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ASC HEALTH & WELLNESS NEWS
Greetings!
Hooray for Summer! I hope that this newsletter reaches each of you enjoying your Summer to the fullest! Have you ever noticed how easy it can be to get so caught up in the "doing" of the season that we forget about the actual enjoyment of it? Or have you ever gone on a vacation and come back so tired and worn out that you feel the need for another vacation just to catch up? If any of the above sounds familiar, don't you think you owe it to yourself and your future to take some "me time"? Whether your "me time" includes sleeping at the beach, a hike through Mission Gorge, or some much needed health checks, each of us craves and needs this time in order to reach a healthy balance between the body, mind and spirit. If you spend all your energy on one aspect, the others will surely be neglected and, eventually, depleted. The longer something is neglected, the longer it takes to be restored. So why not start finding your balance today? This month I'm challenging each of you to start reaching your balance. Take one day a month, (or one hour a week if you're able) and focus on what your life has been whispering to you to restore. If your health is holding you back, let ASC help you back to a pain and stress free enjoyment of your active lifestyle. Remember: You only get one body. Take good care of it!Yours in Health & Success, Dr. Katrina  |
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EXERCISE TIP: Plantar Fasciitis Relief
If you're one of the unfortunate individuals that experiences summer "flip-flop disease", aka. "Plantar Fasciitis": an intense stiffness and pain in the arch and heel due to inflammation of the thick connective tissue that supports the arch of the foot- Try the following tip to find relief:
1.Take a typical inexpensive 8 or 12oz plastic water bottle and freeze it. (Yes, that means with the water still in it!)
2. Once frozen, lay it on the floor and roll it back and forth under the arch of your foot. Apply whatever pressure you can tolerate from a seated position.
3. Repeat this several times a day, about 5-10 minutes each session for the affected foot.
WHY IT WORKS: The solid surface will help to restore mobility by stretching out the
muscles and fascia, while the icing effect will help to decrease
inflammation and pain. No excuses! This one is simple enough to do while watching TV, working at the computer or talking on the phone at your desk.
While you may experience pain or injury in a particular area, such as a knee or a hip, the root of the problem may lie somewhere else. Injuries of this nature are not regional, or isolated, but systemic. A problem in the foot or ankle can create an imbalance in every step, knees, hips, low back, or elsewhere. If you suffer from pain beyond typical muscle soreness, your doctor of chiropractic can diagnose and treat your pain or injury and get you back into the swing of your fitness routine. Your doctor of chiropractic can also help customize a wellness program that is right for you and has the expertise to help keep you in the mainstream of life.
Reminder: If you are experiencing pain of any kind, be sure to follow up with your healthcare provider. These exercises are provided strictly as a benefit to help you improve your general wellness, and should not be used in place of a proper diagnosis or treatment plan.
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 Where to Find Us...On the Web:
Follow the ASC Blog for additional health, fitness and sports performance tips throughout the month by joining us on BlogSpot.
Click here to join us on Facebook or Twitter! Get updates on everything Body & Mind Related! From upcoming events, interesting links, articles, sports performance and stress management seminars and more!
Have
you been looking for a way to meet new people that enjoy developing a
fit and active lifestyle like you? If you haven't visited yet, click here to learn more about the ASC social group "San Diego Fit and
Healthy". You'll find new friends to connect with, events to attend and
local races and competitions to take part in!
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 SEASONAL NEWS & TIPS: NO EXCUSES!
Some of you may remember that in our January Newsletter, I mentioned getting yourself on the road to health by getting off your butt and adding walking to your routine. So now that we're past the mid-year mark, how'd you do? If you fell off the boat and stopped your routine or gym membership, remember this: You don't need to become a member of an expensive gym to go walking. And except for a good pair of walking shoes, it requires virtually no equipment.
As we all know, a sedentary lifestyle has a debilitating influence on people's health as they age, therefore exercise is imperative. You might think you walk enough as it is during your daily routine, but making "fitness walking" a separate part of your health regimen accomplishes all of the following and more: Improves cardiovascular endurance and reduces the risk of heart disease; Tones muscles of the lower body ; Burns calories: about 80 if walking 2 miles per hour, and about 107 if walking 4.5 miles per hour
The following tips can help you get started on your walking regimen:
· Go in the morning. This will not only kick-start your metabolism, but will likely avoid the high summer heat and humidity you'd face during later times of the day. Such conditions should always be avoided since they make it harder to motivate and make you more prone to situations like dehydration and heat related illnesses.
· Move your arms freely, in coordination with the opposite leg. If you need to carry water, get yourself an inexpensive water belt or pack .
· Don't stoop your head or look down as you walk. This will challenge the normal forward curve of your neck, which, in turn, will cause you to carry your weight improperly.
· Don't carry weights or dumbbells while walking. They're better used as a separate part of your exercise regimen, since they can often create stress on the upper body which leads to improper form and pain.
· Expect a little soreness in the thighs and calves for the first week or two. If you experience more than soreness, check with your doctor of chiropractic.
· Walk briskly and with "purpose." Simply sauntering, while relaxing and an enjoyable form of stress release, is not an effective form of cardiovascular exercise.
· An all-weather or rubberized track is ideal, because the cushioning of this type of track absorbs most of the impact of your walking. Many recreation centers offer this type of track free of charge. Grass is another good surface, but watch out for hidden dips or holes in the ground.
· For those of you near beaches, be aware that this surface can be a great workout, but ONLY if you're on a level surface. Walking along sloping tide line or road makes the muscles of your legs, hips, and low back work unevenly leaving you "lop-sided"- out of balance and feeling sore.
· Walking on a surface with no give, such as concrete or a mall floor, is not your best choice, because this type of surface will not absorb much of the impact your body will experience. If you do choose to walk on such a surface, be extra careful to select highly cushioned shoes with the proper arch support for your specific foot needs.
As with any new fitness program, you may want to consider consulting your doctor before beginning. If you're starting from scratch, start slowly with a walk of perhaps half of a mile at a pace that does not cause discomfort. Continue this for about two weeks, then start to increase the pace and length of time walking. Eventually - depending on your age - you can build your "target" heart rate/pulse to either 120 beats per minute or, if younger, as many as 140 beats per minute. For the average adult, a heart rate of 120 beats per minute would require walking at about 3 miles per hour, while a heart rate of 140 beats per minute would require a pace of 4 miles per hour.
Additional Informational Resources available through the American Chiropractic Association, JACAOnline October 2006
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Action Sports Chiropractic & Wellness
is San Diego's premiere location for developing and
maintaining an active lifestyle. Whether you are looking to get
through the
pain and discomfort of a new injury, motor vehicle accident, manage chronic stress and
headaches, or to
improve your strength, fitness and posture, we'll provide a step by
step,
personalized approach to reaching those goals as quickly as possible.
We
believe that an active, science based, holistic, goal oriented approach is the best way reach
your
optimal performance levels. If you've been searching for a place that
understands the demands and needs of an active lifestyle, we're confident
you'll like what you'll find. Come check us out at www.ActionSportsChiropractic.com or call 858.481.0303 to make an appointment and start reaching your goals today!
Sincerely,
Dr. Katrina M. Stopper, DC, ATC, CSCS
Action Sports Chiropractic & Wellness
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