Know Your Back Quiz - Do You Know How To Take Care Of Your Back?

You've probably heard numerous recommendations about how best to take care of your back. But do you really know, for example, if you should use ice or heat on your back? Or if a back belt helps you lift more weight?

Take this quiz to find out what's fact and what's fiction. Scroll to the bottom for correct answers.

1. How should you protect your back when lifting?
               a. keep your back straight
               b. stand with your feet parallel
               c. hold your load close to your body

2. True or False? Back belts allow you to lift more weight.
               a. true
               b. false

3. Which is better for your back: pushing or pulling?
               a. pushing
               b. pulling

4. True or False? Prolonged bed rest will cure back pain.
               a. true
               b. false

5. True or False? Heat is best for acute (severe) back pain.
               a. true
               b. false

6. True of False? Being overweight can contribute to back pain.
               a. true
               b. false

7. True or False? If you have back pain, you should not do weight-bearing exercises.
               a. true
               b. false

8. True or False? Strengthening abdominal muscles may prevent back pain and provide some relief if you already have back pain.
               a. true
               b. false

9. The best time to stretch is:
               a. in the morning
               b. throughout the day
               c. after work

GET READY FOR THE ANSWERS

1. The correct answer is: c. Hold your load close to your body to avoid straining your back when lifting (especially heavy objects.)

2. False. Back belts do not make you stronger!

3. The correct answer is: a. Pushing. It is better than pulling because your body weight provides the thrust.

4. False. While a brief period of rest may help, staying in bed too long will weaken muscles.

5. False. Anti-inflammatories and gentle stretching are best, followed by an ice pack.

6. True. Excess weight, especially in the stomach, shifts your center of gravity forward and puts additional strain on your back muscles.

7. False. Strength training can help alleviate back pain and prevent further injury, but ask your doctor for guidance.

8. True. Abdominal muscles help support the back, so strong "abs" can take some of the strain off your back muscles.

9. The correct answer is: b. Throughout the day. Stretching keeps your muscles flexible and helps avoid injury.

How well did you do?

The more you know, the better chance you have of avoiding back pain - which affects 80% of the adult population and is the second most common reason people visit their doctors. To find out more ways to improve your back and learn about Chiropractic Care contact me today and we can evaluate you and your health and make sure we place you on a track to stay healthy.

THINK POSITIVE - IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

As I move foward in the development of my new venture "Life To Your Years" I look forward to all my patients and new patients inquiring about this journey and always must remember to enroll them in my concept that "Positive Thinking" can make a big difference. So wake up each day and say to yourself "What am I doing to make myself more aware about my health and staying healthy. For years, we've heard that psychological factors may profoundly affect the results of treatment for an illness. Consider the stories of "miracle cures" by terminal cancer patients who kept their spirits up and maintained that "never say die" attitude throughout treatment.A recent study in the journal Spine suggests that pessimistic thinkers may have trouble recovering from low back pain. The authors examined the relationship between patient expectations of treatment benefits and treatment outcomes. One hundred thirty-five patients with chronic LBP were divided into either a massage or an acupuncture treatment group. Prior to the study, patients rated how helpful they expected their treatment to be on a scale from 0-10 (10 being extremely helpful). Following 10 weeks of treatment, the functional ability of each patient was determined using a disability scale.
Participants with higher expectations for their treatment experienced less pain in 86 % of cases, while patients with low expectations only improved in 68 % of cases. Odds of improvement were five times greater for the high-expectation group than the low-expectation group after adjusting for other factors, such as physical health, age, education, etc. Patients who expected benefit from one treatment, as opposed to the other, improved more from that particular treatment.
Don't let an illness or health concern get you down! As this evidence suggests, attitude may influence your recovery as much as the actual treatment you receive. Try to be optimistic the next time you receive treatment for any illness, and talk to your doctor about the best way to stay healthy and happy for a lifetime. Call me and ask me about "Health Awareness Mentoring" and the "Self Assessment" that we can provide in getting you to understand your health and making sure you stay healthy.
All my best.

That was It? - The Price of Fame - Michael Jackson - "King of Pop"

I know I won’t be able to sleep until I get put on paper what I feel. I went to see Michael Jackson’s “This is it”, the documentary of his final days as he was creating his last world concert tour. I surprise myself in wanting to talk about him because I was never a “fan” even though I liked much of his music. I occasionally paid attention to the sensationalism of his life and career, but did not follow his life in detail.
I went to see the documentary to see what I would experience emotionally reflecting again on my experience of him as a teenager briefly in a clinical environment. As I have observed the rave reviews calling him the “King of Pop” I have also heard many of his critics malign his character and lifestyle. I decided once and for all I wanted to formulate my own opinion.
Without preconceived expectations I found myself mesmerized by this man’s talent and humility. I also acquired a renewed and intensified esteem for the influence this man had literally over innumerable adults and teenagers as I witnessed their genuine respect for his gifts and his character. It took me back more than thirty years when I spend but a few moments with the boy. Other than being transfixed by his technical creativity and discipline I experienced the identical feelings watching him on film that I did in his presence many years ago. I experienced the sensitivity, vulnerability, and innocence of a little boy.
“That was it” is my way of saying there should and could have been much more of Michael Jackson for us. I believe “This Is It” is as much of a sad commentary on a talented man and an extraordinary life extinguished too soon as it is a tribute to his musical legacy. His talent was paralleled with tremendous anxiety and drive for perfection. Although he originally paid attention to his health, he eventually compromised his health to satisfy the demands of his intense lifestyle. Perhaps the attraction of fame and fortune is more appealing to many than the less glamorous and marketable aspect of health, but in Michael Jackson’s case the loss of his health not only terminated his career but more importantly his life.
Had there been a reasoning voice among those people who most influenced his life to pay attention to balance he would probably still be with us. A healthy life (which requires balance) cannot be purchased or negotiated, it must be earned! The medications to make him sleep, wake him up and give him energy to keep him producing cost him proper rest and essential nutrition which ultimately helped generate the imbalance in his life that literally destroyed his heart.
I admire what I believe was a very sensitive and powerfully creative individual who brought joy and vision to many of his fans. What I fear however is a deadly influence upon many who do not understand the price he paid for disrespecting the laws of good health. His death is even more of a tragedy when it is not acknowledged that it could have been prevented...that is the message that needs to parallel his contribution to the music world as “King of Pop”.

A HAPPY GHOULISH SAFE HALLOWEEN - TRICK OR TREAT

A Halloween tale from my spooky vault.

Most of my life I had a love affair with Halloween because I found it as an opportunity to unleash my playful and creative dimensions of my personality. I started as a teenager creating exotic and unusual haunted houses and it continued well into my professional years. I even went so far as to install a revolving bookcase (revolving from my consultation room to the reception room in my office on cherry Lane in Meridian to entertain my patients. It continued year around as a vehicle for surprising my patients and making them laugh when it was least anticipated. For many years my staff and I prepared for weeks prior to Halloween, trained numerous volunteers, put thousands of people through a black light, music and special effect filled maze from one end of the office to the other. We donated the profits to local school organizations and were fortunate to have local television station and front page coverage on “The Idaho Statesman” newspaper. I ended my yearly intense Halloween projects with the production of “Goose Bumps and Beads of Sweat”, a Horror musical theatrical production complete with maniacal witches, large slithering snakes and singing blood sucking zombies throughout the audience...it was a riot...and a huge success. Halloween has always been for me a fun adventure filled with bounteous memories of great volunteers, outrageous laughter and miles of smiles. So to all my patients today I wish you a HAPPY SAFE HALLOWEEN.

Dottie's Bash - Successful and Memorable - THANKS EVERYONE!

Last Friday October 23rd we had our Party Bash for Dottie. It was a great success and very intimate with our patients who could be with us and those who were thinking of us. Dottie has been an inspiration to me and I want to thank her for all the wonderdul years we have endured successfully.

I want to also thank all the individuals that helped me organize our event and appreciate your time and efforts as I know Dottie does as well.

Well, to another 26 years with Life To Your Years and may all the new experiences we have be as good as those from our fondest memories. Here are some pics of our gathering.

Understanding My Fear - A Breakthrough

It was screaming in my head..get up! Get up and write. I didn’t want to.... or so I thought! I’m tired, I didn’t sleep well...I’m comfortable in bed...It’s cold out there...I don’t really know how to write...I’m not any good...no one is really interested in what I have to say...on and on and on and on.

But it wouldn’t go away...face your FEAR..say what you have to say...at least get it out there..put it on paper...put it on the radio...put it on film...just put it somewhere until someone, somewhere sees it the same way I do.
Of course I am not the only one with this vision but it is so big and so important and so needed that no matter how small or seemingly insignificant my voice may be it still can make a sound that can be heard.
There are many things in life that are important to me God, family, friends, patients, and my health. I don’t believe that I am any different than any one of you and in different stages and times in my life I have become confused of how to arrange my priorities. My health is important because it is the means by which I can move forward with the speed and mental clarity and energy I need to accomplish what I believe is my purpose in life. Perhaps we are similar in that many times in my life I have made poor choices for a thousand different reasons and abused my health. I didn’t respect myself and my health, didn’t feel good about myself, or believed that no one else cared so why should I. Even as starters those and many other reasons somehow often justify my decision to not value my health and to even abuse it. The difference is however, I know better.
There is a knowledge and experience within my being that tells me I am not being honest with myself and that I am afraid. Fearful of what it is going to take to make my voice heard, fearful of the rejection, fearful of the slow progress that I’ve already experienced putting my little toe in the cold water, fearful of my inadequacies getting in the way, fearful of the lack of finances, fearful that I am on the wrong track, fearful that I can’t be the total example that I need to be to be understood and fearful that this journey will end like other times as a disaster in my life.
Well my conclusion through all the rubble of previous earthquakes in my life is that I can’t run away from what I now I must do. Each day brings a new understanding, and a new challenge with another door opened and a consistently renewed vision to get back on track. Whatever it takes the break through my fear is what I must do. See the fear for what it is...rooted in self doubt...and a distortion of the truth. If you believe that you have been created for a reason and you are not an accident...then you may believe as I do there must be reason for all of this chaos, suffering, and even injustice. It is my reason and my passion to press on and encourage you to do the same.

OCTOBER IS NATIONAL CHIROPRACTIC MONTH

National Chiropractic Month is a nationwide campaign held each October. This year’s activities will focus on headache treatment. Nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches. Some are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and throbbing and some cause debilitating pain and nausea. Chiropractic has been proven to be an effective treatment for several types of headaches including tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck.

While many people associate chiropractic care as a treatment for bad backs, there is growing documentation that chiropractic is also effective in the treatment of cervicogenic headaches, migraines and cluster headaches. "Research shows that spinal manipulation is an effective treatment option for headaches,".

"Not only does drug-free, conservative chiropractic care provide almost immediate relief from pain, but it has significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief than many commonly prescribed medications."

Additionally, doctors of chiropractic are trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling-all of which are important components in the management of chronic headache pain. If you frequently suffer from headaches, I and ACA recommend the following tips.
• If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour.
• Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches.
• Drink at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.
• Avoid slouching.
• Try a low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate diet. A recent study demonstrated that such a diet can dramatically lower the frequency, intensity, and duration of migraine headaches.
• Reduce stress at home and work by planning ahead and engaging in relaxation and breathing exercises.
• Get plenty of sleep and maintain a regular sleep schedule.
This October, during National Chiropractic Month, give me a call and talk with me about how I can review the options of better health awareness mentoring in headache relief through spinal manipulation and chiropractic care.
When it comes to managing headache pain, there's no magic solution that works for everyone, but chiropractic care is certainly an effective treatment option every patient should keep in mind.

HAPPY DAY TO DOTTIE! LET'S PARTY

THE DAY IS HERE! HAPPY DAY TO DOTTIE!

It is with great pleasure that I invite you to join in a celebration with Food and Drink for Dottie Hines. Dottie as most of my patients know has been with me for 26 years and she is also going to be having a birthday. We are having an open house today Friday, October 23, 2009 during 12:00pm-6:0pm at our offices at 1500 W. Barrett Drive in Meridian. Please offer your congrats to Dottie and we look forward to seeing you at our celebration. If you join us you will also be learning about our new journey in Health Awareness Mentoring with "Life To Your Years". I look forward to seeing you and please respond to the invite you received in the mail.

Health Care Reform - Chiropractic Care Update

HEALTCARE REFORM - WEEKLY UPDATE FROM ACA

WATCH MY BACK! - Health Care Reform - GIVE YOUR VOICE!

As the health care reform moves forward we must stand up for our rights and lower health care costs by voting to include chiropractic care as a guaranteed benefit in any health care reform bill approved by congress.
The health care reform debate will mostly impact those unfortunates (of which there are many, regrettably) who have yet to understand and appreciate the wellness that chiropractic care can provide. Their health tends to come in spurts, interrupted by doctor visits, prescription drugs and over-the-counter self-infliction. If you haven't already joined the battle, now is the time. As you may expect, and as has been suggested in several articles in this publication, there are two primary avenues that will allow you and your patients to get involved in the decisions being made for health care reform: ChiroVoice.org and AdjustTheVote.org, the advocacy Web sites of the ACA and the ICA, respectively.
Please don't let your organizational preference shape your participation; their efforts are united and their goal is the same: to increase the odds that more people will have more access to chiropractic care, now and in the future. And isn't that what we all want?
CLICK ON THIS LINK: American Chiropractic Association - Legislative Action Center and make your voice heard on this important matter.

Health Fair Exhibit - Results are Here

This past weekend we participated at the Idaho Business League Health Fair and it was a pleasure seeing all the exhibitors there focused on health issues. The turnout was not was not what we expected but still it gave us good insight as to what people are talking about with their concerns, opinions and overall health care issues.
We will be moving forward and preparing for our seminar early next year and we appreciate all the feedback we have received.
Our website is getting closer to launch and I look forward to meeting new patients as well as taking my existing patients along on my journey with Health Awareness Mentoring.

Health Awareness Fair - Idaho Business League

I am pleased to announce that "Life To Your Years" will be having an exhibit at the 17th Annual Idaho Business League Health, Beauty & Fitness Fair on Saturday October 17th from 10am-5:00pm and Sunday October 18th from 10am-4:00pm. A fun Wellness Event for All Ages and held at the Idaho Expo on 5610 Glenwood, Boise, Idaho 83714.
Many people have questions about their health and all they want are clear and simple answers. Where do they turn for answers? The annual Idaho Health, Beauty and Fitness Fair.
Health Fair targets individuals, families and seniors with this free, fun-filled, educational, general public event emphasizing information, vaccinations, testing, screenings and samples.
I look forward to seeing you there and reviewing all the wonders of Health Awareness Mentoring.