving overall agility, stability, and strength as well as for preventing injuries to the spine and extremities.
Often overlooked because it is buried beneath all of that hard earned, toned physique, the missing link is the core muscle group. A strong core provides a powerful and supportive infrastructure for the body. The core is capable of predicting and interpreting information from the external environment and stabilizing the body to prevent slips and falls. The core is also the foundation for providing the initial explosion behind a kick or punch. A weak core will lead to an overall decrease in functional movement ability and will lead to more susceptibility to injury.
Dancers, Yogis, and Pilates practitioners have always had the right idea. They have always embraced core development at the center of their practice. Over the years, health and fitness communities have always caught on. "Core strength" has now become a common buzz word. New core strengthening fitness equipment such as stability balls, medicine balls, Bosu balls, and balance boards have become fantastic additions to gyms. Some people have even incorporated core strengthening programs while at work and utilized their fitness balls in place of office chairs.
We know the word, "Core strength" but what exactly is "the core"? How do we know that we are doing the necessary exercises to properly isolate and strengthen those muscles? Which pieces of core building fitness equipment are good purchases?
Anatomically, the core is the body minus the legs and arms. The primary core muscle groups are located in the abdominal region, mid back, and low back. Secondary core muscle groups are located in the hips, surrounding the pelvis, and deep within the pelvic cavity. Building and maintaining a strong core is essential for maintaining proper posture, stabilizing the entire body (in particular the hips, pelvis, and low back), maintaining spinal, rib, and pelvic alignment, interpreting nervous system information for coordinated movements of the extremities, and maintaining balance.
Core weakness can be the result of a sedentary lifestyle, weight gain, poor posture, previous injury, pregnancy, and lack of flexibility. An underdeveloped core leads to instability i the pelvic region region, hips, and low back. A weak core can lead to discomfort when standing or sitting for long periods, bending, twisting, and lifting, and will inevitably lead to injury. Low back pain and injury is the most obvious, however, core weakness will also quietly disrupt proper posture by altering the normal curvature of the low back and can lead to poor balance.
The core distributes the stress of weight bearing activities such as running, jumping, and lifting weight. Besides providing stabilization, a powerful core is at the center of all movement. All explosive movements originate from the center of the body (the core) and move outwards to power all active limb movements. The more stable and powerful the core is, the more powerful the force of the extremities.
Now that we know what the core is and have established that a developed core is the foundation for coordinated movements, stabilization, balance, agility, and posture, we need to know how to strengthen it. A core exercise should target all core muscles to be most effective. The workout should optimally be performed at a frequency of at least three times per week. Check out the Mayo clinic website for safe and effective core exercises. Look for instruction on performed basic planks, side planks, crunches, and bridges. If you work out at home, purchase the Core Secrets video featuring Gunnar Peterson. To mix up your workout, throw in medicine balls, stability ball exercises, and balancing on Bosu balls or wobble boards. If you are new to working out or have sustained a past injury, seek out a qualified personal trainer or other trained individual who can help you to safely and effectively utilize the equipment.
Be ready to feel stronger and more agile. Core strength comes more quickly and is far more important then sought after washboard abs and chiseled arms.
Sarah Deam, DC
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$150 value! |
Is there a friend or family member that you have been encouraging to seek chiropractic care? Now they can check us out for free!
Clip this coupon for a complimentary examination and review of findings.
We look forward to meeting and caring for your referral! Please call to schedule appointment
425-392-7334
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| Offer Expires: Offer expires December 31, 2008 and does not include 1st adjustment. Good for first time patients only. One coupon per family please. | |
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