Flores Chiropractic

KIDNAPPED BY TECHNOLOGY

by Dr. Joe Dispenza

Many of us who are raising children likely have grown accustomed to the trance-like indifference and absent state of mind that our youth can masterfully turn on in a matter of seconds (it looks like an extended lapse in consciousness). We have probably all talked ourselves into thinking these “short trips” are normal. But has anyone wondered why it takes ever-increasing volume and inflection to catch a glimmer of attention or elicit a response from our best genetic contributions to humanity?

I often wonder, “Did I look like that when I was young, or is this mental glazing-over the product of our times?” Many parents of teenagers have seen the amazing trance-like brain states, and it’s difficult to tell if these kids are experiencing transcendental enlightenment or if anyone is really “home.”

Experts tell us that as we reach our teenage years and the struggle for our own identities begins, the major factor causing the young changing brain to make a quantum developmental leap is primarily under the reins of a genetic program. In the adolescent timeline, between raging hormones and the normal progression of brain development, most of the body’s blood flow and energy is shunted to the emotional centers located in the hindbrain and away from the forebrain. This means we’re prone to react more and think reasonably less — not that we don’t experience any of this in our adult lives as well.

Within the forebrain is the frontal lobe, essentially the brain’s executive, which controls attention, decision-making, emotional reactions, impulsive behavior, and purposeful planning; it is the home of our identity. But for you parents of teenagers, here’s the interesting news: we’re told that the frontal lobe, which helps us make sense out of life, doesn’t fully finish maturing until we are 25 years old. Think about this: we can drive a car at 16, vote at 18 and drink alcohol at 21 — while the brain’s most important center does not finish forming until we are in our mid-twenties. So don’t take it personally when your teenage daughter tunes you out while you’re intently speaking to her, or your adolescent son impulsively reacts without forethought. It can be seen as evolution’s gift that parents are baptized with the steep karmic debt of their own actions.

As we all know, it is not solely the genes that cast the dice of our destinies. We are, in fact, very capable of learning from different environmental stimuli, and it is through these interactions, that we become such amazing creatures of personal development and change. The waltz between nature and nurture gives us a broad playing field. But is it possible that the present cultural and environmental conditions are impacting the very function of the human brain?

Technology changes brain physiology

With the advent of technology, it should be obvious by now that environmental factors like video games, cell phones, text messaging, television, MP3 players, and Internet sites such as MySpace.com play an unseen hand in further affecting our children’s brain physiology. Technology is influencing our mind states to escalate in the direction of increasing emotional entropy by hijacking the brain’s natural reward centers. Therefore, if you want to add more insult to injury in a teenage household, just add more technology to a developing brain, and rest assured you will feel totally left out of your children’s lives.

The latest research has proven that a healthy diet decreases violence and aggression while improving brain activity. It also has been observed that the long-term use of video games alters the way the normal brain functions. When a child plays a computer game, each time they blow something or someone to bits, shoot down or destroy a plane, ship, UFO or any vehicle, break through a wall or barrier in order to move to the next level, or beat a character to severe injury, the brain responds chemically. In fact, it is proven that the pleasure center begins to release high amounts of dopamine, the brain’s natural pleasure chemical.

The bottom line is that dopamine makes us feel good, especially when we’re winning at such a high pace. In addition, when accomplishment is coupled with excitement, the brain produces the adrenalines norepinephrine and epinephrine in order to wake itself up with a boost of heightened awareness. This chemical cocktail is the perfect mix for problems in normal brain function.

To reiterate, this type of computer game stimulation is not so bad for a short run, but begins to cause problems in the long term. As the brain’s reward center is repeatedly activated and the strong chemicals are released during the gaming, pleasure zones become overstimulated. As a result, the reward system becomes desensitized and then recalibrates itself to a higher threshold. In other words, it will need more of a chemical rush to produce the same feelings. A side-effect of this mechanism is addiction … and when it is tied to attention and learning, serious effects manifest.

As the brain’s physiology responds to a mind exposed to these abnormal virtual activities (no child blows up people or things in real life), the brain is fooled into thinking it is almost real. Additionally, the continuous release of chemicals on the nerve cells’ receptor sites (the cells’ docking points for chemical information) finally causes the receptors to become desensitized to the same level of the chemical rush. Therefore, the next time a youth engages in the game, it’s a guarantee they will need more of a thrill to excite their brain. It’s like living with a spouse who always yells at you — eventually they need to yell a little louder to get your attention, because over time that intense stimulation is considered normal.

Receptor sites are the same way. If you keep over-activating them, they become numb and require more and more substantial hits. The side-effect: the brain needs unrealistic highs to feel happy and satiated. In the absence of such high-level stimulation, the mind turns off, and your offspring do too.

So when your kid’s computer activity ends, count on your child looking like a drone because you’re probably not all that interesting compared to what he’s just been experiencing. In truth, everything in life will seem boring. Simple things like watching a sunset, playing with the dog or even visiting with a grandparent will seem like trivial nonsense. Why? Because nothing in the normal, mundane world can match the ecstasy of the virtual world or the super high it produces. Sounds like an addiction. And without proper restraint, future choices may be married to things that produce more heightened stimulation: drugs, pornography, gambling, excess shopping, over-eating … all because the brain’s satiation center may never be fulfilled.

The gamer in the classroom

Let’s take this scenario one step further. What about when a child, between Gameboy mania and a MySpace chat room, goes to school to develop his mind? Shouldn’t learning be a reward in itself? Attention spans inevitably will shorten for the gamer who sits in the classroom trying to pay attention to a topic that doesn’t turn his brain on or make his body feel alive. As the young brain goes through withdrawal in the classroom, the perfect stimulation might be to cause trouble by acting out.

Getting in trouble causes high adrenal activity and, unconsciously, the child is making the brain turn on again to provoke similar chemical releases as gaming provides. Fidgeting, falling asleep, interruptions, emotional outbursts, provocative and disrespectful comments are all side-effects of attention problems. It isn’t too difficult to reason the etiology in a child with no genetic history of ADD and ADHD, no head injury and no exposure to toxicity.

How do we make necessary changes in the best interest of the young developing mind? It is the parent’s job to think this complexity through to its end. If we propagate the use of technology without an emphasis on developing personal values, providing an environment for skillful learning, practicing reverence for all cultures and beliefs, performing daily rituals, participating in family and social activities, exposing our kids to nature, motivating them to exercise, debating philosophy or providing an environment for interpersonal evolution, we can surely predict how well — or how poorly — future generations will thrive on a planet with so much opportunity.

Joe Dispenza, D.C., best known for his role in What the BLEEP Do We Know?!, has authored several scientific articles on the close relationship between brain chemistry, neuroscience and biology, and their roles in physical health including his latest book, Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind. For more information on Dr. Dispenza please visit his website at www.drjoedispenza.com. This article was first published on AZNet News under the title Hijacked by Technology.

Originally written by me for information site, Alijor, I thought this information might benefit my patients. If you’re like the average American, each day, you spend at least 8-10 hours in a seated position. Whether it’s in front of a computer screen, on the drive to work, at the dinner table, or watching TV after a hectic day, you sit for hours each day.

And that can wreak havoc on your spine and contribute to these common workplace injuries:

1. Back pain
2. Neck and shoulder pain
3. Headaches
4. Eye strain
5. Arm and wrist pain
6. Low back and leg pain
7. Fatigue
8. Repetitive strain injuries (such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or tendonitis)

But there is good news. Improving your posture and creating an ‘ergonomically friendly’ work space can reduce your risk of suffering from these injuries.

Five tips to avoid sitting injuries:

1. Get moving. Get up and move around for 5 minutes every hour. Yes, every hour! You can still work while standing up and moving around in your area (you can even use the time to tackle any files that might be piling up on your desk).
2. Look ahead. When you work at a computer all day, try to look out a window, or across the room for 10 seconds every 15 minutes. This helps reduce eye strain.
3. Sit up. A good chair with low back support will maintain the proper curves of the spine.  Stand facing your chair. Adjust the sitting surface so that it is just below the bottom of your knees.  When sitting, your thighs should be parallel with the floor.  This reduces the stress on your lower back.
4. Check your monitor. Your computer monitor should be directly in front of you with the top of the screen even with, or slightly below, eye level. This keeps your neck in a neutral position and decreases chance of neck discomfort and degeneration.
5. Consider a new keyboard. Use a negative tilt keyboard tray with an upper mouse platform or downward tilt-able platform adjacent to keyboard.  This can help decrease carpel tunnel syndrome.

Correct Desk Posture

Muscle overload can lead to damage

When muscles and ligaments are stressed, they respond by repairing and strengthening; but if the overload is frequent, damage may result. Trauma, or sudden stress, to a ligament begins with pain, swelling and results in lost function. Injuries and damage need proper treatment to heal rapidly. Rest is important; which includes days of immobilization of the damaged area, followed by reintroduction of movement and activity. Reactivation is also necessary — which consists of exercise and guidance. A skilled chiropractor can guide you through this process and help you return to your ultimate potential health.

Did you know?

Your back assumes its normal posture based on the shape of the spine. The spine normally has four curves in it.  The bones of the spine are called vertebra. They are separated by spongy pads called discs. In between the vertebra exit the spinal nerves that control the function of every muscle and organ in the body. Poor posture can alter the natural curves of your spine and cause damage to discs and nerves.

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Hi, just wanted you all to know that I published an article to this great website, alijor.com.

It’s called “5 TIPS TO STAY HEALTHY WHILE YOU SIT.” Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think. I know that we could all use a reminder now and again.

Yours in health,

Dr. Noe Flores

As a new father and a chiropractor, I am intrigued by the potential in pediatric chiropractic. Occasionally I will point towards case studies and research illustrating its benefit, as in this example, of a baby whose treatment addressed her sleeping problems.

A case study published in the July 2006 issue of the peer-reviewed, scientific publication, the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics (JCCP) documented the effects of chiropractic care on a nine month old infant girl with a history of disturbed sleep. The JCCP is the official publication of the Council on Chiropractic Pediatrics of the International Chiropractors Association.

The study article starts off by noting that the average 9 month old should sleep approximately 14 hours per day. In this case study a nine month old infant girl was presented for chiropractic care with a history of severely disrupted sleep and fussiness. Additionally, the infant was refusing to breastfeed on one side and exhibited, what was called a generally unsettled behavior. It was also noted that the child would not turn her head to the left. These problems had been occurring since birth.

The examination confirmed a reduced range of neck motion to the left and significant muscle tension in the left and upper neck. Upon touching the neck the child exhibited signs of being in pain by crying and moving away. It was determined that subluxations were present, and an appropriate course of adjustments was initiated.

The results in this case were very impressive. The study noted that on the afternoon after the infants first adjustment the baby girl fell asleep for 5 hours. This was followed by nighttime sleep of 2 periods of 6 hours each. Over the next three weeks of care the daytime sleep got shorter, but the nighttime sleep remained between 6 and 8 hours.

In addition to the dramatic sleep improvement, the child also improved her range of neck motion and was able to turn her head to the left in response to sound on the left side. Additionally the infant began to feed freely and comfortably.

In their conclusion, the authors of the case study noted that the dramatic improvements after just one adjustment indicated that the vertebral subluxation found in this case was at least in part responsible for the disrupted sleep pattern.

Source: www.chiropracticresearch.org

When snow, ice and frigid weather blast into town, watch out, says the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). Winter recreational activities and chores can pose problems for the outdoor enthusiast whose body is not in condition. Winter sports like skating, skiing and sledding can cause painful muscle spasms, strains or tears if you’re not in shape. Even shoveling snow the wrong way, clambering awkwardly over snow banks, slipping on sidewalks and wearing the wrong kinds of clothing can all pose the potential for spasms, strains and sprains.

Simply walking outside in the freezing weather without layers of warm clothing can intensify older joint problems and cause a great deal of pain. As muscles and blood vessels contract to conserve the body’s heat, the blood supply to extremities is reduced. This lowers the functional capacity of many muscles, particularly among the physically unfit. Preparation for an outdoor winter activity, including conditioning the areas of the body that are most vulnerable, can help avoid injury and costly health care bills.

“Simply put, warming up is essential,” says Olympic speedskating gold and silver medalist Derek Parra. “In fact, when pressed for time, it’s better to shorten the length of your workout and keep a good warm-up than to skip the warm-up and dive right into the workout. Skipping your warm-up is the best way to get hurt.” Parra, who took both the gold and silver medals during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, UT, adds that, “You can complete a good warm-up in 15-20 minutes. And believe me, it will make your workout more pleasant and safe.”

Derek Parra and the ACA suggest that you start with some light aerobic activity (jogging, biking, fast walking) for about 7-10 minutes. Then follow these tips to help you fight back the winter weather:

• Skiing - do 10 to 15 squats. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart, knees aligned over your feet. Slowly lower your buttocks as you bend your knees over your feet. Stand up straight again.
• Skating - do several lunges. Take a moderately advanced step with one foot. Let your back knee come down to the floor while keeping your shoulders in position over your hips. Repeat the process with your other foot.
• Sledding/tobogganing - do knee-to-chest stretches to fight compression injuries caused by repetitive bouncing over the snow. Either sitting or lying on your back, pull your knees to your chest and hold for up to 30 seconds.
• Don’t forget cool-down stretching for all of these sports - At the bottom of the sledding hill, for instance, before trudging back up, do some more knees-to-chest stretches, or repetitive squatting movements to restore flexibility.

Shoveling snow can also wreak havoc on the musculoskeletal system. The ACA suggests the following tips for exercise of the snow shoveling variety:

• If you must shovel snow, be careful. Listen to weather forecasts so you can rise early and have time to shovel before work.
• Layer clothing to keep your muscles warm and flexible.
• Shoveling can strain “de-conditioned” muscles between your shoulders, in your upper back, lower back, buttocks and legs. So, do some warm-up stretching before you grab that shovel.
• When you do shovel, push the snow straight ahead. Don’t try to throw it. Walk it to the snow bank. Avoid sudden twisting and turning motions.
• Bend your knees to lift when shoveling. Let the muscles of your legs and arms do the work, not your back.
• Take frequent rest breaks to take the strain off your muscles. A fatigued body asks for injury.
• Stop if you feel chest pain, or get really tired or have shortness of breath. You may need immediate professional help.

After any of these activities, if you are sore, apply an ice bag to the affected area for 20 minutes, then take it off for a couple of hours. Repeat a couple of times each day over the next day or two.

If you continue to feel soreness, pain or strain after following these tips, it may be time to visit a doctor of chiropractic. “I’ve always believed in chiropractic care,” says Parra. “I’ve used a lot of other treatments for injuries and pain, but the problem doesn’t get fixed until I go to a doctor of chiropractic.”

www.acatoday.org

Doctors of Chiropractic Say: Back pain is pervasive among American adults, but a new and disturbing trend is emerging. Young children are suffering from back pain much earlier than previous generations, and the use of overweight backpacks is a contributing factor, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that backpack-related injuries sent more than 7,000 people to the emergency room in 2001 alone.

“In my own practice, I have noticed a marked increase in the number of young children who are complaining about back, neck and shoulder pain,” said Dr. Scott Bautch, a member of the ACA’s Council on Occupational Health. “The first question I ask these patients is, ‘Do you carry a backpack to school?’ Almost always, the answer is ‘yes.’”

This new back pain trend among youngsters isn’t surprising when you consider the disproportionate amounts of weight they carry in their backpacks - often slung over just one shoulder. According to Dr. Bautch, a recent study conducted in Italy found that the average child carries a backpack that would be the equivalent of a 39-pound burden for a 176-pound man, or a 29-pound load for a 132-pound woman. Of those children carrying heavy backpacks to school, 60 percent had experienced back pain as a result.

According to Dr. Bautch, preliminary results of studies being conducted in France show that the longer a child wears a backpack, the longer it takes for a curvature or deformity of the spine to correct itself. “The question that needs to be addressed next is, ‘Does it ever return to normal?’” Dr. Bautch added.

The results of these types of studies are especially important as more and more school districts - many of them in urban areas - remove lockers from the premises, forcing students to carry their books with them all day long.

The problem has become so widespread, in fact, that the California State Assembly passed legislation that would force school districts to develop ways of reducing the weight of students’ backpacks. Similar legislation is being considered in New Jersey as well. The ACA believes that limiting the backpack’s weight to no more than 10 percent of the child’s body weight and urging the use of ergonomically correct backpacks are possible solutions.

What Can You Do?
The ACA offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain that backpack misuse could cause the students in your household.

• Make sure your child’s backpack weighs no more than 5 to 10 percent of his or her body weight. A heavier backpack will cause your child to bend forward in an attempt to support the weight on his or her back, rather than on the shoulders, by the straps.
• The backpack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.
• A backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively. Make sure that pointy or bulky objects are packed away from the area that will rest on your child’s back.
• Bigger is not necessarily better. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry-and the heavier the backpack will be.
• Urge your child to wear both shoulder straps. Lugging the backpack around by one strap can cause the disproportionate shift of weight to one side, leading to neck and muscle spasms, as well as low-back pain.
• Wide, padded straps are very important. Non-padded straps are uncomfortable, and can dig into your child’s shoulders.
• The shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child’s body. Straps that are too loose can cause the backpack to dangle uncomfortably and cause spinal misalignment and pain.
• If the backpack is still too heavy, talk to your child’s teacher. Ask if your child could leave the heaviest books at school, and bring home only lighter hand-out materials or workbooks.
• Although the use of rollerpacks - or backpacks on wheels - has become popular in recent years, the ACA is now recommending that they be used cautiously and on a limited basis by only those students who are not physically able to carry a backpack. Some school districts have begun banning the use of rollerpacks because they clutter hallways, resulting in dangerous trips and falls.

Chiropractic Care Can Help…
If you or your child experiences any pain or discomfort resulting from backpack use, call your doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic are licensed and trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages and will use a gentler type of treatment for children. In addition, doctors of chiropractic can also prescribe exercises designed to help children develop strong muscles, along with instruction in good nutrition, posture and sleeping habits.

www.acatoday.org

In the United States, asthma cases have increased by more than 60 percent since the early 1980s, and asthma-related deaths have doubled to 5,000 a year. What is causing the asthma epidemic and what can we do to stem the tide? A recent series of articles in the Journal of the American Chiropractic Association (JACA) delves into this question and offers advice from doctors of chiropractic and allergists who have helped control asthma symptoms in many patients.

People in their 30s and older can remember that when they were young, it was very unusual for even one child in school to have asthma. Schoolchildren now often know several kids with asthma in a single class. The rapid increase in the number of young people with asthma was brought home to Dr. Scott Bautch, past president of the American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) Council on Occupational Health, when he went to a football game with his 13-year-old son: “Someone on the field had a breathing problem. It was hard to see whose son it was, and 15 parents ran to the field with inhalers.”

So far, researchers don’t know why cases of asthma are increasing at such an alarming rate. They hypothesize that a combination of genetics and some non-hereditary factors — such as increased environmental exposure to potential allergens — play a role. “Thirty years ago, Windex was the only cleaning solvent used by a few people. Now, we have a special cleaning solvent for every object,” says Dr. Bautch. “In addition, furniture and carpets are produced with formaldehyde as a preservative, and people breathe it,” he says.

Decreased air quality is coupled with the allergy-friendly modern house design, says Dr. William E. Walsh, MD, FACC, an allergist practicing in Minnesota: “Fifty years ago we lived in old, drafty houses, and the breeze dried and freshened the air, and cleared out mold and other allergens. Nowadays, our super-insulated houses don’t breathe adequately. Making basements into a living space increases mold exposure because mold grows in any basement.”

Food has become another source of exposure to allergens. “Food manufacturers put more preservatives in foods now to store them longer,” says Dr. Bautch. Researchers hypothesize that an increase in vaccinations, cesarean births, and antibiotic intake may be playing a role, too.

Asthma is a chronic disease; it can’t be cured—only controlled. For best treatment results, both the primary care physician and an asthma specialist, such as an allergist or pulmonologist, should be involved. According to experts interviewed for the article, the treatment program, in addition to medication intake, should include reducing exposure to the substances that induce acute episodes and identifying specific allergens that affect the patient.

Allergens aren’t the only culprit. Stress factors—such as moving to a new home, or changing jobs—may induce or aggravate asthma attacks. Even emotional expressions such as fear, anger, frustration, hard crying, or laughing can cause an attack as well. To reduce the patient’s stress level and improve the patient’s quality of life, alternative treatments should be incorporated into the treatment program. Various relaxation techniques, such as biofeedback, meditation, yoga, and stress management, as well as massage, chiropractic manipulation, breathing exercises, and acupuncture can be helpful.

A multi-site clinical trial on chiropractic management of asthma is underway in Australia. “The preliminary data are very encouraging. Chiropractic patients are showing decreases in physical asthma symptoms and cortisol levels,” says Dr. Anthony Rosner, director of education and research for the Foundation of Chiropractic Education and Research.

“Doctors of chiropractic can give a full-scale evaluation to asthma patients; assess their physical and neurological status, their lifestyle, diet, and stressors; and help the patients increase motor coordination, and improve the work of respiratory and gut muscles to increase the quality of life,” says Dr. Gail Henry, a chiropractic neurologist, who practices in Houston, Texas. “Doctors of chiropractic can be a great addition to the healthcare team treating the asthma patient.”

Asthma experts offer the following tips for asthma patients:

• Use air filters to help clean air in your home.
• Cover mattresses and pillows with dust covers and use hypoallergenic bed clothing to reduce exposure to dust mites.
• If your condition is getting worse, get checked for viral respiratory infections and different medical conditions, such as flu, rhinitis, sinusitis, and gastroesophageal reflux. When those are treated and eliminated, asthma symptoms improve. Endocrine factors, such as menstruation, pregnancy, and thyroid disease, may exacerbate asthma, as well.
• Some medications—aspirin; beta-blockers, including eye drops; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, etc.—can also precipitate or aggravate asthma symptoms.
• If your asthma is exercise-induced, an individually prescribed exercise program carefully chosen under the guidance of your primary health care provider or doctor of chiropractic should be incorporated into the treatment plan.
• Avoid sulfites or monosodium glutamate (MSG) in foods. Since both additives are used in a wide variety of foods, carefully read processed food labels and choose MSG-free foods when eating out.
• Choose a more vegetarian-type diet. Animal proteins found in meat include arachidonic acid—a precursor for inflammation.
• Include foods with omega-3 fatty acids in the diet—such as fish or fish oil.
• Supplement with vitamin C, which helps reduce allergic reactions and wheezing symptoms.
• To reduce stress in your children, spend quality time with them and limit their exposure to TV programs that include violence.

www.acatoday.org

“There is encouraging improvements of symptoms related to Multiple Sclerosis through management with specific chiropractic adjustments.”