Can chiropractic help when I am pregnant?

February 27, 2010

Yes! You will be glad to hear that chiropractic adjustments can significantly reduce labor time. Mothers giving birth for the first time have averaged 24% shorter labor time and repeat pregnancy labor times decreased 39% (Fallon, 1991). Chiropractic adjustments during pregnancy can also reduce the likelihood of experiencing back pain during pregnancy (Diakow, 1991). You can be adjusted and relieve stress and dysfunction in your body until the birth of your child (Penna, 1989).

During pregnancy, weight-bearing changes occur when we have an added load to our abdomen. This can cause an added stress to the low back, hips and other areas of the spine. Chiropractic treatments help your body stay relaxed and comfortable and may also help facilitate your birth.

Here is how we can help:

Sacral misalignment can cause twisting and tightening of pelvic muscles and ligaments. This can prevent the baby from tipping comfortably into the proper position in preparation for child birth. Chiropractors using the Webster Technique can address this situation naturally by adjusting your pelvis and reducing the tension on your muscles and ligaments. The baby will innately move into the proper position and you will save yourself from a cesarean birth. It has even been successful with twin births as well!

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health, San Carlos Chiropractor | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Increasing Energy & Stamina When Dieting

February 24, 2010

Wondering how to keep active while lowering your calorie intake?  Here are some healthy tips!

Balance is key!  If on a minimum of 1,200 calories per day, 50-55% should be coming from carbohydrates, 15-20% from protein, and 25-30% fat.

Ensure that you eat a high fiber, low refined carbohydrate diet:  For example, if you’re going to eat bread, select 100% whole wheat. Stay away from “white” and “enriched” bread and foods

Eat smaller, frequent meals rather than a few, large meals:  It is recommended to eat 3 meals and 2-3 healthy snacks per day. We are not talking snicker bars here! Try an apple or a half a cup of blueberries. This will help maintain blood sugar levels while increasing your satiety.

Stay hydrated: Hydration is vitally important. Drink water prior, during and after exercise.  Men on average should consume about 13 8-oz servings of water per day. Women should consume about 9 8-oz servings.

Decrease your caffeine intake: Consume less than 400mg of caffeine per day. If you need caffeine, consume 2 oz every 2 hrs is the best dose of caffeine for energy. Opt for smaller cups of coffee instead of one large one: your body can only process a limited amount of caffeine at a time.

Increase your physical activity: increase your maximum aerobic capacity through your exercise. Exercise improves your mood immediately and it is great for your heart!

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How to prevent bruising

February 22, 2010

In a recent article in Bottom Line Health, there are 2 main causes of bruising.

1. Aging: Getting older our skin becomes thinner and more vulnerable for injuries.

2. Medications: Aspirin, ibuprofen and warfarin (Coumadin) cause thinning of the skin. This allows bruising easily if you bump or scrape yourself.

Here are some suggestions that can help you stop bruising so easily.

Eat a flavonoid-rich diet: Citrus fruits, blueberries, blackberries, green tea, and onions are full of antioxidants which help you to fight off disease and illness as well as strengthen your cell membranes. Even if you are a “chocaholic”! Flavonoids exist naturally in cacao. Though cacao is not as sweet as chocolate, it can stop the urge to eat another sweet and help your metabolism at the same time!

Grape skins contain high amounts of flavonoids as well as polyphenols. Red and white wine contain flavonoids but red wine has been observed to contain higher levels of flavonoids.

Get enough Vitamin C: Elderberry or bilberry are great sources of vitamin C. They are high in flavonoids as well! Studies have shown them improve circulation, eye health and reduce viruses.

Finally, as with everything else… Exercise: Poor circulation contributes to bruising, exercising helps get your circulation pumping! You can walk, skip, jump, run or do anything that gets your heart pumping faster.

This is a message from Dr. Amie B. Gregory at Precise Moves Chiropractic in San Carlos, CA

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health | Tagged , | Comments (0)

The truth about High Fructose Corn Syrup

February 20, 2010

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is added to numerous foods and drinks. HFCS is created by changing glucose which is a sugar molecule into fructose. Companies started to use HFCS in their foods in order to increase the shelf life of their product. Good theory, but the consumers are beginning to see ill effects of their product.

1. Weight gain:

HFCS is hard for the body to breakdown and metabolize. In a sense, HFCS tricks our body because the slowdown prevents our body from communicating to our brain that we are full. Guess what…we eat more and gain weight.

2. Diabetes:

According to the Diabetes Health website, consuming HFC may lead to what is called “insulin resistance”. What this means is normal amounts of insulin are inadequate in our bodies fat, muscle and liver cells. This leads to diabetes. After becoming a diabetic, it can cause other problems with the heart, circulation, loss of limbs, loss of sight and a premature death. Is has also been suggested that the increase in Juvenile diabetes has increased because of the high levels of ingestion of HFCS.

It is better to intake natural sugar than ingest HFCS. Companies like Coke and Pepsi are starting to offer sugar soft drinks at the demand of the consumer.

When buying any food or drink, check to see if it has high fructose corn syrup and see if there is an alternative.

Dr. Amie B. Gregory, San Carlos Chiropractor
Precise Moves Chiropractic
(650) 353-1133

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Facts about bunions

February 12, 2010

Bunions are a malformed bony bump on the outside portion of the big toe.  It becomes enlarged and angles toward the second toe putting pressure on the foot.  This can be very painful.

Symptoms of a bunion:

  • Bump or angulation on the outside of the first toe
  • Swelling, redness and tenderness of the big toe
  • Thickening of the skin on the bottom of your foot under the big toe
  • Corns or calluses
  • Pain of the first toe
  • Restricted movement

Women are more likely to get bunions because of wearing high heels or shoes that don’t fit properly. Improper shoes can cause foot problems because the big toe begins to push on other toes and tissues.  Improper shoes cause improper movement which may not be a problem now but will increase in the future if not managed.

Practioners that do not specialize in the management and function of extremities may not know that bunion formation can be caused by several dysfunctions of the foot.  Bad body mechanics may go unnoticed.  Improper walking or standing puts added stress on the foot and prevents toes from moving and gliding the way they should.  Bones that are stuck prevent the toes from functioning normally and the foot, ankle, knees and hips begin to pay the price.   Many people have been told there is nothing that can be done to change or manage this problem except tape the toe, put a divider between the big toe and second toe or have surgery where part of the toe is shaved off.  This is just a short term solution and will result in further destruction of the foot.

At Precise Moves Chiropractic we specialize in extremities and can help you relieve foot problems and help you walk and stand better resulting in less pain and stress on your foot.

Give our San Carlos Chiropractic office a call today to start your journey to long term health!

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health, San Carlos Chiropractor | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Not “old age diabetes”

February 12, 2010

Diabetes happens when our body has a problem secreting insulin. Insulin is required to keep the body in homeostasis when glucose (sugar) is ingested and stored in the body. People who develop diabetes have what is called “insulin resistance”. This basically means that the body (liver, muscles, pancreas) do not produce enough or fail to produce insulin. People who are overweight have a higher risk of insulin resistance because fat blocks insulin production.

There are a lot of people out there that call Type 2 diabetes “old age diabetes”. It has been believed in past years that as you get older, you develop diabetes. Well, this is partly true but it is not just because you get older. Yes, there is a genetic factor but in my opinion most of the time it is strictly caused by years of eating badly and not getting enough exercise. After years of not giving your body what it needs to thrive, it finally just starts to break down. This is why we develop symptoms when we get older.

Here are some symptoms of diabetes:
1. Blurred vision
2. Erectile dysfunction
3. Fatigue
4. Slow healing
5. Increased appetite, thirst, and urination.
So, how can we prevent or manage diabetes?
  • Eat healthy meals. There are diets out there that are specially designed for people with diabetes. Here is an example: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002440.htm
  • Make sure you get checked by your medical doctor for cholesterol, high blood pressure and glucose levels.
Diabetes can be managed easily without medication if monitored correctly. Patient education about proper foods, physical activity play a key role and when applied, become easy!
This was a message from Dr. Amie B. Gregory, D.C., C.M.T. at Precise Moves Chiropractic in San Carlos, CA
By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health, San Carlos Chiropractor | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Tennis Elbow…what can be done?

January 27, 2010

“Tennis elbow” or what may be referred to as “lateral epicondylitis” is caused by misuse or overuse of the forearm muscles. It normally results in pain on the outside of the elbow (lateral epicondyle). It is common with tennis players but anyone can have this problem.

When can you tell if you have Tennis Elbow?

  1. Pain on the outside of the elbow
  2. Pain occurs when shaking hands or gripping objects
  3. Pain with twisting with force, opening jars, even using a toothbrush or holding a knife or fork may cause pain.

Proper function is key to help you prevent chronic problems with your elbow. Chiropractors can help alleviate this pain and dysfunction in the body without drugs, cortisone shots or surgery! We can diagnose this problem using orthopedic tests and by studying the way your arm moves and functions. We perform soft tissue work, muscle and bone alignment to make sure your arm is operating properly. After your pain is gone, we will incorporate exercises in your treatment to prevent further tearing and stress on the joint and teach you proper body movement.

If you think you may have tennis elbow, chiropractic can help. Give us a call at 650.353.1133.

Dr. Amie B. Gregory
Precise Moves Chiropractic
Sports and Extremity Chiropractor located in San Carlos, CA

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health, San Carlos Chiropractor | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Knee “Baker’s Cyst” does not require surgery

January 23, 2010

Q: What is a Baker’s Cyst?

A: A Bakers Cyst is a fluid growth that occurs on the back of the knee. It can become hard and very painful.

Q: How does it happen?

A: This cyst starts to grow when there is a biomechanical problem adding stress to the joint such as with walking, running, standing and/or posture. It is also called a Popliteal Cyst.

Q: What are the symptoms of Baker’s Cysts?

A: Symptoms of Baker’s Cysts can include:

  1. swelling behind the knee which can get to to size of a golf ball
  2. Difficulty and pressure on the joint when bending the knee. This pressure can go all the way down the calf muscle.
  3. Pain and tenderness after exercising

Q: What can be done to help alleviate a baker’s cyst?

A: Rest is the number one way of relieving problems with the cyst. Inflammation will go down and the fluid in the cyst will start to alleviate. Braces can also be worn to reduce the stress on the joint and prevent bad body mechanics which start to build the cyst back up again.

If given time to heal and stress is taken off of the joint, the cyst will get rid of its fluid and disappear.

Did you know that there is a 40% chance that a cyst removed by surgery will reoccur. That is a pretty high percentage!

Q: So, what can chiropractic do?

A: Chiropractors are trained to find abnormal movement in the body and re-align your joints to get rid of bad posture and extra stress on your joints. Understanding proper body mechanics and training your body to move properly will help alleviate any additional cysts in the future!

Call 650.353.1133 for an appointment today to have an exam. We are located in the peninsula and are easy accessible via car and caltrain.

During your exam, I will not only look at your spinal issues but will also check your extremities and soft tissue concerns. I can help you with a wide array of problems that occur in the whole body!

Athletes: I can increase your mobility, results and prevent injuries!

By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health, San Carlos Chiropractor | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Agave Syrup: an UNSAFE sugar substitute

January 21, 2010

Agave syrup is a man-made sweetener which has been through a complicated chemical refining process of enzymatic digestion that converts the starch and fiber into the unbound, man-made chemical fructose. While high fructose agave syrup won’t spike your blood glucose levels as High Fructose Corn Syrup is reported to do, the fructose in it may cause mineral depletion, liver inflammation, hardening of the arteries, insulin resistance leading to diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and obesity.

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Sleep Deprivation negatively impacts overall health

January 19, 2010

Sleep Deprivation adversely affects cognitive performance (reduces problem solving and decision making skills as well as short-term memory, impairs judgment, reduces logical reasoning and critical thinking, reduces visual attention and processing)

  • Adversely affects mood and emotional well being, including increasing feelings of stress, sadness, frustration, anxiety, and ange
  • Impairs immune function
  • Influences the production and release of important hormones:
  • Increased levels of cortisol which contributes to high blood pressure, a weaker immune system, increase appetite and abdominal weight gain)
  • Negatively influence the production and release of leptin and ghrelin, hormones that affect appetite regulation
  • Reduces the effectiveness of insulin, increasing blood sugar levels and increases the risk of diabetes
  • Can inhibit the nocturnal production and release of growth hormones in men, which may contribute to loss of muscles and reduced metabolic rate
  • There’s a relationship between sleep deprivation and risk of high blood pressure, stroke and the metabolic syndrome
  • Sleep deprivation is also a risk factor for weight gain because it makes it more difficult to exercise and eat well
By Dr. Amie Gregory | Posted in General Health | Tagged , | Comments (0)