Safe Driving Tips

10 Tips to Boosting Your Immune System

 

Give You Immune System a Boost
10 Helpful tips to give your immune system a boost
this cold and flu season.

                Cold and flu season is here, but with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, you may not be giving your immune system its best chance at fighting off infections. Thankfully, there are some simple everyday tips to avoid getting sick and to give your immune system a boost.  With the holidays just around the corner, you will definitely want to do everything to boost your immunity.

1.       Decrease/Eliminate Stress: Stress hurts your body in many ways, but it has the most significant effect on your immune system. When we’re stressed, the immune system’s ability to fight off antigens is reduced. That is why we are more susceptible to infections.

Stress can also have an indirect effect on illness as it is associated with all manner of bad habits (coping strategies), for example smoking, drinking alcohol to excess, poor diet due to lack of time, lack of exercise for the same reason, lack of sleep etc.

2.       Laugh: The saying goes that laughter is the best medicine, and there's truth to that. Laughter releases dopamine and other feel-good chemicals in the brain, all of which can help decrease stress.

3.       Adopt a Healthy Diet: Try to eliminate processed foods from your daily routine. Not only are processed foods hard on your body, they don’t provide you with the energy or nutrients your body needs to fight infections. Instead, opt for plenty of colorful fruits and veggies paired with lean proteins!

4.       Drink Water: One of the most popular and beneficial subscriptions for healing is to drink plenty of liquids. And by liquids, we mean water. Water is absolutely essential and critical for all cell functions in your body. When someone is dehydrated they produce Histamines, which are the mucus promoters in your body. So dehydration causes mucus, inflammation, and swelling. We want to be fully hydrated. All of the time, not simply sometimes!

5.       Rest: Been running around like crazy to finish your holiday shopping and now, all of a sudden, you're sick? Well, that's your immune system getting its revenge. The immune system requires a lot of energy to work. When you notice that you’re tired, your appetite is suppressed, and you’re low on energy, your body is diverting energy to your immune system. Instead of taking drugs so you can rush off to work, listen to your body and get some rest. Stay home, stay warm, allow your body to use the energy to feed your immune system, and get healthy. When you sleep, your body is rebuilding new, healthy tissues. Staying up late only slows down this process.

6.       Move: Regular exercise appears to have the advantage of being able to jump-start the immune system, and that can help reduce the number of colds you get. With exercise, the number and aggressiveness of certain immune cells, such as the ones called natural killer cells, increase by as much as 50% to 300%. If you exercise regularly, this temporary increase can help make the immune system more efficient at destroying intruders that cause illness such as colds.

7.       Eliminate Sugar: Even if you’re drinking fruit juice, it’s more than likely that is chalk full of sugar. To put it simply, sugar can cripple your immune system. Sugar compromises the immune system because it lowers the efficiency of white blood cells for a minimum of five hours.

8.       Stay Positive: Researchers aren’t exactly sure why, but studies have shown those with more optimistic attitudes feel sick less often and/or recover from sickness more quickly than those who think more negatively. They believe that a person with a positive mind-set has an easier time clearing their head and reducing stress in their life.

9.       Let Your Body Fight: Your immune system will get stronger and smarter if you let your body fight. If you interfere and suppress it with prescription drugs because it’s more important for you to be comfortable rather than healthy, your body will get weaker and not be able to defend itself properly in future attacks.

10.   Receive Regular Chiropractic Care: The nervous system controls and coordinates the entire body including all of the immune organs. Subluxations or misalignments of the spine can interfere with messages sent to immune organs, making you more prone to illness. When you receive specific adjustments by a chiropractor, you are giving your body the chance to operate at optimal levels. Additionally, chiropractic care can help reduce the effects of stress on your body, indirectly giving your immune system a boost.

 

If you think you’re coming down with the cold or flu, or know someone who is seemingly always sick, be sure to give our office a call and find out more on how we can help!
605-332-9235



Second Annual Costume Contest Winners!

 

 

1st Place (Adult): $50 gift card to Runners Block

 

1st Place (Kids): 8 free games to Eastway Bowl

 

Honorable Mention: Mary Kay gift baskets

2nd Annual Halloween Costume Contest

 

 

 

 

 

CPR: Learning to Save A Life

CPR: Learning to Save A Life

                Imagine, you’re in a store, doing your weekly shopping, and a few short feet away from you, an elderly couple is doing the same. Suddenly, surprising, the husband collapses; he’s unconscious and doesn’t appear to be breathing. What would you do? Would you know what to do?

                In the scenario above, it is likely the patient suffered from sudden cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency and is more common than you may think. Unexpected cardiac arrest can lead to death within minutes, however, it is potentially reversible if treated early. One of the best tools for increasing the survival rate of cardiac arrest patients is the administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR.) CPR is performed on patients who are not breathing and do not have a pulse. There is no greater emergency. CPR has the effect of getting much-needed oxygen to the brain, where it can keep the nerves of the brain alive long enough for someone to get the patient's heart beating again.

                As of 2011, there were nearly 383,000 instances of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests; that’s almost 1,050 a day. Of these instances, 88 percent of cardiac arrests occur at home. Many of the victims appear healthy with no known heart disease or other risk factors. It is not the same as a heart attack and does not discriminate for age or gender. Anyone can be affected by cardiac arrest.

                With these statistics in mind, it is important to point out that 70 percent of Americans may feel helpless to act during a cardiac emergency because they either do not know how to administer CPR or their training has significantly lapsed. This should be alarming as, statistically speaking, if called on to administer CPR in an emergency, the life you save is likely to be someone at home: a child, a spouse, a parent or a friend. To put it simply: The life you save with CPR is mostly likely to be someone you love.

                We cannot stress enough how beneficial it would be for more people to be trained in providing life-saving CPR. Effective bystander CPR provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival, but only 32 percent of cardiac arrest victims get CPR from a bystander. Sadly, with so few administrating bystander CPR, there is only an 8 percent survival rate for cardiac arrests that occur outside the hospital. Whether it is someone you love or a complete stranger, by taking a CPR training course and engaging bystander CPR, you are giving someone a much better chance to survive.

                Anyone can learn CPR, and everyone should! By taking the course, you are empowering yourself to save a life. The course, led by a certified medical instructor, covers CPR and removing airway obstructions (choking) for adults, infants and children. This class also covers AED, ventilation devices, barriers for performing rescue breathing and two-person CPR techniques. You will also be provided with various information from how to take control of an emergency situation to facts and statistics that may surprise you. At the end of the course, the instructor will turn you on to Pulse Point. This is a free app that you can download onto your smartphone and it will alert you if there cardiac emergency in a public place. The location-aware application will alert trained citizens in the vicinity of the need for bystander CPR with the dispatch of advanced medical care.

                If you are interested in learning CPR, courses are offered through Sioux Falls Fire and Rescue. The course generally takes about two hours and allows up to 20 students. We strongly encourage you get your family, friends, and colleagues involved. There can never be too many people who know how to properly administer CPR in emergencies. Take the course and save a life!   

National Healthy Aging Month

Healthy Aging Month

September is the annual Healthy Aging Month when Americans nationwide are reminded to focus on the positive aspects of growing older and take personal responsibility for one’s health – physically, socially, mentally, or financially. We, at Excel Chiropractic, have chosen to honor this month by focusing our efforts on those who wish for helpful information on successful aging. We believe it is never too late to take control of your health.

                One of the biggest issues Americans face as the age is the onset of arthritis pain. Specifically, osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder and one of the most common reasons for disability for adults today. This condition, often called wear-and-tear arthritis, occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wears down over time. While osteoarthritis can damage any joint in your body, the disorder most commonly affects joints in your hands, neck, lower back, knees and hips. Sadly, no cure for this disease exists yet. However, there are natural treatments and lifestyle changes that can slow the progression of the disease, relieve joint pain, and improve mobility.

                As you age, the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints begins to deteriorate. This process is slow and worsens over time. As the cartilage deteriorates, you may begin to feel pain, tenderness, and/or stiffness in your joints, especially after long periods of inactivity. You may also experience a loss in flexibility; unable to move your joint through its full range of motion. In severe cases, you may feel a grating sensation when you use your joint or find that you are susceptible to bone spurs. If you are experiences any of these symptoms, it is important to make an appointment with your doctor so that he may diagnose your condition.

                If you are diagnosed with osteoarthritis, it does not mean that you cannot be healthy and successful in your golden years. By focusing on making healthy lifestyle changes, you can help reduce your osteoarthritis symptoms. Ensure you are getting enough rest to help reduce inflammation of your joints. Adopt an exercise routine that keeps you active, but is gentle on your joints, like walking or swimming. A healthy diet along with exercise will help you lose weight, which will relieve pressure on your joints and reduce pain. Using hot/cold packs will help with muscle stiffness or spasms and allow you some control over your pain.

Chiropractic care can also have a positive impact in controlling your osteoarthritis. Chiropractic care involves chiropractic manipulative therapy, also called a chiropractic adjustment, along with therapies such as ultrasound and electric muscle stimulation. For us, one of the most important steps is to restore normal joint alignment.  By aligning the joint and enabling it to move properly, chiropractic care can reduce further wear and tear and slow down the degenerative process.  In addition, we can help reduce pain and inflammation in the joints, which goes a long way to reducing the overall pain in osteoarthritis patients.  Chiropractic manipulative therapy also increases the mobility of the joint which can help improve joint stiffness and lack of motion. 

In addition to treatments, we may also recommend stretches and exercises specific to your affected joints. These recommendations may include range of motion movements, stretches, and light exercises that may help maintain fluidity in the joints and flexibility of the muscles.

Healthy Aging Month should be a motivation for everyone to resolve that it’s not too late to shore up their health. As we grow older, it is our responsibility to ensure we are making the right choices to be successful in both health and happiness. By taking charge of your health and learning about conditions, such as osteoarthritis, that you may face as you age, you are taking the first step in improving your overall well-being.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding Healthy Aging Month, osteoarthritis, or this article, please feel free to contact our office at 605-332-9235.

Backpack Safety

Backpack Safety

 

One of the fundamental pieces of any back to school ensemble is, of course, the backpack. Although they are practical, backpacks are a leading cause of back and shoulder pain for millions of children and adolescents. As students head back to school, here is some advice parents can use on preventing unnecessary backpack pain and injuries.

 Here is what you should be looking for to help select the best possible backpack for your child:

·         Is the backpack the correct size for your child?

o   Should never be wider or longer than your child’s torso

o   Should not hang more than 4 inches below the waistline

§  Can increase the weight on the shoulders

§  Can cause your child to lean forward when walking

·         Does the backpack have two wide, padded shoulder straps?

o   Non-padded straps are uncomfortable

o   Non-padded straps can place unnecessary pressure on the neck and shoulders

·         Does your child use both straps?

o   Using one strap can cause disproportionate shift of weight to one side

o   Using one strap leads to neck and muscle spasms, low-back pain, and poor posture

·         Are the shoulder straps adjustable?

o   Straps should be adjusted to fit your child’s body

o   The backpack should be evenly centered in the middle of your child’s back

·         Does the backpack have a padded back?

o   Provide increased comfort

o   Protects your child from being poke of contents inside

·         Does the backpack have several compartments?

o   Helps position the contents effectively

o   Pack pointy or bulky objects away from the area that will rest on your child’s back

o   Try to place the heaviest items closest to the body

Parents or guardians should help children pack their backpacks properly, and they should make sure children never carry more than 10 percent of their body weight. For example, a child who weighs 100 pounds shouldn’t carry a backpack heavier than 10 pounds, and a 50-pound child shouldn’t carry more than 5 pounds.

In addition, parents should ask their children to report any pain or other problems resulting from carrying a backpack. If the pain is severe or persistent, seek care from a doctor of chiropractic or other health care professional. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s health and backpack safety, please feel free to call our office at 605-332-9235!

 

Source:

Live Well South Dakota. South Dakota Chiropractors Association. Back Pack Safety.Livewellsouthdakota.com. South Dakota Chiropractors Association, 01 Aug. 2013. Web. 14 Aug. 2013.