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August 2011                        Newsletter                  Issue No 8
Greetings! 

 

5 Tips on How to Quit Smoking



cigs

1) Know why you want to quit: To get motivated, you need a powerful, personal reason to quit.

   

2) Don't go cold turkey: Ninety-five percent of people who try to stop smoking without therapy or medication end up relapsing.

   

3) Try nicotine replacement therapy: Studies suggest nicotine gum, lozenges, and patches can help double your chances of quitting successfully when used with an intensive behavioral program.

   

4) Don't go it alone: Tell your friends, family, and co-workers that you're trying to quit. Their encouragement could make the difference.

 

5) Manage stress: One reason people smoke is that the nicotine helps them relax. Once you quit, you'll need another way to cope with stress.  If possible, avoid stressful situations during the first few weeks after you stop smoking.

 

               Click here to read about more ways to help quit smoking 



Sciatica... Exploring Cutting Edge Treatments

and Addressing Misconceptions


     A shocking 80 % of all Americans will experience low back pain at some point in their life.  Its epidemic status continues to grow and sufferers seek the most cutting edge approaches to not only ensuring relief but also restoring function.  Quite often individuals may also develop associated thigh or lower leg pain termed sciatica.  The clinical term sciatica requires clarification.  Sciatica simply means "pain in the leg".  It does not mean that the sciatic nerve has been "pinched".  In fact, the sciatic nerve is not involved in most cases of thigh or gluteal pain because it does not supply sensation from this area. 

a     Sciatica can be caused by irritation or trauma to nerve roots within the spinal canal or to peripheral nerves outside of the canal anywhere from the pelvis to the lower leg.  Space occupying lesions within the spinal canal such as a bone spur, disc herniation, congenitally narrow canal, infection, metastasis, or mass can be the causative agent.  Outside of the canal we find the instigators to be a femur head fracture, incorrectly placed intra-muscular injection, fixation of the sacroiliac joint, and primary bone cancer of the pelvis.   

 

     The two most common and least diagnosed causes are facet joint syndrome and piriformis contracture.  Facet joints help to guide motion of the spine letting us bend forward and back and side to side. They also relieve some of the weight bearing burden of the rest of the spine.  Quite often they are irritated due to an injury, arthritis, or misalignment.  This irritation produces referred pain into the gluteal region and back of the thigh.

 

     Piriformis contracture occurs when the piriformis muscle tightens and shortens for a prolonged period of time compressing peripheral nerves that provide sensation from the gluteal region and thigh.  The tightening can occur due to repetitive use such as is seen in runners and tennis players, injury, and misalignment of the pelvis.  The pain pattern is typically represented as severe buttock pain and mild thigh pain.

 

 sciatica 2    A comprehensive neurological and orthopedic examination should be performed checking reflexes, strength, sensation, posture, gait, muscle tone, and evaluating pain production from different positions.  X-rays help to narrow down the diagnosis.  Further imaging studies such as MRI and CT should only be necessary after a lack of improvement from conservative treatment or a progression of symptoms.   

 

            The treatment of sciatica is aimed at removing the cause and restoring proper function to the area.  Cutting edge maneuvers such as eccentric fast stretching and cross cord inhibition focus on reducing tension in tightened and shortened muscle and joint capsules.  Chiropractic manipulations focus on removing the irritation and restoring proper motion in the facet joints.  Flexion-distraction therapy helps to reposition some of the herniated material and increase the overall health of the disc.  Neurophysiologic rehabilitation of the part of the brain that directly controls the tone of the deep spinal muscles helps to create stability in the spine.  Lastly, a proper nutritional assessment should be made to promote an anti-inflammatory diet.


Question of the Month
What is Chiropractic Neurology?

Spine and brainChiropractic Neurology is a three year post-doctorate specialty that focuses on optimizing the function  of the nervous system using conservative, non-pharmaceutical based methods.  Subtle changes in the function of the nervous system will affect things such as muscle tone, joint alignment in the spine and the extremities, flexibility, balance & coordination. This dysfunction may result in chronic pain (fibromyalgia), vertigo, headaches, neck-back pain, sciatica, scoliosis, carpal tunnel, and other symptoms. In some cases, these changes may lead to difficulty with focus and attention, decline in academic performance, and cognitive processing disorders.

Many people assume that if they don't have a classical nervous system disorder (Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's), then their nervous system is healthy. This is not always a correct assumption. Neurological homeostasis is essential for the prevention of more serious degenerative disorders and for tapping the ultimate potential of your brain and body.

 

                    Click here to see more frequently asked questions  

 

Supplement of the Month 
coq10
Click on the image above to enter our online store
 

CoQ-10 ST

 

Stabilized, Highly Absorbable Coenzyme Q10 with Natural Vitamin E

 

* It features 30 mg of a stabilized, all natural encapsulation of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) manufactured to achieve exquisite quality, purity, and bioavailability.

* Coenzyme Q10 helps support cardiovascular, nervous system, and periodontal health through its bioenergetic and antioxidant activity; some research suggests coenzyme Q10 nutritional status may influence immune function.

* Coenzyme Q10 shows considerable cell-membrane-stabilizing activity.

* An oil-base formula supports CoQ10's lipophilic nature, thereby enhancing absorption and bioavailability.  

* Supplies vitamin E, which may support the activity of CoQ10.  

 

 

Recipe of the Month
snapper
Click on the image above to see the recipe
Snapper with Roasted Grape Tomatoes, Garlic and Basil

There are numerous health benefits to eating red snapper.  It contains about half of the the recommended daily value of selenium. Selenium's function as an antioxidant is particularly effective when combined with vitamin E.  Red snapper contains approximately 20 percent of the recommended daily value of phosphorus. Phosphorus is an important nutrient for a variety of functions, primarily related to bone health and density.  Red snapper contains about 33 percent of the recommended daily value of protein.  Protein is needed for the production of energy, hormones, enzymes, tissues and antibodies.  Red snapper provides almost the entire recommended daily value of vitamin D.  Vitamin D is important for metabolizing calcium, which helps maintain bone health.  


Brain Teaser of the Month
Brain teaser

What is yours but everyone uses it more than you?

Click here to see the answer  

  
Kim's Fitness Corner
kim  

HEALTHY FOOD SHOPPING STRATEGIES.  

BY: KIM ALZERRECA -954-415-9826

wwwstayfitwithkim.com  

 

 

Whether you love grocery shopping or not, one way for all shoppers to become smarter is to use the information that is provided on the actual food items. Food labels are found on almost every food item in the supermarket. In the United States, four main types of nutrition and health information appear on the food products: Nutrient content claim, Nutrition Facts panel, Ingredient list and Health claim.

 

� You can use the Nutrition Facts panel to help you meet your healthy eating goals. Here is a list below that identifies the main components of the Nutrition Facts panel that can help you stay on track to meet your Healthy Eating Goals.

 

�Serving Size: Nutrition information, applies to only one serving of food

 

� Servings per container: The number of servings in the container

 

� Calories: The number of calories in one serving of the food

 

� Total fat: Look for reduced fat, low-fat or monounsaturated fats (health fats) to reduce the fat in your diet. Stay away from hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated, palm and coconut oil.

 

� Saturated (look for 2grams or less per serving), trans fats (0grams) and cholesterol (less than 20grams per serving) . Avoid foods that are high in artery-clogging saturated and trans fats

 

� Dietary fiber: Look for foods with at least 3.0 grams of fiber per serving. Look for fiber found in whole-grain foods such as cereals, breads, pasta and brown rice. Try to get 30 grams a day of fiber.

 

� Vitamin A, C, and iron: Choose foods with at least some Vitamin A and C

 

� Calcium: The percentage of your daily calcium needs. To increase calcium, aim for foods with at least 20% of your daily calcium needs.

 

� Sodium: Stay below 2,000mg a day

 

� Sugars: Stay below 4 grams per serving. Stay away from dextrose, sucrose or anything with "ose" and mannitol or anything with "ol"

 

� Protein: Make sure it is lean. Preferably choose poultry, fish, low-fat dairy products (or dairy alternatives), legumes, nuts and seeds

 

� Don't eat foods that have any of the following listed as one of the first five ingredients: Simple sugars, Enriched, bleached, or refined flour (this means it's stripped of its nutrients), HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup).

 

� Serving Size and Servings per container are very important for everyone to know and understand! You should know what a serving size is and how many servings are in the container. By knowing this, you'll be able to interpret the other information on the panel, and thus be able to shop wisely and eating smartly.


Contact Us

Dr. John Conde is a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist. He holds diplomate status through the American Chiropractic Neurology Board. His office is located at the Atlantic Grove in Delray Beach, Florida. For more information, or to make an appointment, please contact 561-330-6096 or email us at: info@thecondecenter.com

 

I hope you've enjoyed the additions to this month's newsletter!  

If you have any questions, you can reach the clinic at the phone number above or at our website: TheCondeCenter.com.  

 

Sincerely,

 

Conde Signature  

 

John Conde DC, DACNB   

 

The Conde Center For Chiropractic Neurology  

401 W. Atlantic Ave. Ste. 014  

Delray Beach, Florida 33444

561-330-6096